The Pulse 16.16 » April 18, 2019

VOL. 16, ISSUE 16 • APRIL 18, 2019

Small Gestures, Great Impact Ways you can help Tennessee fish and wildlife—TODAY CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 16, ISSUE 16 • APRIL 18, 2019

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher James Brewer, Sr. FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Jenn Webster City Editor Alex Curry Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Adam Beckett • Rob Brezsny Matt Jones • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas • Alexis Waterman Brandon Watson Editorial Intern Jason Dale Cartoonists Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin mike@brewermediagroup.com

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Account Executives Rick Leavell • Cindee McBride Libby Phillips • John Rodriguez Danielle Swindell

CONTACT Offices 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Fax 423.266.2335 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Website chattanoogapulse.com Facebook @chattanoogapulse THE FINE PRINT: The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on music, the arts, entertainment, culture and local news. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publisher may take more than one copy per weekly issue.

The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Contents Copyright © 2019 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

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Small Gestures, Great Impact This Monday, April 22nd, marks the 49th observation of Earth Day. Conceived in the aftermath of the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Blowout, in which three million gallons of oil created an 800-square-mile slick that killed over 10,000 dolphins, seals, sea lions, and aquatic birds, its mission was to inspire environmental awareness and to promote policy change.

ECO FIELD DAY 2019

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PLAYING FOR THE EARTH

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Earth Day is upon us once again, though to judge by what’s been happening in Washington, DC, one would think certain politicians would like nothing better than to rename it “Destroy The Earth Day”.

Geologist (real name: Brian Weitz) from Animal Collective will perform an uncommon solo set in Chattanooga on April 21—just one of around 20 solo performances he’s ever done.

NEVER SETTLE FOR ‘GOOD’

On Chattanooga’s Southside, across the parking lot behind the new Moxy hotel, a striking collection of oil paintings is being created by Rik Herrmann at the WanderLinger Brewing Company.

APPROACHING DEATH

Grief is a powerful emotion. The cruelest aspect of our evolution is the knowledge of the difference between life and death. Animals are instinctual—they protect themselves from harm.

4 CONSIDER THIS

16 MUSIC CALENDAR

19 JONESIN' CROSSWORD

9 JUST A THEORY

18 MUSIC REVIEWS

21 NEW IN THEATERS

19 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

22 GAME ON!

12 ARTS CALENDAR

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 3

CITY LIFE · BETWEEN THE BRIDGES

Eco Field Day 2019

Cons ider This w ith Dr. Rick

Chattanoogans work for our environment

By Alexis Waterman Pulse contributor

“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food.

Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean.

Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.” — Anthony Hopkins When you have a “big experience”, such as a graduation or wedding, a birth, a death or break-up, you can’t help but measure life differently. Life prior to the event, and life after.

And if you’ve ever had a near-death experience—perhaps getting out of the way in the nick of time, avoiding some sudden tragedy, etc. —then you’ve felt the rush of adrenaline that has you taking a deep breath, and wondering why you were spared.

Whatever it is that recalibrates your appreciation for life, consider seeing it as an opportunity. An opportunity to say yes to dancing, laughing, singing. Say yes to being courageous. Say yes to life!

“

Their goal is to bring adults and children from the Chattanooga area together to enjoy a ‘field day’ with an eco-friendly twist to all the challenges.”

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E

ARTH DAY IS UPON US ONCE AGAIN, THOUGH TO judge by what’s been happening in Washington, DC, one would think certain politicians would like nothing better than to rename it “Destroy The Earth Day”.

But luckily for us here in the Scenic City, there are still people trying to not only help the planet but to celebrate all that she has given us.

For those unaware, Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 and marks the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Earth Day 1970 gave voice to an emerging consciousness about Mother Earth, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns on the front page.

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums in massive coastto-coast rallies to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.

Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment.

Groups that had been fighting

against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Nearly five decades later, with our planet facing ever-greater threats from climate change and political inaction, groups such as our own green|spaces carry on the traditions formed by those original groups and refuse to sit idly by. To that end, they will be hosting Chattanooga’s very first Eco Field Day next weekend in downtown’s newly renovated Miller Park.

The event will be a whole new way to celebrate Earth Day and will feature eco-vendors, live music, field games, and resource connections. Their goal is to bring adults and children from the Chattanooga

EDITOONS

area together to enjoy a “field day” with an eco-friendly twist to all the challenges.

On Saturday, activities include the Dung Beetle Roll, Tug-a-Watt (not tug-a-war), Recycled Sack Races, and Electric Scooter Races. Sunday will feature electric race cars built by local students, eco-challenge stations, live music, local beer, and resource connections to help promote ecofriendly practices within the family and our community.

“We are so excited to bring the community together to enjoy a funfilled day and celebrate our beautiful city and planet,” says Kelley Cureton, green|light program director for green|spaces. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to learn how they can make simple steps to promote a more sustainable lifestyle, all while enjoying a day at the park.”

And on both days, Eco-Field Day attendees can enjoy the Earth Day

Art Competition. The 2019 theme is “Species Preservation”, showcasing artwork made from only recycled material featuring each artist’s favorite animal. Visitors can vote on their favorite pieces of art by placing money in the donation box next to each piece.

The money will be split evenly between the artist and green|spaces, with 30 percent of the proceeds from the voting boxes awarded to the Judge’s Choice and 20 percent to People’s Choice.

Interested? Mark April 26th and 27th on your calendar right away, and head over to greenspaceschattanooga.org/ecofieldday to register for all the Eco Field Day events. And while you’re at it, be sure to let our so-called “leaders” in D.C. know to pull their heads out of the sand and do something now before we no longer have a habitable Earth to celebrate.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 5

COVER STORY

Small Gestures, Great Impact Ways you can help Tennessee fish and wildlife—TODAY

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

“

Some regard them with suspicion, others with a sense of being lost in the enormity of the undertaking, a condition in which an individual’s contributions may feel insignificant.”

T

HIS MONDAY, APRIL 22ND, MARKS THE 49TH OBservation of Earth Day. Conceived in the aftermath of the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Blowout, in which three million gallons of oil created an 800-square-mile slick that killed over 10,000 dolphins, seals, sea lions, and aquatic birds, its mission was to inspire environmental awareness and to promote policy change regarding the protection of natural resources.

Sponsored by the non-profit Earth Day Network, the day of observance swiftly grew into a global phenomenon.

The success of the annual event in achieving its original mission is undeniable, albeit difficult to quantify. Hundreds of millions of trees have been planted as a direct result. $7 billion in grants have been created and disbursed by the EDN. Countless acts of legislation have been proposed, debated, and enacted as a result of the group’s ef-

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forts. The Global Water Network, the National Civic Education Program, Women and the Green Economy, and countless other initiatives, movements and organizations all trace their origins to the EDN and Earth Day. That being said, world-wide organizations and action networks, petitions and protests, and associated means of effecting change are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some regard them with suspicion, others with a sense of being lost in

the enormity of the undertaking, a condition in which an individual’s contributions may feel insignificant. Fortunately, even small acts of personal responsibility can have a dramatic impact. It’s a point I’d like to make, and as “all politics are local”, I’d like to begin with a personal anecdote.

My love affair with the great outdoors began at the tender of age of three.

That’s when my grandfather, armed with a couple of cane poles and some bread for bait, took me fishing for the first time. Suffice it to say, I was hooked (figuratively).

There are many people who have ethical qualms with angling, and that’s certainly a conversation we can have, but the takeaway should be that an appreciation for the natural world comes more readily to folks who have a direct interaction with it. At least, it should.

Sadly, bewilderingly, it is not always the case.

You see, for all the innumerable opportunities Chattanooga and the surrounding areas offer for angling, my close group of friends and I spend most of our time at the Tennessee River, most often down

by Chickamauga dam. It is easily accessible, and years of fishing the area have given us insight in to the topography of the river bed, the seasonal cycles of the wildlife, and how to “read” the water. We are regulars, and we are not alone.

The more time you spend there, the better you come to know the other regulars. You know their names, you know about their families, their work; there is a sense of camaraderie among the genuinely diverse group of people for whom the river and its abundance provide so much joy.

Two things unify this otherwise motley assemblage of men, women, and children of every conceivable background: a love for the sport and more importantly, respect for the river. “Big Ed” is a fellow whose presence down at the dam is as ubiquitous as the blue herons that line the bank.

Ed never leaves with more fish than he plans on eating for dinner and Ed never leaves trash or refuse of any kind behind. If you checked the area before he got there in the morning, and again after he left in the evening, you’d never know he’d been there at all. This is true of all of the regulars. Honestly, it’s true of most of the strangers who come to the dam as well, but there is always that cadre of knuckle draggers for whom the world is a toilet.

After 25 years of fishing our beautiful river, I still cannot understand what motivates (or fails to motivate) those individuals who cannot visit the water’s edge without leaving behind a pile of cans, bottles, plastic bags, empty bait buckets, retail packaging, rotting meat, and most irresponsibly of all, yards and yards of discarded fishing line. It is this last that creates the most dangerous and immediate threat to wildlife.

It was late winter, our first trip to the river this year, when I noticed the heron. He was a little over four feet tall, a mature animal, and he seemed to be having difficulty making his way among the rocks.

It didn’t take long to see why. Tightly wound around his left leg, just above the knee, was a length of heavy duty fishing line, the kind people use to haul

“

So it falls on the rest of us, friend and stranger, to remove the things left behind by the grossly selfish and negligent, and we do.”

monster catfish out of the water. It may as well have been a garrote.

It was heartbreaking to see, frustrating to know that I could not help him (herons can be extremely dangerous when cornered, injured, or frightened) and infuriating to know that this magnificent bird was most assuredly going to lose his leg and his life because some shabby dullard couldn’t be bothered to carry his trash 50 yards to the garbage can on his way out.

That’s the damnably exasperating point of this particular brand of polluters. You literally cannot get in or out of the area without passing two waste receptacles maintained by the parks department, yet every visit yields bags of refuse, some of which will be washed away to accumulate downstream, some of which remains to pose a hazard to the creatures whose lives are inextricably bound to the river.

So it falls on the rest of us, friend and stranger, to remove the things left behind by the grossly selfish

and negligent, and we do. It was only week ago that a fellow came down to the walkway, no rods or reels or gear, but he seemed to be walking with a purpose. On his return trip, he was carrying several bird nests of discarded line, some with hooks still attached. His only purpose that day was to come remove what someone else callously left behind. No heron or muskrat or beaver or any of the other multitudes of animals that call the river their home will be snared by that line now.

There are local organizations dedicated to preserving the river and our other waterways. Tennessee River Rescue and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream are two of the best, but there are many more and all are deserving of support, be it time, money, or effort. They do good work.

Still, not everyone has the time or money, which is why I want offer this message for Earth Day 2019: EVERY effort counts, even the smallest gesture.

In fact, maybe small gestures matter most since CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 7

COVER STORY

more people can make them. Kudos to the folks who can dedicate a weekend, or a week, to cleaning up the mess someone else made.

My admiration and respect for those folks knows no bounds and I hope to join their ranks someday when the bills are less pressing and work is less demanding (2079 is the current projection for that) but in the meantime, doing what you CAN do matters.

Admittedly, it can be galling to think, “Why do I have to fix what someone else broke? They’ll never pick up after themselves if someone else is doing it for them.” I have come to understand that they’ll never pick up after themselves whether anyone else does or not, and any justifiable resentment one may feel towards these people is quickly overshadowed by the satisfaction of seeing the tangible results of your own work. The effort is minimal; the reward is immense.

You needn’t be an angler or hunter to appreciate and respect the water and the woods, though I think people who pursue those activities ought to be at the forefront of the conservation 8 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

movement. Neither do you need to devote your life full time to activism or volunteering. There are people who can, and do.

For the rest of us there remains an endless supply of opportunities to contribute, the value of which must never be underestimated. Every act of responsibility and stewardship contributes to the greater whole, but also serves as an example that can inspire others to follow suit.

To be sure, some folks will never value the natural world. If it isn’t airconditioned with free Wi-Fi, they want none of it. Some will insist on politicizing any thought of conservation— tribalism is like that, a great shortcut to actually thinking—but I believe more people than not will join in if they can see that their contributions matter, and that, collectively, we can have positive, sustainable impact.

“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility.

To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”

—Wendell Berry

COLUMN · JUST A THEORY

How Will Climate Change Kill You? Our resident science guy rolls the dice with the fate of us all

I Steven W. Disbrow Pulse columnist

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Let’s do the next best thing… get yourself three six-sided dice and roll them to see exactly how climate change will kill you!”

Steven W. Disbrow is the proprietor of “Improv Chattanooga” on the South Side of town. He also creates e-commerce systems and reads comic books when he’s not on stage acting like a fool.

F IT’S NOT PAINFULLY CLEAR YET, climate change is going to end our civilization and kill us all. All that’s really left is for BuzzFeed to make a quiz so we can all find out how we’ll die.

Since this is print, we can’t really do that, so let’s do the next best thing… get yourself three six-sided dice and roll them to see exactly how climate change will kill you!

3—Good News! The governments of the world get it together and ban fossil fuels by 2025! Climate change recovery is still an issue for decades to come, but our civilization survives. Yay! 4—Alien Invasion! The world unites to save humanity from an external threat, and, using captured alien technology, devises a “scrubber” that efficiently removes the excess CO2 from the atmosphere. Another bit of alien tech provides clean, limitless power and removes the need for fossil fuels.

(Roll another die. On a 1 or 2, the invaders are “sexy” aliens and we “Captain Kirk” our way to victory. A 3 or 4 means the aliens can be killed by subjecting them to Alex Jones videos. A 5 or 6 means that they invaded because they also destroyed their home planet’s biosphere, and have no concept of irony.)

5—Rapture/Apocalypse! Roll another die. On a 1 to 3, your favorite deity comes back and fixes everything. On a 4 or 5, Cthulhu wakes up and really fixes everything. On a 6, Trump unzips his body suit to reveal that he’s been Andy Kaufman all along. “I might have gone too far this time,” he says, just before he tries to enact sweeping reforms to address the problem. Mitch McConnell blocks them.

6—Rolling Coal! Those guys are just rude. You choke to death at a stop light.

7—You forgot to vaccinate and die of a preventable disease! Not technically climate change, but it’s about the same level of stupidity, so, I’m including it. You

die with people laughing at you.

8—Refugee Crisis!

Failed crops and food scarcity drive you and your family to seek opportunity in another country. They find out you are American and turn you away. You die wandering in the wilderness, looking for a Publix.

9—Rock Slide! Excessive rains loosen the soil in the surrounding mountains and, while driving to a camp site one day, you and your family are crushed beneath tons of rocks…and a Subway.

10—Forest Fire! Long droughts lead to extra-flammable forests. And you never learned how to put out a camp fire properly, did you?

11—Flooding! Remember those 500and 1,000-year floods? Well, they’re coming every five or ten years now. After a while, you get so used to them that you forget yourself and try to drive across a flooded street. You hear laughter, and then drown.

12—Tornado! Look out! There are Confederate monuments in that twister!

You are crushed.

13—Disease transmitted by mosquitoes or other critters that are now able to reproduce year round. Roll another die. On a 1 to 3, it’s Lyme disease from a tick. A 4 or 5 is West Nile from a mosquito. A 6 is rabies from that adorable raccoon your daughter just had to bring home from the camping trip where you narrowly avoided being killed by that forest fire you started.

14—Death by lightning during a Christmas ThunderSnow storm! No, wait. It’s a Halloween ThunderSnow storm. It only seems like Christmas be-

cause all the stores already have their *&#% Christmas decorations out!

15—Asteroid strike! Ha! Stupid humans! You should also be investing in finding and deflecting Earth-crossing asteroids. You are burned, crushed, and vaporized.

16—It’s Da Bomb! “Da Bomb Cyclone” that is! In April? Who knows?

This stuff is happening year-round now, and Oh. My. God. The Christmas decorations are already up at the mall!!

17—Your grandkids decide that if you don’t care about them, then they shouldn’t care about you. The under 30s rise up, kill us all and use our bones to rebuild the coral reefs. But first, they convert your prized Corvette into an electric vehicle and run you over with it.

18—You have a heart attack from your anger at this column. Unfortunately, all the first responders are dealing with disasters brought about by climate change. They arrive too late.

19—You have died of dysentery. This is the best you can hope for, as your inability to do basic math doesn’t give you much of a chance of survival anyway.

Merry Christmas, Corpses!

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Rik Herrmann Won’t Settle For ‘Good’

A Church At Odds Written by Lucas Hnath, “The Christians” is a gripping play involving a church pastor’s overnight change of thought towards his faith, prompting a scriptural conflict between him and his congregation when he announces his newfound beliefs.

A pastor named Paul preaches within a church that is by no means compact; the building resembles a miniature mall rather than a place of worship. With a base of worshippers that stretches into the thousands and a coffee shop within its holy walls, it’s a far cry from its beginnings as a storefront.

Paul’s problem with his faith stems from his sudden disbelief in hell, seeing it as a locale found in life rather than the afterlife.

He expects that his congregation will be receptive to a sermon focused on his change in belief; however, his judgement proves to be utterly mistaken and they disavow him completely.

The play’s provocative nature encourages audiences to meditate on their faith—not to disown their beliefs, but to contemplate what they’ve been taught as the word of Christ throughout their lives. Faith is a sensitive subject, but in order to have faith one needs to be able to confront and reflect on what one’s beliefs truly mean.

“The Christians” will be performed by the Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Barking Legs Theater. For tickets and more information, visit barkinglegs.org, or call (423) 987-5141. — Jason Dale

Come watch local painter strive for greatness

By Tony Mraz Pulse contributor

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His philosophy is to create or to think about art every single day, without fail, so that he gives himself the greatest chance to create something special.”

O

N CHATTANOOGA’S SOUTHSIDE, ACROSS the parking lot behind the new Moxy hotel, a striking collection of oil paintings is being created by Rik Herrmann at the WanderLinger Brewing Company.

Rik’s work is objective, ranging in style from colorful brush strokes assembled into recognizable images (like Van Gogh) to masterfully blended applications that look strikingly real, almost photographic (like Dali). A wide range of oil painting style, vivid imagination, determination, and keen sense of humor all propel his work, making a series of works that are quite entertaining.

Herrmann’s family told him as a kid that he had talent as an artist.

“It was a lie, but I believed it, and ended up getting an art minor from a small liberal arts school in Harrogate, TN,” he says. “Not until my 41st year did I realize how terrible my art actually was, so in May of 2017, I rededicated myself to painting with oils, so as to see how far down the rabbit hole I might go.”

He has been deeply inspired by

the work of Tim Warner, Eric Keller, Eric Turner, Cory French, BeBe DeGord, Van Gogh, Dali, Jongkind, Millet and all the French Impressionists, Mark Maggiori, and Chris Long.

“The fear of being good inspires me. I don’t want to be a good artist—I want to be the best artist you’ve ever seen,” he explains.

“Will I get there? Hell no...but it won’t be for a lack of dedicated, focused, and tireless effort to achieve greatness.”

There are several brands of oil paint that fill his palette, ranging from Gamblin to Grumbacher to Winton & Newton to Rembrandt to Van Gogh. His brushes are a hodgepodge of almost exclusively impulse purchases. His process is relatively simple: he sees something awesome, and tries to paint it.

THU4.18

FRI4.19

SAT4.20

Jazz + Art

Hug-A-Bunny Days

EarthDayz

The UTC jazz ensemble performs and takes part in a discussion on the relationship between music and art.

6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View huntermuseum.org

Watch as our zoo animals enjoy their egg hunt enrichment, encounter the Zoo’s real bunnies, and more!

9 a.m.

Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. chattzoo.org

See how art and nature enhance each other and take part in numerous activities to help celebrate Earth Day at Rock City.

9 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com

10 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

“Then, I struggle and fight like hell to battle through a lack of motivation and feelings of huge inadequacies until I get something worth showing to a friend,” he quips.

With all humor aside, Herrmann’s approach is a serious dedication that he approaches with great humility.

His philosophy is to create or to think about art every single day, without fail, so that he gives himself the greatest chance to create something special.

“Breaking through comfort zones is hugely crucial to progressing as an artist—I learned that through live painting in the WanderLinger Art Gallery, and by painting en plein air with Tim Warner,” he says. “It is necessary to attempt something challenging and to fail multiple times in your efforts... but to never give up. Be forgiving of mistakes, embrace those embarrassing moments as directional signs, and be ready to open your mind midstream.”

Rik live paints at the WanderLinger Art Gallery several times a week, pulling double duty as gallery curator.

“Curating the gallery at WanderLinger Brewing Company has been the most rewarding vocation I’ve ever had the good fortune to do,” he notes.

“It carries a great responsibility on so many levels. Our goal is to share art

with the Chattanooga community in a way that encourages open discussion between artist and observer (hence the Artist Talks) while also supporting emerging and established local artists by giving them a unique venue to display their works.”

Rik explains that curator has influenced his work by challenging him to be better than he was before, to push his limits beyond what he had in mind previously, and to jealously pursue artistic knowledge like never before.

Right now, he is working furiously to complete fresh, new works for an art show at WanderLinger. He is finishing up a large triplicate study of the “Spring” statue at the end of Market Street bridge, a replica of Monet’s “San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk”, several Chattanooga scenes, a surrealist Johnny Cash portrait, a huge Dali Rose with Egyptian afterlife pictogram, an interpretation of Bernini’s “Ecstasy of St. Teresa”, and then, of course, his National Geographic Girl will be making another appearance.

The huge show is coming up on Thursday, April 25th at 6:30 p.m. with an Artist Talk following at WanderLinger Brewing Company. It will be a free show with tasty beer, and the size of the art ranges from 14” x 14” up to 4’ by 5’.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR Monty Python’s “Spamalot”

THURSDAY4.18 Urban Farmers Market and Marketplace 3 p.m.

Miller Park 910 Market St. millerparkmarket.com Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 5 p.m.

Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 760-3600 huttonandsmithbrewing.com Gallery Opening: “Shaping Disposition” 6 p.m.

John C. Williams Gallery 4881 Taylor Cir. (800) 768-8437 southern.edu Jazz + Art 6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson 7, 9:15 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com PSC Presents Larry Winslett 7 p.m.

St. John’s United Methodist

12 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Church 3921 Murray Hills Dr. (423) 892-2257 stjohnumc.org Movies with Mat: Predator 7:30 p.m.

Hutton and Smith 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 760-3600 huttonandsmithbrewing.com Monty Python’s “Spamalot” 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com “The Christians” 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org “The Life of Christ” 7:30 p.m.

Back Alley @ The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com RiffTrax Live: 2019 8 p.m.

Hamilton Place 8 2000 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(844) 462-7342 Alcoholics Not Anonymous Comedy Open Mic 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200

chattanoogabarley.com Country Line Dancing Class 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. (423) 498-3069 westboundbar.com

FRIDAY4.19 EarthDayz 9 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Hug-A-Bunny Days 9 a.m.

Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1322 chattzoo.org Film Friday - Building Better Cities 12 p.m.

Chattanooga Design Studio 850 Market St. (423) 664-4837 chattanoogastudio.com “The Christians” 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org “The Life of Christ” 7:30 p.m.

Back Alley @ The Mars Theater

117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com Black Fridays 7:30 p.m.

Miller Park 910 Market St. Mike Paramore 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Improv “Movie” Night: A Quentin Tarantino Movie 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Video Game Night 8 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Ruby Falls Lantern Tours 8:30 p.m.

Ruby Falls 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Good, Old-Fashioned Improv Show 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

"Dazed and Confused"

SATURDAY4.20 EarthDayz 9 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Hug-A-Bunny Days 9 a.m.

Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1322 chattzoo.org Coffee at Home 10 a.m.

Mad Priest Coffee & Cocktail Lounge 719 Cherry St. (423) 541-1395 madpriestcha.com The Plug Poetry Project: Award-Winning Poet Julian Randall 12 p.m.

The Edney 1100 Market St. (423) 799-0052 theedney.com “The Life of Christ” 2:30 , 7:30 p.m.

Back Alley @ The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com Bobby Stone Film Series presents "Dazed and Confused"

7 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com “The Christians” 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Mike Paramore 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Your Stories 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Improv Vs Standup 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SUNDAY4.21 EarthDayz 9 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com

MONDAY4.22 Spring Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Joggers & Lagers 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. chattabrew.com

TUESDAY4.23 Wake Up & Run 6 a.m.

Fleet Feet Sports 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 771-7996 fleetfeetchattanooga.com Chess K-night 5 p.m.

Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 1900 Broad St. (423) 393-3834 madpriestcoffee.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Paths to Pints 6:30 p.m.

The Tap House

3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com

WEDNESDAY4.24 Main Street Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Escape From the Folds 5:30 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 7:30 p.m.

The Bitter Alibi 825 Houston St. (423) 362-5070 thebitteralibi.com RiffTrax Live: 2019 7:30 p.m.

Hamilton Place 8 2000 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(844) 462-7342 WSOC Preliminary Round 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 13

THE MUSIC SCENE

Animal Collective’s Geologist Plays For Earth Brian Weitz headlines Center of the Earth Day Fest

By Ernie Paik Pulse contributor

“

Animal Collective has earned critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase over its career, with a constant drive to cover new ground with each album.”

G

EOLOGIST (REAL NAME: BRIAN WEITZ) FROM Animal Collective will perform an uncommon solo set in Chattanooga on April 21—just one of around 20 solo performances he’s ever done.

Making his Chattanooga debut, his set will be a part of the two-day Journey to the Center of the Earth Day Fest happening April 21 and 22 at The Spot at 1800 E. Main Street.

The festival will also feature the visceral and intense duo Pedestrian Deposit from Los Angeles, new-wave pop-starin-the-making Superbody, the one-man “Scenic Groove” jazz/funk/dance band Tryezz, video artist Tape Canvas, and much more.

Animal Collective has earned critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase over its career, with a constant drive to cover new ground with each album, such as the ecstatically primal Feels from 2005 to the bright yet complex pop nectar of Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was declared “Best Album of 2009” by Spin, Pitchfork and other publications.

The group’s latest album, 2018’s

Tangerine Reef, explores watery depths and ties in with Weitz’s interest in scuba diving and marine conservation. (Weitz has an Ivy League graduate degree in environmental science and policy and once worked for a Senate subcommittee on oceans, fisheries, and the Coast Guard.)

Weitz answered some questions for The Pulse in advance of his April 21 show.

The Pulse: You’ve said about Animal Collective that it’s a “big misconception that most of our live sets are improvised.” Regarding your solo performances, how much is improvised?

Brian Weitz: The amount of improvisation depends on the show and context. I’ve done a couple sets with just my modular synth that are all improvised.

For sets like the one I’ll be doing on this tour, I leave the modular at home and

THU4.18

FRI4.19

SAT4.20

Fireside Latino Nights

Radio Tiger EP Release Show

Milele Roots, Cosmic Shift, SLZY SLZY

Celebrating the release of their new self-titled EP with support from Lewis and Clark & Glass Caps.

8 p.m.

The Spot 1800 E. Main St. spotvenue.co

Guess who's back at JJ's for 4/20? Was there ever any doubt? Come out and get your funk on!

9 p.m.

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

All ages and walks of life are invited to come out, unplug and enjoy a spring evening gathered around a campfire listening to live music in Tatum Park.

6 p.m.

Tatum Park 1609 Union Ave.

14 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

just turn the parts into stems on my Octatrak.

The patches that make them up are too different to do live at the same time, at least with my rudimentary understanding of modular synthesis. So while the backing modular stems are fairly composed for each song by the time I play, I usually get there through improvising at home.

TP: Do certain ideas fit your solo work better than Animal Collective?

BW: I haven’t done a lot of solo music outside of Animal Collective, but in the few times I have, it’s usually in the same idea zone for both. It’s more a question of how much room my ideas have to stretch out. My solo music is closer to some of the more abstract or weirder AC projects like ODDSAC or the recent Tangerine Reef.

But for our more song-based albums, my parts need to fit into the context of the song that has been written. Sometimes if there are abstract sound collage ideas I’m really into for those albums, we’ll find ways to expand on them in the transitional moments. A lot of the interstitial radio moments on Centipede Hz are good recent examples of that.

TP: Do you have a favorite solo concert memory?

BW: I did a fun one in Joshua Tree last year with an artist named Kyle Si-

mon who builds telescopes that convert the light energy into audible signals. He sent that to my synth as audio and control voltage, and I had to play around what the moonlight was doing. We performed it at the Integratron, which is a resonant dome used for sound baths. It was originally built to communicate with extraterrestrials using resonant frequencies.

TP: Animal Collective consciously tries to not repeat itself; how do you keep things fresh?

BW: It can be challenging for sure!

Obviously the more sounds you try the less you have left. On one hand you can say well I can try anything, but it has to still be authentically you. If it’s fake, people can tell.

What I find difficult is over-thinking it if it’s not coming. I’d rather arrive at a new sound than decide on it ahead of time. Usually that comes through the kinds of music that are inspiring to me at the moment, or new pieces of gear.

But if those things aren’t pushing me in a new direction, it’s hard to have patience and not get down on myself for not having new ideas. I just try and stay as open as possible and always treat it as play initially. Usually what excites me is something new, so if I just follow that when I stumble upon it, at least I’ll be happy.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 15

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR THURSDAY4.18 Danimal & Friends 6 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Fireside Latino Nights: Outdoor Concert Series 6 p.m.

Tatum Park 1609 Union Ave. Emerald 6 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Jazz + Art 6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. huntermuseum.org Thursday Night Jazz 6 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Naomi Ingram 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jesse Jungkurth & Friends 6:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. (423) 296-1073 Stringer’s Ridge 6:30 p.m.

Whole Foods Market 301 Manufacturers Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com Toby Hewitt 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com John Von Stein 7 p.m.

Trish’s Sports Bar 4762 Highway 58 (423) 269-8400 Webb Barringer 7 p.m.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que 205 Manufacturers Rd. edleysbbq.com Southwind 7:30 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St.

16 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

feedtableandtavern.com Gino Fanelli 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jerry Fordham 7:30 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. cambridgesquaretn.com John Carrol 8 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Mandolin Orange 8 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. tivolichattanooga.com Boy Named Banjo 8 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Didges Christ Superdrum 9 p.m.

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

FRIDAY4.19 Jimmy Dormire 6 p.m.

Bela Lisboa 417 Frazier Ave. belalisboa.com Mark Andrew 6 p.m.

Heaven & Ale Brewing Co. 300 Cherokee Blvd. heavenandalebrewing.com Dustin Concannon 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Etowah Jacks 6:30 p.m.

Slick’s Burgers 309 E Main St. slicksburgers.com Amber Carrington 7 p.m.

Oddstory Brewing Company 336 E. MLK Blvd. oddstorybrewing.co Ward Davis 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Mockingbird String Quartet 7 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Lew Card 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Grizzly Fowler 7:30 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. cambridgesquaretn.com Art of the Groove with Tryezz 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com Radio Tiger EP Release Show 8 p.m.

The Spot 1800 E. Main St. spotvenue.co Ladies Songwriter’s Session 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Travis & Heather Kilgore 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com The Stolen Faces 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Monteagle, Issac Houck and the Bardos, Swimming Bell 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Amber Fults 9 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Nick Lutsko 9 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com The Velcro Pygmies 9 p.m.

Songbirds South

41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Matt Movin 9 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Jack Endelouz & Bethany Kidd 10 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com

SATURDAY4.20 Peacock Alley Jazz Group 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. publicmarkets.us Men Of Soul 4 p.m.

Slick’s Burgers 309 E Main St. slicksburgers.com Priscila & Little Rickee 4 p.m.

Scottie’s On The River 491 Riverfront Pkwy. scottiesontheriver.net Zion & the Lion Roots Band 5 p.m.

Naked River Brewing Company 1791 Reggie White Blvd. nakedriverbrewing.com Courtney Holder 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Papa Sway 6:30 p.m.

Las Margaritas 4604 Skyview Dr. (423) 892-3065 Jennifer Daniels 7 p.m.

Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Forever Bluegrass 7 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Erin Enderlin 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co

Behold The Brave 7 p.m.

Oddstory Brewing Company 336 E. MLK Blvd. oddstorybrewing.co ET 7 p.m.

Grass Roots Health 301 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 713-9229 Steve Busie 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Rhyme N Chatt’s 20th Anniversary Throwback Show 7:30 p.m.

The Mill Chattanooga 1601 Gulf St. themillofchattanooga.com Grayson Corbin Band 7:30 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. cambridgesquaretn.com The Head and the Heart 8 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. tivolichattanooga.com Marty Von Schaaf 8 p.m.

River Drifters 1925 Suck Creek Rd. riverdrifterschatt.com XII Olympians Album Release Show 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com The Southwind Band 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Juju & Tom 8 p.m.

Virgola Wine Bar 608 Georgia Ave. chattanoogawinebar.com Gino Fanelli 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com David Ingle 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com

Sullivan Band 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Milele Roots, Cosmic Shift, SLZY SLZY 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Luthi 9 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Oweda 9 p.m.

The Moxy 1220 King St. moxy-hotels.marriott.com The Grass Is Dead 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Danimal Planet 9 p.m.

Heaven & Ale Brewing Co. 300 Cherokee Blvd. heavenandalebrewing.com Clout Trap 9 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net

SUNDAY4.21 Cody James Harris 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Carl Pemberton 11 a.m.

Westin Chattanooga 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Danimal and Friends 12:30 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Honey Badger 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com The Other Brothers

2 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com

MONDAY4.22 Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Blues Night Open Jam 7 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Ryan Oyer 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com

TUESDAY4.23 Sean Quinn 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Preston Ruffing 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com String Theory: David Finckel, Wu Han, and Gloria Chien 6:30 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. huntermuseum.org Danimal 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Space Jam Open Mic with Xll Olympians 7 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com Jonathon Wimpee 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Freddy Mc & Friends 8 p.m.

Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com

WEDNESDAY4.24 Zech Dallas 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Nick Williams 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jesse James Jungkurth 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com José Valentino: Farewell Performance 7 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Marcus White All Star Birthday Jam 7 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Dustin Concannon 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Terry Parker of TNT 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Rhythm & Brews Open Jam 8 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Pinecone, Reflex Machine, The Russells 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Johnny Smith & the Power Players 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 17

ADAM BECKETT’S RECORD REVIEWS

New Music From Zachary Biggus, CoAtlas

Zachary Biggus Earthling

W

hile some incredible music originates from the fabulous Scenic City, occasionally it is nice to show love to the regional artists out there making some noise in the music world. Coming out of Nashville is the righteous LP Earthling by Zachary Biggus, and it should be on the radar of all music lovers.

Earthling is a soul-filled poetic instrumental music mix of pure delight. Biggus did a great job of blending genres and developing a sound that was really his own. The LP starts out with the title track, which is a super-heady clas-

sic hip hop jam that will instantly grab the listener.

“Earthling” effortlessly flows and is full of heartfelt beats and ice-cold instrumentals to coincide. The guitar riffs complement the track nicely, and the intelligent samples all mix for a gnarly, head-bobbing track.

The LP is short but sweet.

Each song has its own individual heartbeat and lets the listener know that they made the right choice by pressing play. Once the first note hits, it is safe to say that most people are going to give the whole album an honest startto-finish listen.

Earthling has some serious soul. The steady rocking guitars are prevalent on most tracks, although the artist manages to utilize them differently, almost to the point where they seem to be different instruments entirely.

Each track is a contender for the best song on the album; however, the chill yet steady moving “Which Time” and “Afternoon Concentra-

18 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

tion” both have a unique sound that are examples of pure music. Both are original, thought-provoking, potent tracks.

The stylish and one-ofa-kind Earthling is a true representation of the state of the music scene in the Great State of Tennessee.

Music fans should support this Nashville sensation and check the LP out as soon as possible.

CoAtlas Nomad Theory

O

n the debut side of things, another spectacular recent Nashville re-

lease that has jammed its way to the spotlight is the LP Nomad Theory by Nashville electronic music producer CoAtlas.

Discovering Nomad Theory was like stumbling on a hidden diamond. I was especially excited that I found music I was able to connect with after tenaciously searching new sounds coming out of Tennessee. While there is a lot of good music out there to sift through, I patiently wait for hidden masterpieces—and Nomad Theory is just that, a masterpiece.

Though Nomad Theory does have an overall EDM base, it goes far beyond the reach of genre confines.

Each track paves its own way and heads in its own direction.

There is somewhat of a jam feel to it, thought with a heavy synth, funky, dreamstate ambiance. There is not much music out there to compare it to, but that is when music is its best—when it does its own thing.

According to CoAtlas’s Bandcamp page, “This fourtrack LP is a taste sampler of what CoAtlas will have in store for the future.”

The LP blends live instrumentation with electronic elements of drum and bass, glitch hop, and psydub.

There is not a dull moment throughout the entire LP. It starts with the gripping and entrancing “Freudian Slip”, which certainly gives the listener a good idea of what the music in the LP is going to be all about. While it sets the tone, it does not reveal the totality of the album; instead, the listener will witness it spiral into its own lifeforce.

Standout tracks “Rise Again” and “Always & Forever” both use clever samples and can hit the audience in the heart if they are receptive to the music. Closed-minded people perhaps might not like Nomad Theory, but everybody else can jam on it without them. Support this Tennessee rising star.

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): French writer Simone de Beauvoir sent a letter to her lover, Aries author Nelson Algren. She wrote, “I like so much the way you are so greedy about life and yet so quiet, your eager greediness and your patience, and your way of not asking much of life and yet taking much because you are so human and alive that you find much in everything.” I’d love to see you embody that state in the coming weeks, Aries. In my astrological opinion, you have a mandate to be both utterly relaxed and totally thrilled; both satisfied with what life brings you and skillfully avid to extract the most out of it; both at peace with what you already have and primed to grab for much more.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Beat Generation of American poets arose in the late 1940s as a rebellion against materialistic mainstream culture and academic poetry. It embraced sexual liberation, Eastern spirituality, ecological awareness, political activism, and psychedelic drugs. One of its members, Jack Kerouac, tweaked and ennobled the word “beat” to serve as the code name for their movement. In its old colloquial usage, “beat” meant tired or exhausted. But Kerouac re-consecrated it to mean “upbeat” and “beatific,” borrowing from the Italian word beato, translated as “beatific.” I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because you’re on the verge of a similar transition: from the old meaning of “beat” to the new.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Many experts who have studied the art and science of running fast believe that it’s best if a runner’s legs are symmetrical and identical in their mechanics. But that theory is not supported by the success of champion sprinter Usain Bolt. Because he has suffered from scoliosis, his left leg is a half-inch longer than his right. With each stride, his left leg stays on the track longer than his right, and his right hits the track with more force. Some scientists speculate that this unevenness not only doesn’t slow him down, but may in fact enhance his speed. In accordance with current astrological variables, I suspect you will be able to thrive on your asymmetry in the coming weeks, just as your fellow Leo Usain Bolt does.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo adventurer Jason Lewis traveled around the world using transportation powered solely by his own body. He walked, bicycled, skated, rowed, pedaled, and swam more than 46,000 miles. I propose that we make him your role model for the next four weeks. You’re primed to accomplish gradual breakthroughs through the use of simple, persistent, incremental actions. Harnessing the power of your physical vitality will be an important factor in your success.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Scattered through the ordinary world, there are books and artifacts and perhaps people who are like doorways into impossible realms, of impossible and contradictory truth.” Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges said that, and now I’m passing it on to you—just in time for your entrance into a phase when such doorways will be far more available than usual. I hope you will use Borges’ counsel as a reminder to be alert for everyday situations and normal people that could lead you to intriguing experiences and extraordinary revelations and life-changing blessings.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Curcumin is a chemical found in the plant turmeric. When ingested by humans, it may diminish inflammation, lower the risk of diabetes, support cardiovascular health, and treat digestive disorders. But there’s a problem: the body is inefficient in absorbing and using curcumin—unless it’s ingested along with piperine, a chemical in black pepper. Then it’s far more available. What would be the metaphorical equivalent to curcumin in your life? An influence that could be good for you, but that would be even better if you synergized it with a certain additional influence? And what would be the metaphorical equivalent of that additional influence? Now is a good time to investigate these questions.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Free Will Astrology Committee To Boldly Promote Cancerian’s Success is glad to see that you’re not politely waiting for opportunities to come to you. Rather, you’re tracking them down and proactively wrangling them into a form that’s workable for your needs. You seem to have realized that what you had assumed was your fair share isn’t actually fair; that you want and deserve more.

Although you’re not being mean and manipulative, neither are you being overly nice and amenable; you’re pushing harder to do things your way. I approve! And I endorse your efforts to take it even further.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I have the usual capacity for wanting what may not even exist,” wrote poet Galway Kinnell. How abut you, Scorpio? Do you, too, have an uncanny ability to long for hypothetical, invisible, mythical, and illusory things? If so, I will ask you to downplay that amazing power of yours for a while. It’s crucial for your future development that you focus on yearning for actual experiences, real people, and substantive possibilities. Please understand: I’m not suggesting you’re bad or wrong for having those seemingly impossible desires. I’m simply saying that for now you will thrive on being attracted to things

that are genuinely available.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in,” wrote Sagittarian novelist Jane Austen. I’m guessing you’ve had that experience—maybe more than usual, of late. But I suspect you’ll soon be finding ways to express those embryonic feelings.

Congrats in advance! You’ll discover secrets you’ve been concealing from yourself. You’ll receive missing information whose absence has made it hard to understand the whole story. Your unconscious mind will reveal the rest of what it has thus far merely been hinting at.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): All over the world, rivers and lakes are drying up. Sources of water are shrinking. Droughts are becoming more common and prolonged.

Why? Mostly because of climate change. The good news is that lots of people are responding to the crisis with alacrity. Among them is an engineer in India named Ramveer Tanwar. Since 2014, he has organized efforts leading to the rejuvenation of twelve dead lakes and ponds. I propose we make him your role model for the coming weeks. I hope he will inspire you to engage in idealistic pursuits that benefit other people. And I hope you’ll be motivated to foster fluidity and flow and wetness everywhere you go. The astrological time is ripe for such activities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A blogger named Caramelizee offered her definition of elegance: “being proud of both your feminine and masculine qualities; seeing life as a non-ending university and learning everything you can; caring for yourself with tender precision; respecting and taking advantage of silences; tuning in to your emotions without being oversensitive; owning your personal space and being generous enough to allow other people to own their personal space.”This definition of elegance will be especially apropos and useful for you Aquarians in the coming weeks.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You Pisceans have been summoning heroic levels of creative intensity.

You’ve been working extra hard and extra smart. But it seems that you haven’t been fully recognized or appreciated for your efforts. I’m sorry about that. Please don’t let it discourage you from continuing to express great integrity and authenticity. Keep pushing for your noble cause and offering your best gifts. I’m proud of you! And although you may not yet have reaped all the benefits you will ultimately sow, three months from now I bet you’ll be pleased you pushed so hard to be such a righteous servant of the greater good.

“E’s Here!”—grid only, though.

ACROSS 1 ___ out a living (got by) 5 KFC drumsticks, basically 9 Half a cartoon duo with a platypus 13 Matt’s “Wild Things” costar 14 Didn’t do it right 16 Actor Omar of “Almost Christmas” 17 Form an opinion 18 Pupil, in Paris 19 Handbook info 20 “Finding Dory” star 23 “Dr. Mario” and “Duck Hunt” platform 24 Quattro minus uno 25 School tasks using Scantrons 28 Big buy for suds 31 K-pop group with a 2019 Grammy nomination 33 “Lucky Man” prog rock trio, for short 34 “Tommy” song on day two of Woodstock 39 “___ Griffin’s Crosswords” (20072008 show) 41 Gallup poll finding

42 TV cook Paula 43 HOF Brooklyn shortstop with uniform no. 1 46 Physics unit of work 47 “Chicago” lyricist 48 Promgoing kids, for short 49 Poly finish 51 21___ (Shaq’s foot stat) 53 180° from WSW 54 Hashtag post that’s always apt 62 WWF’s “Hitman” Hart 63 War of 1812 pact city 64 Raison d’___ 65 “Wordplay” and “Simpsons” crossword guy with Will 66 Bob who did “Hollywood Nights” 67 Russo of “Tin Cup” 68 “Compás” point 69 In ___ (actually) 70 Toboggan DOWN 1 Conclusion, in Koln 2 Boat bottom 3 Bus-jumping stunt cyclist, casually

4 Folk/country musician Iris 5 City not far from Kingston upon Hull 6 Oil tycoon Halliburton 7 “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” kid 8 Golf pro who won post-Fuzzy 9 Dug around, with “out” 10 Olympics sword 11 D&D and similar campaign pursuits 12 Flimflams, for short 15 Auto body flaw 21 Loch for cryptozoologists 22 Kathryn of “Oz” and “L&O: C.I.” 25 Mall Santa job or sub at work, say 26 Robt. ___ (Civil War fig.)

27 Buying outing 28 TV cook Graham and family 29 Abu Dhabi VIP (var.)

30 Mutation factors 32 Bad driving condition 35 July and August, to Balzac

36 Gps. that assist putting out conflagrations 37 Nothing but 38 RPI grad’s abbr.

40 Car also known as a Bug 44 Hairstylist known for cowboy hats 45 Throat doc that also works in ophthalmology 50 Conduits found in “TMNT” 52 Ovoids in a carton 53 ___ nous 54 “So ___ to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy” (Kipling) 55 Not horiz.

56 Syngman ___ of 1950s Asian politics 57 Brain activity monitors 58 Suffix for carbon compounds, plural 59 Child star who was Damian in “Millions” 60 Grayish-brown aquatic bird 61 Angry, with “off” 62 MIT study topic including hospitals, diagnostics and MRIs

Copyright © 2019 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents perminute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 932 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 19

FILM & TELEVISION

Pet Sematary: A Subtle Approach To Death A touching remake of Stephen King’s story

RiffTrax Live: Octaman RiffTrax’s Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett (of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fame) are back in cinemas this spring to celebrate the 10th anniversary of RiffTrax Live with an all-new riff on a Bmovie classic.

Deep in the Mexican jungle, a legendary creature lurks in a radioactive swamp. Is it a man? Is it an octopus? No, it’s Octaman!

Okay, it’s a man in an octopus suit, but he’s really angry and decides to go on a light killing spree.

A scientific expedition sets out to study this atomic mutant and stop it before it kills again. They’re not very good at it, since Octaman kills quite a lot—probably because the dumb scientists keep stealing its babies!

It seems there’s no stopping the monster until it develops a crush on the plucky lady scientist Susan Lowry (Pier Angeli) and does what all mutant sea creatures like to do—it knocks her out and carries her away.

Will the rest of the team be able to rescue Susan before Octaman picks them all off one by one? Looks pretty doubtful!

Directed by the writer of Creature from the Black Lagoon, and featuring costumes and effects by a young Rick Baker, Octaman is a wonderfully awful rubber monster B-movie.

Join Bill, Mike, and Kevin live this Thursday evening at 8 p.m. at AMC Chattanooga 18 and Regal Hamilton Place 8 as they risk life and limb to deliver the laughs from the clutches of Octaman! — Michael Thomas

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

“

Religion may act as a guidebook for how to live life, but its real purpose is to help us rationalize what comes next.”

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G

RIEF IS A POWERFUL EMOTION. THE CRUelest aspect of our evolution is the knowledge of the difference between life and death. Animals are instinctual—they protect themselves from harm and avoid death whenever possible, but they have no real understanding of the finality of it.

Some of the higher order animals, like apes, or those domesticated by humans, such as dogs, can display behaviors that look a lot like grief, but humans are unique in their ability to fixate on loss. Death seems mysterious because our brains cannot instinctively accept the reality of non-existence.

In short, we’re too egocentric to believe that death is an end. There must be something else because we’re here now. Why wouldn’t we be tomorrow? Religion may act as a guidebook for how to live life,

but its real purpose is to help us rationalize what comes next. It helps with grief because most religions indicate that we will one day see our loved ones again.

So it would follow that those without a belief system would struggle much more with the finality of death.

Doctor Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) is one of those people. He struggles with grief in a capable remake of the 1989 film Pet Sematary, which was, of course, based on the 1983 novel by Stephen King.

Pet Sematary is something of a

retelling of many different stories.

You might remember “The Monkey’s Paw”, for instance, a story from 1902 that was about a wishgiving charm that brought about terrible consequences. Pet Sematary is similar.

Dr. Creed, a former E.R. doctor, has moved his family to Maine to take a job as a campus physician for a local college. The family is attempting to get away from a difficult life in Boston. Louis, specifically, wants to remove himself from the horrors that can be found in emergency medicine. He has a wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), two young children, Ellie and Gage, and a cat named Church.

Rachel has struggles of her own, having suffered a significant childhood trauma at the hands of a deformed and sick sister. She is haunted by her untimely death and wants to escape Boston and start over. They settle on a nice piece of property with ample woods, some of which are occupied by an old pet cemetery for the community.

Gradually, however, Louis learns of an older ground behind the cemetery, a dangerous one.

This ground is bad. His neighbor, Jud (John Lithgow), shows it to Louis after Ellie’s cat is found dead on the side of the road. He

“

King offers strong source material and a competent writer and director can make very good films out of his ideas.” shows him how to bury the animal and Louis is shocked to learn that the ground causes the cat to come back. But, as Jud tells him, they never come back the same.

One of the best aspects of the film is the pacing. The movie clocks in at just over an hour and half and the story never once lags. There is a tendency for many films now to linger on, for reasons known only to the director. But directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer know how to move through the story in the most effective way.

Granted, this could be because I’m so familiar with the original film and story, but the film goes to great lengths to give each character an arc without excessive exposition. The film layers each horror and allows the audience to identify with them through tight characterization.

In particular, Rachel’s guilt over her perceived childhood sin informs her relationship with her daughter, while her approach to

✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴

grief contrasts with that of Louis.

Louis, having never believed in an afterlife, is unable to see the danger hidden in the ground behind his house, while Rachel knows that sometimes true horror lingers on.

There isn’t much that can be improved on in Pet Sematary.

It’s expertly written and directed.

The film breaks no new ground, but as a remake it may surpass the original in terms of quality.

Pet Sematary is just another entry into the Stephen King renaissance in popular filmmaking. King offers strong source material and a competent writer and director can make very good films out of his ideas.

Rather than remakes of films already attempted, it would be nice to see some of his other stories turned into films. King is nothing if not prolific—there’s lots of material to mine. Still, if remakes are going to happen, let’s hope they’re as high quality as Pet Sematary.

The Curse of La Llorona Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm.

Director: Michael Chaves Stars: Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, Patricia Velasquez, Marisol Ramirez

Penguins The story of Steve, an Adélie penguin, on a quest to find a life partner and start a family.

When Steve meets with Wuzzo the emperor penguin they become friends. But nothing comes easy in the icy Antarctic.

Directors: Alastair Fothergill & Jeff Wilson Stars: Ed Helms

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 21

COLUMN · GAME ON!

Dungeon Masters Of Chattanooga Raymond Lillard is the Dungeons & Dragons sage of the age

D Brandon Watson Pulse columnist

“

It’s really like mixing psychology with 20-sided dice. What I absolutely love about D&D, and roleplaying in general, is how inclusive this form of gaming really is.”

When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.

UNGEON MASTERS COME in all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. Some are your best friends and some are loathsome soul grinders eager to slay parties with extreme prejudice. If you’ve been around the tabletop roleplaying scene for a while you will come to learn that a DM can make or break a good time and for good reason.

These folks create the game world; they painstakingly guide the adventurers to what will either be a triumphant delve into the imagination or sour group lesson of sadomasochistic futility.

Thankfully, in my experience, bad DMs are in the minority. They do happen, but it’s rare and that is because the makings of good DMs and great DMs hinge on basic principles that can be learned and adopted. At least that’s what my friend Raymond Lillard (a.k.a Cro) believes.

Cro is a legendary DM instructor trainer who has set up regular educational D&D sessions at Infinity Flux. Not only does he teach the fundamentals of D&D but he also trains aspiring DMs to lead their own excursions into the Gygaxian abyss.

“Being a DM is like being the director of an interactive theater. You need to get to know your players and set up the stage so that they can freely act and have a great time doing it,” he said.

Cro cut his teeth on Palladium Fantasy RPG at the tender age of eight and has been hooked ever since. At 38, this jovial hulk has made a name for himself as a nerd sage and avid coach of imagination powerlifting. He completely owns his wild boyish excitement whenever he talks about roleplaying games. But his fascination isn’t so much the great fantasy yarns he weaves, it’s more about the complex interactions with the living per-

22 • THE PULSE • APRIL 18, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

sonalities at every session he directs.

“I spend a little time scripting and more time reading the people coming in and playing the adventure,” he said.

“It’s really like mixing psychology with 20-sided dice. What I absolutely love about D&D, and roleplaying in general, is how inclusive this form of gaming really is.

This game form brings people of all walks of life and personalities to collectively share an experience and it’s up to the DM to ensure it all meshes so well that the experience is worthwhile.”

Every other Sunday at Infinity Flux, Cro brings his DM kit: a bag of large lore tomes, notebooks, relevant bestiaries, blank character sheets, and fantasy miniatures. The day-to-day life of a DM can be a daunting struggle, replete with extensive record keeping and research.

Maintaining continuity as a game evolves is paramount and each DM has their own technique to accomplish this.

Sure, the idea of being the lead creative authority of a fantasy epic sounds sexy, but it takes a lot of work to pull off effectively. Especially when dealing with egos—the ultimate critics of a DM’s painstakingly crafted work. Human pitfalls and errors can be numerous for any DM, regardless of experience level.

“What can kill a DM is his or her rigidity,” Cro said. “Rigidity will murder a good adventure. Sometimes all the blood, sweat, and time put into writing and working an adventure out will come at odds with the players’ ideas and how

they want to interact with it. It’s best to check the ego and be flexible. At the end of the day it’s all about having fun so that people want to come back next week.”

Every two weeks Cro drives down from Sweetwater just to keep his current coDM campaign going with a few regulars at Infinity Flux. His friendly and inclusive approach to D&D gives him credibility as a skilled storyteller and game master. To Cro there is no wrong way to play these stories. The anticipation builds up just before six o’clock when the DM screen goes up and the game is on.

“Not to take away from any other place, but I really love gaming in Chattanooga. This city has such a fun and supportive gaming culture. It’s just a joy to drive down here to do it,” he said.

Spend just a rudimentary amount of time with Chattanooga’s gamer culture and you will find that this rings true no matter if it’s throwing dice, slapping cards, or dressing up. I’m just glad there are folks like Cro who blend a passion for gaming and fantastic storytelling with an eagerness to teach so that this culture of gamers thrives for years to come.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 18, 2019 • THE PULSE • 23