the pulse 12.23 » june 4, 2015

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVEjuNE 4, 2015

screen

off pitchimperfect sequel

arts

dancingready for red

music

hustlingin the river city

Get your sturdy shoes on and Get out

the outdoor issue

walkingthe walk

2 • The Pulse • June 4-10, 2015 • chaTTanoogaPulse.com

chaTTanoogaPulse.com • June 4-10, 2015 • The Pulse • 3

THE FINE PRINT: The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer media and is distributed throughout the city of chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on music, the arts, entertainment, culture and local news. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. no person without written permission from the publisher may take more than one copy per weekly issue. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors. contents copyright © 2015 by Brewer media. all rights reserved.

Features4 BeGInnInGS: There’s much more to the Ocoee area than just river rafting.

6 SHRInK RAP: Difficult times may call for acquiring new coping skills.

16 OuTDOORS: From mountain biking to commuting, there’s a two-wheeler for you.

20 ARTS CALenDAR

24 TeCH TALK: 36/86 Conference is matchmaking for startups and investors.

28 MuSIC CALenDAR

31 ReVIeWS: General Magic & Pita hum along, Wrest chats with spirit.

33 DIVeRSIOnS

34 SCReen: “Pitch Perfect 2” is a completely tone-deaf sequel.

36 FRee WILL ASTROLOGY

37 JOneSIn’ CROSSWORD

38 On THe BeAT: Pondering the transitory nature of early mornings.

EDITORIALManaging editor gary Poole

Contributing editor Janis hashe

Music editor marc T. michael

Film editor John DeVore

ContributorsRich Bailey • Rob Brezsny • matt Jones

Krystle luttrell • Tony mraz ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-habibalex Teach • Robin Ford Wallace

editorial Internsashley coker • shaun Webster

Cartoonistsmax cannon • Rob Rogers

Jen sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

Cover Photo Julia Freeman-Woolpert

Founded 2003 by Zachary cooper & Michael Kull

ADVERTISINGDirector of Sales mike Baskin

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BREWER MEDIA GROUPPublisher & President Jim Brewer II

June 4, 2015volume 12, issue 23

8 Happy Trails To YouLooking for a hike in or around the Chattanooga area?

Three words: Oh. My. God. Selecting a hike around here is like finding a loaf of bread at Publix: You may have a psychotic

episode from too many choices. There are walks on federal, state, county, city and private property.

18 Dancing Out The QuestionsI recently had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Ann

Law, the creative force behind Barking Legs Theater, watching her lead a group of dancers in an incredible practice session for

their upcoming production entitled “RED.”

26 Far From The Maddening DinosaursIt’s been 17 months since I wrote about the resurrection of

the River City Hustlers, that kick-ass rock-and-roll band that (thankfully) just won’t die. They’ve been up to quite a bit since

then, playing extensively and writing new music.

ContentsCHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

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Going Beyond The WhitewaterThere’s much more to the Ocoee area than just river rafting

Many [outfitters] offer zipline/canopy tours, paintball, and guided hiking or mountain biking tours.”

“What does it mean to be the most

popular river in the world? It means that more than 250,000 people visit the Ocoee River annually, rafting, kayaking and engaging in other aquatic activities.

Rafting is what has made the Ocoee famous. I’m talking about over five miles of whitewater rafting on the class III to IV river. The class III – IV clas-sification simply means that in order to guide a boat, your whitewater raft-ing skills must be either intermediate or advanced. This is why every com-mercial raft on the Ocoee is required to have a trained guide.

But Ocoee outfitters provide a va-

riety of other activities besides rafting that will thrill any outdoor enthusiast. Many offer zipline/canopy tours, paintball, and guided hiking or mountain biking tours, just to name a few. There’s a handy chart that lays out most

of the activities available at each, though the list does lack special offerings from some companies, such as:

• High Country Adventures: Caving, rock climbing;• Outdoor Adventure Rafting: Rock climb-

ing, ropes courses, tubing, rappelling, Alpine Tower, team-building activities;• Ocoee Inn: SUP rental, boat rentals at the

adjoining marina;• Outland Expeditions: Funyak rental (guid-

ed or not);• Rolling Thunder: Tube, canoe and kayak

rentals;• Whitewater Express: Ropes courses, disc

golf, giant swing, lake on site, horseback ridingVisit each outfitter’s website for more infor-

mation on how to make reservations for each outdoor activity.

The Ocoee Adventure Company and Ocoee Retreat Center also partner with rafting com-panies to offer more than whitewater rafting. Through the Ocoee Adventure Company, you can book an adventure trip to Costa Rica, find out how to take an eco-tour right here in town, and get great group deals with Big Frog Expe-ditions.

The Ocoee Retreat Center works with Nantahala Outdoor Center to focus on providing groups with all the amenities they might need while visiting the Ocoee region (food, lodging, meeting spaces), as well as all the fun activities they might enjoy. There’s a water park, paintball arena, high- and low-ropes chal-lenge courses, an adventure race, on-site hiking trails, ziplines, and a “crazy lake.”

If you’re simply looking for a relaxing getaway in the moun-tains, the Ocoee region is ideal. There are numerous camping and lodging options in the area, as well as many hiking trails and swimming holes to take a dip in, all without a guide or anyone to hold back your adventurous side.

Unfortunately, rafting on the Ocoee River may end after the 2018 rafting season due to ex-piring contracts and financial conflicts with the Tennessee Valley Authority. If that scenario plays out, $43 million in tour-ism spending will go with it. If whitewater rafting comes to an end in the area, all the other fun activities will dry up, too.

For more information, please visit savetheocoee.org

Outdoorskrystle

luttrell

BEG

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With the popularity of Chattanoo-ga’s bicycle transit system, our affinity for hosting cycling events, and the sheer number of Chatta-noogans who take to Facebook each day to rant about all the cy-clists, it’s no surprise that we have been named one of “Amer-ica’s Best Cities for Cy-cling” by Walk Score.

So it’s easy to forget that not everyone knows how to ride

a bicycle. Cycling may seem like an intrinsic skill to those who have

been riding since childhood, but it only takes a quick

flashback to the parent who promised not let go right before the big crash into bushes to remind you other-wise.

Lucky for those who never took to two

wheels (or who never got back on after the afore-

mentioned crash), Outdoor Chat-

tanooga will teach you how to ride a bike. Beginning cyclists are invited to come out to Coolidge Park on the second Monday of each month, where certified instructors teach the basics of biking.

The program is free, and bicycles are provided for adults and children more than four feet tall. Your next chance to master the bike lane is Monday, June 8 at 6 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Out-door Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888 or [email protected]

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EdiToonby Rob Rogers

From Nada to Novice in One Hour’s Pedaling

Our cover story this week on hiking in the region is by Robin Ford Wal-

lace. Interestingly enough, she had an uncle who was an actual hobo. George Washing-ton “Buster” Ford—eventu-ally foreshortened to “Uncle Bus”—roamed the U.S, from coast to coast, limping from

a bullet he caught in World War II and easing the pain with liberal doses of whiskey. Robin, meanwhile, grew up to be such a homebody she once grimly characterized a dream vacation in Europe as “nine more days.” She does not like whiskey, ei-ther. However, she has just enough Uncle Bus in her that she wanders the woods compulsively almost every day, usually accompanied by her dogs Roosevelt and Nali.

Robin Ford Wallce

— Ashley Coker

Arts writ-er Tony Mraz joined our writ-ing fam-ily last fall and

has become a regular (and valued) contributor. He is a local artist, musician, and writer who grew up in Dalton, Georgia before moving to Chattanooga to attend high school at the Chattanooga

School for the Arts and Sci-ences. After his time at the Kansas City Art Institute, he lived in Kansas City, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans and Northern California. In his career as an artist he has produced thou-sands of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, murals, and works of digital art. He has written over 50 songs and is currently writing a novel. He now lives and works at his studio in Red Bank.

Tony Mraz

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“For many, it’s difficult to ask for help, to acknowledge feeling helpless, overwhelmed, over-stressed. But when life becomes too hard, the first step is admitting it.”

During recent thunderstorms I was watching the reactions of my two dogs as we sat outside under shelter. My se-nior pup, Betty Lou, is pretty fearless, and she comforted herself by curling up at my feet, receiving the occasional scratch behind the ears, then lightly snoring.Our new rescue pup, Lily Pad, was

another story. Lily was shivering and looking up at me with big, worried eyes. She needed the comfort of be-ing on my lap, petted and calmed, and told that everything’s OK. Then she was fine. One more rescue pup hurdle overcome.Takeaway: These wonderful, lovable

creatures each learn their own coping skills for taking care of themselves. While Betty’s enjoying a long life of feeling secure and loved, Lily is just beginning to know security, as her life began without enough attention or care. She doesn’t have too many tools yet. And while she’s a feisty, aggressive little gal when she needs to be—loudly telling huge neighborhood dogs when to back off—underneath all that bra-vado is a pup who shivers during thun-derstorms.We all have what I refer to as a “Big

Bag O’ Tools” for coping with life’s challenges. Hopefully, it includes what we need to help us handle our usual ev-eryday stressors. Examples of healthy tools might include knowing when to ask for help, engaging in physical ex-ercise, meditation/yoga/journaling, communing with nature, etc. Differ-ent tools work for different people, of

course. Less healthy tools may include, for

instance, over-drinking, drugging, gambling, smoking, and engaging in whatever addictive or harmful behav-iors you turn to, often without much thought.Healthy personal growth can be de-

fined as the conscious process of reduc-ing the damaging tools in our tool bag, and increasing the beneficial ones, so that we make healthier and healthier choices. We learn, over time, to take deep breaths and go for a walk instead of polishing off the Oreos. We call a friend or go to a 12-step meeting in-stead of yelling at our partner or kids. You get the idea.But what happens when life throws us

extra curves, challenges beyond what we’re used to dealing with?Maggie’s Story“Maggie” tried for a long time to get

pregnant, through countless fertil-ity treatments and years of disappoint-ment. Finally it happened. She gave birth to twin boys, although they, too, came with some disappointment: both boys were autistic. Over the next sev-eral years, the incredible stress of navi-gating her sons’ educational, behav-ioral, emotional and therapeutic needs proved to be too much for the mar-riage, which soon dissolved. Now Mag-gie was left a grieving single mother of two special-needs boys, and not much support. Her “village” was sub-par, her needs were great, and her coping skills were pushed to the edge.Jesse’s Story

When It’s Not “Business As Usual”Difficult times may call for acquiring new coping skills. Here's some advice on how.

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“Jesse,” a 40-year-old man on a very promising professional path had al-ways been a hard-working, likable guy. His career was demanding but satisfying, his relationships with fam-ily and friends were solid. Then, slowly but surely, Jesse started to feel less motivated, often tired, and began experiencing unaccountable aches and pains. After a year of numerous consultations with physicians, Jesse received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, a condition that includes great physical and psychological challenges: all-over nerve and muscle pain; tremendous fatigue; sleep disturbances; men-tal confusion; depression. Suddenly, Jesse’s work and social life came to a crashing halt. His rise up the corpo-rate ladder was replaced by medica-tions and doctors’ visits.So how do we cope with overwhelm-

ing stress, when it’s not “business as usual,” as in the examples of Maggie and Jesse? When we experience tre-mendous challenges that go far be-yond day-to-day? My suggestion is to first and fore-

most acknowledge that this is not busi-ness as usual, and therefore the usual bag of tools may not be enough. In Mag-gie’s case, she eventually came to understand that she couldn’t do it all

on her own. Through support groups and new friendships she was slowly able to improve her village, and better meet her children’s needs as well as her own.And Jesse, while dealing with myr-

iad life adjustments, realized that in order to get back in the driver’s seat, he needed to do lots of research, and open his mind to alternative heal-ing therapies that complemented his medical path. His new bag of tools in-cluded not just medication, but well-ness workshops, psychotherapy, and pain-reduction exercises, to name just a few.For many, it’s difficult to ask for

help, to acknowledge feeling help-less, overwhelmed, over-stressed. But when life becomes too hard, the first step is admitting it. Remember: We’re all in this to-

gether, and if we can’t help each oth-er along the way, what are we doing here?Until next time: “Change your thoughts,

change your life.” — James Allen

Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, author, minister, and educator in private practice in Chattanooga. Contact him at DrRPH.com, visit his wellness center at WellNestChattanooga.com and follow his daily inspirations on Twitter: @DrRickWellNest

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Our area is a hiker’s paradise. Get out your daypack and sturdy shoes.story and photos by robin Ford Wallace

Happy Trails To You

A boardwalk on the Sterchi Farm segment of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway lifts the hiker up into the trees, more or less forever.

l ooking for a hike in or around the Chattanooga area? Three words:

Oh. My. God.Selecting a hike around here

is like finding a loaf of bread at Publix: You may have a psychotic episode from too many choices. Outdoor Chattanooga, the out-door-recreation arm of the city government, estimates there are 150 miles of hiking trails within 15 miles of town, and that’s not counting the urban greenways, which add 100 more.

There are walks on federal, state, county, city and private property. Enterprise South has 25 miles of hiking trails, Chicka-mauga Battlefield 50. There are 40 trail miles on Lookout Moun-tain, and the 33.8-mile Tennessee River Gorge segment of Tennes-


see’s “linear state park,” the Cum-berland Trail, begins on Signal. The new 1,800-mile Great East-ern Trail from southern Alabama to upstate New York runs smack through Chattanooga and has proclaimed it GET’s first official “trail town.”

That development did not come out of the blue. Chatta-nooga has for years been bat-ting its metaphorical eyelashes at the bronzed outdoorsman, capitalizing on the beauty of its mountains, forests and rivers to transform itself into a dream destination for the Gore-Tex crowd. Why else staff a city de-partment called Outdoor Chat-tanooga?

“We act like an outdoor visitor center where people can come and ask questions about hik-ing, biking, kayaking and hang gliding areas,” said Outdoor Chattanooga’s Zach Bopp. OC also brings outdoors events like Ironman and U.S Pro Cycling to town. “We’re under the Depart-

ment of Community and Eco-nomic Development,” explained Bopp.

But if the job of Outdoor Chat-tanooga is to promote tourism, it also encourages locals to visit its website, outdoorchattanooga.com, to find hikes. Please do, be-cause, frankly, there are way too many to list here. Instead, let’s focus on a few newer ones.

But first, what is a hike? How does it differ from a walk? I asked my hiking expert, Greg “Sourdough” Foster (Sourdough is Greg’s official “thru-hiker” name, which he earned by hik-ing the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, but he also answers to “His Royal Hiker-ness”) and he said it was prob-ably just distance. “I can give you a definition of backpacking,” he offered instead.

But I already knew that one: “Strap 45 pounds of s—t on your back and walk straight up a mountain.” HRH does that without breaking a sweat, while

eating a hot dog, but it’s too extreme for most of us. So let’s stick instead to day-hiking, and let’s define that as walking long enough to carry a daypack.

HRH and my other experts agreed about daypacks. They are in favor. Outdoor Chattanooga’s Ruth Thompson recommends carrying one stocked with wa-ter, whistle, cellphone, food and appropriate clothing should the weather change. HRH added: “A major thing is a first-aid kit with Benadryl, in case a dog gets bit by a snake.”

Don’t let Greg alarm you about snakes. I hiked with bear spray for a year after one of his throw-away comments, and never saw one of those, either—but bring a first-aid kit if you like, and definitely your dog. My dogs love walks so much that hik-ing without them would be like going to Disneyland and leaving the kids locked in the basement. (Dog friendliness is a consider-

>> Continued on page 10

“The Tennessee Riverwalk, Chattanooga’s own “linear park,” is the coolest thing in town. It’s got protected pathways, stunning river vistas, art gardens, and above all, accessibility.

Zach Bopp and Ruth Thompson of Outdoor Chattanooga are eager to help townies as well as tourists find hikes in the Chattanooga area.


ation here.) Let’s begin our list with an

essential function of journal-ism, pointing out the obvious: The Tennessee Riverwalk, Chat-tanooga’s own “linear park,” is the coolest thing in town. It’s got protected pathways, stunning river vistas, art gardens, and above all, accessibility.

One definition of a hike I con-sidered was “a walk you drive to.” Not on the Riverwalk. Multiple access points all over town mean you can saunter off straight from work or a dinner out on as short or long a walk as you like. Expansion continues but as of today you can walk 10 uninter-rupted miles from the Chicka-mauga Dam into and around downtown.

My experts used words like “walkability” and “connectiv-ity” to describe hikes. Let’s add “peeability” for the Riverwalk because its conveniently spaced restrooms make it a perfect hike for the dry-bush-challenged. It is

also wheelchair-accessible. Not all sections are open to

dogs, though. For which ones are, plus access points, check hamiltontn.gov/tnriverpark.

The next site on our list, Stringer’s Ridge, has plenty of “dogability.” Though this 92-acre “urban wilderness” is right in town, humans were sparse on the gorgeous April Sunday I visited and the ones I saw were walking multiple dogs.

Rick Wood, Tennessee direc-tor of the Trust For Public Land, says Stringer’s Ridge sat undevel-oped for 100 years as downtown exploded around it due to “a complicated ownership situa-tion.” Then developers proposed to buy it, whack 30 feet off the ridge, and build houses. Citi-zens screamed and Chattanooga bought it instead, opening it just last year as a city park.

Stringer’s seven-to-eight trail miles consist of an easy paved main path with steeper dirt loops going off. You walk through

woods with periwinkle and wis-teria attesting earlier habitation. It’s all very charming but the highlight is a spectacular over-look of the city.

To get there, drive past it three times like I did, or be smart and pull into Nikki’s Drive-Inn at 899 Cherokee, where you can see the Bell Avenue entrance from the parking lot.

For our next hike, drive down Manufacturers Road west to Moccasin Bend Road and take a left: That takes you straight to the Moccasin Bend acreage now included in Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, a place simply eat up with history.

Here you walk on a 19th-cen-tury “corduroy” (log) road, over a stretch of the Trail of Tears, along the Cracker Line that supplied hardtack to stranded Union soldiers during the Civil War, and down to Brown’s Ferry where Yankees stormed the

>> Continued on page 12

“You walk through woods with periwinkle and wisteria attesting earlier habitation. It’s all very charming but the highlight is a spectacular overlook of the city.

My favorite hiking companions at the Stringer's Ridge deck overlooking Chattanooga - Jerry

Wallace, Nali and Roosevelt. Jerry is the tall one.


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riverbanks in October 1863 to break the siege.

All that is an easy mile or so, pretty and so deserted you can probably let your dog off the leash with no one the wiser. (I confess nothing.) The one draw-back is a distinct odor; the Moc-casin Bend wastewater facility is just down the road. But dogs like that sort of thing.

The dogs weren’t with me when I walked the 3.5-mile Sterchi Farm section of the South Chickamauga Greenway, but they would have loved it, too. South Chick, as my experts called it, is an ambitious project that when completed will run from Camp Jordan along the old creek levee system to connect with the Riverwalk. For now, though, Sterchi is one of only two sections finished and mine was one of only two cars in the parking lot on Harrison Pike off Highway 153.

The parking lot features a picturesque old barn, and from there you walk between the creek on one side and power-line brambles on the other. I made a Note to Self: “Dog-friendly but not as pretty as Stringer’s Ridge.” And then…

Then the trail crosses the creek, takes off through the woods and suddenly becomes so spectacular you can’t imagine anything better, at which point you reach a graceful boardwalk that lifts you up into the trees, and your jaw hits the ground.

The water sparkles, the leaves quiver and everything is so green one thinks not just of the urban term “greenway” but of the fairy-tale word “green-woods.” I wished I had the dogs so I’d have somebody to tell, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

Now let’s venture up Lookout Mountain on Highway 136 East,

The "Blue Hole" on the Sitton's Gulch Trail at Cloudland Canyon.


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JUNE12-14WEEKENDPhacelia decorates a rock on one Cloudland Canyon trail

where Greg Foster has been waiting patiently to show us what’s new at Georgia’s Cloud-land Canyon State Park.

“We have 63 miles of trail today,” says HRH, who heads the trails section of nonprofit Friends of Cloudland Canyon State Park. “About 45 miles of those have been added since 2005.”

CCSP has expanded its “hike-ability” exponentially, through partnership with private con-servancy Lula Lake Land Trust and through thousands of volunteer hours. So many trails have been added that HRH says 15 are not yet on the newest map.

And nobody’s on them. Visi-tation on older CCSP trails like West Rim is at 250,000 a year, but HRH never sees a hiker on the new ones—not even on the long-awaited Cloudland Canyon Connector Trail, which

links the park to the Lula Lake property, and which was com-pleted amid much pageantry just last June.

“Here’s a 20-mile trail that’s beautiful, historic, going through old mining villages, with remnants of mine camps and mines themselves, and it’s totally underutilized as far as hikers,” said HRH.

We access the CCCT from its trailhead inside the park and hike two or three miles. It is in fact as breathtaking as any other trail I’ve described, and we do in fact see nobody but a lone mountain biker who upon closer inspection proves to be Greg’s son.

So. Are you ready for a hike? Come on down, says HRH; hik-ing is the human condition:

“I mean, our ancestors have done this for 40 million years, and only in the last few hun-dred did we even ride horses.”


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It takes people to keep nature naturalstory and photo by robin Ford Wallace

The Secret of Public Trails: Volunteers

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All this is free and open to the pub-lic, and the public eats it up. “People just love the Riverwalk,” said Rick Wood, Tennessee director of the Trust for Public Land (TPL). “It is valued and it is cherished.”

Cross the Georgia border and you’ll find that people there also value Cloudland Canyon—to the tune of a $5 parking fee per visit or $80 for an annual park pass. Georgia’s state parks began charging admittance a few years back after the budget-chal-lenged state directed its park service to become self-supporting.

And people who really cherish their park not only pay the 80 smack-ers, they also volunteer their time to maintain its trails, stage its events, provide its programs and sell serious hot dogs to raise it funds.

Case in point is Greg Foster of Friends of Cloudland Canyon State Park, who spends a hefty portion of his life with chainsaw in hand, cut-ting fallen trees off existing trails or bossing around groups of college kids who arrive to carve out new ones.

He says another volunteer group, Southern Off-Road Bicycling Asso-

ciation (SORBA), was instrumental in building the park’s extensive new Five Points network of hiking/biking trails, which Foster describes as “the talk of the Southeast.”

Foster also coordinates an adopt-a-trail program whereby Friends volun-teers keep park trails free of garbage and underbrush.

“The only time the state actually sends a paid maintenance person out to fix something is if it’s kind of an emergency thing,” he said, “like a tree is leaning and people could get hurt.”

So why do Georgians not only pay but also labor for what Chattanoogans get free? TPL’s Rick Wood says it has something to do with the fact that 80 percent of America’s population lives in cities. “So the resurgence is hap-pening in cities,” he said. “Cities are reinvesting in themselves.”

Parks are an important quality-of-life factor in cities, said Wood, but greenways have an extra perk: “It’s not just for fun but it becomes a com-muter route,” he said. “It becomes a way of transportation.”

Furthermore, he said, the River-

n researching “hikeability” in and around Chattanooga, I found one glaring contrast: In Chattanooga, there are miles and miles of eminently accessible hik-ing, with more on the way. Officials speak with excitement of “connectivity,” of soon being able to walk from Camp Jordan to the Riverwalk, or the Riverwalk to Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia.

i

“We are lucky in Chattanooga because as public funding diminishes for public lands, we have private entities that are willing to step up in and fill in the gaps,"


walk has proved that providing a public amenity can make solid fis-cal sense for a town. “Now the river is a place you want to be,” he said. “We’re very proud when a broker or realtor or a developer has in their brochure, ‘Buy this home or lease this office—it’s right next to the Riverwalk.’”

Ruth Thompson of Outdoor Chat-tanooga says it’s not just a matter of cities in general but of this one in particular. “We are lucky in Chatta-nooga because as public funding di-minishes for public lands, we have private entities that are willing to step up in and fill in the gaps,” she said.

For Chattanooga’s wealth of pub-lic land, she gave credit in particular to the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Lula Lake Land Trust, as well as to SORBA and TPL.

Rick Wood acknowledged that yes, government funds for public land are drying up. “There’s less federal money, there’s less state money, and there’s less city dollars out there to purchase property,” he said. “Now we find ourselves raising private capital to help plan and im-

plement and construct that park.”In the case of the Riverwalk, said

Wood, about 25 percent of the funds were private, and there were also gifts of land.

As for maintenance, said Wood, Chattanooga, just like Georgia, relies on volunteerism. The new Stringer’s Ridge city park, for ex-ample, would probably not have been possible without its Friends group.

“They can’t arrest anybody and they can’t really police it, but they can go up there and manage it,” said Wood. “If a trail needs mainte-nance, they can fix it. If they’re see-ing somebody up there doing some-thing they shouldn’t, bad behavior, they can put peer pressure on them or they can call the police.”

Also, he said, the Friends raise funds.

Greg Foster said that public trails throughout the U.S. are volunteer-maintained, that government enti-ties no longer even budget for it. “That’s never going to reverse it-self,” he said.

Wood agreed that, right or wrong: “I think right now it’s reality.”

Rick Wood of the Trust for Public Land shows off plans to expand the Riverwalk. Chattanooga is rich in public land, with more on the way.

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ensure the highest ride quality and that cyclists are spoilt for choice.

Off-road enthusiasts and downhill bombers can pick from a number of fat-tired aggressively styled mountain bikes. Families looking to make cycling a team sport can enjoy the Juiced Rider, which features a heavy-duty front basket and is child-seat compatible.

City dwellers and com-muters, though, may en-joy the accessibility of the e-Joe Epik Folder bike. This offers a greener al-ternative to other urban-transport systems and

runs on a modest 350-watt engine. It can also be neatly folded into the trunk of a car whenever your legs need a rest. All-day rentals are also avail-able for anybody looking for an excuse to cruise around the Scenic City or test their skills on moun-tain trails.

Electric Bike Special-ists is a business that knows exactly what is important to them: riding bikes and family. Even the family dog, Archie, can be found in the store enjoy-ing the foot traffic and lounging next to the dis-plays.

But for the owners, family is not limited to mere blood relations. Garnett and Chandlee spoke about being a part of something bigger, something that they feel can change Chattanoo-ga—a biking community.

This community, they insist, is founded on principles that promote safer and more environ-mentally friendly modes of transportation. They hope to keep growing this community and custom-er-by-customer, family-member-by-family mem-ber, get the city to trade four wheels for two.

Electric Bike Specialists Make Pedaling Possible For EveryoneFrom mountain biking to commuting, there’s a two-wheeler for you

“Riding a bike itself is already as much fun as anyone can en-joy. Electric bikes go one step further and enable people of all ages and abilities the chance to experience this fun—it’s bik-ing for everybody.” — Chandlee Caldwell

Co-owners and brothers Chan-dlee and Garnett Caldwell aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. The concept of an electric bike is nothing new. And neither is Electric Bike Special-ists, now in its sixth year of busi-ness at its downtown location on East Main Street. What the boys do bring to the table, however, is fun. And this is something they offer in spades.

“It’s not what I expected!” Chandlee notes that’s a common reaction of customers who come in to test-ride the bikes. “People expect the help of the motor to take away both the excitement and exercise out of cycling, but nothing could be further from the truth,” he says. “The electric motors utilize a reward-based

system; you “get what you give.”

Chandlee explains the motor uses a sensor that measures torque, which then provides help propor-tional to the power. It’s so-

phisticated technology that helps riders climb hills, main-tain speed,

and cycle for much greater distances.

The motor itself can reach speeds up to 20 mph; slow enough to war-rant the driver not needing a license, but making daily commutes manageable. A throttle can be installed on the bike’s handlebars to provide an instant kick.

Battery life is typically anywhere between 20 and 50 miles, depending on the rider’s route (and courage). The bikes also come in all shapes and sizes. Popular brands such as Specialized, Easy Motion, and Motiv all

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Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits

brewer mediaeverywhere. every day.


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fri6.5MISTy LANDSCAPE

Opening Reception: “Still in the Mist”Nadine kosky launches a gallery show of her ethereal landscape paintings.5 p.m.In-Town Gallery26A Frazier Ave.intowngallery.com

sat6.6SCIENCE THEATER

“Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury”the legendary science-fiction author has his work present on stage in a bravura performance.7:30 p.m.UTC Fine Arts Center725 Vine St.utc.edu/fine-arts-center

thu6.4CRAFTy ARTS

Ambi Artists and Craft & CropA “cross-pollinator” where artists of all stripes gather to reignite their creative spark. 6 p.m.Heritage House 1428 Jenkins Rd.(423) 855-9474

Are You the Next Frankie Manning?Come learn to Lindy with the best of them Monday night

the latest movie adaptation of “the Great Gatsby” ramped up a resurgence of interest in the fashion and lifestyle of the roaring twen-ties. two years later, flapper girl cos-tumes and Gatsby-themed proms continue to flaunt their fringe.

If you want to take your apprecia-tion for the Jazz Age deeper than “Downton Abbey” reruns and last year’s Halloween costume, why not learn the lindy Hop?

etienne van Wyk and lindsey Mill-er offer beginner and intermediate swing dance lessons every Monday evening at Clearspring yoga studio. For $7 ($5 with a student ID), you will get 45 minutes of instruction and an hour and a half of unguided social dance time.

ladies, think twice before you strap on those Mary Janes. the stu-

dio has laminate flooring, so it is requested that you break out your old Converses instead. Don’t wor-ry—the overpriced flapper dress hanging in the back of your closet will look great with the cherry red keds you found on sale at target last week. Just don’t forget the knotted pearls.

Beginners should arrive at 7:45 p.m., but if you’ve attended one too many upscale wedding to call your-self a swing novice, intermediate lessons commence at 7 p.m. on the dot. — Ashley Coker

Vintage Swing Dance June 8, 7 p.m.ClearSpring Yoga17 North Market St.(423) 266-3539clearspringyoga.com

It was a visceral and extremely intense experience watching them interact with the nooses, but it was also strangely beautiful, like seeing an orchestra rehearse a symphony.”

“

I RECEnTLy HAd THE PLEASURE OF SPEndInG AN afternoon with Ann Law, the creative force behind Barking Legs

Theater, watching her lead a group of dancers in an incredible practice session for their upcoming production entitled “RED.”

ArtstoNy MrAz

Dancing Out The QuestionsA visit to a rehearsal of “RED” with Ann Law at the Barking Legs Theater

“The way I work is collaboratively,” said Law. “I pull together people and communities. Making art is a lot about problem solving. Usually I have ques-tions that I want to think about. We might not be able to answer them, but I hope they at least open a door to a con-versation.”

A man with a large box arrived, and we followed him into the theater. He pulled a noose out of the box, cheer-fully saying, “I’ve got 11 of these here.” I learned the row of nooses was to serve as a visual representation of the prison industrial complex. As the set was pre-pared, the dancers began to show up for the rehearsal.

Everybody sat down in the lobby and faced a large marker board upon which Law was writing notes. She started the conversation by asking questions like, “Why did I invite you here? Can cre-ativity be taught?” The dancers chimed in with responses. I was impressed with how Ann used their answers to help ex-plain what she was thinking and expect-ing.

Then she set forth some more dif-ficult questions about the piece being rehearsed: “Is there a connection be-tween our current system of mass in-carceration and earlier forms of social control? “Why does the USA imprison a larger percentage of African people than South Africa did at the height of apart-heid?” “Why do 80 percent of young Af-rican Americans in major US cities have criminal records?” “What would it take


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Subaru, SUBARU BOXER, and Outback are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. †Based on EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2015 model vehicles within the IHS Automotive, Polk Non-Luxury Midsize CUV segment. **MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price. 2015 Outback 2.5i Limited shown has an MSRP of $29,995.

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Outback. Built to take you to the place you’ve never been. Well-equipped at $24,895**Remember fun? The all-new 2015 Outback® brings it all back. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with X-MODE™ has the capability to take you almost anywhere. At 33 mpg,* it’s the most fuel-efficient midsize crossover in America.† It’s what your adventurous side has been waiting for. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

Subaru, SUBARU BOXER, and Outback are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. †Based on EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2015 model vehicles within the IHS Automotive, Polk Non-Luxury Midsize CUV segment. **MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price. 2015 Outback 2.5i Limited shown has an MSRP of $29,995.

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to disable mass incarceration?” The group discussed these questions, and then moved into the theater to begin the rehearsal.

Law started the dancers off with an exercise. They were crawling, roll-ing, twisting, curving, and undulating from left to right. As they went back and forth across the stage, she encour-aged them to become more nightmar-ish with their movements, throwing limbs, kicking, writhing, and flailing; then they were silently and slowly crawling in a straight line on their hands and knees, their movements animal-like. They ended the warm-up by standing in a circle and contem-plating the feeling of what it would be like to be in a jail cell, stomping as if having a conversation with their feet.

The group rehearsed the piece. It was a visceral and extremely intense experience watching them inter-act with the nooses, but it was also strangely beautiful, like seeing an or-chestra rehearse a symphony.

The dance concluded and we moved into the lobby to discuss the next stage of rehearsal. The “RED” performance is divided into five acts: BIRTH, NOOSE, SCREAMING SIRENS, MEAT, and COMING TOGETHER. I had just witnessed NOOSE, and now it was time for the dancers to work on COMING TO-GETHER. As she did before, Ann started by asking some questions. “What is folk dance? What do these dances mean? Who makes folk danc-es?”

After the discussion, the group be-gan to create a folk dance for the 21st century. Holding hands, Law and the

dancers stood in a circle on the stage. After saying their names, they began to breathe together as a group. They raised their hands as they exhaled, lowering them as they exhaled. Mov-ing in unison, they bent at their waists as they exhaled. Still holding hands, they made the biggest circle possible, then they scrunched up together into the smallest circle possible. They lay down on the stage in a circle with their heads together and feet facing out-wards, and began to move their arms in the air, like a big upside-down jel-lyfish. Giggling and having fun now, they moved their legs in the air like cyclists or soccer players doing exer-cises. They turned to their sides, then rolled over into a posture that looked like part of the yoga “sun salutation.” Standing, they turned and stretched, moving their arms into the center of the circle, and then they walked in unison, expanding and contracting the circle.

Law divided them into two groups. We watched as the groups choreo-graphed their folk dances. In less than 30 minutes they developed two com-pletely different folk dances that were both beautiful to watch and master-fully executed. One was very grace-ful, like a ballet, while the other was more tribal and rhythmic.

I can tell you that this show is not to be missed.

“RED,” 7:30 p.m. June 12-15. June 12, Q&A with Concerned Citizens for Justice; June 13 with Tennessee Equality Project; June 14 with Chattanooga Orga-nized for Action; June 15 with Build Me a World. For more information and tickets, visit barkinglegs.org


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thursday6.4 Homeschool Science Club1 p.m.Creative Discovery Museum321 Chestnut st.(423) 756-2738cdmfum.orgPaw Pals Storytime1:30 p.m.Mckamey Animal Center4500 N. Access rd.(423) 305-6500mckameyanimalcenter.orgOoltewah Farmers Market3 p.m.ooltewah Nursery & landscape Co. 5829 Main st. (423) 238-9775ooltewahnursery.comDigital Photography Class5:30 p.m.Association for Visual Arts30 Frazier Ave.(423) 265-4282www.avarts.orgAmbi Artists and Craft & Crop6 p.m.Heritage House 1428 Jenkins rd.(423) 855-9474chattanooga.gov“Mystery of the Nightmare Office Party”7 p.m.Vaudeville Café

200 Market st.(423) 266-6202funnydinner.com

friday6.5 Opening Reception: “Still in the Mist”5 p.m.In-town Gallery26A Frazier Ave.(423) 267-9214intowngallery.comOpen Studio Night5:30 p.m.Chattanooga Workspace302 W. 6th st. (423) 822-5750chattanoogaworkspace.comMoccasin Bend Brewery Tour & Tasting

6 p.m.Moccasin Bend Brewing Company4015 tennessee Ave.(423) 821-6395bendbrewingbeer.com“Mystery of Flight 138”7 p.m.Vaudeville Café200 Market st.(423) 266-6202funnydinner.com"Abduction From The Seraglio"7:30 p.m.scenic City opera 6231 lee Hwy.(844) 726-7372sceniccityopera.org“Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury”

7:30 p.m.utC Fine Arts Center725 Vine st.(423) 425-4371utc.edu/fine-arts-centerRhyme N Chatt Poetry & Jazz 7:30 p.m.Chattanooga Billiard Club east1010 Jordan Dr. (423) 855-5200cbcburns.comD.J. Lewis7:30 p.m.the Comedy Catch3224 Brainerd rd.(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.comThe Floor is YOURS8 p.m.Barking legs theater1307 Dodds Ave.(423) 624-5347barkinglegs.org

saturday6.6 Guided Hike of TVA’s Little Cedar Mtn.9 a.m.outdoor Chattanooga200 river st. in Coolidge Park(423) 643-6888outdoorchattanooga.comPassion Test Workshop9 a.m.green | spaces

Pulse Pick: d.J. lewis

Hip and hilarious, D.J. is one of the hottest comedians to come out of Chattanooga in years. His comedy can best be described as"Hillbilly Gutter Billy." D.J. Lewisthe Comedy Catch 3224 Brainerd rd. (423) 629-2233thecomedycatch.com

Join us for old time,blue grass, and countrymusic with a Seven Statesview during Summer MusicWeekends. Come enjoy asummer day at Rock City Gardens, dine at Café 7, and catch a Rock City Raptor Show!

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Vintage Base Ball Match

63 e. Main st. (423) 903-9394greenspaceschattanooga.orgChattanooga River Market10 a.m.tennessee Aquarium 1 Broad st. (423) 267-3474chattanoogarivermarket.comVintage Base Ball MatchNoon6th Cavalry Museum6 Barnhardt Circle, Fort oglethorpe(706) 861-28606thcavalrymuseum.orgChattanooga Food Tasting1 p.m.Creative Discovery Museum321 Chestnut st.(423) 756-2738cdmfun.orgMoccasin Bend Brewery Tour & Tasting1 p.m.Moccasin Bend Brewing Company4015 tennessee Ave.(423) 821-6395bendbrewingbeer.com“Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One”2:30 p.m.eastgate Public library5705 Marlin rd., suite 1500(423) 855-2689chattlibrary.org“Mystery of the Facebook Fugitive”

5:30 p.m.Vaudeville Café200 Market st.(423) 266-6202funnydinner.com“Mystery of the Redneck Italian Wedding” 7 p.m.Vaudeville Café200 Market st.(423) 266-6202funnydinner.comD.J. Lewis7:30 p.m.the Comedy Catch3224 Brainerd rd.(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com"Abduction From The Seraglio"7:30 p.m.scenic City opera 6231 lee Hwy.(844) 726-7372sceniccityopera.orgTibetan Bowl Experience7:30 p.m.Barking legs theater1307 Dodds Ave.(423) 624-5347barkinglegs.org“Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury”7:30 p.m.utC Fine Arts Center725 Vine st.(423) 425-4371utc.edu/fine-arts-centerCP4A: 8-Bit Blast!8 p.m.

the Crash Pad29 Johnson st.(423) 648-8393crashpadchattanooga.com

sunday6.7 Day of Practice 10 a.m.Center for Mindful living1212 McCallie Ave.(423) 486-1279Chattanooga Market11 a.m.First tennessee Pavilion1826 reggie White Blvd.(423) 266-4041chattanoogamarket.comMoccasin Bend Brewery Tour & Tasting2 p.m.Moccasin Bend Brewing Company4015 tennessee Ave.(423) 821-6395bendbrewingbeer.com"Abduction From The Seraglio"3 p.m.scenic City opera 6231 lee Hwy.(844) 726-7372sceniccityopera.org

monday6.8 Audition for the New Dance Ensemble

for the MACC4:30 p.m.Mountain Arts Community Center809 kentucky Ave., signal Mountain (423) 886-1959signalmacc.orgLearn to Ride a Bicycle 6 p.m.outdoor Chattanooga200 river st. in Coolidge Park(423) 643-6888outdoorchattanooga.comMonday Night Vintage Swing Dance 7 p.m.Clearspring yoga17 North Market st.(423) 266-3539clearspringyoga.com

tuesday6.9 Introduction to Essential Oils 1 p.m.Chattanooga Workspace302 W. 6th st. (423) 822-5750chattanoogaworkspace.comChattanooga Data Scientist Meetup5:30 p.m.Downtown Public library1001 Broad st.(423) 757-5310chattlibrary.org

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Exploring Edges in Painting with Cindy Procious6 p.m.townsend Atelier201 W. Main st.(423) 266-2712townsendatelier.com“Diamonds Are Forever”7 p.m.Majestic 12311 Broad st.carmike.com wednesday6.10

Acupuncture Happy Hour2 p.m.Center for Mindful living1212 McCallie Ave.(423) 486-1279centerformindfulliving.wildapricot.orgChattanooga Market3 p.m.First tennessee Pavilion1826 reggie White Blvd.(423) 266-4041chattanoogamarket.comMain Street Farmers Market4 p.m.325 e. Main st. mainstfarmersmarket.com8-Week Summer Dance Session4:30 p.m.Mountain Arts Community Center809 kentucky Ave.,

signal Mountain (423) 886-1959signalmacc.orgOpen Chattanooga Hack Night6 p.m.Downtown Public library1001 Broad st.(423) 757-5310chattlibrary.orgChess Club 6 p.m.Downtown Public library1001 Broad st.(423) 757-5310chattlibrary.org“Cirque du Soleil: One Night for One Drop”7:30 p.m.Majestic 12311 Broad st.east ridge 185050 s. terracecarmike.com

ongoing

“Inside/Out”river Gallery400 e. second st. (423) 265-5033river-gallery.com"Still In The Mist"In-town Gallery26A Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214intowngallery.comSpring Season at Blackwell71 eastgate loop

(423) 344-5643chattanoogaphoto.org“Eudora Welty and the Segregated South”the Hunter Museum of American Art10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968huntermuseum.org“Gajin Fujita” the Hunter Museum of American Art10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968huntermuseum.org“Japonisme and America”the Hunter Museum of American Art10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968huntermuseum.org“New on View”the Hunter Museum of American Art10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968huntermuseum.orgThe Alice E. and Joseph H. Davenport, Jr. Collectionthe Hunter Museum of Art10 Bluff View(423) 267-0968huntermuseum.org“Spirit Moves: Works by Allyson Mellberg Taylor and Jeremy Taylor”Association for Visual Arts30 Frazier Ave.(423) 265-4282www.avarts.org

“Mixed Media, Contemporary & Abstract” reflections Gallery 6922 lee Hwy. (423) 892-3072reflectionsgallerytN.comLocal Homeless & Nontraditional Artists Exhibition H*Art Gallery110 e. Main st. (423) 521-4707hartgallery.com“Foliage”North river Civic Center1009 executive Dr.(423) 870-8924chattanooga.gov“Indivisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas”the Museum Center at Five Points200 Inman st. e(423) 339-5745museumcenter.orgStories In Arte.G. Fisher library1289 Ingleside Ave.(423) 745-7782fisherlibrary.orgChattanooga Ghost Tours the little Curiosity shoppe 138 Market st.chattanoogaghosttours.com

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Map these locations on chatta-noogapulse.com. Send event list-ings at least 10 days in advance to: [email protected]

Whatever your goals, we can help you get there

Planning for your future is one of the most important steps you can take in your

life. We are here to help you build your retirement plan.

Join us Saturday mornings on Big 95.3 from 9am - 10am

for planning advice for your golden years.

Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits


Investment capital is a huge element of Chattanoo-ga’s startup ecosystem. The recent increase in local in-vestors and investment groups will-ing to invest in startups and the number of inves-tors attending Gig Tank’s annual Demo Day are fa-miliar markers of progress in conversations about how the city’s startup scene is developing.

Bringing regional and national investors together with local startups is per-haps even more impor-tant—after all, there’s a lot more capital outside Chat-tanooga than inside.

That kind of cross-border matchmaking is high on the agenda at 36/86, a June 9-10 event in Nashville spon-sored by Launch Tennes-

see. After leading Co.Lab, Chattanoogan Charlie Brock was tapped in 2013 by Governor Bill Haslam to

run Launch Tennessee, a public-pri-vate partner-ship to pro-

mote high-growth startups in Tennessee. The 36/86 event—formerly called Southland—is now in its third year of bringing start-ups and investors together for two days of networking, education and entertain-ment.

Out of 250 applicants, Launch Tennessee selected 36 companies from seven Southern states and the Dis-trict of Columbia to make pitches for investment. Companies were required to be fairly early in their de-velopment, having raised no more than $2 million, but to

be far enough along to have either customers or users.

According to Brock, at least 95 partners from 70 investment firms are at-tending, “representing all states of investment po-tential from angel to early stage to later stage private venture capital to corporate venture to mergers and ac-quisitions.”

Brock anticipates 700 people on each day, with entrepreneurs in search of networking and education making up the balance of attendees.

How the startup-investor courting goes depends a lot on what investors are look-ing for, Brock says: Are they sector-agnostic or do they fit in healthcare IT? Or is it generally tech companies they are looking for? Do they want a consumer play or enterprise play?

“I do think in general investors are looking for companies that have a big marketing opportunity and

some early traction,” he says. “One example is Price-Waiter out of Chattanooga, which really has tremen-dous numbers every quarter in terms of users. They get a lot of interest from inves-tors because they look like a rocket ship getting ready to take off.”

Investors are also looking for company valuations that suggest a healthy future re-turn.

“That’s one reason we’re getting a lot of interest from investment firms in New York,” Brock says. “Over the last year and a half, valuations for series A com-panies were 42 percent less in the Southeast than they were in New York.”

Most startups will begin with early funding from angel investors. The next round is called series A in-vestment. As the company grows and attracts more capital, later rounds are se-ries B and C. Lower series A valuations mean the com-

Looking For A Startup To Court and Spark36/86 Conference is match-making for startups and investors

“The 36/86 event—formerly called Southland—is now in its third year of bringing startups and investors together for two days of networking, education and entertainment.”

Tech TalkrICH BAIley

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pany prices are lower here.“Investors can get more equity for

same amount of investment, and the cost of living here is so much less than it is in California and New York that their money will go much longer,” he says. “It’ll take longer for the startup to spend that money, so the company will be further along by the time they need to go out for the next round. Hopefully that translates into a higher valuation, so the early investors don’t see their value diluted as much when new investors come on. That’s a really strong narrative.”

How long does it take to consum-mate this process?

“Typically we advise entrepre-neurs to be prepared for a six-to-nine month fundraising process—and it is a courting process,” Brock says. “By getting more people under the same roof, making more connections, hav-ing more conversations, could it move to two-to-four months? We think so.”

I have to ask about the announce-ment that Chattanooga accounts for four of the 36 companies present-ing to investors at 36/86, the highest number of any Tennessee city. Those startups are Feetz, RootsRated, Price-Waiter and Zipflip.

“It’s further evidence of how far Chattanooga has come over the last several years on the entrepreneurial front and the quality of entrepreneurs

we are seeing in Chattanooga now,” Brock offers.

He sees a reciprocal relationship be-tween the availability of investment capital and Chattanooga’s inventory of companies worthy of investment.

“You get early-stage capital, which brings more entrepreneurs,” he says. “Then as entrepreneurs grow and are successful, you get the larger capi-tal that wants to spend more time in that market. As companies grow up in scale, money becomes more mobile. You’re not going to have California or New York firms invest in a pure-idea company in Chattanooga.”

But they will invest—and they did a few months ago—in companies like Bellhops, PriceWaiter and Feetz that have momentum.

“I think Chattanooga is on that path now, and people are recognizing it,” Brock says. “As I’m doing out-reach to these large investment firms, they’re saying, ‘I hear more and more about Chattanooga. I need it to be one of my stops when I come to the South.’”

Rich Bailey is a professional writer, editor and (sometimes) PR consultant. He led a project to create Chattanooga’s first civic web site in 1995 before even owning a modem. Now he covers Chattanooga technology for The Pulse and blogs about it at CircleChattanooga.com. He splits his time between Chattanooga and Brooklyn.


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fri6.5ROCkING OUT

PLVNETMixing heavy rock with ambient soundscapes and dance beats.9 p.m.Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd.(423) 265-8711

sat6.6MUFFIN TIME

Dangermuffinorganic, sand-blasted roots rock, with a sweet jam spread.10 p.m.Clyde’s on Main122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com

thu6.4SOUL POWER

Megan Saundersthink Memphis Minnie, Bill Monroe and tom Waits go to the carnival.6 p.m.Whole Foods Market301 Manufacturers Rd.wholefoodmarket.com

Go For the Market, Stay For the MusicJulie Gribble and Butch Ross tune up this Sunday

every sunday morning, hundreds of locals, visitors and merchants gather in the First tennessee Pavil-ion for the Chattanooga Market. It’s become a trademark event for the city, a must-do for people of all ages and passions. Beyond all the beard-ed artisans and strolling crowds, however, the market’s best-kept se-cret is its music.

on June 9, Atlanta-based artist Ju-lie Gribble and hammered dulcimer player Butch ross will take turns to put their own unique stamp on the market. Gribble is a well-traveled musician who’s showcased her tal-ents all over the us. Her latest re-lease, “Crimson sky,” was featured by Beneath the Grid as one of the best albums of 2014, and reinforced her reputation as a free-spirited singer who effortlessly combines

authentic lyrics with acoustic melo-dy to create country ballads.

local favorite ross’s music is equally as impressive, but a little more unconventional. the instru-ment behind his rock n’ roll-driven sound is the dulcimer. He’s able to take this modest folk instrument and amp up its capabilities. the results are tunes that mix the tradi-tional twang of bluegrass with up-beat contemporary music.

Julie Gribble will take the stage first at 12:30 p.m. and Butch ross follows at 2 p.m.

— Shaun WebsterChattanooga MarketSunday, 11 a.m.First Tennessee Pavilion1826 Reggie White Blvd.(423) 266-4041chattanoogamarket.com

MusicMArC t. MICHAel

Everything about this tune—the writing, the vocals, rhythm, lead, bass and drums—form a perfect storm of classic rock badassery.”

“

Far From The Maddening DinosaursRiver City Hustlers to debut new EP at the Riverbend Festival this Sunday

IT’S BEEn 17 mOnTHS SInCE I WROTE ABOUT THE resurrection of the River City Hustlers, that kick-ass rock-and-

roll band that (thankfully) just won’t die. They’ve been up to quite a bit since then, playing extensively and writing new music. Now, it seems, the kids have finally gotten around to recording again and will debut a new EP at their Riverbend performance on Sunday, June 7, at the TVFCU stage at 6 p.m.

First time around I had some pretty good things to say about the Hustlers. They were already a hot band chock-full of crazy talent. A lot can happen in 17 months, though, and having heard a sample track from the new EP, they’re past due for a second listen.

“Alright with Me” is the track I was given by the always entertaining Vic Burgess. The tune is available now on the Hustlers’ Bandcamp page—and while I’m all set to tell you about it, you really need to take a minute and go hear it for yourself.

Everything about this tune—the writ-ing, the vocals, rhythm, lead, bass and drums—form a perfect storm of classic rock badassery. Yes, classic rock. I don’t mean the tired old dinosaur tunes that have been played to death on the air-waves for 40 years.

I mean the sweaty, throbbing, heart of rock music from the days when Steven Tyler didn’t look like he needed a good ironing, KISS had never taken off the makeup and the world figured Keith


Richards only had a few years left to live.

Classic rock is the comparison I made last time around, too, but I wasn’t quite so emphatic then. The music was good, very good. I would have been hard pressed to find anything critical to say about it, and yet…this new material is better. This new material is a whole new level for the Riv-er City Hustlers. The reason why seems obvious to me. It has been refined by a year and a half of constant playing and practice by a group of highly skilled musicians. It’s the dif-ference between a diamond in the rough and a gem that

has been expertly cut and pol-ished.

Bethany’s voice doesn’t mel-low like wine, more like white lightning, with twice the kick. Roland McCoy’s timing on the drums may as well be an atom-ic clock; Chris Smith’s rhythm guitar is crunchy and solid; while Nate Luttrell’s lead work soars. Both men have mastered guitar tone, though whether that’s a gear thing or just the way they scrunch their faces up when they play is open to

debate. Vic’s bass is exactly where it needs to be and his songwrit-ing, as always, is uncannily great. Taken altogether they are prac-

tically a vintage ’70s super group, NOS if you will.

The kids are certainly popu-lar locally and really ought to be tearing it up on a regional level by now, too. They’re eas-ily that good. For the moment, check them (and their new EP) out at Riverbend this Sunday at 6. The practically legendary local band, The Unsatisfied, will be following the Hustlers on the TVFCU stage that night—so it promises to be one hell of a show.

The popular program “The Art of the Singer/Songwriter” will be hosted by Signal Mountain’s Mountain Arts Community Center again this sum-mer. Butch “Lord of the Dulcimer” Ross and the lovely Trish Ferrell Wileman will be resuming their roles as instructors at the well-loved event. Classes will meet every Tuesday night from 6:30-8:15 p.m. starting in June and running all the way to a “Coffee House Performance” on July 14.

As always, attendees will receive instruction in vocal technique, songwriting and performance. This season, Ross and Wileman will be joined by a host of special guests, including local favorites Ryan Oyer, Amber Fults and Jim Pfitzer, to name a few. Private and personalized instruction will be available, as well as field trips to open mic events and the sup-port of a peer network that continues long after the session’s conclusion.

“I really enjoyed the course,” says Mike Crowder, VP for Morgan Stanley and member of local band Dark Horse Ten. “Trish and Butch are great coach-es, offering just the right amounts of encouragement and constructive evaluation. Since completing the course I am a more confident singer, and I’ve written a song or two every month since the sessions. Well worth the time and investment!”

For more information, contact Trish at [email protected] or call the Mountain Arts Commu-nity Center at (423) 886-1959.

Singer/Songwriter Workshop Returns to the MACC

— mTm

“The kids are certainly popular locally and really

ought to be tearing it up on a regional level by now, too.

They’re easily that good.”


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thursday6.4 Signal Mountain Women’s Chorus6 p.m.Mountain Arts Community Center809 kentucky Ave. signalmacc.orgMegan Saunders6 p.m.Whole Foods Market301 Manufacturers rd.wholefoodmarket.comPrime Country Band6:30 p.m.ringgold Nutrition Center144 Circle Dr., ringgold(706) 935-2541Live Bluegrass6:30 p.m.Whole Foods Market301 Manufacturers rd.wholefoodsmarket.comFeel It Thursday Open Mic7 p.m.Mocha restaurant & Music lounge511 Broad st.mochajazz.netJimmy Harris7 p.m.the Coconut room 6925 shallowford rd.thepalmsathamilton.comSongwriter Shootout Quarter Final7 p.m.the Camp House149 e. Mlk Blvd. thecamphouse.com Jesse James & Tim Neal

7 p.m.Mexi Wings VII5773 Brainerd rd.(423) 296-1073Open Mic with Hap Henniger 9 p.m.the office @ City Cafe901 Carter st. citycafemenu.comSouth Soul Improv9 p.m.rhythm & Brews221 Market st.rhythm-brews.com

friday6.5

The Old Time Travelers & Taylor Kress9 a.m.rock City

1400 Patten rd.seerockcity.comEddie Pontiac5:30 p.m.el Meson2204 Hamilton Place Blvd.elmesonrestaurant.com3 Doors Down, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Get Right Band, Deep Fried Five, Jessica Nixon, Marlow Drive, John & Michelle, Smooth Dialects, Bert David Newton, Chattanooga Choir Girls, Sleepy Man, Dead 27’s6 p.m.riverbend Festival200 riverfront Pkwy.riverbendfestival.comBinji Varsossa6 p.m.Cancun Mexican restaurant & lounge

1809 Broad st. (423) 266-1461Jimmy Harris7 p.m.the Coconut room6925 shallowford rd.thepalmsathamilton.comJess Goggins Band7 p.m.Nightfall Concert seriesMiller Plaza850 Market st.nightfallchattanooga.comTim Lewis7 p.m.el Meson248 Northgate Parkelmesonchattanooga.comJacob Carter7:30 p.m.Cadence Coffee Co.11 e. 7th st.(423) 521-7686Jazz & Poetry Night 7:30 p.m.Chattanooga Billiard Club725 Cherry st.cbcburns.comThe Floor is YOURS8 p.m.Barking legs theater1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.orgA.J. Ghent Band8 p.m.Nightfall Concert seriesMiller Plaza850 Market st.nightfallchattanooga.comArson8 p.m.Bud’s sports Bar5751 Brainerd rd.

Pulse Pick: amber fultsAmber’s powerful voice is quickly becoming one of the most recognized, and respected in the Chattanooga music scene. Audiences are blown away by her amazing voice and expertly crafted songs.

Amber Fultssaturday, 12:30 p.m.Chattanooga river Market1 Broad st.chattanoogarivermarket.com

LIVE MUSIC

CHATTANOOGA

JUNE

6.18 ALANNA ROYALE 6.12 SOCRO6.20 MIGHTY SIDESHOW with HOUR LATE

4THU9pSOUTH SOUL IMPROV

FUNKY FUNKY BAND

JOEY WINSLETT BAND with MARLOW DRIVE

6SAT10pMASSEUSE

with CHARLIE THE HEAD

8MON9pTHE CHIPPENDALES

GIRLS NIGHT OUT!

HANK & CUPCAKES with SMOOTH DIALECTS

12FRI10p

SOUL MECHANICALLMAN BROTHERS AFTER PARTY

13SAT10pSHABTI, AGORI TRIBE

THROWING DOWN THE JAM

ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE

221 MARKET STREETHOT MUSIC • FINE BEER • GREAT FOOD

BUY TICKETS ONLINE • RHYTHM-BREWS.COM

COMING SOON

THE CADILLAC SAINTSEPIC GUITAR RIFFS & SOULFUL VOCALS

WILD ADRIATICwith STEP SISTERS

11THU9:3Op

5FRI10p

TUE9p 23

THU9p 25


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Cowboy Mouth

budssportsbar.comThe Floor is YOURS8 p.m.Barking legs theater1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.orgThe Pool8:30 p.m.the Foundry1201 s. Broad st.chattanooganhotel.comGaslight Street9 p.m.Clyde’s on Main122 W. Main st. clydesonmain.comPLVNET9 p.m.ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd.(423) 265-8711Jack Kirton9 p.m.the office @ City Cafe901 Carter st. citycafemenu.comJoey Winslett Band with Marlow Drive10 p.m.rhythm & Brews221 Market st.rhythm-brews.com

saturday6.6 The Old Time Travelers, Tarryn Aimee Smith 9 a.m.rock City1400 Patten rd.seerockcity.comAmber Fults

12:30 p.m.Chattanooga river Market1 Broad st.chattanoogarivermarket.comJason Thomas and the Mean-Eyed Cats5 p.m.Chattanooga Choo Choo1400 Market st.choochoo.comEddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m.el Meson2204 Hamilton Place Blvd. elmesonrestaurant.comMartina McBride, War, Luke & Jessi with Thunderheart, Cowboy Mouth, River Canyon Band, Deep Fried Five, Cash Only Band, Jess Goggans Band, Jakubi, Standing Room Only Band, Juice Newton with Exile, TAUK6 p.m.riverbend Festival200 riverfront Pkwy.riverbendfestival.comBinji Varsossa6 p.m.Cancun Mexican restaurant & lounge1809 Broad st. (423) 266-1461Tim Lewis7 p.m.el Meson248 Northgate Parkelmesonchattanooga.comJimmy Harris7 p.m.the Coconut room6925 shallowford rd.

thepalmsathamilton.comFive408 p.m.raw Bar & Grill409 Market st.rawbarandgrillchatt.comBirds With Fleas, High Meadows Communion8 p.m.the Camp House149 e. Mlk Blvd.thecamphouse.comThe Pool8:30 p.m.the Foundry1201 s. Broad st.chattanooganhotel.comMasseuse, Charlie The Head 10 p.m.rhythm & Brews221 Market st.rhythm-brews.comKara-Ory-Oke10 p.m.the office @ City Cafe901 Carter st. citycafemenu.comDangermuffin10 p.m.Clyde’s on Main122 W. Main st. clydesonmain.com

sunday6.7 The Old Time Travelers, Highbeams9 a.m.rock City1400 Patten rd.seerockcity.com

Julie Gribble12:30 p.m.Chattanooga Market1829 Carter st. chattanoogamarket.comThe Do Rights12:30 p.m.Chattanooga river Market1 Broad st.chattanoogarivermarket.comButch Ross2 p.m.Chattanooga Market1829 Carter st. chattanoogamarket.comMerle Haggard, Leon Russell, Davey Smith & The Pearl Snap Preachers, Sam Hunt, Stress Relief Band, The Iscariots, River City Hustlers, The Unsatisfied, Matt Stephens Project, Soul Survivor, Carolyn Wonderland, five406 p.m.riverbend Festival200 riverfront Pkwy.riverbendfestival.comOpen Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.long Haul saloon2536 Cummings Hwy.(423) 822-9775

monday6.87 Deacon Bluz, Lil' Ed & The Imperials, Theodis Ealey The "Stand It Up" Man, Davina & The Vagabonds, Jarekus Singleton, DieDra5:45 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia • 231 E MLK Blvd.423.266.1400 • jjsbohemia.com

Wednesday • June 10Cusses · Behold the Brave

Friday • June 12Desert Noises · Penicilin Baby

Friday • June 19Turbo Fruits

Saturday • June 20Dead Deads · True Violet

Tuesday • June 23Frontier Folk Nebraska

Saturday • June 27Ben Nichols (Lucero)

James Legg

JJ’s Bohemia • 231 E MLK Blvd.423.266.1400 • jjsbohemia.com

Happy Hour: Mon-Fri: 4-7pm$1 10oz drafts, $3 32oz drafts,

$2 Wells, $1.50 Domestics, Free Appetizers

901 Carter St. Inside City Cafe (423) 634-9191

Thursday, June 4: 9pmOpen Mic with Hap Henninger

Friday, June 5: 9pmJack Kirton of EndelouzSaturday, June 6: 10pm

Kara-Ory-OkeTuesday, June 9: 7pm

Server/Hotel Appreciation Night$5 Pitchers ● $2 Wells ● $1.50 Domestics

Wednesday, June 10: 8pmBlues Night feat. Yattie Westfield

citycafemenu.com/the-office


Bessie smith strut200 e. Mlk Blvd.riverbendfestival.com Children’s Open Mic6:30 p.m.the Well1800 rossville Blvd. #8wellonthesouthside.comD. KIM Trio 7 p.m.the Camp House149 e. Mlk Blvd. thecamphouse.comMonday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.the Coconut room6925 shallowford rd. thepalmsathamilton.comOpen MicMagoo’s restaurant 7 p.m.3658 ringgold rd. facebook.com/MagoostNVery Open Mic8 p.m.the Well1800 rossville Blvd. #8wellonthesouthside.comGirls Night Out: The Chippendales9 p.m.rhythm & Brews221 Market st.rhythm-brews.com

tuesday6.9 Dana Rogers 5 p.m.Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

2107 Gunbarrel rd. chattanooga.firebirdsrestaurants.comMatthew West, Rock Point Church, Kerrie Roberts, Tenth Avenue North, Standing Against The Odds, Calling Glory, 7eventh Time Down6 p.m.riverbend Festival200 riverfront Pkwy.riverbendfestival.comForeverAtLast6 p.m.Cloud springs Deli4097 Cloud springs rd. cloudspringsdeli.comCody Harris, Joel Harris, Katrina Barclay6:30 p.m.Heritage House Arts & Civic Center1428 Jenkins rd.chattanooga.govRick’s Blues Jam7 p.m.Folk school of Chattanooga1200 Mountain Creek rd. chattanoogafolk.comPea Pickin’ Hearts7 p.m.the Meeting House3912 Dayton Blvd. redbankmeetinghouse.comOpen Mic with Mike McDade8 p.m.tremont tavern1203 Hixson Piketremonttavern.com

wednesday6.10 Eddie Pontiac el Meson5:30 p.m.248 Northgate Parkelmesonrestaurant.comMelissa Etheridge, Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, Reluctant Saints, Ozomatli, Hank and Cupcakes, Wade Tremmell Band, Krystye Dalton, Ben Miller Band, Fruition, Malemen Show Band, Greg Shirley Band6 p.m.riverbend Festival200 riverfront Pkwy.riverbendfestival.comThe Other Guys6 p.m.spring Hill suites 495 riverfront Pkwy.(423) 834-9300Jimmy Harris 7 p.m.the Coconut room 6925 shallowford rd.thepalmsathamilton.comSeryn7:30 p.m.the Camp House149 e. Mlk Blvd. thecamphouse.comDan Sheffield7:30 p.m.sugar’s Downtown507 Broad st.sugarschattanooga.comAndrew Peterson Concert8 p.m.Covenant College

14049 scenic Hwy. covenant.eduWednesday Night Jazz8 p.m.Barking legs theater1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.orgBlues Night with Yattie Westfield8 p.m.the office @ City Cafe901 Carter st.citycafemenu.comOpen Jam8 p.m.raw Bar & Grill409 Market st.rawbarandgrillchatt.comRosedale Remedy8 p.m.the Palms at Hamilton6925 shallowford rd.thepalmsathamilton.comSundy Best 9 p.m.rhythm & Brews221 Market st.rhythm-brews.comDan Sheffield 9:30 p.m.sugar’s Downtown507 Broad st.sugarsribs.comCusses, Behold the Brave10 p.m.JJ’s Bohemia231 e. Mlk king Blvd.jjsbohemia.com

MU

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Map these locations on chatta-noogapulse.com. Send event list-ings at least 10 days in advance to: [email protected]

WHERE CHATTANOOGA’S BESTARTISTS PERFORMEVERY SINGLE NIGHT!

call & book a monday night private party!

daily lunch & drink specials!

410 market • (423) 757-wingsingitorwingit-chattanooga.com

$10 Ladies Day Special every Monday4115 Shallowford Rd

www.superiorhandcarwash.com

Since 1982


Record ReviewsERIE PAIk

Fun With Fridges, Generations of ImprovGeneral Magic & Pita hum along, Wrest chats with spirit

Think of field recordings, and ethnomusicologist and folk-

lorist Alan Lomax might come immediately to mind, or maybe Cabaret Voltaire co-founder Chris Watson, whose wildlife re-cordings include the disquieting sound of vultures feasting on a zebra carcass in Kenya.

Then there is the peculiar case of Fridge Trax—the 1995 EP that served as the inaugural release on the pioneering elec-tronic label Mego based in Aus-tria—which uses recordings of refrigerators as source material.

If there is a point to be made, it’s not that refrigerators make particularly interesting sounds,

it’s that interesting music can be made out of anything. The source sounds are what you’d expect from the hum of an appli-ance, conveying a warm, almost soothing artificiality; they simply serve as a beige canvas on which to work, or to cut up into little pieces and re-purpose.

General Magic (Andreas Pieper and Ramon Bauer) and Pita (Peter Rehberg) are three of the founders of Mego, and this reissue of Fridge Trax, which collects the original EP and the album Live and Final Fridge (re-leased on Source Records), also serves as a commemorative 20-year anniversary release.

Fridge Trax Plus is bookended with the two long pieces “Deep Fridge,” with a bleak ambi-ance, and “Final Fridge,” offer-ing a robot world that manages to transform sterile sounds into soul-infused rhythms.

“dope Fridge” uses poly-rhythms, faint whistles and odd gurgles to create a strange head-nod inducing otherworldly pseudo-dance-funk, and “Funk Fridge” is a spectre that floats along with unassuming layers that form an aural fog.

“Spring Fridge” features glitchy whimsy and ghostly syn-thetic moans, like a child skip-ping through a haunted house, and “ding Fridge” has wordless vocal snippets, echoing through the sonic meat locker. Fridge Trax Plus can be evocative or mo-tivate movement, and it’s a tes-tament to the belief that in the right hands, just about any prem-ise can be made into something engrossing and worthwhile.

Film aficionados may be fa-miliar with “The Gene Sis-

kel Test,” which asks if a certain film is more interesting than a theoretical documentary about its actors simply having lunch together.

From one perspective, the test itself is an indirect indictment of mindless star-studded Holly-wood blockbusters, but from a different angle, it shows the po-tential of improvisation and what each player can bring to an en-semble. At something as simple as a meal, an actor can bring his personality, upbringing, training, work and life experiences to the table, drawing from a personal history to integrate storytelling into a lively and compelling con-versation.

This idea can be transplanted into the music realm and can il-lustrate how improvisation, at its ideal, can work in a similar fash-ion, and it came to mind when listening to the new album In-gress from the free-improv trio Wrest.

Wrest brings together two generations of improvisers: leg-endary saxophonist Jack Wright, who has exclusively played im-provised music for the last 36 years, with percussionist Ben Bennett (also known for his se-ries of 4-hour “Sitting and Smil-ing” web broadcasts) and double bassist Evan Lipson, also of the groups Normal Love and Psy-chotic Quartet, among others.

The self-released offering

Ingress is available as a 2-track, 72-minute CD-R or as a 3-track, 100-minute digital download, with each track being a different live performance; listening to it in one uninterrupted session would be overwhelming, with each piece being simultaneously dense and sprawling, and it is best to treat each set separately.

Bennett uses an unconven-tional set with a variety of drums and small objects, striking, scrap-ing and blowing on them to vi-brate them in unusual ways, and Lipson’s range goes from sharp, violent plucking to wispy, ethe-real bowed notes and wild, claw-footed scampering; as charged and inventive as ever, Wright sounds perhaps like the fasci-nating and disturbing results of ornithological genetic engineer-ing, with fictional, never-before-heard bird calls.

Like friendly sparring part-ners, the members of Wrest are comfortable enough with each other to constantly push each other, bouncing pointed ideas and reacting with fruitful syn-thesis; it’s a stream of persistent minutiae, like a spirited chat with each person interjecting and fueling the conversation to make it richer.

General Magic & PitaFridge Trax Plus(Editions Mego)

WrestIngress(milmin.bandcamp.com)

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CHATTANOOGA 423 785 8000345 Frazier Avenue, Suite #101

FIRST WAX FREE offer expires 7/28/15

waxcenter.com

LET’S GIVE THE SUN A LITTLE SOMETHING TO WORSHIP

8304_Chattanooga_Pulse.indd 1 5/20/15 11:03 AM

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CHATTANOOGA 423 785 8000345 Frazier Avenue, Suite #101

FIRST WAX FREE offer expires 7/28/15

waxcenter.com

LET’S GIVE THE SUN A LITTLE SOMETHING TO WORSHIP

8304_Chattanooga_Pulse.indd 1 5/20/15 11:03 AM

WHERE SUMMERSKIN RULES

ALL NEW. ALL FOR YOU.

ChattanoogaHasCars.comTHE TENNESSEE VALLEY’S MOST POWERFUL AUTOMOTIVE SHOPPING TOOL

German-American BrewPub224 Frazier Ave • brewhausbar.com

Featured: Spaetzle entrée with vinegar slaw and brussels sprouts w/bacon marmalade

UPCOMING BREWHAUS EVENTSThursday, June 4 @ 7pm

Foothill Pint Night & TastingWednesday, June 10

Wiseacer Hump Day Pint Night! Live Music from Danimal Pinson @ 6:30

and Running for Brews @ 7pm


Diversions

Consider Thiswith Dr. Rick

“Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relation-ships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self. “ — eleanor Brown

We tend to think of “clutter” as the stuff that gathers in the bot-tom of closets, or takes up too much room on the shelves. how many times have you said, “We have to clean out this garage!” while your car is left to collect pollen and leaves in the driveway.

But I believe that other forms of clutter are even more important. The clutter in your mind that keeps you from thinking clearly. The clut-ter in your heart that keeps you from feeling compassion. The clutter in your relationships that are filled with things left unsaid, business left unfinished.

The good news is that you can start anywhere: Re-evaluate your re-lationship, meditate your way to a clear mind, or yardsale those boxes in the attic. no matter where you begin, you’ll feel better. Just begin.

by Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.


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“one Night for one Drop” is a completely original production fea-turing artists from each of the eight las Vegas Cirque du soleil produc-tions alongside renowned guest per-formers.

Produced and created by Mukhtar o.s. Mukhtar, this third edition was held at the Beatles loVe theatre at the Mirage, and is now being re-broadcast in theaters nationwide, giving a much larger audience a chance to enjoy the amazing perfor-mance as well as helping the world.

“one Night for one Drop” is an annual celebration to raise funds and

awareness for water issues world-wide. All proceeds benefit one Drop, a nonprofit organization established by Cirque du soleil founder Guy la-liberté, which strives to ensure that water is accessible to all, today and forever.

“Cirque du Soleil: One Night for One Drop”7:30 p.m.Majestic 12311 Broad St.East Ridge 185050 S. Terracecarmike.com

✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴

EntourageMovie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys eric, turtle, and Johnny, are back—and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold on a risky project that will serve as Vince's directorial debut.Director: Doug ellinstars: Adrian Grenier, kevin Connolly

SpyA desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster. oh, and it's a comedy.Director: Paul Feigstars: Melissa McCarthy, rose Byrne, Jude law, Jason statham

Cirque du Soleil Helps Make It RainUnique event helps in quest for water accessibility

ScreenJoHN DeVore

It has no character development or heart, featuring instead overblown musical numbers, poor pacing, and bizarre technical choices.”

“

VERy LITTLE CAn BE SAId ABOUT “PITCH PERFECT 2” that hasn’t been already. Some films are surprise hits—

“Pitch Perfect” was a definite gamble by the studio, as a comedy about college a cappella competitions might have been a giant box office bomb. The original film had a surprisingly strong cast that launched the careers of Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson, as well as featuring a moderately clever script that was just risqué enough to provide genuine laughs.

Please Don't Sing Out, Louise“Pitch Perfect 2” is a tone-deaf sequel

“Pitch Perfect” was in no way a great movie, but it was entertaining in mod-est sort of way, a film that might be worth sort-of watching on cable while scanning Facebook or folding laundry. That there was enough of an audience to warrant a sequel to the film is debat-able. For the sake of argument, let’s say that there was. Let’s say that there is a core group of “Pitch Perfect” fanat-ics who love a cappella and really con-nect with these characters on a personal level.

While I don’t believe that these peo-ple really exist, I’m constantly surprised by new subcultures, so I’m willing to entertain such an idea. But if these mass fans of “Pitch Perfect” are out there, then “Pitch Perfect 2” is an injustice. The film is nothing but a rehash of old material, rife with cliché and stereotyp-ing. It has no character development or heart, featuring instead overblown mu-sical numbers, poor pacing, and bizarre technical choices.

It revolves again around the Barden Bellas, an award-winning a cappella group that is as diverse as a stock photo brochure for mutual funds. In the first film, this heterogeneity was played for laughs, with a wink and smile. The same tongue-in-cheek attitudes exist in the sequel, but it largely falls flat, as the audience has heard it all before. Despite seeing the film with a decent-


sized audience, I was struck by how silent the theater was.

Apart from the occasional polite chuckle, the intended laugh lines were met by muted boredom. At any rate, due to a wardrobe mishap at the Kennedy Center where Rebel Wil-son’s character Fat Amy showed her lady parts to the President, the Bellas are suspended from competing, re-cruiting, or touring. They are replaced by the group Das Sound Machine, the a cappella version of Ivan Drago, only German instead of Russian. And yet, while the film might have set up a “Rocky IV”-style showdown, it doesn’t even muster up a real sense of competition between the two groups. The film is largely shown in montage, backed by mash-ups of the soulless, uniform artistry of current pop music.

Much of the problem with films of this type stems from the perpetuation of a stereotype of easy talent. A cap-pella is not easy. Professional musi-cianship isn’t either. Very little of the film is spent showing the Bellas re-hearsing, and the rehearsals always fo-cus on choreography rather than sing-ing. Many films tend to gloss over the difficulty of their subject matter, from sports to office management. The world of film is populated with natural talent and overwhelming beauty.

But, as much as I understand this tendency, I can’t help but be both-ered when Anna Kendrick’s character saves a Snoop Dogg session at her re-cording studio internship by tapping

a rhythm on a Lights Out game and singing bland versions of Christmas music. I’m too traditional to believe that a laptop counts as an instru-ment. This is a personal blind spot, of course, one that was easier to over-look in the original film because of its natural charm.

When the charm is stripped away, leaving nothing but fat jokes and ethnic jokes and women jokes, the preposterous nature of the story be-comes that much more glaring. The foundation of a movie can’t be built on a crass Fat Amy any more than “The Hangover” films could be built on the strangeness of Alan. Falstaff characters must be used sparingly—but then Hollywood isn’t known for its restraint.

“Pitch Perfect 2” was directed by Elizabeth Banks, an actress known for her roles in the “Hunger Games” movies and various Judd Apatow films. As an actress, she is a capable talent with excellent comic timing and delivery. As a director, however, she lacks the experience necessary to tie a film together. The impression left is that of loose ends and missed opportunities.

“Pitch Perfect 2” is yet another se-quel that appears to have been made by committee. To say that Banks should not direct another film would be premature. However, she might want to try a smaller feature where she has more control. “Pitch Perfect 2” is just not worth seeing.


Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of cu-riosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, myth-savvy perspec-tive to his work. It’s all in the stars.

GeMInI (May 21-June 20): Nobel Prize-winning physicists Wolfgang Pauli and Niels Bohr were both amused

at how counterintuitive their innovative theories seemed. Once Pauli was lecturing a group of eminent scientists about a radical new hypoth-esis. Bohr got out of his seat in the audience and walked up to the front to interrupt his col-league. “We all agree that your theory is crazy,” Bohr told Pauli. “The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct. My own feeling is that it is not crazy enough.” Pauli defended himself. “It is crazy enough!” he said. But Bohr was insistent. “It’s not crazy enough!” he ar-gued. I’m going to pose a com-parable query to you, Gemini. Are your new ideas and possi-bilities crazy enough to be true? Make sure they are.

CAnCeR (June 21-July 22): You’ve wandered into an awkward phase of your cycle. Missed connec-

tions have aroused confusion. Disjointed events have led to weirdness. I’ve got a suggestion for how you might be able to restore clarity and confidence: Make a foray into a borderland and risk imaginative acts of heroism. Does that sound too cryptic or spooky? How about if I say it like this: Go on an un-predictable quest that will free your trapped vitality, or try a mysterious experiment that will awaken your sleeping magic. P.S. For best results, ask for help every step of the way.

LeO (July 23-Aug. 22): Gesa-mtkunstwerk is a German word that can be translated as “total art work”

or “all-embracing art form.” It refers to a creative master-piece that makes use of several genres. The 19th-century com-poser Richard Wagner had this in mind when he produced his opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung, which included or-chestral music, singing, theater, and literature. I’m invoking the spirit of Gesamtkunstwerk for your use, Leo. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to synthesize and coordinate all the things you do best, and ex-press them with a flourish.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): De-fender was a popu-lar video game that young people played in video arcades dur-

ing the 1980s. Fifteen-year-old Steve Juraszek was profiled in Time magazine after he racked up a record-breaking 16 million points while playing the game for 16 hours straight. But when his high school principal found out that Juraszek had skipped classes to be at the arcade, he was suspended. I’m wondering if there may soon be a similar development in your own life, Virgo. Will you have to pay a small price for your success? You should at least be prepared to risk an acceptable loss in or-der to accomplish an important goal.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Peo-ple I meet are some-times taken aback by the probing ques-tions I ask them. Re-

cently an acquaintance said to me, “Why don’t you feel driven to talk about yourself all the time, like everyone else?” I told him the truth: “Being curious is just the way I was made. Maybe it’s because of my Mercury in Gemini, or my seventh-house sun, or my three planets in Li-bra.” I suspect that you are due to go through a phase similar to the mode I’m so familiar with. If it doesn’t happen naturally, I suggest you coax it out. You need to be extra inquisitive. You’ll benefit from digging as deeply as you dare. The more information you uncover, the better your decisions will be.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I love to watch an evolved Scorpio get his or her needs met by helping other

people get their needs met. It’s thrilling to behold the para-doxical Scorpio assets in action: the combination of manipu-lativeness and generosity; the animal magnetism working in service to the greater good; the resourceful willpower that car-ries out hidden agendas and complex strategies designed to make the world a better place. I expect to see a lot of this id-iosyncratic wisdom from you in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIuS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Would that life were like the shadow cast by a wall or a

tree,” says the Tal-mud. “But it is like the shadow of a bird in flight.” That’s a

lyrical sentiment, but I don’t agree with it. I’ve come to pre-fer the shimmering dance over the static stance. The ever-shifting play of light and dark is more interesting to me than the illusion of stability. I feel more at home in the unpredictable flow than in the stagnant trance of certainty. What about you, Sagittarius? I suggest that in the immediate future you cultivate an appreciation for the joys and challenges of the shimmering dance.

CAPRICORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The core of your horoscope comes from the poem “A Color of the Sky” by

Tony Hoagland. Imagine that you are the “I” who is saying the following: “What I thought was an end turned out to be a mid-dle. What I thought was a brick wall turned out to be a tunnel. What I thought was an injustice turned out to be a color of the sky.” Please understand, Capri-corn, that speaking these words might not make total sense to you yet. You may have to take them on faith until you gather further evidence. But I urge you to speak them anyway. Doing so will help generate the transfor-mations you need in order to make them come true.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Lessons in luck are coming your way. Will they help you attract more luck?

Maybe. Will they show you how to make better use of your luck? Maybe. A lot depends on your ability to understand and love the paradox of luck. I’ve as-sembled a few enigmatic teach-ings to prepare you. 1. “Luck is believing you’re lucky.” — Tennessee Williams. 2. “It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.” — Baltasar Gracián. 3. “Sometimes not get-ting what you want is a brilliant stroke of luck.” — Lorii myers. 4. “The harder I work, the luck-ier I get.” — Samuel Goldwyn. 5. “You’ve got to try your luck at least once a day, because you could be going around lucky all day and not even know it.” — Jimmy Dean. 6. “Go and wake up your luck.” — Persian prov-

erb.

PISCeS (Feb. 19-march 20): The word “boudoir” means a woman’s bedroom. But hun-dreds of years ago, it

had a more specific definition. It was a room where a well-bred girl was sent when she was pout-ing. “Boudoir” is derived from the French verb bouder, which means “to sulk.” If it were in my power, Pisces, I would send you to the sulking room right now. In fact, I would encour-age you to sulk. In my opinion, a good long sulk would be just the right prescription for you. It would trigger brainstorms about how to change the soggy, foggy conditions that warranted your sulking in the first place.

ARIeS (March 21-April 19): The Persian scholar Avicenna was so well-rounded in his knowledge that he

wrote two different encyclo-pedias. Even as a teenager he was obsessed with learning all he could. He got especially consumed with trying to mas-ter Aristotle’s Metaphysics, which did not easily yield its secrets to him. He read it 40 times, memorizing every word. When he finally understood it, he was so excited he celebrated by giving out money and gifts to destitute strangers. I sus-pect you will soon be having an equivalent breakthrough, Aries. At last you will grasp a truth that has eluded you for a long time. Congratulations in advance!

TAuRuS (April 20-May 20): When it’s rush hour in Tokyo, unwieldy crowds of commut-ers board the trains

and subways. They often need help at squeezing in. Railway workers known as oshiya, or pushers, provide the neces-sary force. Wearing crisp uni-forms, white gloves, and neat hats, they cram the last strag-glers into each car. I foresee the possibility of you being called on to perform a meta-phorical version of the service these pushers provide. Is there a polite and respectful way for you to be indelicate in a worthy cause? Could you bring light-hearted tact to bear as you seek an outcome that encourages everyone to compromise?

Free Will Astrology ROB BREzSNy

“Homework: I dare you to bestow a blessing on a person you’ve considered to be beneath you. Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com


Copyright © 2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0730

ACROSS1 Get a whiff of6 Londoner, e.g., informally10 Open a crack14 Portraitist’s prop15 Norse trickster of myth16 Adidas rival17 Wire worker19 Tip jar bills20 TP layer21 Like some hours22 Electric toothbrush battery size, maybe24 Bankbook amt.25 Zooey’s “New Girl” role26 Drink in the morning28 Former Israeli P.M. Ehud31 Less partisan33 Big one34 1984 hit for ZZ Top35 Popeye’s Olive and family38 Catch a few z’s39 Gang of characters seen in the four longest answers

40 Watery, like tea41 Attain peas?42 “Mystery!” host Diana43 Arabian Peninsula native44 Belter on Broadway46 Cathedral toppers47 More majestic49 Candy bar served in twos50 Hive-minded prefix?51 Keanu’s role in “The Matrix”53 “Star Wars” figure54 “___: Cyber”57 “Read before posting anything” pages59 Live through a hot day with no A.C., say62 Make even63 Pinball disaster64 Alberta NHLer65 “... with ___-foot pole!”66 Dos + dos + dos67 Smartly dressed

DOWN1 FIFA president Blatter

2 Do perfectly3 “___ it’s duck season ...”: Daffy Duck4 Boggy land5 Embellished, as prose6 B.B. King played them7 Infomercial inventor Popeil8 Store with multilingual product tags9 Dessert topped with a powder10 G.I. mail center11 When college transfers often begin12 Agreements from the pews13 Many a reggae player18 Word after standardized or stress23 Ventilate25 Blog with the tagline “Celebrity, Sex, Fashion for Women. Without Airbrushing”27 “Cats ask for it by name” brand28 Preakness postings29 Do some pirating30 Neighbor of

South Africa31 Pretend to have32 Worked up34 “Star Wars” figure36 Lois of the Daily Planet37 Street wear?39 They may be unwillingly shared on airplanes43 That’s what YOU think45 Cartoon dog surnamed Hoek46 Hit flies47 Hot topic of the 1992 presidential campaign48 The painting in Roger Sterling’s office on “Mad Men”, for example49 “___ how I roll”52 Honey of a boo-boo54 Mare’s child55 Bird feeder block56 “Just doin’ my job ...”58 Hill worker, for short60 Peyton Manning’s brother61 ___ Maria (coffee liqueur)

Jonesin’ Crossword MATT jONES

“They’re All Here”—so let’s all jump in.

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“I stayed up all night won-dering where the sun went, then it dawned on me.” — miscel-laneous Drunk on a Boat, Summer 2012

It was something I hadn’t seen in ages: An unimpeded view of the sunrise.

In a sim-ple sense it always re-minded me of brightly lit watercolors seeping with subtlety across a gauzy-purplish palette that, at some magical mo-ment I always seemed to miss, was suddenly miracled into life. And in the seconds when I was just starting to process that thought...boom. There’s the deep-or-ange sun climbing with de-ceptive speed into the sky, making all the accomplish-ments in the history of man-kind pale in comparison.

I had been off thirds for a while now. Just long enough to get back to a normal sleep schedule, and appar-ently long enough to have forgotten something I took for granted after the fourth, fifth, or ninth year on mid-night shift: Seeing the sun at the end of the day, the final underscoring of how backwards our job was, compared to most.

Such a fan of this event was I that on some nights,

I would ease my patrol car down a boat ramp just north of the Chickamauga Dam and slide right down to the water’s edge so my view would contain as few man-made structures as possible.

Seeing it creep above a ridge across from me while the tempera-

ture differences in the lake water and the air above it created a fine smoky mist…it was as close to a primor-dial view as I was going to get on this salary, so I always treasured it. God help the drunk that stumbled into me on these mornings while I attended my church. It never happened, but I con-sidered the “if’s” of that po-tentially innocent transgres-sion more than once.

I get why primitive man and bicyclists considered our sun a deity; it really does seem to be alive dur-ing those moments when a trick of the light refracting through our atmosphere al-lows it to seem 10 times larger than normal, yet still (reasonably) safe to stare at directly. It’s like a magnani-mous gesture on the sun’s part, allowing eye contact for a few seconds before it resumes its supreme posi-tion above our heads in si-

lence, like a passive parent whose patience you dare not try.

Then, after those few minutes have passed…so does the feeling of awe, and it’s just back to looking for your shades and making sure the aluminum foil on your bedroom window isn’t compromised so that you can up your chances of a few great hours of sleep before the normal world demands your presence.

Seeing the sunrise anew gave me a strange taste for the cheap tipped cigars I was known to enjoy on rare occasion, but my car was de-void of such.

Why all this discussion about the plasma ball in the sky? Heh. I actually had to stop myself to ask—but the answer is simple.

Cops have lots of unan-swered questions, unfin-ished stories to deal with that stay tucked away in the recesses of their minds (those that have them still). The ones that have the at-tention span of a hamster do quite well, but those of us with a tendency to in-tensely scrutinize things (OK, obsess)...well, I can’t

speak for all, but I think I am drawn to the sunrise be-cause it wordlessly provides a tool that they never tell you about in the Academy: perspective.

You see, that same sun has risen and set count-less times over this rapidly shrinking world of ours. It’s cast its light over wastelands of ice millennia before there was an atmosphere to speak of, over giant reptiles (also known as “Republicans”), over primitive humanoids wearing clothes made from animal skins, and, for quite some time, over nothing at all. And one day? Its light won’t be shining on us, ei-ther, despite our sense of self-importance as a spe-cies. We’re all temporary. And therefore, so are our concerns.

Those problems, those unanswered questions…they fade when framed up against the proverbial big picture. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Well, that and a cigar.

Take it from an expert: Perspective is mandatory training in the game of life.

(See you next week, my well-adjusted readers.)

When officer Alexander D. Teach is not pa-trolling our fair city on the heels of the crimi-nal element, he spends his spare time volun-teering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center.

The Sun Also Rises

On The Beat

AleX teACH

Early morning reminds Officer Alex of the transitory nature of pretty much everything

“Those problems, those unanswered questions…they fade when framed up against the proverbial big picture. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Well, that and a cigar.”

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the pulse 12.23 » june 4, 2015

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