verge downtown augusta
free people & passions drive downtown’s community may 2009
verge / may / 3
contents 15
It’s Radioactive Le Chat Noir closes the season with a bang
17
The Heart of Community Christ Community Health Center’s mission to provide affordable medical care for Augusta’s uninsured crystallizes with rehabilitation of the Widows Home into a full service clinic
22
gallery: Larry Connatser soundcheck: Junior Brown onstage: DFA Senior Showcase offstage: Thunder Over Augusta
25
Don’t Nuke My Instant Lunch This new Augusta band is set to become a dietary staple
31
The Maxwell House Pharmacy 58 years of dispensing medicine, advice and Marilyn
37
The Biggest Loser in Augusta
39
Augusta’s Always Ready for A Fight
John Cannon starts his journey to win by losing (weight)
A fascinating look into the history of pro wrestling
experience more
5 7 9 11 27 27 31 33 35 37 41 43 volume two issue three
smatterings quick clips discover downtown she saw she stayed/ a mother daughter duo pipeline / get plugged into may’s events movies at main the club crawl on the nightstand / jeremy carr past times / the widows home explore downtown reverberations / spyt a shot with pow pow on the cover: rolling toward the edge Frances Wells / see the original at Art on Broad
4 / may / verge
verge / may / 5
verge publisher Matt Plocha editor Lara Plocha pipeline editors Claire Riche Joyce Tahop web guy Andy Donnan photographers Elizabeth Benson Katie McGuire 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 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
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smatterings / notes from the publisher May Day – May Day… What to do in a month? Well, to be honest, I have been quite busy. This month alone I have: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
thrown shoes at people (soft sole, I swear) got drunk (without drinking) re-planted a rainforest got lots of flair which is really cool I guess (?) had a visit to my farm (I own a farm?) found out what car I am most like (not my first choice, but Studebaker is a classic, right?) discovered I was really like “Fred” (Fred who?) got a pine tree for my farm (I wish I knew where it was - the farm) joined a dozen “groups” made over 100 friends (...I’m Popular…) discovered I am not as smart as a pharmacist (but smarter than a fifth grader) found out that I was low maintenance got some sunshine (much needed vitamin D) went on an egg hunt ( found none) found out that I am not like Mr. Keating (who’s he?) found what was in my make-up kit (I use make-up?) uncovered the mystery of my name (ooh-aah) ran away from “the mob” (witness protection plan) realized I have sheep on a farm (still haven’t been there)
Yeah – it’s been a busy month. And I’ve done all this without leaving the comfort of my office/home. Actually, once I tore my face away from FaceBook, I entered the real world and had the distinct pleasure of actually seeing something really phenomenal in downtown Augusta. I saw Duff McKagan perform an acoustic set at Rock Bottom Music,
a rare treat for music fans, with his band Loaded. They sang “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones. Apparently the first time ever in public. Search YouTube if you want to see it. But live and in person was really cool. Even cooler was the band staying afterward for almost two hours signing autographs and chatting it up with fans. The band was so pleased with their visit to this downtown staple that, later that night, they paid tribute by playing a riff or two of “Rock Bottom” to show their appreciation. Now how cool is that? All this recent activity brings me back to our downtown community and what a really hip place it is. There are so many great opportunities and events for you to be a part of, it’s astounding to think of all of them. To truly experience our downtown area, you must first start by looking. One look here in verge, look in other publications, go online, join a few “groups” and you will begin to uncover the wide variety of stuff that happens here. Some major touring bands with really big names in the music industry have recently played in our downtown. Some local bands have signed to record labels. New businesses have opened their doors for you to check out. Grand openings took place. There were parties, art shows, theatrical productions, impromptu live concerts and festivals. Saturday Market kicked off. Larry Jon Wilson sold out a show and hundreds of people “played through” downtown. These are only a few of the real life events that took place in our epicenter over the last thirty days. To say that our downtown district is the heart of our cultural and economic community is an understatement. Those of you who frequent downtown know what I am talking about. Sometimes you wish you didn’t have to decide which event you wanted to go to or have to choose at which of the thirty five restaurants to eat lunch or dinner at because they are all great
in their own way. All of this and I can still save the trees in the desert while flinging a few shoes around at my drunk friends watching their favorite movie while they dig in their makeup bags for their flair or something like that. My point. Don’t let it slip by you. Get connected. Get involved. Become a part of your community and you won’t need the virtual un-reality of life. You will have plenty to do with the limited time we actually do have. Speaking of limited time, the recent announcements regarding the future growth of our downtown district and plans to provide even greater cultural, sporting and community oriented events made me want to send balloons to all of my friends or a button or a shoe or something. The future looks great for the downtown Augusta community. Who would be against that? Community and Growth. Economic security for the future of our town. Even more events and a really tripped out high tech facility to do it in. Let’s dig! Your downtown is about to pop the top off the bottle. Don’t you want to be a part of that? This is so exciting (I’m thinking buttons, buttons, buttons and more buttons). I really do have to agree with some great leaders of this community when they say “it’s great to be in Augusta.” What a great time to become a part of something very special in the history of Augusta. I have said it before and will now say it again and again: Koinania, Doulos, Non sibi sed aliis “Not for ourselves, but for others.” Are you listening? Do you hear that? That’s the future. Are you a part of it? See you downtown. If I’m not off throwing shoes at the sheep my friend just left on my farm somewhere… Matt Happy Mother’s Day Mom(s)!
find what you want / advertiser index shops & galleries 40 43 36 10 23 40 6 8 18 16 32 4 6 2 26 34
8th Street Tobacco 8th Street Tobacco Andy Jordans Artistic Perceptions blue magnolia Brigan’s Cloud Nine Costumes by Michele Elduets Treasures of the World Paper Vinyl Cloth PeachMac Quilt Shop on The Corner Revolve Rock Bottom Music Shoppe 31:30 Vintage 965
8 26 12 42
Vintage Ooollee Window Gallery Woodrow Wilson House Zimmerman Gallery
entertainment & events 10 16 36 34 18 42 44
95 Rock Presents Mudbugabeaux 95 Rock Presents Rock - N - Ramble Andy Jordans Lock to lock Ride Augusta Canal Sacred Heart Soul Rockin’ Funk Surrey Tavern Third Annual Tatto Expo
restaurants & bars 12 10 24 14 40 38 22 8 14 24 6 4 32
1102 Bar & Grill Aroma Blue Sky Kitchen Club Rehab Joe’s Underground The Loft Manuel’s Bread Cafe Metro Coffeehouse & Pub Nacho Mama’s New Moon Café Stillwater Taproom T-Boy’s Po’Boys White Elephant
services 20 4
Americana Tattoo Casella Eye Center
14 18 44 20 36 34 6 12 26 24 14 16
Dazzliing Car Care Downtown Dental Tatto Expo Halo Salon & Spa Health Central Klean Machine Perry & Company PowerServe Sanford, Bruker & Banks Spa Bleu Summerville Maids The Well
choose local first
6 / may / verge
verge / may / 7
quick clips two of downtown’s
youngest residents “play through downtown”
photo KATIE MCGUIRE
magic and fantasy mix
into new retail store
Here’s a case study on entrepreneurship in progress. Stan and Rita Brigan began their love affair with medieval things at home; their family enjoys role playing games and fantasy literature. They turned that into a small shop at the Barnyard Flea Market, carrying knives, swords, daggers, medieval helmets and shields. Five years later, they’ve brought their fantasyland downtown to 912 Broad Street and expanded again, with a full array of fairies, pirates, dragons, gem stones, herbs and hand crafted wands. Read the whole story in next month’s verge or, better yet, stop by the store Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm and Friday to Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm.
call for teen volunteers at science center
Fort Discovery is now accepting applications for summer volunteers from students ages 14 and older. If you are interested in science, math and working with children, get the forms from Paige Tom: tomp@nsc.discovery.org.
The “guess what’s in the golf tee” game during Masters Week drew several hundred participants. Combined with targeted efforts to market directly to Masters guests and encouraging local residents to come downtown during the week, the game resulted in a week of increased activity for many downtown businesses. For a list of winning results, visit dasquared.com.
taste some award winning gumbo at t-boy’s
T-Boy’s Po’Boy’s Creole Gumbo recently won first place at the E.J. Williams Memorial Bar-B-Que Cook-off at The Church of the Most Holy Trinity at 720 Telfair Street. The annual cook-off represents the best cooks and grillers in the CSRA and proceeds go to the Immaculate Conception school. Stop by T-Boy’s at 1032 Broad Street to check out the trophy and then settle down to a bowl of the prize winning gumbo.
where art meets healing
Check out the North Augusta Artists Guild exhibit and sale on First Friday, May 1, to raise money and awareness for the Southeastern Firefighters’ Burn Foundation. The Burn Foundation supports burn patients and their families both during and after treatment of the trauma of a burn. A portion of all exhibit sales will be donated to the Burn Foundation. At Artistic Perceptions, 551 Broad Street from 5 pm ‘til 9 pm. Details: 706.724.8739.
photo KATIE MCGUIRE
a mountain bike ride in the city?
Forget you’re in the city limits. Drew Jordan is organizing a weekly mountain bike on Wednesdays. Bicyclers meet at Andy Jordan’s (527 13th St.) at 6:15 pm, hop on the mountain bikes, trek over to the Augusta Canal Towpath to the Canal Singletrack Mountain Bike Trail, do a couple of laps, and then ride back to the store. The course is about The total mileage is about 15 miles and good for beginners or mid level mountain bikers. You’ll need a mountain bike, a helmet and water. Details: Drew Jordan at 706.724.6777
bleeding counterfeit signs with go diy records
One local band is proving that MySpace can lead to bigger things. One of Go DIY Record’s scouts discovered the band when searching for burgeoning talent in Georgia. Bleeding Counterfeit signed with the independent group last month. Go DIY sets up tours, reps to larger labels and grooms young indie bands for success. Josh Pierce, Joel Hodges, Chris Libby and Michael Baideme have headed back to the recording studio to finish their new album and take the next step. Check them out this month: bleedingcounterfeit.com.
photo TWELVE NINETEEN
louis harris award goes to tom grant
Congratulations to Tom Grant, editor of Metro Spirit, who recently received West Augusta Rotary Club’s Louis Harris Award. An active community leader, Mr. Harris served as editor of The Augusta Chronicle and The Augusta Herald. His fellow Rotarians chose in 1978 to honor his memory with the annual award. Previous recipients of the award include notable local journalists Clyde Wells, Sylvia Cooper, Bill Kirby and Dennis Sodomka, recent editor of The Augusta Chronicle.
call for entries: submit literary work for the inkling
In celebration of the art of the written word, verge is now accepting entries for The Inkling, a new literary journal discovering the best in local prose, poetry and art. Named in honor of the informal Oxford literary club of the 30s and 40s, which included famed authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, The Inkling mirrors the desire to encourage pursuit of the written word, while providing mind-stimulating stories, essays and poems for consumption. The first issue of The Inkling will be inserted into September’s verge.
photo KATIE MCGUIRE
Gallery on the Row is Celebrating 5 Years Gallery on the Row is celebrating its fifth anniversary during the month of May. During a special celebration on First Friday, May 1, you can meet the artists and enjoy an anniversary slideshow chronicling their history. The gallery at 1016 Broad Street is a cooperative owned and operated by ten local artists which features paintings, photography, pottery, glass art, baskets, textile, jewelry and wood work.
Original art (literary cartoons, photography, paintings and drawings) may also be submitted for consideration. For complete submission guidelines or more details, email editor@vergelive.com or call 706.828. 6550. Deadline for submission is June 30, 2009.
got news? we want to hear it
Whether it’s a new product line or an addition to your menu, a new employee or a new title, an addition to the family or a request for help, verge wants to hear from you. Send your “quick clips” to editor@vergelive.com by the 20th of each month for inclusion in the next issue. We’re here to help you spread the good news about your business.
8 / may / verge
verge / may / 9
discover downtown shop
dine
play
live
Schweitzer Art Glass
New Moon Café
Still Water Taproom
The Well
Creating fantastic works of glass for customers
Dedicated to brewing the very best coffee and
Hankering for some excellent live music, wide
A downtown church, The Well is a community
980 Broad Street
1002 Broad Street
974 Broad Street
716 Broad Street
in downtown Augusta and across the globe,
espresso beverages, The New Moon Café at 1002
selection of on tap beer and lively camaraderie?
of believers seeking to know God more fully
Schweitzer Art Glass has been going strong for
Broad Street also offers excellent lunch fare,
Look no further than Still Water Taproom.
through Biblical truth and relevant worship.
twenty years. When most people think of stained
pastries, teas, smoothies and cool anti-corporate
Specializing in Americana and bluegrass music,
Seeking to engage people, the Well concentrates
glass, they conjure a picture of simple pattern
coffee apparel. You’ll find a peaceful stop to wake
Stillwater Taproom has gotten quite a reputation
on developing relationships and, providing
panes with only a few colors, but what artist Robin
yourself up in the morning, get some work done
on the circuit as an Americana showcase. On any
discipleship. Led by pastors Jeremy Carr and
Schweitzer creates are nothing less than intricate
with their free Wi-Fi or laze away a couple of
given Friday night, you might catch The Avett
Reggie Horne, the church set out with a heart
masterpieces. The scenes depicted in the works
hours chatting with friends or reading a book. All
Brothers, Christabel and the Johns, The New
for community, seeking ways to meet the needs
are complex and utilize many facets of light, color,
of their coffees and teas are fair trade certified and
Familiars or Zach Deputy (to name a few). A full
of the downtown area. The current study
and texture to render beautiful images. Most of the
every month they pair one coffee with a charity,
line up of bands for the entire year of 2009 can
concentrates on biblical identities, what they
work is displayed in houses of worship or homes,
so that a portion of all proceeds from bean sales
be found on their MySpace (stillwatertaproom).
reveal about God and how they apply to His
but examples can be seen in their comprehensive
are given to that charity. All pastries are baked
Their bartenders are experts at the art of
church. Services are open all, this is the place
gallery and workshop at 980 Broad Street. Other
on site to give you the freshest possible selection.
a “hand-drawn pint” and the selection of
where “seekers” are welcome. There is no dress
services offered include consultations and design
Try one of their giant sized muffins or a chocolate
microbrews and imports is impressive. The
code for the two identical Sunday services: 9
as well as historic preservation and restoration.
filled crossaint. The staff loves the downtown area
old world atmosphere is such that even if you
am and 10:45 am. Childcare is offered at the
Their biggest concern is the satisfaction of every
and its people. After a few visits, you’ll quickly
come by yourself you definitely won’t be left in
second service for kids 5 years old and younger.
customer no matter the size of the job. Robyn also
become a regular! Staff can keep you in the know
the corner crying in your beer. Though it’s only
Come early and any of the Pastors will be happy
has a wide array of smaller glass pieces, perfect
on what’s happening downtown and where to
been around for four years, it has the feeling of
to spend a few minutes telling you about the
for gift giving. The gallery is open: Tuesday to
go to find whatever you need. Open Monday to
an old favorite. Get there early to grab one of the
history, present, and future direction of the
Saturday 10 am to 5 pm. 706.722.8959 or www.
Saturday 7 am to 6 pm and Sundays 9 am to 3 pm.
sidewalk rocking chairs and “rock” your cares
church. www.thewellaugusta.org
sartglass.com
706.823.2008
away. www.myspace.com /stillwatertaproom
by ANDREW MULLIS photos ANDREW MULLIS
moving downtown / the art factory builds the future On the first day of May, The Art Factory continues to fulfill its motto, Building a better community through the Arts, as it relocates its home to Sacred Heart Cultural Center in downtown Augusta. The Art Factory will continue their art education outreach programs which served over 1,000 children last year with free fine arts instruction in dance, drama and visual art at the new location. Cindy O’Brien, executive director of The Art Factory, testifies to the impact their program has made in the community. “The past proves the success – learning math through visual arts, and proving that children can dream as big as they want,” O’Brien says. Fourteen years ago, The Art Factory was challenged to find agencies to support their programs. By taking the arts directly into the schools through the Art@School program, AF helps to save on overhead costs and adds greatly to the overall educational experience. “Art at School” builds lessons around artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet while, each semester, they choose new artists to feature. These grant funded programs squeeze within the school’s schedule once a week for fifty minutes to engage each child with the knowledge and experience of each educator and instructor who donate their time in the fields of dance, drama and visual art.
O’Brien hopes the program gives each child the opportunity to “get them out of routine life and be able to apply what they are learning from the workshops.” Supporting children in the art fields adds another dimension to their adolescent minds, shaping their form of self-expression which catapults them to high levels of learning when they see they can do something they never thought possible. The Art Factory targets children of the elementary and middle school age to begin formulating artistic concepts and ideas into tangible projects that builds teamwork increasing their ability to problem solve with others. In this vapid age of technology, kids have become so internalized with video games and internet communication, they are now challenged by the simplicity of human interaction. Other programs include an after school arts program for low income schools and the Boys & Girl’s Club, summer camps, and partnerships with Hope House, Pendleton King Park and more. The Art Factory also provides art training for teachers. For more information about upcoming programs/schedules or ways to support the arts, visit www. artfactoryinc.com or call 706.731.0008. by HEATHER RANKIN photo THE ART FACTORY
10 / may / verge
verge / may / 11
she saw / she stayed
downtown, first friday and daughter convince mom to move to augusta
a daughter sees: My husband and I are “downtownies.” We definitely believe in supporting local business and artists. They have that distinctive flair. We spend many of our date nights downtown. Usually, after a nice dinner, we find ourselves lost in the Book Tavern, exploring curiosities and chocolate at blue magnolia, or grabbing a cup of joe and a big muffin at New Moon Café. My husband proposed to me at our favorite table at The Bee’s Knees, where we also had our rehearsal dinner. It has become “our place;” we always try to grab “our table” each time we dine there. We love downtown so much we got married at the Marbury Center one year ago, this month. You may also find us on a Sunday grabbing a brunch and then walking over to Zimmerman Gallery to check out to see what new beautiful art and jewelry just came in. Downtown Augusta was also how I convinced my Mom to move closer to me. Every time she would visit, I would take her downtown. I knew if she saw how quaint, quirky, and unique our downtown was, she would definitely come. Since Mom and I are both artists, I also knew she would be sold on First Friday. She soon began coordinating her trips to visit me around the first Friday of the month. Now that she lives here, First Friday became our “thing.” If we don’t get chance to see each other because of the busyness of life, we know when First Friday comes around we will be spending time together, talking, laughing, and ogling over the wonderful art downtown has to offer. We usually meet at the Mellow Mushroom on the corner and giggle at the Billy S. art on the walls. Recently the two of us discovered Shoppe 31:30 where we could spend hours looking at the unique, affordable clothing, jewelry and shoes they have. We love going into Vintage Ooollee and discussing how the different time periods of clothes remind us of certain moments of our lives. She shows me the Jacqueline Kennedy pillbox hats, while I show her the puffy sleeved 80’s prom dresses. I also love spending many hours getting my hair done at Halo Salon with by my stylist and friend, Nikki. I walk out always feeling like I’m ready to show off my new hair style on a date night with my husband or meeting with my mom — downtown, of course!
a mother speaks: I am what you would call a “downtown person.” I grew up in a time when people lived in neighborhood, and the center of the city was the downtown. Downtown was where you went on Saturday to spend your allowance; where you mother took you to the library to check out a new book for the week or buy you some new shoes. It was also where your church was and the center of commerce. The downtown of my childhood was the very heart and soul of the city. I lived for 20 years in a city that literally sold out its soul long ago, in order to become the theme park capitol of the world. The condition of that downtown area saddened and angered me. I saw how neglect and apathy can affect a downtown that has withered away into a bleak and dangerous landscape, instead of a warm, unique, familyoriented gathering place. When my daughter moved back here to finish her education at Augusta State, I used to drive from Florida to have an occasional weekend visit with her. When I stepped into downtown Augusta, I fell in love with it. Here again was the downtown of my youth! The buildings
from another time, the quaint and curious little shops, and galleries, all were just waiting for me to explore them. I then discovered First Friday! My daughter and I are both artists, and at the time she was an art major. She introduced me to First Friday, and I was hooked! I made it my mission, with my weekend visits, to make sure I got Friday off, and literally drove all day, in order to get here in time for First Friday that night. I love Augusta and its downtown so much, that I finally found a job here and have been living here two years now. I try to never miss a First Friday, and also come by myself to still explore. I do have my favorites. I love New Moon, with the big casual couch, and all that stuff to read, like I am in my own living room. I also love to be pampered by Nikki at Halo. I travel the world when I go into Elduets Treasures of the World, where, by the way, you can find great stocking stuffers at Christmas. I could stay all day in the Zimmerman Gallery, and love the unique pottery at Tire City Potters! I develop a Mellow Mushroom craving if I do not eat there on a semi-regular basis. I also love explaining what tapas are to my friends, and telling them about The Bee’s Knees. And, there is no other store quite like blue magnolia, believe me! A few years ago, when my daughter told me about First Friday being in danger of disappearing, I was all ready to compose my angry protest letter. But, thank goodness, that did not happen. I am also so
happy that just while I have been living here, more people are coming back or rediscovering this unique downtown. I recently went back to college, to take a course at Augusta State, and made friends with some students, who also love their downtown. That is so wonderful to see younger people supporting downtown activities. What does sadden me is that there are still people in Augusta who do not even venture out past their suburbia, to explore and discover what a unique and wonderful downtown they have here. I am always reminding my coworkers when it’s First Friday, and they always say they might go there one of these days. I even tell them I will meet them down there, and they come up with an excuse. This I cannot understand. I used to drive hundreds of miles to this downtown, yet they live here and never see it for the experience it could be? Come on, people - check it out! Thank goodness for those of us who love it! Long may downtown Augusta live! by JENNIFER FOSHEE STROUT AND SARA FOSHEE photo ELIZABETH BENSON Jennifer Foshee Strout is an artist and a high school art teacher who has a Fine Arts Degree in Sculpture/Ceramics from Augusta State University. Her mother, Sara Foshee, is a Registered Nurse and collage artist who moved here two years ago with her 2 rescue cats, and they are all loving Augusta.
12 / may / verge
verge / may / 13
front porch / rosemary forrest
“One day some pot I make may be held by a future potter still covered in clay, still playing with fire, though the world around them may be as different from mine as mine is from the ancient Chinese, Africans or Egyptians.”
If you have visited blue magnolia, chances are you have seen the work of local artist Rosemary Forrest. In addition to her years of experience as a writer, editor and public relations director, she is also a gifted potter whose teapots, cups, plates pots, bowls and even some musical instruments are available locally and online at www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6018944. Forrest traces her affinity for the craft to childhood. “You might say I started my pottery career long before I even knew what pottery was,” she says. “ I used to play in the mud as a preschooler and was frustrated that the handles I tried to put on my little cups never stayed. My mom bought me clay – that awful hard greasy stuff they used to sell in little strips – but it was too hard for me to work with. My first time at a potter’s wheel came much later. I was 17 and dating an art major at the local college in New Jersey. One night I went with him to the art building. A door was open to the ceramics lab. I was drawn in as if by a magnet. I found some clay, sat down at a kick wheel and hours later my boyfriend found me, covered in clay. I enrolled that fall and took all the ceramics classes offered, then transferred to another college where I started a program in clay.” Over the years, Forrest hit the professional fast track, working for several newspapers in addition to becoming a wife and mother. “I never quite let go of the pottery,” she says. “I kept a kick wheel for years and even taught a few classes at the Y for a while. But it was strictly a hobby until a few years ago.” In 2000, she set up a home studio, where she continues to work. In 2005, she was laid off from her public relations position and shortly thereafter became caretaker for her elderly mother. At the same time, Piedmont Tech in Edgefield, S.C., was launching a professional clay program. “The Center for Creative offers a great studio, a flexible schedule and I bit. I was the program’s first graduate and have been doing pottery pretty much fulltime ever since.” While Forrest understands the ease and temptation of purchasing mass-produced, economically priced ware from retail stores, she also stresses the importance of investing in one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pottery. “I know one can buy a dozen mugs at Wal-Mart for the price of one or two that are handmade, and if that’s what one wants, that’s what they should get,” she says. “But there are people who understand that handmade pottery is art you can use. People don’t blink at paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for paintings or photographs. A centerpiece bowl, large jar or dinnerware set does the same thing for a home as wall art with the added bonus of function.” Forrest proudly describes herself as a functional potter. “Most of my work is designed to be used,” she says. “I do make some funky items, and my teapots, while functional, often are also sculptural. I am making a line of what I call ‘Bag Lady Teapots,’ which sport lids that suggest hats and shapes that suggest the female form – in a fanciful way. I also enjoy making large pieces.” She laughs at the fictional portrayal of her craft; for example, the famous pottery scene in Ghost, where the wheel does all the work while Demi Moore works Patrick Swayze. A real potter, she stresses, is part craftsman and part scientist, mixing ingredients and chemicals with mathematical calculations to get the ratios exactly right. “I use both the wheel and coils, as well as a hot torch to create the larger pieces,” she explains. “When it comes to firing and glazing I prefer a gas reduction kiln fired to what potters call ‘cone 10,’ a high temperature. The term ‘reduction’ refers to the way the kiln is starved of oxygen at a certain point in the firing, resulting in subtle effects and colors unattainable in an electric kiln. I lean toward ash glazes because of the drippy effect they give. “Glazing is really as much science as art. I am fascinated with the tweaking of
glaze recipes. Even a subtle change in ingredients can make for unexpected results. Sure, sometimes it’s frustrating to do nothing but make glazes and test them, but it leads to more predictable results on one’s pots, and that’s a good thing. I also like to use found ingredients such as old glass, rocks, dirt or clay in my glazes.” Her love of pottery is multifaceted, she says. “I am drawn to it because it is both challenging and forgiving. If I mess up a pot before I fire it, I can just recycle the clay. If I live to be 100 I will not learn all there is to know or make all the pots I carry around in my mind. I like the fact that it is both an ancient art and contemporary craft. A very famous potter, Don Riechts, is fond of saying, ‘What endures? Bones and teeth and shards!’ It is possible today to hold in one’s hands a pot or shard that someone made thousands of years ago by processes similar to those I use today. That links me with the past and the future! One day some pot I make may be held by a future potter still covered in clay, still playing with fire, though the world around them may be as different from mine as mine is from the ancient Chinese, Africans or Egyptians. “Sometimes I think I should have taken up a different art, something lighter, less expensive, but I really had no choice about it. If one does pottery long enough one will have arm and wrist pain and I had both before even getting serious with clay. Clay is heavy stuff. Pots are substantial. The equipment necessary to produce good pottery isn’t cheap and neither are the materials and tools. I could just get a couple of knitting needles and yarn, but no, I have to have clay! I really do.” Rosemary Forrest’s pottery is available at blue magnolia: 1124 Broad Street. by ALISON RICHTER photo ELIZABETH BENSON
14 / may / verge
verge / may / 15
le chat noir / closes the season with a bang The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer opens May 22
“If the radiance of a thousand
suns were to burst at once into the sky that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One... I am become Death, the Shatterer of Worlds.” – robert j. oppenheimer quoting the bhagavad gita (alamogordo, new mexico, 1945) Le Chat Noir closes its 2008/2009 theatrical season with Carson Kreitzer’s poetic docudrama: The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer. The story, fused by the diverse passions of fury, ethics and control is centralized within the person of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who organized the efforts to produced the world’s first atomic bomb. , ambivalence, ego, The play is a fascinating “So much adaptation of Oppenheimer’s life history, myth, science, moral argument, and conflicts, both historically emotional heat, poetry and and dramatically driven by the off-balance created by his melancholic afflictions and a are compressed into the mere two hours supporting cast of antic and it takes for Carson Kreitzer’s play to challenging characters. Set in … a an over-sized box of sand that by the time it is all over, you might representing both the New Mexico desert and the Los easily feel you’ve been exposed to Alamos Laboratory (and possibly dangerous levels of radiation.” the barren aspects of his life), the – the c hicago sun times play explores Oppenheimer’s existence by his relationships with these colorful and endearing characters. In rather poetic exposition, the play unwinds with Oppenheimer’s life and decisions pitted against moral ethics and human emotion.
brilliance
sheer dazzling theatricality
detonate on the stage
“This is a play about physics, but it’s also a play about anger, an anger so big and unstoppable it can be directed at one man in Germany and wind up decimating the population of two cities in Japan,” notes Kreitzer. Oppenheimer’s Jewish background is depicted and interestingly brought to light by the ghost Lilith; a woman taken from Jewish mythology, where she was thought to have
existed before Eve, but drafted out of Paradise, due to her refusal to bear the role as ‘first woman’. Throughout the play, Lilith acts as both a taunting phantasm and a mirror for Oppenheimer’s conscious. Kreitzer’s creative contrast between Oppenheimer and Lilith and his interaction with the people involved in his life (personally and historically) allows the struggles with his identity to couple with the ambitions of a scientist and the emotional conflicts of good versus evil. Carson Kreitzer received the Rosenthal New Play Prize after the play’s debut in 2003. However, the piece continued to receive mixed reviews with most critics, who remarked on the story’s dense and cryptic metaphors which seemed to leave audience responsible for knitting the plot together. That, however is what makes this play so appealing. Derived from T.S. Eliot’s poem, The Love of J. Alfred Prufrock, Love Song is akin to the labyrinth style piece of literature, filled with dismal, yet enlightening imagery set in and around a core character’s psyche. With a penchant for all things off-key and a love for the fluctuating debate within science, I’m thrilled to catch this production. “Essentially, it addresses a dialectic we often don’t think of: ambition and regret,” remarks Doug Joiner, co-partner of Le Chat Noir and director of this particular show. Under Joiner’s direction, Love Song will definitely display the darker moments, while encouraging the lighter and more comical situations to peak. Joiner adds, “How can we search for knowledge so deadly and what if one’s invention destroys hundreds of thousands?” Ultimately, The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer asks these haunting questions (and consequences) of our internal and external world, shedding the outcome of how we chose to respond to it. The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer premieres May 22 and May 23 and will run through June 6. Check www.lcnaugusta.com for more information on specific show times and ticket prices. by JOYCE TAHOP photos COURTESY OF IAS
16 / may / verge
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the heart of community / justice and mercy
christ community health center serves those in greatest need
Two weeks ago Tuesday, Crysti breezed into the waiting room at Christ Community Health Services Augusta. “How are you today?” the reception staff greeted her cheerfully. She quipped, “If I was any better, there would be two of me!” Several months prior to this visit, Crysti darkly described her headaches and seizures, fits of tremors that kept her from working. She’d scheduled her first appointment for a month out, but warned the staff that she might not be alive by then; brain tumors ran in her family. Now, four months later, she was bright and contented. “Since then, I was saved,” she explains, “and the doctor prescribed me blood pressure medication.” Christ Community Health Services Augusta (CCHSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit physicians’ office providing high-quality, affordable primary healthcare to insured and uninsured patients in the Central Savannah River Area. The clinic is a “Safety Net,” filling a significant need in the community by guaranteeing ongoing healthcare to patients who otherwise would have no access, because they either have no insurance or they have insurance with limited coverage.
doing justly
Located at 1226 D’Antignac Street just a few blocks down from University Hospital and in the heart of one of Augusta’s rougher neighborhoods, Christ
Community
is
perfectly
poised
to
participate in “the redemptive work of Christ to the economically, socially, and spiritually impoverished communities of Augusta,” according to the organization’s statement of vision. This vision incorporates each member of the fifteenperson staff of full- and part-time employees, including two physicians, a nurse practitioner, two nurses, a nursing assistant, an executive director, and a full administrative staff. The eight CCHSA board members subscribe to this vision as well, creating a united effort across levels of operation.
“the work of a good doctor and a good Christian foundationally involves good listening.
Spend a little extra time with patients becomes the mantra for the days.”
of people in his household, and the income and benefits of all the members of that household. The fee scale is based on the
coverage and can only pay for those consultations on a payment
most recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
plan. Pharmaceutical companies and their drug representatives
Federal Poverty Guidelines, and ranges from $20 to 50% of the
provide samples, which allow patients to take medication while
cost of the visit. These fees are in place partly to offset the cost
they wait for their prescription assistance applications to be processed with assistance programs.
According to a recent article in the Augusta Chronicle, a report
of running the clinic, but also because, staff members argue,
released last month by the consumer group Families USA
expecting patients to pay for their healthcare gives them a
showed one in three people under the age of 65 were without
stake in their wellbeing and creates the best scenario for quality
health insurance at some point in 2007 and 2008. And the
patient-doctor interactions.
problem is growing, as victims of the international recession lose their jobs and the benefits that go along with them. According to a 2008 report by the Brookings Institution, Augusta has the second highest concentration of working poor in the country. In this report, the working poor were defined as low-income tax filers receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2005. Under these circumstances, patients with common and ongoing health problems (read hypertension, asthma, and diabetes, numbers 1, 5, and 6 in the list of the top ten killers in the U.S.) end up in local emergency rooms, incurring huge bills and requesting help that is better provided by a primary care physician. In response to this healthcare crisis, the people behind CCHSA are clear about their mission: Christ Community exists to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and to demonstrate His love
loving mercy
Sit in the front office at CCHSA for five minutes and you will discover everything you ever wanted to know about the clinic. The phones ring off their hooks with new patient queries. Jennifer and LaDasha can barely keep up with the phones and face-to-face patient interactions. Again and again, they explain that at Christ Community, a patient can receive an EKG, a breast exam, a pap smear, and STD testing. Just like at any physician’s office, a patient can get her vaccinations and prescriptions at CCHSA, and the office finds the most affordable options available for these things. The cost of medications, bloodwork, and other tests is over and above the cost of the office visit, but patients are always told exactly what they can expect to spend
by providing high-quality, affordable primary healthcare to the
before they have to provide the money.
medically underserved in the CSRA.
The work Christ Community does would never be possible
Patients with private and state insurance are seen alongside those who have no such resources. An uninsured patient pays for his visit on a sliding fee scale determined by the number
specialist referrals possible for patients who have no insurance
without the support of the medical community. University Hospital, for instance, consistently supports CCHSA by renting the current clinic property to CCHSA for its use. Likewise, CCHSA’s connections with other physicians in the region make
The CCHSA staff discovered something new about their returning patient, Crysti later on that same Tuesday: the recently homeless woman is a trained physicist whose doctoral work was in enhanced theory of black holes. She keeps a notepad with her where she calculates the state of mass after it reaches the speed of light. When she moved to Augusta, she says, a business venture went badly, and “I just met all the wrong people.” Revelations like this are the norm at CCHSA, where up to sixteen new patients are scheduled for two providers each day. The clientele at CCHSA is numerous and broad. In 2008, the two doctors oversaw almost 4,000 visits from insured and uninsured patients, from immigrant families to college students. Dr. Robert Campbell, co-founder of CCHSA, says that the work of a good doctor and a good Christian foundationally involves good listening. “Spend a little extra time with patients” becomes the mantra for the days. This is a philosophy that trickles through the clinic, from the original visionaries to the girls who work in the front office. With that mindset, the three providers look forward to more than 6000 patient encounters in 2009, and nearly double that at the Widows Home site in the following year.
KEEP READING ON PAGE 19
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the heart of community / a humble walk
faith and humility imbue the physicians who founded the clinic wa l k i n g h u m b l y with their God
medical training (both attended residency at
my goal is to be a physician with the heart of
came to CCHSA from the Richmond County
the University of Tennessee in Memphis) and
Christ, to care for those who need.”
Health
Christian discipleship. Robert Campbell was raised in a family that was
A living faith remains the central motivator at CCHSA. Each day begins at 8 a.m. with Scripture reading and prayer among the staff. There is a remarkable sense of vulnerability and harmony within the team during this time. Personal concerns mix with prayers for the upcoming procedures or family troubles of specific patients. A common request between staff members is for patience and love in relating to each other, to patients, in encountering poverty of all kinds and lack of healthcare access in America. “A true, palpable sense of humility allows us to be effective,” says Dr. Campbell. There are dozens of apologies made and accepted among the staff members every day. Both Dr. Campbell and his co-founder, Dr. Grant Scarborough, are double-boarded in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Their separate paths to Christ Community Augusta involved both medical school (Dr. Campbell graduated from the University of Illinois and Dr. Scarborough from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia),
The two doctors met in 2003 when Dr. Scarborough was interviewing for residency at
Department,
where
she
provided
women’s healthcare until December of 2008. Jeff Drake, a former civil engineer who found himself without a job in November, became the full-time
charitable as a matter of course. It was not until
Memphis. Dr. Campbell was just finishing his
his last year of college that he came to see all
last year of residency. The two men discovered
of those good deeds as absolutely meaningless
that they had similar goals and maintained
and useless apart from the provision of Christ
contact until 2006, when Scarborough and his
in connecting people to God. He spent a year
wife committed to moving to Augusta at the end
at seminary before going to medical school
of residency. The ball was now rolling for the
first in Illinois and later in Memphis. He
foundation of a clinic called Christ Community
was challenged by Rick Donlon, an Internal
Health Services Augusta. Officially incorporated
Medicine and Pediatrics doctor in Memphis,
in July 2007, the clinic started with two doctors,
Christ Community Augusta also believes it is
to lay down his agenda for a higher call of
a nurse, an office manager, and some furniture.
important to educate future healthcare providers
restoring and rebuilding broken people and
The Community Foundation of the CSRA,
in caring for the underserved. Several medical
places. Dr. Campbell spent time during medical
Healthcare Georgia, and Diversified Conveyers
and nursing students from the Medical College
school with Christ Community Health Services
in Memphis all contributed the money and
of Georgia and Augusta Technical College have
Memphis, the model for the Augusta clinic,
supplies necessary to open in November of
rotated through the office as part of the clinical
further embedding in him a desire to care
2007.
component of their schooling, and numerous
comprehensively for the primary needs of urban underserved areas. Care for the poor became “something to weave into the fabric of my life.”
Neither doctor takes a pay check. The Gospel of Christ, they say, is something that must extend into every corner of their lives. Says Dr.
Dr. Scarborough had spent time in college as a
Campbell: “We want to make enough money
Young Life leader, taking wealthy Atlanta high
(as a clinic) to be good stewards of what we
school students into the inner city to serve in
have, but we must let the gospel transform our
Executive Director in December. Karen Hobbs was a registered nurse at a local transitional center for many years before becoming head nurse at CCHSA. All the staff have a profound sense of God’s orchestrating their circumstances to bring them to do the work that he has called them to at 1226 D’Antignac.
students also volunteer their time and energy to help the CCHSA cause. Three residents at the Medical College of Georgia have completed some of their education at CCHSA, including two-week
community
healthcare
clinical
rotations and continuity clinic rotations.
homeless shelters. He saw how big a need there
priorities…If an expensive home is a priority,
Because of the tremendous growth that the
was for holistic care of the people he encountered
it places a financial burden on me so that truly
clinic has seen in the past year, an upgraded
there, who had so many more complicated
care for the poor is impossible.” In other words,
facility is now absolutely needed. The current
health problems than simply hunger. So he went
there should be no dichotomy between the
clinic is bursting at its seams; some days, there
to medical school and during his residency
missionary and the non-missionary.
program in Memphis was attracted to the work of the Memphis inner city doctors. “I realized that in my greatest need Christ moved to me and healed me,” Scarborough explains. “Now
“a true, palpable sense of humility allows us to be effective.” the need in numbers •18.9% of Georgians were entirely without health insurance in 2006.* •One in three Americans under age 65 were without health insurance at some point in 2007 and 2008.** •Uninsured patients are twice as likely to visit an ER than someone with insurance. •In the CSRA more than 17,000 uninsured patients were seen in emergency departments for non emergent care. •CCHSA patient visits in 2008 totaled almost 4000. •72% of CCHSA patients were without health insurance in 2008. •61.5% of CCHSA patients in four-person households had incomes at 77% or less of the Georgia median income for the same household size. •Metropolitan Augusta has the second highest concentration of working poor in the country.*** *From the Georgia Health Rankings 2006, Healthcare Georgia. Published May, 2007 **From a report by Family USA ***From a report by the Brookings Institution
The other staff members have also taken varied and unpredictable routes to arrive at CCHSA. Katie Driver, the newly-hired nurse practitioner,
is barely enough seating in the waiting area for all the patients, and the four exam rooms don’t begin to accommodate the flow of patients who need to be seen in sequence.
KEEP READING ON PAGE 21
20 / may / verge
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the heart of community / rebuilding walls
the widow’s home becoming the center’s new home
“You realize that there’s more to a person than just their body, and there’s more to healing than just a pill.” the day for building wa l l s w i l l c o m e
patients who are continuously falling through
“We don’t want to start construction until $2
is what makes this “high-quality, affordable
the cracks in the insurance scaffolding mean
million more is either pledged or in pocket,”
primary healthcare” venture something worth
that patient visits will not slow any day soon.
says Jeff Drake, CCHSA Executive Director
supporting. It transcends particular people and
When you open the door to the big building on
So fund-raising is ongoing in an effort to raise
and Project Manager for the Widows Home.
places in providing the universal gift of spiritual,
Greene Street called the Widows Home, a cold
the full $3.1 million it will take to renovate the
Construction will begin with an eye preserving
psychological, and physical health, and yet it is
breeze greets you. Air has settled in the rafters
Widows Home as a state-of-the-art clinic that
the historic exterior of the building and to
intrinsically tied to the very nitty-gritty, day-
and floorboards, remnant from 122 years of
simultaneously honors the history that occurred
making the best possible use of the interior
to-day interactions between people that change
Augusta winters. The care that went into the
there.
space, while also honoring the original corridor
lives.
construction of the Widows Home is tangible,
R.W. Allen, LLC is the contractor for the Widows
as heavy as the silence of anticipation that pervades the structure. Neat stacks of antique mantelpieces, piles of tools, and propped up
Home project. Nick Dickinson and Associates are the architects. Both are well-known, community-oriented businesses who have a
wheelbarrows sit in the halls, waiting.
historic preservation success story just down the
The Widows Home as we know it now was built in
street in the restored Heritage Academy, which
walls. The goal is for the Widows Home site to house twelve exam rooms, a state of the art Electronic Medical Records System, a laboratory, a pediatric physical therapy suite, a classroom, a counselor’s office, and the capacity for 6 providers to supply 25,000-30,000 patient visits every year. Tentative Widows Home project end
Crysti, the physicist patient at Christ Community, told me that interviewing for this article was like sharing her testimony. “It would be an absolute sin to withhold (my story),” she declares. Crysti keeps at the forefront of her mind what most of us forget or choose to ignore: that God moves us
1887 and was originally a shelter for Confederate
used to be Houghton School. Rick Allen of
widows in the social chaos following the Civil
R.W. Allen emphasizes how deeply he believes
War. The plot of land the Widows Home sits on
in the mission of CCHSA. “This is the answer
“I’m excited about taking an unused historical
was once the site of the City Hospital for the
for the uninsured,” he says. “These people are
structure and turning it back into a used
Crysti’s doctor, Grant Scarborough, agrees. “You
“sick poor,” and the location of Georgia’s first
missionaries in the healthcare world.” Both
structure, for a purpose consistent with its
realize that there’s more to a person than just
date is middle to late 2010.
and changes us for the ultimate goal of glorifying himself. In the exchange between patient and physician, a God-honoring relationship occurs.
medical school. In July 2007, Clay Boardman
R.W. Allen and Nick Dickinson and Associates
history,” says Drake. He says the Widows
their body, and there’s more to healing than just
donated the building, valued at $400,000, for the
are donating a large portion of their services to
Home will allow greater access to quality
a pill.”
express purpose of being used as a community-
get the job done. Two local engineering firms,
primary healthcare and provide stability for the
oriented physicians’ office.
Electrical Design Consultants and Cranston
community. As members of Christ’s universal
Engineering Group have also donated their
church, the people behind Christ Community
engineering fees.
are committed to the institution. But they are
Currently, Christ Community operates out of a former dialysis clinic which has been renovated to its present glory by numerous volunteers
With demolition largely finished, the Widows
and corporations. Yet the daily calls from new
Home is now ready to undergo its renovation.
committed more than that to the people they are serving in the name of Jesus. And that
by CHARLOTTE OKIE photo, page 17 KATIE MCGUIRE photos, page 19 ELIZABETH BENSON headers from MICAH 6:8 AND 7:11 find the history of the Widows Home on page 35
22 / may / verge
gallery
soundcheck
Southern Eccentric: Larry Connatser
Junior Brown
Morris Museum of Art • opens May 2
Imperial Theatre May 8
Southern Eccentric: Paintings by Larry Connatser, an exhibition of approximately fifteen works by the late Larry Connatser, opens at the Morris Museum of Art on May 2, 2009. This is the first time the Morris Museum has exhibited a selection from its holdings of hundreds of works of art by the painter.
Junior Brown, joined by the Belleville Outfit, makes his Augusta debut as the final performer in this season’s Southern Soul and Song concert series at the Imperial Theatre.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1938 and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Connatser turned his considerable energies to painting some years after earning a degree in English literature from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. After a lengthy residence in Chicago, Illinois, he returned to Georgia in 1971, first living in Atlanta, where he executed a number of public murals, before moving to Savannah. He developed a unique style, often using brightly colored, three-dimensional dots organized within highly intricate compositions. Though self-taught, Connatser was thoroughly informed about historical and contemporary art. He was prolific, producing more than twenty-five hundred paintings by the time of his death in 1996. In 2005, the Morris Museum was bequeathed the remainder of his estate, creating the largest collection of his work in a public institution. He is also represented in the collections of Savannah’s Telfair Museum of Art, which organized a major retrospective exhibition of his paintings in 2002, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Learn more about Larry Connatser at the Morris’ Art at Lunch on Friday, May 15 at noon. Holly Koons McCullough, curator of fine arts and exhibitions at the Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah will discuss Connatser’s colorful life and work. Southern Eccentric: Paintings by Larry Connatser remains on view in the Morris Museum of Art’s Coggins Gallery through August 23, 2009. For details: themorris.org. art LARRY CONNATSER / Trolley in the Plaza, 1965 / MMoA
Trying to classify Junior Brown’s music would require more time and space than deadlines permit. He has performed with equal success at the Grand Ole Opry and at rock festivals. “A lot of people tell me they don’t like country music, but they like what I am doing,” he says. “I hear that line more than anything else.” Classifying him as one or the other, however, is a misnomer. His unique approach to music crosses genre lines, which explains why he has achieved such longevity with an ever-increasing fan base. “Just about the time they label me as some old-time honky-tonk singer, I throw something new in there that surprises them,” he says of the skeptics who sometimes appear in his audience. “And then they’ll appreciate the traditional styles of country music too. Do something to wow them without ruining the roots of country and they end up accepting the music that they would have been prejudiced against.” A stellar musician, singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer, the Austin native was also a regular performer at the Nashville Country Radio Seminar, where he amazed attendees with his “guit-steel,” a combination of six-string and steel guitar. “I was playing both the steel and guitar, switching back and forth a lot while I sang, and it was kind of awkward,” he explains. “But then I had this dream where they just kind of melted together. When I woke up I thought, You know, that thing would work!’ They made double-neck guitars and double-neck steels, so why not one of each?” Luthier Michael Stevens helped Brown create the instrument in 1985 and it has been his mainstay ever since. Tickets for Junior Brown are on sale and start at $12.50: 706.722.8341 or visit imperialtheatre.com. by ALISON RICHTER photo JIM MCGUIRE, Junior Brown, 1993
verge / may / 23
onstage
offstage
Davidson Fine Arts Festival & Class of 2009 Senior Showcase Davidson Fine Arts School May 16
Thunder Over Augusta Across Downtown April 19
“The only cost is paying tribute.”
On May 16, the Davidson Fine Arts School continues a long-running tradition by presenting the Davidson Fine Arts Festival, a day long event featuring performances spread across the campus culminating with the ninth annual the Senior Showcase.
Celebrate Armed Forces Day with Augusta’s citizens on May 16th from 12:30 to 9:30 pm during the second annual Thunder Over Augusta. Free exhibits and demonstrations will be scattered throughout downtown Augusta.
“The young artists performing in the Fine Arts Festival include approximately 85% of the student population sometime during the school day,” said Fine Arts Department Chair Renee Toole. “The performances take place in the Beverly J. Barnhart Theatre, Music Wing Recital Hall, the Davidson Amphitheater, and the large dance studio, room 124.”
Organizer Shane Thompson says, “As a civilian, it’s been an amazing opportunity to be a part of such a tribute to our military. It gives honor to the soldiers who have served, pride to the soldiers who are serving and it gives the perfect opportunity for our community to show it’s appreciation for that service.”
Musical performances include dance and vocal presentations, piano, bell choir, band, and string orchestra concerts while drama presentations feature musical theater scenes, dramatic scenes plus a drama presentation designed for very young audiences.
The 434th Army Band/Signal Corps Band and the joint service color guard will be posting the colors at the opening ceremony. The color guard represents Fort Gordon and the various branches of services throughout the Central Savannah River Area.
While artistic performances will take up a large portion of the day, patrons can also enjoy a costume design fashion show, concessions, games, face painting, a student art work sale and a silent auction available in the Courtyard and the Commons area.
Expect Motown to be full-in-effect as Spectrum – the Las Vegas Motown Tribute Band – takes the stage, while the flavor of Augusta’s Favorite Female Musician Eryn Eubanks & the Family Fold will satisfy your music tastebuds with bluegrass and old-time music.
And if that isn’t enough already, there’s also the Senior Showcase.
A new addition to the downtown festivities this year will be a juried car show. With multiple classes, this destination event will draw over 300 incredible vehicles from all over the southeast. One hundred plaques will be awarded along with $5000 in cash.
“The Senior Showcase is a student created event that highlights the artistry and talents that the graduating seniors have developed during their time at Davidson,” said Toole. “Once the acts are chosen, the Senior Showcase Committee chooses the theme of the show, formulates the program order, and facilitates all aspects of production of the show. The show includes dance, drama, visual art, vocal music, instrumental music, and film.” The festival runs from 10 am until 4 pm and is free to the public. The Senior Showcase starts at 7 pm. Tickets range from $3 to $5 and can be purchased in the Davidson Media Center in advance and at the Box Office one hour prior to the event. by JOHN CANNON photo COURTESY OF DFA
As a final tribute for our troops, Thunder Over Augusta plans to leave participants with a spectacular fireworks display by Melrose Pyrotechnics. 2009 Exhibits include: The Golden Knights, Tuskegee Airmen, US Aircraft Fly-by, multiple helicopter/aircraft displays, military police working dog demonstrations, Multiple Vehicle Simulators, The Army RockWall and Football Toss, military vehicle exhibits, and much more! For details visit: thunderoveraugusta.com by HEATHER RANKIN photo THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
24 / may / verge
verge / may / 25
can opener not required / my instant lunch freshman cd release much tastier than noodles
“We try to create music with storytelling and engage the audience. And you can take that to
Space + future + love + tragedy bundled into one alternative band equals? My Instant Lunch, of course! Settling into a booth with the four members of the band, I immediately grasp their cohesiveness. Daniel Rankin plays ringleader and starts the round of introductions. “I’m the lead producer of sweat,” the lead singer/bassist jokes. He turns to keyboardist Michael Ray, “and we like to call Michael ‘Magic Fingers.’” Jordan Lucas grins and introduces himself as simply guitarist, and Corey Baxter as the “unofficial” drummer. The small group bounces off of each other, tossing wit and humor as if it were the easiest thing in the world. “We really like being in a band,” explains Rankin. “And we like Ramen noodles,” adds Lucas. This goes without saying. The band received its name from the box of an exotic cup of noodles. “My wife and I were in a Hispanic grocery store, and she found a box that said ‘Milunch Instantánea.’ We translated it to ‘My Instant Lunch,’ and that was that,” Rankin explains matter-of-factly. The affinity for packaged meals does not end here: pictures posted on the band’s MySpace are mostly of them eating out of the Styrofoam cups and the stage of Sky City has been lined with packets of Maruchan for tonight’s show.
the bank.”
The performance is a sort of celebration for the first My Instant Lunch EP release, Tales of Woah. The band spent three days recording in Atlanta’s Open Sky Studio, paying for the cost without any outside endorsement. The presale of the album included a free oatmeal raisin cookie, baked fresh by the band. A simple six-tracker, the jams range from the harmonic, piano-driven “Into the Sea” to the lyric-less “Challenger,” a reflection on the STS-514 explosion. “I like performing ‘Tales of Space,’” says Rankin. “I’ll play the acoustic, which is different, and it’s got a folksy swing to it.” And “Tales of Space,” though styled as an epic ballad, is quite a catchy dance tune. Of course, all MIL songs provide that key ingredient: danceability. “Our main key is audience interaction. It’s something that live shows have lost,” says Rankin. My Instant Lunch is no less than instantaneous: their style is so very unique it must be experienced firsthand. “A lot of the time, bands create songs for the making of noise. We try and create music with storytelling, and engage the audience. And you can take that to the bank.” Catch My Instant Lunch’s next live performance at Sky City on May 9. For more information on the EP, contact the band through www.myspace.com/myinstantlunch.
instant answers flavour surprise verge Covers? MIL Muse, the Talking Heads, Band of Horses, some Gershwin. verge Mascot? MIL We have a man in a tuxedo
introduce us for every show. He’s great. verge Superpower? MIL We asked the Genie to give us the power to melt people’s faces off with our rock ‘n’ roll. now everyone just… well, you get the picture. verge If you could add an instrument? MIL This has to be a group decision? verge Yes. MIL Theremin. No doubt about it. verge Slogan? MIL Become a My Instant Lunch Fan! by ASHLEY PLOCHA photo MY INSTANT LUNCH
26 / may / verge
verge / may / 27
pipeline / 5.1 to 5.6
movies at main monday nights • 6:30 pm augusta main library
friday may 1
n
outdoors
First Friday: James Brown Birthday Bash
Downtown Augusta • 5 to 10 pm • free Celebrate the Godfather of Soul’s birthday on this special First Friday. Galleries and studios remain open those evenings to debut new works, street vendors sell their wares, and bands can be heard all over. First Friday is a free, monthly, family friendly event in Downtown Augusta. Details:augustaarts.com
First Friday Concert & Car Show
Augusta Common • 6 to 10 pm • free Featuring live music on the main stage, vendors, and our monthly car show. Info 706.821.1754
Moonlight Music Cruise: Keith Gregory Augusta Canal • 7 to 8:30 pm • $24 Details: augustacanal.com
Brick Yard Market
May 4: Tell No One This endearing thriller opens as a pediatrician receives an email from his wife, eight years after her brutal murder. Director Guillaume Canet twists and turns the plot, keeping you on the edge of your seat, while creating characters you come to love. Rated R, 125 minutes (2006)
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free A market dedicated to promoting local growers and artisans. Live music, fresh produce from Blue Clay Farm and Persimmon Hill Farm. Wine tastings by Wine World. Fresh Bread and desserts from Manuel’s Bread Café. Details: hammondsferry. com or 803.613.1641 special
James Brown Birthday Cake Walk
Downtown Augusta • 5 to 10 pm • free Stroll through downtown and eat cake along the way. Pick up a guide for the cake walk at the First Friday tent headquarters.
jacob beltz live at blue magnolia
May 11: Frost/Nixon A dramatic retelling of the postWatergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon, directed by Ron Howard. Rated R, 122 minutes. (2008)
1124 Broad Street • 5 to 10 pm • free Augusta’s favorite “lokal” vocal singer, Jacob Beltz, performs live from blue magnolia’s mezzanine during First Friday. Plus, enter to win the world’s most comfortable chair and get rewards with the new Frequent Smiler Program. Details: 706.828.6550
Historic Augusta’s Annual Downtown Loft Tour
Downtown Augusta • 6 to 9 pm • $15 to $20 View this great selection of fifteen trendy living and working spaces during First Friday between 6 and 9 pm and again on Saturday from noon to 5 pm. Cost: $15 in advance and $20 during the tour. Advance tickets available at Mellow Mushroom, Metro Spirit and blue magnolia. Details: historicaugusta.org art
Pitboss
live music
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
saturday may 2 Rock’n 4 the River
outdoors
Riverfront Marina • 11 am to 7 pm • $5 This day long festival features artists from around the Southeast, a live arts show, a free kids area and much more on the beautiful Savannah River. Live music featuring Soul Hound, Phantom Wingo, 48 Volt, Lingo, and 40 Going North. Tickets are $5 and available New Moon Café and rockn4theriver.com. Proceeds benefit the Savannah RIVERKEEPER®
Saturday Market on the River
8th & Reynolds • 8 am to noon • free Experience the real flavors of fresh spring produce, from apricots, artichokes, asparagus, and avocados to carrots, peas, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries. You can find it all at the Saturday Market. This week’s special guest: Tanks Grass Fed Beef and music by DJ Shell Rock.
Historic Augusta’s Annual Downtown Loft Tour
special
Downtown Augusta • noon to 5 pm • $15 to $20 See 5.1 listing or historicaugusta.org
Derby Day: Augusta Training Shop’s Annual Fundraiser
Richmond Hotel • 4 to 8 pm • $50 Watch the Kentucky Derby while sipping on homemade mint juleps & sampling fine southern cuisine. Enter the ladies hat contest, buy a raffle ticket or bid on a silent auction. Or, better yet, purchase pieces of duct tape for a buck and stick Austin Rhodes to the wall. Tickets at any Georgia Bank & Trust. Details: 706.738.1358. theatre
Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight
Bell Auditorium • 8 pm • $39 to $49 tickets: augustaentertainmentcomplex.com
Peter Pan
Imperial Theatre • 8pm • $15 to $40 Details: augustaplayers.org
Suns Collide • Sinister Moustache Face Down • The Radar Cinema Sector 7G • 7 pm
Edison Project
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Turf War • Carnivores Firehouse Bar • 10 pm
sunday may 3 outdoors
Candlelight Jazz Kickoff: Augusta State Conservatory Jazz Band
8th Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 Join us each Sunda along the banks of the Savannah River for an enchanted evening of jazz featuring regional and local jazz artists. (In case of rain: Café 209 on the River). Details: 706.821.1754 or www.gardencityjazz.com. theatre
Peter Pan
Imperial Theatre • 3 pm • $15 to $40 Details: augustaplayers.org
monday may 4 film
Movies at Main: Tell No One
Green Street Library • 6:30 pm • free rated R
tuesday may 5 live music
Cinco De Mayo Dance Party! Soul Bar • 9 pm
Dave Firmin
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
wednesday may 6 Brown Bag History Series
special
Augusta History Museum • 11:30 am Lisa Hall of the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, Home of Aiken’s Racing Champions, presents a lecture on the history of horse racing in Aiken.
North Augusta Artists Guild for the SE Firefighters Burn Foundation
Artistic Perceptions • 5 to 9 pm • free The North Augusta Artists Guild exhibits a beautiful collection of artwork for view and purchase. A portion of all sales will be donated to the Burn Foundation. Members of the Art Guild will be on hand to talk about their art, the Guild and the Foundation. Details: 706.724.8739 film
May 18: The Wrestler It’s been a long time since Mickey Rourke captured my attention in AngelHeart. In an amazing comeback, he IS “The Ram,” a aging professional wrestler facing a life without the ring. An amazing film.directed by Darren Aronofsky. Rated R, 111 minutes. (2008)
May 25: Wendy and Lucy Director Kelly Reichardt pulls an enormous emotional punch with this little low budget sleeper that follows a young woman, her dog and mounting financial crises. Rated R, 80 minutes. (2008)
Film Festival followed by Student Directed One Act Plays Davidson Fine Arts School • 3:45 pm • $3 to $5
Peter Pan
theatre
Imperial Theatre • 8 pm • $15 to $40 The Augusta Players presents this never aging musical overflowing with memorable songs, fun filled adventure, unforgettable characters, swashbuckling, and a touch of fairy dust. Peter Pan is an enchanting tale about freedom of spirit and believing. Fall under the spell of Neverland, where children can fly and exciting escapades happen everyday! Details: augustaplayers.org live music
Eryn Eubanks & the Family Fold Vintage 965 • 6 pm to 9 pm
Dreamkiller • Your Chance to Die • Undefined • Glory of the Forgotten • The Right Wing Conspiracy Sector 7G • 6 pm
Suns Collide
The Playground • 8 pm
Christabel & The Jons
Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm
gordon lightfoot
mike epps
Combined with his rich, warm voice and nimble guitar technique, Lightfoot’s songwriting talent has led him from the 1960’s coffeehouse scene in his native Canada to pop chart hits. Tickets: $40 and $50
One of the funniest comedic actors to emerge into the Hollywood scene comes to Augusta bringing a slew of special guests. Including the inimitable Slim. Tickets: $38.50, $34.50, $28.50
may 14 • bell auditorium
may 15 • bell auditorium
www.bellauditorium.com or by phone at 1.877.4AUGTIX
28 / may / verge
pipeline / 5.6 to 5.15 wednesday may 6 Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
dance
Imperial Theatre • 7 pm • $15 to $35 Ten versatile, athletic, classically-trained dancers. You will feel the passion and dedication those dancers impart in the performance, and leave the theater with your spirits lifted and filled with a sense of awe at the expressive beauty of dance. Details: augustaballet.org film
The South on Film: The Defiant Ones
Morris Museum • noon • free After viewing the film The Defiant Ones, museum director Kevin Grogan leads a discussion.
Dorian Gray
Sector 7G • 7 pm
thursday may 7
live music
Toddler Time: Learn about Larry
friday may 8 art
Morris Museum • 10 am & 11:15 am • free to $4 View Larry Connatser’s colorful paintings and create your own dot masterpiece. Registration required.
Jill Gunn & Gail Smith: Art Exhibit/Opening Reception Sacred Heart • 5:30 to 7:30 pm details: sacredheartaugusta.org
Joe Weathers
live music
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Dash Rip Rock
Sky City • 10 pm • $7
Mother-Daughter Tea special
“Acting as Community” Luncheon
2 Tenth Street (The Marriott) • 11:30 am CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. hosts its annual National Community Action Month Luncheon in honor of its efforts to help low-income residents of the CSRA change their lives. Highlights include musical performances and award ceremonies to honor partners and successful program participants. Details 706.722.0493 (Gloria) outdoors
Spring Fest on the Savannah
Hammond’s Ferry • 3 pm to dusk • free to $10 Enjoy browsing wares by local crafters and farmers; food by Manuel’s Bread Café, chair massages and prizes from the Edge Salon; face painting and fun activities for kids; wine tasting ($10/ticket) by Wine World to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: river boat rides and more!
Moonlight Music Cruise: Solstice with Lillie Morris
Augusta Canal • 7 to 8:30 pm • $24 Details: augustacanal.com
May Park Community Center • 4 to 6pm Both Mother & Daughter must be present to participate. 622 Fourth Street. Details: 706.821.1754 live music
Swyrv
Joe’s Underground • 9 pm
Joe Graves and The Dirty Left Hand Dem Imonde • My Instant Lunch Sky City • 10 pm • $5 Detail: skycityaugusta.com
sunday may 10 special
Candlelight Jazz: Doc Easton Smooth Jazz
8th Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 Join us each Sunday along the banks of the Savannah River for an enchanted evening of jazz featuring regional and local jazz artists. (In case of rain: Café 209 on the River). Details: 706.821.1754 or www.gardencityjazz.com.
monday may 11
Movies in the Common
Augusta Common • 9 pm • $2 Bring your whole family and your lawn chairs and enjoy a movie under the stars. Details: 706.821.1754 live music
Southern Soul & Song: Junior Brown & The Belleville Outfit
Morris Museum • 7:30 pm • $12.50 to $35 Rocker Junior Brown and up-and-coming Belleville Outfit bring their special brand of Texas honkytonk. Tickets: southernsoulandsong.org
From this I Rise • Afterclosing Amity Godspeed • Forgetting Fera Rose’s Last Novel
the story of augusta: voices of the past
saturday may 16 & june 6 • augusta museum of history “Presenting history through a theatrical performance adds another layer of interpretation for visitors [of] the Augusta Museum of History truly brings the history…to life,” says Nancy Glaser, Exectutive Director of the Augusta Museum of History. This month, history comes to life in the first in a series of theatrical-museum based performances of Augusta’s Story: Voices of the Past. This installment focuses on the reconstructed Petersburg Boat which embodies the vital role of the watercraft for the area’s manufacturing industry during the 1850s – early 1900s. The Petersburg Boat Captain is the pilot character of the program, portrayed by local actor, Mr. Sherman Gills. Through his performance, Mr. Gills depicts the life of a boat captain from the mid-to-late 1800s. He explains the roles and hardships faced by Petersburg Boatmen in their quest to bring cotton down river and supplies back up river in an age before locomotive transportation was able to aid in the transfer of goods. The script is based on oral histories provided by Elberton, Georgia resident, Mr. ‘Buck’ Balchin, about his grandfather, James Henry Balchin, who from the mid-1800s until the turn of the century, crewed and piloted cotton boats from Petersburg to Augusta. Thanks to the support of the Porter Fleming Foundation, this first installment is just the beginning of a series of performances, each illuminating a voice and character from Augusta’s storied past. Starting in the fall, the museum hopes to offer additional performances to school and tour groups. “We will rotate characters for Saturday performances for the general public as characters are added. It is lengthy process to research, write, and develop a script; audition actors; block and rehearse. Just like any full-scale theatrical production, it takes a few months to prepare.” Already, visitors are thrilled by Augusta’s Story: Voices of the Past, stating that “when history comes alive it takes up a whole new meaning and really gets people, especially children, interested in learning more.” Another viewer added, “The actor brought the Petersburg Boat alive, gave me a greater appreciation of the river and the men who oared the boat. Great performance!” See Augusta’s Story: Voices of the Past (the Petersburg Boat) is on Saturday, May 16 & June 6. Showings at 11:30 am, 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. Admission is free with paid museum admission. by HEATHER RANKIN photo AMoH
film
Movies at Main: Frost Nixon
Green Street Library • 6:30 pm • free
tuesday may 12 special
School Concert: Piano Recitals
Davidson Fine Arts School • 7 pm • $3 to 5 live music
John Kolbeck
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
wednesday may 13
Sector 7G • 7 pm
Lucy Craft Laney • 11:30am to 1:30pm • $7 Seniors and working professionals are invited to enjoy lectures on a variety of topics, while dining on food from our city’s finest restaurants. This month’s speakers: Law Day. RSVP: Emily Capers at 706.724.3576.
The Playground • 8 pm
Danger Muffin
Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm
Oblivion! DJ Gene & DJ Codec: Dark Electro Dance Party
School Concert: Piano Recitals
Club Sp@rk • 10 pm
Davidson Fine Arts School • 7 pm • $3 to 5
The Jeremy Graham Band Sky City • 10 pm • $5 Detail: skycityaugusta.com
Tommy O.D. and The Survivors Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
saturday may 9 Saturday Market on the River
special
Senior Luncheon
Allgood’s Asylum
Growing Augusta the Greenway La Maison on Telfair • 7 to 9 pm • free This MeetUp group will be discussing an upcoming all-Augusta community service project, making Augusta a more bike and bus friendly town, and how to help Augustans rediscover downtown. Details: meetup.com/GrowingAugusta live music
outdoors
8th & Reynolds • 8 am to noon • free
Vesperian Sorrow • GodHate • Tetrarch • Glory of The Forgotten Sector 7G • 7 pm
TriCycle Charity Ride to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Augusta Common • 8 am Details: andyjordans.com
Jacob Beltz
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Soul Rockin’ Funk on the River
thursday may 14
Jessye Norman Amphitheater • 6 pm • $12 to $15 Featuring live music by Who’s Bad: the ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band, The Soul Brothers Band, the Edison Project and Raging Geisha. Kids 10 and under free. Tickets at etix.com
Gordon Lightfoot: Live in Concert
special
friday may 15
Family Fun Day: Stallings Island
Augusta History Museum • 11 am to 2 pm Families are invited to learn more about Stallings Island through demonstrations, Native American crafts, and more. Make your own Indian trade beads to take home.
Mothers Day Luncheon
Hammond’s Ferry • noon • $15 Celebrate Mother’s Day with a wonderful catered lunch in a beautiful rooftop setting in Hammond’s Ferry. Details: Wendy at 803.613.1641
special Bell Auditorium • 8 pm • $40 to $50 Details: augustaentertainmentcomplex.com
Comedian Mike Epps and Friendsfeaturing Slim
special
Bell Auditorium • 7:30 pm • $26.50 to $36.50 tickets: augustaentertainmentcomplex.com
Brick Yard Market
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free Details: See 5.1 listing or 803.613.1641
Need strings?
Augusta 706.724.1172 Aiken 803.649.1919
verge / may / 29
pipeline / 5.15 to 5.31 art
Art at Lunch: Southern Eccentric: Paintings by Larry Connatser
Morris Museum • noon • $10 to $14 Holly Koons McCullough, curator of fine arts and exhibitions at the Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah discusses the artist’s colorful life and work. Catering by A Catered Affair. Paid reservations by noon, March 11. Details: themorris.org live music
Live Music
Club Sp@rk • 9 pm
thursday may 21 special
The Art of Fine Living: Cloud Nine Natural
Morris Museum • 6 to 8 pm • $10 to $15 Enjoy a glass of champagne punch and nibble on fruity tidbits as you learn to make a natural skincare product with Carless Gay, owner of Cloud Nine Natural. Cost includes refreshments and all supplies. Register by May 18; space is very limited. Details: themorris.org
Keith Gregory
Jeff Vida
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm
Acoustic Underground
friday may 22
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Bleeding Counterfeit
outdoors
The Playground • 8 pm
Moonlight Music Cruise: Roger Enevoldsen & Chris Holt
saturday may 16 Saturday Market on the River
special
Augusta Canal • 7 to 8:30 pm • $24 Details: augustacanal.com
Downtown Augusta • 12:30 to 9:30 pm • free All day family friendly event with exhibits and demonstrations scattered throughout downtown and Augusta’s largest fireworks display presented by Melrose Pyrotechnics. Music by Spectrum, a MoTown Tribute Band, and Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold. Info: thunderoveraugusta.com theatre
Voices of the Past: A Petersburg Boat Pilot Augusta Museum of History 11:30 am, 12:30 pm or 1:30pm Details: augustamuseum.org
Brick Yard Market
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free Details: see May 1st or call 803.613.1641 theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Le Chat Noir • 8 pm J. Robert Oppenheimer’s rise and fall erupt in this kaleidoscopic play exploring questions of faith, conscience, and the consequences of the neverending pursuit of knowledge. Details: lcnaugusta.com
Drew Hickies live music
Soul Night with DJ Harold & Marcus Mike & Nate
Stone Dogs Drum Heads
Augusta 706.724.1172 Aiken 803.649.1919
sunday may 17 special Morris Museum • 2 pm • free A seasoned Augusta performer, writer, and classically trained guitarist, John Kolbeck brings his music to the Morris auditorium stage.
Candlelight Jazz: A Step Up
8th Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 Details: 706.821.1754 or gardencityjazz.com.
monday may 18 film
Movies at Main: The Wrestler
Green Street Library • 6:30 pm • free rated R live music
Dave Firman
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
tuesday may 19 live music
Ruskin
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
wednesday may 20 live music
Le Chat Noir • 8pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
live music
Joe’s Underground • 9 pm
L.I.E. CD Release Show • Aralic • Diavalo Blood of an Empire • Ex Nihilo
Candlelight Jazz: After the Storm
8th Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 Details: 706.821.1754 or gardencityjazz.com.
monday may 25
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
TFS Rave
outdoors
Augusta Canal • 7 to 8:30 pm • $24 Details: augustacanal.com
Brick Yard Market
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free Details: 803.613.1641 theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Mayhem String Band
Sector 7G • 8 pm
Green Street Library • 6:30 pm • free Rated R
live music
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Traitor In A Second
wednesday may 27
The Playground • 8 pm
saturday may 23 outdoors
8th & Reynolds • 8 am to noon • free
special
Happy Birthday, Professor Beard!
The Book Tavern • all day • free Swing by the Book Tavern at 1026 Broad St., wish David a happy birthday & get a free chocolate bar!
perfect disguise world premiere wednesday may 23 • imperial theatre
Perfect Disguise, a film produced and directed by Christopher Forbes, chronicles the journey of Willa Randall as she attempts to escape one conflict by surrounding herself with another. Frantic to avoid a marriage to an abusive man her drunkard father insists on, Willa disguises herself as a young boy and joins the Confederate Army eventually catching the eye of Captain Jeff Spencer. Seeing promise in this new young volunteer Spencer makes the young “boy” his assistant. In short time Willa’s fondness for the Captain grows, leading to even more conflict. How can Willa leave the safety of her disguise to reveal her true identity to the man she has unexpectedly fallen in love with while staying one step ahead of the fiancé she wants nothing to do with? The third Civil War based film Forbes has been involved with (and second based on a novel by author Lydia Hawke), Perfect Disguise stars Heather Clark, Tripp Courtney, and Dave Long and was shot throughout South Carolina including many scenes shot in Beech Island. Forbes Films will present the Perfect Disguise world premiere May 23 at the Imperial Theatre at 7 PM. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the box office at 749 Broad Street or online at imperialtheatre.com. photo RALPH PARRISH / AUGUSTAIMAGES.COM
live music
Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm
Sub\li\mat: Dark Electro Dance Party Electric Voodoo
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
The Drownout • Last November Hastened Footsteps Sector 7G • 8 pm
saturday may 30
film
Movies at Main: Wendy & Lucy
Mike & Nate
special
Moonlight Music Cruise: Phil Urban Salutes Elvis
Club Sp@rk • 10 pm
Jessye Norman Amphitheater • 7 pm The Augusta Concert Band presents a Memorial Day Tribute Concert on the beautiful Savannah River. Details: 706.821.1754.
The Bee’s Knee’s • 9 pm
live music
Le Chat Noir • 8 pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
sunday may 24
Memorial Day Concert
Paul Arrowood
Saturday Market on the River
outdoors
8th & Reynolds • 8am to 12pm • free theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer Le Chat Noir • 8 pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
Projections & Selections w/ DJ Joycette
Saturday Market on the River
Music at the Morris: John Kolbeck
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer
special
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
Joe’s Underground • 9 pm
theatre
Redheaded Stepchild
thursday may 28
friday may 29
Imperial Theatre • 7pm • $10 Details: see below or forbesfilms.com
tuesday may 26
Live Music
Club Sp@rk • 9 pm
Sector 7G • 7 pm
live music
Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm
Firehouse Bar • 10 pm
film
Perfect Disguise
outdoors
Augusta Common • 9 pm • $2 Bring the family and your lawn chairs and enjoy a movie under the stars. Details: 706.821.1754
Thunder Over Augusta: A Salute to Our Heroes
Jessye Norman Amphitheater • 5 pm Annual gospel fest featuring various choirs sharing praise through song. Details: 706.496.1540
Sector 7G • 7 pm
Movies in the Common
8th & Reynolds • 8 am to noon • free
The Chiltons
live music
CSRA Gospel Fest 2009
Whosehouse
live music
Joe’s Underground • 10 pm
sunday may 31 Film Screening: Fatal Flood
film
Morris Museum • 2pm • free View the PBS documentary Fatal Flood and learn about the historical events that inspired John Stewart Curry’s painting Hoover and the Flood.
30 / may / verge
pipeline / 5.31 to 6.5 sunday may 31 Candlelight Jazz
friday june 5
outdoors
8th Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 Details: 706.821.1754 or gardencityjazz.com. theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer Le Chat Noir • 5 pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
thursday june 4
First Friday: Swing into Summer
Downtown Augusta • 5 to 10 pm • free details:augustaarts.com
Moonlight Music Cruise: Eryn Eubanks & the Family Fold
Augusta Canal • 7 to 8:30 pm • $24 Details: augustacanal.com
Brick Yard Market art
Toddler Time: Fun with Finster
outdoors
Morris Museum • 10 am & 11:15 am • free to $4 Learn about folk artist Howard Finster, and create a painting inspired by his work.
Stories to Tell, Memories to Keep: Folk Art in the South
Morris Museum • 5:30 to 6:30 pm • free Tour the new folk art exhibition, meet the speaker, enjoy a glass of wine, or shop for new items in the store during a museum open house. Afterwards, Steve Slotin, owner of Slotin Folk Art, discusses collecting folk art.
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer Le Chat Noir • 8 pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
live music
Tim & Miranda
Vintage 965 • 6 pm to 10 pm Neverland, where children can fly and exciting escapades happen everyday. Don’t miss the extraordinary delight for the young and the young at heart! Details: augustaplayers.org
every week
theatre
The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer Le Chat Noir • 8 pm Details: See 5.22 listing or lcnaugusta.com
Worship at The Well
sundays
715 Broad Street • 9 am & 10:45 am
Free Morris Museum Admission Morris Museum of Art • free
Prize Pool Tournament
thursdays
Club Sp@rk • 7 pm
John Kolbeck
Cotton Patch • 7 to 11 pm • free
Singstar Karaoke Club Sp@rk • 7 pm
mondays tuesdays
Dr. John Fisher
Open Jam Night hosted by Leonard The Playground • 8 pm
fridays
Brick Yard Market
Hammond’s Ferry • 4 pm to dusk • free saturdays
Fox’s Lair • 9 pm • free • irish session
Singstar Karaoke
Saturday Market on the River
Club Sp@rk • 7 pm
8th & Reynolds • 8 am to noon • free
Tuesday Trivia w/ Anil
Ezekiel Harris House Tours
The Playground • 8 pm
Mountain Bike Ride
wednesdays
Andy Jordan’s • 6:15 pm • free This beginner to intermediate course travels along the Augusta Canal for a 12 to 15 mile group ride. You’ll forget you’re in the city limits! You must have a mountain bike in good working order, a helmet and a way to carry water. Details 706.724.6777
Bike Night & Drink Specials The Loft
Soup Suds & Conversation Fox’s Lair • free
Singstar Karaoke Club Sp@rk • 7 pm
Krazy Karaoke
The Playground • 10 pm
1822 Broad • 1 to 4 pm • $2 to $4 Details: 706.737.2820
DJ Brian J
Club Sparx • 9pm
DJ On Point
The Loft • 10 pm • free
Hype Night Dance Party 1102 Bar & Grill
get your event listed for free.
send to pipeline@vergelive.com by the 20th of each month.
the club crawl /one night of musical mayhem
last november: may 29
mayhem string band: may 29
yo mama’s big fat booty band: may 29
Last November is a diverse brew of quirky yet memorable pop rock accompanied by honest and thought-provoking lyrics. Their steadily growing Internet presence and fan base have brought the Atlanta band a constant stream of glowing reviews.
The Mayhem String Band has its roots in Oxford, Miss., where four veteran musicians of the music scene got together and formed a bluegrass band in 2005. Bassist Ben Johnson, guitarist Chris Steiner, fiddle and mandolin player Jamison Hollister and banjo player J.T. Lack took on a weekly gig that eventually became known as “Wednesday Night Mayhem,” born out of the whiskey-soaked dance floor and general insanity that seemed to follow the band around.
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band combines triumphant horns, laidback grooves and heavy backbeats to encompass the many styles that they describe under the comprehensive label of “Bounce Music.” The Booty Band cuts to the core of what great live music is all about: having fun and feeling good. Their high-energy, funk-infused performances make them an audience favorite, with gigs booked across the U.S. and as far as Jamaica.
Under the guidance of platinum-selling producer Steven Haigler (Brand New, Fuel, Oleander, Pixies, As Tall as Lions), Last November’s new album, Over the Top or Under the Weather, delivers on the promise of the group’s impressive 2006 debut album, All the Gory Details, which was featured on The Real World and other MTV shows, as well as garnering multiformatted airplay on over 200 radio stations. Both albums released on Southern Tracks Records. What’s most surprising is that the band members are barely out of their teens. Vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Luke Pilgrim, who began performing when he was 11, wrote most of the songs for the first album when he was 15 years old and produced the disc himself. With bandmates Tyler Ayers – bass, Taylor Woodruff – drums/vocals, and Zach Baxter - keyboard/guitar/vocals, Last November’s latest release shows musical and lyrical maturity, combining Pilgrim’s distinct vocals with edgy, unique tracks. This is obvious on the first single, “The Bumper Sticker Song,” rockers like “Jesus Had Breakfast in Bed,” and the lush pop of “Sunday Afternoon.” Last November will be joined by The Drownout for an all-ages show at Sector 7 on May 29. venue SECTOR 7G tickets 631 ELLIS STREET
After months of numerous shows in the hills of North Mississippi they settled on the name Mayhem String Band. In February 2006, Kevin Larkin, formerly of bluegrass band Pineross, joined on mandolin, accordion and harmonica. Three years and hundreds of shows across the U.S. later, the Mayhem String Band has taken their bluegrass sound to a new level, incorporating Cajun two-steps, Irish jigs and a chunk of Mississippi blues. Their second studio album, Land Pirates, was released in March 2009. It was recorded at Delta Recording Services in Como, Miss., with producer Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) and features Ferd Moyse (Hackensaw Boys) on fiddle. The album includes an original mix of bluegrass, country, and blues that taps into the band’s Mississippi roots. The Mayhem String Band will perform tracks from their new album as part of their show at Stillwater Taproom on May 29. venue STILLWATER TAPROOM tickets 974 Broad Street
With a focus on putting the “live” back into live music, the group took a slightly less than subtle approach when naming the band, producing a moniker that describes their sound, fury and philosophy. Their horn, guitar and percussion-based sound adds elements of hip-hop, reggae, ska and Latin to the mix. You can find it on their 15-song CD, Now You Know. With a large catalog of originals, the Booty Band offers something for everyone. While original material is their main focus, their sets also include unique covers by artists such as Miles Davis, the Beastie Boys, Herbie Hancock, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamiroquai, Galactic and P-Funk. Their show includes liberal amounts of space between the songs for jokes, silly accents and wigs. Yet underneath the seemingly chaotic stage presence is a discipline, a blueprint and a game plan. Their mission, they say, is to “bring music to the masses, and they will dance.” Join them for both at Sky City on May 29. venue SKY CITY tickets 1157 BROAD STREET
all above by ALISON RICHTER
verge / may / 31
explore downtown / the maxwell house pharmacy one stop for medicine, munchies, mirth and marilyn monroe
The Maxwell House Pharmacy originally opened in 1951. Sixteen years later, Clarence Jackson Jr. made it his own and, a mere forty-two years later, it is hard to imagine anything has changed at all. Clarence (a charming man whom I wish to immediately adopt as my grandfather) sits behind a wooden counter under a large “Prescriptions” sign that predates any CVS or Walgreens neon logo and works diligently to fulfill requests from across the area. A small space is cleared on the counter to allow you to prop your elbows and lean forward to talk about the weather, your medication, or more notably, the décor. The other eight feet of counter space is crammed with old photographs, sentimental knick-knacks and, most importantly, Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. Marilyn Monroe literally covers almost every free surface in the pharmacy. Framed prints of her pinups adorn the wall, rare hardback biographies fill a glass case, collectible plates with her image line the top of the shelves and. if you are lucky enough to sneak a peek behind the counter, you’ll find a few framed posters of her nude. Sorry gentlemen, but this area is for employees only. Clarence doesn’t sell Marilyn Monroe memorabilia; he just collects it. Honestly, he’s not even a die-hard fan; he just likes her. So what’s the story behind it all? Clarence says it began with a crack in the wall. Back in 1967, when he moved his pharmacy from Walton Way to the Maxwell House, he discovered a fairly large crack running down a wide column in the store. Instead of repairing it, he opted to cover it with a large poster of Ms. Monroe. Customers and friends of the store have since given him various other items, a tradition that continues today. Aside from acting as a make-shift memorial to the Hollywood glamour-goddess, the Pharmacy serves a function for downtown Augusta that many of its local residents and frequenters have neglected to notice. Though it doesn’t exactly qualify to be a Bodega and is far too small to be considered a grocery store, the Pharmacy does stock many of the small items that often fill our lists. It works hard to maintain the convenience that many modern day pharmacies have today. Need a half-gallon of milk, shampoo, and some feminine hygiene products? They have it. Forgot to pack a lunch and don’t want to spend $20 dining out for lunch? Stop by the Maxwell house and pick up a microwavable pizza. Also, for a onedollar fee, you can have your personal prescriptions, pet prescriptions and, if you like, a bag of groceries, delivered to you downtown. What this pharmacy has that others lack is the experience of shopping. I easily spent nearly an hour browsing its shelves, trying my best to document the absurd yet practical side of the business. The humor of selling “local postcards” that were only from New York, the juxtaposition of these postcards next to a shelf of feminine products, the peculiar Cattle and Pigs sign in a store that serves a fairly urban area, the excitement that there actually were items for your cattle and pig needs. I couldn’t believe that I neglected to walk in the store for so long, and I will return – with a grocery list and, if Clarence is lucky, a Marilyn Monroe keychain. The Maxwell House Pharmacy is located at 1002 Greene St # 3. 706.722.4695. Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm.
by KATIE MCGUIRE photos KATIE MCGUIRE
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verge / may / 33
on the nightstand / what are you reading? Though I was considering the “on the nightstand” concept before discovering the blog of Julia Maulden The Huffington Post, I have to admit the following format shamelessly follows one of her recent postings. Julia begins her blog with these words: “Whenever I interview someone - or am being briefed by a client for whom I’m writing a speech - I always ask, ‘What are you reading?’ It helps to know the kinds of things they’re interested in, whom they admire, and the ideas that have helped shape their thinking.” I agree. I believe it is possible to define a person by the books they read and understand their world view more clearly. Or, as Lemony Snicket put it more simply, “Well-read people are less likely to be criminals.” To test my theory, I turned to Reverend Jeremy Carr of The Well, a downtown community church, who has often professed from the pulpit that he reads several books almost simultaneously and not just of the spiritual sort. I asked him to look on his nightstand and send me ten of the books he’s currently reading. The Reverend mixes his daily reading to include fiction, educational topics, as well as scripture and theological studies. He says, “I tend to work through many, many books very slowly and repeatedly (I often re-read books I like or have found helpful).” Here’s what you’ll find on the Reverend Carr’s nightstand (this week): 1. The Genius of Guinness (Michelle Guinness) Most famous for their delicious beer, the Guinness dynasty has impacted movies, ministry, and education in ways you may not even know. This biography traces the lineage and historical significance of Guinness. 2. Humility: True Greatness (CJ Mahaney) This was a life-changing book for me and have become a big fan of the author. His writing is concise, honest, and extremely applicable. I’ve re-read this book numerous times as well as his Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God. For a recovering rock star, there are many eye-opening and counter-cultural insights Mahaney unpacks in Humility. It’s a good reminder that we’re all works in progress.
things going on in our world. It will also make you a fan of the International Justice Mission (IJM). 8. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation (Andreas Kostenberger) The most important relationship I have is with my wife. We are constantly investing in our marriage and seeking to apply biblical principles to our relationship. This book provides great insight to marriage. 9. A Wrinkle in Time (Madeline L’Engle) This is an all-time childhood favorite of mine, right up there with Lewis and Tolkien. I’m on my fourth reread of the series. L’Engle is simply brilliant.
3. Christ-Centered Preaching (Bryan Chapell) One pastor says that it takes at least 200 sermons before a preacher begins to find his own voice. Another says it can take up to 7 years. So, being a pastor just a few years into ministry, this resource is quite helpful in my pastoral development.
10. The ESV Study Bible (permanent) Packed full of notes, commentaries, and articles, The ESV Study Bible is an excellent resource for personal study. I use it daily and discover new insights and perspectives through the included notes and resources. Although I have shelves full of commentaries and other theological resources, The ESV Study Bible is a concise, thorough, must-have.
4. The Idiot (Fyodor Dostoevsky) A classic work of literature that I’ve always wanted to read.
So, verge readers, what’s on your nightstand? Share your top ten books of the moment with verge and your nightstand might be featured in next month’s verge. Send to: editor@vergelive.com
5. Instructing a Child’s Heart (Tedd and Margy Tripp) A follow-up to Shepherding a Child’s Heart, the Tripps provide useful principles for biblical parenting. With child #2 on the way, I’m eager to sharpen my parenting skills. 6. Systematic Theology (Wayne Grudem) I was first introduced to Grudem’s work eight years ago when I began seminary. I’ve re-read this one in entirety and refer to it frequently. Be warned: it’s thick- it can double as a booster seat to the dinner table. However, it’s an excellent resource and has study questions following each chapter which aid in retaining and reflecting on the information. Take your time to work through it. It’s worth it. 7. Good News About Injustice (Gary Haugen) A real eye-opener that will alarm you to some sinister
excerpt of the month “Better not read it!” Yevgeny Panlovich cried suddenly, but with a look of uneasiness so unexpected in him that it struck many persons as strange. “Don’t read it,” cried Myshkin, too. “Why read? It’s time for supper now,” observed someone. “Dull, perhaps,” added a third. “What’s it all about?” inquired the rest. “So... I’m not to read it?” Ippolit whispered to him, almost apprehensively, with a smile on his blue lips, “not to read it?” he muttered, scanning his whole audience, all their eyes and faces, and as it were catching at them all again, with the same aggressive effusiveness. “Are you afraid?” from The Idiot by Fyodor
Dostoevsky
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verge / may / 35
past times / the widows home
Nestled in the Olde Town neighborhood sits the Widows Home, an elegant and decorative building with a graceful Mansard roof and rich red brick masonry. Dating back to the late nineteenth century, the home became a residence for Confederate widows and their dependents. Early benefactors Dr. Joseph Eve and Mrs. Emily Tubman provided a large portion of the funds needed to construct the building. The Widows home provided housing at a nominal rent for women who, for whatever reason, were unable to locate affordable housing for over a hundred years. Then, as the need for the Widows Home dwindled and expenses for upkeep rose, the decision was made to close the Widows Home. Historic Augusta, Inc. maintains a preservation easement on the property which is a tool used to provide protection of privately-owned historic properties. This is a legal right that is granted by the owner of the property to an organization which will monitor the property and protect against undesirable development or deterioration by neglect. The Widows Home was sold to an Atlanta developer whose initial plans included condominiums but later where changed to low income housing, which upset the neighborhood. The easement on the property allowed Historic Augusta to exercise a right of first refusal with the support of the Downtown Development Authority. Read the plans for the rehabilitation of the Widows Home on page 21. by ROBYN MAINOR rendering ALEX McCAIN, III 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.
the widows home a brief history 1871 The Widows Home Society is formed led by Louise W. King. The Widows Home was originally located in the 1818 City Hospital building after that institution moved to Walker Street in 1869.
1885 Charter signed, naming the organization The Louise King Home for Widows. 1887 The current Second Empire structure was built at 124 Greene Street for eight to ten Confederate widows deemed “worthy women.”
1895 Records showed that the home had 46 occupants, 19 of which were children. 1899 Charter amended changing the name from the Louise King Home for Widows to the present Widows Home. 1980 Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources approved request for a historical marker designating the Widows Home property as the site of Georgia’s first school of medicine.
2002 Board of Directors announced it would be closing the Widows Home. 2003 Purchased by Atlanta developer and easement donated to Historic Augusta, Inc. 2005 Augusta Capital purchased the historic Widows Home. Today
Christ Community Health Services in Augusta was given the building and is completing the rehabilitation for a primary care clinic for those in need of health care.
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verge / may / 37
cut the fat / i’m a loser baby the skinny on one dude’s mission to cut the fat
I’m a big guy in this city. Sort of. I’ll admit that by the grace of God and through the great support of an incredible music community, I have managed to achieve somewhat of a name for myself but, in this case, “big guy” means something totally different. I am more referring to my “Santa-esque” qualities. I guess you can say, I’m “well rounded.” Like many Americans, I am a tad overweight. OK, let’s get serious here. I am a LOT overweight. (I refuse to use the term “obese.” I find the word to be demeaning and insulting and I would not even use such terminology to describe someone I dislike.) Yeah, I tip the scales way beyond what I should, but this hasn’t always been the case. In my teens, I was quite the athlete participating in just about every seasonal sport, particularly football and soccer (the OTHER football). I weighed in regularly between 170 and 180 pounds, ran cross country and mile on the track team and was pretty speedy for a white guy. But sometime after high school, that all changed. Now, it’s twenty-five years later and I find myself at a significant crossroads. Do I simply accept that my better years are behind me (hidden from view) and just continue to let myself go OR do I decide that it’s never too late to make a change? Seeing that I still enjoy riding roller coasters and I continue to day dream about one day playing a good, albeit slower, game of soccer, going rock climbing and sky diving for the first time, I have decided that, since I still feel 24 INSIDE, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to enjoy feeling
that way (or some other reasonable age) on the OUTSIDE. Luckily for me I have one thing a lot of overweight people don’t have. I have a membership to Health Central. Here’s the thing. I am a life-long procrastinator, not to mention if something doesn’t come to me quickly and easily, chances are I give up on it. Fortunately, Health Central has a great indoor padded walking track and a great wellness staff to help making even a useful workout enjoyable and possible. It’s enough to make a guy (or gal) confident enough to jump into a weight loss contest! So I did. For the next three months, I will be taking part in Health Central’s most recent edition of The Biggest Loser. The way I figure it, all I have to lose is a bunch of pounds and, worst case, the twenty bucks I had to pay to get into the game. I have a trainer dude that is incredible at creating reasonable routines for me to get the job done and soon they’ll assign me to a team. All I have to do is continue my weekly workouts, eat right, and weigh in every Friday and I can’t lose. Well. unless you’re talking about the couple hundred pounds I’d like to leave behind. Here’s the skinny:
First weigh-in date: Starting weight: 3-Month goal:
April 14 405 (yikes!) lose 50 pounds
by JOHN CANNON photos KATIE MCGUIRE
editor’s note: John “Stoney” Cannon will be chronicling his attempt to “Cut the Fat” over the next few issues. Join verge in cheering him on to victory: email your comments and encouragement to editor@vergelive.com.
the monumental history of greene street / 07 Paul Fitzsimmons Eve M.D. Monument
/ 600 Block of Greene Street erected by / The Polish Medical and Dental Association of America and The Medical Department of the University of Georgia on November 14, 1931. location
The Paul Fitzsimmons Eve M.D. monument, with its smooth front and back and rough rocky edges, stands as the centerpiece of the 600 block of Greene Street, flanked on opposite ends of the median by the General George Washington Marker and the Emily Tubman Monument. While short in stature, the granite monument is decorated with a pair of large plates representing the two organizations that dedicated it. Dr. Eve, an Augusta native and a Medical College of Georgia founder, was recognized internationally as an exceptional doctor and writer. The plaque dedicated by the Polish and Dental Association of America commends Eve’s work as a Major Field Surgeon during the Polish War for liberty against Russia from 1830 to 1831. The plaque dedicated by the Medical Department of the University of Georgia honors his efforts as a surgeon, editor and wartime volunteer and recognizes Poland’s assistance in the fight for American liberty. Eve gave medical attention to Polish soldiers, as well as French and Italian forces. He followed the patriotic example of his boyhood hero, General Pulaski, who lost his life in our Revolutionary War. An additional marker honoring Dr. Eve was erected in 1986 by the Polish Heritage Association of the Southeast and stands on Telfair Street across from the courthouse in front of the Old Medical College. Dr. Eve served as the dean of the Medical College of Georgia. In 1835, he and the MCG faculty recognized the need for a national medical organization dedicated to improving medical education and establishing minimum standards of practice, but their efforts to establish one initially failed. The American Medical Association was finally founded in 1847 and Dr. Eve served a president from 1857 to 1858. He is credited with being the first American surgeon to successfully perform a hysterectomy. He also published Remarkable Cases in Surgery. by JOHN CANNON rendering ALEX McCAIN, III editor’s note: This is the sixth installment of a the history of the monuments that line Greene Street.
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verge / may / 39
one, two, three / wrestling at the bell and beyond a long storied “hidden” history of the fight
On November 24, 1887, John Muhler defeated stand-in F.S. Hughes 3-0 in a handicap match at Market Hall on Broad Street. Since that day, professional wrestling has had a presence in Augusta. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to this wrestling fan, the ghosts of Augusta’s wrestling past lie dormant, a secret only known to wrestling purists and historians OUTSIDE of the Garden City. In a city filled with so much well known history, perhaps the biggest mystery is how wrestling, a dominant piece of Augusta entertainment for the better part of 100 years, has been swept under the historical rug rendering its presence nearly forgotten to most residents in the area.
Italian, Polish, and Native American wrestlers quickly became the new heroes of a country unified against the evils of communism. By the mid-seventies, wrestling at the Bell Auditorium would be the most regularly attended entertainment medium in the area. “The majority of the time you were three-quarters to full capacity in Augusta,” said Simmons. “Just walking to the ring, even for someone like myself who did this every night, the first time you walked out there was a buzz there. There was electricity in the air and that wasn’t just one or twice a month that was every week. The major cities were the places that also ran our tapes on TV with spots geared towards the station’s location and Augusta was one of those major cities.” From the’70s into the ‘80s, wrestling in Augusta was big business. Fans saw favorites like Tommy Rich, Wahoo McDaniel, and the Anderson Brothers and would line up to get a seat. Fans were turned away during an overly packed house on April 27, 1981, to witness Tommy Rich defeat Harley Race to win the NWA World Heavyweight title and become the youngest champion to date. “When ticket prices were $3.50 for ringside, $2 for adults and $1.50 / $1 for kids, it was nothing for us to go and draw eight to ten thousand dollars in that old Bell Auditorium down there,” said Simmons. “And that’s hanging them from the rafters.” With events pushing capacity at the Bell, officials started to push promoters to move wrestling to the Richmond County Civic Center. The move worked for a short while but, in the eyes of many fans, wrestling in Augusta was not the same outside of the Bell Auditorium.
While it’s certain that wrestling first appeared in the area in the late 1800’s, Augusta’s documented relationship with the controversial sport did not begin in any sort of consistent fashion until 1927 when varied regional promoters started to present cards at venues such as Armory Hall, St. Patrick’s Hall, and Warren Park. Then on May 2, 1932, a new wrestling tradition began, one that continued until May 30, 1984: Monday night wrestling in downtown.
“They say progress is good but I hated to see when the Coliseum came up down there,” said Simmons. “I kind of hated it because I knew the Bell would fade into oblivion as far as wrestling was concerned. Those old venues like the Bell Auditorium and the City Auditorium in Atlanta and the old auditorium in Macon, those are the places that I think are what wrestling should be. Just the atmostphere. The Bell was a great place.” Changes were also happening in the main Atlanta office and wiped out the close relationship the company had with coliseum authorities. Augusta was left to settle on the occasional event.
“Augusta was a mainstay for the Georgia promotion (Georgia Championship Wrestling),” said former wrestler / referee Bobby Simmons. “It was an every Monday night mainstay for a long time.“ Augusta has seen the arrival and passing of many types of popular entertainment. In the late 1800’s, opera was so popular in the area that opera houses popped up at a staggering pace. By the turn of the century, opera had faded locally as most of the venues were mysteriously destroyed by separate fires. Augusta was sorely in need of consistent entertainment. Enter professional wrestling. Augusta was part of a wrestling circuit of Georgia cities that branched out from Atlanta and included Columbus and Macon. By 1940, pro wrestling found a home at Municipal Auditorium (renamed the William Bell Auditorium ten years later). During this stretch, weekly events would go from being run by several promoters to a single company, Georgia Championship Wrestling out of Atlanta, who continued the weekly Monday nights matches for the next thirty years.
“...it was nothing for us to go and draw eight to ten thousand dollars in that old Bell Auditorium down there. And that’s hanging them from the rafters.” In 1951, the first major title change to happen in Augusta took place when Don McIntyre defeated Art Nielson for the Southern Heavyweight title. McIntrye was again involved in a title change in Augusta losing it to Al Bogni on January 26, 1953. By this time, television was all the rage across the United States and professional wrestling, with its colorful characters and dramatic twists and turns, turned out to be a perfect fit for this new form of entertainment. This only added fuel to wrestling’s popularity. In 1953, the Bell Auditorium hosted no less than 35 documented wrestling cards. The following year, McIntrye would top Ray Villmer for his Ninth NWA Southern Heavyweight title run. Augusta would not see another title change until the mid-sixties. The 1960’s would bring continued change to pro wrestling including the increasing popularity of women grapplers and feuds created to capitalize on patriotic tones that continued to grow from the onset of the cold war era. In a business made popular by the premise of good vs. evil, pro wrestling in America found the perfect bad guys in wrestlers touted as being from “the East,” while Mexican,
“I think what happened, as far as Augusta is concerned, is it just got lost in the shuffle” said Simmons. “The Albanys quit running every week, the Macons quit running every week and, when wrestling got impossible to run, it just folded up. But I take great pride in the fact that we performed at Bell Auditorium every Monday night 52 weeks a year. The same people sat on the front row every Monday night and they thought they knew what we were doing but they weren’t real sure. I just had a ball. The good Lord let me live out my dreams.” The same can probably be said for many Augustans who cheered on their heroes and booed the villains every Monday night at the Bell Auditorium. by JOHN CANNON photo COURTESY OF THE AUGUSTA MUSEUM OF HISTORY In addition to running Augusta music resource Lokal Loudness, John Cannon is a writer and reporter for Atlanta-based wrestling resource georgiawrestlinghistory.com.
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reverberations / Spyt 1998 – 2003
augusta music history 201
If there is one definitive way to describe the ongoing existence of any given music scene it would best be done by using the old cliché “like a roller coaster.” Most musical communities experience bursts of highly creative production separated by drops in activity. The same can be said about music in Augusta. Following a period in the mid 90’s when music in the area slowed to a crawl, Augusta experienced a musical resurgence that carried into the new millennium hitting so hard that the repercussions are still being felt over a decade later. Between 1997 and 2000, a wave of new bands ascended upon the Augusta music scene bringing along many different sounds, influences, as well as self-produced recordings. Right smack in the middle of the musical flurry, Spyt was born. The first inklings of the band Spyt can be traced to 1998 when fledgling high school musicians Matt Lawhorne (guitar) and Andy Shotwell (bass guitar) teamed up to form a band. Shortly after, the two would recruit future Spyt bassist Nick Laws to join on percussion. With their musical core set the young trio then set their sights on a permanent front man. Enter vocalist Argentinean Joaquin “Sebastian” Bartar who would prove instrumental in the recording of the band’s debut release. “We put out the CD right around the time of Bloodfest in October 2000. We couldn’t get on the show, but they played our CD in between bands. It was at the National Guard Armory when Bloodfest was still a big deal.” Recorded by the group in various rooms of the Laws house, Dead By Dawn, with its dark subject matter, chopping bass lines, and numetal style guitar melodies, would prove to be a rough glimpse of the direction the band was heading in musically. Still, more changes were needed before Spyt would find their ultimate sound. With only one show with this lineup under their belts, Shotwell would claim a bad case of stage fright and leave the band shortly after. The bassist’s departure would prove to be the catalyst for changes to come.
“We started practicing at what we called ‘the shed’ (Stowaway Storage on Washington Road) where eventually a lot of bands would end up,” said Laws. “I had picked up playing bass on the side with the band that eventually became Autorock. At that point we decided that I would play bass and we picked up Adam Tolar at the storage area to play drums.” While the band would finally get its chance to perform several shows, it would only be a short time before more changes would come and the group would find themselves searching for a new vocalist along the way, crossing paths with someone who would later prove to be a part of the trio’s musical future. “We were on the search for a new singer and we did a bunch of tryouts,” said Laws. “Some very interesting tryouts, one of which was (then Youth at Risk vocalist) Chuck Merritt and, ultimately, we decided against him. Then, we ended up meeting Jason Peck who ended up being the new singer.” Peck would become the missing puzzle piece that the band was looking for and, in December 2001, a newly recharged Spyt made their stage debut at Kokopelli’s as part of the annual Rocking the Stocking benefit concert. Wrapped in Christmas lights and covered in bows, the band’s impact was instant. The mix of intense songs, outrageous stage productions, and over-the-top promotion techniques would became the group’s calling card for the remainder of their existence. Spyt’s in-yourface attitude would lead to not only a spot on a huge summer concert but also a direct confrontation with a local music show on the radio station promoting the concert. “During that period we played the Locobazooka show,” says Laws. “That was when Homegrown was big and we had our fight with Homegrown. They said they had a problem with our recordings and I listen back to them now and they (the recordings) sound OK but not great. But at the time we just had that young naïve ‘we’re the best band ever’ sort of thing going on. In the end, though, they did end up playing us.” In typical Spyt fashion, the band blanketed
Spyt Band Members: Matt Lawhorne: guitar ‘98 - ‘03 Nick Laws: drums ‘98 – ‘00 and bass guitar ‘00 – ‘03 Joaquin Bartar: vocals ‘98 – ‘00 Andy Shotwell: bass guitar ‘98 - ‘00 Adam Tolar: drums ‘00 - ‘03 Jason Peck: vocals ‘01 - ‘03
Spyt Discography 2000 Dead by Dawn (self release) 2002 10:01 / Nothing (KFK demo)
Augusta with flyers asking for write-in votes to appear at Locobazooka which was to be held at the Augusta fairgrounds and headlined by major label artist Sevendust. Their determination paid off as Spyt found themselves with a 10:30 am slot. With Locobazooka in the rear view mirror, Spyt seemed to be headed toward ever greater things but, by 2003, Peck had left the band to concentrate on experimental duo Trend. But the impact of Spyt had yet to be completely felt. The remaining trio would not only spawn Augusta bands that would reach even greater heights, but also one of the regions most cherished music venues.
instrumental prog band the Radar Cinema and now the sole owner of Sector 7G. Lawhorne went to radiology school and is working as an x-ray tech at a new Columbia County urgent care facility while playing guitar in highly popular-award winning band Chairleg. Tolar opened Big City Music on Wrightsboro Road still going strong five years later and most recently performed in the band S. But in the end, Laws attributes at least a portion of his and his bandmates life philosophies on their time in Spyt. “We learned a whole lot being in Spyt. I think that’s one of the things that was different about us than a lot of other bands that I’ve seen, not to say every band but a lot of bands; we really took the time to hone in on the business side of being a band. The marketing and the management of the band and I think from that we all seemed to branch into some sort of business career and just one example is how Matt does really well with Chairleg along the lines of straight of promotion and marketing.”
In 2004, Laws, Tolar and Lawhorne joined forces with Merritt to form the Sixth Hour, a band that would build a solid Augusta fan base and eventually take home favorite song of the year honors at the Lokal Loudness Choice Awards before folding in 2006. Laws and Lawhorne would transform their practice room on Ellis Street into the popular allages venue Sector 7G. Laws would go on to play in G-City Rockers and is currently in by JOHN STONEY CANNON, LOKAL LOUDNESS
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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.
the illustrated vaquero
the illustrated vaquero get the look the clothes Ruben’s Department Store the hair Tony Powledge | Zion’s Barber Shop the tattoos First Amendment Tattoo Shop the model Fro | First Amendment Tattoo Shop the photographer Bird In Hand Photography 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
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