Worcester Magazine January 7 - 13, 2022

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Worcester Magazine 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Liz Fay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske Worcester Magazine is a news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement.

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Featured ..............................................................................4 City Voices ........................................................................10 Cover Story.......................................................................13 Artist Spotlight................................................................19 Connell Sanders ..............................................................20 New on DVD .....................................................................25 Adoption Option.............................................................28 Classifi eds ........................................................................29 Games................................................................................30 Last Call .............................................................................31

On the cover After coping with nearly two years of pandemic as well as social, political, economic and environmental upheaval, we all need a wellness check. GETTY IMAGES

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FEATURED

Angels Net supports refugees and immigrants Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Angels Net Foundation Inc. was founded by two refugees from Liberia to help people from that war-torn country establish new lives for themselves in Worcester.

Liberia has been ravaged by periods of civil war for decades, and in that time a number of families have come from there to settle in Worcester.

But Angels Net Foundation subsequently decided to broaden the number of people it reached out to by embracing all immigrants and refugees, said volunteer and board member Angela Kwapong.

“It is a nonprofi t organization based in the Worcester community that empowers and provides support to refugees and immigrants through education programs,” she said.

As COVID hit the community, the organization ran a “COVID awareness campaign,” with information such as how to get vaccinated disseminated in diff erent languages, Kwapong said.

Now Angels Net Foundation is looking to build back-up programs such as its in-person after school activities for children who were hit by the pandemic.

The organization runs most of its in-person activities at Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 Main St., Worcester. With the pandemic, it has also started to put some of its programs online, Kwapong said.

A lot of people who have been helped by Angels Net Foundation are from Africa, including Liberia, Kenya and Nigeria. Kwapong said that she is originally from Kenya.

Angela Kwapong, a volunteer and board member for Angels Net Foundation. ALLAN JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

“We focus on the whole family. From the children to the adults,” she said.

Immigrants or refugees arriving in Worcester are fortunate to the extent that it is a city with a history of welcoming people from diff erent cultures.

“Worcester is a very diverse city. We have many immigrants and refugees. It’s very welcom-

ing. It’s a good place where you can network and not feel isolated because there are immigrants who have been through what you have been through,” Kwapong said.

Angels Net Foundation is another helping hand on the landscape.

“One of the challenges is trying to navigate. You’re coming

to a totally new place,” Kwapong said.

“One of the challenges is to have that sense of community.

If I’ve been in Kenya all my life, fi rst there is that culture shock.

How to navigate life in America is a big challenge. How to get a job. We teach those skills.”

Angels Net Foundation offers educational programs for

adults and children.

Programs for adults include fi nancial literacy — a look at “what’s important in fi nances,” Kwapong said.

A women’s support group helps build networks so that people can help each other.

Angels Net Foundation also See ANGELS, Page 5

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 5

Angels Net Foundation is a nonprofi t organization based in the Worcester community that empowers and provides support to refugees and immigrants through education programs.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Angels Continued from Page 4

has a lawyer who can help with legal advice on a number of issues.

Food and clothing distribution is coordinated at 114 Main St., and youths learn leadership skills running the program, Kwapong said.

After-school programs for children in Grades 1 to 12 include tutoring support, mentoring, as well as arts activities such as drumming, music, art and storytelling. A summer program provides tutoring in math and reading. Pre-pandemic fi eld trips included visits to Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Worcester Center for Crafts.

“When the pandemic happened we lost some of our students,” Kwapong said. Prior to

the pandemic, Angels Net Foundation regularly saw about 80 students. Now that number is about 20.

“We’re hoping to get (that number) back after the pandemic gets better,” Kwapong said.

After school is now open for in-person activities at 114 Main St., but right now, “we just have a smaller amount of children come in,” Kwapong said.

Some of the adult programs are currently online such as fi nancial literacy, legal advice and women’s support.

“We feel like we do help people. We do off er support,” Kwapong said. “When you look at some of the families who were initially struggling, you see them standing on their feet, getting jobs. That’s satisfying for us because they can conquer the world.”

Similarly, when children in the after-school program go on

After school is now open for in-person activities at 114 Main St., but right now, “we just have a smaller amount of children come in,” board member Angela Kwapong said. SUBMITTED PHOTO

to college, “we feel happy for the next generation. They’re gonna make it better,” she said.

Angels Net Foundation plans to have an online open house showcasing the entire organization in February.

The organization has a professional staff of nine and relies on “a lot of volunteers,” Kwapong said.

“As a nonprofi t organization, it’s hard. We have sponsors.

We’re continually trying to write grants.”

Kwapong said she works in “the professional world” but got involved with Angels Net Foundation as a volunteer and then later as also a board member because she had seen people from countries such as her native Kenya struggle here initially.

“I felt like I wanted to give back,” she said.

Another goal as Angels Net Foundation looks to 2022 is to

Angels Net Foundation’s after-school programs include tutoring support, mentoring and arts activities such as drumming, music, art and storytelling. SUBMITTED PHOTO

extend its services to recent refugees from Afghanistan, Kwapong said.

“Right now that’s one focus for 2022. We want to reach out

to them.”

For more information, call (508) 579-8157 or (774) 2614232, or connect with Angels Net Foundation on Facebook.

6 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Discarded Christmas trees a delicacy for local goats Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Did you know goats celebrate New Years? While they may not have much interest in watching the ball drop in Times Square or fi reworks, they defi nitely get excited after Christmas and in the early days of January for a yearly treat.

While smoked ham and turkey may be served on our tables, for goats and other farmyard denizens, nothing beats a good, prickly Christmas tree — minus the trimmings, of course.

“They go ape over it,” said Alyssa Belanger, who owns Slightly Off Course farm in Ashburnham with her husband. “[Goats] get super bored in the winter because they’re foragers and there’s nothing to eat but their hay and grain. They love the holidays as much as we do.”

The pine needles contain a wealth of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamin C, while the sap can act as a natural dewormer. The goats won’t stop at the needles however, and will strip the bark from the tree.

Over the last few years, local farms have taken to social media to put out the call for Christmas trees that have not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals, in the days between Christmas and New Years. The practice provides a new way to recycle the trees along with a tasty snack and enrichment tool for the animals. As Belanger summed it up, “it’s a nice way to get rid of trees without them going straight to the landfi lls and it defi nitely helps with the feed costs.”

Last year, when the farm fi rst began to raise goats, they put out the call for used Christmas trees — they now have six milking goats of the Nigerian dwarf variety, who are about the size of a medium-sized dog and have gentler personalities.

“I call them my outside dogs —

Shawn P. Hayden, program director, and Katie Follett, therapeutic farm coordinator, at the Carl E. Dahl House with a fresh Christmas tree in the goat pen on Dec. 30. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

they’re super smart and they remember things,” she says, chuckling.

Samantha Di Bonaventura of Hidden Hill Farms in Spencer said they fi rst started taking in used Christmas trees for pet goats in 2014. Now, their goats have learned what to expect when they see cars dropping off trees. As of Dec. 28, they had received eight trees, but she expects the number to rise dramatically. Last year saw Hidden Hills receive up to 300 trees all through February, more than they could possibly use, resulting in a stop date before that.

Goats aren’t the only animals who benefi t from the donations. Turkeys and chickens will roost in the pines while

donkeys enjoy scratching against the bark or playing a round of kickball (kick-tree?).

“They use [the trees] recreationally — kick them around,” said Shawn Hayden, program director at Carl E. Dahl House in Gardner, which doubles as both a substance abuse treatment center for men as well as a livestock rescue. Patients receive clinical help and work toward recovery by working on the farm and taking care of the animals.

With about 60 animals on the farm, any kind of enrichment activity helps, said Hayden. Residents at Dahl House have even built a jungle gym for See GOATS, Page 7

Goats at the Carl E. Dahl House enjoy eating a fresh Christmas tree in their pen on Dec. 30, 2021.

CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 7

Shawn P. Hayden, program director at the Carl E. Dahl House carries a fresh Christmas tree into the goat pen on Dec. 30, 2021. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Goats at the Carl E. Dahl House enjoy munching on a fresh Christmas tree in their pen.

CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Goats Continued from Page 6

goats to play on. Many of the animals were rescued from slaughter auctions but others come from petting zoos or pony rides. While the latter may seem benign, “when they age out of those entertainment occupations,” he said, “they don’t meet a real happy ending.”

Belanger also strives to keep the farm’s goats entertained — using the stripped down trees as either fertilizer or use in the makeshift playground. Comprising cable wheels, pallets and slabs of wood, “it’s made from pretty much other people’s junk.” She expects more trees to be incorporated into the play structure following New Years. “That’s when most people start taking down their trees,” she said.

The trees are like candy to the goats, but like even the best chocolate Santa or peppermint bark, there are limits, and over

300 was too much even for the goats. “At fi rst they go crazy for them but they’ll start ignoring them after a while,” said Di Bonaventura. “At a certain point, they decide ‘my sweet tooth is fi lled.’”

Even as some of the farmers refer to the goats as their “pets,” they caution that no one should assume it is as simple as owning a dog or cat. While goats have a uniquely quirky charm — “they’re super fun and clever,” said Di Bonaventura — they also come with their own set of challenges. She asked prospective goat owners to be careful with what fence they use — as goats are notorious escape artists. Most importantly, there’s no such thing as a pet goat, singular. “They’re very social,” she said. “You can’t have just one or they will get lonely and depressed.”

Belanger agreed.

“The amount of time you put into them is what you’re going to get out of them — they need lots of attention and mental stimulation.”

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Bird watchers fl ock to state to glimpse rare eagle Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

When Justin Lawson, avid birder, heard about a Steller’s sea eagle in the area, he went in search of it. And found it. Adding it to his Christmas bird count was a huge feather in his cap, no pun intended, but it may never happen again.

“It’s anyone’s guess where it will go next,” he said. First spotted in the U.S. on Alaska’s Denali highway in August, the bird was identifi ed by a distinctive white spot on its left wing. It has wandered farther inland and is now in Massachusetts.

Steller’s sea eagles, with decreasing populations, are large diurnal birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. Described fi rst in 1811, no subspecies are recognized. With dark brown plumage, white wings and tail, yellow beak and yellow talons, it is a sturdy bird with a wingspan of 6.4 to 8.2 feet. In the wild, the Steller’s sea eagles usually live up to 20 to 25 years and weigh up to 21 pounds. Often bigger than bald eagles, who weigh 15 to 16 pounds, their native range is typically China, Japan and Korea and the east coast of Russia.

“I was generally told that birds get caught up in a major storm, and if they are lucky and survive the ordeal, they can fi nd themselves very very far from home,” said Colin Novick, executive director of the Greater Worcester Land Trust and a Worcester resident.

Expressing sympathy for an animal so far from its natural habitat, he imagined “this eagle getting swept up in a typhoon and deposited on the West Coast of North America, somewhat bewildered.” Whatever the cause, it is unlikely to fi nd a mate, even if it does survive in its new home. “Imagine suddenly that you are the very last bird of your kind anywhere to be seen and no matter how far

The Steller's sea eagle, photographed by Justin Lawson. JUSTIN LAWSON

you travel you can’t fi nd anyone else like you!”

“This is a really iconic bird,” agrees Wayne Petersen, Mass Audubon ornithologist and director of Important Bird Areas.

“Probably made its way from Asia to the Aleutian islands to Alaska, and there is some indi-

cation that it may have been around for a week prior to being identifi ed as a Steller sea eagle.”

Mostly seen in Japan, where they winter in a restricted breeding range, it is closely related to the bald eagle and is part of the sea eagle group that

lives along coasts.

While it’s possible, Peterson says, he does not believe that a storm is the only reason for the bird’s presence here because in terms of where these birds live, weather patterns don’t favor it making their way from West to East. “Very diffi cult to say what

it was trying to do — the route is completely atypical, and quite probably there was something faulty in its navigation or orientation system.”

What is implied, he said, due to the bird’s erratic route, is See EAGLE, Page 9

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 9

Eagle Continued from Page 8

that it may have been born genetically defi cient — either it didn’t know where it was supposed to be or did not have the properly functioning equipment to get where it was supposed to be.

“It’s a super star,” said Peterson, “and seen by many people who will never forget seeing it, just like I will never forget having not seen it.” He was Involved in errands for his family at the time it was supposed to be nearby.

Martha Gach, conservation coordinator at Mass Audubon’s Broadmeadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, confi rmed that “it has gotten a lot of people pretty excited.”

She explained that it often happens that birds end up in parts of the world where they are not supposed to be because young ones aren’t practiced in moving around and miss the right landscape cues — birds follow coastlines, mountain ranges, etc.

“Interestingly,” she said, “there was a Steller’s sea eagle that escaped from the Pittsburgh Aviary this past spring and summer but was luckily recaptured after a couple days.”

She agreed it would be very diffi cult for this bird to fi nd the way back. In order to get back to Asia, it would have to make its way north across the U.S. or across the sea, and “the birds that do this aren’t going to make it long term, it’s natural selection and unlikely to fi nd a mate.”

Marion Larson, chief of information and education at Mass Wildlife, said “it’s a really big deal that it showed up in Massachusetts. What’s really cool is that, due to its markings, this specifi c bird can be identifi ed.” People are very sure it’s the same bird that was reported in Alaska and Canada. She added that we can only speculate as to why it is here. “The ways of wildlife are very mysterious,

which is what makes it interesting.”

Larson was hoping to see it because she had taken some time off last week so she could drive around and watch for it like other people. Unfortunately, she said chuckling, she was “scheduling interviews about the bird, which meant I could not take time to actually look for it.”

“It’s such a unique sighting,” Larson continued. “You got a bird who used its wings and covered thousands of miles, traveling across two continents to show up here in Massachusetts.”

It is the fi rst reported sighting in Massachusetts and most likely the fi rst report in Eastern North America. When this kind of sighting occurs, she said, there will be a bunch of people looking through records to see if this is the fi rst time that this species has been seen in the lower 48.

She added that one Mass Wildlife offi cial saw license plates from as far away as Pennsylvania and New Jersey and that this single eagle brought a fl ock of birders from around the region. “It’s like collecting stamps — people keep a life list.”

Larson cautioned that following can create stress for the bird. She has been trying to stress the importance of viewing wildlife responsibly and has concerns about the eff ect it can have on the animals. Snowy owls, for instance, can allow you to get close then fl y off , but “people don’t understand that this stresses them during the time of year that food is least available.”

As a result, Mass Wildlife is deliberately not referencing a specifi c place. “The birds may seem not to be stressed but you don’t know what’s going on with their heart rate,” said Gach. When faced with danger, birds will either freeze to avoid notice or fl y away. So, a bird staying in place may still be under severe stress. “We don’t need them to be harassed to death.”

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10 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY VOICES LANDGREN ANOTHER UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING

WORCESTERIA

FIRST PERSON

Thoughts from a curmudgeon on trip to Lost Wages, Nevada Joe Fusco Jr. Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I noticed age spots on my neck and left forearm the night before our departure. Never a good omen.

We hadn’t been on a plane in three years. I disliked fl ying before Covid-19. Now, I loathe it!

The Southwest fl ight-attendant was very stern. “No mask, no fl ight,” she warned us.

“Only remove your mask to eat your snack and drink your beverage then re-mask,” she warned us. “Don’t try to pee standing up,” she should have warned me.

Speaking of bathrooms, a lot of my musings seem to cen-

ter around them. Maybe, it’s because my urologist said my prostate is the size of a small cantaloupe. Maybe, it’s because when I’m not peeing, I’m thinking about peeing.

On the shuttle from the airport to our hotel, there was group in the back eating fried chicken and singing “Mandy”

by Barry Manilow, my favorite performer. I joined them on the chorus.

We stayed seven days and six knights at the Excalibur Hotel. The room’s hair dryer had been removed from the bathroom wall and was MIA. My wife alerted housekeeping and also mentioned our desk was minus a chair, a situation I See FUSCO, Page 12

Fernando Perez. PHOTO COURTESY ED ANTONELLI

Saying goodbye to fi xtures from Worcester’s arts scene Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

As 2021 fades into 2022, it’s natural to take a moment of the winter stillness to contemplate the people who’ve left us in the preceding year, and in an arts community – both here in Worcester and really anywhere – there’s no such thing as an insignifi cant loss. Even a fi gure who may have been more behind the scenes or just an ardent supporter can leave a hole in the community’s fabric.

Perhaps it’s because what each person brings to that community is both intensely

personal and totally unique, their absence is almost always palpable. This is certainly the case with longtime Worcester arts advocate Kelly Momberger, who died in October from a cardiac arrest.

“Kelly was very important to me and the city arts scene,” says stART on the Street cofounder Tina Zlody. “My fi rst real introduction to Kelly was at a Dr. Gonzo cookout, she was so enthusiastic about these fun, informal gatherings.

Then she joined the Worcester Arts Council when I was chair.

Kelly jumped in with both feet and helped us look at equity and inclusion in our guide-

lines, making sure we were reaching the people and organizations that really needed funding.”

Shortly thereafter, Momberger was appointed vice chair, becoming chair four years later, when Zlody reached the end of her tenure.

“She was a great leader in every position she held on council,” says Zlody. “Kelly was instrumental in bringing and managing Make Music Day to the city … Kelly fl ew under the radar, she was quiet and stayed out of the spotlight but was one of the most eff ective, See ARTS, Page 12

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 11

HARVEY

No one seems enthusiastic for 2022 Janice Harvey Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

“I don’t want to live in a world without Betty White.”

I didn’t say it; it was said to me half-jokingly, by a friend on New Year’s Eve, when news broke that the beloved star had passed away 17 days shy of her 100th birthday. My immediate thought was that People Magazine has egg on its face for its premature “Betty White Turns 100!” cover, but then I thought about just what it means to lose Betty White. This isn’t about the passing of a television icon.

It’s about losing optimism — a little something which we seem to be fresh out of these days.

I haven’t spoken to a single person who has high hopes for the new year. We fell into that trap a year ago, when vaccines to fi ght COVID-19 were ready for distribution, and a new administration was settling into Washington. Along came January 6th, and the fairy dust we were sprinkling was blown back into our eyes by a cult hellbent on insurrection. The euphoria many experienced over Trump’s defeat dissipated faster than tear gas on a windy day when we realized that the expresident and his followers were not only unwilling to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, but were quite willing to toss democracy into the dumpster to prevent certifi cation of the election results.

Scratch “Peaceful Transition of Power” from 2021’s New Years Resolution List.

The vaccine we hoped and prayed for was initially diffi cult to procure, but before summer poked its head through the clouds, adults were able to feel a shred of optimism. Surely all Americans would want to be inoculated against a deadly virus that by January of 2021 had

A memorial to Betty White at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame following news of her death at age 99.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

claimed the lives of 385,000 Americans. Fat chance! Thanks to a blitzkrieg of disinformation and fl at-out lies spread through the Internet, and right-wing media megaphones like Fox News, 2021 surpassed 2020 with the dubious distinction of logging 386,000 COVID-related deaths by year’s end. Among the unvaccinated, variants Delta and Omicron fl ew as freely as mosquitoes at a nudist camp.

Up the spout went what was left of our sunny outlook.

From the “Scales of Justice” Department: We collectively held our breath as jurors decided the fates of the three racists charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, and the smug

murderer of George Floyd. We were certain that the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the babyfaced murderer of Black Lives Matter protesters, would off er us another dollop of justice served. Wrong! Instead, we were sickened further by photos of the freed and arrogant teen posing with Donald Trump during a visit to Mar-aLago. The guilty verdict in the Ghislaine Maxwell sex traffi cking trial was good news, though the arrest and conviction of the men she kept happy with fresh victims would make a more welcomed headline.

Looking ahead with one eye closed, a sliver of sanity appeared on 2022’s horizon when

Twitter fi nally suspended for eternity Georgia’s biggest embarrassment, Republican U.S. Representative and QAnon supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene. Twitter has slapped her in the past, but her repeated violation of the site’s policies concerning misleading (aka lies) information about COVID-19 fi nally bagged her for good. The damage done by her deliberate dissemination of falsehoods is likely incalculable. MAGA supporters who rejected science to prove their loyalty are fi nding out the hard way that Greene and her traveling band of sketchy grifters won’t be standing by their deathbeds, wringing their

hands in sorrow.

And so we move ahead with caution, trying our best to scrub the past year from memory. We rip the calendar from the wall, toss it with relief into the trash and hang a fresh one.

We hope to fi nd hope. Betty White’s death on New Year’s Eve was just another reason to kick 2021 to the curb. This was a year so fi lled with hateful action, dishonesty and loss that it even stole someone as lovely as Betty from us. On its way out, 2021 should be frisked for the good silverware. If hope, so famously penned by the poet Emily Dickinson, is truly a thing with feathers, then we’ve been plucked.

12 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Fusco Continued from Page 10

fi nally remedied by borrowing one from the hallway. The drawers in the bureau for our clothes would open and close mysteriously at night but our stay was comped so what’s a few ghosts!

There was also a mirror on our bathroom door so you could stare at yourself on the toilet.

The bathroom had awesome acoustics as our neighbors apparently discovered when I crooned “Unforgettable” at 2 a.m. after a few complimentary mimosas.

The hotel reeked of weed. In fact, most of Vegas reeked of weed. Keep your mask on all day, it’s a Rocky Mountain high!

Speaking of masks, you needed to wear one indoors unless you ate, drank, or smoked.

So, I bought a pack of Camels, a six-pack of Bud Light, and a super-size can of Pringles as we toured the casinos.

The back of my ears became very sore from being masked all the time so I rubbed Vaseline on them. For some reason, it reminded me of my Mom telling me her step-mother made her ingest Vick’s VapoRub when she had a cold as a child.

I miss my Mom. She loved to gamble and lived a very healthy

Arts Continued from Page 10

lovely, crafty, funny people I’ve ever known. The world is a better place because of her and losing her at such a young age makes the world a sadder place.”

Another loss that rocked the Worcester music scene in October was the passing of drummer Fernando Perez, after a battle with lung cancer. Perez was a fi xture of a number of

The hotel reeked of weed. In fact, most of Vegas reeked of weed. Keep your mask on all day, it’s a Rocky Mountain high! GETTY IMAGES

life until she was almost ninety.

My wife, Cyndi, okayed this paragraph so I can mention that there were numerous young women on the Strip just bursting out of their tops, taking selfi es of each other. There was also a street-performer in Old Vegas just wearing a loincloth and a derby hat. He was singing “Mandy.” I tipped him a

dollar.

My wife could small talk with Charlie Manson if he happened to sit next to her. I fi nd engaging with strangers exhausting but I gave it the old community-college try in the men’s room by the buff et.

“Are they making us do that now,” I asked the young man who had a mask on his tallboy

beer.

“Good one, brother,” he slurred.

Why is it that people don’t respect lines anymore? Two women in Madeira Beach Tshirts cut in front of me while I waited for an omelet at the breakfast buff et. An older gentleman wheeled right past me at the handicap entrance of

bands, including the acclaimed Santana cover band Abraxas, and the roots ensemble Boogie Chillin’.

“He put so much light, love and eff ort into everything he did,” says Electric Haze talent buyer George Adler. “From his amazing drumming, to his random breaking out into opera, to his incredible cooking, rhythmic and heart warming dance moves and hugs, his infectious smile, his huge heart. If I felt like I couldn’t ask for help with something from anyone else I felt I could always ask him. He

made all the out-of-town musicians with no audiences feel so much love and appreciation.”

Perez’s bandmate in Abraxas, Ed Antonelli, said that Perez, as a bandmate and a musician, said he was always striving to be his best. “He patted you on the back, yet pushed you forward,” says Antonelli, who also noted that, although Perez kept his illness hidden from audiences, was met with chants of “Fernando! Fernando! Fernando!” at his last show.

Mark Martin, of the band Marko and the Bruisers, report-

ed the death of drummer Nick Latou on the band’s Facebook page, saying, “New England punk rock lost an amazing drummer, brother, father, and smart-ass extraordinaire. We rocked so many stages and this man always put 110% when the music started. He wasn’t originally a punk drummer, but you would never know by listening to him play. Both Nick and Paul were the pieces I was missing to make my cheesy punk songs into something much more special. Thank you Nick for the time, eff ort, and love you put

Dick’s Last Resort.

Both times, security was nowhere to be found!

We paid to see shows that starred a fake Freddy Mercury, George Michael, Elton John, Joan Rivers, and the Bee Gees. I have a tough time dealing with my own behavior, never mind copying somebody else’s.

Cyndi really enjoyed David Copperfi eld’s magic act but I just thought he made BIG things suddenly disappear or appear … like small businesses and Super-Walmarts.

On our return fl ight, the very small man in front of me pushed his seat back into my lap. When I came back from standing in the restroom, I whacked his seat back to its original position as I walked by.

“You were in my space, brother,” I scolded him.

Finally, when we landed back at TF Green Airport, there was a pubic hair on the top of my urinal.

“That must have been a real tall dude,” I thought to myself then hummed “Unforgettable” all the way to Garage B. Our 2007 Entourage started right up and it only took thirty minutes for me to fi gure out the computerized parking ticket so the g-damn gate would open and we could drive back to Worcester.

There’s no place like home!

into our band and I’ll always love you like a brother.”

In an online poetry forum, Paul Szlosek just posted that poet Joan Erickson, “a longtime fi xture in the Worcester County poetry community, and a wonderful friend to the Poetorium (reading series), passed away on May 20th.”

This is merely scratching the surface. It’s certain that there were other local artists who passed in the past year, and whose absence is a keenly felt silence that each one of them once fi lled with art.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 13

COVER STORY

‘ARE YOU OK?’ After coping with nearly two years of pandemic as well as social, political, economic and environmental upheaval, we all need a wellness check. GETTY IMAGES

It may be the most important question we can ask each other right now, but it’s also among the hardest Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

“Are you OK?” h That’s a loaded little sentence, isn’t it? h “It’s not only scary to answer it,” says Graham Campbell, a retired local psychologist, “it’s scary to ask it.

It’s very personal. It goes beyond the, ‘Hi, how are you?’” The latter question has a sort of practiced social nicety about it, explains Campbell, whereas the former seems to demand a truthful response. “And sometimes it’s diffi cult,” says Campbell, “because if the people I know aren’t OK, am I?” See QUESTION, Page 14

14 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

“It is a hard balance for clergy getting the check-ins and support that they need while being expected to provide that for everybody else,” says Rabbi Aviva Fellman of Congregation Beth Israel. FILE PHOTO

Question Continued from Page 13

We sit here in the early days of 2022, nearly two years of pandemic behind us with more to go ahead. Throw in economic uncertainty, socio-political tensions and a general sense of freeform anxiety in the air, and suddenly, “Are you OK?” seems to be perhaps the most important question we can ask each other, and yet it’s one we tend to avoid.

So with that in mind, we asked more than 50 residents of Worcester County that very question. We intended it as a sort of temperature check, to gauge how people were feeling out there. Many responded with a pat, “Fine! Thanks for asking!” Others saw it for what it was: An opportunity to get real.

This is not OK “I feel like, to some extent, the answer is going to be no,” says Rabbi Aviva Fellman, the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel. She stresses that she wants to stay positive, but that there’s a point where you just have to acknowl-

Colin Novick, pictured on the Metacoment Monadnock Trail, fi nds staying positive requires a certain amount of energy.

COLIN NOVICK

edge what’s happening in the world around us. “The answer has to be ‘no,’ if anyone’s telling the the truth, and the thought that it’s anything else is not giving credit or acknowledging what’s needed. You might say, ‘I’m more OK than others, but it doesn’t mean, ‘I’m OK.’” “’Are you OK?’ begs a larger perspective than managing the next hours, days, weeks and months,” says Worcester Greater Land Trust executive director Colin Novick. “Am I precisely who I was before this and taking it all in stride? No. The last two years of pandemic, and the prior four years of political … short-circuiting … that has changed me and most everyone that isn’t cut off from society. None of us are quite who we were before, and I am willing to bet that many of us really haven’t fi gured out what that all means yet. I don’t think I have. In that bigger perspective I am not sure ‘OK’ is where I am at.”

“I don’t think any of us are OK, per se,” says educator Cara Berg Powers. “I often say we are surviving the pandemic on its easiest setting and it still sucks.

With the two adults in our house working in education and policy, it’s hard to avoid how badly our big systems have failed and continue to fail and the ways that’s created lots of undue suff ering.

Even in households like ours, where we’ve not had our life acutely impacted by loss of life or income, juggling the changes and impact on our 8-year-old has been stressful. We’re all living through slow moving mass casualty trauma and existential dread. So all things considered, doing pretty well, I guess.”

“If you ever break a bone or face a medical setback,” says Novick, “you discover that the living through the recovery is a signifi cant amount of energy.

Working on keeping your chin up and a See QUESTION, Page 15

Educator Cara Berg Powers says many people are in survivor mode.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 15

Question Continued from Page 14

positive mindset takes even more of that energy. You don’t have a lot left after all that, and you need to make your peace with the idea that just being is important enough and takes energy, and deserves respect.

Yeah, you aren’t going to be able to do some massive things at the same time, but that’s just going to have to be OK.”

Life Must Go On “In regard to the question, ‘Are you OK’?” says Rev. Clyde D. Talley, senior pastor of Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church, “that’s a deep question, but a good one. I appreciate the question. My response is that the world has always been in a constant state of fl ux. Things changing and things happening both in and outside our control. I tend to move and adjust with change as opposed to digging in my feet into any one stance or position as to my response to these things. I have found that helps to keep me steady and fl exible when needed to move with change. In light of that, my answer to the question is that ‘I’m good.’ Not satisfi ed with the way things are in light of the pandemic but within my own circle where I do have infl uence or control, I’m good. This mindset keeps me emotionally balanced and positions me to help others who are not dealing well with the state of where things are or are not comfortable in dealing with change from a broad point of view.”

When you ask some if they are OK, “you’re asking to come into someone’s personal space, if you’re really going to be honest,” said Campbell. That’s an uncomfortable place for everyone involved, which goes a long ways toward understanding why so many people felt they needed to qualify their responses.

“OK? More like, ‘as good as

The Rev. Clyde D. Talley. RICK CINCLAIR/ T&G STAFF FILE PHOTO

can be expected, I guess,” said artist and conservator Bill MacMillan, before opening up more. “We started the year with the Capitol riot and ended with my dad passing away,” he says.

“So many friends and family have lost people, been sick, are struggling with the impacts of COVID (physically, mentally, fi nancially). Everyone’s baseline for what is OK has changed.

Mostly I’m tired and worried.”

Scientist and singer-songwriter Sean Ryder says that, for him, the answer to the question of “Are you OK is, “Yes and no.

I’m reasonably healthy, I have a great job, and I can take care of my family. My mental health suff ered somewhat during the pandemic. The past two years brought divorce, a move, a COVID infection that led to long term loss of smell, and signifi See QUESTION, Page 16

Sean Ryder. ASHLEY GREEN/T&G STAFF

16 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

City Councilor Sean Rose campaigns outside the Unitarian Universalist Church.

CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Nelly Medina is the lead organizer for the Parents Union of Massachusetts, or PUMA. PUMA – under the umbrella of Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, for which Medina is the Central Mass. regional organizer – ran a food outreach program from the Rock of Salvation Church. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Question Continued from Page 15

cant changes to my support network. Having said all that, I’m functioning reasonably well and I know of many others who are struggling much worse.”

Singer Jen Antkowiak feels similarly: “Am I OK? That’s a hard one because on the surface, everything is great. I kept my job, I have a nice home, my kids are doing well. But I feel … blah… Not excited to do much because I’m still a little leery of COVID and the mask wearing, even though I’m vaccinated.

There’s also so much anger in the world. And that brings my spirit way down. I feel less free

in mind, body and spirit. So it’s a struggle a lot of days to remain fully engaged with life.

Sitting on my couch watching a movie has become the norm/ comfort zone. And I don’t like it.”

Indeed, with the pandemic dragging on as long as this one has, it works its way into the pulse of everyday life. People got married, bought houses, started new jobs, had children.

Sometimes, you talk to people about doing these things in the time of COVID, and sometimes an uncomfortable guilt emerges, a sense of unease at being happy when others might be suff ering, but joy is as much a part of life as loss. Indeed, it’s what makes loss bearable.

“I started in 2021 with COVID-19,” says community activ-

“ ... In a weird way it feels like life as we once knew it is at a standstill. So overall, I am OK, solely due to my wisdom and how I choose to view these trying times.”

Jafet Muzic

musician hip-hop artist

ist Nelly Medina, “which was thankfully a relatively light case, except it zapped my energy. I was hard on myself, but I learned to breathe, scan my body and mind, check in with myself, how I am doing, how I feel, treat myself with the same care I radiate to others, let myself off the hook, enjoy just being still. Today, I feel strong, new, improved, and ready to move into a new year.”

On that same token, activist David Slatkin says, “I’m feeling healthier and stronger than I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m also ex-

Jafet Muzic. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

periencing the painful realization that COVID is our reality until it’s not — which means it will continue for the foreseeable future. It hurt to let go of the idea of an imminent return to normalcy.”

That lack of stability was a refrain in the conversation, a sense that not only have the recent times been challenging,

but that they’ve also revealed other societal fractures.

“I am OK,” says Worcester District 1 City Councilor Sean Rose, “but like many in the city, the pandemic is taking its toll.

It’s as if we are playing a modern-day game of ‘cooties,’ with a dark cloud of uncertainty and See QUESTION, Page 17

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 17

Father John McGinty is pictured among parishioners at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 695 Southbridge St., on Sept. 1, 2021. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Question Continued from Page 16

anxiety following us wherever we go. It has been exhausting for all of us. I look forward to us putting this behind us. I am hopeful we can continue increasing the number of vaccinated and boosted residents to minimize exposure. It has undoubtedly been a tough year for many. We have seen a divide in the city between COVID, the elections and fi scal uncertainty for some.”

“Overall I am OK,” says musician hiphop artist Jafet Muzic, “in the sense of having shelter and food. Being grounded spiritually really helps through moments of uncertainty. Rental prices are through the roof, someone working 40 hours a week at $16 an hour could barely pay all of the bills for simple living necessities. Food prices have sky- rocketed as well. Families don’t seem as close as they once were. Most people are at odds when it comes to politics and even moral standards. In a weird way it feels

like life as we once knew it is at a standstill. So overall, I am OK, solely due to my wisdom and how I choose to view these trying times.”

Fellman notes that, “There hasn’t been any self-care that doesn’t come with an element of guilt,” and points out that that’s not particularly healthy. “If you don’t give yourself chances to regroup, you’re hitting the wall all the faster the next time.”

Checking In Worcester District 3 City Councilor George Russell had an interesting response to the question: “I do appreciate you asking how myself and my colleagues are. It’s not a question we get asked often, or at least not as part of a true inquiry of our heath or well-being.”

It seems an odd response, because there’s an expectation that city councilors would be among the people checking in with members of the community, to see how their constituents are faring.

“I’d say for me it’s one of the ways I’d build rapport and good relationships

with folks,” says Worcester District Five City Councilor elect Etel Haxhiaj. “COVID has caused so much loss and disruption, connecting with people will be even more important.”

At-large Worcester City Councilor Moe Bergman agrees, saying, “I think it’s important to check in on people — particularly the most vulnerable, which generally are the elderly — and I do that.” But even doing that comes with its own challenges. “Cellphones are not always what people use,” he says, “and some people are not comfortable if you just show up at their house, so it can be a challenge!”

It’s not only a challenge for politicians: It’s one clergy face, too.

“Yes, it is always good for us as servants of God’s people to be in touch and stay in touch with how our people are doing in every way,” says Rev. John McGinty, Rector of Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church, “health wise, in their family life, in their mental health, in their spiritual lives. Those conversations are more vital than ever now. But it has been more diffi cult to do at times for

Rev. Jane Willan, minister of First Congregational Church in Paxton.

ASHLEY GREEN/T&G STAFF

a few reasons. First was the initial isolation the pandemic brought upon us all.

The phone and newer technologies made contact possible, but it didn’t feel of the same ‘quality’ person-to-person as before the pandemic. Later, as we began to meet in church again and could more easily visit at hospitals, nursing facilities, and in people’s homes, it felt easier to talk. But in some measure a problem remains. When you add up the pandemic, and the divisions in society (which translate into divisions in churches and families), and the stresses (justifi ed as they are) around issues of racism, violence and poverty, you come to a place where I fi nd men and women of all generations and backgrounds are fi nding it hard to say how they are, to express it. They’re fi nding it hard to put into words. And since that’s also true for at least some of the clergy, the importance of being in touch ends up being accented by the diffi culty of really connecting in the midst of the storm.”

Rev. Talley believes that it’s vital to See QUESTION, Page 18

18 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Question Continued from Page 17

continually check in with his church’s community, as many “have been accustomed to physically attending church and their worship experience has been inside the church building. Now that most of us (including our church) have been forced to have virtual services, some members — especially the senior population — may seem somewhat disconnected from the church as most are not technically savvy to connect to a virtual service or have just become accustomed to meeting in-person.”

“It has been very important for me to check in with my parishioners during COVID,” says the Rev. Jane Willan, author and pastor of the First Congregational Church of Paxton. “I have made it a priority especially to check in with the elderly. I worry about their isolationism — which can be signifi cant in the best of times but was much worse during COVID. I also worried about the young families as they struggled through distance learning. Part of the problem for pastors right now is that visiting in person is very limited. I do not want to bring COVID into any home — especially the elderly. Even though I am vaccinated, it is possible to carry the virus and now Omicron is so highly contagious. Some of my families are simply not having any visitors at all. So phone calls are the only option. I don’t know how other pastors feel, but I feel that I never do enough. And ‘checking in’ during COVID has been one of those things. COVID made everything harder. I tried my best to be there for my church members, but I feel as if it was never enough.”

Putting aside any particular beliefs in politics or religion, it’s kind of easy to lose sight of the fact that politicians, clergy and fi rst responders are actually just people, and these times take a toll on them as much as

Etel Haxhiaj. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

anyone else.

“It is a hard balance for clergy getting the check-ins and support that they need while being expected to provide that for everybody else,” says Fellman, “and as the pandemic goes on, the level of exhaustion that we’re seeing in health care professionals and teachers and other workers who are deemed essential, the same level of exhaustion we’re seeing in them, is also happening in clergy.”

On to 2022 In addition to asking people, “Are you OK,” we also asked some people another question: “What do you plan to do diff erently in 2022?”

“Surprisingly, not much,” said MacMillan, saying that

sometimes it’s best to just pull things in and take care of your own family, friends and neighbors. “In 2022 I want to keep doing that,” he says. “I want to build those bonds, continue to work on my space and make sure that the ‘foundation’ is solid so that I can build in the future. It all sounds like making lemonade out of lemons, but sometimes (especially in times of crisis) you need to bring everything down to basics, focus on what is truly important and hope for better days.”

As exhausted as most everyone seems to be as we head into the New Year, there’s still, underneath it, a desire to fi nd some purpose in this madness, to somehow grow from the experience.

Music promoter Deborah

Beaudry says that, “in 2022 I think I will try trusting the universe again to provide for me … when I have felt at my lowest point there is always something that happens to pull me up and put me where I need to be for the next phase of the adventure, so I guess I will just start trusting that things will happen in their own time. I guess with COVID that’s the only way to do it so, as I’ve already had three vacations and several concerts canceled or postponed, and I’m a little bitter about it sometimes, but again: going with the fl ow is probably the only course of action here that won’t make my blood pressure rise more.”

Likewise, postal manager and open space volunteer Brittany Legasey says, “I’m going to

try to solidify and grow around/into some of the boundaries that I worked hard establishing in 2021. Some are work-related, some are personal, but being able to balance my needs and the needs of others has been a long-term struggle for me.”

Rose is trying to look at the bigger picture for the city, even if he sees problems that still need solving. “In this coming year,” he says, “I hope to do everything in my power to try to bring people together. Between COVID isolation and our news sources decreasing, we have seen an over-reliance on social media as a beacon for opinion. I fi rmly believe that this media creates an emotional response in people, pulling us apart and creating division. According to some studies, social media is more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. I want to see us come together on more neighborhood events, more community events, a call to service through volunteerism, and more connections between us all. Of course, I would like these things to happen as safely as we can make possible, given the pandemic.”

It’s a time for resolutions, and Medina says, “I resolve to be more compassionate in 2022. As an activist, I fought a lot of diff erent battles in 2021.

The work is rewarding but rough; seeing exploitation and inequities close up, I struggled to fi nd peace. However, I realize that liberation is impossible without a peaceful heart. If I ask others to go out of their way to help the physical, mental or emotional pains of another and themselves, I must lead by example and with compassion.”

In the end, even resolutions fi nd themselves in the shadow of the question, “Are you OK?” “It depends on the person and the situation,” says Campbell, who says asking yourself that question is an imperative, “because it’s the only way to grow and evaluate our lives.

The question is, ‘Are you OK, and if you’re not, why are you still doing what you’re doing?”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 19

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Elizabeth Harrell Elizabeth Harrell Special to Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Elizabeth Harrell is a third-year art student from Holland studying at Westfi eld State. She is concentrating in graphic design and illustration, and hopes to run her own successful business.

She is currently on Etsy selling her handmade work at ElizabethArtGoods. Says Harrell, “I’ve always had a strong passion for art, but I fi nd myself much more attracted to colored pencil work, drawing with graphite or charcoal, or designing websites and creating fun designs on Adobe Illustrator.”

“Balloon Dog,” Colored pencil, 2020 ELIZABETH HARRELL

w “My Disintegrated Memory,” Linocut print, 2021 ELIZABETH HARRELL

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January 16 • TheHanoverTheatre.org “Born This Way,” Woodblock print with watercolor, 2021 ELIZABETH HARRELL

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20 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY LIVING CONNELL SANDERS

2022 FASHION FORECAST

Singer Britney Spears, flanked by Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, second from left, and hip-hop star Nelly, second from right, join ‘N Sync members Justin Timberlake, far left, and Lance Bass, far right, on stage for the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXV on Jan. 28, 2001, in Tampa, Fla. AMY E. CONN/AP FILE

Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

With so much out of my control in 2022, I fi nd myself more captivated than ever by the clothing choices I make. Research shows that people with a stronger sense of purpose have greater interpersonal appeal, which leads to more opportunities and more fulfi llment. I fi nd that dressing with a sense of purpose has this same eff ect, helping me to regulate my mood and making unremarkable activities feel more engaging and important throughout the day. h Here are a few of the looks that have caught my eye at the start of the new year: See FASHION, Page 21

Lisa Nicole Carson portrayed Renée Radick on “Ally McBeal.” 20TH CENTURY FOX

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 21

Alana Haim in “Licorice Pizza.” UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Fashion Continued from Page 20

Trend: Blazers and Oversized Button-Ups Inspiration: Renee from “Ally McBeal” As a little girl, I would watch “Ally McBeal” with my mother on Monday nights. I can still remember admiring Ally’s roommate, Renee, who wore broad blazers and oversized buttonups with little bits of lace showing. Renee was a self-assured district attorney who never let her shoulder pads swallow her up. On winter mornings when it’s hard to stomach the idea of snapping on an N95 and picking out an outfi t for work, I think, “What would Renee wear today?’

Trend: Catsuits Inspiration: Kim Kardashian after she passed the bar exam Love her or hate her, Kim K has a profound impact on the fashion landscape. The infl uence of her Skims shapewear line probably has something to

do with the resurgence of catsuits. I’m sure you saw her black Balenciaga get-up at the Met Gala in 2021. But, my favorite version of the budding attorney’s catsuit look came in a recent Instagram announcement that she passed the “baby” Bar Exam in California after her fourth try. In the post, Kim admires herself proudly in the mirror, clad in a purple spandex ensemble. What is learning if not failing until we fi gure out how to do something better next time? Her confi dence is unshakable.

Trend: Slouchy Slacks Inspiration: Britney Spears, circa 2001 I’m not quite ready to embrace the low-rise jeans of my teens, but I am willing to go so far as slouchy slacks this season. I love playing with proportions. Think Britney in the early 2000s, hiking up her trousers just below the hip with an array of big chunky belts.

Trend: Camel Coats Inspiration: Ali McGraw in “Love Story” There’s something so classic

about a camel coat. In the 1970 fi lm “Love Story,” Ali McGraw strolls around the blustery Harvard University campus with her beau, popping the collar of her double-breasted wrap jacket, and promptly pulling at the audience’s heartstrings. This winter, I have embraced a similar wool garment — my version is by Jason Wu, updated with delicate drawstrings and coarse leather buttons.

Trend: Mini Skirts and Dresses Inspiration: Alana Haim in “Licorice Pizza” I fi nally caved and went to the theater to see a movie for the fi rst time since you know what. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest masterpiece, “Licorice Pizza,” is set in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. Leading woman, Alana Haim, struts through the opening scene looking fresh and sophisticated in a leggy white mini skirt and a blue polo shirt surrounded by dumpy high schoolers. Somehow, the outfi ts only get better from there.

Did I miss an important trend slated for 2022? Find me on Instagram and let me know at @sarah_connell.

There’s something so classic about a camel coat. Anne Conroy and Sarah Connell Sanders in Central Park in December.

PHOTO COURTESY SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

22 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Four Year Strong returns home for the holidays with powerful Palladium set Jason Greenough Special to Worcester Telegram & Gazette USA TODAY NETWORK

WORCESTER — For anyone who has attended a few of Four Year Strong’s annual holiday shows over the years, it should come as no surprise that each year has harbored something special that sets that edition apart from the rest. But this year’s return to in-person madness on Thursday night felt different for a lot of reasons, both obvious and subtle.

For starters, it was the band’s fi rst headlining show back in front of a hometown audience since its year-end barnburner in 2019, which was more than enough of a reason to pop off the way night did, but we’ll get to that in a bit. What seemed to truly make the 14th annual holiday show such a triumphant display, however, was the feeling of renewal. There was a palpable buzz that stung the crowd from the get-go, and with each band that took the stage, fans were energized to not only get back to their lateDecember routine of throwing complete strangers around with (mostly) playful intensity, but also to just be there again, in the fl esh and in the moment.

And the folks that took the stage were more than eager and prepared to reciprocate that excitement.

Returning for their second holiday show go-around, and their second conquering of the Palladium this year, Keep Flying kicked things off at cruising altitude, but quickly made their way into the stratosphere with Millennium Falcon levels of energy that set the tone for the rest of the night with a defi nitive statement. Smashing through a 30-minute set, the

Dan O’Connor performs with Four Year Strong. JASON GREENOUGH Alan Day of Four Year strong performs Dec. 30 at the Palladium for the band’s annual holiday show.

JASON GREENOUGH

band balanced a setlist of both new material from their latest release (2020’s Survival) and time-tested rippers that had their dedicated fanbase

screaming back the words from start to fi nish, with as much conviction and soul as frontman Henry Menzel and his bandmates delivered them

with. By the time the six-piece steamrolled into the last song of their night, the fl oor wasn’t nearly as full as it would become, but as Menzel uttered the emotionally poetic lyrics of “Surviving The Night,” it was obvious that the night was going to be about a lot more than just the music.

Also making a return to the Palladium stage, but in a new respect this time around, was Inspirit. Composed almost entirely of the original members of local legends Vanna, the band wielded an intensity familiar to the space they occu-

pied in years prior, and fans made it obvious from the jump that regardless of the past, they were here for all of the nostalgia, refreshed chemistry and artistic power the quintet has rekindled their creative fl ame with. It is an important distinction to make that this band is not Vanna, because in their relatively short time together, they’ve cultivated an absolute ripper of a catalog of their own – but that doesn’t mean they didn’t revisit their roots with a few trips in the time machine over the course of their scorching half-hour set, as they folded fan favorites of yesteryear in with some of their new stuff , and it was a glorious trip indeed. Frontman Chris Preece and his rhythmically-inclined band of brothers wasted no time searing the stage with their deep-cutting grooves and muscular riff s to help teeter the night in a heavier direction, and got the crowd surfi ng started with plenty of bodies being tossed to the sky. The nostalgia is one thing, and the guys should be respected and recognized for what they accomplished in a past life, but all in all, this new direction was exactly what this night called for, and they delivered with a renewed sense of urgency and energy that was sorely missed from their camp, and the crowd ate up every ounce of it.

Continuing the trek into the shadow realm, END and Counterparts hand delivered an aggressive one-two punch, which on paper doesn’t sound necessarily unique as both bands are known to do that sort of thing. But with Brendan Murphy — frontman for both bands — going back-to-back with equally demanding sets See FYS, Page 23

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 23

FYS Continued from Page 22

after a wild, overnight trip from Hamilton, Ontario, to make it to Worcester, the show instantly becomes a titanic feat. With the lengthy trek in mind, it was obvious that Murphy and crew(s) were not coming to Worcester for a night to kick back and relax. They came with a purpose, and Murphy made it known through comically brutal sarcasm and relentless ribbing that he was there to make it count, and did so time and time and again as he called on the crowd to help the security down in front get their workout in for the night. Without taking much time in between songs, both bands contributed quite a bruising in their own regards, both physically and musically, but the clock hadn’t even hit 10 yet, and the main event was still a brewin’.

Each of the four bands that preceded Four Year Strong on Thursday night seemed to activate a specifi c element of the night that would reach its boiling point as the hometown heroes were welcomed to the stage with raucous applause and playful catcalls pertaining to their masterfully cultivated beards.

The band took a moment to soak in the swelling appreciation before the house lights dimmed and they coasted into the opening riff of “It’s Cool,” a slow-burning track from their latest full-length album Brain Pain that, in the lens of the past two years, inadvertently encapsulates a collective thought process and thus made for the perfect “tick, tick, boom” eff ect to get things off on the right foot. From there, it was all systems go, as the quartet unleashed a monstrous 19-song setlist that seamlessly married the days of Rise or Die Trying and Enemy Of The World with the latest chapter in their continuously evolving creative journey. It didn’t take long for the goosebumps to appear, as

Brandon Davis performs with Inspirit. JASON GREENOUGH

frontman Alan Day relinquished his vocal parts early on and let the crowd take over for a bit before he and guitarist Dan O’Connor vollied the honors for the rest of the night. While the night would go on to have its fair share of “magical” moments, it was telling of what kind of night it was going to be with the fi rst of such occurrences happening so early.

At this point, after 14 years, the band has a somewhat predictable setlist for the annual return home, but honestly, that’s the best part of the whole thing. Sticking true to their battle-tested bangers like “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die,” “One Step At A Time,” “Stuck In The Middle,” “It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now,” and “What The Hell is a Gigawatt,” among others, the night fl owed freely without a lull. Smoke machines rendered the stage and mosh pit fairly blinding and indistinguishable at times, but that just added an element

of intensity that carried through every song blasted from the stacks on stage, and it didn’t slow down the madness one bit.

The only downside to the night, as it is every year, was how quickly the end of the night came, as the band tore into a three-song encore sculpted with “We All Float Down Here,” “Talking Myself In Circles,” and their quintessential closer, “Wasting Time (Eternal Summer).” The band has closed virtually every show with the triumphant gang vocal track since it was fi rst performed at a holiday show over 10 years ago, and even after all this time, and however many countless times it’s been played over that span, fans both old and new brought the house down in their pop-punk playground one more time, but certainly not the last, with an almost religious fervor to send 2021 off into that good night.

Thursday night at the Palladium served a plethora of pur-

John James Ryan performs with Keep Flying. JASON GREENOUGH

poses. First and foremost, it served as a celebration – of new music, another year behind us, and a celebration of the return of tradition. It also served as a reminder, and Four Year Strong took the time throughout their heartfelt homecoming to remind us that not only is it cold

out here at the top of the world, but also of just how good, and fulfi lling, and pure it felt to fi nd our way back to the Palladium amidst uncertainty, grief and a whole lot of confusion and anxiety to close out the year as a community once again, just like old times.

24 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 25

NEW ON DVD

Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas and Keri Russell in the fi lm “Antlers.” KIMBERLEY FRENCH

Legendary monster haunts small town in ‘Antlers’ A gory horror fi lm about an indigenous myth concerning an ancestral creature tops the DVD releases for the week of Jan. 4.

“Antlers”: Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons star as adult siblings living in rural Oregon, a school teacher and sheriff respectively, who become involved with a troubled student harboring a dark secret and unwittingly unleash an ancient evil.

Directed by Scott Cooper, the movie “is an adaptation of an indigenous First Nations

myth, the tale of the wendigo, which is described by the former sheriff Warren Stokes (played by Canadian First Nations actor Graham Greene),” writes Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh in her review.

“This mythical creature off ers the opportunity for shockingly gory body horror, and in ‘Antlers,’ it’s also used as a metaphor for the social ills that plague this town.”

ALSO NEW ON DVD JAN. 4 “Black

Friday”:

Horror

comedy about toy store employees preparing for an onslaught of holiday shoppers who must confront hordes of a diff erent sort after a meteor strike results in an alien parasite infecting the town’s residents. Stars Devon Sawa, Michael Jai White and Bruce Campbell.

“The Superdeep”: In this Shudder original fi lm, a small team is sent to investigate the mysteries of the world’s deepest borehole in Russia, discovering a secret that could imperil the world.

“The Djinn”: A boy who cannot speak, left alone in a new apartment by his father, fi nds a book of spells and summons a djinn to grant one wish, setting in motion a night of terror.

“Zeros and Ones”: Abel Ferrara wrote and directed this action thriller starring Ethan Hawke as an American soldier in Rome trying to thwart a terrorist attack.

“Ida Red”: Melissa Leo stars as an imprisoned (and terminally ill) crime boss who turns to her son, played by Josh Hart-

nett, to pull off one last heist to regain her freedom, with the FBI complicating matters.

OUT ON DIGITAL HD JAN. 4 “A Mouthful of Air”: Adapting her own novel, Amy Koppelman wrote the screenplay and directed this drama, which stars Amanda Seyfried as a bestselling children’s author who writes about unlocking childhood fears, but hasn’t unlocked her own, an issue brought to the fore when her second child is born.

26 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

5 THINGS TO DO

METHOD MAN AND REDMAN, THE ALBERT LEE BAND AND MORE ....

Richard Duckett and Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

‘The greatest guitarist in the world’ When Eric Clapton calls you “The greatest guitarist in the world” it means something. Albert Lee, 78, has had an amazing career as a guitarist including lead guitar with the shortlived but still remembered Heads Hands & Feet in his native England in the 1970s, playing in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band in the U.S., and releasing several widely acclaimed solo projects.

He’s also played with Eric Clapton’s band, and is a master of different genres, especially country rock. A documentary is in the works. Meanwhile, Lee returns to the Bull Run Restaurant Jan. 8 with his own band. (RD) What: Albert Lee Band When: 8 p.m. Jan. 8 (doors open for seating and dinner at 6 p.m.)

Where: Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley How much: $28. www.bullrunrestaurant.com. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours of performance required

Redman, left, and Method Man performing in 2017.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kicking it Old-school When Wu-Tang Clan stalwart Method Man and his longtime collaborator, Def Squad veteran Redman, played the Palladium in 2018, the show bristled with a raw energy and a sort easiness with the material that still left room for some rough edges. Songs such as “Errbody Scream,” “Pick It Up,” “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta (Expletive) Wit” and “Da Rockwilder” positively popped off the stage and had the crowd swept up in the pair’s old-school swagger. A lot’s changed since then, but one thing that hasn’t is that these are still two of the performers in the game. (VDI)

What: Method Man and Redman When: 7 p.m. Jan. 8 Where: The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester How much: $38-$75 Albert Lee is set to perform at Bull Run Restaurant. FILE PHOTO

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 27

What lies beneath ...

Artist Tracy Spadafora’s exhibition “Left Behind” presented

by ArtsWorcester at The Franklin Square Salon at The Hanover Theatre explores surfaces that are worn with age. “I have always been attracted to a natural beauty that exists in the peeling of paint, the rusting of metal, the crumbling of brick and other decay,” Spadafora says. “The textures and colors reveal the passage of time and tell a quiet story that often goes unnoticed. While painting these surfaces I try to see through, examine, and document the layers of wear, which for me acts as a kind of metaphor for exploring human existence.” (RD) What: Tracy Spadafora - “Left Behind” When: Saturdays Jan. 8 to April 23. Gallery hours run Saturdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Artist reception 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday Jan. 16.

An image from Tracy Spadafora’s “Left Behind” exhibition. TRACY SPADAFORA/ARTSWORCESTER Where: Franklin Square Salon, The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: Free. To reserve tickets visit www.thehanovertheatre.org. Information about The Hanover Theatre’s safety protocols can be found at https://thehanovertheatre.org/safetyprotocols. For ArtsWorcester visit www.artsworcester.org

Sing Out Loud If your New Year’s resolution is to join a chorus and sing through 2022 there are a couple of notable opportunities coming right up. The Northborough Area Community Chorus is encouraging new members to join as well as welcoming back current and legacy members. NACC will present “Yesterday and Today,” its 50th anniversary spring concert, on May 1. Rehearsals, under the direction of David Rose with accompanist Mark Bartlett, are scheduled to begin Jan. 11 at Algonquin Regional High School. Also, rehearsals for Salisbury Singers of Worcester resume on Jan. 10 from 7:15 to 9:30 p.m. and new voices are welcome. (RD)

The Salisbury Singers. PHOTO BY MICHELLE SHEPPARD

What: Northborough Area Community Community Chorus rehearsals When: Starting 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 Where: The chorus room at Algonquin Regional High School, 79 Bartlett St., Northborough. For more information contact NACC at (571) 331-0214 or (774) 249-2497, visit the Northborough Area Community Chorus Facebook page, or visit them online at www.nacc.net What: Salisbury Singers. All are welcome to join by contacting Music Director Brad Dumont at salisburysingersworcester@gmail.com

Mark Epstein is the author of, “They Call Me Pathfi nder: A True Story of One Man’s Mission to Improve Education in South Carolina.”

PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

Author Talk Mark Epstein will discuss his book “They Call Me Pathfinder: A True Story of One Man’s Mission to Improve Education in South Carolina” Jan. 9 as part of the Worcester JCC Virtual Author Series in partnership with Temple Emanuel Sinai. Epstein grew up in Worcester and is the son of the late Charlie Epstein, owner of Charlie’s Surplus on Water Street and famed sponsor of Charlie’s 10-Mile Road Race.

Mark Epstein’s book details his personal journey to overcome challenges and discover his mission to promote educational equality as a basketball coach, teacher and guidance counselor in the Charleston area of South Carolina. (VDI) What: Mark Epstein — Worcester JCC Virtual Author Series When: 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 9.

How much: Free. Zoom and livestream. www.worcesterjcc.org. For more information, contact Nancy Greenberg at ngreenberg@worcesterjcc.org; (508) 756-7109 x 232

28 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

ADOPTION OPTION

WARL gives thanks for support On behalf of the mutts, meows and critters at the Worcester Animal Rescue League, thank you for your friendship and support in 2021.

Many animals still need help. Please consider making a year-end donation to help the most vulnerable animals in Central Massachusetts. Donate today at https://worcesterarl.org/donate/.

Many thanks for your kindness, your caring and your generosity.

Happy Holidays!

Montana is one of the animals that’s been helped by WARL. PHOTO COURTESY SARA MCCLURE

Stewie is one of the animals that’s been helped by WARL. ANJIE COATES/FURRY TAILS

Waffles and her sister Strudela were two of the animals that have been helped by WARL. PHOTO COURTESY MELISSA SCHER

Lightfoot is one of the animals that has been helped

by WARL. EAST DOUGLAS PHOTO

Maggie is one of the animals that’s been helped by WARL. PHOTO COURTESY SARA MCCLURE

Ethan Allen is one of the animals that’s been helped

by WARL. PHOTO COURTESY WARL

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 29

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30 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

J O N E S I N’

Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

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Across 1 “This ___ really happening!”

6 “Beavis and Butt-Head” spinoff 11 It can be scrambled 14 ___ York (NYC, to some residents) 15 Monarch’s domain 16 Former “Great British Bake Off” cohost Perkins 17 Computer character set that’s mostly rainbows and macadamias?

19 Back-of-a-jigsaw hue 20 Evaporating Asian sea 21 Indicator that a new pope has been selected 22 Reactor part 23 Tripod part 24 Blokes 25 Time off, briefly 26 1990s Super Nintendo racing game (often on “top Nintendo games of all time” lists) 28 “Brave” princess 29 Special attention 34 Onetime owner of the Huffington Post 35 Inadvisable activity traveling down the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius?

38 MTV live show until ‘08 39 Tournament favorites 40 Continue the journey 42 Savory quality 46 Scared-looking, maybe 47 Donut flavoring 51 Stimpy’s partner 52 Forward-facing font type (abbr.)

53 Paddled boat 54 “___ I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism” (1981 bell hooks book) 55 “In the Heights” Tony winner ___-Manuel Miranda 56 2000s Nintendo controller named for a 2000s “SNL” alum?

58 Conclude 59 “My Dinner With Andre” director Louis 60 Elementary atomic particle 61 Low-___ graphics 62 Medicine dispenser 63 Get the cupcakes ready

“Welcome to Two-Two”--they both appear.

by Matt Jones

Down 1 Equally split 2 Public radio journalist Ray with the podcast “Going for Broke” 3 Meditative genre 4 Track layout 5 Mai ___ (cocktail) 6 Interpersonal conflict, so to speak 7 He wrote “The Fox and the Lion” 8 Oven shelves 9 “Would ___ to you?”

10 Friend of France 11 From Tartu or Tallinn 12 Snarly protector 13 Vague army rank?

18 “Well, sorta” 22 Matchbox toy 24 “Straight Outta ___” (2015 biopic) 25 Stuff that sticks around 27 “Everybody Hurts” band 28 “Um, Actually” host Trapp 30 Lackey 31 Sciatic region 32 “___ for Alibi” (series-opening Sue Grafton mystery) 33 Belgium-to-Switzerland dir.

35 Unspoiled 36 Seasoned pros

37 Suffix for skeptic or real 38 It may get hauled around the country 41 “Electric” creature 43 “The Magic Flute” passage 44 Candy paired with Diet Coke 45 Objective 47 Sends with a stamp 48 Geometry measurement 49 “The ___ of Positive Thinking” 50 Floral accessory 53 Sicilian send-off 54 Part of N.A. or S.A. 56 Iraq War controversy, for short 57 Global currency org.

Last week's solution

©2022 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1074

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | 31

LAST CALL

Michael Maher, author of ‘He,’ a memoir about his transitioning Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Worcester native Michael Maher always knew he wanted to use his words to change the world. Growing up, he wrote songs, later writing fi ction and telling stories. Turns out the story that might have the greatest impact is his own. Maher’s fi rst book, “He,” was published Dec. 26 and chronicles his journey in discovering his gender identity and ultimately transitioning. Maher sat down with Last Call to discuss the process of writing his book, the highs and lows of self-discovery, fi nding his true self and what convinced him to share his story.

What motivated you to write this book about your experience?

I began a TikTok earlier this year, hoping to reach more people than I have in the past. It grew pretty rapidly and I was surprised by the number and kind of people that I was reaching — that is what gave me the confi dence to write the book, Was it hard sharing such a personal experience?

The decision wasn’t hard. It meant a great deal to me to be able to help people, so the uncomfortable parts just didn’t matter in this case. When I fi rst started my transition, I planned to remain stealth. It was very important to me to just live a very normal life as a man and outwardly be seen, as I’ve always seen myself. But I’ve learned that I can use my experience to help people, so from start to fi nish I wrote it in three weeks.

What were the biggest changes in you over your journey?

For most of my life, I grew up in a poor family and was taught that we have to deal with the hand that we are dealt.

Around middle school, I gave up on songwriting and wanting to be a rock star which was also when I gave up trying “to be myself.” I stopped dressing up as a boy and thought “guess I have to be this person that I am not.”

Michael Maher published his memoir, “He,” on Dec. 26, detailing his journey towards his gender identity and transition. MICHAEL MAHER

When I was 17, I came across the word transgender and found out it was even a thing so that’s when I started my transition. I’ve had this mindset since then — I’m now 30 — that I want to be a normal guy and just pass.

Looking the way I do, being white and privileged, it was easier for me to reach more people than I would have if I looked any other way. That’s when I realized I had to do something that leveraged my ability to reach people and decided to write this book.

What’s next? More books?

Thinking about a coming out guide. I have been labeled lesbian, bi and trans-

gender, so been all over the spectrum, and I feel I have a lot to off er there.

How would you say Worcester has contributed to your journey?

I was born in Worcester and have been in Worcester County for most of my life. I feel very lucky to be in a place where it is so accepted. I remember we saw a big Pride Festival here when I was eight and my mum commented that it was exciting. That gave me confi dence even years later, when it was my time to come out. If I were living in Texas, let’s say, I probably wouldn’t be going to my city’s magazine looking for an interview.

The diversity here has shown that I can

be myself safely, and that’s valuable to me.

How has this aff ected your relationship with family and friends?

When I was 17, a very close family member caught wind that I was a lesbian and basically gave me a conversion therapy book. So, that hurt but it was the fi rst time I faced any kind of resistance.

I came out to my little sister as trans when I saw a YouTube video and realized this was me. She took it really well. I came out to my mom shortly after and she wasn’t really negative about it but was upset and it took her some time to get my names and pronouns down.

Aside from that, my family actually took it well.

My church at the time really discouraged any sort of LGBT anything and when they found out, they actually kicked me out. There was a big fi ght over it and some people even left.

So was the church and/or religion a big part of your life then?

Yes, growing up, we went to a church called the Christadelphian Ecclesia and I grew up there, and went from birth — Sunday school, Friday teen programs and Bible studies. That’s why it took so long for me to understand myself. I knew from the age of three that, inside, I was a boy.

I believe I would have discovered myself earlier if I wasn’t a part of that church. I’ve been working really hard to deconstruct that. I’m a very spiritual person but I’m not on board with organized religion anymore.

What’s the biggest thing you want to accomplish next?

I want to reach parents of children who are trans. If I could have had the words back then, it would have changed my life, so if I can give a better understanding to that group of people, I would just feel so complete and that I had served my community. Next, I want to help people who are questioning or are trans, non-binary or anybody in the community. I want them to feel like they’re not alone.

32 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM