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Since
early childhood, drawing and painting were eRic’s dearest things, his best friends. He believes a painting should have soul and he creates just that, in all of his TM work. Painting things that touch him, inspired by life; his works range from the humor of the Texas dancehall to the Dias de los Muertos traditions. His paintings emerge alive with brilliant colors that run deep…they have a lot of soul! With an “anything goes” eye for color, eRic’s watercolors cross the line between surrealism and folk art, hence the term Sur-FolkTM. eRic Luplow, renowned New Mexico artist who created downtown Harlingen's "Dias de los Muertos" mural (2008), has been honored with a OneMan Showing beginning March 31 at The Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum opens his “Collision of Colors” at Beyond Arts Gallery. This talented artist’s works are a must see…the culmination of a life of unfettered spirit and a tribute to overcoming personal hardships.
Austin based ROXY ROCA is a powerhouse of southern soul, stirring up your spirit with a gritty and infectious sound influenced as much by soul and funk legends of the late 60s like James Brown, Joe Tex, and Al Green as by early rock ‘n’ roll pioneers like Chubby Checker and Little Richard and early 70s psychedelic funk rockers like War and Sly and the Family Stone. Formed in late 2010, the band quickly developed a reputation for getting a room on its feet and in motion with a sound that has been described as Dynamite Texas Soul — driving, hornpowered southern soul with a certain explosiveness and swagger that is distinctly Texas.
This is the best way to start Spring Break! March 11 @ 9pm Vino Mio Social Club
roxyroca.com Facebook.com/vmsocialclub 4102 S Staples St, Corpus Christi
ABOVE: FURTHER ROAMING RIGHT: GUYS RITA
March 31 Meet The Artist Beyond Arts Gallery The Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum 2425 Boxwood St., Harlingen ericlupow.com
Hailing
from the ’Live Music Capital of The World’, with roots to both Florida and Louisiana; the sound of Jai Malano is raw, authentic and relevant to the world of Rhythm and Blues. Combine her blend of storytelling with the same vocality as Etta James, Little Richard, Lavern Baker, and many more of the originators of Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll, and you’re guaranteed to be blown away from start to finish.
Jai
Malano is a show stopping powerhouse that you won’t want to miss!
March 31 @ 9pm Vino Mio Social Club 4102 S Staples St, Corpus Christi Facebook.com/vmsocialclub jaimalano.com
CONTENTS 3 MUST SEE SHOWS 5 QUICK READ 6 COMICS 7 CD REVIEWS 8 ALBUM COVER OF THE MONTH 9 EVENTS: STEAM PICKS 10 J A S O N V A L D E Z : BLUE COLLAR ART 12 T H E M O M E L I K I D Z E PATRIOTS DAY 14 3 R D C O A S T F O O D I E : V I N O M I O 16 B R I A N C H R I S T O P H E R & THE WILD OATSAJUN 18 N E W M U S I C & M O V I E S
PUBLISHER RUSTY HICKS EDITOR TAMMA HICKS COMICS EDITOR ALLENE HICKS STAFF WRITERS STEVE GOLDSTEIN, TAMMA HICKS, RUSTY HICKS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J MICHAEL DOLAN, DEREK SIGNORE, ROB DICKENS, RICK J BOWEN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLENE HICKS, RUSTY HICKS
March 2017
VOL.5 ISS.12 ON THE COVER...
Max pic 2.64h X 2.19w
FURTHER ROAMING BY eRIC LUPLOW
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STEAM Magazine is published monthly by STEAM Magazine, South Texas Entertainment Art Music, in Corpus Christi, TX. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed within are solely the authors and not of STEAM Magazine. Typographical, photographic, and printing errors are unintentional and subject to correction. Please direct all inquiries to: submissions@steamtx.com
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DIM BULB J. Michael Dolan (:10) Boredom is good. Without it our minds could not wander and our imagination could not run free. Without it there would be no empty space for new ideas to reveal themselves. Without it our fantasies would be fleeting, our daydreams would be dampened, and the light bulb over our head would be forever dim.
Important because without boredom we would not ask the question “What should I do next?”
BELLY OF THE BEAST J. Michael Dolan (:29) Stealing away into your private space to do some deep soul searching about the value of your work and the direction you’re headed is not only important, it’s absolutely imperative for a crazy, genius artist/trep. And obviously, the more often you do it, the more insight and wisdom you’ll gain. However, when you’re faced with a specific career challenge, problem or crossroads that has left you stressed and perplexed, the last person you should consult is yourself. The last person you should ask for advice is yourself. The very last person you should have a conversation with is yourself, because you’re the one inside the belly of the beast!
Important because while YOU will ultimately make the final decisions, a profound, pragmatic conversation at the deep end of the pool, with someone whose opinion you trust, always provides a unique, alternative POV, which can provoke a welcome shift from belly to breakthrough.
DIVINE BLUSH J. Michael Dolan (:21) All you have to do is walk into your creative space, whether it’s a studio, a set, a stage or an office, stand directly in front of your most important project, the one that’s most near and dear to you, and simply begin to do the work.
Important because at that moment everything changes. Your attitude shifts, your edginess softens, your confidence rises and the grip of resistance is released. At that moment, even in the shadow of uncertainty, so long as you stand face-to-face and toe-to-toe with the work you love, it’s as if the gates of inspiration and possibility open wide, and the entire universe begins to blush with joy.
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CD
ROSE COUSINS NATURAL CONCLUSION (OLD FARM PONY RECORDS) BY ROB DICKENS Musically, my 2017 has started the way that last year (stills sounds funny to say that yet) ended. Beguiled by a golden voice. In this case, the sumptuous vocals belong to, one, Rose Cousins. She’s Canadian. A native of Prince Edward Island who now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Natural Conclusion will be in fact her fourth full-length album and follows on from the widely acclaimed 2012 release We Have Made A Spark, which landed on NPR’s “Best Music of 2012” list and won a JUNO Award, three East Coast Music Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award and was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. The new collection is set for release on February 3 2017 on her own Old Farm Pony Records. Produced by Grammy Award winner and one of the most in-demand producers around Joe Henry, whom Cousins befriended in 2012, the album was born of a deliberate break from her active touring schedule during which she traveled widely, connecting and collaborating with fellow artists, writers and producers—with no intention of producing a new album of her own. But it was through that process that the songs of Natural Conclusion began to take shape. What a pure and invigorating group of songs they turned out to be. Somewhat reminiscent (to these ears at least) of the great Patty Griffin, her voice ebbs and soars with great magnetism. ‘Chosen’ is a powerful opening track about the fear of commitment, self-doubt (“dodging my heart”) and not being able to live up to being a “statue”. There is plenty of emotive piano in ‘Like Trees’, ‘White Flag’, ‘Tender Is The Man’ and ‘Coda’. ‘Chains’ is more up-tempo, a tight rocking journey with an easily recalled chant. ‘The Grate’ is tender and dramatic. The short, sultry but questioning ‘My Friend’ is gripping. The jazz-infused ‘Lock and Key’ is a triumph with its overwhelming vocals, reflective lyrics and astoundingly good arrangement, the contagious melody run in ‘Grace’ and the evocative “green of Ireland” in ‘Donoughmore’. The second single ‘Freedom’ is a proud, defiant tale: Cousins and Henry have created an emotional landscape full of beauty and conquest. It is formidable. You can listen to ‘Freedom’ and ‘Chosen’ and watch an album trailer. The pair brought together a trusted band of friends and colleagues at Toronto’s Noble Street Studios. Henry enlisted long-time collaborators from Los Angeles: engineer Ryan Freeland, drummer Jay Bellerose and bassist David Piltch. Cousins invited pianist Aaron Davis, guitar player Gord Tough, Zachariah Hickman also on bass, Asa Brosius on pedal/lap steel/dobro and Kinley Dowling. Longtime friends Jill Barber, Caroline Brookes and Miranda Mullholland share on backing vocals. ROSECOUSINS.com Rob Dickens: ListeningThroughTheLens.com
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BRIAN CHRISTOPHER & THE WILD OATS RIDE WITH ME (WILD OATS RECORDS) BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN KATHY & THE KILOWATTS LET’S DO THIS THING! (LECTRO FINE RECORDS) BY RICK J BOWEN Award winning singer songwriter Kathy Murray was raised in Chicago and Austin, the influence of these two iconic music cities is felt in her songwriting and vocal stylings. Her tough, right to the point lyrics reflect the gritty streets of Chi Town and a laid back, smoky alto delivered with a whisper of drawl, is pure Texas charm. She burst on the Austin music scene three decades ago with her band Kathy and the Kilowatts, wowing audiences with a tremendous live show, and sharing the stage with everyone from Albert Collins to Koko Taylor. Kathy’s third full length album Let’s Do This Thing, released in February of 2017 features 15 news songs written by Murray, who won the Australian Blues Association “Song of the Year” Chain Award for her song, “Call Me Mrs. Blues.” The sizzling tracks of Roots, Blues and Classic R&B were recorded in Austin Texas and produced by her longtime musical compadre and husband guitarist Bill “Monster” Jones. The duo is joined by many amazing musicians and dear friends from the Lone Star State including: Al Gomez and Henry Rivas of The Westside Horns; who light up the sultry ballad “Beautiful Moments,” and the jump boogie “Each Kiss.” Dylan Cavaliere and his triple slap upright bass groove brings the rockabilly romp “Loveaholic,” to life, while drummers Richard Ross and Nina Singh round out the rhythm section. Kathy co-wrote serval tunes with her multitalented brother David Murray who also added guitar, bass, percussion, and vocals. Ben Buck on beat box vocal adds a new twist to the boogaloo “Spell It Out.” Kathy explains that “These songs are all at least partly autobiographical,” which makes the collection easily accessible and genuine; which is certainly the goal of many a songwriter. KATHYANDTHEKILOWATTS.COM RICK J BOWEN: WABLUES.ORG
It doesn’t take very long for Ride With Me to become really interesting. Brian Christopher and the Wild Oats are a band of first rate Austin musicians. They let it be known from the first notes of this debut album that they are not just another Texas Country band. Brian cut his teeth playing in alt-rock and country bands before moving to Corpus Christi and rekindling a friendship with rising local singer/ songwriter, Steven James. All the while, Brian was honing his songwriting skills and stockpiling a pretty impressive catalog of quality songs. After returning to his native Austin, Brian was eager to get his music out there. Ride With Me opens with the title track, also the first single release. After doing time in the confines of a nine-to-five job, it’s time to cut loose with one hellaciously fun road trip. “Faustian Deal” is a barn burning, guitar driven deal with the devil featuring Zachary Moulton’s rockin’ steel guitar. The aptly titled “I Can’t Complain” is a melodic delight that leaves you with nothing to complain about. Brian draws on his skillful use of dynamics and phrasing on the energetic rocker, “Flying Blind.” “Home” takes an upbeat acoustic look at missing the security of a happy home that features some very tasty fiddle work by Warren Hood. The band exits rocking with “Hangover,” a drinking-with-a-vengeance hell raiser that takes no prisoners. Also featured are Tommy Roalson (drums); Justin Martinez (bass); Bob Villwock (organ); and Kenny Ledford (guitar). Ride With Me just sounds great! Brian wrote, produced and mixed the entire album. He brought his visions to life with 6 vibrant, hit worthy tracks of rocking Texas Country that will get your attention. BCWILDOATS.COM
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"Silk Purse” – Linda Ronstadt (1970)
One of the most passionate female voices ever belongs to this native of Tucson Arizona. Linda Ronstadt first received popular attention with an LA band called The Stone Poneys. Their infectious song “Different Drum,” written by Mike Nesmith, was a top 20 hit in 1967. It was obvious that she possessed a unique, soulfully sensuous voice that left listeners wanting more. That fact didn’t escape their record company who renamed the band, “Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys.” This didn’t sit well with the rest of the band and it wasn’t long before Linda emerged as a solo artist. After “Silk Purse” was released in 1970, her recruited backup band would eventually become The Eagles. By 1974, she had teamed up with producer Peter Asher and musical arranger Andrew Gold to release the chart topping “Heart Like A Wheel.” This, along with several successful follow-ups, raised her status to that of a bona fide 1970s rock star. That alone was quite an accomplishment in the male dominated world of rock and roll, but Linda would achieve further successes with collaborations with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton, a run on Broadway in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance,” and an album of traditional Mexican folk songs celebrating the music she grew up listening to.
She also worked with Nelson Riddle both on record and in concert performing traditional big band standards. Linda returned to the pop charts in the late 1980s dueting with Aaron Neville, and continued working steadily until 2011 when her powerful voice was silenced by the onset of Parkinson’s disease, forcing her retirement. She released a compelling autobiography, “Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir” in 2011. “Silk Purse” was her second solo album and has one of my favorite album covers of all time (something about young Linda sitting with pigs in a sty). For that matter, any cover with Linda Ronstadt could easily qualify as one of my favorites. The music here helps to firmly establish her as a forceful female voice in Country/Rock with songs like “Lovesick Blues,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and “Louise.” She had a respectable hit with “Long Long Time,” and that would be the track to seek out if you could only choose one.
"Truth” – Jeff Beck Group (1968) Guitar wunderkind Jeff Beck joined the Yardbirds in 1965 after Eric Clapton’s hasty exit just before their first single release, “For Your Love.” Towards the end of 1966, he was unceremoniously invited to leave for failing to show up. Beck was intent on forming his own band and recruited an upcoming rhythm guitarist named Ron Wood, along with vocalist Rod Stewart, years before he asked if we thought he was sexy. After a series of drummers came and went, Mickey Waller landed the spot and Ron Wood moved to bass guitar. (Mickey Waller died in 2003 at age 66 from liver complications.) Manager Mickey Most tried to mold the band into a hit-making product and they released a few singles. But Beck wanted to rock, and rock hard. This first album features blues covers by Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Dixon, a rearranged version of The Yardbirds’ “Shapes Of Things,” and old-time
standards, “Old Man River” and the instrumental “Greensleeves.” This was followed by successful tours of Europe and the United States, another drummer named Tony Newman, and a second album, “Beckola” (1969). It wasn’t long before personality differences entered the picture and the band split up just before they were to appear at the iconic Woodstock Music Festival in August 1969. Rod Stewart talked about their differences in his 2013 autobiography, “Rod.” He said that Beck was an artist, not interested in acquiring money or fame, while the others were trying to build careers and keep food on their tables. When Rod Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Jeff Beck, who accepted on Stewart’s behalf, summed up their relationship by calling it “love/ hate…he loves me and I hate him.” Still, Rod is in particularly fine form here, whether he’s belting out the blues on “I Ain’t Superstitious” or adding dynamic vocals to the classic “Morning Dew.” The instrumental, “Beck’s Bolero” was originally issued as a B-side, but gained prominence by becoming a popular FM radio track. Credited to former Yardbirds band-mate Jimmy Page, and featuring Page on 12-string guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Who drummer Keith Moon, it is the recommended track to seek out on this seminal album.
COASTAL BEND
Boarderline Band Come see us @ World Championship Rattlesnake Races in Old San Patricio, 3/19 1-6pm. See our ad for full listing! Concrete Street Amphitheater 700 Concrete St, Corpus Christi 3/12 RUSS @ 8pm 3/18 Spring Break on the Coast with Randy Rogers & Cody Johnson @ 5:30pm 3/22 Skillet @ 6:30pm
NORTH END
New Witte Opening Day Whitte Museum 3801 Broadway, San Antonio 3/4 @ 9:30am ABC Kite Festival Zilker Park 2100 Barton Springs Rd, Austin Lifting spirits. Lifting lives. Since 1929. 3/5 @ 10am
Frontier Saloon 9709 Leopard St, Corpus Christi Live Music Every Saturday Night! See our ad for full listing!
Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughn Bullock Texas State History Museum 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin The quintessential, one-and-only exhibition on blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan. 3/10 Exhibit Opening
Giggity’s 722 Tarpon St, Port Aransas Live Music Every Night! See our ad for full listing!
SXSW Conferences and Festival Throughout Austin 3/10-19
It’ll Do Saloon 4125 Gollihar, Corpus Christi Live Music Every Friday & Saturday Nights! See our ad for full listing!
Murphy’s St Patrick’s Day River Parade & Festival Riverwalk in Downtown, San Antonio This annual parade of boats and barges is preceded by the San Antonio River dyeing on March 11-12. Arts and crafts, food, games, family-friendly activities and a pub crawl. 3/17-18
Mikel May’s Beach Bar & Restaurant Bob Hall Pier on North Padre Island, Corpus Christi Join us for Spring Break! See our ad for full listing! Shorty’s 823 Tarpon St, Port Aransas Live Music Every Friday & Saturday Nights! See our ad for full listing! Vino Mio 4102 S Staples St, Corpus Christi Live Music Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Nights! See our ad for full listing! Winter Walking Tour Perserve at Charlie’s 1300 Port St, Port Aransas Fridays in March 3pm St Patrick’s Day Block Festival 300 Block of People’s St, Corpus Christi Entertainment will include 12 live bands on 3 stages, Irish dancers and an Irish marching band with bag pipes. 3/14 Water Walk Corpus Christi 1900 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi Let’s take steps to ending the global water crisis! 3/18 @ 9am Songwriters Song Swap The Historic Ritz Theater 715 N Caparral St, Corpus Christi Song Swap 3/31 @ 7pm
HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP? submissions@steamtx.com
San Marcos Corn Dog Day 2017 Courthouse Lawn, Hopkins St, San Marcos Corn dogs, games, music, corn dog eating contest and fun! 3/18 @ 12pm Festival of Tails McAllister Park 13102 Jones Maltsberger Rd, San Antonio 11th annual Fest of Tails Kite Festival and Dog Fair 3/18 Jerry Jeff Walker’s Texas Bash 2017 3/25 Paramont Theater, Austin 3/26 Gruene Hall, New Braunfels Annual Native Film Series: Reel Injun Briscoe Western Art Museum 210 W Market St, San Antonio 3/28 @ 6:30pm
SOUTH END
Arbor Day Celebration McAllen Municipal Park 1921 N Bicentennial Blvd, McAllen A fun-filled day where anyone can participate and get a free tree! 3/4 St Patty’s Day Block Party & Cook-Off 17th St between Austin Ave & Dallas Ave, McAllen Featuring a beer garden, chicken & fajita BBQ Cook-off, and live music! 3/16 MAR 2017 FACEBOOK.COM/STEAMTX
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By Scott Yager, Sound Magazine
Patriots Day
tackles the recent tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombing from April 2013 and does so in the form of an edge-of-your-seat thriller that shines just as bright a light on the courage and bravery brought forth from the event that it does the horrific actions of two cowardly individuals. One of those individuals is played by Themo Melikidze, a bright young actor who jumped at the opportunity to star in a major motion picture with Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon and John Goodman, but also understood the gravity of the material at hand. Although it didn’t receive much awards consideration, Patriots Day has garnered a fantastic rating from both the critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and it is one of our top five favorite films of the year. Themo took time to talk to us about this important movie and his journey and experience being involved in it. First off, I would just like to say, I have seen Patriots Day, and it is one of my top five favorite films of the year. To me it’s hard to imagine a better depiction of this tragic event and a better blend of faithful storytelling and an engaging movie-going experience… You have a very interesting ethnic background and path that you took to a career in acting in the United States. Why don’t we start with that? Can you describe your background a little bit and your journey for us? Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm very glad you enjoyed the movie. I'm from a small country in Eastern Europe called Georgia. Ever since I was a kid, there was always something inside me that was giving me this urge to reenact anything I would see or hear. And that small source of an "itch" grew every year bigger and bigger. I remember watching a Bruce Lee movie for the first time ever in my life on a black and white TV we had in Georgia. The movie was in Chinese and the subtitles in Russian, I don't speak either language but something on the screen captivated me and inspired me incredibly. Since that day my goal was to come to the United States and pursue my dream as a Martial Artist/Actor. Our family moved to Belgium when I was around 9 years old, it was very tough in Georgia so Belgium was like a new beginning. I had a lot more opportunities in Belgium and my dream never faded away it only became stronger. I started doing Taekwondo and got involved with different types of sports. I wanted to see what my body could learn in a certain amount of time and where my limits were. At a certain point I had to make a decision either I was going to follow my Taekwondo career and give my life to it or I was going to chase my life- long dream and come over to the United States. At my senior year I made the decision and started doing my research, taking my decision to become an actor a lot more serious. In 2012, I sent out an audition tape to the New York Film Academy and a month later I received an acceptation letter with a scholarship. I packed my bags and booked a one way ticket to NYC.
You play a role in Patriots Day that has to be a difficult one to process, prepare for and develop. You aren’t American, but did the Boston Marathon bombing resonate with you back when it happened in 2013? I remember it very clearly. It came as a huge shock, I couldn't believe that two guys from Boston, that were a part of the community could commit such a horrible act. I was following it live on TV. Events like this MAR 2017
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really make me question our purpose as humans here on earth, but then again, anyone who is capable of committing such a monstrous act shouldn't even have the right to be recognized as a human.
the absolute hate, disgust and anger that I had for this individual that really drove me through the scenes and really gave me the fuel every day to have these horrible thoughts in my mind on the set.
Where were you living when the Boston
What is one thing (or more if you have
Marathon bombing took place? I was back home in Belgium.
them) you learned about the Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent chase thereafter, that you didn’t know until you got the script or starting working on the film? I was absolutely amazed at how much the small decisions taken by these unsung heroes as "Danny Meng", "Jeffrey Pugliese", "Billy Evans", etc... made such a big difference in capturing the brothers preventing another disaster from happening. Boston really showed to the world, how powerful it is to come together as one community.
What is interesting about the character you play, along with his accomplice in the bombing, is that unlike other movies which might have just made these two evil, faceless assailants who commit the crime and hide from the good guys, you get a ton of screen time, most of it in intimate scenes with each other where we really get a look behind the psyche of these two guys. To be honest with you nothing about these individuals is interesting, and the whole purpose of the two brothers appearing in the movie is to highlight the heroism and the courageousness of the people of Boston. But the facts can't be denied about the brothers that they had a life going on in Boston. Family, wife, friends, etc... So it was important to make them three dimensional and I think also most importantly that we
Patriots Day DVD and Blu-ray release date is set for March 28 and available on Digital HD from Amazon Video and iTunes on March 14. stayed true to the story.
Of the two characters, yours is definitely the most unlikeable, however this third dimension is one that characters such as these rarely get in tales such as these. What choices did Alex and you make to make these guys feel like real people, while also treading that line of being overly sympathetic towards them in your portrayals? I think the collaboration between me and Alex really made both of our jobs a lot easier. The chemistry we had, the first time we met each other at the callback was unbelievable. We treated the two individuals as true brothers (as hard and unpleasant as it was) and paid attention to the small details, because I think that is really what builds a character. But at the end of the day it was
The Boston Marathon bombing is still an incident that is fresh in the minds of many people, and the look that this film gives at the two perpetrators is likely to be one that is very polarizing. Were there any second thoughts going into auditioning for this role, taking this role, and executing this role for you? Well, almost a year ago I made my decision to move from NYC to LA. When I got here last year I didn't know anyone and the first 3 -4 months were probably the toughest times ever in my life. I was constantly moving, because I didn't have a solid place to stay. I couldn't afford a vehicle so I bought a bike on craigslist and I was biking my way through LA for four hours a day to get to auditions. I've never had a bigger test in my life, but I always stayed focused. Then I got in touch with an agent who saw something in me and got picked up by the Park Noack Agency. And almost two weeks later after signing with my agency I received the breakdown for Patriots Day by my agent. It was hard to believe that I could even have a chance to audition for a Mark Wahlberg movie. It was an absolute honor for me to have the directors’ call back with Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg himself; for me, my life was turning around even if I wouldn't get the part. Because I fought my way through the auditions and I got to the point where my "heroes" were watching me performing a scene from their script, that to me was an unbelievable achievement. So going in to this project I was always looking at the bigger scale of the movie. It wasn't about me or my character. It was about the message to the world and if I could have a chance to participate sharing that message to the world with this amazing movie then it would've been my honor.
Films based on true events seem to be coming out sooner and sooner. This event happened in 2013. This film was released almost four years later, but when you factor in pre-production time, writing, casting and all of that, the wheels had to start turning on this film almost immediately after the bombing. Is there such thing as too soon, no matter how much grace and respect a storyteller gives to a project? I don't think there is such thing as too soon, because we're not making a movie based on how much time has passed since the tragedy. We're making a movie that honors the heroes of that day, pays a tribute to the victims,
to educate the people of what happened and inspire the people today with the story of Boston. A message that Patriots Day is sharing is something we need every single day. We keep dividing each other and we keep labeling each other with different terms, but it's very simple, at the end of the day under the beautiful sky we're all the same. No race, No religion, No color, No political status, etc. but humans longing for a better tomorrow. But that ‘better tomorrow’ will never come if we keep dividing each other, and that's what Patriots Day is telling us; to come together as one, like Boston did that day.
When you heard about this role and this project, what was your first impression or thought? I knew that including the brothers in the movie was going to be very challenging and difficult to execute. So I had no idea how they would handle it, but reading the script and then eventually being on the set with Peter and Mark and seeing how much work they put into this, was amazing.
Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg have become the premiere team in making films based on true events, and tragic ones at that. What about their directing, producing and filmmaking style makes these films so vibrant, so intense, suspenseful, yet so true to the stories themselves? When you watch Peter Berg's movies, you don't really feel like you're watching a film following these characters on the screen but it swallows you into the story and gives you the front row perspective of the event. It's absolutely amazing. Peter and Mark have that chemistry and that's why it's so effective. It's something you can't force or recreate.
24: Legacy Airs on Mondays on FOX and on demand via FOXNOW.
screenings when the audience had the chance to meet with me, it was hard for them to believe that I was the one they saw on the big screen. My girlfriend described it the best, saying "The moment I saw you, you looked like you were possessed by a demon"
You are appearing in 24: Legacy. Can you talk at all about the character you play on 24? I'd say he's a prime example of neglect and lack of leadership
24 is entirely fictional and Patriots Day is very real. That being said, what do the two have in common and as an actor, what remains consistent for you, and what changes, depending on the subject matter? As an actor you try to find the balance between imagination, reality and life experience. Now it depends on the project which one of the three given elements you're going to use the most. But the most important and amazing part is that just by respecting these three elements, the possibilities of you becoming another person/being are endless.
Finally, what is next for you? Is it a rom-
you? The marathon scene. When I had to place the bomb and walk away. We were blocking the scene out a few times so I had an idea how it was going to play out. But then when we started shooting the scene, Peter placed a stroller right next to the spot, where I was supposed to put down the pressure cooker. When I saw the stroller I almost stopped the scene, I was wearing the aviators that were covering my eyes all in tears.
com? Do you like doing films like this or do you want to show your versatility? You are a really athletic guy so maybe these kinds of films and television projects are well-suited for you, but what else is in that bag of tricks of yours? Given my athletic and martial arts background I'd love to play a superhero. I always loved as a kid watching Spiderman movies and Superman movies. But at the same time I'd love to see myself get lost in a comedy movie or the next "Star Wars" franchises.
What is the most common thing you
What is a dream role on a dream show,
What was the toughest scene to film for
have been hearing from people who have seen this film? How much the movie really paid a tribute to the people of Boston and how well it was executed ‘til the end. Practically everyone felt a lot more informed about the event and got to know the real heroes that day.
Because you play a real life character, and one that, in real life, we never got to know personally, certainly nowhere near as personally as we got to know your depiction of him on screen, are you worried at all that it might take a while to separate you from this character, and/or characters with similar motives or actions? Actually people are in disbelief when being told, that I play that character. And especially the people that know me. After few
or movie franchise for you? Who knows, the creators of Game of Thrones might be reading this and it might land you that part! Oh, amazing you mention Game of Thrones. It happens to be one of my all-time favorite shows together with The Sopranos. (Both HBO hint, hint) haha! It would be a dream to play one of the fearless Dothraki in Game of Thrones or in the next iconic type of movie, like my all-time favorite "Scarface." I want to thank you for taking your time and asking these interesting questions. I hope we can have another interview in the future again.
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JALOP-IN-YO-BUSINESS BURGER
By Tamma hicks, STEAM Magazine
desserts, and other items in house every day.
on’t you love it when you find a new favorite place and when you tell your friends you get one of two reactions: they love it and are surprised you hadn’t already been there or they never thought of eating there. Well, those were the reactions I got when I told my friends that the food at Vino Mio Social Club and Winery was outstanding, but then again until the middle of February we had only been to Vino Mio for the great shows they have.
The menu is easy to read, full of tasty
Vino Mio has a great reputation for bring-
ing in top of the line acts from all over the Coastal Bend, San Antonio, and Austin. The full bar is stocked exceptionally well and the wine selection is impressive and includes their own label which they produce. With a name that includes Social Club you would expect that they have the atmosphere down to a tee and they do! Just walking in you get that speakeasy, good time feeling. Tables are comfortably spaced around the main room and dance floor, and the couches are big and seat many. The custom built wine cabinets behind the bar are beautiful and artistic. Honestly, the wall length terrarium sets the mood - a calm, relaxed nightclub to enjoy food, music, and friends. What a great place for a date!
Our good friend Barb joined Rusty, Al-
lene, and me early on a Friday night, before the crowd arrived, and the wonderful aroma from the kitchen instantly had our mouths watering! Chef Ethan Swanson, who it turns out loves making the breads daily, was cooking up a storm! Vino Mio takes prides in using locally sourced and organic ingredients and, in addition to the breads, they make the sauces, fabulous MAR 2017
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4102 S STAPLES ST, CORPUS CHRISTI (361) 728-6445 TUE—THR 4PM-12AM FRI & SAT 4PM-2AM MUSIC STARTS AT 9PM SUN 12AM-2AM SOMETHING FOR EVERY DAY: TUESDAY POP UP KITCHEN WITH DAVID LE WINE-O WEDNESDAY WINE SPECIALS THURSDAY-FRIDAY-SATURDAY: LIVE MUSIC SUNDAY: STREET BRUNCH WITH DAVID LE 12-4PM & SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT
descriptions of each item, and the names for the “Hand Helds” (ie burgers, subs, and paninis) and Pizzas will give you a smile as your stomach starts to growl. As we were trying to decide on where to start Chef Ethan gave us a few suggestions about the sauces, breads, and the desserts. He also had just made from scratch Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Asparagus soups, so that along with the Truffle Shuffle is how we started our meal. First the soups were spectacular! The asparagus was thick, creamy, and hearty while the mushroom soup was packed with mushrooms and topped with a sprinkling of bacon which brought out a smoky flavor. Both were served with freshly made and toasted crostini with olive oil drizzle. Absolutely lovely! I love the taste of truffle fries, but load them up with mozzarella and parmesan cheese with fresh Alfredo sauce and the Truffle Shuffle sent me to heaven. But wait
CHEF ETHAN SWANSON PREPARING THE HAND TOSSED PIZZA DOUGH HE MADE EARLIER. VINO MIO TAKES PRIDES IN USING LOCALLY SOURCED AND ORGANIC INGREDIENTS!
THE TRUFFLE SHUFFLE
there’s more! It was served with truffle mayonnaise as the dipping sauce. Truly my favorite dish!
Barb ordered the Cranberry Chevrè Salad and it was spectacular. It looked so pretty I wasn’t sure we should eat it, but that thought only lasted for a second. Beautiful mixed greens with generous amounts of whole pistachios, goat cheese, cranberries, and roasted shallot vinaigrette. Every bite was full of
flavor. It was a perfect light dinner. Rusty is a pasta guy and when the Fettuccine Alfredo was served we knew it was going to be good. The large serving of organic noodles was smothered in smooth, silky parmesan Alfredo made that day. Delicious seems like such an understatement. With Chef Ethan’s suggestion and my daring I ordered the “Jalop-InYo-Business” burger. First it was served on Vino Mio’s own version of the Hawaiian Roll that makes everyone’s hands look small. That alone should make you want this, but the burger was covered in jalapenos, cream cheese, and thick sliced bacon. What a great idea! Allene also listened to Chef Ethan and when he said Sun Salutation Pizza she was all in. Yes, this pizza is named after the local band (now on hiatus) and it is crammed full of vegetables like artichoke, spinach, tomatoes, onions, black olives, bell peppers, and mushrooms. There are three base sauces to choose from tomato, Alfredo, and (the one we chose) basil pesto. And remember this is on freshly made and hand tossed dough. In fact for the young lady who never eats the crust, she even snuck some off my plate!
We seriously couldn’t leave without dessert,
especially after Chef Ethan
LEFT COLUMN SUN SALUTATION PIZZA; FETTUCCINI ALFREDO WITH ROSEMARY BREAD; CRANBERRY CHEVRÈ SALAD
RIGHT COLUMN FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE; NEW YORK CHEESCAKE; PUMPKIN CAKE
pointed them out. We ordered three for us to share and WOW! Absolutely amazing treats! The Flourless Chocolate Cake was Allene and Barb’s favorite. Rich doesn’t even begin to describe this slice of heaven made with dark Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate. From scratch New York Cheesecake is truly an elegant dessert and served with a strawberry reduction and large fresh raspberries just put it over the top. The last slice was the Pumpkin Cake and it moved the Truffle Shuffle
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on the favorite pedestal! Made from scratch pumpkin pie topped with a layer of sweet, crispy cake and homemade caramel sauce drizzled on top with candied pecans. In my opinion the desserts were unquestionably the perfect ending to this wonderful meal.
By Tamma Hicks, STEAM Magazine Photo by Jessica Richman
I’d written the same song three times, a little bit different on each one but still very much the same. Often I'll just be driving in the car and a melody or a phrase will hit me. I'll grab my phone and record it and throughout the day I’ll have that hook stuck in my head. I start writing the words in my head and then when I get home I'll pick up the guitar and I'll try to write down and spill out what I've got sometimes. Musically I play a lot of different instruments, so sometimes I start with guitar, sometimes with a drum beat, or a bass line. I try to mix it up because like I said when I get into that habit, songs sound too much alike. And I really don't want to be one of those bands that when you buy my record you listen to two songs and you've heard the whole record. You mentioned that you played different instruments. What do you play? I play guitar, bass guitar, a little bit of drums. I play piano very poorly. I played saxophone in high school and if you gave me one I could maybe give you a tune. I had to teach myself mandolin, so that I could play it on our first single, Ride With Me. You know when I was in Corpus Christi I worked for Guitar Center and, as you could imagine, there are a lot of down times, so what I did was set a goal of learning at least a new instrument every month. That's when I started learning mandolin. I learned to play ukulele and the Didgeridoo because we had one of those, which probably wasn't very sanitary since I had my slobbery mouth all over it.
I’m not sure where you're originally from, but I do know that you came to Corpus Christi and you were in a group called Violet Crush before moving north. Yeah, I was born and raised in Austin and I move down to Corpus Christi for about three years before moving back here to Austin. And if I remember correctly, Violet Crush was more of a Pop Rock group and you put out an album. And now you have a Texas Country group, right? Right, Violet Crush was kind of an Alternative Pop Rock and we put out two EPs. I started playing music at 15, that's when I really started getting out and gigging, I was really into Pop Rock, so I played that a lot. Since then I've been moving around genres. I played lead guitar in a couple of Country bands, I played bass for Steven James and the Jaded, I had the Violet Crush band and then an Alternative Rock band called Under Driven before that. Now I have the Wild Oats and it falls under the category that people call Country nowadays, I think it’s more like Southern Rock with a Twang. Since you bounce around genres, do you have one that you prefer more than others? You know, I really don't. I just love making music. I have been a songwriter for a long time and I write tons and tons of songs in all different genres. This project started because I felt like playing the Country Style songs that I had written in the past but never got to MAR 2017
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play, so this is just kind of a different thing for me to get to do since I've played Pop Rock most of my life. About your songwriting, do you write for yourself or do you write for other people? Typically the songs I write are for me, although I wouldn't be opposed to selling songs or giving them to other people. I've just never had the connection or know the right people to get the songs into the right hands. I guess I've just never really have the drive to seek that out. You said that you write songs with all different genres in mind, so are your songs based on personal experience or something you’ve seen, heard that makes you want to write? You know it just depends, every song is different. Sometimes I just right and I don't realize it's the stuff coming from my subconscious until a friend reads it and says, “wow, are you really going through that?” And there's times where I just need to write about something that's happening either on the news or in my personal life and of course there's the times where I just want to make up stories. So you could say I write nonfiction and fiction. Are you one of those writers that has a ritual? Like you need to have certain pens and paper or to sit down at a specific time every day to write? I've heard of people doing that. I have a fulltime job and I can't afford to just sit down and write every morning. But really, if I catch myself getting into kind of a ritual or habit I try to break it quickly because my songs end up sounding very similar or based on the same subject matter. I've done that before;
Not to mention all the other people that came in to try it! That's a great idea for working in a music store and for that matter I would think if you worked at a bookstore or a craft store you would want to do something like that as well. You have to keep up with what you're doing because really, how can you sell a ukulele if you can't make it sound good? Exactly, I'd pick up a ukulele and show them how to tune it, how to play a couple of chords, make it sound nice, and they buy it. So tell me a little bit about the album Ride With Me. Well it was pretty cool. I'm a recording engineer myself and I just figured we didn't have a whole lot of money so I decided I would do this record pretty much by myself, although my problem was I didn't have a place for the drums, so our bass player, Justin
Martinez, knew Jason Richards, who has a studio called Clockright Studios in Austin. And it's a really cool home studio that he turned into a full-on recording studio. So we tracked the drums there and then we ended up tracking the pedal steel with Zach Moulton (Mike & the Moonpies) and we also did fiddle there with Warren Hood, who has played for everybody. Patty Griffin, Lyle Lovett, everybody! He's actually my age and we went to school together our freshman year so we kind of knew each other a little bit and that's how we got him. He did a phenomenal job. And then the rest we did in my living room. It's a nice album, I really enjoy it; and you wrote all the songs on it? Yes, ma'am. so like Ride With Me and Faustian Deal I actually wrote while I was living in Corpus while I was working at FedEx and working for them is not very easy especially during the winter, when you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, holiday season you work lots of hours so getting home and being completely exhausted and having a lot of frustration is how these songs came to be and those are probably two of my favorite songs that I've ever written. With Ride With Me I had this melody going through my head and I just sat down and within a couple hours I had the whole song. I had the rhythm going through my head for Faustian Deal and that's where I started with it. The frustration was that as a musician you put your heart out on the line and you work and work and work and nothing happens, but then once in a while something just happens. And you look around to find out how did that happened or think did I sell my soul to get it. What's the longest it's taken you to finish a song? Flying Blind took me a very long time to write, it just didn't flow. So you were asking about rituals or habits that I might have. I do have one; it’s that I can't leave a song undone. Whether I end up throwing it in the trash when I'm done or not, but I have to get it all out and completed. So Flying Blind took me almost a month to write and is not my favorite song on the record but I really like playing it live. It has a good energy to it. It started with the melody and originally the song was about my friends that all moved away to be actors and musicians in LA, but I ended up changing the topic of the song and
At the Saxon Pub In Austin | Photo by Winkler Withaneye
all the words. It's interesting how you have to finish a song, I'm kind of that way myself. Yeah that's probably some of the OCD I have and I think that's what allows musicians to write and do the things the way we do. Music is art, so it's all subjective. But things have to be right according to my eye. So tell me about the guys in your band. Actually we are in the process of switching drummers. Adam Holloway, who's played with Violet Crush and Steven James and the Jaded, is a great drummer however he's got some projects that he needs to pay more attention to and is conflicting with our time. We found Michael Bahan by just asking friends and other musicians about a drummer, because we found that Craigslist just doesn't seem to work for us. However, crazy enough, that's how we found our guitar player Ken Ledford and boy did we get lucky with him! He was new to Austin and looking for a band to jam with. He responded to our Craigslist ad and I jammed with him once and I thought ‘holy crap, don't lose this guy!’ Justin (bass player) and I have known each other for forever, elementary school I think. I'll never forget our first show with Ken. We were at the Phoenix Saloon in New Braunfels and he’s kind of hard to get out of his shell sometimes. Anyway, he let loose on this awesome guitar solo. So good that Justin and I forgot to play and just paid attention to him! I fancy myself as a lead player and I play lead on a few of our songs, easy rock guitar solos. They're nothing like Ken’s! Your album was released in January and the first single is Ride With Me. Do you have a second single ready to go? Not yet, but Ride With Me is shooting up the Texas Charts like crazy! When we released it we came in at 114, the second week we were at 100, middle of February we were at 86 and as of Sunday the 26th we at 69. It’s going up every week! That's great news! Where can we get your album? Well it's online through Spotify, Google Play, and Amazon. Hard copies are just at our shows because it doesn't make sense for us to print too many since we don't have a distributor; so we just sell them at the shows but its downloadable everywhere. Where can we see you and do you have any big gigs coming up? We just booked our biggest show to date… We are playing the Los Cruces Country Music Festival and will be opening the show on Saturday April 29! March 24th will be at the Rattle Inn in Austin and I will be out on radio tours All Over Texas and New Mexico. I've already booked studio time for our next record and we just connected with a booking agent, so we'll be out and about much more. You can always check our website, facebook page, and on twitter to see what we’re up to.
BCWILDOATS.COM FACEBOOK AND TWITTER: BCWILDOATS
**Release dates & Parental Ratings are subject to change, and often do.**
**Release dates & Parental Ratings are subject to change, and often do.**
schedule: facebook.com/classicasm facebook.com/steamtx MUSIC youtube.com/user/KamikazeIsAlive youtube.com/spiritxtv youtube.com/bloombylittle SteamMagazineRadio.Net
Abhishek S. Mishra (ASM) is the Robert would later form the band Kamikaze, that he Plantesque voice fronting Spirit X and the blues they play. They try not to be pegged in a genre though as ASM explains,” I think the music just takes the path that it takes, no use forcing it in a box and calling it a certain type of music.” His own solo work like ‘Louisiana’ also draws from these same planes and he is one who wishes to explore his own horizons every day.
ASM started music from a young age. With 6 Generations of music in his lineage it seemed that he was destined to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather the great late Pandit Uma Shanker Mishra and then, quite inexplicably, he let it all go. "Life happened man." he says with a chuckle. In his time away from music he meandered from one job to another finding himself to finally coming full circle back to music. "People listen to music for many reasons right? It's fun, catchy; helps you out sometimes when you are not feeling good...for me music was there as a friend when I couldn't find anybody. I am not saying I didn't have friends but I just couldn't reach out to them. I remember listening to Babe I'm Gonna Leave You on the little CD player I had, and figuring out the chords as I heard it and singing along when we had power cuts for like 16 hours a day! Not much you can do but find something to keep yourself busy with." He started playing again bit by bit and it is after he did a little jam session with his friend Yunas Maharjan with whom he
realized what he had. "That band is still so special to me, and those people. That video of me just belting out the blues out of nowhere is on YouTube as well (laughs). We made some great songs together...Absolutely loved making music and playing with them.
Fast forward to 2017 and with Bbek Tamang, his project LeoAries is the alternate dimension he delves in and creates a sound of psychdellia that is best captured in their first single ‘One’. Their music can be best described as Space Rock but then again, he hates the term “genres”. “There is only one kind ‘a music,” ASM says, “the one that you feel not just now, but even years from now.”
This month ASM is in the USA. He’s pre-
formed in New York and Washington DC and has shows scheduled for Chicago as well. He is in Texas the first week of March, so check his and STEAM Magazine’s facebook pages for upcoming shows.