WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES
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Featured ..............................................................................4 City Voices ........................................................................10 Cover Story.......................................................................13 Artist Spotlight................................................................18 Next Draft .........................................................................19 Listen Up...........................................................................22 Screen Time .....................................................................24 Adoption Option.............................................................28 Classifi eds ........................................................................29 Games................................................................................30 Last Call .............................................................................31
On the cover Ricky Duran will return to Worcester for a concert at the Hanover Theatre Sept. 18. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
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FEATURED
Cantor Gallery exhibits work of revolutionary artist Elizabeth Catlett Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
The horror fi lm “Candyman” just grossed $22.3 million and Nia DaCosta became the fi rst Black female director to debut at No. 1 at the U.S. box offi ce. The fi lm opened Aug. 27, breaking box offi ce records for its opening weekend. While it sits squarely in the horror fi lm genre, the movie really asks you to think about the inequities that brought us to this point in the fi rst place and how damaging gentrifi cation can be for impoverished communities. Elizabeth Catlett, who died in 2012 at the age of 96, also believed that art has the potential for societal impact. “Artists,” she once said, “should work to the end that love, peace, justice and equal opportunity prevail.” Catlett may be called the woman who paved the way for all Black female artists and the foremost African-American woman artist of her generation. The Cantor Gallery at The College of the Holy Cross is now hosting an exhibition dedicated to her, which began Sept. 7 and will continue until Dec. 15. Catlett was of a generation when few women artists, let alone African-American ones, attained recognition. Yet she was such a prolifi c artist, sculptor and printmaker that Gallery Director Meredith Fluke said her body of work, which spans over seven or eight decades, is too much for the Cantor Gallery’s small space. This show is more in the vein of a travelling exhibit that was off ered to Holy
“There Is A Woman In Every Color”, by Elizabeth Catlett 1975 Mixed media, ed. 32/33 21” x 27” CANTOR ART GALLERY
Cross and part of the collection of Catlett’s student, Samella Lewis, from when Catlett taught at Dillard University in New Orleans. Fluke said “the student to teacher connection” resonated
for Holy Cross, and the exhibit will also include work from Lewis and Catlett’s husband, Franscisco Mora. Lewis was the fi rst AfricanAmerican woman (possibly fi rst woman) to get a Ph.D. in
art history. The legacy of Catlett’s work is broad and deep as it explores numerous themes in life. Fluke described how Catlett was ”very interested in making art about the Black experience and
what it meant to be a Black woman.” Representing the “mundane Black experience” for the time was a major focus of her work. See CATLETT, Page 5
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Catlett Continued from Page 4
Catlett majored in art at Howard University and then continued her studies for a master’s degree at University of Iowa, where she was mentored by Grant Wood of “American Gothic” fame. Wood encouraged her to depict the parts of life that she knew best. Her politics were infl uenced by the South Side of Chicago’s dynamic art community and she was also enriched by the artistic community of Harlem in the early 1940s, where she lived for a while. Catlett was determined to create art that was accessible to everyone at a time when the remnants of the Great Depression were being felt by all. After a fellowship took her to Mexico, she became interested in political art, and the populist
“The Torture of Mothers,” by Elizabeth Catlett. 1970/2003 Lithograph, second edition 25/25 15” x 22” CANTOR ART GALLERY
fervor galvanized Catlett to “make art for her people” — African Americans. In Mexico, she became interested in printmaking and continued working from there during the U.S. civil rights movement. She married a Mexican artist and became a Mexican citizen when she was
targeted by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee as an “undesirable alien.” Catlett’s art is foundational for female artists, and her themes matched with her political views. She was known to say, “there are many ways to be revolutionary.” Fluke said it
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was interesting to consider artists who have been working from activist viewpoints, looking back at a time into the civil rights movement. In fact, according to Fluke, “it’s a historical show about the 20th century but a lot of the themes are very timely,” since students can understand the diff erent ways in which art can be political. Fluke has been working on this show since she arrived in 2019, “so that it speaks to this moment is an accident but a happy accident.” When she got to Holy Cross, she was determined to make it work and managed to fi nd a time to get it on the gallery schedule. “It is the fi rst show that we can do a lot more programming around, like having more classes come to visit in person — a lot more energy around it because there are more people on campus this fall.” Though the Cantor Gallery has always had a broad man-
date about representation across mediums, time and identity, it hadn’t done much in the way of 20th-century work and few artists of color, which Fluke is trying to change. Catlett is defi nitely one of the fi rst women of color to be shown at the Cantor, and the fact that her work covers multiple eras makes it feel like “a walk through the 20th century,” according to Fluke. There is the sense that collections belonging to individuals can often feel slanted in the direction of the interest of the collector, but this one is diff erent — mainly due to the fact that Catlett herself had a wider sense of the joy and power of the African American experience, Fluke said. She reached beyond trauma to celebrate the resiliency and creativity of Black culture which has made Black art compelling, groundbreaking and gamechanging.
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Holy Cross’ professor’s book eyes dark legacy of residential schools for Native Americans Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
We can all remember thinking that our school newspapers were probably never going to be read by anyone but us — all that poetry, essays about which rules we hated, and those inside jokes which meant nothing to anyone but kids who knew each other. But imagine this: A school newspaper being used for research by an academic scholar 100 or 150 years later. That is exactly what English Professor Sarah Klotz undertook when she began to write a book on residential schools for Native Americans, which changed the lives of indigenous peoples and their cultures forever after. The book was published earlier this year — “Writing Their Bodies: Restoring Rhetorical Relations at the Carlisle Indian School” — and a vital component of its sources came from student newspapers at the school. Klotz has been working on the book for over a decade and began the research at UC Davis, where she went to graduate school. She arrived at The College of the Holy Cross in fall 2019. The most impact that writing for a school newspaper could have, nowadays, would be on college applications. However, when the students at Carlisle wrote down their stories, they were not writing for themselves, each other or even their families. They were imagining how future readers would comprehend the horrifi c experiences they underwent, according to Klotz, they were imagining the future of their people and they never lost sight that things were going to change. See LEGACY, Page 7
Holy Cross English Professor Sarah Klotz recently wrote the book “Writing Their Bodies: Restoring Rhetorical Relations at the Carlisle Indian School.” ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
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Legacy Continued from Page 6
There is a word in a Native American studies that applies here, said Klotz: “survivance,” a combination of survival and resistance. “Native peoples have been engaging in this process of fi nding ways for survival and resistance since very early colonization,” she explained. Residential schools returned to the public consciousness this summer with the discovery of mass graves on the properties of the former schools. When children died from illness, abuse or, as Klotz discusses in her book, hunger strikes, their bodies were consigned to unmarked graves and rarely, if ever, returned to their families. Early last month, Klotz wrote an article about the boarding schools for The Conversation, focusing on the death of student Ernest Knocks Off , from the Sioux people, who died following a hunger strike. Ernst’s body was returned to his community on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota two weeks ago. “It’s a very big deal that they’re fi nally sent back to their homes,” said Klotz. That this happened over a century and a half too late galvanized her to post the article. The responses that it garnered, unfortunately, served as an example of how the majority of Americans view this time in history. The bulk of the responses can be divided into two categories: ignorance and white supremacy. Ignorance of the horrifi c practice that aimed to strip young people of their land, culture and families, coupled with a simultaneous dismissal of the generational consequences because that’s in the past and we don’t do that anymore; and “kneejerk white supremacy,” which led to comments having to be shut off for the article. As Klotz summed it up, “those kinds of easy answers really get in the way of justice.” Klotz’s book focuses on the
Copies of Holy Cross English Professor Sarah Klotz’s book “Writing Their Bodies: Restoring Rhetorical Relations at the Carlisle Indian School” are shown. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
early years of the fi rst and possibly most famous of these schools, The Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. The school opened in 1879 as the fi rst government-run boarding school for Native American children. The goal was forced assimilation of native children into white American society. It closed in 1918, but its legacy and that of others modeled after it continues to impact Native American families today. The school existed well into the 20th century but Klotz felt she wanted to focus on the experiences of those fi rst students and how they responded
when faced with the destruction of their cultures. The overall history of Carlisle and other schools has been heavily documented, so she chose a diff erent approach. “I didn’t want to do a bird’s eye view — not tell the whole story but a very narrow story of the fi rst three years of the fi rst boarding school.” Fascinated with “students fi nding their power in an almost powerless situation,” Klotz began her study of school newspapers and student writings. Naturally, the students wouldn’t have been able to write clearly about what was happening to them while in
open opposition to their teachers. “When I’m reading student writing from 1879, the second year of the school, it’s not like the students were able to explicitly say ‘this is what’s happening to me and it’s horrible,’” said Klotz. So she had to read between the lines. Klotz looked for instances of students being in trouble or pushing back against the rules about only speaking English. One such example she found was of a student who had to write an essay as punishment for speaking their own language. This led her to discovering that some Lakota students
were not only holding on to their language, but teaching Lakota to new students. “It speaks to how they’re grabbing an opportunity to learn their language and culture under the noses of the faculty.” In stark contrast to this hopeful note, another letter, written by one of the newspaper’s student editors, discusses his feeling of displacement upon returning home, caught between two worlds and with no job prospects. The letter, said Klotz, “showed that the entire project was destined to See LEGACY, Page 9
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Hard-core punk rockers Knocked Loose coming to the Palladium Robert Duguay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
Every once in a while, a style of music gets a certain jolt from a group of up-and-comers. Not to say that what came before them was getting bland, but their fresh spin on the art form got them a wider fan base that packs venues whenever they go out on tour. This is the best way to describe Oldham County, Kentucky, act Knocked Loose’s rise in the realm of hard-core punk. Both their debut album, “Laugh Tracks,” which came out on Pure Noise Records in 2016, and their follow-up, “A Diff erent Shade Of Blue,” which was released in 2019 off of the same label, have been met with near universal acclaim. On Sept. 16 at 6 p.m., they’ll be headlining an amplifi ed rager at The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. What separates Knocked Loose from their contemporaries is how they incorporate elements of heavy metal into a wide range of intense structures and arrangements. This is highlighted by lead vocalist Bryan Garris’ delivery that includes a lot of screaming and growling. “I would say that I have a small little routine that I do to warm up my voice,” he says of how he prepares for a show. “I do some breathing exercises to help open up my diaphragm, and I’m a pretty anxious person, so I do a lot of bouncing around backstage to get my body ready. I kind of like start jumping around to get it warmed up; I pace back and forth a lot and I get myself in the mindset that I’m about to go do it. Other than that, I just practice and we all practice a lot when we’re at home before
Knocked Loose performs Sept. 16 at the Palladium. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TIM CAYEM
tours to prepare for them. It helps my voice get back into the swing of things.” It takes a lot of confi dence for anyone to lead a band with just a microphone in their hand, and sometimes it can feel pretty awkward. Garris combats this while feeding off the audience, which is a main reason why he got into hardcore music in the fi rst place. “I defi nitely feed off the crowd, I think that shared energy is really important,” he says. “I also think that I’m very different than I am on stage, so
over time, I’ve just gotten used to putting myself in the place to perform and kind of just let everything go. Something that drew me to hardcore music in general is that everybody is there for the same thing, so there’s no wrong way to enjoy it. You’re just there to enjoy the music however you see fi t. It’s very expressive and I think that really helps with nervousness and anxiety because, like I said, everybody is there to do the same thing.” As of press time, Knocked Loose couldn’t give a lot away
when it comes to details about their anticipated third album. With this in mind, Garris says that being off the road because of the COVID-19 gave the band a clearer vision of how they want to operate going forward and that they’re always working on something. “The last year gave us a lot of downtime to be together and focus on things behind the scenes,” he said. “I think there was a lot of upgrading across the board when it comes to live performance, how we write music, touring more effi ciently
when we would get the chance to tour again, and it gave us a big opportunity to step back and look at what Knocked Loose is and how we want to make things better going forward. We really tried to take advantage of that time off when it comes to these things, so I can’t give much more than that away, but know that we are always working.” For info on Knocked Loose, check out knockedloosehc.com. For tickets and everything else, visit The Palladium’s website at thepalladium.net.
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Legacy Continued from Page 7
fail.” While Carlisle is still an active military base, it is also the location of the US Army War College. As a result, children were buried and moved around at the convenience of the base. Klotz confi rmed that “the human remains were treated very badly before they were fi nally returned to their extended families and descendants.” In the case of Ernst Knocks Off , while his body was never returned to his parents, he was actually one of the rare cases where his family actually received news of his death. When Ernst died of his hunger strike, it was a shock to his community and family, said Klotz. “The only reason they knew was because Ernst was the son of a chief,” who had willingly sent his son and other tribal children to the school as a diplomatic gesture. The reaction of the families could only be imagined until about two years ago, when a cache of letters from the parents to the federal government was discovered. Access to letters was a massive research breakthrough for Klotz. These letters were statements by parents, chiefs, leaders to an Indian agent, then translated and sent to the government through a long process, making communication slow and diffi cult, explained Klotz. “The letters illustrate when the parents band together to demand their children back,” said Klotz. “Until this point they had willingly sent their kids.” For context, she added, this was happening alongside the Dawes Act, a law through which the government would be breaking up reservations into land plots and putting them up for sale to private citizens. The issue of missing children seriously complicated matters, making the tribes even less willing to participate
with the U.S. government. “It was a serious diplomatic problem,” said Klotz. Given that there is likely not a single indigenous person in the U.S. and Canada who has not been aff ected by residential schools in some way, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, announced that the department would open its own investigation. She made the announcement while speaking at the virtual conference of the National Congress of American Indians earlier this year. It will be called the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, a program designed to review the schools’ histories and legacy and will investigate known and suspected burial sites. While there were no residential schools in the Worcester area, the College of the Holy Cross must contend with how its own legacy aff ects the indigenous people of the area. What is known today as College Hill was actually a Nipmuc settlement called Pakachoag. As a fi rst step, Holy Cross has acknowledged that College Hill and the school property is on former Nipmuc land. This is a good start, said Klotz, but she hopes the school continues to work with the Nipmuc tribe about concrete steps to support the native community. There are examples from California schools consulting with the nation on whose land the school resides, meeting with community leaders and asking them what would be of service and of use to them. Such actions may include scholarships, access to sacred land that exists within the ownership of Holy Cross, and dual enrollment with high school students. Indigenous peoples across the country, including New England, can name ancestors who attended these boarding schools, including some who never returned home. According to Klotz, that is the reason many indigenous languages are endangered and lost.
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CITY VOICES LANDGREN WAIT STAFF SHORTAGES ARE ON THE MENU
WORCESTERIA
A moment of appreciation for people who made amazing things during a terrible time Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
FIRST PERSON
Suicide loss support is prevention: Support Out of the Darkness central Mass. Abigail Salois Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
For close to one year, since my older sister, Liza, died by suicide, I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. While my older brother cleared brush alone on the property of his new home, I panicked that a tree limb would fall and crush him. I worry that something terrible has happened to my mother when she has not contacted me in a day. Though my worries seem irrational, they can be destabilizing. While my daughter sat contentedly listening to me read “Curious George” before bed, tears fl ooded my eyes and I worried after her future mental health, hoping fervently that bedtime stories could help
keep her safe. I fi nd myself thinking that if anything were to happen to one of my two children, the other would be alone. Sudden death is traumatic; it causes us to see danger where it may not exist. I recognize that my fear is partially a trauma response, but there was also some validity to my dread because suicide does tend to run in families. Many of us who have lost a loved one to suicide wonder in terror how far the ripple will extend and who else might be lost. The Centers for Disease Control lists “family history of suicide” as a factor that contributes to suicide risk. Decades before Liza died, our paternal grandfather died by suicide after he received an inopSee SUPPORT, Page 12
Amid the turmoil of COVID-19, it’s easy to fi xate on the things that are gone, whether they were shut down directly because of the lockdown, such as Pageboy Hair Studio, because of the indirect economic consequences of the pandemic, such as Fairway Beef in Worcester, or just plain gentrifi cation, such as the Bridge Academy and Community Center. It’s hard to remember that new things have appeared, too, and not just Polar Park. Restaurants such as Chashu Ramen + Izakaya, Suzette Crêperie & Café and Thai Corner have emerged, as have venues such as the BrickBox Theatre at the JMAC. There’s also been a great deal of public art, from new statues to things that are a bit more whimsical. “Public art is the most accessible and equitable form of artistic expression,” says Che Anderson, former Deputy Cultural Development Offi cer for Worcester and current assistant vice chancellor for city and community relations for UMass Medical School, “allowing artists and community alike to speak to current events and the state of our society. Be it the Black Lives Matter mural, which aff orded local artists an opportunity to amplify Black voices and stories, or the Give Me A Sign project, aimed at calming and uplifting the com-
Tam Le and Son Vo pose for a portrait inside their new restaurant, Chashu Ramen +Izakaya, which is on 38 Franklin St. in Worcester. SABRINA GODIN/SPECIAL TO TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
munity, or the recent installation of the Bob Cousy statue, which gave the community a platform to celebrate one of its most beloved heroes, public art allowed us to come together at a time where many felt alone and isolated.” Not that it’s always easy, but it can be immensely rewarding, both for the community and the artist. Ryan Gardell, who has been involved with creating murals both on the back wall of Polar Park and for POW! WOW! Worcester, says, “My personal experiences in creating public art during the
COVID era have been quite intriguing. I’ve noticed that it brings people a bit of optimism, especially when it’s unexpected, it provides a splash of color in what could otherwise be a dull, gray world in that person’s reality. Street art provides a brief escape from our typical cultural narratives, it reinforces the notion that the world is in fact a beautiful place, and not the scary, deadly war zone that we’re told it is. If someone cares enough about a wall to spend hours and See MOMENT, Page 11
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POETRY TOWN
‘Broken Native,’ by Dimitri Suriel Dimitri Suriel Special to Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK
Mountains, Flamboyant trees, And Coquís Were all New to me. I felt robbed, Cheated, Sad, and angry About it Existing without me. A home I could not recognize, But felt like home Otherwise. The land my Ancestors
Named Boriquén, but Instead I call it Puerto Rico. Still, the island Embraced me as One of its own. I am a homeless boy Who found their home. Dimitri Suriel is a Puerto Rican/DominicanAmerican raised in Worcester, where a lot of his work is in searching for identity, while embracing the cultures and identities he holds.
“The land my /Ancestors/Named Boriquén, but/Instead I call it Puerto Rico. “ MARIAMS
Moment Continued from Page 10
ROUTE 20 AUBURN A statue honoring basketball legend Bob Cousy was dedicated outside the DCU Center June 18. RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Marianna Islam, being part of the installation was “especially meaningful, because the words in my poem are embodied in See MOMENT, Page 12
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hours painting it, then maybe it inspires someone else to do something for their community .... I’ve noticed my interactions with spectators have become increasingly more meaningful, insightful and benefi cial than they’ve been in the past. I attribute this to the general lack of access to entertainment, but also that it provides a bit of hope, as many of us have suffered immensely over the past year.” One of the more compelling public art eff orts since the pandemic began has been the “A Walk in the Woo” project, with short poems by both some of the more well known local poets, including the late Dan Lewis, and newer voices being stenciled on the sidewalk using ink that only reveals the words when it rains. For contributor
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Moment Continued from Page 11
the installation itself. It is about letting go to be part of the universal oneness that is already here. The fact the words will disappear as the rain dries is the very essence of it all. My last name being memorialized in the rain is also signifi cant as poetry is the expression of many forms of spirituality.” If public art can be seen as an expression of hope, then it seems opening an actual business under these conditions, such as a restaurant, is an expression of both faith and willpower. “There’s too many challenges in opening a restaurant during COVID to mention them all,” says Jean-luc Wittner, chef-owner of Suzette Crêperie
Support Continued from Page 10
erable cancer diagnosis. Through talking about my sister’s death, I have met many people touched by suicide. A man lost his younger brother to suicide, his father a few years later, and a friend soon thereafter. Another man lost both of his brothers to suicide. A woman lost her best friend to suicide, and thankfully did not complete her own. Nothing having to do with suicide is simple. It is layered; it is multifactored; and it varies a great deal between families and individuals. Questions attempting to make sense of what may have led someone to take her own life are not black and white, and they torture an analytical mind because there is no sense to be made. If there is a discrete gene that runs through families and causes suicide, doctors have yet to identify it. I have found “suicide pre-
Jean Luc Wittner, owner of Suzette Creperie & Cafe in Worcester, which recently opened in the former home of Weintraub's Jewish Delicatessen. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
& Café, “but the major ones are: not being able to count on regular customers because you’re new, being denied fi nancial help for a long period of time
vention” to be an alienating term because I was not able to prevent my sister’s death. Some people cannot accept mental health services, and some suicides cannot be stopped. That said, I have come to see that suicide prevention and grief support services for suicide loss survivors are inextricably linked. That is, grief support services are an essential piece of suicide prevention. These services can catch the other shoe before it drops, stopping the ripple from expanding. SafePlace meetings through Samaritans Hope have given me some ability to calm the chaos suicide has brought to my life. On September 18, a community of people aff ected by suicide will come together at Worcester’s Institute Park for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness walk. Jessika Zequeira, the Community Education Specialist at the Shine Initiative, chairs the walk in Worcester. She reports that 250 participants walked in the AFSP’s
because when you’re new you can’t prove a loss of sales (we fi nally received help last March), shortage in staff , shortage in ingredients (each week there’s
something I don’t fi nd), and now infl ation (+ 100% on my chicken compared to lowest price, some other ingredients have a lot less price increases), minimum wage is also going up.” Still, the restaurant has survived its fi rst year under the worst conditions possible, and certainly serves up delicious crepes. For Tam Le, who co-owns Chashu Ramen + Izakaya with partner Son Vo, the adversity of the times was just another obstacle to overcome. “The American Dream wasn’t built on rainbows and unicorns,” says Le. “It was built on hard work and perseverance through diffi cult times. Son and I have been fortunate to have amazing role models who have shown us this in our parents. We started out with a vision and a plan. Going into any busi-
Walkers during the “Out of the Darkness” walk at Institute Park, Worcester, Sept. 16, 2017. JESSICA PICARD/T&G FILE
fi rst Central Massachusetts walk in 2012, and the event raised around $25,000. During the most recent in-person walk in 2019, there were 1,000 participants, and the event raised $155,000. Zequeira believes that there are several reasons why the walks continue to grow: Suicide rates unfortunately have increased. At the same time, people are realizing
that supports exist, are more willing to talk about their experiences, and suicide attempt survivors are becoming more open. More than 47,500 people die by suicide in the United States each year. The CDC reports that 54% of Americans have been impacted by suicide in some way. Still, the stigma continues and in my experience, many
ness, we understand the risk, and anticipate challenges (albeit COVID-19 was truly ‘special’). It is the trust in not only our plan, but also in ourselves that we can weather any storm, that gives us the conviction to push forward.” None of this undercuts the loss and pain our community has suff ered over the past year and change, but rather, it’s an eff ort to step up and appreciate that, even in objectively terrible times, there are sill people willing to take risks and add something to the world, be it a restaurant, a mural or any other thing of cultural value that wasn’t there before. “The simple answer to, ‘Why move forward?’” say Le, when asked, is “because that’s what we do. As entrepreneurs, it’s in our nature to build and grow things.”
people are either uncomfortable speaking about suicide or avoid the subject completely. I hope you will consider participating in the AFSP’s Out of the Darkness walk on September 18. Register, make a donation, become a sponsor, or spread the word at https://supporting.afsp.org/. If you are seeking suicide grief support services, visit https://samaritanshope.org/ our-services/grief-support/. Whether their message is awareness, prevention, or support, these organizations are doing lifesaving work for people who are battling the demons of suicidality and for the loved ones that suicide has left behind. Abigail Salois lives with her husband, two children, and dog in Holden. She has been a practicing attorney in Worcester since 2012. Follow mourning_runs on Instagram to learn more about Abigail’s writing and to join the conversation about destigmatizing suicide loss.
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COVER STORY A year prior to making himself heard on “The Voice,” Ricky Duran had moved to Austin, Texas, where he still lives, to concentrate “100%” on music after developing an appreciative following in the Worcester music scene over the course of several years. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
Ricky Duran returns to Worcester for Hanover Theatre show Continued on next page
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‘Voice’ star returns home for belated concert Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK
“It doesn’t seem it was too long ago,” ace guitarist and singer-songwriter Ricky Duran said of his appearances toward the end of 2019 on the NBC show “The Voice,” where he advanced all the way to the fi nal and fi nished as Season 17 runner-up. On the other hand, “It seemed as if everything just stopped,” he said of what followed. With his success on the show ringing in peoples’ ears, Duran, who was born in Worcester and grew up in Grafton, seemed on the cusp of some even bigger things happening in his music career. A year prior to making himself heard on “The Voice,” Duran had moved to Austin, Texas, where he still lives, to concentrate “100 percent” on music after developing an appreciative following in the Worcester music scene over the course of several years. With his blues guitar playing, soulful raspy vocals and stage presence, Duran wowed the judges each week, and then the voters. With his success on “The Voice” still echoing, it was quickly announced that Duran would perform a “homecoming concert” on March 27, 2020, at
If you go What: Ricky Duran; opening, Sam James When: 8 p.m. Sept 18. Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $32, $45 and $55. VIP, post-show meet and greet tickets are $100. (877) 571-7469. www.thehanovertheatre.org
The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester. But events would quickly lead to the world stopping because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the show was postponed, announced with a new date, and then postponed again, before now being scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept 18. Duran, who has had to do a lot of waiting, can’t wait. “I’m really excited to fi nally perform,” Duran said. “It was supposed to happen a year and a half ago.” For the The Hanover Theatre show, Duran, who just tuned 32, said, “I kind of owe it to my See DURAN, Page 15
Ricky Duran’s Hanover Theatre show was supposed to happen last year, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
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fans to sing some of the songs they heard on ‘The Voice.’ Also some of my music, and covers.” He’ll be playing with a fi vepiece band and a couple of backing vocalists. Dan DeCristofaro of the local band Blue Light Bandits that Duran formerly played with will be keyboardist. Opening the show is singersongwriter Sam James, a friend of Duran’s from his Worcester days who has also appeared on “The Voice” (Season 3) as well as NBC’s “Songland.”‘ Duran was hoping during a recent telephone interview that the Sept.18 show at The Hanover Theatre will be a catalyst for a big tour — something else that had been planned for 2020. Besides which, performing live is what he loves best as a singer/musician. With that, few live gigs can match “The Voice” for tension, given how much is riding on a short performance (make or break, sink or swim), but Duran looked like he thrived on it. Asked about some of the things he remembered fondly from his time on “The Voice,” Duran replied, “You know what I like to remember are the live performances. Playing on live television to a live studio audience with some iconic artists in the room. There’s the countdown, ‘3-2-1,’ you’re anxious but also excited. That’s what I live for, the live performing. I think the Hanover will feel just like that. That’s pretty much why I got into music in the fi rst place — the audience and the way you make them feel during your performance. Every song is diff erent.” Duran nearly wasn’t heard at all on “The Voice” as a serious behind-the-scene drama played out just as Duran was about to perform his “blind audition” on the show. See DURAN, Page 16
“That’s what I live for, the live performing. I think the Hanover will feel just like that. That’s pretty much why I got into music in the first place — the audience and the way you make them feel during your performance. Every song is different.” Ricky Duran is developing music “that’s more rock-based ... Performing rock music, that’s where my heart really lies. I’m really excited to fi nally perform,” Duran said. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
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His three sisters, Natalie, Maria and Julia, and his girlfriend, Alyssa Tosti, had accompanied Duran to Los Angles to be in the studio for his blind audition. “It was a roller coaster with all the anxiety of performing, then I got a call, I believe it was from my sister,” Duran recalled. Tosti was in an ambulance after suff ering what turned out to be stroke. “That changed my whole thought,” Duran said. He told a producer at “The Voice” that he had to leave the studio and go to the hospital. “I was going to pull out of the competition.” At the hospital, Tosti was insistent. “When she came to, she said, ‘You need to go back and audition.’” Back at “The Voice,” “They gave me a spot on the last day of auditions,” Duran said. He made the most of it. Within 30 seconds of Duran launching into a soulful rendition of Leon Bridges’ “River,” all four judges of NBC’s “The Voice” had turned their chairs and were watching the performance in rapt attention. “It was pretty shocking, actually,” Duran had said during an interview after the broadcast of the blind audition in October 2019. As was indicated by the chair-turn, judges Blake Shelton, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani all wanted Duran on their team. “It kind of blew me away,” Duran said. “I was just trying to complete the song. I didn’t want to get too excited and forget where I was.” The judges gave him a standing ovation. “I’d love to be your coach, dude,” said Shelton, who praised Duran’s tone and stage presence. The other judges had similar words of praise (“I’d love to work with you,” Legend said), but Duran chose Shelton. Tosti, who is originally from
“I think for people, especially in my fi eld of work, momentum is a big thing for up and coming artists. So I think it defi nitely affected me,” Duran said of the pandemic. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
Douglas, is “doing well now,” Duran said. The couple live together in Austin. The stroke had been been brought on by pulmonary hypertension. “It can be monitored,” Duran said. The two met in Worcester when Duran was playing a show at Valentino’s on Shrewsbury Street. “We started talking on one of my breaks and we just kind of hit it off from there.” Among the many emotions in play at the blind audition was the meaning behind Duran’s choice of the song, “River.” Duran’s performance was in memory of his late parents. He had discovered “River” shortly after the death of his mother, Odette Duran, from breast cancer in 2018. Duran’s father, Ri-
cardo Duran, who had nurtured his interest in music, tragically took his own life in 2012. The song, with the repeated line, “Take me to your river,” is about “coming out of a dark place,” Duran said. “I think the best songs are when the artist has a connection to the song, so I thought that would be a good fi t.” His parents were originally from Guatemala and settled in Grafton to raise their family. “I went out there singing the song thinking about them. It was a performance in memory to them, and I couldn’t be happier as a tribute to them,” Duran said. Duran graduated from Grafton High School and Berklee
College of Music in Boston. “As long as I can remember I wanted to be a musician,” he said. His father was a musician who taught him to play guitar, he said. Duran was a member of the Worcester band The Blue Light Bandits, and was involved with creating Songs For Hope, a local benefi t concert for the American Foundation Of Suicide Prevention. A regular winner at the Worcester Music Awards presented by Pulse Magazine, he was named Best Male Vocalist at the 2019 awards at the Palladium. But with the death of his parents, “It was very diffi cult to move on and try to be to be positive after that,” Duran said.
“But I think it comes to the point where it’s sink or swim. I continued to perform concerts, continued to write, and after my mom passed, I decided to move to Austin and give it a 100 percent shot.” Austin is known for its eclectic live-music scene centered around country, blues and rock and has launched many musicians to stardom. But as he made the move, “I had nothing really lined up,” Duran said. On his second day in Austin he started walking into venues on the city’s historic entertainment district on Sixth Street. One bar owner told him to See DURAN, Page 17
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“come in Sunday.” The owner subsequently “took me up and down the street and I had a full week of work the following week.” Duran started to average fi ve shows a week in Austin. A representative of “The Voice” heard about Duran and asked him to audition in Austin. From that he received an invitation to the blind auditions in front of the show’s judges in Los Angeles. After “River,” Shelton told Duran that he has a river at his place in Oklahoma. “I would love to take you to it.” The good vibes would reverberate week after week, with Duran performing song selections such as “Valerie” by The Zutons, “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes, and a scintillating rendition of Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” When he performed his original song, “A Woman Like Her,” it topped the iTunes charts in all genres. Gwen Stefani declared, “Ricky, you have this star quality.” Duran said he was in touch with Sam James during his run on “The Voice.” “We’re good friends. We played a bunch of shows in the New England area. I was calling him when I was on the show. He was all excited for me,” Duran said. Worcester area singers have previously done well in the competition. Worcester native Alisan Porter was the winner in 2016, and Ryleigh Modig of Spencer had a good run on the show earlier this year. Country and pop star Billy Gilman of Rhode Island was a season runner-up on “The Voice” in 2016. Gilman will be the musical headline performer at the Pet Rock Festival Sept. 12 in North Grafton, near Duran’s former neck of the woods. “He’s a great friend,” Gilman said of Duran. “We text quite a
bit. He’s awesome. We all know his singing, and then when he plays his guitar, it’s like on another planet. It’s fantastic.” Parties were held locally in support of Duran during his run on “The Voice,” and his social media following rocketed skyward. “It was something else. At the time it’s this wave of friends and fans that reach out to you. Hundreds of messages a day that I couldn’t respond to,” Duran said. In the end, Duran lost out to season winner Jake Hoot of Corpus Christi, Texas (Team Kelly). “The Voice” top prize includes cash and a recording contract. Duran said he had “some mixed feelings” about the outcome. It would be nice to say he was a the winner of “The Voice,” he said, but on the other hand, he had heard stories of dissatisfaction among some previous winners about the way they were treated artistically by the designated recording label. Alisan Porter said in a 2019 interview with the Telegram & Gazette that the fact it didn’t work out was not a problem with “The Voice” but “a label issue … They wouldn’t produce an album for me …They wanted to mold and shape me in what they want, and I was already molded into what I was.” Duran didn’t want that to happen to him. “Coming in second, I was happy to be there up to the last minute,” Duran said. Then he headed into 2020. “I think for people, especially in my fi eld of work, momentum is a big thing for up-andcoming artists. So I think it definitely aff ected me,” Duran said of the pandemic. After the March 27, 2020, show at The Hanover Theatre, there would have likely been a tour, but “it wasn’t happening.” But Duran’s been dong fi ne, he said. “I used that time to get in the studio and write some new mu-
sic.” His song “She Closed Her Eyes,” a tribute to his mother released in December 2020, had a great fan response that brought the track to the Number One spot on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart. “It does something for people. It’s a powerful, moving song,” Duran said. In June he released the romantic single “Star,” an ode to Tosti. Tosti had jokingly told Duran, “‘Oh, you haven’t written a song about me,’” Duran said. “And then this song popped into my head.” The release of “Star” prompted a story in People magazine. “I really liked that song,” Duran said of “Star,” noting that he’s just fi nished recording a music video of the single. Working out of Arlyn Studios in Austin, Duran said at this point, “I have an album’s worth of music recorded.” So
for sure, “I’ll have at least an EP (released) by the end of the year.” The music he’s been working on is “singer-songwriter material,” but looking ahead a bit further, he would like to be developing music “that’s more rock-based … Performing rock music, that’s where my heart really lies. I’m really excited to fi nally perform,” Duran said. in Austin, Duran’s also been performing at private functions during the pandemic, he said. And there have been live streams. “I’m performing here and there as I can. I’ve made a lot of connections.” But at his long-anticipated show at The Hanover Theatre Sept. 18, Duran will not be celebrating an end of the pandemic. In fact, The Hanover Theatre recently announced protocols through Nov. 25: “Face coverings MUST be worn at all times in all areas of the theatre, regardless of vacci-
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nation status. “All patrons ages 12 and over MUST present either proof of full vaccination or negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the theatre. When accompanying a vaccinated adult, children under 12 are allowed to enter. When accompanying an unvaccinated adult, children 12 and under must present proof of negative COVID-19 test to enter,” The Hanover Theatre states. The Sept. 18 show will be performed without an intermission, but there will “Meet and Greet” opportunities. “I’m hoping I can get momentum back and Hanover can be the start of an upcoming tour. I’m working with a booking agency, booking shows in diff erent states. Right now it’s weekend stops because things are up in the air right now,” Duran said. Still, fi ngers crossed. “As far as it’s viable to go on a fullfl edged tour, that’s the plan.”
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Jennessa Burks Jennessa Burks Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
Jennessa Burks is a self-taught artist based in Central Massachusetts. Art is a passion she uses to express her emotion and amplify not only her voice, but the unheard voices of her communities. While her works include mixed mediums, she works primarily in acrylic to create art pieces intended to capture the beauty, strength, and resilience of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Too often Black and brown folx are missing from art
CITY LIVING TABLE HOPPIN’
spaces; their stories and truths selectively muted throughout history. With her creations, Burks aspires to bring joy to others who may experience the void of being unseen while bringing awareness to those who hold the privilege and fulfi llment of being seen. Her work can be found at www.jennessaart.com. This Artist Spotlight is presented by Worcester Magazine in partnership with ArtsWorcester. Since 1979, ArtsWorcester has exhibited and advanced the work of this region’s contemporary artists. Its exhibitions and educational events are open and free to all. Learn more at www.artsworcester.org.
Chef Mike Devish at his home base, Lucky’s Café in Worcester. His Ziggy Bombs specialty steak and cheese sandwiches have become a pop-up hit. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Chef Mike Devish scores a hit with Ziggy Bombs Barbara M. Houle Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
“Radiate” acrylic on canvas JENNESSA BURKS/ARTSWORCESTER
Worcester’s Mike Devish, aka “Ziggy the Cook,” is a guy who has built successful pop-ups relying on social media as a means to introduce foodies to his specialty steak and cheese sandwiches. Devish has a loyal following that roots for him, whether he’s serving up a
Ziggy Bomb Pu Pu Platter, steak and cheese topped with appetizers from Nancy Chang Restaurant in Worcester, or The Boom Boom, a combo of shaved steak, sautéed onions, roasted red peppers, Monterey Jack cheese and scratch-made onion rings, topped with Ziggy’s homemade boom boom sauce. The “Zig Mac,” a steak and cheese spinoff of McDonald’s Big Mac is among See HOPPIN’, Page 21
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THE NEXT DRAFT
Stone Cow Brewery’s hop-picking tradition continues Matthew Tota Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
BARRE – As I harvested a large bundle of dark green cascade hop bines at Stone Cow Brewery last weekend, I thought this had to have been what the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission intended when it created the farmer-brewery license. Maybe at one time the ABCC believed the license, by far the most popular of the three brewing licenses in the state, would lead more farms to grow hops and barley, or more breweries to start sowing their own fi elds. It hasn’t. The license, developed in 1982, does require that a brewery use some Massachusettsgrown ingredients, but doesn’t mandate a percentage. Although, in a 2011 ruling denying Malden’s Idle Hands Craft Ales an application for a farmerbrewery license, the ABCC did warn it would that year begin stipulating that farmer brewers grow 50% of the grains and hops they use in each beer. It didn’t. No, the farmer-brewery license just off ers small to midsize breweries a fast, sensible path to market, allowing them
to sell beer from their taprooms and freely self-distribute, unlike the other two licenses, manufacturer of wine and malt beverage and pub brewery. And yet, most farmer breweries, whether in urban or bucolic settings, have embraced the spirit of the license. There has been a noticeable push in recent years from breweries, even those with other licenses, wanting to use more local ingredients, whether grown themselves or on a farm somewhere in the state. Rarely do I see and touch and smell the malted barley or hops in my beer. But the few opportunities I’ve had to sit in on a brewing session or an ingredient tasting, then drink the resulting beer, have been the most rewarding experiences. Imagine, then, how brewers must feel when they use their own ingredients, whether honey from beehives at their brewery or hops grown in their own little plot of land. Stone Cow fi rst planted hops in the spring of 2016, painstakingly digging up the earth near its brewery barn to bury the rhizomes, essentially the stems of the hop bines. Some 500 bines — not vines, because the plants
Byron Are of North Brookfi eld harvests hops cones at Stone Cow Brewery Sept. 5. RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
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climb with their stems instead of their tendrils — would shoot up from the ground, controlled as they grew taller by trellises and twine. Each year the hops have come in a little stronger, though the heavy rains this summer did not make for an ideal growing season. I joined about a dozen parttime pickers Saturday under Stone Cow’s pavilion, all of whom did not seem to notice whether it had been a bad year for the typically hardy, climbing perennial. They were dutifully plucking the hop cones, one by one, aiming to fi ll their aluminum trays with at least a pound of hops. Their reward was a free pint. The cones — or fl owers — are beautiful creations of nature, with layers and layers of delicate petals. They have a crisp citrus aroma, amplifi ed when you rip the cone open to reveal the sticky golden yellow lupulin, a substance that is as complex as the beers it fl avors. “We’re after this yellow lupulin,” Stone Cow co-founder and brewer Sean DuBois said. “That is what gives the beer fl avor and bitterness. It’s also the reason why hops were used in beer in the fi rst place: It’s a preservative. Back when people made beer and put it in barrels on ships at room temperature out at sea for months and months and months, hops made it so their beer might stay drinkable.” All told, Stone Cow harvested 150 pounds of hops thanks to its helpful customers. We will get to taste “Can’t Stop WET HOP,” the ale where the hops were bound, sometime soon. The beer’s name, DuBois told me, came about during the fi rst harvest, in honor of one of the 100 pickers who showed up to help that day. She couldn’t hide her enthusiasm, he said, probably picked a good 10 pounds of hops and kept repeating, “can’t stop.”
Joe Wagher pulls apart bines of hops for harvesting at Stone Cow Brewery in Barre. PHOTOS BY RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Stone Cow, which calls the fi fth-generation Carter & Stevens Farm home, considers its farmer-brewery license not as a legal permit but a way of life. And of the more than 130 breweries in the state with the license, Stone Cow is one of the few actually deserving of the title farmer-brewer. The IPA Stone Cow brews with its own hops could easily be the best I ever drink, because I smelled the zesty grapefruit of the cascade hop fl owers, broke them open and got the sticky oils on my fi ngers. The hops are not mere tasting notes on a label. “I think people deep down know that it is right to know
where your food comes from,” DuBois said. “As a modern-day population, so many people go to the grocery store and buy food that comes out of a factory, more human-made than nature-made. People gravitate to this because it puts them in direct connection with their food source. These hops are going into a beer, and everybody that helped pick today has a direct connection to that beer. We often fi nd they’ll come back to try the beer, because they feel a part of it.” Cascade hops cones are harvested at Stone Cow Brewery.
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Hoppin’ Continued from Page 18
Ziggy Bombs top sellers. Devish’s home base is Lucky’s Café in Worcester, where his fi rst pop-up this summer attracted nearly 300 people. Plans are in the works for more events, including several at Wormtown Brewery in Worcester this fall. The next pop-up at Lucky’s, 1021⁄ 2 Grove St., is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 24. There also are ongoing talks with other city business owners about future pop-ups. Devish defi nitely is a chef on the move! He fi rst launched Ziggy Bombs earlier this year and is ecstatic that it’s now LLC (limited liability company). In addition to running the business, Devish holds down two jobs, working full time at Lucky’s Café as a cook and helping plan daily specials, and part time at the Fix Burger Bar on Grove Street. He previously cooked at Bushel ‘N’ Peck on Chandler Street in Worcester. Devish has a goal to open a steak and cheese spot early next year. He has fi nancial backers, he said, and currently is looking for a Worcester location. He just wants to sell specialty steak and cheese. “No deli sandwiches, no pizza.” As a teen, Devish’s fi rst job was in a restaurant. He said ever since he worked for Friendly’s, cooking is something he really has loved to do. Years spent working at the former Grille at Crossroads in Leicester is what sparked his interest in steak and cheese sandwiches. His idea to put them on as a special at the restaurant resulted in sales of 400 to 500 sandwiches in a week, he said. How did Devish get his nickname, Ziggy the cook? “Years ago, I started out in club promotions and later cooked at diners,” said Devish. “At one of the diners, some of the guys who came in for breakfast started to call me Ziggy the cook. The name stayed with me, and I told myself that I should brand it.” A single dad of a 10-year-old son, Devish is both a proud and busy parent. He said his son grew up watching him cook and he’s at his weekend pop-ups, helping out whenever he can. “Mason is a great kid, and like most kids his age, pizza is a favorite food,” said Devish. “He’s all about thin crust pizza. And our fridge at home always is fi lled with snacks.”
A scene from the 2018 Big E. The fair returns Sept. 17. COURTESY OF BIG E
Devish’s go-to food is barbecue, tacos, chicken and pizza. He admits that when working in diners, the one thing he wasn’t crazy about making was onion rings. These days, customers say he cranks out the tastiest handmade onion rings around. Devish is thankful for support from friends and community and local business owners like Peter (Pete) Armer of Lucky’s Café and Niche Hospitality Group’s CEO Mike Covino. “I’ve never had just one mentor in the business,” said Devish. Latest update is that a new taco steak and cheese is coming soon to a Ziggy Bombs pop-up. It’s in the works, according to Devish, who has teamed up with a local Mexican restaurant. Check Facebook for updates. The guy likes a challenge!
Taste of Shrewsbury Street draws crowds Taste of Shrewsbury Street annually draws big crowds and this year’s “postCOVID-19” event proved that people clearly love food and strongly support city restaurants. The event held Aug. 24 drew an esti-
mated 2,000 to 3,000 people, according to organizers. Sponsored by the Shrewsbury Street Area Merchants Association, Taste proceeds benefi t the beautifi cation of the street and local charities. The 111 Chop House was voted Best Food at the event. “Folks raved about the Chop House’s beef short ribs and slaw,” said an organizer. Vintage Grille and Basil ‘n Spice Thai Cuisine were runners-up. Wormtown Brewery got the Best Drinks award. Congrats to all the Taste of Shrewsbury Street participants for another successful venue!
Big E is on its way! The annual Big E is set for Sept. 17 to Oct. 3 at fairgrounds, 1350 Memorial Ave., West Springfi eld. Visit www.thebige.com for tickets, hours, agricultural exhibits, food vendors, entertainment, etc. Bring your appetite. Food galore!
Wine tastings return at some Vin Bin locations Rick Lombardi, owner of Vin Bin lo-
cations in Marlborough, Southborough and Hopkinton, announced the Hopkinton store at 22 South St. has resumed its weekly tastings, while the others have not. In an email, Lombardi wrote the company wanted to make sure “employees in Southboro and Marlboro could get in on the action, too, and we think we found a good solution.” Weekly, Vin Bin is asking employees to review their favorite wines and provide tasting notes to customers. “Leslie, who runs the show in Hopkinton,” posted fi rst impressions about a 2018 Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Les Deux Terres ($29.99). She referred to herself as a “wine enthusiast, especially when it comes to Beaujolais.” Her notes were an interesting read. “On the nose, I defi nitely got that bright cherry that I typically associate with Gamay. However, on the palate, the fruit was noticeably darker and had spice. This wine had a bit more heft than the Beaujolais I usually drink, but it still maintained an earthiness and minerality that I enjoy.” What she ate: The wine was paired with cherry-balsamic glazed pork chops, roasted smashed baby potatoes and a salad with dried cherries, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. “It was all awesome!” she added. Visit https://thevinbin.com for more information about subscribing to the newsletter, store locations, café hours, events, etc., or call (508) 480- 9463.
Worcester’s Best Chef returns Worcester’s Best Chef annual competition is expected to return in 2022 “post COVID-19.” Founder and organizer Domenic Mercurio is in meetings with folks at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, where the WBC has been held. Details to be announced. Get ready, chefs.
Castle Restaurant being sold Rumor on the street that the Castle Restaurant in Leicester is in the process of being sold is true. Waiting for word from owners Jim Nicas and sister, Evangeline Nicas, on who’s putting down the money. Stay tuned! If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
22 | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
LISTEN UP
Ghosts of Jupiter look back to see ahead on their new album Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
As a matter of policy, I try not to spend too much time comparing the bands I review to other, more famous musical acts. It’s usually a disingenuous enterprise to say So And So is the lovechild of Fiona Apple and Lou Reed, or something like that. At best it’s lazy and trite. Which brings us to “Keepers of the Newborn Green,” by Boston’s Ghosts of Jupiter, and the maddening fact that one does have to take a look back into musical history to get a grasp on this band: A little “Piper at the Gates of Dawn”-era Pink Floyd, a little Jethro Tull, but maybe less than you’d expect from a band that features a fl ute prominently. A little Beatles, maybe. Some Phish-style jam-band vibes, maybe some of Spyro Gyra’s better work. It’s not that Ghosts of Jupiter is aping any of these acts, no, but rather that the sounds of the past, of ‘60s psychedelia through contemporary jam-bands, haunt this album. The band – which comprises Worcester-based musician Nate Wilson on vocals, keyboards, fl ute and guitar; Adam Terrell also on guitar; Thomas Arey on percussion; and Thomas Lada on bass; with appearances by Yahuba Garcia-Torres playing percussion on two tracks and Emma Watson on handclaps – leans into its roots, digs deep into them. This isn’t an album of about reinventing or even recapturing the past, it’s an album that tries to present what music’s past was always capable of, whether contemporary audiences believe that or not. That’s immediately apparent on the opening track, “The Undertaking,” with Wilson’s sweet, soothing vocals gliding over a fully-packed ‘60s folk-rock melody, fl ute winding in contrast to the singing. Things become more pointed with the hard, classic country guitar line of “Villains,” giving way to a fl ute-driven folk jangle, as Wilson sings, “And in the witching hour you’ll waken to fi nd yourself down-
Ghosts of Jupiter’s most recent album is “Keepers of the Newborn Green.” PROVIDED PHOTO
stream/Of all the poisoned war songs, imbeciles, peddlers and false schemes/ The villain on the TV leaves you longing for the silence that you used to know.” This is a modern lyric, referencing a modern phenomenon, and the stylings frame the picture, rather than obscure it. “On Bended Tides” begins with a bracing hail of drums, and perhaps paradoxically, it feels like it’s the fi rst song primarily moving in a forward direction, musically speaking, even as the lyrics denote a sense of drift: “Horizons without stars/In false directions I have wandered far/To cross an earth thrown on its side/a listless drift on bending tides.” The persona may be adrift, but the guitar solo kills, so there’s that. The album decelerates again with the smoldering, jazz-infused instrumental, “The Wandrian.” The end of the latter song be-
comes a bit of a stormy sea, before calming again to give way to the more straightforward folk number, “Northern Road.” Throughout the album, there are oblique references to recent politics, which make the meaning of lines such as “On a northern road we passed a stadium/A chorus full of madness fi lled the air” rather self-evident, if you’ve been paying attention. That said, when “Sea of Madness” begins with a straight-up blast of prog-rock, blasting away even the pretense of stillness that the band’s gentle hand usually creates, it’s hard not to see that the album is aiming straight at the madding crowd: “Go on shout it out,” sings Wilson, “Though many voices still deny the obvious/Beyond any doubt/The Sea of Madness sends the tides that carry us/From the Light.” The smooth, keyboard-driven instru-
mental “Battlekat” serves as a sort of caesura, more of a resting place within the album’s fl ow than anything, but “Imperium Waves” puts the listener back into the album’s emotional maelstrom, with a quickly shifting melody and lines such as “Warnings of the follies/of wasted time/and the old wars that never can be won” cutting a tad closer than one would expect, given recent headlines. It sets a dire mood, which is then upended by the fabulous fl ute meets funk of the instrumental, “Gustav.” Still, the album ends on an ominous note, with “No Direction,” which presents a sort of intertwined sense of defi ance and hopelessness. It’s not a haunting ending, but it feels honest. It leaves the future a blank slate, which right now seems entirely appropriate.
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | 23
CONNELL SANDERS
There are plenty of ways to celebrate queer folx in Worcester for Pride Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
“None of us are free until all of us are free and liberation does not come without the help of many hands,” declared the Queer Coalition of Greater Worcester, in preparation for 2021 Pride Week. The Celebration kicked off on Wednesday with a Pride Flag raising at City Hall. This year’s pride week is more than just a series of parties and performances, although there will be plenty of opportunities for merriment. “Celebrating Pride and the progress of our LGBTQ+ community includes recognizing the work of marginalized people, both in history and today,” said organizers. Worcester’s pride week will set itself apart in 2021 by centering the experiences of queer and trans people of color and other marginalized identities in our region. Between pandemic isolation and the evocative periods of social unrest that unfolded over the last 18 months, we’ve all had some time for deep thought. I, for one, have attended my fair share of Pride events in the past without deeply considering my own allyship. Who can resist the call of foam, cascading from a Grafton Street rooftop on a balmy September evening? But, it’s not enough to simply attend Pride. As a white cisgender ally, I have a responsibility to acknowledge what queer folx know well: “The fi rst pride was a riot.” Strong allies should make an eff ort to off er fi nancial support Pride online at the level they are comfortable with and uplift the most marginalized voices in the community. Start with Saturday’s block party on the Beer Garden’s main stage, downtown. Drag performers, dancers and speakers will continue the fi ght for equity, justice and equality from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Even the WooSox are getting on board, hosting a Drag Brunch at Polar Park from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday with proceeds benefi ting the WooSox Foundation and its “pillar of social justice.” Pride organizers have also made a grand eff ort to ensure everyone feels included. Early on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the Queer Coalition will lead a Queer and Sober Gratitude Meeting at Green Hill Park. Come evening, just across town, another group of rising voices will be out in full force. Ladies Night Out Worcester kicks off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 in The Higgins Armory’s Great Hall. More than 70 women-owned businesses will be represented, in addition to comedy performances by Cindy Gray and Zenobia Del Mar, there will be plenty of photo opportunities with Dale Lepage as Marilyn Monroe and Lady Sabrina as Wonder Woman. The local urban winery, Sail to
Worcester’s Pride week will set itself apart in 2021 by centering the experiences of queer and trans people of color and other marginalized identities in our region. PIXABAY
Trail, will operate a bar, and “light bites” will also be available. Ladies Night Out is not part of the Pride Week festivities, I only include it here because I see it as another indication our community’s values are headed in the right direction. Worcester has grown in population by 14% in the last decade, according to the most recent Census Bureau numbers, analyzed by MassInc. We become more diverse by the day, an attribute worthy of celebration. Let’s embrace this weekend as an opportunity to elevate the voices of those we have quieted in the past and carry that momentum into our future. If you are out of town for Pride Week, you can stop by Redemption Rock Brewing anytime throughout the month of September and leave a tip. All taproom gratuities will go straight to Love Your Labels, a local nonprofi t that supports LGBTQ+ youth and families. Order a Yass, Honey! — the offi cial beer of Worcester Pride. The brewery describes Yass, Honey! as a peach and honey Saison that pops with notes of peach, banana, lemon, clove and wildfl ower, coming in at a healthy abv of 6.3%.
Yass, Honey! (pictured) is the official beer of Worcester Pride. Redemption Rock Brewing will donate all taproom gratuities in September to Love Your Labels, a local non-profi t that supports LGBTQ+ youth and families. PROVIDED BY REDEMPTION ROCK BREWING
24 | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
SCREEN TIME
NEW ON DVD
Zack Snyder realizes his Worcester connection ‘Justice League’ vision is on display at The expansive director’s cut of a 2017 fi lm about DC’s superhero team tops the DVD releases for the week of Sept. 7. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”: Clocking in at just over four hours, fans were rewarded for their clamoring with director Zack Snyder’s reworking of “Justice League,” released earlier this year on HBO Max. The fi lm stars Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affl eck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, among others. “The earlier, two-hour ‘Justice League’ was rewritten and directed, uncredited, by Joss Whedon, after a sudden death in the family took Snyder and his wife, executive producer Deborah Snyder, out of the project,” writes Chicago Tribune critic Michael Phillips in his review. “This new version feels like a sincere, half-mad experiment, made by director processing long-form grief. No longer does it play like a franchise movie made entirely by machine learning.” Giving the fi lm two stars, Phillips felt “Snyder has managed to will into existence an improvement, and a crushingly solemn, occasionally moving expansion, on the 2017 ‘Justice League,’ which had nowhere to go but up.”
Also New on Dvd Sept. 7 “Together Together”: Dramedy starring Ed Helms as a single man in his 40s who selects a fellow loner, played by Patti Harrison, to serve as his surrogate so he can have a child. “Bull: Season Five”: Dr. Bull is adjusting to fatherhood in the most recent season of the CBS drama, while his entire Trial Analysis Corporation team must adapt to virtual court proceedings brought on by the pandemic. “Chicago P.D.: Season Eight”: Part of NBC’s One Chicago lineup, Season 8 culminates with Sgt. Voight and co. trying to take down a dangerous crime ring. “Great White”: A seaplane goes down 100 miles from shore, trapping fi ve passengers on a raft surrounded by hungry, hungry sharks. “SEAL Team: Season Four”: One of the main characters heroically bids the series adieu in the fi nale of the most re-
FAN EXPO Comic Con Craig S. Semon Worcester Telegram & Gazette USA TODAY NETWORK
Ezra Miller is The Flash, Ben Affleck is Batman and Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman in “Justice League.” WARNER BROS. PICTURES
cent season of the CBS drama centered on the Navy SEALs. “Slaxx”: When demonically possessed jeans start killing workers at the fl agship store of a trendy clothing company, it’s up to a young salesclerk to save the day. “The Gateway”: Crime thriller about a social worker who fi nds himself in over his head when he tries to protect his new client from her recently paroled husband. Stars Shea Whigham and Oliva Munn. “Young Sheldon: The Fourth Season”: The CBS comedy, a spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory” about Sheldon’s youth, had an emotional fi nale this season featuring the fi rst allusions to his father’s adultery. “Star Trek: The Original 4-Movie Collection” (Blu-ray): To mark the 55th anniversary of the fi rst “Star Trek” episode’s airing on Sept. 8, 1966, the original four “Star Trek” fi lms have been remastered on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Includes “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (both theatrical and director’s cut), “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.” Each of the fi lms is also available for individual purchase.
With more and more movies being fi lmed in Worcester, more and more celebrity guests are popping up at comic con with ties to movies fi lmed in, you guessed it, Worcester. Case in point, FAN EXPO Comic Con held last weekend in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Easily the biggest comic con in Massachusetts, FAN EXPO Comic Con’s guests included Ron Perlman, who stars in the eagerly anticipated Netfl ix original, “Don’t Look Up,” fi lmed, in part, in Worcester; Robert Patrick, who co-starred in “Honest Thief,” which was fi lmed extensively in Worcester; and Brendan Fraser, who got his big break 30 years ago in “School Ties,” which was fi lmed in parts of Gardner, Leominster, Southborough and Worcester. In addition, Patrick and fellow FAN EXPO celebrity guest Michael Rooker (who wore a tutu and swirled a white laced, Mary Poppins-inspired parasol during his well-attended panel Sunday) are both alumni of “Rock and Shock,” the annual horror fi lm convention that originated and used to take place at the DCU Center in Worcester before its untimely death. Although Rooker is best known for playing Yondu in “The Guardians of the Galaxy” fi lms, Worcester is now offi cially a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the recent fi lming of several action scenes for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” downtown. Coincidently, the Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell holiday music “Spirited,” fi lmed, in part, at Mechanics Hall, was fi lming a stone’s throw away from the Comic Con this past weekend. Although I urged Deadpool, who is a Worcester two-timer (Reynolds was also in “Free Guy,” which fi lmed, in part, in Worcester), and Ron Burgundy to crash the FAN EXPO Boston, via twitter,
Ryan Hurst, left, and Ron Perlman at the FAN EXPO Boston. CRAIG S. SEMON
they never did. Cowards. During a “Sons of Anarchy” panel that also included Mark Boone Junior and Ryan Hurst, Perlman said he shot his scenes for “Don’t Look Up” in the Bay State back in February. Although he is a well-respected and seasoned actor, even Perlman got nervous about meeting three-time Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, who plays the president of the United States in the fi lm, for the fi rst time. “I’m in a van on my way to go see Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill and the driver was, kind of, looking at me in the rearview mirror,” Perlman recalled. “I had a little wash cloth I stole from the hotel bathroom and I’m pouring sweat and it’s 13 (expletive) degrees out. And he (the driver) says to me, ‘COVID? Are you all right? Do you need to go to urgent care or something?’ I said, ‘No, no, it’s Meryl Streep. Don’t worry about it.” Perlman describes his “Don’t Look Up” character, Colonel Ben Drask, as “a right-wing crazy (expletive).” “I play a guy who was a former Medal of Honor recipient. We never really understand what branch of government he served in, what branch of the military he served in. But we do know, at one point, he was conducting these exSee SCREEN, Page 25
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | 25
Screen Continued from Page 24
ercise classes on the steps of the Capitol with these young, privileged kids and he called them all a bunch of (expletives). So his career goes down the toilet,” Perlman said. “And he’s been asked to give his life to this exploding asteroid that is on its way to Earth to wipe out the planet. And he’s a fully acceptable casualty after the kind of faux pas he’s made.” Best known for playing the T-1000, the shapeshifting, liquid-metal morphing killing machine from the future in “Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” Patrick had very kind words to say about Worcester and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “I lived in Needham, Massachusetts, in 1968. My father went to MIT. He had all the brains in the family,” Patrick said. “1968 was great here. Of course, a lot of hippies in the commons and there was a lot of pot smoking down there. It was the fi rst time I saw snow, coming from Georgia. I was a cracker. Next thing you know, I’m with all these Yankees.” In “Honest Thief,” Patrick had the small but important role as a FBI chief whom Liam Neeson is framed for killing; Neeson spends the rest of the movie claiming his innocence. “Working with Liam in Worcester was great,” Patrick said. “And the people in Worcester were great. The crew was great, a little cold being from California, a little chilly. I had a great time working with Liam. Liam is a great actor the rest of the cast was great.” Patrick — who will play John Cena’s father in the HBO Max series “Peacemaker” — shared with the audience two bits of interesting pieces of pop culture trivia. “Name one actor who was on ‘The Walking Dead’ that did one episode, played two characters and they both died?” the actor said as moderator Aaron Sagers
answered incorrectly, even though the answer was literally in reach. “Robert Patrick.” Adding new meaning to the old theater idiom, break a leg, Patrick amusingly told a story about how he got his most famous role. “Some of you may or may not know they were going to cast Billy Idol originally (as the T-1000 in ‘Terminator 2’),” Patrick said. “Now, do you want to know why I have such a love for Harley-Davidson motorcycles? Because Billy Idol was riding a Harley-Davison motorcycle. And he had an accident, his leg was broken. He couldn’t be the T-1000 and I got the job.” Although everyone else was there to ask Brendan Fraser about his roles in “The Mummy” and “Doom Patrol,” I was able to ask the actor about his role in “School Ties,” a movie that began fi lming 30 years ago this month with scenes shot at the former train station in Leominster, the Blue Moon Diner in downtown Gardner (which was changed to Skip’s Diner in the movie), St. Mark’s School in Southborough and Worcester Academy (which was used as the place where Fraser meets Amy Locane at a girls’ school mixer, circa 1955). “It was the fi rst fi lm I ever made,” Fraser fondly recalled. “I have such vivid recollection of making it, the time of the year and being here in Massachusetts and Boston. It felt like we were part of a fi lm that was going to launch these ambitious, like, seven or eight guys’ careers. So we had high hopes. And we also were realistic. It could bomb. We didn’t know.” In addition to Fraser, the fi lm included unknown actors Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, Cole Hauser, Ben Affl eck and Anthony Rapp. “I have a real soft spot in my heart every year when I start seeing the leaves change color. This season means a lot to me. That’s 30 years ago. I started my career here in Boston,” Fraser said proudly as his words were met with thunderous applause.
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26 | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
5 THINGS TO DO
Annie Brobst plays CountryFest, and more ... Richard Duckett and Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK
Annie Brobst will headline this year’s Local CountryFest at Indian Ranch. LISA CZECH
Holler & Swaller The North Shore’s Country Queen Annie Brobst is the headliner at the fourth annual Local CountryFest Sept. 11 at Indian Ranch. The popular event gives several of the best local country acts their chance to prove that country is alive and thriving here in the Northeast. The lineup also includes Tim Buono, Houston Bernard Band, April Cushman, Scarlett Drive, Tom Revane and Johnny Bongo, and Russell James. (RD) What: Local CountryFest When: 12:00 p.m. Sept. 11 (doors open at 11 a.m.) Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster How much: $30 to $40. www.indianranch.com
Rising Comedy Star Like most of us, the pandemic messed up comedian John Baglio’s plans. His comedy showcase, The Mendoza Line, was red-hot and he was set to record his first album, which got delayed. But with hilarious routines about such subjects as diverse as being picked on as a kid, encounters with a drunk at a Providence gas station, and being dissed when trying to talk to a woman at a bar, he is definitely a rising star of New England comedy. (VDI)
Comedian John Baglio PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
What: Comedian John Baglio When: 8 p.m. Sept. 11 Where: The Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits, 257 Park Ave., Worcester How much: $15
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | 27
Heather McGhee will host the online event, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone & How We Can Prosper Together.” PHOTO PROVIDED BY HEATHER WESTON
The cost of racism
Enduring Freedom Easterseals Massachusetts presents an Enduring Freedom Community Concert featuring the 215th Army Band of the Massachusetts National Guard Sept. 12 in Mechanics Hall. The event acknowledges the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, remembering those who lost their lives and raising awareness about the unique needs of Post-9/11 veterans. The 215th Army Band of the Massachusetts National Guard, under the command of CW3 Stephen M. Martins, has won many awards for military training as well as musicianship. For those unable to attend inperson, live streaming of the concert will be available on the Mechanics Hall YouTube page. (RD)
What: Enduring Freedom Community Concert When: 3 p.m. Sept 12 Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester How much: Free. Advance registration required. www.mechanicshall.org
What: Heather McGhee — “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone & How We Can Prosper Together” When: 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 Where/How much: Free. Zoom event. Registration information can be found at www.eslerfamilyfoundation.org.
All That Jazz If it’s jazz you’re looking for, it’s hard to do much better the Russo Brothers — not to be confused with the directors of “Avengers: Endgame” — who are among the region’s most talented and celebrated masters of the art form. (VDI) What: The Russo Brothers When: 9 p.m. Sept. 11 Where: Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester How much: Free, but donations accepted to help pay the performers
The Russo brothers. STEVEN KING/FILE
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New York Times bestselling author Heather McGhee will give a talk about the high cost of racism and what we can do about it in an event titled “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone & How We Can Prosper Together” from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 on Zoom. Presented by the Esler Family Foundation of Sutton and its partners, the talk is free and open to the public. Following the talk, there will be a moderated Q+A discussion with McGhee about how we might take action in the context of Worcester and other Massachusetts Gateway Cities on issues of educational equity and other disparities affecting our communities. (RD)
28 | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
ADOPTION OPTION
Meet Morgan Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes. WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030. Check out this beautiful, blue-eyed girl. Morgan was surrendered after her owners left her with a family member and they were unable to take care of her any longer. She is a sweet and soulful senior who walks well on a leash and has been around children in her previous home. She has also been around a few other dogs and seems to prefer calmer smaller dogs. Even at her age, Morgan loves to go on walks and is very playful. She can be a bit mischievous and likes to sneak out of doors and tries to go on her own adventures. Her new family will need an extra eye on her. When Morgan came to us we noticed she had several small lumps on her stomach. Once we removed them and sent them out for testing, they came back as malignant. Our veterinarian feels that right now she is free of any masses and cancers, but if any lumps appear in the future her new adopters would need to consult with their vet. If you would like more information about this special girl or you would like to make an appointment to meet her, contact the shelter. Morgan is a part of our foster to adopt program. She will need to come back for a dental exam. WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of Nov. 9, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the
pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected. • ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/ adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl. org to schedule an appointment. • CASUAL VISITS TO THE SHELTER are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation ... fi nding homes for animals in need. • ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030. • SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off / pick up procedures. • DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food. • Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist — https:// www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0 • Weekly training classes are going on for adopters. • The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. We have many animals
Morgan is available through WARL’s adoption program. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SARA MCCLURE
in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by
minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for addi-
tional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@ worcesterarl.org.
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | 29
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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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-34 4 5 2 8 8 8 cla
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Across 1 Alan of “M*A*S*H” 5 Falling-out 9 “Human Behaviour” singer 14 Writing style where “computer” is “c0mpu732” 15 Daughter of LBJ 16 Enticing sort 17 Symposium for cinema buffs, maybe 19 Ammonia compound 20 e.e. cummings offering 22 Earth goddess created by Chaos 24 Roger’s “77 Sunset Strip” costar 25 “Born,” in some notices 26 Monetary notes? 28 “South Park” episode “Mr. Hankey, the Christmas ___” 30 O.J. trial judge Lance 31 Literary misprints 35 “Right Here Waiting” singer Richard 39 Princess Peach’s realm, in the Mario series 42 Fencing sword 43 “Le stagioni del ___ amore” (1966 movie also called “Seasons of Our Love”) 44 “Suits” network 45 “The Big Bang Theory” role 47 Julia of “10 Things I Hate About You” 49 Pelican State sch. 52 Its flag features a red dragon 56 Different roles, metaphorically 57 Wriggly 1990s video game TV protagonist who wears a robotic suit to move around 60 Burj Khalifa’s city 61 Olympic squad that once had Bird and Jordan 65 Including everything 66 Prospector’s find 67 Gymnastics legend Korbut 68 John ___ Garner (FDR’s first veep) 69 Cosmo competitor 70 “Sure, whatever” Down 1 Sitcom alien 2 Hawaiian Airlines offering
“On the M-end”--in both cases. by Matt Jones
3 “Macarena” duo Los ___ Rio 4 It might be tacked onto your withdrawal 5 Fruit used in gin drinks 6 Turn into baby food 7 “Wabash Cannonball” singer Roy 8 East ___ (U.N. member since 2002) 9 “Pow!” 10 Move on a checkerboard 11 Constellation with a belt 12 Zellweger who played Jones 13 Krispy ___ (doughnut chain) 18 Drafter of the Constitution, e.g. 21 Maintenance 22 Stood 23 Stood 26 FDR’s on it 27 Circus act where an acrobat grabs on by the teeth 29 “This is wild” 32 “Winnie-the-Pooh” marsupial 33 Morning times, briefly 34 Purchase at a booth (abbr.) 36 Of age 37 Derby winner’s flowers 38 “Do not open ‘til ___” 40 “I Can’t Breathe” singer
41 “It should’ve been me, ___!” (Yu-Gi-Oh meme) 46 For some time 48 “Same here!” 49 Escorted from the door 50 Finnish steam room 51 Around the city 53 Beaver home 54 “Captain Blood” star Flynn 55 Enjoy a scratch-and-sniff sticker 58 1 on the Mohs scale 59 Green carving stone 62 Caribou’s kin 63 Word before Khan 64 National Asparagus Month
Last week's solution
©2021 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1057
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | 31
LAST CALL
Vaughn Slowaski, owner and founder of Scoop Drip Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
During the height of the pandemic, Worcester resident Vaughn Slowaski was able to turn his passion for sneakers into a career, opening Scoop Drip a short distance from the Canal District. Highlighted in a previous Worcester Magazine article last year on the rise of “re-commerce,” Scoop Drip buys and resells sneakers. Anyone can come in with a pair for appraisal, and Slowaski can tell them if they have a collector’s item on their hands. As Scoop Drip comes up on its fi rst birthday this weekend on Sept. 12, Slowaski sat down with Last Call to refl ect on the last year and how he got into the industry. Tell me a little more about the transition from operating during the pandemic to more normal store experience? Well you see more faces — literally. Fewer masks and more people are coming out, which means more people selling and buying shoes. It’s my fi rst year in business so it’s cool to have that chance and know that business is progressing. Have you started implementing your post pandemic plans? That’s always a constantly changing battle. It’s something we always need to stay on top of — getting the shoes in as we sell them. We sell them faster than we can get them sometimes. What’s your criteria when deciding to buy a pair from someone? First, we have to go through the whole sneaker and make sure it’s even real, ‘cause replicas are a big problem in this industry right now. You have to use a black light and use your eye — I’ve been doing this and playing with sneakers for a very
Vaughn Slowaski at his store, Scoop Drip, at 140 Millbury St. Scoop Drip sells exclusive sneakers, snacks and streetwear. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
long time so I know what leathers they use and what to look for when something’s off . Real as in the actual brand they say it is? Yeah — actually a Nike and Adidas shoe and not made in some random factory somewhere and shipped on the … dark web, I guess we’ll call it. Everything gets faked so you have to do your best and do your homework, so you know what you’re looking for and keep that other stuff away. How do you do this homework and research? Well, part of it is I’ve been doing this so long. But before a shoe comes out, I try to go to a Foot Locker, shall we say, and ask if I can check them out, the way the material feels, the way it actually looks and the smell — smell is big. You have to look at the stitching and look for a watermark. At least four or fi ve times a week, I have to tell somebody ‘hey, your shoes are
fake, sorry.’ It’s sad but I have to protect myself. You don’t see the blood splatter until you turn the UV light on though. Blood splatter? Yeah, somebody has come in with a pair of bloody sneakers, and I’m like, that’s a biohazard, I’m not even going to touch your sneakers. So when people come in, is it like that show “Pawn Stars”? You negotiate on the spot? Yeah, kind of. People come in, I give an off er and if they want to, they’ll take it. Maybe we’ll negotiate a little bit on the price. As long as there’s enough margin on top for us to make some kind of profi t, I’ll go for it. It’s mostly young kids who go get shoes with their parents, and I love helping them have a little hustle to get a bit of spending money. Some people need the money, or they’re over the shoe and want to go on to the next shoe that’s coming out
that next week so they want money to buy that next pair that’s really sought after. We have a big sub-culture in the sneaker world. They’re limited items. When shoes are made, they only make so many pairs and once all the pairs are sold, that’s it. It becomes a sought after and rare item like anything else, like Pokémon cards. Kids tear the packs open, rip ’em up and the ones that make it through the bunch have value. Is there any kind of restoration and refurbishing for rare shoes? Like if you see a shoe that’s totally out of stock but could use a bit of touching up, would you? That’s a big market — I don’t do it personally but I know a few people who do. I would consider it — I know someone who restores sneakers, can match the original paint almost perfectly. How did you get into sneakers? For me, it was just wanting to look nice growing up. Wanting to feel good about myself, and a nice pair of sneakers always did that for me. It was sort of a reward to myself and a way to stand out in the crowd. What made you take that step and start getting into the science of sneakers? That was just a matter of me working in a factory at night and I would buy every single pair for myself every week. It was my hobby at the time and it got to the point that my room was full of sneakers and I was like, what am I doing? I’m counting all this money I’ve spent and I learn there’s another market — the resale market. At fi rst I didn’t want to do it because they were like my babies but then I realized it was a way to actually expand the community of sneakers and meet more people. I’ve met an amazing number of people with the
same hobby and passion. Once I realized it could potentially be a career path, I started taking it more seriously — started to get more than just the pairs for myself. Started getting every size I could buy. Bet your room was really full then. [Laughs] Ended up moving everything into a storage unit cause it wouldn’t fi t anywhere else. Do you remember exactly when you realized this could be a career? Like when someone told you about this? I remember who, what, where, when and the shoe. It was my cousin Tyrell. He was always one to fi nd a way to make a fl ip. He would buy sneakers and fl ip them. He sold the Lebron James South Beach. I think he paid $200 for them and sold them for $1,500 and that’s when I realized — oh there’s a market for this and a very feasible market. This was like 2010, so I had to be around 18 and 19. The fi rst shoe that I bought multiple pairs of to resell were the Jordan 12 Flu Games. I think they were released in 2015 or 2016. That was when I personally started buying sizes other than size 10, with the intention of selling them. After I got my pair, I’d say what else you got? You got every other pair, I’ll get them all [laughs]. How do the manufacturers feel about this, do you think? They’re working hard to fi ght against [re-selling]. I don’t think the retail stores want it — they put protocols in place like one pair per person and such. What advice would you give other young entrepreneurs trying to get started? Just stay diligent. Don’t give up. It’s hard in the beginning and there will be days when it feels like it’s not worth it but it is, if it’s your dream. Don’t ever give up on it.
32 | SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
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