october 2009

verge downtown augusta

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downtown’s brimming with freaks & fun

october 2009

verge / october 2009 / 3

contents 6

Ghouls & Ghosts A walking guide to the restless souls of downtown

9 11

The Story of The Grave Digger

The macabre and mostly true story of Grandison Harris and the corpses he resurrected

This Just In! Batboy Spotted Downtown Le Chat Noir premiers Batboy: the Musical

13

Higher Math Meets Real People Dana Randall gives Arnold Ross lecture at Fort Discovery

15

Rock Opera & Modern Dance Merge Parsons Dance and the East Village Opera Company join on the Imperial stage, bringing a new attitude to the arts

21

Shinedown + Sick Puppies Two of modern hard rock’s finest bands come to JBA

23

Modern Skirts Return to Sky City Is this THE year for this popular Athens’ quartet?

experience more

5

smatterings

16

gallery / A Sense of Place

16

soundcheck / Solstice

17

onstage / Bilbo’s Magic Ring

17

offstage / Greek Festival

18

a shot with pow pow

19

good chow / Fat Man’s Riverfront Cafe

27

film / Pants on Fire

27

music / The Rock -n- Roll Circus

29

past times / The Ezekiel Harris House

volume two issue eight

on the cover: If I could wear only these colors for the rest of my life I would be happy / mixed media Gabrielle Hutchison

4 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 5

verge publisher Matt Plocha editor Lara Plocha pipeline editors Claire Riche Joyce Tahop web guy Andy Donnan photographers Katie McGuire Chris Selmek Editorial content of verge is the opinion of each contributing writer and is not necessarily the opinion of verge, its staff or its advertisers.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

copyright 2008, 2009 verge all rights reserved verge is a free monthly publication verge is printed on 50% recycled stock. It may be recycled further, please do your part. contact us 706.951.0579 publisher@vergelive.com advertising publisher@vergelive.com got a story tip? editor@vergelive.com

smatterings / notes from the publisher WOW! Was there a lot of excitement going on in the downtown district this past month? “...and all he could say was WOW!” We prepped you for it at the beginning of last month and then wham - there it was. It all seems like a fleeting moment in time. The anticipation in the build up - then the events - and now where’s my “I survived September in downtown T-shirt?” comments flying around.

With all the true hustle and bustle of Westobou, Arts In The Heart, Border Bash, Broad Street Ramble and the Iron Man competition going on, I think it is safe to say several tens of thousands of people came to our great downtown district to enjoy our community in the month of September. Did anyone try to get a cup of coffee at New Moon on the Sunday of the Iron Man - that’s crazy busy! Were you part of the excitement of bustling shops and waiting lines at your favorite restaurants? We hope so!

The events were brought to you by some very special and dedicated people in our community. Those being: Porter Fleming Foundation, The Greater Augusta Arts Council, The Augusta Sports Authority and Downtown Development Authority.

Along with all of the city personnel and support workers, I overheard that there were about 800 volunteers working at Arts in The Heart and Westobou alone.

WOW! Several major businesses were involved and sponsors and my space is limited if I am going to get to my point but we want to send an extremely warm and heartfelt “Thank You” to all of you who were sponsors and coordinators of the great events in downtown this past month.

On with my point: www.the350project.net (very important), DA2, the Downtown Augusta Alliance (very important).

These are two organizations that you should know more about. Please find out about them and get more involved with them in the coming months. They are an example of great organizations that are committed to helping build a better community for you. Remember the statistics from last month about

recirculating monies back in to your community and why it is important? This is beyond important, it is now mission critical and those organizations can help to educate you on the aspects of building a stronger community.

As we prepare to move Augusta forward with a new Trade and Exhibition Center (TEE Center) the significance of local monies recirculating in our own back yard is worth noting. If you experienced one or two, maybe three or four events in the downtown district over the last 30 days or so - you saw a glimpse of our potential future. Why is this not happening each and every month in Augusta? There were thousands upon thousands of people gathering to socialize and come together for a common cause: community and a sense of being. Now when you add on top of that tourism and conventions that will bring even more people to the downtown district - WOW! The future looks very bright. How about adding a new Multiuse Entertainment Complex to that?

How about adding more residential areas to the downtown district? How about adding a new multi-million dollar hotel and retail complex on top of that. WOW! These are all projects that are creating a considerable amount of “buzz” in our city currently. I recommend that we ALL get behind each and every one of these projects to the fullest of our energy.

Can you begin to see the lines coming together? More people working at jobs created by these projects means more facilities which means more services which means more commerce. That will equate to more dollars recirculating back in to our community. That provides greater potential for better schools, better infrastructure and better city services (no laughing there). The more that there is to do, the more places for people to come and visit, the more events that take place will all bring greater opportunity for everyone in our community. Supply and demand. It’s quite simple. With that said, I recommend that each and every citizen that may be reading these words: call your city commissioner and tell them that you have had enough. Enough

of the petty division. Enough of the dragging of the feet that is hindering our city’s potential growth and urge them to support these projects. The projects in front of them will create jobs for you and circulate money in to your home and our local economy. These projects will all bring more people to Augusta as tourist or convention attendees and increase the demand for products and services meaning more local jobs at restaurants, gift shops, galleries, dry cleaners, grocery stores, book stores, coffee shops to handle the demand - you get the picture. We have an opportunity sitting right in front of us to make a big difference and to break the mold of past behaviors. What are we going to do with it? Make the call!

Tell your commissioner that you are aware of supply and demand and that you demand they start moving this city of ours forward to supply you and your family with a better future. Quite simple.

If the past month of September was any indication of the potential Augusta has then WOW! hold on tight because it’s going to get busy and it should. You and I can make a difference - today!

Speaking of changes and making a difference, there is a big change this month to verge we want to point it out.

The pipeline is now going to migrate to our online community. Please visit our web site for the calendar of events. That’s www.vergelive.com. This is a better way to keep you more informed with up to date changes in band schedules or last minute additions. You can register on our blog site and start a community of your own! Share your thoughts, visions and experiences of downtown Augusta with the world. We hope you enjoy the new addition. I know it’s been a long time coming, but we think you will like the ease of use and the community it is helping to create.

See you downtown - creating more supply and demand!

Matt

free event listings pipeline@vergelive.com letters to the editor editor@vergelive.com mail 1124 Broad Street Augusta GA 30901 submit your ideas editor@vergelive.com

www.vergelive.com

find what you want / advertiser index shops & galleries 10 10 24 19 22 12 16 2 24 18

8th Street Tobacco blue magnolia Costumes by Michele DuJuor Fine Foods Elduets Treasures of the World PeachMac Quilt Shop on The Corner Rock Bottom Music Vintage Ooollee Zimmerman Gallery

entertainment & events 22 14

1102 Back Bar AB Beverage: Michelob

30 26 26

Halo Salon’s Hair & LeChat noir Woodrow Wilson House

restaurants & bars 8 32 25 31 20 27 28 4 12

1102 Bar & Grill Boll Weevil Cafe Joe’s Underground The Loft Manuel’s Bread Cafe Metro Coffeehouse & Pub New Moon Café New Moon Cafe T-Boy’s Po’Boys

services 30 17 4 25 4 22 28 26 25 4 20 28 20 25

Americana Tattoo Book Tavern Casella Eye Center Downtown Dental Downtown Development Authority Edge Salon Health Central Perry & Company PowerServe Sanford, Bruker & Banks Spinning Gallery & Nutrition Center Stella Summerville Maids The Well

6 / october 2009 / verge

ghouls & ghosts / a walking guide to the spirits With a history as old as that of Augusta, it is no surprise that tales of ghosts and spirits surface continually. From sightings of Confederate soldiers strolling across the campus of Augusta State University to a classic version of a ghostly hitchhiker reportedly appearing just across the bridge in South Carolina, the area is chock full of spooky inhabitants roaming among the living.

While the ghosts of Augusta’s past have set up residence in locations all across the CSRA, it seems that the downtown area, with its strong connection to both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, continues to be a popular place for the long since dead to come out and play. I’ve heard it often said, “Once you live in Augusta, you can never truly leave.” Perhaps that is what keeps spooky souls haunting downtown Augusta. Or maybe, just maybe, our ghostly forefathers are simply First Friday fans. Whatever the reason, it appears our supernatural neighbors are here to stay. So take the time to stop by and say hello to a few. You may just find the company to be quite spook-tacular.



THE GHOST RIDER St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 605 Reynolds Street Originally built in 1749 to service Fort Augusta and containing tombstones dating back as early

as the 1780’s, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church stands as a marker to the origins of Augusta. The church has survived wars, fires, and floods and has been rebuilt four times; the present structure having been erected in 1817. The grounds contain many graves, some damaged over time, and the church itself even stands over the crypt of a Civil War bishop. Reports of apparitions and shadows moving between unmarked graves of men, women, and children killed in Indian raids and wars mark St. Paul’s as one of the most haunted places in Augusta. But, perhaps the church’s most unique spirit is that of the Ghost Rider, an Indian apparition that screams out a war cry while riding down Reynolds Street before quickly disappearing. It is believed that an Indian Chief is buried in the cemetery’s south end sitting on his horse beneath a pyramid shaped stone covered in vines.

Could this be the final resting place of the Ghost Rider?



THE PREACHER’S CURSE The Haunted Pillar Corner of Broad and Fifth Street



A WILY GHOST ROAMS THE STONES Magnolia Cemetery 702 Third Street (at the end of Walton Way) Originally a plantation covering over sixty acres, Magnolia Cemetery contains over 300

Federal and Confederate Civil War graves, the final resting place for many important war figures. Starting with its first official

Augusta’s most popular haunted site, the

burial in August of 1818, Magnolia has grown to include several

Haunted Pillar remains a point of intrigue and

cemeteries within its walls including five Jewish cemeteries, one

curiosity among Augusta residents and tourists alike. Legend

Greek cemetery, a Masonic Lodge area and a few church areas.

has it that, in 1829, an angry preacher cast a curse on Augusta’s

While there are sure to be spirits roaming around between the

Lower Market, prophesying that a mighty wind would destroy

old tombstones, one grave in particular - a vault known as the

the market leaving but a single stone pillar. The curse, nearly

“Gambler’s Grave” - stands out as a breathtaking site that has

forgotten for fifty years, resurfaced in 1878 after a tornado

a unique and chilling story. Local businessman Wylly Barron,

destroyed the market leaving only a single pillar. Over the years,

who amassed a decent fortune in real estate and property, was

stories of people passing away or becoming ill while attempting

an avid gambler. On one particular occasion, a fellow gambler,

to move or harm the pillar have circulated throughout the area

angry after losing to Barron, cursed Wylly shouting “You have

adding to the legend of the Haunted Pillar.

taken everything I have. When you die may you not even have a



grave to shelter you.” Shaken and obsessed by the curse, Barron

THE RESURRECTION MAN

purchased a large plot at Magnolia Cemetery and had a granite mausoleum build on the spot. In his will, Barron ordered that,

Old Medical College of Georgia

upon his death, his body be placed into the vault, the door be

598 Telfair Street

sealed, and the key thrown into the Savannah River from a

Like most of Augusta’s ghostly tales, The Resurrection Man is steeped in fact. Ghastly

fact, including a slave robbing fresh graves to find cadavers for medical research and, 150 years later, a discovered chamber full of human bones and bodies preserved in vats of whiskey. For the full story, see page 9.

bridge high above. In the years that followed, Barron’s fortune disappeared as he spent more of his time and money on charities.

On December 19, 1894, he died a pauper, but his wishes were granted. In the following years, there have been many reports of an angry old man wandering about the vault – believed to be the ghost of Wylly Barron.

verge / october 2009 / 7

and souls that haunt downtown /ghouls



BE WARE THE SPIRITS Nicholas Ware House 506 Telfair Street Built in 1818 under the direction of Nicholas Ware, former mayor of Augusta and U.S.



THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK The Old Government House 432 Telfair Street Built over two hundred years ago, this building was the seat of Augusta government from 1801



& ghosts

SOMEONE WATCHING OVER YOU Old John Houghton Elementary School 333 Greene Street Built and opened in 1916, the Old John Houghton Elementary School is the second

senator, the Nicholas Ware house was an architectural marvel

to 1821 and is one of the oldest remaining buildings downtown.

incarnation of this school built to provide free education for

in its time. The home quickly became an area tourist attraction

In 1821, Mayor Samuel Hale purchased the building and turned

underprivileged children. The original school, built in 1851

and in the early 1900’s became the property of Mrs. Olivia A.

it into a luxurious residence. Over the years, many prominent

from funds left to the Augusta City Council by Houghton, was

Herbert who had the building renovated for the Augusta Art

area families lived in the home until it was sold to the Augusta

destroyed by the Great Fire of 1916 along with more than 700

Club and to provide a memorial to recently deceased daughter

Junior League in 1952 and eventually donated to Historic

other downtown buildings. Following the completion of the

Gertrude. In 1937 Herbert donated the building to house the

Augusta in the 1970’s. In 1987, the City of Augusta purchased

new building, Mr. Houghton’s remains, which were originally

Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. Over the years visitors and

the home and had it revitalized to its original glory. The building

interred at his Gracewood farm, were relocated and placed

employees have reported hearing footsteps on the upper floors.

now serves as a popular location for parties and receptions and

underneath the floor of the school’s entrance. Until its closing

Other strange happens have included cold spots and the eerie

its likeness can be seen on the city seal and flag. While ghostly

in 2000, students and teachers that roamed the schools halls

“feeling” of something in the room as well as the doorbell ringing

sightings are minimal at this location, there is said to be an old

in the early hours of the morning and in the evenings have

only to have no one be found outside.

clock over the mantle that despite being broken, still chimes

reported sounds of whispering and loud footsteps in empty

during odd hours of the day.

hallways. Some have even claimed to see shadows move around the empty rooms and, on more than one occasion, students were said to have been pushed down stairs by invisible hands.

Houghton himself has been seen gazing out the windows. In 2005, local business Clay Boardman purchased the building and, with help from volunteers and the Knox and Morris Communications foundations, the school was revitalized. The building now houses Heritage Academy. It is believed that Houghton still visits from time to time to watch over his vision of education for the underprivileged.



A DUEL TO THE DEATH DeLaigle House Corner of Greene and Monument Streets The spirit of Irish immigrant Charles Dawson Tilley is said to haunt this old house as dark

clouds appear throughout the hallways and the sounds of footsteps can be heard walking down the steps to Tilley’s old room. As the story goes, Tilley became friends with 34-year-old widow Mary Clark DeLaigle, prompting a Mr. George Ratcliffe



to spread rumors that the relationship was much more than merely a friendship. In defense of the widow’s honor, Tilley

A MODERN HAUNTING

elevator. In the mid-1990’s, employees, working after hours

The Lamar Building

on the building’s thirteenth floor, reported hearing noises and

753 Broad Street

seeing unusual activities despite the absence of other personnel.

Built in 1913 and repaired in 1918 after it was

In one instance, a popular disc jockey noticed lines lit up on the

damaged in the Great Fire of 1916, the Lamar

station’s phone but upon investigating the other rooms found no

Building was one of the first modern office buildings built in

one. On returning to the original room, the deejay found all the

Augusta. Named after Georgia Supreme Court Justice Joseph

lines open. Years later, workers on a nearby building claimed to

Rucker Lamar, the building was designed in the style of early

have seen strange looking figures peering out through the wall-

1900’s skyscrapers and contains Augusta’s oldest running

high windows of the penthouse on several occasions.

demanded that Ratcliffe reveal who had had provided him with the information and, when Ratcliffe refused, Tilley challenged him to a duel. On December 16, 1875, the two met in a highly publicized fight to the death. When the dust had settled, Tilley was left with a bullet in his right side and died shortly after at the DeLaigle rooming house. The DeLaigle family repaid Tilley’s chivalry by burying him in the family plot in Magnolia Cemetery while Ratcliffe was scorned by the community and ended up bankrupt. The duel was the final legal duel allowed in the state of Georgia.

for the whole family / spooky and fun events not to miss WALK WITH THE SPIRITS

SPOOKTACULAR PARTY

HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL

JACK-O-LANTERN JUBILEE

Magnolia Cemetery

Fort Discovery

Augusta Common

Boeckh Park in Hammond’s Ferry

October 10 & 11 • 3 to 6 pm • $10 to $15

October 24 • 2 to 5 pm • free to $4

October 24 • 4 to 8 pm • free

October 31 • 10 to 4 pm • free

Discover the history and stories behind one of

Fort Discovery’s annual Spooktacular Party

Brave the ghastly ghouls and wee goblins

Boeckh Park turns into a spooky jubilee that

the South’s most unique burial sites: Magnolia

features several make-and-take activities,

during this annual Halloween Festival. You’ll

promises to be fun for the whole family featuring

Cemetery, stretching over 60 acres full of

a costume parade, door prizes, and “Weird

find games, rides, and activities ready to

games, rides, food, crafts, live entertainment

intriguing and iconographic headstones, during

Science” demonstrations that will definitely

entertain (or spook) you and yours. Expect

and a children’s costume contest. A safe place

Historic Augusta’s “Walk with the Spirits.”

spark the eye of any scientific ghost or goblin.

more activities for those who aren’t squeamish

for trick-or-treating! Details: 803.441.4300.

Tours last about 45 minutes. Reservations are

Goodie bags are given to the first 500 kids.

and a spooky (family friendly) movie once the

required. Details: historicaugusta.org

Details: nscdiscovery.org

sun goes down. Details: 706.821.1754

by JOHN “STONEY” CANNON photos KATIE MCGUIRE

8 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 9

the resurrection man / a true tale for the fireside Late at night in Cedar Grove Cemetery, nearly two hundred years ago, strange work was afoot. In a scene straight out of a gruesome horror movie, there were those who claimed to see a man committing unthinkable acts against God and nature, and while those claims were reported to the proper authorities, police and other officials turned a blind eye. It was only years later that the man’s dark purpose was revealed, bringing to light an often unsung hero of Augusta’s past.

When one thinks of Augusta, images of the macabre hardly ever come to mind. More likely, images of the PGA Tour and educational institutes come to mind, all flavored with a taste of southern hospitality. But like any other town that has seen the turn of two centuries, Augusta has its share of secrets. Sacrifices had to be made for the advancement of the city, and often in the name of knowledge.The story of Grandison Harris, the “Resurrection Man,” was told for years, to children and freshmen alike. Many assumed the story to be just that, a colorful piece of folklore with no historic backing.

THE HISTORY In the year 1852, the prestigious Georgia Medical College of Augusta purchased a thirty-six year-old Gullah slave named Grandison Harris at a price of seven-hundred dollars in Charleston, North Carolina. The story behind his hiring claimed he was to be used as a janitor, and nothing more. However, it didn’t take long for Grandison to discover his new masters’ real purposes.

Grandison was taught to read and write and allowed to sit in during anatomy lessons, activities that were unheard of in the south at that time. It seemed odd, but because the institution was a place of learning, and because Grandison was such an agreeable fellow, his learning was not impeded.

The purpose of Grandison’s education was of necessity by the college. Cadavers, which were usually bought at seventy-five cents each, were in short supply. Those that the college purchased were used quickly. The students needed more bodies, and the administration was not too particular about from where they came. They hired Grandison specifically to rob the fresh graves of Augusta, specifically those of the colored cemeteries, and bring the corpses back to the college for study.

Because grave robbing was illegal even then, Grandison carried out his ghoulish task at night, when only the moon watched his actions.

He read the obituaries of the day, then, when darkness fell, he crept to the fresh grave. He dug at the head of the freshly turned earth until he reached the casket beneath. Then, using a hand ax, he chopped his way into the coffin and pulled the body out. The body he would stuff into a sack, which he placed on a cart, then he set to

work restoring the grave to pristine condition.

According to his former owners and students that witnessed the grizzly activities, Grandison was quite good at his job, leaving the graves as if they’d never been disturbed.

The story of Grandison Harris, the “Resurrection Man,” was told for years, to children and freshmen alike. Many assumed the story to be just that, a colorful piece of folklore with no historic backing.

Although he became accustomed to his line of work, digging up bodies still made him skittish.

Occasionally, after a dig, he would park his cart in an alley beside a bar and have some liquid fortification. After he’d finished his drinks, he returned to the college where the bodies would be cut up and displayed for the students.

In 1989, however, the stories took a macabre turn toward reality with the renovation of the original Georgia College of Medicine at Augusta building. When workers tore through the floor, they discovered a chamber filled with bodies in various stages of decay. Some reports place the number of bodies at one hundred fifty-four while others claim significantly more. Adding up the number of bodies needed per semester, the most likely scenario places the number at well over four hundred. However many were actually found, their condition remains the same. Piles of bones, all of them clearly labeled and tagged for medical students, were found.

Also found were whole bodies preserved in vats filled with whiskey. The resurrection man legend, it seemed, was true after all. On November 7, 1998, the restless souls were finally returned to their place of rest, beside their resurrector, Grandison Harris, in the Cedar Grove Cemetery. There are no names on their graves, only a large stone monument that reads “Known but to God.”

One evening in particular, two students watched as Grandison extracted a body and made his way to his favorite beer hall. The students decided to have some fun at Grandison’s expense. After he parked his cart and went inside, the students removed the body from the sack and one of the two climbed inside. When Grandison returned later, the student in the bag called out to him.

“Grandison,” he said. “Grandison, I’m cold. Buy me a drink!”

The Resurrection Man was reported to say “Get your own damned drink, ‘cause I’m getting out of here!”

Grandison continued his duties for a few more years until the Civil War. The abolishment of slavery meant he was a free man, and he left Augusta for a short time. He returned after a few years to resume his duties for the college, this time with pay and worked at the college until he died at the age of ninety-five in 1911.

After his death, Grandison returned to Cedar Grove Cemetery, the same burial ground he’d desecrated time after time, this time as a permanent resident.

THE GHOSTS Though most believe sightings of restless souls are thought to be merely extensions of the legend, there are those that claim the original Telfair Street building is still haunted by the souls whose rest was disturbed on orders of the college. A few have claimed to see Grandison himself in the Cedar Grove Cemetery late at night, under the light of the full moon, digging into graves as he did in life.

Occasionally, the random story will pop up about the college’s current accommodations hosting the restless souls, but those in the know look toward Telfair Street for the truth.

Local tour guides have taken photos containing numerous apparitions. Those that have ventured to the old site often refer to it as the most active building in all of Augusta.

TODAY Though moved from Telfair Street to its current location on Harper in 1911, The Medical College of Georgia thrives, with classes offered in everything from gross anatomy to psychology. Many fine doctors have come out of the college, staffing hospitals around the world. The grave of Grandison Harris is hidden somewhere in the Cedar Grove Cemetery, its location unknown to prevent angry relatives taking revenge. The cemetery itself, however, located across the street from Magnolia Cemetery, with its entrance on Walker Street.

Headstones there date back to 1835.

Those that know the story of Grandison Harris respect his actions, as, without his macabre duties, the college would never have been able to effectively teach medicine.

If it’s the resurrection man one wishes to see, the best chance is under a dark sky with the full moon high. Don’t be surprised, however, if a ghostly voice calls your name and asks you to buy him a drink.

by SCOTT A. JOHNSON photo by KATIE MCGUIRE Scott A. Johnson is the author of The Mayor’s Guide: The Stately Ghosts of Augusta which can be found at The Book Tavern. To find out more about Scott A. Johnson and his work, visit his website at www. americanhorrorwriter.net.

10 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 11

le chat noir / batboy spotted in downtown augusta!

On June 23, 1992 the world was introduced to a superstar the likes of which has never been seen before or since. This is the Bat Boy, the screaming child with the bulging eyes, pointed ears, and sharp teeth that graced the cover of the illustrious now-defunct supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. Eventually earning mascot status and multiple stories about his life over the years, the Bat Boy gained a notorious sort of fame among the readers of the Weekly World News.

But for the Bat Boy real fame began in 1997, when the turbulent story of his life was put to music as Bat Boy: the Musical, originally premiering in Tim Robbins’ Actors Gang Theatre in Los Angeles.

Since then, multiple versions of the hit musical have been performed all over the world. Among the praise heaped on Bat Boy: the Musical include the LA Weekly Musical of the Year Award, the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Off-Broadway, four Ovation Award nominations, and six Drama Desk nominations. From there, the musical ran in New York until December 2001, including a nearly two million dollar production in March of that year, before the musical went on to a very successful showing in London in 2004.

Based on a book by Brian Flemming and Keythe Farley, Bat Boy: the Musical was hailed by critics as a witty bit of theater and applauded by people all over the world for its catchy music; and with lyrics to the musical written by Laurence O’Keefe, the story of Bat Boy was forever enshrined in song and dance. As for Bat Boy himself, the pop culture icon was created by Weekly World News editor Dick Kulpa and ran on the front cover, becoming the second best-selling issue in history.

If the Weekly World News is to be taken as the factual newspaper it claimed to be, then the tales of this half-bat half-boy creature make for more than just an interesting read. There is drama involved, as well as action, and perhaps not even a little pity for the thing which is often pursued by scientists and government officials, narrowly escaping their clutches.

After making his appearance in the June 23, 1992 issue of the tabloid newspaper, the Chiropteran Bat Boy, who was ten years old at the time, - THE TIMES unwillingly took part in a number of public sightings, including a 2001 attack on a girl in Florida and a 2006 spotting of the creature riding on top of a New York City subway car. But for those who think Bat Boy is just a monstrous thing injuring people and joyriding around the - THE GUARDIAN Big Apple, they are sorely mistaken. In 2008, Bat Boy openly endorsed first John McCain and then Barack Obama in the elections. Most recently, in November of last year, Bat Boy was spotted as being involved in a public protest.

But it is the wild, tumultuous early life of Bat Boy that has been converted into a musical, including the tale of his discovery in a West Virginia cave by Dr. Ron Dillon, the only man to ever care for the child.

This Shakespearean story of an unfortunate, tragic young man was snatched up by Le Chat Noir for several performances throughout October. “It’s fun, contemporary, and hasn’t been done in Augusta before,” Le Chat Noir set designer Krys Bailey says about the show and why the downtown Augusta theatre chose to perform the musical. “We pride ourselves on producing works that are new to Augusta,” he continues and “we focus on exemplary production values and stellar performances by local talent,” Bailey finishes. Le Chat Noir prides itself on bringing theatre that debuts in Augusta at their venue first, and Bat Boy: the Musical is no exception. Unless someone wants to go to Atlanta or maybe New York, they will not see this exceptional musical anywhere in the nearby area.

The appeal of a story about Bat Boy may seem unclear to some who do not remember his screaming face from the supermarket check-out line. Yet, for many, there is something iconic about Bat Boy. “I don’t know that people are going to start saying ‘that’s as American as apple pie and Bat Boy,’” Krys

“darkly funny - curiously touching”

“slick, sick and compelling”

Bailey says about the Weekly World News character, but there is definitely something homegrown about a misunderstood youth who just happens to be part flying rodent. The visceral, candid energy of the perpetual outcast calls to most people, as does the desire to be half bat.

Directed by Richard Justice and containing a cast of local talented actors, Bat Boy: the Musical will star Mathew Gordon as the infamous star of the show. “The story is sensationalist and campy, but there is some meat to it,” Bailey says. “The meat being acceptance, or at the very least, tolerance of those who are different.” Along with music director Jeannie Butler and Jessica King-Bailey, the choreographer, the cast of Bat Boy: the Musical are understandably very excited about the hopeful turnout for the musical. Complete with bloodshed and fire, the story of Bat Boy requires “an exceptional suspension of disbelief,” Krys Bailey says, but the theatre crew wanted to make sure it was even bigger, scarier, and campier than the Broadway version. In order to do that, Bailey says the crew of Le Chat Noir worked towards making the musical “over the top and over the line with bawdiness.”

But if Bat Boy wasn’t real as opposed to what the Weekly World News claimed, what happened to the kid who portrayed the half-boy and half-bat mutant? Rumors claim he is still feeling music in his veins, at one point playing drums in a punk band for a while, but even Bat Boy knows gossip gets around faster than a monster child riding on a subway car and is only half as reliable.

by D.H.L. photo FILE

the le chat noir black cat ball

plan to go

Le Chat Noir’s 2nd Annual Black Cat Ball will follow the October 31 performance of Bat Boy: the Musical. Invites are $20, or $50 gets fans into the show and the party. The theme will be a Freakshow with food and drinks provided. Entertainment will include music, an old fashioned freakshow, and a midway of rigged carny games. Costumes are preferred and encouraged but not required; people can come dressed however they like, yet prizes will be given for Creepiest Carnie, Scariest Clown (The Gacy Award), and the freakiest freak (the Super Freak award).

dates OCTOBER 16 and 17, 23 and 24,

date ALL HALLOW’S EVE OCTOBER 31

venue LE CHAT NOIR

tickets $30

the event ANNUAL BLACK CAT BALL

showtime 9:30 PM

get tickets LCNAUGUSTA.COM or

get tickets LCNAUGUSTA.COM or 706.722.3322

tickets $20

29, 30 and 31 venue LE CHAT NOIR the show BATBOY, THE MUSICAL showtime 8 PM (31st show starts at 7 pm)

706.722.3322

12 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 13

dana randall / the mathematics of passion After listening to Georgia Institute of Technology Professor Dana Randall talk for just a few minutes, one thing is certain: Randall is not your ordinary mathematician. She is young, energetic and hip.

Randall is also obviously very smart and drawn to mathematics for reasons other than an interest in number-crunching. She loves the beauty of puzzles and finding answers to theoretical questions.

But, perhaps, the most interesting aspect of Dana Randall is that she understands the modern perception of mathematicians and desires to change it. She wishes the world to see that there is more to her (and her colleagues) than the stereotypical view many have of people who study advanced mathematics.

While this goal may not come out of Randall’s mouth during the Arnold Ross lecture she will be giving at Fort Discovery later this month, her general relaxed atmosphere tells it all. Mathematics need not be the dull pursuit of a career in taxes and accounting.

In order to better understand Randall, it is necessary to gaze into what drives her as a person and as a mathematician. The title of her upcoming lecture at Fort Discovery is Domino Tilings of the Chessboard: an Introduction to Sampling and Counting. To many, the title alone may not quite explain what to expect. In order to relay what she studies, Dana Randall begins with a simple description. If a person were to take three diamond shapes and fit them together it would form a hexagon that looks like a cube.

When multiple diamonds are placed around each other, it creates “something much more general,” Randall says. “A sea of boxes.”

Using these diamonds to cover or “tile” an area, the question arises as to what the final configuration will look like. According to Randall, “there is actually lot of order. In a perfectly tiled area [the diamonds] do not look random.” There may appear to be randomness to the tiles but order shows through in the pattern.

“As a mathematician I want to know why order happens,” Randall says.

Studying Computer Science led Randall down this path towards finding an answer to why the random creation occurs and what

“How many ways can I cover a chessboard with two-inch by one-inch diamonds?”

it looks like. She understands that many people want to see a practical application in today’s modern world for the study of such puzzles. For this, Physics provides motivation for many of the theories Randall works with on a daily basis. Imagine each diamond as a diatomic molecule (a molecule formed from two atoms) and a more practical reason begins to emerge for the study of randomized algorithms. Understanding diatomic molecules and their relation to one another could help “determine the physical structure of certain crystals,” Randall explains, including energy. This is why physicists study the random configuration of molecules.

Very simple rules dictate complicated work, Randall explains. She explains this further by using the example of water freezing to ice. If a person was to look microscopically at water, there doesn’t seem to be a big change as the temperature is lowered past the freezing point, but macroscopically they would see disorder of the particles above freezing and order to the particles when the water

thinking of math. She and her colleagues view work as “sitting around with friends and trying to solve puzzles,” she says. In this, mathematicians are like anybody else. For this reason and her attitude towards life, Dana Randall, in many ways, can stand as a representative to the larger world outside her field of study as to what the typical life of a mathematician is really like. The answer being simply that she’s not a television stereotype, but a person who enjoys the mystery of solving puzzles and discovering answers to tough questions. She challenges herself on a daily basis with her work and for that Randall has made a great career out of doing what she enjoys.

It is the “beautiful captivating questions” that drive Randall and allow her to enjoy the cool, fun, and (not necessarily) applicable side to theoretical mathematics. When she began working in her field there was not a connection to Physics, but now that door has been opened in the last fifteen years and “we have a new set of tools at our disposal” Randall says.

transforms to ice. This type of phase transition is what we see very often mathematically.

In the end, Randall’s goal in Theoretical Computer Science is to understand “what can you efficiently

Others also want to exploit order by using the idea of random sampling. By understanding the way

efficiently too. Studying the n x n imaginary chessboard, mathematicians do know ways to count

molecules configure themselves, scientists hope to replicate this type of behavior through the study of nanotechnology, a field that has gained momentum over the years and fascinated many in the medical fields especially for the obvious practical applications.

Professor Dana Randall understands that when she shows pictures and diagrams of the mathematics she studies, people will be convinced that order is happening in these patterns. But she also enjoys to “study the aesthetics” of puzzles in her work with Computer Science. The pursuit of knowledge is fine and dandy but it also needs to be exciting and fun.

Looking at the patterns fascinates Randall. For problems “each one is a puzzle,” she admits. There are cool patterns to the order she studies, and that is what draws her in. She enjoys the thrill of solving problems. This is where the title of the Arnold Ross lecture comes in. “How many ways can I cover a chessboard with two-inch by one-inch dominos?” she asks the attendees. The simple answer is that there are an “awful lot of ways,” she laughs. What her study boils down to is seeking a formula for explaining and figuring out how many ways those dominos can be laid out on the chessboard.

Beginning her study of Advanced Mathematics in high school, Randall learned early on that the common view of mathematicians is wrong. “It’s hard for people not to see a sterile dry image” when

solve with a computer?” She looks for a way to categorize the problem when it can’t be solved the number of tilings, but for very similar sounding problems, no one knows the answer. Randall looks to “develop an algorithm to solve these problems efficiently.”

“I

wear

many

different

hats,”

what she does on a daily basis as a

plan to go

mathematician.

date OCTOBER 29

Randall concludes about herself and She looks into the

problems motivated by Physics and wonders if there is a way nature is

venue FORT DISCOVERY

computing these things.

the show THE ARNOLD ROSS LECTURE

“I believe

there are answers,” Dana Randall says, and the unending quest for that

by the American Mathematical

elusive equation shines in her voice

Society: Dana Randall: Domino Tilings

as a passion, as an obsession, as a job,

of the Chessboard: An Introduction to

and simply as a means of having fun.

by D.H.L. photo of Randall and her daughter COURTESY OF RANDALL

Sampling and Counting

get details 706.821.0200

14 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 15

remember me / rock opera & modern dance merge “Love is the most important thing.”

The East Village Opera Company bring the flavor of rock to opera, creating a blend of styles resembling everything from show tunes and musicals to the softer side of singersongwriter music such as Tori Amos. But with wailing guitars and wild vocals, the EVOC cannot help but bring to mind everything from Queen to Evanescence. They have a counterpart in New York with Parsons Dance.

Based out of New York and running for the last twenty-five years, the Parsons Dance Company is simply one of the best at what they do, hands down. They are a professional, beautiful and, above all, extremely talented group of artists. Formed by David Parsons who came to New York at age seventeen from Kansas City, the Parsons Dance Company reflect the passion for choreography and dance Parsons has for the business. “It’s an amazing ride,” Parsons says about the business of dance. The energy he brings to the table extends into his dance company too, as anyone can readily see.

“We’re not just a dance company,” he goes on to say, hinting at the wide range of talent inherent in his dancers.

Take the awe-inspiring skill of the East Village Opera Company and merge that with the Parsons Dance Company, and the result is the musical ballet Remember Me.

David Parsons, owner and choreographer of Parsons Dance was familiar with the work of the East Village Opera Company before the group joined up with his dancers for the hit musical Remember Me. “They are really good,” Parsons says about the singers of EVOC, not giving his praise lightly. If they didn’t deserve it, then a person like Parsons, who is himself has been involved in the arts in NYC for multiple years, would immediately see through the ruse. Instead, what Parsons Dance and the East Village Opera Company share is a common thread of exceptionally skilled singing and dancing, bringing the classics of Mozart and Puccini, just to name a few, to people who may not be familiar with the legendary works.

“Many of these songs are over two hundred years old,” David Parsons says. “We want to introduce young people to the classics.” He laughs as he explains that many people recognize the songs from commercials, but he understands it is long past due time to bring these traditional greats to a wider, more rock-oriented set of fans.

The perfect way for this to happen is through the musical Remember Me, which will be held at the Imperial Theatre and presented by the Augusta Ballet. The performers will all be original cast members from New York, most of them around since the inception of the musical when it hit the stage last year in the Big Apple.

“The story line is completely original and filled with emotional content,” Parsons explains. For him, the tale of two brothers and the woman they become infatuated with is more than just a story of love and jealousy. It is also a tale of darkness and hope. This is the magic of Remember Me and what has been wowing audiences and critics alike for many months. “Love is the most important thing,” David Parsons says, and anyone would be hard pressed not to see a double meaning to his words. For Remember Me is obviously a love story, but there is a deeper underlying love for music that runs through the veins of the amazing singers and dancers involved.

In addition to Parsons Dance and the East Village Opera Company, the crew of Remember Me includes some of the who’s-who of Broadway, from Tony Awardwinning lights to Project Runway costumes and a certified blockbuster Broadway lyricist working with the team, there is no way this rock opera ballet will be anything short of spectacular. “We’ve got heavy hitters,” Parsons says about the people he works with on the show.

After the program was immediately snatched up by PBS for airing on television, the next logical step for the cast of the rock opera ballet was a national tour with stops in Mexico City. This will be the first time Remember Me has hit the road and they are going all out. After a national tour, the cast will be heading overseas to such places as Russia and Italy.

“Living in New York and touring around the planet,” Parsons explains is what he enjoys personally about Parsons Dance, but he also sees something richer in the work he does and how it touches the lives of his performers. “Watching young people traveling and creating, I get a thrill out of it,” David Parsons says, explaining further that “no amount of money can buy” the satisfaction he derives from his work. It is this priceless attitude that reaches out and touches all those involved in Remember Me.

“We’re honored to show our stuff,” Parsons says as a sort of spokesperson not just for Parsons Dance but for everyone involved in Remember Me, including the singers of the East Village Opera Company. “We’re proud of what we do and it’s important for people to see us.” Perhaps the traveling spirit has infused the cast with a poetic mind-set, but it is hard to disagree with Parsons’ final interpretation of what everyone involved in Remember Me truly represent. He calls them “artistic ambassadors” and a truer statement has never been spoken.

by D.H.L. photos courtesy of CAMI

plan to go date OCTOBER 22 venue THE IMPERIAL THEATRE the show REMEBER ME featuring PARSONS DANCE & EAST VILLAGE OPERA COMPANY presented by: THE AUGUSTA BALLET showtime 7 pm tickets $15 to $35 buy tix : AUGUSTABALLET.ORG

16 / october 2009 / verge

gallery

soundcheck

A Sense of Place

Moonlight Music Cruise: Solstice

A tall basket woven out of bronze. A collage of lithograph, painting and photographs. Small glass jars housing cotton, seeds, and dried fruit and leaves nestled in a shallow crate.

On October 16, the Augusta Canal National Heritage Moonlight Music Cruises series presents an encore performance by Solstice, a duo featuring Lillie Morris on fiddle and vocals and Michael Hay on guitar, tin whistle and Uilleann pipes. The duo has been performing together for nine years, some of that time as part of a five-piece and as a duo for the past four years.

Gertrude Herbert • thru October 16

This describes only a few of the thirty-three pieces installed in the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art’s 29th annual exhibition, A Sense of Place.

Over 200 artists across the country submitted their craft - oils, acrylics, lithographs, photographs, sculptures, and etchings - but only a select handful were chosen. These works represent the diversity and creativity of modern American artists and give a glimpse at both emerging and professional artists of today.

While A Sense of Place serves as an exhibition, it also doubles a national juried fine arts competition.

Six artists are awarded prizes in three different categories: Best of Show, Juror’s Award, and Honorable Mention. This year’s juror was Philip Brookman, Chief Curator and Head of Research at Washington D.C.’s Corcoran Gallery of Art. Out of the thirty-three pieces, Mr. Brookman honored Roger Finch, of Evans, GA for his piece Reuleaux Triangle, a sculpture of aluminum, brass and stainless steel.

“The Central Savannah River Area is ripe with creativity and talent,” says Gertrude Herbert’s executive director, Rebekah Henry. “We are delighted that Roger Finch, who serves as a sculpture and welding instructor for the Gertrude Herbert, was selected to receive a merit award. Finch exemplifies the incredible quality of art instructors at the Institute.”

Drop by the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art to view the works of America’s contemporaries and get a provocative glimpse of the state of art today. A Sense of Place is located in the Ware’s Folly Gallery; the Institute is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and admission is free.

The exhibit runs through October 16.

by ASHLEY PLOCHA art by VAUGHN WASCOVICH, Marathon, TX 2009

Augusta Canal  October 16

Solstice has been performing traditional Irish dance music since the cruises were introduced to the Augusta area four years ago. “It seemed like an interesting type of venue, performing on a boat on the canal,” says Morris. “It also seemed to fit, musically, as the Irish were very involved in the building of the canal, so there is a lot of Irish history involved there. A lot of people in the southeast have Irish and Scottish ancestry.”

Irish music, says Morris, is a lot more than the “pub and drinking songs” that first come to mind when most people think about the genre. “It is the forerunner of our traditional bluegrass,” she says, “and there are a lot of connections that people may not realize. I’ve worked hard to bring the music to this area. I attend music workshops and camps, I’ve been to Ireland ten times, and I’ve met a lot of high-caliber, world-class musicians and brought them here to perform. There is an interest in Irish music in Augusta; we seem to have many of the same people returning to the cruises to hear us when we play.”

Solstice also performs every Thursday night at the Sidetrack Bar and Grill in Columbia County.

Music begins at 7:30, and “anybody who can play reasonably well can sit in and join us,” says Morris.

When she’s not onstage, Lillie Morris is in her studio, painting. This summer she participated in an exhibit in Ireland. Her work can be seen on her website, www.lilliemorrisfineart.com. Hay, a chemist at SRS, is also an artist in his own right, crafting his tin whistles and recently completing a set of Uilleann pipes, “which is an incredible undertaking,” says Morris.

The Moonlight Music Cruise with Solstice begins at 5:30 p.m. and will last until 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $24 and seating is limited to 35 passengers. Reservations are required: 706.823.0440.

by ALISON RICHTER photo by LILLIE MORRIS, Towards Ballinskelligs

verge / october 2009 / 17

onstage

offstage

Storyland Theatre: Bilbo and the Magic Ring

Annual Augusta Greek Festival

Imperial Theatre  October 31

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church  October 9 to 11

Now in its 22nd season, Storyland Theatre kicks off the fall at the Imperial Theatre on October 27 – 31 with yet another dazzling production for children of all ages — including those of us who refuse to ever grow up!

When I recently walked into Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, a team of volunteers was literally up to their arms kneading and rolling dough. Parishioners, family members and friends (who may not even attend the church) spend countless hours preparing special cookies for the several thousand people that attend Holy Trinity’s annual Greek Festival. This year’s festival runs three days from Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11.

Bilbo and the Magic Ring is an original musical based loosely on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel The Hobbit. It was written by Augusta playwright Richard Davis Jr., with music by local composer Susan Burgess.

“Rick’s version includes Bilbo and Gollum, but he created Haggard and Grumble, the bumbling Trolls, and a love interest named Symphony Sonatina, whom Bilbo seeks to rescue from the Trolls, as well as a Spider who loves riddles and a wisecracking Tree,” explains Storyland’s executive director, Barbara Feldman. “Rick will also be reprising his role as Gandalf the Magician.”

All of Storyland’s plays are locally written. Along with Bilbo, this season includes Beauty and the Beast and Mademoiselle Hood Meets Le Wolf. For parents who may be concerned about potentially frightening scenes, Feldman offers reassurance. “Our goal is to always try everything out on our children and grandchildren to know what works and what’s scary,” she says. “Fairy tales have scary characters. There’s always someone who is not nice, and children need to understand that some people are not nice, but in our plays everything works out well and we try to touch on something, like how to be a good person. The Beast, for example, looks scary, but he’s a good person inside, and that’s a lesson about not judging someone by what they look like. Parents and teachers can talk to the children before they come, and explain to them that theater is make-believe and the people onstage are all actors.”

Storyland Theatre is a nonprofit organization. Attending their productions enriches your child’s life, as well as the lives of children who otherwise might never have a chance to witness live theater. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a family activity. The Family Saturday Matinee performance of Bilbo and the Magic Ring is Saturday, October 31 at 3 pm. Details and season tickets: 706.736.3455 or www.knology.net/storyland.

by ALISON RICHTER photo KATIE MCGUIRE

But don’t expect to only sink your teeth into cookies and pastries (including their signature baklava) while you are there. Savor traditional lamb and beef gyros, spinach and cheese puffs and authentic Greek coffee. You will also find a delicious full dinner made up of a Greek salad, two tasty sides and entrée (typically chicken or lamb).

After Greece was the host country for The Arts in the Heart in the 1980’s, Holy Trinity decided to host their own festival, which has grown each year since. This year, a taverna will be set up with a wide variety of beers, Greek wines, and appetizers (the taverna also boasts a widescreen television, for avid football fans). Dance troupes from across the country bring authentic Greek in the vibrantly rich-colored costumes representing various Greek regions. Over the years, dance troupes have come from Columbia, SC, Ohio and Florida to perform traditional Hellenic dances.

Some of the parishioners’ children will also dance and show the community how they are learning the Greek culture.

In addition to the dancing and delicious food, a bazaar is set up replete with jewelry, paintings, orthodox icons and more. Tours of Holy Trinity and its iconography will also be available daily.

If you’re looking for a fun-loving, energetic cultural experience, check out what the proud people of Greek heritage have to offer.

The festival runs Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm and on Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm.

Admission is free. Details: 706.724.1087 or www.holytrinityaugusta.org/GreekFestival2009.dsp.

by ANNE MARIE JOHNSON photo FILE

18 / october 2009 / verge

a shot with pow pow

COCO CHANEL: Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

zombie á la marilyn mode

zombie á la marilyn mode get the look the clothes Vintage Ooollee the hair Miranda Fox | Modish Salon and Spa theatrical makeup Lauren King | Halo Salon and Spa the model Steph Kalakikas | Americana Artworks Custom Tattoo Parlor the photographer Katie McGuire the vision With a pow for style, Nikki PowPow combs the salons,

boutiques and clothing racks of downtown Augusta simply for a love of “the look.” | Halo Salon

see more during Halo Salon’s zombie fashion show during October’s

First Friday.

verge / october 2009 / 19

good chow / fat man’s riverfront cafe

cooking up comfort food that’s good for the soul

Craving catfish and fried okra? Or maybe you are longing for mom’s homemade macaroni and cheese? Don’t bother calling for the recipe. Amble down the Riverwalk to Fat Man’s Riverfront Café, nestled comfortably in downtown’s Fort Discovery.

I’ve suffered through a lot of fried chicken during my years in the South. Some get it too crunchy, some dry and tasteless. But, never fear, you won’t suffer any of these symptoms when ordering a leg and thigh from Fat Man’s Café. Crisped to perfection, the succulent meat will melt your Southern taste buds. Make it a full meal by adding two of several sides. I chose my own southern comfort sides - green beans, mac and cheese and broccoli casserole. While fried pickles may seem like a far fetched option, they are something to try at least once in your life. Fat Man’s Café serves them up just right- the goodness of fried crunch over the briny flavor of pickle.

Equally delicious as their chicken is “The Pit” Barbecue on a Bun. Paired with their homemade potato salad, this lunch is hard to resist. Vegetarian? Order the “Jus’ Veggies”four of the Fat Man’s vegetable sides. Each plate is served up with a fantastic slice of cornbread.

Fat Man’s Riverfront provides a casual atmosphere perfect for a quick but tasty lunch downtown. Take your kids after a morning of hard playing at Fort Discovery or bring your co-workers for a home style lunch to discuss work over. Need to order in a meal?

The Cafe offers free delivery for any order over $20. Fat Man’s also has great prices, yet another reason why it’s hard to resist.

And don’t forget to grab a cone of mint chocolate chip on your way out - it’s the perfect date for a walk by the river.

Fat Man’s Riverfront Café, located at One Seventh Street (entrance is on the Riverwalk in Fort Discovery) is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Free meeting space is available seven days a week and the café is also available for private parties. Details: 706.733.1740

by AURELIA SORENSEN photos KATIE MCGUIRE

20 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 21

shinedown + sick puppies / hard rock’s finest SICK PUPPIES

SHINEDOWN

“One thing about music: it’s not like sports, where the best will win,” says Sick Puppies bassist Emma Anzai. “In music, no matter what you do, no matter how good you are, you’ve got to be persistent and you’ve got to be lucky. We consider ourselves very lucky.”

Sometimes it’s an album or just a song, maybe a guitar riff, and sometimes it’s a voice. It has an effect, it moves you emotionally, you know it’s special. Millions of fans have heard it in Shinedown vocalist Brent Smith, and so did drummer Barry Kerch the first time he heard Smith sing.

“Absolutely,” he says. “I was living in Orlando, getting ready to move to Jacksonville, when I heard a demo. He had the conviction of Otis Redding with the sound of Chris Cornell, and it was really something.” A few months later, Kerch auditioned for the band that became Shinedown, which includes guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass.

Shinedown is headlining arenas as they continue touring their gold-certified third album, The Sound Of Madness. The single “Second Chance” is now platinum, and their latest single, “Devour,” is continuing their streak of No. 1 songs, making them 10 for 10 on releases. The band is in an enviable position but it’s never taken lightly, says Kerch. “I think what keeps us going is that we don’t let that type of success get to our heads,” he says.

“That’s the first thing. The second is that we were all raised in the South, where your mom knocks you right back down if you get that big head!

And third, we’re not where we want to be. This industry has a glass ceiling, and when you strive for something, you can’t be comfortable, especially because there are always new young bands that want to destroy you because they’re hungry too.

So it’s always about what’s next and where you can take it.”

Shinedown’s debut album, Leave A Whisper (2003), is platinum, and their second effort, Us And Them (2005), is gold. While they have amassed an amazing string of hits, “Second Chance,” with its combination of poignant message and Smith’s passionate vocal performance, has particularly taken the band to the next level, evoking an overwhelming response from listeners.

“It’s an honor to have people latch on to an album and to a song and have it touch their lives,” says Kerch. “The art of music is universal, and I get that.

There are albums that make me feel something I can’t describe, and if ours does that to other people, when they say, ‘“Second Chance” means “this” to me,’ that’s the biggest compliment.”

As reference points, he cites two examples of artists whose music still affects him. “I know what it was like for me to have Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral when I was making the big transition from teen to young adult, going away to college, the loneliness of leaving home,” he says. “I still listen to that album when I’m in a dark, depressed mood.

When I’m in a good mood, I’m still moved by James Brown. I was probably 10 or 12 when I heard ‘I’ve Got That Feeling’ and ‘Mother Popcorn.’ The drumming on those records is so intricate; it’s very hard to replicate because sometimes there were two drummers playing together. There’s the depth of the groove, and at the same time it makes you want to dance. And if it doesn’t, you don’t know music! James Brown was an amazing musician.

You hear stories about him firing people on the spot because they had to be that precise and that perfect. It comes across on his recordings.”

Shinedown wanted precision, emotion and groove to come through on The Sound Of Madness, and they enlisted producer Rob Cavallo to help them get there. Kerch’s powerful drumming helps drive the album with a massive sound that’s often absent in these times of electronic kits, samples and “in the box” production and mixes.

“Rob prides himself on getting great drums sounds,” says Kerch. “Also, those things you mention are against all of my rules. Why have a drummer if you’re not going to let him play and get great sounds? Having our album mastered by Chris Lord-Alge also put some twists in it with the signature sounds he puts underneath. All of those elements combined created the results we wanted.

We wanted a record that would sound bigger than life, and I think we accomplished that.”

by ALISON RICHTER photo DAVID BERGMAN

Luck and perseverance have played a great part in Sick Puppies’ success, but talent and a sound that quickly drew in millions of listeners have also factored into the picture. The band — Anzai, vocalist/guitarist Shimon Moore and drummer Mark Goodwin — are three albums deep into their career, with their latest release, Tri-Polar, giving them the necessary push into the major league. Their single “You’re Going Down,” which served as the theme for WWE’s Extreme Rules PPV this summer, reached No. 1 on the Active Rock Charts.

Sick Puppies is Moore and Anzai’s first band, put together 10 years ago when they were classmates growing up in Australia. After winning a radio competition, they were quickly signed to a record deal and management, and released Welcome To The Real World before parting ways with their drummer, who left due to a family emergency.

“We were in limbo for a year or two, wondering, What should we do? Should we continue? Should we try to get a deal here or go to the U.S., because this is not a genre that many people play in Australia and would it be worthwhile?” says Anzai. “After a lot of thinking, we had to go to the U.S. We worked a lot of jobs and maxed out our credit cards just to take the risk. It took a long time, because you only get three months on a tourist visa, so we would go back and forth from Australia to the States.”

During that time, Moore and Anzai met rock photographer Robert M. Knight (they can be seen in the documentary Rock Prophecies, which follows his career), found Goodwin through an ad on Craigslist, and recorded their RMR/ Virgin/EMI debut album, Dressed Up As Life, with production team Rock Mafia (Antonina Armato and Tim James). The video accompanying the single “All The Same” received over 50 million YouTube views. Sick Puppies spent two years on the road supporting the album, with almost no

plan to go date OCTOBER 19

venue JAMES BROWN ARENA

the show SHINEDOWN +

time 7 PM

SICK PUPPIES + ADELITAS WAY

tickets $27.50

get tickets JAMESBROWNARENA.COM

break between itinerary and return to the studio with Rock Mafia to record Tri-Polar.

Anzai’s aggressive approach to her instrument has earned her a place in the ranks among her hard rock peers. In fact, her slapping technique owes a lot to the classic soul of the Brothers Johnson, whom she discovered through the Australian band Preshrunk that featured two bass players and a drummer. “I was amazed,” she says. “When I talked to them, they told me that I should get Louis Johnson’s instructional video. It’s the first one I ever bought and I learned so much from that. For me, the bass is a mixture of funk and aggression. I slap in an aggressive way more than in a funky way because our songs need it. That’s the beauty of bass.

You can pick, slap, be melodic. You can get funky.

There are a lot of dimensions to the instrument that I don’t think most people realize.”

The band members are candid about the personal toll that resulted from 24 months in a rolling submarine. There were lessons learned and applied, says Anzai, to their present stretch of tour dates. “It taught us that the whole glamorous rock and roll lifestyle is a farce,” she says. “It’s not like you can party every night and do a show every night. Some people’s bodies are built for it, but we cannot. There is no way you can put your body through that much stress and perform at your best.

You’ve got to take care of yourself more than ever, eat properly, take your vitamins and get enough sleep. It sounds boring, but it helps with staying on the road. Otherwise, you’re off the tour. You have to do anything you can to maintain being on the road. That’s the physical side. The mental aspect — you’ve got to do what you like, have your routines, to keep sane. I like to spend time by myself. Some people like to socialize. Whatever it is, everything is important to do. You can’t skimp.

I understand why a lot of bands say that they need this or that and it’s imperative to their sanity, which is imperative to staying on the road. You have to strike a balance, and it’s very important to keep that balance.”

by ALISON RICHTER photo TRAVIS SHINN

22 / october 2009 / verge

verge / october 2009 / 23

modern skirts / all of us in our night In support of their latest release, All Of Us In Our Night, Athens quartet Modern Skirts will perform at Sky City on October 30.

Band members James Gulley – vocals/guitar/ songwriter, Phillip Brantley – bass/vocals, Joseph Glidewell – guitar/piano/vocals and John Swint - drums/vocals assembled the band five years ago; in that time they’ve toured the Southeast nonstop and traveled overseas as well.

Modern Skirts released their first full-length album, Catalogue Of Generous Men, in 2005, and since then have spent most of their time on the road. This summer took them back to the U.K.; they’ve also performed at festivals and on opening dates for R.E.M. in Holland and Belgium.

All Of Us In Our Night was recorded in several different studios. Mike Mills of R.E.M. produced one track at John Keane Studios in Athens, David Lowery produced five tracks at Sound of Music in Richmond, Va., and the band produced the remaining tracks at the Music Shed in New Orleans.

With increasing airplay, touring throughout the Southeast and abroad, and plenty of media support, is this “the year” for Modern Skirts?

According to James Gulley, “‘THE YEAR’ for Modern Skirts was LAST YEAR and/or the year

and our current album. We were touring very hard, but we

BEFORE that. I’ll keep you posted on if THIS YEAR is also ‘THE

should have taken some time to foster the creative side of our

VERGE: How did such relentless touring prepare you for going

YEAR’ for Modern Skirts. We are still waiting on confirmation.”

band. There would be “new songs” that we would perform here

back into the studio to make this album?

and there, but we never took them seriously. Now we see that

GULLEY: I feel like relentless touring helps in the area of

when you don’t challenge yourself creatively, you shrivel up like

confidence in the studio. You’ve done music long enough to

a pitted prune. We will never make the same mistake again. Hey

know when a studio take is at its best. You don’t need to worry

fella, take time off to clear your head and write more songs!

trying to find the mirage that is “the PERFECT take.” The perfect

Gulley waxed philosophical on this and other subjects via e-mail from yet another town along the road. His thoughts follow.

VERGE: What were your goals going into the studio to record

All Of Us In Our Night, and how successfully were those goals achieved?

GULLEY: Our goal going into the studio to record All of Us In

Our Night was to simply record the material we had gathered since our first record. The only catch is that our studio wings had finally come in. The songs were more interesting and the recording process was far less tedious and painful. We no longer let our insecurities suck the life out of our songs. Over-thinking is for the birds. The thinking should be in the writing of the song, not in the performance.

VERGE: The album was recorded in different studios and involved

two producers, as well as the band producing half of the material.

Between changing locations and changing hands, how did you retain the continuity of the sound and the creative flow of the recording process?

GULLEY: I don’t think the record has very much sonic cohesion

VERGE:

As a songwriter, do you bring complete songs to the

band, with arrangements, or do you leave them open to their interpretation and ideas?

GULLEY: : I think that I have just begun writing songs that are

ability, or until I run out of tracks on my recording device. I used

missing in a lot of today’s music?

to have a bunch of song skeletons draped around my room and

GULLEY: The music that is popular today has no soul, no human

the band would be like, “What we gonna do with this?! Finish

aspect. It’s all so digital. I listen to the radio sometimes when I

the song, Jay, finish the song.”

shower, and most of the time I have to run out a big, soapy mess

VERGE: Do you write on the road, and if so, what is your recording

setup while traveling?

GULLEY: I generally don’t do any writing on the road. Nothing

beats your own room. If we ever get to the point where I have no other choice than to write on the road, I shall miss these days.

you find yourself turning to particular ones for certain moods and types of songwriting?

process. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m OK with it.

GULLEY: I own six guitars and a trillion keyboards. I usually grab

other’s strengths and weaknesses. We all kind of have our own

for YOU. VERGE: Unlike many of your colleagues, all four band members

comes from playing in different rooms during the recording

Musically speaking, we’ve played long enough to know each

done. So don’t over-think in the studio. It’s OK. People like YOU

contribute vocals/harmonies. Do you feel that this element is

album is very disjunctive from its next-door neighbor. This

GULLEY: Most of our growth is in who we are as individuals.

live, you can’t go back and change anything once the song is

songs now and don’t quit until they are finished to the best of my

at all. Sonically speaking, the overall sound of each song on the

see the most growth, musically and personally?

take is the take you did 22 takes ago! When you are performing

more complete and don’t need as much help. I take more time on

VERGE: How many guitars do you own, and if more than one, do

VERGE: The band has been together for five years. Where do you

that we are a better band now.

the first thing in reach when I am on a roll. I don’t take time getting “tones” when I am writing in my room. It all sounds

to turn the Sony down. Most people don’t care anymore. It’s very sad. The best music out there is the music you have to find.

Music to which you were introduced by your super-hip friend named Zipper Miles. The real creative musicians get meager underground cred, and that’s OK. Nowadays, if a majority of Americans like you, you’re rich but you suck! I would simply like to make a living in music and not suck.

by ALISON RICHTER photo courtesy of MODERN SKIRTS

plan to go

like s*** anyway. “Tones” are for the studio. Just get the song

date OCTOBER 30

down, dummy, and hurry up! You have to get to the bank before

venue SKY CITY

it closes!

the show MODERN SKIRTS + THE OLD

jobs in the band and we poke around like worker ants. In the

VERGE: With so many shows behind you, how have the songs from

long run, we are very democratic. The songs make the decisions.

Catalogue Of Generous Men developed and/or changed, if at all,

CEREMONY

Our overall goal is to make Modern Skirts music wonderful

from being performed live every night?

without obsessing too much over anything.

GULLEY: The Catalogue songs are done now the way they should

time 10:30 PM

VERGE: Why so much time between albums?

GULLEY: There is no excuse for the void between our first album

ages 21+

have been done then: raw, energetic and with no reservations.

tickets $6 ADV & $8 DOS

We had a little bit of studio fright on that first record and it

get tickets SKYCITYAUGUSTA.COM

shows when we listen back. But that’s OK. We are just thankful

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indie film: pants on fire

october 7 • imperial theatre •$5 to $8

Something seems slightly twisted in our tendency to laugh with or cheer for the bad guy in a film. But we seem to do it regardless or the morality.

We laughed when Leonardo DiCaprio’s version of Frank Abagnale Jr. continually slips by the grasp of Tom Hanks’s character in Catch Me If You Can. Or what about Kevin Spacey in Unusual Suspects?

While they are certainly flawed characters, but humor lightens the severity of their actions when we see life through their eyes. As for Pants on Fire’s Brad Spoofer (pun intended), we get strung along as he spins out a veritable spider web of lies in his own quest for personal glory.

Director/Producer, Colin Campbell found his partner in crime during LA’s Instant Films “uniquely insane 48-hour film festival.” The festival spurs filmmakers to create short films in a compressed amount of time (eliminating pre-production), causing everyone involved to work off of pure instinct. When writer Lee Kirk’s Hercules swept the Instant Film’s awards, Colin approached Lee with a new challenge: “if [you] write a feature-length film, [I will] produce and direct it as an ultra-low budget film.”

And within a two month time period, Lee turned in Pants On Fire.

“Lee Kirk wrote the script. I think he drew on his own experiences. Like Brad, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and he also had setbacks and disappointments. Lee is not liar, like Brad, but I think it wasn’t hard for him to make the imaginative leap. We both liked the idea of exploring a character who compulsively lied his way out of every situation. I don’t think either of us did any specific research, we just drew on our experiences and what we thought was funny. It seemed funny to us that Brad was an excellent and convincing liar, yet at the same time, he was a terrible actor.”

by HEATHER RANKIN photo COURTESY OF SAF more info IMPERIALTHEATRE.COM

the rock -n- roll circus

october 30 • playground bar • $5 Augusta loves multi-band events to raise funds and awareness for community organizations. The generosity of the local music community is almost as immense as the talent of the musicians themselves. On October 30, the annual “Rock & Roll Circus” event continues that tradition by presenting a large lineup of Augusta artists at the Playground Bar on Broad Street to raise much needed funds for the Golden Harvest Food Bank.

The yearly concert was the brainchild of musician John “JohnJohn” Berret and one time area disc jockey John “Cosmo” Jenkins after watching the DVD of the classic Rolling Stones film Rock & Roll Circus. “The event has never been centered on one style of music,” says Berret. “We’ve always had a wide variety of music from rock to jazz and everything in between.”

This year’s concert will feature the area’s top acoustic artists performing sets between bands like Reeds Brown Beret, the Uncle Keys Band, Paraphernalia and False Flag. With more bands to be announced in the upcoming weeks, “Rock & Roll Circus” 2009 looks to be one of the larger bar events of the year. With all the additional sideshow craziness planned, it also looks to be one of the most fun.

“We really do up the place to make it a real carnival Halloween atmosphere,” said Berret. ”Not only will there be great music but also crazy decorations and contests for scariest, sexiest, and most original costume.”

But while the plan is to have loads of fun and rock the night away, Berret is also quick to point out that there is also a very serious and important side to the event.

“Golden Harvest Food Bank really needs our help this year. With donations being down they are having a hard time doing what they do best – serving the community. While we’ve done canned food drives in the past, we have learned that for every dollar donated Golden Harvest Food Bank is able to buy $7 in food. That is why we decided to charge a cover this year and raise money instead of accept canned goods.”

by JOHN “STONEY” CANNON

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past times / 1797 Ezekial Harris House the documented facts The Ezekiel Harris House is located at 1822 Broad Street and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1797, it is an excellent example of the Federal Style architecture and is reported to be the “finest eighteenth century house surviving in Georgia” by The Smithsonian Guide to Historic America.

Tobacco harvested in upper Georgia and South Caroline was brought down the Savannah River by Petersburg boats to Augusta where it was inspected for quality and sent to warehouses for storage and sale. The land where the Harris House was built was on the colonial era White House Tract where the First Siege of Augusta took place during the American Revolutionary War. In the late eighteen century, Harris built his first commercial establishment, a tobacco warehouse on his property near the river. The Harrisburg neighborhood is named for Ezekiel Harris who bought 323 ½ acres of land on the Savannah River encompassing much of what is today known as Augusta’s mill village.

the ezekiel harris house a brief history 1789 Ezekiel Harris arrived in Augusta.

1797 Harris

builds his home on the colonial White House

pre-rehabilitation

Tract.

1807 Due to legal battles and financial reverses, Harris’ property is foreclosed on, and he moves to Wilkes County, Georgia.

1809 The house is acquired by George Pearson, and remains the property of his descendants, the Walker Family, for decades.

1873 The house is sold by the Pearson-Walker Family 1948

The house is acquired by the Richmond County Historical Society, having been misidentified as the “White House” or “Mackay’s Trading Post” of Revolutionary War fame.

1964 The first major rehabilitation of the house is completed by the State of Georgia.

1969 House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the first designation in Richmond County.

1975 Historical documentation determines that the house was actually built by Ezekiel Harris in 1797. In a budget crises, the state historic site is closed for tours, and declared a fraud.

1976 House serves as the headquarters of Augusta’s Bicentennial Commission.

1982

House is deeded to the City of Augusta, and begins operation as the reinterpreted Ezekiel Harris House by Historic Augusta, Inc.

2004 Extensive rehabilitation of the house is completed and the house is reopened for tours, now operated by the Augusta Museum of History.

Today Take a tour of the Ezekiel Harris House and step out on the front porch to experience the historic view-shed of the Augusta Canal, Sibley Mill, and King Mill. Tours are by appointment Tuesday through Friday and on Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

by ROBYN MAINOR photo UNDATE (PRE) courtesy of HISTORIC

AUGUSTA and (POST) CHRIS SELMEK Robyn Mainor is the Preservation Services Director at Historic Augusta, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve historically or architecturally significant structures and sites in Augusta and Richmond County.

post-rehabilitation

is it haunted? The Ezekiel Harris House is also reputed to be haunted. Though fact and supposition blur here, it is documented that during the 1781 Siege of Augusta, the British attempted to take Augusta by assault, let by Colonel Thomas Brown. The British were initially successful and documents show that thirty patriot soldiers were killed on May 23, 1781. The legend claims that property adjacent to the Ezekiel Harris House and the captured patriots were tortured, hanged and murdered in cold blood.

(Though it has been determined that the Harris house was not the site of the Siege of Augusta)

The British eventually surrendered to the Continental Army thirteen days later. But, the ghosts of the tortured patriots apparently did not go so peacefully. Visitors to the Harris House have reported seeing a woman, thought to be a mother of some of the soldiers, frantically searching for her sons. Others have reported seeing ropes hung from the railings of the stairway or feeling the strain of a rope around their own necks. The creaking of the tall stairways is said to accompany the screams of the tortured patriots.

Information supplied by Sean Joiner Haunted Augusta and Local Legends and McCrady’s The History of South Carolina in the Revolution.

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