CAROUSEL triple cities
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october 2014
vol. 2 issue 10
living local. loving life.
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 3
contents.
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editorial............................................................4 this is halloween............................................5 music................................................................16 raging feminism............................................21 comedy............................................................22 events calendar..........................................24 art....................................................................26 theatre and dance.......................................31 food and drink..............................................37 film...................................................................41 books...............................................................43 bingspot..........................................................45 fun stuff.........................................................46 TRIPLE CITIES CAROUSEL P.O. BOX 2947 BINGHAMTON, NY 13902 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Christopher Bodnarczuk Assistant Editors Heather Merlis, Ronnie Vuolo Advertising Christopher Bodnarczuk, Kathleen Klein Calendar Guru Ty Whitbeck Staff Writers Krissy Howard, Ilana Lipowicz, Rose Silberman-Gorn, Kevin Salisbury, Felicia Waynesboro, Phil Wescott, Nick Wilsey Contributors Connie Barnes, Jim Mencel, Paul O’Heron, Sally Ride, Amoreena Wade Photography Ty Whitbeck, Stephen Schweitzer (Additional Photos by BingSpot and Mark Urban) Layout/Design Christopher Bodnarczuk On the Cover Amber Fire Painting -Stephen Schweitzer FOR ADVERTISING: triplecitiesads@gmail.com FOR LETTERS, COMPLAINTS, PRAISE, DEATH THREATS, AND MORE INFO: triplecitiescarousel@gmail.com Copyright 2014 by Triple Cities Carousel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.
4 Vol. 2 Issue 10
editorial.
[This month, we celebrate a year with our amazing Assistant Editor, Heather Merlis. Seems only fitting to hand over the reins of October’s editorial to her. Thanks for all your hard work, Heather!] Happy October, Triple Citizens! How lovely it is to see the leaves change again in a town that autumn was made for. I remember when my brother lived here, and he had this idea for a t-shirt design: there would be an outline in the shape of the city of Binghamton, with an arm reaching out of it, grasping, relentlessly, at the ankle of a helpless human figure. Below the image, it would read: Binghamton has me. I didn’t quite get it then, but now I think I understand. A year ago, I moved here, knowing fair well that I was about to enter the Twilight Zone. Since my arrival, I have engaged in countless artistic endeavors, and they have all sprung from my involvement with this beautiful publication. I remember when I first came to town, asking Chris (and, please, a round of applause for the man who makes this all happen) if I could write for him. He entertained the idea, and within a few days was asking if I would like to write a piece about an upcoming Twilight Zone event. Of course I would love to. What a perfect initiation. Not to mention the bizarre encounters upon my arrival to town: like the time I parked at the last rest stop on Route 17 before Binghamton in the middle of the night, only to hear the payphone ring as I was returning to my car. No one was around. I picked up. Voices were screaming, in Spanish…then, nothing. Or the time I was at the Weis and I saw a magazine on display that read “Is Life a Simulation?” on its cover, and when I tried to show it to my friend the next day, it was gone. And now, the Weis is gone. Binghamton is a weird place, but there are a few things that make it hard to leave: it is brimming with inspiration, potential, and amazing people. It’s a place where one can live poetically and still afford to eat, and the food is good! It feels like only yesterday I was wondering how I got here, and, well, I probably was wondering that yesterday, but not unhappily. I still field daily questions about whether I am a student (NO), but I firmly believe that a strong creative community can teach you as much as any formal institution. It’s been a year, Triple Cities. Thanks for having me. I’ll see you at the ball. -Heather Merlis
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 5
this is halloween.
an apple a day keeps the doctor away
6 Vol. 2 Issue 10
THE TERRIFYING RETURN OF THE STORY. It is time once more for the freakshow! We love Halloween. You love Halloween. Everybody loves Halloween. And So, we at triple cities carousel are back for a second year presenting the triple cities scareousel fantasmagorical freakshow ball, from 9pm-2am on Friday, oct. 24th at spool mfg, 138 baldwin street in Johnson city. What is it, you ask? Well, to start, it’s our annual fundraiser, but it’s not like any fundraiser you’ve ever been to- we tone that aspect down a bit in favor of throwing the best Halloween party in the triple cities. And how do we achieve that? By bringing together the region’s best musicians, performers and artists, plus several hundred of you lovely folks, to create an evening of sensory overload that you’ll be talking about until next year. Bring a costume. Bring a date. Shake a tail feather on one of our two massive dance floors. Have some food. Buy a drink. Channel the dead in the Ouija lounge. Have your tarot read. It’ll be a hoot, we promise! Oh, and maybe Check out the triple cities carousel facebook page for up to the minute information, teasers, and more! (special thanks to all of our food and drink sponsors, as well as mandala flow arts, water’s edge marketplace, and what’s goin’ on binghamton)
THE REFRESHMENTS. COMPLIMENTARY LIGHT FARE BUFFET, COMPLIMENTS OF CHROMA CAFE, FULL BELLY DELI, GROTTA AZZURRA, MI CASA, & THE OLD UNION HOTEL. CASH BAR FEATURING LOCAL BREWS FROM BINGHAMTON BREWING CO, GALAXY BREWING, & THE NORTH BREWERY, PLUS WINE FROM BLACK BEAR WINERY. (NON BOOZE AVAILABLE, TOO)
THE PERFORMANCES.! Snake Charming & Sword Dancing by Amber Tedesco Sword Swallowing by Amanda April June Rosie the Riveting Contortionist Aerial Silkist Scarlet Stilleto Burlesque Dancers Emerald Raine, Lacey Bels, Roxie Divine & Domino Trixx staff spinning by Corey Ryan Poi Spinning by sarah walker Hoop Performances by Cassandra Feye, Sarah Dempe, & Jessie Visingard light painting by stephen schweitzer & Much, much more...
FANTASMAGORICAL
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 7
THE TRIPLE CITIES SCAREOUSEL THE HULLABALOO. tarot readings psychic mediums interactive art installations live painting 2 dance floors projections ouija lounge costume contest featuring prizes for best overall, most original, sexiest, scariest, funniest, & more!
THE TICKETS. $15 Advance, $20 at the door ($15 with valid student id) 18 to party, 21 to drink... Advance tix encouraged. available now at: the old union hotel (246 clinton st. binghamton), riverread books (5 court st. binghamton) water’s edge marketplace (57 washington ave. endicott)
THE MUSIC. BIG MEAN
SOUND MACHINE
TAINA ASILI Y LA BANDA REBELDE
ALPHA
BRASS BAND
NEWMAN
BROTHERS ZYDECO PO’ BOYS
DJ SETS BY
PARLOR CITY
RAMBLERS
Combining aspects of afrobeat, funk, jazz, and just about everything else, BMSM makes music for the future, assuming the future is a Moog and horn driven orgy of sound... This Albany based six-piece presents an energetic fusion of Afro-Latin, reggae and rock, inspiring audiences to dance to the movement of rebellion... a funky Binghamton based band in the style of the New Orleans greats, Their set at the inaugural Freakshow Ball was a big hit, so we’re bringing them back in 2014... A little bit punk, a little bit funk, and a whole lotta weird, we don’t want to give away too much about their bizarre stage show, but we will say this: gorilla masks. Like Alpha Brass, the Po’ Boys find inspiration in the music of Louisiana- though they look more to the the delta. Heavy on the accordion, they’re a favorite in these parts... In between the bands, DJ Space One and DJ Juniper of the Parlor City Ramblers/BRAINFROOT will be spinning the best in oldschool beats…
FREAKSHOW BALL
8 Vol. 2 Issue 10
SPOOKY FAMILY FUN AT
‘AN EPAC HALLOWEEN’ Ronnie Vuolo Assistant Editor
On Friday evening, October 31st, Endicott Performing Arts Center presents An EPAC Halloween, a special evening of double-barreled family fun, combining trick-or-treating and a special Halloween performance. From 6-7pm, and 8-9pm, children follow a treasure map on a trick-or-treating adventure throughout EPAC, looking for “buried treasure.” Each session is immediately followed by a grand Halloween variety show, directed by Lorraine Tennant, with choreography by Dan Kermidas, Rene Nevelle, Pat Foti, and Matt Gaska. According to Foti, “This is a new idea, which was brewed up by a bunch of witches that volunteer here. The stage show is a variety of songs, old and new, from ‘Monster Mash’ to Rob Zombie, both live and prerecorded. All your favorite monsters will be performing, with special guest host Beetlejuice.” There will be singing, dancing, and performances of all sorts to dazzle the eyes, please the ears, and placate the resident ghost. Have we mentioned that EPAC has a resident ghost? The rumored existence of the spirit was generally spoken of in reverently whispered tones, accompanied by furtive glances toward
dark corners. More recently, ghost hunters came to investigate the theatre, and found evidence of this in-house spectre. But fear not, for this ghostly presence has no history of malevolent behavior toward the living! He, or she, is perhaps a lonely performer left over from 1917, or the years following, when the building housed a vaudeville theater. If this is the case, it is sure to be pleased by the sounds of happy theatregoers and laughing children, now resounding at each performance. While the EPAC Halloween experience contains suitably Halloween-ish content, with a scare or two expected, it is a very family-friendly experience. For those who may remember past “Terror in the Theater” performances, this show is very different, geared to be a child-friendly experience, and a safe alternative to standard trick-or-treating. As the theatre is climate controlled, no one need fear foul weather, and costume-covering coats are not required! Everyone is encouraged- urged even- to come in costume. Three performances are scheduled, at 7pm, 9pm, and 10:30pm. Tickets are $10 for adults/$5 for children; however, the fee is waived for families who volunteer to man a table during the trick-or-treating segments. Volunteers are to decorate their tables with a Halloween and/or theatrical theme, and provide a large bowl of candy (tables provided by EPAC). For information about volunteering, contact Stacy at (607) 785-8903, or stacye@ stny.rr.com. EPAC is located at 102 Washington Ave. in Endicott.
CHANNELING THE SPIRITS OF BINGHAMTON’S “PAST” AT ANNUAL WALKING TOUR Ronnie Vuolo Assistant Editor
On October 18th, from 6-9pm, the Preservation Society of the Southern Tier (PAST) presents its annual Spirits of Binghamton’s Past Walking Tour. This guided Halloween event leads attendees on a spirited tour of downtown, complete with costumed tour guides, and spirits who regale and entertain with stories from the past. Only on Halloween can we tap into the memories of those whose footsteps shaped our home. “This is the seventh year we’ve done the Spirits tour here at PAST,” explains Julia Adams. “Guests of the tour will learn local history in an entertaining and engaging manner. Every year the tour has a few changes to keep it fun and interesting for returning customers. It was inspired by Madge Hinman, a former Broome County Historian, and created by Ruth Levy. The spirits are chosen based on historical significance to Binghamton and New York State.” She continues, “This year we have 10 spirits: Truman Lacey, William Bingham, Jane Gray-Hyde, Joshua Whitney, Rod Serling, Gugliemo Marconi, Ester Watrous Couper,
Nellie Connors, Daniel Dickenson, and Isaac Perry. This year’s list of ‘spirits’ encompasses founding fathers of Binghamton, to founding members of schools and businesses, to philanthropists, to directors and inventors.” Adams advises that stops include the United Presbyterian Church, the bus station, Security Mutual Life, Courthouse Square, and the Perry building. “Along the tour, we will also discuss the Marconi tower at the Lackawanna Train Station, the Press Building, and the Stone Opera House.” Spirits of Binghamton’s Past is a family-friendly event; however, parents should be advised that there will be periods of inactivity during spirit performances, and it is not accessible for strollers. Tours are approximately 45 minutes long, and leave every 15 minutes from the Water Street entrance of Christ Episcopal Church, located at 10 Henry Street in Binghamton (parking is available at the MetroCenter). Refreshments will be available at the completion of the tour. As this event has proven very popular in past years, reservations are recommended in order to secure a place and avoid lengthy waiting. Single tickets are $7, $25 per family. To make a reservation, or for further information, contact (607) 237-0887, or past-julia@stny. rr.com. The tour is not handicapped accessible, and will be held rain or shine.
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 9
SCARED TO DEATH! Dave’s Haunted House of Horrors at The Venue
The ambulance pulled away slowly, as onlookers gaped, struck by what they’d seen. The girl had looked more like a wax figurine than the 23-year-old (Riverside Drive) construction worker that she had been. Frozen, white with fear, and covered in cobwebs, Chelsea had been the life of the party. When she had announced, “I’m going through,” after the third round at the bar, her friends laughed and egged her on. Standing on her toes, and waddling more than walking, she entered the House of Horrors, expecting flashing strobes and darkened hallways. No one knows what she saw; in fact, no ones knows what anyone has seen at Dave’s House of Horrors. Its secrets have remained buried deep in the dark interior of the State Street establishment. Buried almost as deeply as the fear and scarring within Chelsea, who sits in an unknown psych ward, mumbling incoherently to herself to this day.
ers gathering at Confluence Park at 7pm. Come dressed to scare, brains falling out and all! More information is available on Facebook, or at bingspot.com.
she asked, and as Mike put his arm around her waist, they walked up to the counter. They paid to lose their souls.
Reaper’s Revenge is the premiere haunted attraction in the Northeast. Located just outside of Scranton PA, they serve four terrifying cocktails: first, the Haunted Hayride, the only time you may feel safe, protected by the iron bars surrounding the carriage; next, steel yourself for the Lost Carnival, with horror lurking behind every corner; embrace the darkness in Pitch Black, or find yourself lost before you reach the petrifying maze of the Wasteland. Reaper’s Revenge opens at sunset every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until November 2nd. Tickets are $35, and directions can be found on their website, reapersrevenge.net.
Dave’s House of Horrors will open in the basement of The Venue, located at 93 State Street, on Thursday, October 2nd (entrance on Court Street), and then run every Thursday through Saturday in October. With multiple rooms of fear, and strobe lights guaranteed to blind you (you may want to think twice if you’re prone to seizures), you need to come witness the horror for yourself. A portion of proceeds from this haunted More information is also available on Facebook.
The Haunted Halls of Horror
Barry was a mechanic. He lived in a small house at the end of Ely Street. On a fateful night in October, as he stumbled home from the Belmar after work, he saw a sign: “The Haunted Halls of Horror.” He was emotional, turbulent after losing his daughter, Dorcas. He walked in.
Zombie Walk
They descended on the town in a swarm. Locals had been looking forward to First Friday- what could be bad about good art, great music, free wine, and lovely food? No one was prepared for the madness that was to ensue on that fateful Friday in October. I was on the second floor of the Brunellis’ art gallery, trying to make sense of a delightful painting. Glancing out the window, I noticed chaos in the streets; pedestrians were gathering from all directions to see what had appeared, and, by all accounts, to be a mass of drunks. As they slowly closed in on the gallery, I noticed their anemic pallor, and their propensity for use of the word “BRAAAIIIIINNSSSS.” They walked through windows as if they were doors. I ran and hid in a back closet, locking the door behind me. The screams of the children still haunt me to this day. Just as suddenly as they appeared, the undead mass had evaporated; but we remember, and we wait. (And maybe this year, we’ll be one of the nonliving horrors, instead of the terrified onlookers!) Binghamton Zombie Walk 2014 will happen during the First Friday Art Walk, with walk-
ed clown? The screeching ghost of a denied bride? The truth of Janice’s fate is unknownshe had entered Pitch Black, and succumbed to the darkness without leaving a trace. Mike’s body was found, abdomen pierced on a steel rod by the denizens of the Wasteland. His eyes were open, petrified, with the knife he had been so sure would protect him shoved through his throat.
Reaper’s Revenge
The teens had heard of the Northeast’s most terrifying haunted attraction, but laughed at the old man outside who told them to turn and leave now. He had been portentously muttering “omens” and “not right under the new moon,” but Dorcas, Janice, Mike, and Filbert just laughed and threw their empty beer bottles at him. “There’s no such thing as ghosts,” Mike belched, as he sidled up to Janice. “And if there is, don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” He brandished a Swiss army knife. “Pure silver- will slice right through any of those bastards, werewolves, vampires, or ghosts.” Janice laughed as she withdrew from his arm. “I thought there was no such thing as ghosts” she said, stomping out her cigarette. “Anyway, can you pay for my ticket?”
As they entered the first of four courses of horror they were about to be served, they started to question if their courage had been misplaced. “Did you see the driver’s eyes?” demanded Filbert. “They can’t be real- no one’s eyes glow like that.” They were the only four in the wagon. The driver careened away, crazily, and the group realized that, just perhaps, they should have listened to the old man outside the entrance... The actual sequence of events is uncertain, but Filbert was the first to go, inexplicably strung from a noose hanging over the Haunted Hay Ride. Next was Dorcas- the skin on her face peeled back, lips puckered in a kiss, frozen on the ground in the Tunnel of Love at the end of the Lost Carnival. Was it the dement-
After taking an elevator that he thought would surely send him to his doom, he entered the halls proper. He found himself crouching, hiding from what looked like zombies reaching out for fresh meat. At the end of the hallway, Barry opened a door into a ghastly chamber, filled with victims in different states of disembowelment. Unable to distinguish between what was torture and what was monstrous experimentation, he fled through the cemetery and into a grotesque carnival. As the clowns circled around him, giggling insanely, he fell to his knees. They tore his body to shreds, cackling and merciless. The Haunted Halls of Horror are located at the Southern Tier Independence Center, 135 E. Frederick Street. With a terrifying elevator ride, ghouls abounding, witches, and deranged clowns, it is an event you won’t want to miss! Best of all, after the horrors you witness, you will be treated to a show of fire spinners and jack o lanterns carved by local artist Eric Carpenter, along with refreshments to bring you back from the precipice of fear. Tickets are $10 and are available on their website, hhh-stic.com.
4 BONE CHILLING REGIONAL HALLOWEEN ATTRACTIONS Pictured: One of the gory scenes at Dave’s Haunted House of Horrors. Photo by Chris Bodnarczuk.
by Phil Wescott
COSTUME IDEAS
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 11
FOR THE LAME
AND NON-CREATIVE
Krissy Howard Staff Writer
I hate Halloween. Let me rephrase that: I am bad at Halloween. Years of therapy have shown me that I hate myself for being bad at Halloween. No, that’s not true. Years of therapy have taught me that I hate myself for being bi-racial, silly! Halloween is just something that ends up disappointing me every fall, when I spend all month with the best intentions to get dressed up and go out “for real this time”, only to stay inside alone, hate-watching everyone else’s good time on Instagram.
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A holiday like Halloween is kind of designed to be a pretty bad time for a person like me. Case in point: I don’t drink. While an evening this social in nature is ideal for a person who enjoys getting good and sloppy hammered with other, like-minded individuals; it is an absolute nightmare scenario for a socially anxious sober person in her thirties. Halloween has somehow become just as dreadfully frightening for me as an adult as it is intended to be for young children under the age of eight; if there is anything more stressful and horrifying than attempting to avoid eye contact with a group of teenagers, I DO NOT EVER WANT TO KNOW! Compound this with the fact that it is cold as all hell in October in the Northeast, leaving the only practical costume choice available to be Cartman from South Park, and I have got myself a pretty strong case for not doing a damn thing this side of tacos and Netflix. As easy as it is for me to make a ton of excuses, the truth is that I am just generally really bad at coming up with ideas. Every year, I spend the first thirty days of October really excited, fully intending to come up with some amazing costume that is both witty and original, and every year, at some point during the first week in November, I just end up thinking how funny and easy it would have been to get dressed up as Machete, several years after Machete is a relevant pop culture reference [EDITOR’S NOTE: Machete II is totally still in Redbox, Krissy.] Try as I might, I cannot come up with anything worth the effort of creating, and so I end up giving up. So, while this was supposed to be an article about Halloween costume ideas, I couldn’t think of anything other than Weird Al ThankABitch, which is like a Weird Al who is just really polite to women, I guess. But worry not, fellow idiots, myself and millions of others out there have found a very simple solution! Simply apply one or more of these themes to any lame old costume idea and you have got yourself... well, it will still be a pretty stupid costume. But it’s better than nothing, and you will probably get to apply
makeup, and what’s not fun about that?!
1. “Sexy.” This one is by far the easiest (pun intended) and most popular of the Halloween costume ideas out there. The premise is simple: take any profession, subtract a good portion of the clothes, add hair and makeup, and voila! Sexy HVAC certified Heating and Cooling repairwoman specialist costume, complete! Popular “sexy” costumes include Sexy Cop, Sexy Firefighter, or basically any civil servant position, because what is hotter than a good benefits package and paid sick leave, know m’saayin? If you are going to go the sexy public service route, really go for it, because Sexy FEMA Liaison Officer likes to do it just as much as the next guy, plus you can spend the entire evening wowing everyone with your hilarious “liaison” puns. 2. “Zombie.” The zombie theme is mega played out, but most people still seem to love it because most people either aren’t very creative, or don’t have a lot of money, which actually describes me to a T, now that I think about it. The zombie trend became popular around 2010, when everyone got smartphones and literally became actual walking dead people. I lied about the sexy costumes being the easiest… it was just a pretty natural set up for that joke. THIS costume theme is for real… FOR REAL the easiest of them all. Just get your regular clothes, rip holes in the shirt, mess up your hair, and don’t have anything interesting to say. Or just be a young white dude “photographer” living in Brooklyn: the zombie character will practically create itself. 3. “The ‘80s” I realize that as of late, a lot of people are considering “the ‘90s” to be some sort of novelty theme, but I just cannot accept or even acknowledge any such nonsensory, as that confirms my greatest fear of becoming an aged and irrelevant lame-o. Also, the ‘90s were amazing, and if you are in any way making fun of that decade, I will find you and cut you with the dangerous metal center of my orange camo slap bracelet. The 80s theme is more fun anyway, you get to wear giant hair and giant shirts and basically NO pants, and white shoes with four pairs of neon laces. You basically get to dress like Riff Raff for one glorious evening. So to everyone better skilled at crafting original ideas from felt and creativity, bravo! My hat’s off to you! To everyone else who can’t be bothered with stupid wastes of time like felt and creativity, just go throw a bunch of stuff at other stuff, you won’t regret it. Everyone else will, but what do they know? They probably still have felt glued to their hands. I will be sitting in my apartment with the lights off in an attempt to deter any well-meaning children from asking for the bag of Halloween candy I’ll be eating all of. By myself. In the dark.
TALKING TO THE DEAD AT WATER’S EDGE
12 Vol. 2 Issue 10
Felicia Waynesboro Staff Writer
From the moment you enter, the smell of the bundled herbs of smudging sticks near the front door, mingled with cedar, fragrant soaps and lotions, and the aroma of handmade organic chocolates, marks the new home of the Water’s Edge Esoteric Marketplace as a hub of wizardry, and a haven for the rare and unique. “We’re known for our smudging supplies,” says Alonnie, one of the shop’s two owners, speaking of the Native American technique for clearing a home (or any space) of unwelcome negative energies. But smudging is just one metaphysic that patrons can explore through Water’s Edge, known as The Esoteric Marketplace. Alonnie “Phoenix” Milligan, the great granddaughter of a Sioux shaman, refers to herself as an “intuitive medium” and “witch,” rather than using the more acceptable term “Wiccan.” “I think what I prefer to do is a lot older than New Age Wicca,” she
says, and cites as an example: “I talk to dead folk all day long with clients.”
Alonnie and her husband, co-owner James “Anvile” Milligan, started Water’s Edge in Susquehanna, PA in 2011, but were immediately wiped out by the unforgettable flood. “We lost everything,” she recounts. After two other incarnations nearby, the shop found its current home in the heart of Endicott, and reopened this past August. A visit to their website might give the impression that the Marketplace is a conglomeration of stores, but the variety of merchandise and services is more in the nature of different departments housed in one soothing, harmonious shoppe (using the Middle English spelling Alonnie prefers). In addition to the array of goodies, objects, and fashions, customers can avail themselves of education, training, services, and discussions in areas of: metaphysics, New Age studies and paranormal concerns. The shoppe includes a classroom area where speakers and instructors regularly conduct talks and studies, and a nestled area for private readings. “I’ll listen to your guides and your guardians, and I’ll look at you, and they’ll give me little aspects of past, present, future kind of stuff.” Of departed loved ones whom a client may wish to reach, Alonnie surprisingly reveals, “Sometimes they put flavors in my mouth as an identifier.” They don’t always remember their names, she says, but they frequently remem-
ber what they loved to eat.
Ms. Milligan is a driving force of the S.P.E.C.T.E.R.S. team that calls the shoppe home. The Study of Paranormal Events Confirmed Through Evidence, Research, and Science group offers investigative and ghost-busting help to the haunted. Alonnie’s earliest memories of psychic activity go back to kindergarten, when she thought that everyone saw dead people. “I got into a lot of trouble as a child. I was grounded a lot. Because, you know, it’s very disconcerting when you’re telling an adult that their dead mother is standing behind them and your own mother is going nudge, nudge, “Be quiet.” The intuitive medium doesn’t use cards for readings; Tarot is in Anvile’s purview. “I think everyone has a little psychic ability,” she says, and Water’s Edge offers classes in how to access areas of intuition and develop one’s own extra sensory perceptions. But, whereas not everyone can be a medium, anyone can learn to interpret Tarot cards. Anvile has been giving Tarot readings and classes for over 20 years. He will, once again, give Tarot readings at Carousel’s own 2nd annual Scareousel Fantasmagorical Freakshow Ball on Friday, October 24th! How about a house party of readings or spirit contact? Water’s Edge can book that, as well
as fairs and events. On the current schedule is “An Evening of Messages,” on Saturday, October 18th ($25- by reservation), and stay tuned for ghost stories by local author Tara Fox Hall, and a Spirit Board (widely known by the trademark “Ouija”) Communication class on dates to be announced. S.P.E.C.T.E.R.S. invites the public to join in at ongoing, informative Open Group meetings the third Friday of every month, where speakers focus light and discussions on matters of metaphysics from apparitions to cryptozoology to UFO’s and beyond. Of the future, Alonnie predicts: “Just like using more eastern medicine and more holistic medications are becoming more commonplace, people are not going to be so afraid of what goes bump in the night.” For the most part, the metaphysical is: “not a hard science, so you cannot prove or disprove to completeness, any more than you can prove or disprove to completeness that there is an existence of God. It’s a belief, and just as with anything else, some common sense, and what feels right in your heart.” Visit Water’s Edge the Esoteric Marketplace at 57 Washington Avenue in Endicott. Website: watersedgemarketplace.us. For information regarding hours and other specifics, call 607-745-7727.
WANTED!
cheap dolls & doll parts (especially heads. any condition. need lots of them. the more the better. will pay cash) call chris at (845) 649-2912
HALLOWEEN MOVIE ESSENTIALS 14 Vol. 2 Issue 10
Horror movies have been part of Halloween tradition for as long as anyone can remember. Some like the classic slasher flicks where unsuspecting, impossibly attractive teens who have obviously never seen a horror movie trek into the wilderness for a weekend of partying and sex, only to meet their demise by way of whatever deformed, supernatural maniac happens to be stalking them. For others, there are the more spooky paranormal films that deal with ghosts and shadowy boogeymen who can’t seem to leave someone’s cupboards closed and like to scratch. Whatever your taste may be, there is no shortage of horror films to get you psyched for Halloween. Here is a list of the best 10 (in my opinion). Spoilers ahead.
(NEVER watch Jason X), there was no shortage of ways and venues for him to mess your shit up. What makes this one special to me is that I hate Manhattan with the utmost severity. Best scene: Jason punting a boombox that
into the Halloween spirit. Although the franchise ended up being a big pile of hogwash as it progressed, the first film of the series, as it usually goes, was by far the best one. Also, Rose McGowan’s tits. Best scene: Rose Mc-
6. The Blair Witch Project The undisputed champion of found footage horror, this movie is a must-have for any horror collection. What made it scary to me was not the ghosts or spooky happenings, but the fact that the movie came out when I was a young boy with an overactive imagination who lived in the woods at the time. Best scene: When the dude is in spooky time-out in the basement at the end. 7. Night of the Living Dead (1968) Want to watch a true classic that has stood the test of time? If so, this is your movie. This movie is one of the greatest horror films of all time for many reasons. It gave birth to the zombie horror films, it creeped out damn near everyone who watched it, and made all of us wonder two things: What would my friend taste like, and how is it hard for these people to get away from such slow moving attackers? Best scene: The whole movie is pretty bitchin’.
vvv 1. Sleepaway Camp When it comes to the standard formula for classic horror films, this movie has it all. Camp, blood, brutal murder, survival, and- of course- trannies. I don’t know what the hell it is about horror films and summer camp, but it seems that sending your child to Camp Wherever might result in your having to think about what to do with their room when they don’t return because someone stuck a rusty piece of metal through their throat. If you hate your kids, summer camp might be a viable option. If you don’t want to be the sobbing parent of a butchered child, think about signing them up for summer baseball leagues. Best scene: When the chubby cook dies by way of a boiling pot of water and one of the helpers stands there looking like he just saw a ping pong ball shoot out of a woman. 2. Troll Troll is one of those movies that you put on when you have a girl over and you want to get fresh, but you don’t have any personality, so you play a movie that is so bad, she would rather have regret sex with you than watch any more of it. Best scene: It’s all pretty awful. Think of the sex you’re about to have.
was inside of her... Something you usually don’t get with young, pretty women these days. You’ll be waiting for the part of the exorcism where she lifts her head, stops flailing, and says, “This is happening because my dad sucked and I have had horrible luck in relationships.” That whole bending backwards thing was cool as well. Best scene: The one I just made up.
8. Hellraiser You know that one friend of yours who likes Type O Negative and still wears pants with a lot of straps and chains and buckles? That friend loves this movie. Best scene: The well dressed dude with no skin fingerbanging some guy’s neck. 9. The Poughkeepsie Tapes This. Movie. Is. Insane. It’s almost impossible to find and that is with good reason. It is not supernatural or filled with overly graphic scenes of death and human obliteration; it’s a film about something that can and does happen every day. I’ve got nothing funny to say about this one. Watch it if you want to never trust another human being again. Best scene: When the killer walks like a dog. That may not make any sense, but if you watch it, it will. Braaaaaaaains! Still from “Night of the Living Dead” (1968). Photo via web.
belonged to punk rock kids, but is playing what sounds like The Fresh Prince.
Gowan’s tits. 5. The Exorcism of Emily Rose What I enjoyed about this film is this young, pretty woman could not hide the crazy demon that
10. Runaway Bride It’s not a horror movie per se, but it totally could be if you are about to get married or are worried Julia Roberts is going to chomp off Richard Gere’s head with one bite. You could sloppily throw football into her mouth and not hit one tooth. Best scene: The credits.
FROM YOUR CREEPY UNCLE KEVIN
3. Friday the 13th pt. VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan Back when Jason was not bionic
4. Scream A true horror classic, it is almost foolish to skip this one if you’re trying to get
by KEVIN SALISBURY
16 Vol. 2 Issue 10
BRANFORD MARSALIS
the legendary musician on cross-genre technique, civic responsibility, and why astrophysicists needn’t play football Branford Marsalis. Photo by Palma Kolansky.
BY HEATHER MERLIS
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 17
Branford Marsalis is a remarkable man. An inimitable member of a family that has been deemed a living legacy of jazz music, he was Jay Leno’s bandleader, composed original music for the Tony-winning revival of “Fences” by August Wilson, and was even interviewed by Space Ghost. He is coming to the Anderson Center this month, and Carousel recently had the pleasure to speak with him... Have you ever been over to Binghamton before? Oh yeah. Played at the school. We were bussing through, and it was freezing cold. We came in, played the concert, and left the next day. Well, we’re really excited to have you. What’s this show going to be like? How has your quartet developed? You have a new drummer, yes? I do, but- could you tell me what date we’re going to be there? Let me take a look… I’ve got it. You will be in Binghamton on October 28th. Yeah, that’s what I thought. We need to change the conversation, because I will not be coming to Binghamton with my quartet. I will be withThe Chamber Orchestra! I’m sorry. So it’s going to be you and the- Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, not to be confused with the Philadelphia Orchestra. So, what kind of show is this going to be? It is a concert where we are going to be playing entirely 18th-century baroque music. That’s incredible. So, have you played with them in the past? Nope. It starts on the third- we have a couple of rehearsals in Philadelphia before- but I’ve been spending the last year studying, listening to music, doing research, taking lessons, starting to prepare. What’s that been like? It is only in the last two days that I’m actually hearing the music, and I’ve been listening to this music since last October. It’s like reading words or anything else. I guess a good metaphor would be: my English teacher in high school made us read Wuthering Heights. And I read the book the whole time, thinking: this is some of the stupidest shit that- you know- this is stupid. Then I reread the book in my thirties- which is kind of this thing I was talking to students about, about how long it takes to understand- to gain intuition- and that the key to intuition is cognition. So, I read it when I was in my thirties, and- you know- I was crying at the end, because I had the life experience that helped me understand what the book was really about. When I was a teenager, I was just reading the book, and there was no emotional message to the book at all to me. I didn’t understand how complicated life could be. Decisions that people make… when you’re fifteen, your parents cover you- you can make all kinds of dumbass decisions, because you don’t have to really suffer the consequences of those decisions. So, when I listen to music, sometimes it takes a long time to develop a cognitive understanding of what the music is trying to accomplish, and when you finally understand that, you can play the music with a certain kind of emotion that you can’t when you’re just pressing down buttons that correspond to notes on a page. And you have to approach it with the idea that you don’t know what the hell you’re listening to, in order to get to a place where you do. If you approach it thinking that everything you need to know is on the page, and if you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it before- then you’re going to probably miss it. You have to be curious enough to put the music on without preconceptions and just listen to it on its own merit. You started studying classical music a while ago, yes? I studied classical harmony in high school; I appreciated it about as much as I appreciated reading Wuthering Heights in high school.
music.
But didn’t you delve into it again? Yeah, in my forties. I started taking lessons.
me and said, look man, we should do this. And I said, well, man, I’m with you.
You play jazz; you’re played with such a variety of musicians- I can’t even wrap my head around the range of musicians- are you currently composing music? No, I’m just learning how to play music. Composition- to meis a very different animal. It doesn’t mean that I won’t write a song or two, here or there, but I think songwriting is different from composition. It’s a lot more romantic- outside of popular music- to call your self a “composer.” You hear jazz guys say, “I’m a saxophonist; I’m a composer;” and in popular music you hear, ironically, guys call themselves “songwriters.”
A lot of people responded because they knew who Harry was, and then there were the people who knew who I was tangentially, but together we were able to really raise a lot of money and get this thing done. I think the thing that I loved about it was that the focus was never on us; the focus was on the task at hand. I think that sometimes, in the world of celebrity, it’s kind of like a dual thing: like, you have a cause, but you’re also out in front of the cause. There’s that phrase that they use: “giving back.” It’s a strange phrase to me, when you hear people say, “Guess what I’m doing? Giving back.”
In terms of your musical journey- you’ve played with the Jazz Messengers, the Grateful Dead; you played on Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” you played with Sting, you’ve played with the Philharmonia Brasileira- how have these experiences informed the way that you play and the way that you interact with the world? I grew up playing popular music first, which is a much easier entrée, I think, from popular music to jazz, because so much of the roots of jazz are in popular music. A lot of times jazz guys go to pop music the other way around- their approach to jazz is very intellectual and very methodical, with all these chord changes and all these rhythms, and suddenly they find themselves playing a song with maybe only one chord, and they don’t know what to do with that, but that’s the first thing I learned how to do.
How do you give back to strangers who have never given you anything? I think it’s more that we have a civic responsibility to help when we can help, and it should focus on the help, and not so much on the spokespeople who are doing the helping. It’s kind of the way we grew up in New Orleans, because we grew up helping people when we could help.
Playing R&B and playing rock ‘n’ roll was really instrumental in my development as a jazz musician- and playing with Sting reinforced it- because when I got into jazz I had a little tunnel vision, because I had to catch up, so I stopped listening to everything else. And I got caught up in a lot of the intellectual possibilities and got away from the emotional aspect of the music. Because, what all music has in common is that it has to have some sort of emotional appeal in order to work. And playing with Sting- when I suddenly went from playing five-minute solos to playing thirty-second, one-minute solosyou have to make the solo count. It had to be melodic; it can’t be random, and it was very good discipline to do that for a year and a half and then go back and play jazz, and suddenly my solos were more melodic, and they got to the point much quicker, and they were played with a certain kind of intensity that I’d lost when I started studying jazz, because I was studying it from an intellectual point of view, which you have to do. What you have to do with really difficult music is you have to study it intellectually, but you have to deliver it emotionallyyou can’t choose one over the other. There are certain styles of music where you can rely mostly on emotion and technique is not that important. But in jazz, particularly, and in classical music, technique is super-important, but technique alone doesn’t get the job done. I’m going to switch gears a little bit. You are from Louisiana, and post-Hurricane Katrina, you and Harry Connick Jr. put together an incredible effort and had a really successful relief project, with the creation of the New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village. Could you speak about how having a public voice can be used toward the greater good, and do you feel that a certain responsibility comes with fame? Well, I’m not really a famous person, but Harry is. I think that one of the biggest problems we have in our country, is that what is being disguised as an intellectual discussion is actually an emotional discussion. And emotional discussions feel good, but are oftentimes really unsuccessful. So when Katrina struck, I was very emotional, so, for a long time- for a month- I didn’t want to say anything. And the press kept calling, and I had nothing to say- well, I did have plenty to say, but it wouldn’t have been the right stuff. So when my manager called and said we can’t keep dodging the press, I didn’t know what to do. I said, I’m not interested in getting out there like everybody else and blaming the president and blaming the mayor and blaming the governor and gnashing their teeth and howling, I mean- what will our response be? What are we going to do? And then Harry called
You teach; you work with young people. Are you currently teaching? Yes, at North Carolina Central University. How do you feel about people who are coming up today: what they can stand to learn, what they have to offer, what your experience with them has been like? There’s this big debate on Common Core that’s going on right now, and I have people whose opinion I respect who say that Common Core teachers are asked to teach curriculum for which the books do not exist, and that is problematic. But, in the popular cultural sense, what I gathered from parents who were complaining about it, was that, “last year, my daughter got an “A,” and this year, my daughter got a “C,” and my daughter is smart, so something’s wrong with these tests.” I am of the background that the “C” is more empowering than the “A.” The “A” kind of affirms that you are at the top of the game and there’s not a lot that you need to learn. And if you spent any time at universities, and you spent any time talking to people who graduated from universities, there’s not a lot of top-of-the-game out in the work force right now, and I think this is a reflection of the desire to go to school… the one positive, I think, that came out of the economic catastrophe- you know, the “downturn” as they call it, but it’s a catastrophe- in 2008, is that the template that you can go to school and get a degree and there’s a job waiting for you, is completely blown up. Now, you have to actually be good at something, and it requires you to approach school in a very, very different way. The thing I struggle most with, with my students, is that there is not the desire to learn. They would prefer that I cut open the tops of their heads and dump in- you know what it’s like? What? You ever see the original Wizard of Oz? Yes. The Scarecrow always wanted a brain. So the Wizard gave him a degree, and as soon as he gave him a degree, he started reeling off the theory of relativity. Because, like, that’s the thing: “I need the degree. The degree will solve everything.” And the idea that learning is a continual process… I’m amazed by the number of students who think that learning has to stop when they are 25 or 26. For a lot of people, it’s that way: like, you learn until you get your job, then you do your job and then you look forward to retirement. That is not really an approach that I would applaud. One of the reasons I’m doing all of these things, like learning Baroque music, is that I’m at this age where the learning curve shuts down. I’m at this age where you know what you do really well, and you can kind of hone in on that, and make a pretty decent living. And then, every year that you don’t practice, don’t challenge yourself, you get a little less good, so that by the time you’re 70, you’re shot. I choose not to be that person. And, my students are very- at first- frustrated with my teaching style, because it’s more Socratic than anything else. So, when they play for me, I ask them, “What did you think about that?” And it drives them crazy, because no one’s ever [CONTINUED ON PAGE 18]
18 Vol. 2 Issue 10 [BRANFORD MARSALIS: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17] asked them that before. My philosophy is that, if you’re going to have good musicians out there, they are going to have to be able to problem-solve on their own and self-correct, so my job is to force them to engage their brains, and force them to do things that are counter to the traditional academic way that music is approached in our country.
UMPHREY’S McGEE
I always equate music to sports, because it’s difficult to find kids who play basketball, who don’t watch basketball. It’s really difficult to find kids who play football or baseball, who don’t watch baseball- as a matter of fact, watching the Little League World Series this year, it’s amazing how these kids look and play like pros. In music schools, you’d be amazed at the number of music students who don’t listen to music: and when I say listen, I mean listen constantly, listen religiously, listen the way that other kids watch television and watch these baseball games and emulate these players. They don’t do it. So, my job is to force them to listen to music, and force them to identify their problems, and fix these problems on their own. I’ve had friends who were music school graduates, who had a very narrow musical schema- despite the fact that they were very skilled- they didn’t know the pop or rock canon. That can be okay. Most people I know have a very narrow point of view, because all they know is pop music, and nothing else. One of the running debates, when I was doing these interviews, was about my brother (Wynton) and I, and the take of these interviewers was that my brother was a stodgy old curmudgeon, and that I was incredibly cool, and the rationale was that I played with musicians that they liked. And was this because your brother is more of a traditional jazz musician? Well, they called him a jazz purist, when, in fact, my brother played in a pop band with me, but that just wasn’t his strongest suit. He was never really good at doing that naturally. The expectation that he should just play pop music because it makes everybody else feel better, is the expectation that astrophysicists should play football. But it stopped them from rendering an opinion of him that he has a preference of complex over simple- and they would be enraged by that- because the simple music is the music they prefer. Is there a requirement that Justin Timberlake sing opera, or does that only apply to opera singers, that, in order to be cool, they have to sing pop? And it’s clear thatin most cases, the majority of the peoplethey like popular music and that kind of stuff and they don’t have the curiosity or the tolerance for anything else. I know a lot of people who play classical music, who don’t know anything about pop music, and it doesn’t really hurt them. But, musicians will always benefit from learning all forms of music. Regardless of the genre, I think, the more music you listen to, the better you’ll be.
vvv Marsalis: Well Tempered will be taking place on Tuesday, October 28th at the Osterhout Theater at Binghamton University’s Anderson Center at 7:30pm. For tickets and more information, visit andersoncenter.showare.com.
BRINGS ELECTRONIC JAMS TO FORUM
Umphrey’s McGee. Photo Provided.
Ilana Lipowicz Staff Writer A great jam band is tough to pigeonhole; if every audience is different, the band must play every set differently in order to vibe with them. Umphrey’s McGee has done just this since its conception in the late 90s, and their ability to adapt with their crowds is tied to their ability to evolve over time. On October 29th, the band heads to the Forum Theatre, packing fresh material from their most recent album Similar Skin which was just released this summer. But what they play mostly depends on what the audience is feeling that night- perhaps more than any other jam band, Umphrey’s McGee is most attuned to their audience and interested in including their fans in the making of their music. “We’ve always been that chameleon band,” guitarist and vocalist Brandon Bayliss has said. “I feel like we can go into a state fair, and if there’s a lot of grandmothers there, we’ll be able to make the grandmothers happy, and at the same time we can play the kid’s show and make the kids happy.” Umphrey’s McGee came together in 1997 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, out of the joining of two of the school’s bands. The original members include Bayliss, keyboardist Joel Cummins, and bassist Ryan Stasik. Only eight months later, they released their first album, Greatest Hits Vol. III. Percussionist Andy Farag was added shortly after, and in 2002 drummer Kris Myers joined the group. The five have been playing and recording together since then. They are an incredibly prolific group, having released eight studio albums while playing an average of 100 shows each year. As they are predominantly integrated into the jam band
scene, their fan base is largely made up of festivalgoers. Summer Camp Festival in Indiana is their home base; they’ve played it each year since 2003. This past summer, they played at Mountain Jam, Red Rocks, Bonnaroo, Gathering of the Vibes, and Stone Pony Summerstage. However, the music never stops when the tents close down, and the band continues to tour year round.
The music has been labelled progressive rock due to the length of their songs and the complexity of their compositions, and within this category, many genres have made their way into the mix. This has partly to do with their wide range of influences, and partly with their ability to dip into what most suits the vibes of the audience on a particular night. When they get going on their influences, they can go on quite a while- their rock influences include Nirvana, Genesis, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica, but at the right times, they’ve also got the cool jazz of Miles Davis or the heart wrenching tunes of Lionel Richie. Some have noticed a recent lean in the direction of electronica since this genre has gained a strong reaction among young people, but it would be a mistake to think their music will stay in one place for too long. They are constantly seeking new influences, and their variety of tastes as well as their ever-welcoming new ideas has kept their performance ripe and their fan base interested and growing. For Umphrey’s, it’s all about spreading the music and being as inclusive as possible. In this technological age, distribution of music has become an issue for many bands and musicians, leading to measures taken against pirating. Umphrey’s, on the other hand, began uploading all their live performances on UMLive.net back in 2006. They even offered free tickets to people who’d record and distribute the concert. They believe much of their success has come from their efforts to spread the music and their keeping with the
times. They’ve since found other ways to embrace technology in their shows. In their Stew Art Series or “S2,” the band invited their audience to conduct their performance by texting words representing a theme, which they would then incorporate into their improvisation. At select shows, they have also given 20 fans the unique opportunity of hearing their sets through high-definition headphones in what they call “Headphones and Snowcones,” which, they write on their website, allow listeners to “experience the sonics of UM in absolutely unparalleled quality.” Covers are also an integral part of their identity, and they’ve covered a huge range of music, from Radiohead to Huey Lewis to Aretha Franklin to the Beatles to Daft Punk. In their early years, playing in the background of bars, covers were incorporated strategically to get the crowd listening, as well as to fill the space while they were still honing their original music. But their continuation of this practice fits well with their collage-like arrangements of sets: their understanding of their position in the music world is not one of “us and them.” As much as they are creators, they are synthesizers, and through their own creativity and talent flows that of all the musicians who have influenced them, all shaped by the wants of the audience. The best way for a band to bring people to love its music is to love the music itself, and if their incessant touring and recording and the free distribution of their sets isn’t enough to convince you of their own belief in what they do, come see it for yourself on October 29th at the Forum. Umphrey’s McGee is one of the rare groups with which the music is never the same, but it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster for $32, or you can save money by picking them up straight at the box office for $25.
9 MUSICAL HAPPENINGS October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 19
WE WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT
THIS MONTH BUT DIDN’T, BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF TIME AND SPACE Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage: On October 8th, Binghamton University’s Anderson Center welcomes to their stage two contemporary virtuosos of the guitar- jazz mainstay Julian Lage, and Chris Eldridge of acclaimed bluegrass project The Punch Brothers. They’ll be performing this evening as an acoustic duo. The Falconers: Three of Carousel’s favorite musicians have been performing a unique, acoustic brand of indie rock for over a year now, and we’re bringing them to the stage of Cyber Café West on Friday, October 3rd as part of our Carousel Presents concert series. Featuring JimmyJohn McCabe on guitar and vocals, Bess Greenberg on upright bass and vocals, and Andy Thomas on drums. Opening the show will be Calya Calypso and Driftwood’s Joe Kollar. Galactic Cowboy Orchestra: This Twin Cities band combines Rush-like prog rock sounds with the traditional bluegrass of Ralph Stanley, and their yearly trips to Binghamton have become the stuff of legend. Check ‘em out at Cyber Café West on October 8th. The Dude that Played Jason in the First Friday the 13th Movie: As it turns out, Ari Lehman, the guy that played Jason in the first Friday the 13th movie- that’s creepy kid in the lake Jason, not hockey mask machete Jason- well, it turns out he grew up to form some crazy ass horror rock band, called- go figure- “First Jason.” They’ll be playing Fitzies Pub on October 10th, following an evening meet-and-greet at Soundgoround in Vestal. The Horse Flies: This Ithaca-based psychedelic old-time middle eastern Americana trance band (yea, all of those things) is playing the Doubletree Hotel in Binghamton on October 2nd as a kick-off for the annual Conference on the Environment. Ethan Botnick: You know that annoyingly chipper kid on PBS that sings all the fancy-grown up rich old people songs? The world famous virtuoso? Well, he’s playing the Anderson Center on October 7th. Professor Louie and the Crowmatix: This Woodstock blues/Americana act is made up of members who have- collectively and individually- backed The Band, Van Morrison, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, and pretty much everyone else. They take the stage at Cyber Café West on Halloween night. Equinox Battle of the Bands: At multiple venues on different dates throughout the month of August, Equinox Broadcasting is presenting some of the area’s best talent for the first round of their battle of the bands. More info can be found at Equinox’s web page. A Month of Tributes at Firehouse Stage: (Look to your left!) As a general rule, Carousel doesn’t write about cover groups. But see, there’s a big difference between a cover band and a tribute (we can’t define it, but we know it when we see it). Harold Ford and Laura Lucy take on Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash on the 10th, and Marissa Mulder and pianist Jon Weber will be tackling Tom Waits on the 18th. Plus, local legend John Covelli will be performing music through the centuries on the 5th… all at Johnson City’s Firehouse Stage.
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October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 21
raging feminism.
ASK A
RAGING FEMINIST
AMOREENA WADE is a New York State Certified Rape Crisis Counselor who provides advocacy to victims of gender based violence and free education to anyone who will listen. She is currently studying Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies at Binghamton University. Notably, her mother calls NYC Pride the “Dyke Parade” and goes every year. Dear Raging Feminist, This whole Ray Rice situation has been frustrating me. The NFL banned Ray Rice! I understand that beating a woman is wrong, I really do, but Janay married him a month later! Obviously she is okay with him hitting her, so why is it any of our business? If his own wife didn’t punish him for his behavior why should we? First time it’s his fault, but the second time it’s hers... I’m a true believer you can only be abused if you allow yourself to be abused: the first time you’re a victim, after that, I’m sorry, you’re part of the problem! If my husband ever laid a hand on me I would leave him in a heartbeat! -Confused Fan Dear Confused,
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You’re a stupid fucking piece of shit. Still reading? Well, I guess anything I say after this is your fault, you fucking bag of tools. That’s right, your not just a tool, you’re an entire bag of them. Still reading? Why are you okay with me verbally abusing you? You must like it…? That’s fucked up. You’re fucked up. You’re a bad person. It’s your fault I’m saying this shit… This is the part where I’m supposed to spin this into some metaphor about walking in the victim’s shoes, but I really just wanted to call you a bag of tools. I once heard a survivor say that she didn’t see herself as a victim, but as an incredibly strong woman who was the only person on the planet who could help her deeply disturbed husband… who she viewed as the real victim because of his terrible childhood. Can you relate to trying to make a completely fucked up relationship work? I can. And no one was even threatening to kill me if I left. More reasons: Victims have limited access to their own money. Victims rightfully fear for the safety of their pets they must leave behind. Most shelters/friends/family members cannot accommodate a pet. Victims love their partners/don’t want to be alone/truly believe things will get better. All that bullshit that love songs are about still applies in abusive relationships. They believe it’s their fault and they deserve it… because fuck ups like you say so. And so much more! If you or a loved one are a victim of an abusive relationship, here are some local and national resources: Crime Victims Assistance Center 24-Hour Crisis Line: (607) 722-4256 Rise Hotline: (607) 754-4340 or (877) 754-4340 The National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 or (800) 787-3224 (TTY) SincHERely, Raging Feminist If there is a situation in your life you’d like examined from a feminist perspective, email it to triplecitiescarousel@gmail.com c/o “Raging Feminist.”
22 Vol. 2 Issue 10
comedy.
THE MOST IRRESPONSIBLE THING WE’VE EVER PRINTED:
A COMPLETELY FABRICATED, 100% FAKE
INTERVIEW WITH NICK OFFERMAN like? Really funny. She’s pretty small. Witty. Generally adorable.
Krissy Howard Staff Writer
This month, Carousel tried to get an interview with the actor/comedian Nick Offerman, best known for playing Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. But we couldn’t. He’s too famous, or something. While we were not able to land the interview, we were well aware that our own KRISSY HOWARD had already manage to spend countless hours conducting fake conversations with Nick Offerman in her head, and that should count for something. We give you “The Nick Offerman Interview that, While Technically ‘Fake,’ is Still Probably Pretty Much Exactly what Would Have Happened in Real Life.” Oh, this is the important part: Nick Offerman is performing a stand-up set at Binghamton University’s Events Center at 8pm on October 11th, as part of the Family Weekend activities. Tickets are available for the general public, starting at $25. Student tickets begin at $10.
vvv You’re best known for playing Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, who has become a bit of a cult icon; where do you pull inspiration for that character? Well I... [blablabla, something about carpentry in Ron Swanson voice...] Oh wow, that’s really interesting! [dead eyed Ron Swanson stare I can totally feel through the phone} I recently saw Somebody Up There Likes Me, which was filmed in Austin. I used to live there! Did you ever eat at Veggie Heaven? I did not. We mostly ate at Starseeds. I’ve been there too! Yeah, it’s pretty good. I like that you can get biscuits and gravy almost anywhere in that town. What were you doing in Austin? Oh I... well I moved there in my early twenties, and... I don’t actually feel comfortable talking about my time in Texas. It was pretty dark... Oh, okay. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Oh no, you didn’t do anything... [uncomfortable silence] So...what’s Amy Poeh l e r
Oh, you don’t say? Sounds like someone else I know! Who is that? Well, it was a joke, I was referring to me...some people think I’m kind of funny, and I am also physically small. and adorable, nudge nudge. Did you just say the words “nudge nudge”? Yeah, well, we’re on the phone or I would have nudged you in real life. Why...that is funny!! [Roar of laughter. In fact, an almost disproportionate amount of laughter in response to my previous statement. What, has this guy never heard of Monty Python or something? Jeez...] Um… thanks! You know, you remind me of this writer I follow on the Internet, she has this super hilarious blog, and wrote a marginally successful piece for this female readership-heavy humorist website like three years ago. Wait, what? What’s her name? Christy something? Oh my god, is it Krissy Howard? Yeah, that’s it! I guess the spelling of her name just looked different in my head... Nick Offerman, that girl is me! I wrote that stuff! WHAAAAAAAT?!?!!?!!!!!! [audible sound effect of steam billowing from ears, eyes bulging in and out of head, fireworks going off] Your editor didn’t mention I would be talking to THE Krissy Howard! Oh my god, Nick Offerman, stop! I can’t believe you even read that website, I’m so flattered... I’m sorry, let me just catch my breath. It’s okay, let’s get back to this interview that is definitely about you. You’re married to actress Megan Mullally: where did you two meet? I’m sorry Krissy, I realize this is completely unprofessional but I am far too sexually and intellectually stimulated by you to continue with this interview. I see you in the next life... Is that from Point Break? Hello? Nick Offerman, hello?!! [Dial tone] Oh, not again.
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OCTOBE
triple cities carousel
sunday.
monday.
tuesday.
05 12 19 26
06 13 20 27
07 14 21 28
Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) How Sweet It Is (EPAC) From Brahms to Broadway (FHS) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB) Frost/Nixon (TPC)
Jekyll & Hyde (FORUM) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Mosaic Winds Concert (PMM) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB) Frost/Nixon (TPC) Paint the Night (WHIP)
Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB)
“The Lying Kind” (AC) Rigoletto (TCOF) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB) Halloween Family Parade (VCH)
(AC) Anderson Center (ATOM) Atomic Tom’s (BBW) Black Bear Winery (BCAC) Broome County Arts Council (BCDC) Broome County Dance Center (BEL) Belmar Pub (BHMN) Bohemian Moon, Norwich (BHS) Binghamton High School (BSP) Blarney Stone Pub, Norwich (BTP) Blind Tiger Pub (BUN) Bundy Museum
Tango Lessons (ATOM) Open Mic w/Bob Wilson (BEL) Open Mic w/Dan Pokorak (CAL)
Tango Lessons (ATOM) Comedy Writing Workshop (BUN) Jazz Jam (FHS) Open Mic w/Dan Pokorak (CAL) Open Mic w/Bob Wilson (BEL)
Tango Lessons (ATOM) Comedy Writing Workshop (BUN) Open Mic w/Dan Pokorak (CAL) Open Mic w/Bob Wilson (BEL) Tai Chi Demonstration (YHPL)
Tango Lessons (ATOM) Jazz Jam (FHS) Open Mic w/Dan Pokorak (CAL) Open Mic w/Bob Wilson (BEL)
(CAL) Callahan’s Sportsman’s Pub (CCW) Cyber Café West (CMP) Cider Mill Playhouse (CRAN) Cranberry Coffee House (CRT) Chenango River Theatre (CTI) 321 Water St. Binghamton (DTB) Downtown Binghamton (DTO) Downtown Owego (EPAC) Endicott Performing Arts Center (FHS) Firehouse Stage (FIVE) Number 5
Ethan Botnick & Damian McGinty (AC) Open Dance w/Kate Pulling (BCDC) Open Night (MAKR) The Joe and Calya Show (OUH) Swing Dance (REX) Speakeasy Open Mic (CCW)
Open Dance w/Kate Pulling (BCDC) Open Night (MAKR) Dan Pokorak & Friends (OUH) Swing Dance (REX)
Open Dance w/Kate Pulling (BCDC) The Little Flower (BHS) Open Night (MAKR) The Joe and Calya Show (OUH) Swing Dance (REX)
Open Dance w/Kate Pulling (BCDC) Open Night (MAKR) Swing Dance (REX) Marsalis: Well Tempered (AC)
(GXY) Galaxy Brewing Co. (JBC) John Barleycorn (JS) JungleScience (KNOW) KNOW Theatre (KROW) Krowbar (LDC) Lost Dog Café/Lounge (MAKR) Triple Cities Makerspace (MB) Matty B’s (MRLN) Merlin’s (NGP) Nathaneal Greene’s Pub (OUH) Old Union Hotel
wedne
01 08 15 22 29
Julian Lag
D Comedy W Live M Galactic C
D Bitc Jazz Ja
Comedy W Live M Jo
D Live M Comedy W
D Comedy W Live M
Umphrey’s McGe
(PMM) Phelps Mansion M (REX) Rexer’s Karate (ROB) Roberson Museum (RPZ) Binghamton Zoo (TCAC) Tioga County Art (TCOF) Tri-Cities Opera @ (TPC) Ti-Ahwaga Players (VCH) Vestal Coal House (WHIP) Windsor Whip W (YHPL) Your Home Publi
ER 2014
esday. thursday.
ge & Chris Eldridge (AC) Open Mic (JBC) Deep Cuts Pro Jam (CAL) Writing Workshop (BUN) Music on the Patio (BEL) Cowboy Orchestra (CCW)
Open Mic (JBC) Deep Cuts Pro Jam (CAL) ches Brew Tasting (LDC) am w/Miles Ahead (LDC) Comedy Open Mic (MB) Writing Workshop (BUN) Music on the Patio (BEL) on and the Jones (CCW)
Open Mic (JBC) Deep Cuts Pro Jam (CAL) Music on the Patio (BEL) Writing Workshop (BUN) Marv Williams (CCW)
Open Mic (JBC) Deep Cuts Pro Jam (CAL) Writing Workshop (BUN) Music on the Patio (BEL) Rick Iacovelli (CCW) ee w/Dopapod (FORUM)
Museum
m
ts Council @ the Forum s Club e Works ic Library
02 09 16 23 30
Bruce Beadle (BHMN) Open Mic (BSP) Chris Mollo (BTP) Cult Movie Thursdays: The Toxic Avenger (BUN) Into the Woods (CMP) Milkweed (GXY) Trash Thursdays (MRLN)
“Raising the Roof” Fundraising Gala (FORUM) Thing 1 (CCW) Dove Creek (BHMN) Open Mic (BSP) Vermont Cheddar (BTP) Cult Movie Thursdays: The Abominable Doctor Dan Pokorak & Friends (BEL), Phibes (BUN) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Merkley & Morgan (GXY) Trash Thursdays (MRLN) Thing 1 (CCW)
Gary Jennings (BHMN) Open Mic (BSP) Chris Mollo (BTP) Cult Movie Thursdays: Phantom of the Paradise (BUN) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Richie Stearns & Rosie Newton (GXY) Enerjee Jazz w/Ayana D (LDC) Trash Thursdays (MRLN) Dan Pokorak & Friends (BEL) Thing Two (CCW) Open Mic (BSP) Vermont Cheddar (BTP) Cult Movie Thursdays: Demons (BUN) Dan Pokorak & Friends (BEL) Painting the Human Form (WHIP) Thing 1 (CCW) Battle of the Bands (GXY)
Open Mic (BSP) Cult Movie Thursdays: Bride of Frankenstein (BUN) One Slight Hitch (CMP) Acoustic Jam (EPAC) Zydeco Po’ Boys (GXY) Dan Pokorak & Friends (BEL) Haunted Rail Train (VCH) Thing Two (CCW)
events calendar
friday.
03 10 17 24 31
First Friday Artwalk (DTB/DTO) Rod Serling Video Fest Screening (FORUM) Live Music (BBW) How Sweet It Is (EPAC) The Falconers (CCW) Art of Baseball (BCAC) DJ Space One (LDC) Beard of Bees (KROW) Pete Ruttle & Friends (OUH) Rick Iacovelli (BTP) Toy Box Trophies (NGP) Dark Arts Show (JS) Frost/Nixon (TPC) Zombie Walk (DTB) Zombie Walk After Party (JS) Planetarium Show (ROB) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Amanda Davids (CCW) Live Music (BBW) Paint the Night (WHIP) Virgil Cain (KROW) A Country Mile (BTP) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Cash (FHS) Blue Sky Mission Club (LDC) Museum Tours (PMM) Pete Ruttle & Friends (OUH) Planetarium Show (ROB) Old Friends (NGP) Frost/Nixon (TPC)
Transient Visions Fest (SPOOL), Lying Kind (AC) Haunted Rail Train (VCH) Live Music (BBW) The Falconers (LDC) Water Monsters (KROW) McStine, Kanaz & Rosati (BTP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) NYC Ladies of Laughter (FHS) Painting Portraits w/Amy McClaren (WHIP) Pete Ruttle & Friends (OUH) Paranormal Investigation (BUN) Tales From the Script (ROB) Planetarium Show (ROB) Drymill Road (CCW) Fantasmagorical Freakshow Ball (SPOOL) “The Lying Kind” (AC) Boo at the Zoo (RPZ) Rigoletto (TCOF) Mosaic Foundation (CCW) Live Music (BBW) In The Studio Salon (EPAC) Beard of Bees (FIVE) Voodoo Highway (LDC) Museum Tours (PMM) Pete Ruttle & Friends (OUH) Planetarium Show (ROB) Haunted Rail Train (VCH)
Chief Bigway w/Joey Belladonna (CI) Odd Man Out (KROW) One Slight Hitch (CMP) An EPAC Halloween (EPAC) Zydeco Po' Boys (JBC) Splash (FIVE) The Quantum (LDC) The Dusty Boxx Experience (MRLN) Museum Tours (PMM) The Revelers (OUH) Planetarium Show (ROB) Professor Louie & the Crowmatix (CCW) Jess Sheldon (NGP)
saturday.
04 11 18 25
Diana Tejera (CCW) Greg Neff (BTP) Rusted Root w/The Falconers (CI) Tom O’Connor (NGP) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) How Sweet It Is (EPAC) Jazz Night w/Anything Goes (FIVE) Lauren O’Brien (LDC) DJ Castle & Krae (LDC) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB) Frost/Nixon (TPC)
Postcards from Heaven (FORUM) Frost/Nixon (TPC) Electric Brew (KROW) Mansion Tours (PMM) Into the Woods (CMP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) Harry the Dirty Dog (FHS) Pasty White & Double Wide (FIVE) DJ Castle & Krae (LDC) Drag Queens & Kings of Comedy (MRLN) Sudsy Brews & Fiery Foods (CTI) Nathan Kalish (CCW) Dirt Farm (OUH) 60th Anniversary Celebration (ROB)
Transient Visions Fest (SPOOL), BU Orch (AC) Tales From the Script (ROB), Lying Kind (AC) Haunted Rail Train (VCH) Nova City (KROW) Thom, Beth & Mark (BTP) Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown (CRT) The Songs of Tom Waits (FHS) Scott Freeman Band (FIVE) Watson Abbey (CRAN) DJ Castle & Krae (LDC) Divas After Dark (MRLN) Rockwood Ferry (CCW) Museum Tours (PMM) Halloween Gala (DSC) The Falconers (OUH) “The Lying Kind” (AC) The Gravelding Brothers (KROW) Tim Ruffo (BTP) Dennis Winge & Jesse Bennett (FIVE) DJ Castle & Krae (LDC) Museum Tours (PMM) Planetarium Show (ROB) Haunted Rail Train (VCH) Early On: Music From Now and Then (BU) Early Bird Trio (CCW) Boo at the Zoo (RPZ)
The Triple Cities Carousel Events Calendar is featured each month as a courtesy to our advertisers, however we welcome venues to submit their events to triplecitiescarousel@ gmail.com by the 15th of the month prior to publication. Space is limited, so calendar entries, which have no cost, are picked on a first come/first serve basis. Triple Cities Carousel reserves the right to reject any submission.
26 Vol. 2 Issue 10
stephen schweitzer
following the light by chris bodnarczuk
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 27
They say that film is photography at twenty six shots per second. While the advent of digital recording may have skewed this reality a bit, suffice it to say the general concept remains. To make a great piece of film, one must understand how to create a great piece of photography. And to understand how to create a great piece of photography, one must understand how to draw light. “It really is light. The Greek is light-draw. Photo-graphy.” This month’s cover artist, Stephen Schweitzer, has been drawing with light for quite some time now. In the mid -80s, the Brooklyn raised high school dropout trekked west to Tucson, Arizona. “I was working with this guy- at a camera shop in the Village,” Schweitzer says. “And he was in his sixties. And I looked at him and said ‘if I don’t do something with my life, that’s going to be me behind the counter.” And so, armed with skills picked up at that shop, as well as a familiarity with street photography, he enrolled himself at the Center for Creative Photography. Schweitzer quickly found himself in the conundrum of many a young fine arts photographer: “After two semesters, I asked myself ‘do you really think you’re going to be able to shop around your heart and soul to make a living?’ So I transferred up to Flagstaff, where they had a commercial photography program… You can always do art- you can always do art on the side- but at that point, I just wanted a job after graduation.” While the commercial work served well to pay the bills, the ‘art on the side’ became an encompassing hobby. Schweitzer was spending his free time experimenting and exploring with the core tenet of photography- light. “I think it was just pure experimentation; exploration. I think from doing a lot of street photography in New York at night, I was attracted to neon lights. I was attracted to stoplights at night. I would do time exposures. I’d experiment with the idea of photography as a black canvas. If I was to set up in a cave, the photo would be unchanged, because there’d be no light… but, oh! I could just add my own light to the scene!” Many weekends were spent trekking out of Tucson, searching for the perfect black canvas: “I got myself a 12 volt lead acid motorcycle battery, and a high powered hunting light, and I went where I thought it would be the darkest… I’d go out to these ghost towns just about every new moon, and all I had to contend with was- maybe in the distance- city light and starlight. I did that for quite a few years: load up my Jeep Wagoneer with a cooler and a camping stove and find these places on a map- and just drive out there- scope it out in the daytime, then wait for the sun to go down and set up.” When the sun did go down, Schweitzer would begin to paint the canvas. By shining colored lights only on the surfaces he wanted to show up in an image- and shooting with a long-exposure camera- he was able to create surreal, psychedelic images (like the office to your left). Depending on the shot, he could spend anywhere between a minute and eight hours on one light painting. “I liked travelling along old Route 66- there’s a lot of abandoned cabins, gas stations, that sort of stuff- and I recently thought about why I gravitated so much to this stuff. This may be too esoteric for the interview but, there’s something about being in society and [pause] being alone out there- not so much in the forest or in the wildflowers- but just to be around the decrepit decay of the human influence- there’s something appealing to me about that… it could be that post-modernist philosophy where you enshrine the insignificance- it ties into that. For me it was that I had a subject to work with that I could go undisturbed with, and just kind of explore. I’ve tried light painting in the city- and that’s where you get people honking their horns and yelling out the window and stuff.” As years went on, Schweitzer’s interests shifted. He moved to Japan, then to Binghamton, and began experimenting more with video and film, tying it in with the work he had already done. “I had this idea of doing it on film- doing a light painting film- where I would take a one second movie film, and loop it over and over, and in theory it would work, if I put a flashlight on a building when the camera was focused on and had this looping video- I can build up light painting animations. I had that thought in my head- probably the late 90s- and around 2000, I got involved with this software called MAX- it’s software that lets you build your own software. And so I was able to create a video loop buffer. I’m still experimenting with its possibilitiesbecause it’s live, it’s immediate, improvisational, and it’s just a lot of fun.” If the photos had been psychedelic, then the results of the video work proved to be of another plane entirely… disembodied heads, strobe-like pulses of light- the video work, and even the still shots that can be pulled from it (upper right), is in a category all its own. And while Schweitzer’s still work had been an exercise in solitude, the video work encourages a more social environment. As of late, he has taken to hosting regular light-painting parties at his home in the First Ward. “I invite people to bring a flashlight, or come and pose for a portrait, and we just create pieces on the spot with it,” he explains. The video light-painting has been a pet project of Schweitzer’s for some time now, though it is only recently that the public has had a chance to see it. This past summer, he hosted a high-profile demonstration at the Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance, where he met up with Ithaca- bred Moog enthusiasts Electric Golem, who he reunites with on Friday, October 3rd for a performance in I-Town. He’ll also be showcasing the light-painting alongside soundartist Brian Murphy later this month at Spool MFG’s “Transient Visions” film festival. And of course, Carousel couldn’t resist inviting him back to Spool a week later, for the second annual Triple Cities Scareousel Fantasmagorical Freakshow Ball on the 24th. Schweitzer will be providing an interactive exhibit of the video light painting throughout the night. We don’t know about you, but we’re sure excited. To see a sampling of Stephen Schweitzer’s video light painting (and commercial work), check out vimeo.com/stephenschweitzer.
art.
28 Vol. 2 Issue 10
HEATHER CURTIS
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT AT SALATI GALLERY Rose Silberman-Gorn Staff Writer
For photographer Heather Curtis, moving to Colorado was the realization of a childhood dream. She’d grown up listening to folk musician John Denver wax poetic about the beauty of the Rocky Mountain State, and had longed to travel west and see it for herself. So, 17 years ago, she made the move and settled down in La Veta, a small town in Southeastern Colorado. “Living in Colorado, I’m surrounded by massive beauty all the time,” says Curtis. “I love the mountains, clean air, wide open spaces, and lack of population.” Heather took advantage of her surroundings by exploring the land, looking for natural or man-made beauty to capture with her camera. One day, she stumbled upon abandoned cars and trucks in fields, and quickly became fascinated by these relics of the past. “To me, the rusting cars and trucks have an incredible story that we’ll never know, and photographing them is a way of telling their stories,” she explains. Curtis has 28 years of experience telling stories through her photography. She began shooting at age 12 or 13, encouraged by her artist father and the excellent art program at her high school. She is a Broome County native, who attended Union-Endicott High School. After graduation she went on to study photography at Sullivan County Community College, after which she moved around a bit, living in Pennsylvania and Florida before making the final move west to Colorado. Though she considers Colorado her home now, Heather hasn’t forgotten her roots. She’s kept in touch with
many figures from her childhood, including her former high school teacher, Orazio Salati. Orazio, who Heather describes as an “incredible teacher and dear friend,” offered her a show at his gallery several years ago. To prepare for this exhibit, she went through her photos and chose 21 of her favorites, all scenes of the West: landscapes and rusting cars. She had the photographs printed directly on canvas, which is her preferred method of display. “The medium of canvas is much better looking to me than anything else for photography...it’s super durable, has a nice coating on it, and is easy to hang.” The exhibit, entitled Western Scenes and Some Rusty Stuff, opened on September 5. At the opening reception, Heather was greeted by an amazing turnout of former teachers, family and friends. As she happily recalls, “I had a fantastic time...I was completely embraced and felt the love!” The show was also successful in terms of sales. Curtis sold 12 pieces out of 21 within the first two days of the show, signifying Orazio’s 2nd most successful show in 13 years. Because the show is ongoing until November 1st, there will be another reception on October 3rd, which Heather, unfortunately, will not be able to attend. So what’s next for her? More photography, rusted trucks, and hopefully, more shows. “My favorite part of photography is sharing my photographs with other people,” she says. “Western Scenes and some Rusty Stuff” will hang at the Orazio Salati Studio and Gallery from September 5th through November 1st. The Gallery is located at 204 State Street in downtown Binghamton. A First Friday reception will take place on October 3rd from 6-9 p.m. The gallery is open on Saturdays from 11am-3 pm, or by appointment. For more information, visit oraziosalati.com or HeatherCurtisPhotography.com.
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‘RUDE AND BOLD WOMEN’ October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 29
PAY TRIBUTE TO DIANE HODACK Ronnie Vuolo Assistant Editor
From its 1996 debut at the City Plaza Gallery in Binghamton, Rude and Bold Women has been making waves. The show was so controversial that the Gallery declined to host a second year, and fired creator/curator Susan Jablon. After that, nothing was heard from “Rude and Bold Women” until 2001, when it was resurrected by a group of determined local women who brought an even larger multi-media exhibit to the YWCA. Since that time, the show has become an annual event each autumn, scheduled to coincide with First Friday open gallery night.
teer committee of women who organize the show have encouraged and supported women who are creating art for the first time. For many women, the very act of gathering the courage to apply is a rude and bold step. Over the years, we have had entries from pre-teens all the way up to women in their eighties.” Determined to maintain control of the direction and nature of the show, it remains solely in the hands of the organizing committee, and is supported entirely through private funding and sponsorships.
“Over the years, several local women, and women-owned businesses, have contributed sponsorships, for which the committee is extremely gratefulmost notably The Lost Dog, Sentry Alarms, and Merlin’s. Occasionally the committee has held fundraisers to generate income to cover costs.”
Organizing Committee member Committee memand a founding ber Carla Bruce member of the elaborates, “All show, Yvonne the members Lucia, explains take on the tasks the origin of the of producing the show’s name: yearly show, do“The title ‘Rude ing whatever is and Bold Women’ needed: securing is derived from the location, arthe Victorian Era ranging adverconcept of a hoytising, soliciting den woman- ‘a contributions, girl, or woman, of contacting and saucy, boisterous, coordinating artor carefree beists, physically inhavior.’ Women “Dreams, There Was No Apple,” by Diane Hodack. who are self-contained, secure, and assertive stalling the show, greeting guests during the are often called ‘rude and bold’ pejoratively. first Friday opening and subsequent gallery The show’s title invites women to claim their hours. The show is truly a labor of love for all saucy, boisterous, and carefree behavior and of us who are involved in making it happen.” wear it proudly.” Lucia goes on to explain what type of art, and artist, is sought for this show: “[one who] expresses what it is like to be a rude and bold woman in a patriarchal society. Images that are- in and of themselves- edgy, are selected, as well as work that on an initial viewing might not be considered particularly rude or bold; however, when the accompanying artist’s statement is read, and the larger context is given, that work can be understood as rude and bold. For example, in one of the first shows, a woman submitted a painting of a bouquet of roses. Her statement explained that she was in the process of leaving an abusive marriage, and when she threatened divorce, her husband sent her roses for the first time in their relationship. Her artist’s statement was a poignant commentary on the situation in which she was able to stand her ground and not be manipulated. The volun-
This year, the show is a one-woman tribute to Vestal native Diane Hodack, a member of the “Rude and Bold” community who died suddenly in May of 2014 at the age of 47. Hodack was an award winning artist, graphic designer, teacher, lecturer, and writer, who served on the “Rude and Bold Women” committee, as well as being an exhibitor. This year the show takes place at Atomic Tom’s, located at 196 State Street in Binghamton. The gala opening is the Friday, October 3rd, from 6-9pm, and continues on Saturday, October 4th, from 12-4pm and 6-9pm. All proceeds go toward a graphic design scholarship in Diane’s honor, at Tompkins Cortland Community College, where she served as professor, and Chair of the Graphics Design Program. For further information, contact rudeandboldwomen@ gmailcom, (607) 723-5172, or rudeandboldwomen.com.
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October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 31
theatre and dance.
A CURIOUS CASE AT THE FORUM THEATRE As you’re picking out your Halloween costume this month, give some thought as to what (or who) you strive to be on this night when you may appear to others in whatever form you please? Is your goal to become someone totally different, or more fully yourself? This may sound like a silly question- of course, you are not really Walter White, nor are you a sexy nun, but how closely does your true self match the way you are seen by others on any given day? Some essential part of you is always missing from the self you present to the world. This query is central to the story of Jekyll and Hyde, brought to the Forum Theatre on October 12th by Broadway in Binghamton. Since Robert Louis Stevenson first wrote the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886, it has been adapted and referenced numerous times in movies, television, music, and radio drama. In 1997 it was transformed into a musical that later went on to complete several tours. Having begun in Minneapolis on September 24th, this tour’s performance will still be fresh when it makes its way to Binghamton. According to Rachel Bahler, who plays Lady Beaconsfield, pre-tour rehearsal was short but rigorous. The musical is directed by Paul Stancato, who was formerly the resident director for the Broadway tour of The Lion King. Bahler says that even with a large cast and a time crunch, Stancato made sure to work closely with all of the actors on developing their characters. “Our director Paul says, you need to give the audience some credibility, you can’t dumb it down for them. So I think they’re going to appreciate the intricate character work that’s gone into it.” Intricate character work is indeed necessary when both protagonist and antagonist reside in the same body and are played by the same actor, Aleks Knezevich. Knezevich’s transformation is more subtle than it has been in past interpretations. “A lot of productions overdo the goriness of Hyde and how he murders people, and our production doesn’t do that. In some productions, he puts his hair up when he’s Jekyll and takes it out when he’s Hyde, but our director wanted it- instead of it being a magic potion that Jekyll is taking- that he is just schizophrenic, and you watch this man kind of devolve, in spite of his best efforts.” Everyone knows the basis of the story. Dr. Jekyll is a kind, well-respected man of society, engaged to be married to a sweet girl named Emma. But his scientific interest in the dichotomy of good and evil in the individual, becomes personal when he uses himself as a lab rat, injecting himself with a chemical that turns him into Hyde, his evil alter ego. While this production reimagines the conception of Hyde within Jekyll, the same questions still arise. Which is the true self? And did one ever really exist without the other? Whether good or evil wins out in the end has been argued for a century, and can be argued for another. What gives this story such an enduring place in our culture? The main issue over which it philosophizes, is one which is with us constantly in day to day life. “I think this production really explores the internal battle that we all go through,” says Bahler. “My character, for example, is very hypocrital. She’s part of the aristocracy. She shuts down Jekyll’s ideas and claims to have high morals, but truly, she doesn’t practice what she preaches. And you find that with politicans nowadays, with football players- there’s this facade that they put on and sometimes what’s lurking behind it seeps out, and usually we want to cover that up.” Society today is different from what it was in 1886, and the word façade (which is also the name of the song which reprises throughout the musical), has taken on new meaning as our internet personalities become yet another extension of ourselves. “Everyone posts only the happiest pictures, the selfies,” Rachel says. “There’s this line where my character is asked, ‘Why do you go to all these parties when you hate it so much?’ And I say, ‘I like to see my face in the Tattler,’ which is the equivalent of having your photo tagged on Facebook and having people like it. I want people to see me having fun! But there’s so much behind it that we don’t want people to see.” Rachel and the rest of the cast have spent much time thinking about these heavy themes, which they hope to translate to the minds of the audience. Between the dense psychological material, the period costumes, and the set- which brings to mind a rock concert, Bahler expects the performance to be quite captivating to the audience. Without giving away the ending, she tells me that in the last scene, “you watch the Jekyll character- who’s such an upstanding, bright mind- be tortured, and not be able to give his love to the love of his life. In the scene, my character is just spectating, but as I was watching, I couldn’t stop crying.” She laughs, remembering her cast mates’ reactions to her bawling on the stage. “I feel for Jekyll a lot.” Come watch a live performance of the story you’ve always known, but have never seen (and, on October 31st, try dressing up like the real you, the evil and the good, and see how many people scream at the sight). Tickets for the October 12th performance of “Jekyll and Hyde” range from $42- $62, depending on seating, and can be purchased online or at the box office. The Forum Theatre is located at 236 Washington St, Binghamton. For further information, contact (607) 778-2480. Photo Provided.
by Ilana Lipowicz
STRANGERS IN THE WEST:
32 Vol. 2 Issue 10
BRAVE NEW PRODUCTION CLOSES CRT’S 2014 SEASON From left: Drew Kahl, Andrew Criss, ad Zac Chastain onstage in “Mr. Brown and Mr. Hart.” Photo Provided.
produce this show? And why did you choose to end the season with this particular show?
Phil Wescott Staff Writer This October, prepare yourself for a phenomenal production of Mr. Brown and Mr. Hart. The play has only been produced once before, and with the wonderful folks at Chenango River Theatre behind, it you know it’s got to be good. Dealing with themes of gun use, the purpose of the press, and its role in telling the truth, and with an incredible twist up its sleeve, it’s a play worth getting excited about. The director of last month’s poignant “Heroes”, Drew Kahl, plays Two-Gun Hart, the no-mercy sheriff of a small town in Prohibition-era Nebraska. The action follows his encounter with the mysterious Al Brown, played by Andrew Criss. The only other characters in the play are Ambrose Healey (played by Zach Chastain), a young journalist whose suspicions are raised by a suave antiques dealer who shows up at the house of the town’s upright sheriff, and the nameless Local Historian (played by Michael Arcesi). I was lucky enough to sit down with Bill Lelbach, who is director and set designer for the show, as well as Mr. Kahl, Mr. Criss, and Mr. Arcesi. Here’s what they had to say about the upcoming production.
vvv Triple Cities Carousel: How did Chenango River Theatre get such a wonderful opportunity to be only the second company to
Bill Lelbach: Last year we closed our season with a production called “The Outgoing Tide”. We did it right after the off-Broadway run because I got in touch with the author, and read and loved his script. He came up to see the show, and then offered me his new piece. We ended the season with this show because I wanted to direct it, and during the rest of our season I’m caught up in casting, managing season tickets, etc. So I get the pick of the litter, and this is the show I wanted to direct. TCC: Perfect. So, Bill, how does being the brain behind both the set and directing work? Does one influence the other? BL: They both influence each other. It’s really nice when you are directing the show and you are able to have the traffic flow of the show fit in your head visually. You’re not locking horns with a designer, who wants to do things differently this way or that way. I get to do things the way I want to do it. That’s an advantage. It’s a disadvantage if things don’t work, because everything comes back to me. TCC: After I came to “Heroes,” we briefly discussed what differentiates the Chenango River Theatre from other theatres in the area. Can you talk about that? BL: We are the only theatre in the area authorized to use union actors in all of our shows. Half of our cast, minimally, must be a part of that union... there’s only five union actors in the area, so we need to be able to draw from a greater pool. Our advantage is that we can cast nationally, so we are able to pull from a pool of talent that is generally not found locally. And we don’t have a lot of staff- only
one person on staff. So we invest in our actors.
in rehearsing this show?
TCC: It certainly shows. Drew, you were the director of “Heroes” last month. Does being a director inform your acting, or vice versa? Do you prefer one over the other?
BL: The guns. There are five guns, which were actually used in old western movies. There is no bullet, but there is black powder in them. So any time you’re using guns, it can be a hassle. Drew had to learn how to quick-draw, be comfortable moving with guns. They were an extension of your body...
Drew Kahl: I like taking a break from one after I’ve done the other for a while. I also teach at SUNY Oneonta and primarily direct, so when I come here I really relish the ability to perform. As a director, you have to do a lot of work, and keep your whole eye on the arc of the project. As an actor, you get to be a little more selfish. This is the journey I want to take. I think sometimes actors who direct can get carried away in that arc of story, but to stay inside just one character takes discipline. TCC: For the actors: this is only the second performance of this show. You are going to be involved in distinctly creating these characters. Do you think of this as a challenge, or is it a kind of freedom? Andrew Criss: That was one of the appeals for me in taking on this role. I’m the out-oftowner, both in the cast and in the show: I’m Mr. Brown [the antiques dealer]. I’m from Philidelphia, where the premiere took place and playwright Bruce Graham is from. I’m usually in productions of Shakespeare or other classics, so to do something so fresh is exciting for me. DK: To give the playwright his credit, Bruce has drawn clearly delineated characters. He’s built them around a specific set of idiosyncrasies. So these people are written well for us. But being able to define them is exciting for us. TCC: Excellent. What was the biggest hurdle
AC: Kind of like the iPhone today. BL: Exactly. So that was a challenge. AC: For me, it was the balance of high energy, testosterone-filled moments, with moments of genuine tenderness and sensitivity for all of the characters. All of the characters have huge, life-changing revelations happen during the show. I’ve played a lot of thugs in my career, but it’s not often that I play a thug with this much to say. It’s one of the nicest things about this script. TCC: As a wrap-up, what’s the thing you’re most looking forward to on opening night? Michael Arcesi: It’s going to be fun to have the four of us present this to the fifth person there: the audience. Because they change every night and the audience changes us every night. I think that’s the most exciting thing there is.
vvv “Mr. Brown and Mr. Hart” debuts on October 3rd. It will run Thursday through Saturday from the 3rd to the 19th at 7:30pm, and on Sundays at 2pm. Do not arrive late, or you will not be seated. The Chenango River Theatre is located at 991 State Highway 12 in Greene NY, just past the Black Bear Winery.
opera is the new black: 34 Vol. 2 Issue 10
TCO OPENS NEW SEASON WITH
VERDI’S RIGOLETTO Provided
Scandal, Revenge, Trophy Wife, The Bachelor, Supernatural, Taken, Speed Dating, The Break-Up, Intervention, Shipwreck, Assassins, Teen Mom… No, these are not the local listings for your favorite TV station… these are just some of the themes covered by Tri-Cities Opera’s upcoming season. The 66-year-young company proves there is ‘opera for every occasion’. After major administrative changes in the past year, Tri-Cities Opera is in new hands and excited to explore new repertoire while respecting its vast tradition as a centerpiece of the arts in the Southern Tier. The 2014-2015 Mainstage Season launches on October 24 with Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece, Rigoletto starring Grammy nominated artist, Guido LeBron in the title role. As a lead up to this opener, which features one of the most famous arias ever written, “La donna è mobile”, Tri-Cities Opera will be out and about in downtown Binghamton, flashmobbing First Friday festivities on October 3rd. The company will also offer a FREE Opera Preview (Operalogue) on October 18th at 8pm (doors open at 7pm with food and wine available) at the Opera Center at 315 Clinton St. in Binghamton. This event features excerpts from the show and breaks down the story in a relatable way. “We aim to make this material as accessible to and fun for you as possible,” says Tri-Cities Opera Marketing Coordinator, John Rozzoni. “Whether by means of flashmobs, Operalogues, translations projected above the stage during the performances, or even the wealth of information hosted on our website (www.
tricitiesopera.com), our singers and artistic team want you to get it, love it, and come back for more.” Tri-Cities Opera will also launch a new series of post-show talkbacks following each matinee performance, giving the audience unprecedented access to ask the cast questions about the production. Aside from the traditional repertoire which makes up Tri-Cities Opera’s mainstage season (The Italian Girl in Algiers in February and Faust in April), the company will present a cabaret style concert of Broadway favorites on November 6th (BRAVO Broadway) and two works that are Binghamton premieres, Poulenc’s La voix humaine (presented in English and opening November 13th) and Michael Ching’s Speed Dating Tonight! (in March). La voix humaine (The Human Voice), a one act, one woman opera, will be sung by Tri-Cities Opera favorite, Rebecca Heath. The piece explores the agony of lost love as a woman has her last phone conversation with her ex-lover, who is marrying someone else the next day. Speed Dating Tonight!, written in 2013, is a comic opera which features 3 minute speed date vignettes where the characters are on quests for love, sex, romance, or anything in between. Tri-Cities Opera’s new administrative and artistic team, led by General Director, Susan S. Ashbaker, is committed to refreshing and reinvigorating the way people think about opera in Binghamton and beyond. When classic operas were written, they were the popular music of the day. Mozart was Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé was singing Tosca. See what all the buzz is about! Opera is back… welcome it with open arms. For more information about Tri-Cities Opera productions and events, visit www.tricitiesopera.com.
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ROLL IN THE HAY WITH SRO’S ‘YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN’
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 35
(PRONOUNCED FRONK-EN-STEEN)
Heather Merlis Assistant Editor
I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on a rehearsal of SRO Productions’ Young Frankenstein, the silly, sexy, staged musical adaptation of the classic film, with original music written by none other than Mel Brooks. “The whole show is a penis joke,” confessed Jana Kucera, who is portraying Inga in this production. But, for all of its raunch, this piece is being put on by an incredibly talented troupe of artists. Scott Fisher- director, music director, and self-described “crazy man”- is one reason why this cast is bubbling over with inspiration and energy. He laughs a lot, and he’s been working with SRO Productions for 25 years. “This is a very difficult show to discuss,” he says, “because it doesn’t have much meaning behind it, but that’s kind of the point.” Fisher explained
that he wanted to take a break from all of the weighty shows that he had recently directed, and do something that was purely entertaining. “I wanted to do a show where no one died… except, someone does die, but we bring him back to life.”
Fisher’s ebullient personality is perfect for directing comedy, and he seems to have very clear vision in his work, one that he delivers humbly and joyfully. “I teach fifth grade, so I appreciate this kind of naughty humor. It’s like a fifth-grader wrote it… well, a tenyear-old could appreciate it, but, no, it’s not kid-friendly. There’s lots of innuendo; it’s Mel Brooks’ stock-in-trade.” As the music is written by someone who is not a composer first, the score is a tricky one to deliver. “The music is deceptively difficult. Christina Dinella is going to be conducting the orchestra, so we’re very fortunate.” Fisher went on, “The cast is top-notch. It’s got a lot of depth in the chorus.” During my little sneak preview, I had a chance to see these phenomenal performers hilariously working their way through Brooks’
score. Luke Edsall plays the Monster with an adorableness that lies in perfect contrast to the fact that he is a fully grown man, and Mickey Woyshner, who plays Frederick Frankenstein, is a natural physical comedian, with energy jolting through his limbs as he deftly reacts to his counterparts.
Ms. Kucera holds a master’s from Binghamton University in vocal performance, and she has a killer voice, executing her songs with warmth, strength, and clarity. And she yodels! She also manages to imbue a level of dignity into a gratuitously sexualized role. “This is one of those cult movies,” she says, “so it’s so exciting to do, the whole time.” In terms of staying true to the film, Fisher explains, “They really just took what they knew people would want to see as bits. They took the funny parts and expanded them into whole songs.” And as for how he’s carrying the torch, “Young Frankenstein was always one of my top ten favorite movies… We know the spirit of the piece, and my sense of humor is about as mature as Mel Brooks’. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy doing a comedy.” Seeing Fisher working with his cast, it’s hard to believe that comedy isn’t his main gig.
There’s a naturally playful dynamic amongst all of them, which will surely continue to blossom as rehearsals progress. One thing I didn’t get to see was the dancing, but there’s going to be so much of it that they need three choreographers: Anne Trebilocock, Ann Szymaniak, and Michele Krisko. “We felt like we have to put some people in tap shoes,” Fisher explained. “It would be worth the price of admission just to see Mike Meaney tap dance.” Mr. Meaney, who is portraying the character of Igor, brings to the role his beautiful singing voice and an endearing sense of wit and humanity. Now, would you prefer to spend a mid-autumn evening doing something that involves doorbells and refined sugar products, or sitting at a cocktail table, watching tap-dancing monsters and sexy Transylvanians make lowbrow jokes and singing incredibly well? That’s what I thought. Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein will be presented at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage in Johnson City on October 25th, 26th, 31st, and November 1st and 2nd. Friday and Saturday performances will be at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm.
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 37
food and drink.
SOCIAL ON STATE and the case of the seventh plate
Photo by Chris Bodnarczuk.
Chris Bodnarczuk Editor-in-Chief Too much tapas. It seems improbable, perhaps impossible. Too much tapas. The whole point of tapas is to put too little food onto too little plates. There cannot be too much of too little. That’s not even a thing. And yet, here we are, spending a Wednesday night at downtown Binghamton’s newest upscale hot spot, Social on State. The spread of plates laid in front of us covers virtually every inch of our table. There is no denying: too much tapas. This is not to say that the kitchen staff doesn’t possess a mastery of portioning. They do. In keeping with the traditions of Spanish tapas (essentially, half cuisine and half socialization experiment), Chef Jay Pisculli and his crew dutifully output masterfully crafted dishes that are just large enough to satisfy the palette, and small enough that diners can spend the majority of their time conversing with each other rather than stuffing their faces. By stretching out the timeframe of the experience- introducing snackable portions at regular intervals, instead of a heavy entrée all at once- patrons stay longer, drink more cocktails, and talk more. They don’t just eat. They dine. Too much tapas. The multitude of plates on our table is neither meant to reflect on the general attentiveness of our wait staff. Despite catering to a packed house on what is the second night of Binghamton Restaurant Week, they regularly stop by to check on us
and deliver new plates. At each interaction, the waiter offers to clear our previous courses remnants- we’ve ordered six, between the two of us- but we are waiting to finish any one plate until we can get a photo of them all (we are dutiful journalists, after all). Too much tapas. No, this has nothing to do with portioning or table service. This has to do with one two three four five six SEVEN. Like a serendipitous glitch of the matrix, the gods have gifted us with an extra order of Rosemary Steak Skewers (served with fingerling potatoes and bleu cheese fondue). We asked for six plates. But here it is, plate number seven. This presents a moral dilemma of sorts. Do we tell the waiter? Is someone the next table over awaiting the herb-marinated deliciousness of these particular skewered chunks of steak? Is that person aware of the impossible creaminess of the bleu cheese fondue? The starchy contrast of the fingerling potatoes? Will that person’s evening be ruined when the kitchen’s forced to re-fire the order? (Probably.) Or was a dish a gift from the kitchen? Are there pictures of the Carousel crew in restaurants throughout the region? Do they await our visit and feed us extra food in hopes of a good review? (Probably not.) We should tell the waiter. We should. But our first bout with the dish was one of the highest points of the meal- alongside the Crispy Pork Belly and the cider-glazed Pork Tenderloin (the Chicken Osso Buco, Crab Risotto, and Meatballs were also good, though less notable). And so, with only momentary hesitation, we dig in. It is bliss. We greedily attend to the skewers, making sure to sop up every last bit of the bleu
cheese fondue before finishing off what’s left of the rest. One last caramelized chuck of pork belly, adorned with a pineapple chunk and sweet chili glaze. One last meatball, coated in tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Half of a bowl of crab risotto and asparagus (admittedly, the least exciting plate of the night). One last chunk of Chicken Osso Buco (a bourgeois chicken wing, essentially). One last slice of cider-glazed Pork Tenderloin, along with a healthy forkful of kale. After all the food has been devoured, we sit for a while more, finishing our beers and admiring the chic layout and lighting of Social. We ponder an after dinner cocktail from the extensive list, but decide to leave the martinis for another day. Our bill comes. No mention of the extra steak. We look around us: no angry patrons awaiting long lost skewers. We are in the clear, it seems. I lay awake in bed later that night, thinking. Was it wrong to accept the seventh plate? Should we have said something? When I was four years old, I stole a Cadbury Crème Egg from a Fay’s Drug Store. I stole it right off the shelf: put the whole thing in my mouth, then stuffed the wrapper in the depths of a wiffle ball display. Never got caught. But that was stealing. The seventh plate: that was just given to us, right? It is not as if we walked into the kitchen, stuffed a steak into our pockets, and ran out the back door, right? Ten years after I stole the Cadbury Egg, the guilt overtook me. I told my mother about the incident. She dragged me down to the drug store, where I was forced to hand over my allowance money to the clerk. My days of thievery were over (save for one incident involving a really badass Motorhead t-shirt and a Hot Topic in Albuquerque during a particularly rebellious
period of my seventeenth year). The steak. The egg. This is different, right? I arrive at my office early the next morning. Like all self-respecting 20-something professionals, I have hung the same dry-erase board that once resided over my freshman dorm room onto the door of my office. Usually, the only things drawn on it are penises and ‘sorry I missed you’ post-its, but today: something foreboding. Someone has drawn exactly seven figures of the number seven onto the board, along with a smiley face. Seven sevens. Seven plates. Inside my office, I dust off an old book about numerology. Seven. Seven. Seven deadly sins. Gluttony. Seven. Seven chakras. Karma. Seven. Seven seas. Water. I’M DROWNING IN A SEA OF GUILT! I have made up my mind. I must clear my conscience. I must go back. I must- oh god, if I could just have another piece of steak. The sun is setting as I return to Social. I try to explain my predicament to the hostess, but I just come across as crazy. I flag down a waiter. He shrugs me off. I must hand over my allowance money for this Cadbury Crème Egg. Please. Somebody. Anybody. I have done my part, at least. I have confessed. I tried paying for the steak, I did. They did not want my money. And yet. Now I happen to have in my hands the very same amount of cash that it would cost to buy an order of Rosemary Steak Skewers. I take a seat, order a cocktail, and settle in for plate number 8.
vvv Social on State is located at 201 State Street in downtown Binghamton. For more info, call 607-624-7221.
38 Vol. 2 Issue 10
A DOWNSTATER’S GUIDE TO by Heather Merlis
Pizza is a food that transcends food. When served at a gathering, it transforms said gathering into a “pizza party.” Pizza is good even when you’re not hungry, and it never really gets old (unless, maybe, you have been running around the Triple Cities for a week and a half eating pretty much nothing but pizza). Some would even say it’s better than mediocre sex- that is, if it’s real pizza. And real pizza is a holy trinity of humble ingredients combined to symbolize what it truly means to be a New Yorker. I was a New Yorker, once, not long ago (New York City-er, that is). I remember being a child in Brooklyn, pretending to work the register behind the counter of my dad’s friend’s pizzeria- my mother swore the pie was seasoned with his sweat. Nonetheless. When we moved to Long Island, my brother and I could not wait to partake in a different type of “pizza” of a deeper-dished variety, which was served inside of a “hut.” We would visit this hut on a weekly basis, foolishly forgetting our roots in the land of thin, crispy pies and fresh dough spun by sweaty Italian men. It wasn’t until years later that my brother and I remembered where we came from and reclaimed our status as pizza snobs, fortunate enough to comb the globe for the perfect slice.
much of it is quite good- it’s just that it exists in a range than spans from NYC-style authentic, to roller-rink birthday party with maybe peanut butter in the crust? We’ll get back to that later. I learned a lot, doing this fun, and oftentimes physically uncomfortable, research: like, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and, people love things that remind them of where they come from, even if those things are not very good. But the most valuable lesson of all is that the quest for the perfect slice never ends. Here is a slice of that quest.
vvv New York Pizzeria (33 W. State Street, Binghamton) People like to call this place “Chef’s” or “New York Chef.” It’s not called that anymore, so don’t be confused! Now, this place is probably the closest experience to being in an actual New York pizzeria: it’s a little dingy, but the slices are good, and they also serve pinwheels and similar fare for a fair price. You can get a free drink with two slices: a classic deal. The crust is a little floppy, but it didn’t bother me- I could eat here any time sans complaints. There is always a bunch of peo-
Which brings me here: the Triple Cities. Overall, the pizza here is not bad- actually,
ple workn g h e r e , creating a feeling of chaos that will feel like home to any New Yorker. I i
hear there’s a pool hall nearby, so if you want a kind of lowbrow date night, the mostly-defunct K-Mart plaza is calling your name.
Amici Pub & Pizzeria (126 ½ Henry Street, Binghamton) A classy pizza bar is what this place is. Now, if you want a nice date, this is- hands down- the place to go. It’s a pizza bar! You order 10” pies here- no selling by the slice, no delivery. But, as is the case with most pie-only situations around here, it’s worth it. The pizza is delicious- maybe even in the top two. The cheese is really rich and the flavor is well-balanced: an authentic, high-quality pie. It was still bubbling when it came to our table. Pizza aside, they have 16 good beers on tap! This place is across from the Mets stadium, so maybe don’t go around game time unless you want to reckon with a crowd. Brozzetti’s Pizza (72 Baldwin Street, Johnson City) People from Johnson City love this place. Maybe not all people from Johnson City, but I can’t tell you how many times I heard, “Did you try B r o zetti’s?!” Yes, yes I did. I feel like, had I said no, these people would have reacted the way people react when I tell them that I have never seen “Goonies.” (I’m sorry; I know.) It’s like a phenomenon from their collective childhood that they just can’t shake. It reminded me of a phenomenon from my own childhood: going to the skating rink for birthday parties and being served “pizza, ” in the form of small, doughy rectangles. But, in their defense, this place is an institution. There is a signed photograph of Henry “The Fonz” Winkler in a trophy case on display at Brozetti’s, and they use an old family recipe. They also serve chicken spiedie pizza. The slices are a little sweet, and a local rumor persists that they put peanut butter in the dough. But how could they do that? How would that be legal? Brozetti’s left me with a lot of questions, but I know one thing for sure: that place is about family; it’s about love. Consol’s Family Kitchen (101 Oak Hill Ave., Endicott) Sweet Lourdes this pie is amazing. This is the best pie. I wasn’t going to declare a winner, but…this pie was so good. And so classy- when I ordered it to go, it was handed to me in a big piece of parchment paper that was artfully twisted at the top, only to reveal a thin, savory pizza atop a minimalistic cardboard circle. This was art. This was their “hot pie,” mind you; they also make a grilled pizza (Bobbo will make it for you), where they cover the dough in extra virgin olive oil and grill it on both sides, then top with chunky tomato sauce and a variety of cheeses, only to be tossed in the oven very quickly. But, no, that was not what I ordered. I ordered the incredible hot pie, the one where the sauce appeared to be both above and below the cheese, which had a sharpness to it. We’re talking
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 39
PIZZA IN THE TRIPLE CITIES umami, here. And it was quick! Now, the pie isn’t exactly what you would call “cut into slices;” some tearing took place, but it was well worth it. Even after a week in my own personal Pizza Hell, I would return to Consol’s in a heartbeat.
Grotta Azzurra (52 Main Street, Binghamton) This Binghamton real, that’s for sure. The signs posted on the door warn against loitering, but the atmosphere is singing a different tune. It’s across the street from the high school… you get the idea. You can get a slice for a dollar (plus tax) on Fridays! There are other screaming deals, like $5 pies. $5 pies! And they deliver super-late on weekends, when they are open past Binghamton business bedtime. What could be more comforting than drunkenly stumbling into the womb of an authentic Italian pizzeria on your way home from a night of ill-advised behavior? The texture of the slices is okay; the sauce is a little sweet. The structure of the pie, overall, is of the authentic NYC ilk. The most vital fact may be that they’re right there, right in the heart of Binghamton. Joey’s Brick Oven Pizzeria (200 Oak Hill Ave., Endicott) Endicott, you’re in the lead. This place is located on a street with a red, white, and green divider that leads to a flapping Italian flag painted on the asphalt. That’s pride. The slices at Joey’s are big, and baked in a brick oven. The flavor is straightforward, and the pizza is greasy in the right way: from the cheese, not the crust (some like a greasy crust; I am not some). They are hot, they are fresh, and they are available for individual purchase. Bonus: Joey’s makes their own Italian ices. As if it weren’t enough to find a place around here that serves them at all, they produce a lemon ice that contends with the best of them. And they make a damn good sandwich. Rossi’s Pizza (332 Oak Hill Ave., Endicott) I went here because, like many of the places on this list, I was sent here. Why was that? Another case of roller rink pizza, or, as they call it around here, “sheet pizza.” I’m not trying to make any enemies, but in the name of truth and pizza, please do not serve me something that is displayed on heated shelves and call it pizza. Call it something else. This place is like a bodega that features that product that we are no longer referring to as pizza. There is a sign here advertising “thin crust and American cheese available upon request.” This is just one of those moments when I come to terms with the fact that I am no longer in New York City. I would eat this at a birthday party. Pardon the snobbery, it’s just that, Triple Cities, I know you’re better than this. Take, for example: Nick’s Pizza & Restaurant (117 E. Main Street, Endicott) Delicious! Take your pick: by the slice or the personal pie. It’s a nice Italian restaurant that also has a takeout counter: the best of both worlds. The slice is well balanced: not too sweet, with subtly delectable flavors. The personal pies are excellent for one to three people, depending on how you’re feeling and what else you’re ordering: I recommend piccola (red sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil) or the garlic pie. Cortese (117 Robinson Street, Binghamton) This place wins for coolest pizza box (looking ravishing in red and yellow), slogan (“For pizza that pleases, try Cortese’s!”), and originality: they sell four- or eight-slice rectangular pies. This is kind of like the aforementioned sheet pizza, but mostly in its rectangularity. Really, it’s a pan pizza. The flavors are
great- the cheese is complex- but I am not crazy about pan pizza; the crust is just too greasy for me. But some people love it, and I get it. It’s not quite deep-dish, but it’s verging on it. The sauce is really savory and tasty. It’s the closest thing to an NYC Sicilian slice, but it’s still its own thing (come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ve had anything up here that really resembles an NYC Sicilian). At Cortese’s, it’s clear that they take a lot of pride in their pizza, and they do their own thing. There’s a restaurant in the front; go to the separate back entrance for take-out. The Happy Tomato (111 Riverside Drive, Johnson City) The new guy in town. They’ve got a good slice with nice ingredients, but they don’t always seem to have a fresh pie ready to go. It doesn’t feel like a pizzeria, more like a roadside stand that sells pizza, in a sort of Lord of the Flies kind of way. They are a team with Sugar Lips ice cream stand, another institution with a predominantly young staff, and it seems like they’re having a good time. The garlic knots are outstanding, especially if you can get them fresh, and the Artisan pie, as obnoxious as the name sounds, is actually really good. I mean, all pizza should be artisanal, when it comes down to it, but this pie is topped with spinach, roasted red pepper, tomato, ricotta cheese, and some really good mushrooms. There’s outdoor seating with a great view of the cemetery, so you can reflect on mortality as you wipe the garlic oil from your chin.
but not very complex in its cheesiness. It needs some dressing up. The crust has a nice texture, and it breaks in half when folded while remaining firm on either side, if that makes any sense. It behaves as it should. It is a good slice.
Grande Pizza (1250 Upper Front Street, Binghamton) This quest was supposed to stop one pizzeria ago, but- you must understandwith every stop
comes a recommendation. I could not utter a word of this assignment without being adamantly directed to yet another pizza place. People are serious about their pizza. It makes them emotional. And pushy. So I went to Grande, the last and most easterly point in my journey. And, hey, they sell calzones here, not to mention a pretty solid chicken parm hero. But the pizza, yes, that’s what this is about…pizza…how could I forget? I am full of pizza, at this point. I am, essentially, pizza. I am in the pizza and the pizza is in me. Grande’s slice is very, very cheesy,
vvv A good slice, indeed, in an area where people-for the most part- know and love their pizza. And I love pizza, but my body has told me that enough is enough. Sadly, I could not visit Adriano’s (275 Floral Ave.) or Nevoles (365 Harry L. Drive), both of which were recommended- my digestive tract simply would not allow it- but they stand to prove that Johnson City is not the relative pizza dessert of the Triple Cities. There is more time, and there will always be, thank goodness, more pizza.
40 Vol. 2 Issue 10
TWENTY YEARS OF
Binghamton’s Lost Dog Café, a-perhaps the- cornerstone of the downtown foodie scene, is celebrating twenty years in business this October. Carousel caught up through email recently with co-founders and proprietors Marie Foley McKenna and Liz Hughes. Here’s how it went down… vvv It’s well known that there would never have been a Lost Dog Café if it weren’t for your old band, The Derangelles. Can you tell us a bit about the story of that band? The band was born in Binghamton but moved to Brooklyn in 1982. The band mates (two sisters from Nyack) and us lived together in Park Slope for a few years and played some cool places in Manhattan, including CBGB’s and The Bitter End. Once the band broke up, Liz joined a few other bands: The Astorians and then later Bite the Wax Godhead, before moving back to Binghamton to open Lost Dog Café.
How did playing in the band inspire/ prepare you for opening the café? Any parallels between the rock star life and the restaurateur life? In NYC, many creative types work in restaurants and bars. There are so many perks, including working with other fun, creative people, having a flexible schedule that leaves time to work on one’s “craft,” a late start time for shifts in case you want to sleep in, the ability to dress up as whatever character you want to be that evening when going to work… not to mention all the good food and drinks! You opened the doors of the first Lost Dog Café in October 1994. What was the Binghamton foodie scene like in those days? What was the downtown scene in those days? Was the initial response positive? The family owned, classic Italian
restaurants were downtown and on the Eastside (Little Venice and Cortese). Number 5 was open, Whole in the Wall was open. There were not many other restaurants or cafes open downtown.
Tell us a bit about the first café. The first Lost Dog Cafe opened in an old gas station at 60 Main Street... it’s now an empty lot across from the Halal store. We opened it with very, very little money... it was all DIY. We bought some old tables and chairs and painted them, along with all the cement floors. There was a wall in the unisex bathroom that we plastered with a million eyes that we cut out of magazines- right next to the commode, which made some people a little uncomfortable. All of our dishes and cups were from garage sales. Our menu was pretty similar (though smaller), and we were the first coffeehouse in our area. We did not have a liquor license, but we filled a niche that was needed in the area, and people seemed to really like to hang out there. Then in 1997 you moved to the current location on Water Street, which eventually expanded to include the late-night Lost Dog Lounge. Can you reacquaint any readers that haven’t stopped in in a while as to what they can expect from dining at Lost Dog? Sure! Once we moved downtown to our current, much larger space, we became more focus and organized. We serve lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday until 10pm and feature locally-sourced food (when possible) that is made fresh to order. We use grass-fed beef, No GMOs, no preservatives... just real food. We are sensitive to those following specific diets- such as vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free people. We opened the new lounge in June 2012, and stay open later on that side. We have lots of fun events over there, including DJs every Saturday evening, bands on Fridays, andsprinkled throughout the week- we’ve done Jazz Jam on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month since the late ‘90s. Also, Trivia night on Tuesdays after 9pm, and Tequila Thursdays where craft margaritas are $5!
You operated an Ithaca location for a few years as well. What have you found has given the Binghamton restaurant more staying power? Ithaca’s downtown doesn’t have as many business people and residents that come downtown during the times when students are away, so when summer or winter break occurred, it would often be very quiet up there. In Binghamton, Lost Dog Café’s clientele is pretty diverse; many of the students come here, and we also get plenty of people traveling through on their way to Canada or elsewhere. Lots of business people and families too.
Can you regale us with any memories of the “deer crashing through the window” incident of 2008? It was the Monday after BU graduation weekend, which is a super busy weekend for us, and naturally we were all exhausted. In fact, we were sleeping, when suddenly we received a call at 7:30am, saying that someone had seen a deer jump through the window of the restaurant. The windows had been treated with a sun-reducing film, and we can only assume that the deer saw its reflection and thought it was another deer. Needless to say, the police and firemen came down and opened all the doors, hoping the deer would make it’s way out- which it eventually did, after running around really scared for a while. Afterward, we just sat there saying “did this really happen?” Walk us through a recipe? Please please please? Here’s something that was on our very first menu, in 1994, and we still serve it today: Sun-dried Tomato Dip w/ Glazed Garlic Toast (makes 12 servings) The dip: In a food processor, blend: 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes 8 ounces sour cream 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 whole basil leaves (chiffonade) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 pinch pepper 1 pinch salt
The toast: 1 loaf Italian bread or bagette, sliced in 1/2” thick slices 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Add to 1/2 cup of olive oil. Using a pastry brush, brush each piece of Italian bread with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the toast pieces with a blend of Parmesan & Romano cheese. Place under broiler, and brown until toasted. Serve with Sun-dried Tomato Dip. Thanks! So. 20 years. That’s a whole lot of years. What sort of changes have you seen in Binghamton over the last two decades? We’re finally seeing the type of growth that we had always hoped we would see. We’re very excited about everyone moving downtown- from the students to the new restaurants and brewpubs... it’s really amazing. We’re seeing much more people walking downtown now, and the sense of excitement is really building. Finally, what does the future hold for Lost Dog Café? We have been working on bottling our vodka sauce! It›s not an easy task... we’re avoiding using anything but natural ingredients, so it has been a process. We think by next year it will be a done deal. We›re also excited to see what the next chapter is like for downtown Binghamton, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.
vvv Lost Dog Café is located at 222 Water Street in downtown Binghamton. They’ll be celebrating their 20th anniversary all through October, but specifically during the week long Dogtoberfest, October 20th-25th. For more info, check out lostdogcafe.net
LOST DOG CAFE
Left: The original Lost Dog, circa 1994. Right: Lost Dog today. Photos Provided.
BY cHRIS bODnARCZUK
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 41
film. FROM THE
TRAILER TRASH VAULT Movie trailers aren’t always effective in giving useful previews of what a film is about. They’re usually a mess of disconnected images and phrases arranged in order to get the heart beating. Our resident cinephile, ILANA LIPOWICZ, deciphers these trailers each month, and here’s what she’s able to deduce. This information is not guaranteed to be accurate, but it will most definitely save you from feeling like you spent two and a half minutes spiraling towards the earth in a burning aircraft and still don’t know what movie to see.
Gone Girl: My mom really loved the book on which this movie was based, and she has excellent taste. When Gillian Flynn wrote her 2012 novel, she was looking to explore the psychology behind long distance relationships. The result was an eerie tale of a woman disappearing mysteriously, and her husband who is both the number one advocate for solving the mystery and the number one suspect in her disappearance. Ben Affleck plays the husband, and the more he claims he has nothing to hide, the more evidence arises that he does. The film diverges somewhat from the novel, but the screenplay was written by the author, so if you loved reading the novel, you should love the movie just as much. (Oct. 3)
Left Behind: Here is a thriller concept I had not heard of until now. The makers of this movie felt no need for blood or gore, villains, or any viable reason for the tumult that drives the story. Instead, people just begin to vanish. I don’t mean that they get kidnapped or that they run away; they simply vanish into thin air. If you think about it– this doesn’t sound like an apocalypse movie at all, but a fantasy about solving the world’s overpopulation problem. No invasive laws or deadly plagues– no death at all really, as there are no dead bodies to show that the vanished ever existed. Of course, it causes some problems when a plane is flying and the pilot disappears, but something good must come out of it all, and at the very least, we can be almost sure Nicolas Cage, who plays the main character, will never vanish from us. (Oct. 3)
Addicted: This is a movie about hot people having sex. This is a porn movie. Hot wife cannot resist hot man, even though he is not her hot husband. Sex with hot man sparks spiral of more sex with other hot men- also not her husband. Hot woman sees therapist, who tells her she is a sex addict and must stop before her addiction worsens. But hot woman is a sex addict- she has some more hot sex. Go ahead and see this movie, but you could also just watch some free porn on your laptop. (Oct. 9)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: The length of this film’s title leaves me little room to talk about it, but hopefully no one is averted from seeing it due to the sheer length of time it’ll take to ask someone to go with them. You might remember the story from the 1972 children’s book on which it’s based, although it’s very much repositioned in the modern day– I believe the older brother says “hashtag blessed” after musing over how well his life is going. In the story, poor Alexander has the worst of luck! He trips over things, sets fires to his chem lab, the works. On the other hand, his family has it all perfectly together – until one day when things start going badly for all of them, as Alexander rubs his hands together sinisterly as their lives goes up in flames. Just kidding– he uses his experience with bad luck to help them get through it, and it brings them all closer. Cute story and a great movie to see with the family. (Oct. 10) St. Vincent: Alcoholic babysitters and single mothers who hire them aren’t funny in real life, but they could be funny in the movies, especially when that babysitter is Bill Murray and the winded mom is Melissa McCarthy. McCarthy doesn’t get to be the funny one this time, which might be refreshing since she wasn’t all that funny in Tammy anyway. Murray is broke and a bit of a bum, so when McCarthy moves in next door and needs someone to watch her son, Murray takes the gig. Murray toughens the boy up, teaching him how to defend himself against bullies at school, and we can guess that the boy’s innocence will, in turn, soften Murray’s rough exterior. Still, when caring for a young child, you probably shouldn’t be drunk. Luckily, this kid seems pretty self-sufficient. (Oct. 10)
Ouija: Every time I played with a Ouija board as a kid, I must have been playing with some honest kids, because rather than leading the little round glass to letters spelling “This is grandma,” our fingers usually led us to some pattern resulting in “bzgolntpwe.” In this movie, it’s really not one stinker fooling the rest, but a real ghost, awoken when naïve Debbie dares play the game. In search of answers regarding her death, Debbie’s loyal friends play the game themselves– a classic horror film mistake– and soon Debbie’s Ouija board ghost murderer is after them all. This ghost is a bit of a stinker herself! (Oct. 24)
Ilana Lipowicz Staff Writer
Here’s a list of movies that came out in horror-happy October a decade ago, two decades ago, three decades ago, you get the picture. Get ready to feel old...
2004: The Grudge (October 22) As Halloween approached ten years ago, this creepy haunted house movie hit the screens, telling the story of a young couple who finds their new residence still occupied by the ghosts of a mother and son who were murdered there. The naive pair probably should have had a clue- at least where I’m from, when a man snaps his wife’s neck and drowns his son in the bath tub, it usually lowers the price of the real estate. 1994: Pulp Fiction (October 14) This month marks the 20th anniversary of the beloved Tarantino film, the poster for which is still hanging in half of the college dorm rooms in the country. What makes its longevity so impressing is the fact that most of its scenes far extend the everyday cinema-goer’s attention span today. In one four minute take, Christopher Walken tells a young boy the story of a gold watch which both he and the boy’s father stowed in their asses in order to hand it down, and you don’t take your eyes off him throughout the monologue. 1984: The Terminator (October 26) “I’ll be back,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film for which he is remembered most. No one thought he meant as governor of California, but it’s good to see someone who was once a murderous machine from the future turn towards more a more fruitful and forward-thinking profession. 1974: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (October 18) It’s not a huge surprise that, when the film finally found a distributor, it was still banned in several countries. There are a lot of horrible ways to die, but death by chainsaw ranks high on everyone’s list. Still, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most prized and remembered slasher films of all times, and the story of the expressionless villain Leatherface was continued in a large franchise which sprung out of the film’s success. 1964: My Fair Lady (October 22) Fifty years ago, the musical based off of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion was adapted to the screen. Audrey Hepburn played Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney English girl who begins speech lessons in an effort to become more of a lady. While I’m glad annunciation has gone down on women’s lists of values, it’s still fun to put on your best English accent and say, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plane.”
‘FILM TRANSIENTFEST VISIONS’ 42 Vol. 2 Issue 10
CELEBRATES THE MOVING IMAGE, BRINGS INTERNATIONAL TALENT TO JOHNSON CITY
Felicia Waynesboro Staff Writer
“One can only stare at the garbage that passes as entertainment on TV for so long.” So says visual artist and filmmaker Joe Nanashe, offering his unabashed opinion during an interview with Carousel. He gave Real Housewives and The Biggest Loser as examples, and compares these to another “TV”: Transient Visions, a cinematic event which Nanashe considers to be, “put together with a desire to show you something new, or at least something challenging… I think what they are doing at the Transient Visions Festival is great.” What they are doing at “Transient Visions: Festival of the Moving Image,” is screening short experimental films (they must be less than 20 minutes running time and completed within the last year) that the curatorial team considers to be outside of the ordinary, and cutting edge. Curator Brian Murphy and co-curator Tomonari Nishikawa founded the “Transient Visions Festival” in 2013 in partnership with Spool Mfg., who present the screenings along with a bit of performance art. The inaugural festival included a short film study by Nanashe, an Akron, Ohio native now residing in Brooklyn. Based on his positive experience, he said of the Johnson City-based event, “I just hope the larger community understands what a fun, interesting thing they’ve got in their neighborhood.” The curators do not scout films; they make selections from works that are submitted. The movies for 2014 are from a fresh roster of international filmmakers from places such as Finland and Spain, in addition to the USA. Most of the directors have some rep in the art film world, and many have presented their work at other festivals. Working in 16mm, and sometimes Super 8, these directors often employ innovative techniques, as exhibited by a 2014 entry from North Carolina, Death Songs & Car Bombs (7 minute running time) by documentarians Brendan and Jeremy Smyth. It was shot in Indonesia, reportedly on a Bolex, and edited entirely in-camera. Then there is Zachary Epcar’s Under the Heat Lamp an Opening (10 minute running time), in which about half of the film is shot from overhead.
“Transient Visions” is partially funded by the Broome County Arts Council’s United Cultural Fund, and sponsored by local businesses. The event spans two nights; screenings are divided into programs, with films linked by some perceptible theme. As of this writing, the program groupings for the second festival have not been determined; however, last year’s screenings were themed under such headings as: “Bittersweet Reality,” “A Flow on the Surface,” and “A View from the Underground.” Each night this year includes a mixed media performance. Murphy will provide musical accompaniment (guitar and custom software synthesizer) to (this month’s Carousel cover artist) Stephen Schweitzer’s “video light painting performance.” When Australian video artist Valentina Schulte (a 2013 participant) was asked what the magic of the moving image is, he replied, “Moving image… commands our attention; we are present when we stop to watch and it forces us to focus on what is happening right in front of us.” A pertinent example of this will be the screening of Rain Painting (running time 7 minutes), directed by Ann Deborah Levy, which gives an unexpected perspective on the experience of looking through the window of a moving car. Speaking of the societal and political implications of film magic, Schulte says, “Cinema, film or moving image, has the ability to bridge all areas of the global community and get the message across.” Festival organizers are pleased that the event provides a venue for artists, local and otherwise, to share an experience and have the opportunity to meet each other and exchange thoughts and ideas. Murphy assures that each evening includes discussion sessions. “This isn’t a device concocted to separate you from your money,” continues Nanashe, expanding on his vehemence about the quality of what we choose to use our eyes to view. Of experimental cinema, especially in such a short format, he suggests, “Even if you don’t like it, give it a chance. What’s the worst that can happen?” “Transient Visions: Festival of the Moving Image 2014” runs from Friday, October 17th through Saturday, October 18th. Screenings take place at 7pm and 8pm, followed by 10pm performance art. Spool Mfg. is located at 138 Baldwin Street in Johnson City. More info is available at transientvisions.org and spoolmfg.org.
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 43
books.
RIVERREAD’S RIVERREADS We at Carousel are proud to have partnered with our friends at RiverRead Books (5 Court St. Binghamton) to showcase what’s new in the literary world... what you should be reading when you’re not reading Carousel. Don’t forget to check out their ad on page three for a discount on your next purchase at Binghamton’s only independent bookstore. Special thanks to CONNIE BARNES for compiling the list!
THE BONE CLOCKS By David Mitchell
WIDOW’S DOZEN By Marek Waldorf
The New York Times bestseller by the author of Cloud Atlas, this book was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
Publisher Turtle Point Press says: “Marek Waldorf […] was born in Washington DC, and grew up in various places: Idi Amin’s Uganda, coup-wracked Thailand, punk-era England, and apartheid-encircled Lesotho, but primarily Binghamton, NY, the inspiration for Bearden County. He studied Philosophy at Harvard, started a PhD in American Literature at UCLA and left after a year, moving to San Francisco, where he appeared in Jon Moritsugu’s Hippy Porn (1991).
Publisher Random House says: “Following a terrible fight with her mother over her boyfriend, fifteen-year-old Holly Sykes slams the door on her family and her old life. But Holly is no typical teenage runaway: A sensitive child once contacted by voices she knew only as “the radio people,” Holly is a lightning rod for psychic phenomena. Now, as she wanders deeper into the English countryside, visions and coincidences reorder her reality until they assume the aura of a nightmare brought to life. Rich with character and realms of possibility, The Bone Clocks is a kaleidoscopic novel that begs to be taken apart and put back together by a writer The Washington Post calls ‘the novelist who’s been showing us the future of fiction.’ An elegant conjurer of interconnected tales, a genre-bending daredevil, and a master prose stylist, David Mitchell has become one of the leading literary voices of his generation. His hypnotic new novel, The Bone Clocks, crackles with invention and wit and sheer storytelling pleasure—it is fiction at its most spellbinding.”
Widow’s Dozen is an autobiography that mutates into science fiction in eleven stories of lives connected by the 1974 Bearden Time Capsule. Waldorf’s essays and reviews have appeared in The Recorder: The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society, where he served as Fiction Editor and Editor-at-Large.” Connie says: I loved these essays! His writing is beautiful and tragic, all at once.
Marek Waldorf at RiverRead Books on Wednesday, October 15th at 6:30pm!
A CULINARY HISTORY OF THE FINGER LAKES By Laura Falk The History Press says: “A bounty of crisp apples, heirloom produce, artisan cheeses and grass-fed meats complement the heady libations of the Finger Lakes wine country. Culinary luminaries and home cooks alike use these regional ingredients to craft classic and unique dishes, like Moosewood’s apple spice cake. Finger Lakes foodie and vinophile Laura Winter Falk, PhD, explores the Finger Lakes’ gustatory legacy and evolution, from the Iroquois’ Three Sisters—corn, squash and beans—to the farm-to-table restaurants that celebrate the harvest of their neighbors. With recipes from regional chefs paired perfectly with an array of local wines, savor the delectable culinary history of New York’s Finger Lakes region.” Connie says: I couldn’t be more proud to present this book at here at RiverRead Books. The Finger Lakes is one of my favorite destinations and the food and wine lovely!
Meet Laura Falk at RiverRead Books on Wednesday, October 22nd at 6:30pm. (and, yes, we will be sampling!)
THE VERY HUNGRY ZOMBIE and THE VERY THIRSTY VAMPIRE By Michael Teitelbaum with Illustrations by Jon Apple In this dead-on parody of a children’s classic, a very hungry zombie eats his way through a variety of his favorite foods, including clowns, astronauts, rock stars, fingers, and brains. With vivid, playful art and amusing text, The Very Hungry Zombie will appeal to picture-book lovers of all ages. Adults will catch its slightly demented humor. Older kids who grew up on classic board books will love the fun of the parody. And because the art leans toward humor rather than truly graphic grossness, a new generation of little ones may just grow up loving a creepy zombie whose gluttony earns him a bellyache. Beware! This equal opportunity ghoulish gourmand would just love to have you for dinner! The Very Thirsty Vampire: A charming tale for all who appreciate the undead, starring a dashing bloodthirsty gentleman, who goes searching for a beverage that’s just his type. All who appreciate the undead will adore this dashing bloodthirsty gentleman with a wicked sense of humor. Connie says: The creepies for fans of all ages!
Meet Michael Teitelbaum and Jon Apple at RiverRead Books on Saturday, October 25th at 3pm.
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 45
bingspot.
In each issue, our friends at BingSpot share with us a selection of their newest and best photos: a look back at the month that was. Clockwise from top left: Sunset at one of the many Club Bling mosaics in Binghamton, The Senators’ mascot Max and BU’s Baxter dine on lobster, view of downtown Binghamton from Thai Time, a new project at Triple Cities Makers Space, B-Mets victory, celebrating said victory.
46 Vol. 2 Issue 10
HOROSCOPES
B.C.
by MASTROIANNI AND HART
Each month, CAROUSEL features a guest horoscope columnist. For October, we welcome local comedian JIM MENCAL. As far as we know, he knows nothing about astrology. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Be kind to everyone you meet. It may take a while, but the good you do will eventually come back to you. Do as many favors for others as you can. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21) Remember, nice guys finish last. There aren’t enough hours in a day to do everything that everyone wants, so why bother? Libra’s gonna be trying to be kind to everyone, so take advantage of that.
DOGS OF C-KENNEL
by MICK AND MASON MASTROIANNI
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Some crimes aren’t really that serious, some are, and this month you’re gonna trample that gray area. Hire a good lawyer, then do whatever you want for a while. Life is short. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Why are you such a downer? Leo’s out trying to have a good time, and you’re just like, “hey man you have to pay for that.” Not cool. Loosen up a bit, there’s a whole world of possibilities out there. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Aquarius, you know how to party. You’re very outgoing, and you brighten every room you walk into. Maybe, if you’re not doing anything this weekend, we could hang out, maybe see a movie or someth…- oh you can’t this weekend? That’s cool, maybe another time then :(
THE FANCY RESTAURANT
by HOWARD AND CUVELIER
Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20) Where have the years gone? You look into the mirror and barely recognize the person staring back at you...oh, wait a second, that’s just a smudge- you look pretty much the same. Remember, any day could be your last, so be extremely cautious and don’t take any risks, you’ll last longer. Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 19) You tend to speak your mind, but maybe you should try not doing that. You don’t have to outright lie, but maybe just pretend for a little while that you’re not such a “free thinker.” People will stop talking about you behind your back, and maybe you’ll actually get something done. Conformity’s not so bad, man.
WIZARD OF ID
by PARKER, MASTROIANNI, AND HART
Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20) Sometimes, all you want to do is go out and party. Sometimes, you just want to sit at home with the radio on and read a book. Make up your damn mind, you idiot. Go out, buy a bottle of rum, and get in some trouble. You’ll feel better. Gemini (May 21-Jun. 21) Maybe if you had tried harder in high school, you wouldn’t be 22 years old with years to go before you finish college. Oh, you want to be a comedian? That’s rich. You realize that’s a doomed endeavor right? These horoscopes are probably the closest you’ll ever come to being a comedy writer. Just finish your stupid political science degree, so you can start waiting tables already. Cancer (Jun. 22-Jul. 22) Play the lottery this month. The odds against you are astronomical, and you probably won’t win, but the proceeds go to NYS education so you’ll be a failure for a good cause. Leo (Jul. 23-Aug. 22) Leo, I like your style. Treat yourself this month. You’re not like all these other plebeians; you’re better than they are. Walk with a bit of a strut. Buy yourself that blouse you’ve had your eye on. Keep on keepin’ on, and don’t listen to Capricorn, he’s an idiot. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You know exactly what you want and you’re working towards it. Problem is, you’re wrong, and it will end in disaster. Just buy some insurance, is all I’m saying. Not too much though, the cops will think you’re up to something.
OKAY, ONE MORE REMINDER!
THE TRIPLE CITIES SCAREOUSEL
FANTASMAGORICAL FREAKSHOW BALL TAKES PLACE OCTOBER 24TH AT SPOOL MFG IN JC! YOU SHOULD COME!
October 2014 Triple Cities Carousel 47
“That’s a Capital Idea!”
by Paul O’Heron
fun stuff.
SEX
IN THE SOUTHERN TIER SALLY RIDE is the pen name of Carousel’s brand new sex advice columnist (okay, maybe not brand new- we’ve been trying to get the inaugural column in for three months now). Find a nice secluded corner and read on... Dear Sally, What do you do about having sex when you and your partner live with a bunch of other people – are you supposed to be really quiet or wait until everyone else is not around? -Horny with Housemates Dear Horny, I recommend you immediately begin a rigorous routine of making ambiguously sexual noises while doing everyday things. There are obvious opportunities – like biting into a scrumptious dessert or getting in a hot bath. But with practice, you can make things like sitting in a chair or sweeping the floor sound completely obscene. Your housemates may be put off at first, but they’ll get used to it and then when they hear those noises they’ll have no idea whether you’re having sex or reading the paper. Across 1. Maryland capital, home of the U.S. Naval Academy. 6. Oregon capital, but not the site of the notorious 1692 witch trials. 9. Nebraska capital with the same name as the 16th president of the United States. 10. New Hampshire capital whose name is the same as a dark purple grape. 11. Kenyan capital whose name derives from the Maasi for “cold water.” 14. Huey, Dewey and Louie are Donald Duck’s _____. 16. “I’m _____ _____ _____ where food has taken the place of sex in my life. In fact, I’ve just had a mirror put over my kitchen table.” -- Rodney Dangerfield 17. Massachusetts capital and site of a December 16, 1773 “Tea Party”. 19. South Dakota capital sharing the same French name as designer Cardin and scientist Curie. 20. Ohio capital whose name is the same as the captain of the Santa Maria. 24. Washington capital whose name is the same as the ancient Greek site of very famous quadrennial games. 26. New Jersey capital officially considered to be within the New York City Combined Statistical Area. 27. “It’s clearly a budget. It’s got a lot of _____ in it.” -- George W. Bush 29. Maine capital, but not the city where the Masters’ golf tournament is held. 32. Ohio city that calls itself “the Bicycle Capital of the Midwest.” 33. Tennessee capital known as a country music hub. Down 1. Georgia capital, home to the Coca Cola Corporation. 2. From 1965 to 1970 Sally Field played Sister Bertrille, a flying one of these.
3. _____vidence, capital of Rhode Island. 4. Michigan capital and birth place of Magic Johnson (1959) and Steven Seagal (1952). 5. Delaware’s capital, Dover, is the _____ largest city in the state behind Wilmington, and the longest serving capital in terms of statehood. 6. Las Vegas is known as “_____ City”, the “Gambling Capital of the World.” 7. Sierra _____, West African country whose capital is Freetown. 8. Wisconsin capital with the same name as the 4th president of the United States and his vivacious wife Dolley. 12. “Walking with a friend _____ _____ dark is better than walking alone _____ _____ light.” -- Helen Keller 13. As a standard, _____ _____ = 0.05 ml. 15. An area in northern California is called the “Easter Lily Capital of the World” because bulb farmers _____ about 95 percent of the world’s Easter lilies. 18. Lhasa is the traditional capital of this country that is the home of Mount Everest. 19. Arizona capital, which is the most populous state capital in the U.S., that shares the same name as the bird that rises from the ashes. 21. Reputation of Belle Starr and Pearl Hart. 22. New Mexico city that is the longest serving capital in the U.S. 23. Nevada capital, _____ City, named after frontiersman Kit. 25. Sana’a is the capital of this country forming the corner where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden. 28. “Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” This simple sentence comprised Section 1 of the _____. (acronym) 30. http://nationalmap.___ -- web site where you can download free U.S. topo maps. 31. Brooklyn pizza shop owner in the 1989 movie “Do the Right Thing.”
If you’re too timid for that, I suppose you could have really quiet sex or only get busy when your housemates aren’t home. That seems pretty restrictive to me, but hey, it’s your sex life. Really, the best choice is to strike a balance between being considerate of your housemates (keep it down when they have important guests or really need to sleep) but not being so inhibited that it takes away from your sex life. It’s your living space and you have a right to have sex there. I believe it’s considered polite to put on some music, or- if you’re a screamer, to bite a pillow or use a gag. If sex noise bothers your housemates, they also have the option of playing music, putting in earplugs, or going for a walk. -Sally Ride Dear Sally, I understand that it’s important to wear a condom, but to me it’s like wearing a rain-jacket in the shower. What do I do? -I Hate Jimmy Sleeves Dear Jimmy, This is a common complaint, and mostly bullshit. While there are a very small number of people who cannot wear condoms for medical reasons, most excuses for not using them are easily overcome. Lots of people claim a drastic reduction in sensation when using a condom. If it’s so common you’d think that when a condom breaks or falls off everyone would notice immediately, yet that’s usually not the case. Another excuse people use is size, but condoms stretch a lot (Google ‘condom head’). While condoms fit onto larger-than-average penises, some types or sizes will be more comfortable than others (see homework below). Another option is the (so-called) female condom, which can be inserted vaginally or anally by the receptive partner. Because it is looser fitting around the penis than a traditional condom, some people find it more comfortable. Those allergic to latex can use non-latex condoms. Go for the modern polyurethane or other synthetic types (the old school lambskin kind protects against pregnancy but not most STDs). The female condom is also non-latex. To make this more fun, I’m giving you some adult homework. Not all condoms are created equal (they come in different sizes, shapes, textures, and thicknesses), so go out and get some different kinds and try them out to see what feels best. Be sure to pick up some lube too, as it helps increase sensation (try a drop or two inside the tip of the condom, plus a generous amount on the outside and on or in the receiving partner). Locally, you can get free condoms at STAP, Family Planning of SCNY, and many local bars. -Sally Ride Hey there, sailor. Got a question about sex? Everybody does! Email southerntiersexadvice@gmail.com, and we might print your question in an upcoming issue of Carousel!