The Pulse 15.49 » December 6, 2018

DECEMBER 6, 2018

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

RECYCLED

FASHION

WHAT IS OLD IS NEW AGAIN IN THE WORLD OF FASHION

REINVENTING

TRAVEL

THE ART OF THE

WASTELAND SONGS OF THE

SIXTIES JIM CROW MOVIE HISTORY ▪ MILK BOUTIQUE ▪ THE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE VOLUME 15, ISSUE 49 • DECEMBER 6, 2018

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

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Brooke Brown City Editor Alex Curry Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rob Brezsny • Jessie Gantt-Temple Matt Jones • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas • Brandon Watson Cartoonists Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow Holiday Gift Guide Kelly Lockhart

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin mike@brewermediagroup.com 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 © 2018 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

8 4 20

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

As a first generation farmer, my determination to get to the root of where anything I own comes from has blossomed even in these dreary winter days. I had a revelation this year of how community can flourish if everyone really tried to buy only local, or items at least made in America, and that should expand beyond the kitchen table.

REINVENTING TRAVEL

12

SONGS OF THE ROARING ‘60S

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Community. What does that word mean when we break it down and focus on its underlying intent? What could pass for just a word becomes exemplified at The Moxy.

Old hippie musicians never die, they just recompose. Darol Anger will be well-known to some. As a founding member of the Dave Grisman Quintet, Anger made his mark.

POST-APOCALYPTIC ART

Local painter/illustrator LaDarrell Ransom is bringing a post-apocalyptic world from the fringe to Chattanooga, with a series of immersive Wasteland experiences.

HIGHWAYS OF HISTORY

It takes a bit of skill to make a safe film about an uncomfortable subject. History is littered with horrors.

People have been, and continue to be, unabashedly awful to each other for a variety of reasons.

5 CONSIDER THIS

22 MUSIC CALENDAR

28 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

7 SHRINK RAP

24 MUSIC REVIEWS

29 JONESIN' CROSSWORD

14 ARTS CALENDAR

25 ART OF BUSINESS

30 GAME ON!

16 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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CITY LIFE · BETWEEN THE BRIDGES

Reinventing Community Travel The Moxy brings much more than a hotel to downtown

By Alex Curry Pulse City Editor

“

With the rise of companies like Airbnb changing the very definition of travel, the hospitality world has had to adapt to keep up with unparalleled competition.”

C

OMMUNITY. WHAT DOES THAT WORD MEAN WHEN we break it down and focus on its underlying intent? What could pass for just a word becomes exemplified, a core value inherent in The Moxy, our newest boutique hotel.

In Chattanooga’s explosive growth spurt, this is an answer of a personified Southside meets the community-driven soul of a European hostel.

The once downtrodden heartbeat of Chattanooga seems to pulsate louder with each passing day. The Moxy is more than a new hotel, it’s the next step in the burgeoning evolution of a living city. “We have a very communal vibe.

We try to keep everything casual and incorporate people into the city,” says Kacey Swindell, the Director of Sales for the new property.

The 108-room property is part of a massive expansion effort from Marriot Hotels. With the rise of companies like

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Airbnb changing the very definition of travel, the hospitality world has had to adapt to keep up with unparalleled competition. The Moxy may very well be that answer.

Rather than a stuffy lobby, a large bar greets hotel guests with a welcome cocktail and a fun-loving vibe. Calming indie-pop tunes replace elevator music.

The communal area expands across the first floor with meeting rooms, a beanbag TV area, a sprawling patio and more.

Murals from Chattanooga local The Artist Seven elegantly adorn the walls.

Everyone here is having fun, and you’ll soon forget that you probably weren’t

necessarily enjoying yourself before you arrived.

Maybe your flight was delayed or you got caught in the rain. You’ve probably already forgotten about your meager work day. Maybe you’re already chasing after that 9 ball. Maybe you’re pulling ahead during your favorite childhood board game and yelling “SORRY” a little too loudly.

Nobody here would hold you at fault. The troubles of the day have faded like a bad dream. Is that a brewery right next door? What’s in this delicious cocktail? Is everyone dancing?

How is it already two in the morning?

Don’t confuse the hotel. The “Work Hard Play Hard” mentality isn’t just for the young. It’s for those that want to be alive and awake. The people who live for more than just a salary and a comfortable house. It’s for the adventurous, excited explorer, the rambler and rover. It’s a piece of what we are and possibly a piece of what you (thought you had) left behind.

“We have beautifully designed and minimal rooms with elegant touches,” explains Swindell. “The ‘fun hunter’ is our target guest so we’re looking for people to enjoy our communal spaces, meet new friends, and enjoy all of the great things that Chattanooga has to offer.”

Have a (reasonable) furry friend?

They are welcome to join you, as well.

What are you doing for New Years?

If you already had plans, you may want to reconsider. The Moxy is hosting an all-inclusive party for hotel guests with DJ’s, an open bar, heavy appetizers, a champagne toast, a Waffle House food truck, and more. That’s right, I said open bar.

Welcome home.

Holiday Hand Lettering

Cons ider This w ith Dr. Rick

Christmas cards aren't just a thing of the past

“You get what you tolerate. If someone is rude or disrespectful towards you, politely excuse yourself and walk away.

It’s a powerful statement. It sends a clear message to the other person that what they’ve done or said is unacceptable and that you won’t tolerate it.”

— S. Stabile It’s no surprise that calligraphy is making a comeback. Maybe it never went away, I’m not sure, but traditional calligraphy with a nib and inkwell has evolved from something I picture Ben Franklin doing to something you’ll find on a million and one gifts this year. From coffee mugs with sassy, swirly sayings to the tiny cupcake dish my mother in law got me last year, handlettering is the new calligraphy.

More relaxed and resembling handwriting more than strict calligraphy, handlettering is a fun and easy hobby to learn, and the Chattanooga Workspace is here to help

you learn the newly renovated art and put it to use all in one at the Handlettering for Holiday Card Addressing class.

This Thursday from 10:30 to 12:30, Chattanooga Workspace will go over the basics of handlettering with you and help you address the prettiest, swirliest holiday cards for your friends and family this holiday season! While printing addresses is the modern, easier route, there’s something wholesome and magical about a hand-addressed envelope waiting in your mailbox.

Wow your friends and family with your new found talent and see just

how much you can apply it! From addressing cards, to making specialty birthday cards, penciling on canvas before painting an adorable saying, your handlettering possibilities are endless.

If you’ve taken the beginner handlettering class at Chattanooga Workspace, bring the pens you were given there. And if you’re new, don’t worry, they’ll have pens for you, and hot cocoa and cookies!

Just don’t forget to bring your own holiday card envelopes!

Visit their website for more information and ticket prices.

— Brooke Brown

I often tell folks that we teach others how to treat us by how we treat ourselves.

If you don’t begin with an acceptance of who you are, then you won’t honor your wants, needs, desires, thoughts and feelings.

You won’t hold dear what I call the “rightness” of them…the allowance, the embracing. So how could you expect others to honor you?

On the other hand, if you hold clear boundaries and respect yourself, then others know what to expect from you, and how to be with you. They, too, will recognize and respect your integrity, your wholeness, your authenticity.

If they don’t get it, then they will zig and you will zag. Remember, we attract what we are. attract, to allow and embrace, all we desire.

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

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COLUMN · SHRINK RAP

Surviving The Holiday Season The recipe for eliminating holiday stress begins with gratitude

A

Dr. Rick

Pulse contributor

“

Just the thought of returning to the family home at the holidays can elicit joy and peace, or a sense of dread, grief, anxiety, depression…or some combo.”

Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, author, minister, and educator in private practice in Chattanooga. Contact him at DrRPH.com, visit his wellness center at WellNestChattanooga.com

HHH, THE HOLIDAYS. WHATever you are working on within yourself, the holiday externals— filled as they are with family, friends, food, drink, spending, commercialism, merriment (forced?), travel woes and more—are guaranteed to provide an opportunity to see just how far you’ve come, and just what parts of yourself are still in need of your attention. It’s prime button-pushing season!

For many of us perhaps the holidays offer some combination of happiness as well as old wounds being pricked. Such as wonderful and difficult significant others; personal growth successes, and those that remind us that there are still unresolved insecurities to be tackled.

Artfully-speaking, the holidays have a way of showing us both our inner Norman Rockwell and our inner Edvard Munch.

Any and all of this may be sparked by, say, a racist, sexist or homophobic comment from Uncle Morty at the holiday dinner table. Or by a passive-aggressive gift from Aunt Louise. Or by the behavior of a sibling with whom you have a long history that turns ever more prickly each year. Or by any other big white elephant in the middle of the room.

Just the thought of returning to the family home at the holidays can elicit joy and peace, or a sense of dread, grief, anxiety, depression…or some combo.

Let’s face it: at the holidays, childhood rears its head, and the quality of yours— plus whatever personal growth you’ve accomplished so far—will determine how it all feels.

So how do we gladden the tidings?

My suggestion to you is that we absolutely have the power to allow this time of year to be an opportunity to do it more happily and healthfully. Here are three tips to help make the holidays a time that feels good to you—with more

peace, less stress.

1) Pray/meditate/ponder gratefulness.

An attitude of gratitude is a powerful thing. And I believe that there is always, always something to be grateful for. So before your internal complainer has a chance to gather steam, think of this: Neale Donald Walsch (author of the “Conversations With God” series), reminds us that “The struggle ends when the gratitude begins.”

And humorist Garrison Keillor puts it this way: “Thank you, God, for this good life, and forgive us if we do not love it enough.” Perhaps a gratitude meditation or affirmation of your own can help prepare you for whatever challenges your holidays may offer. Get to a quiet place…breathe…and remind yourself that no matter what, you’ll be okay.

2) Take care of yourself while you take care of others. In past Shrink Rap columns, you’ve read about the problems that occur when you put everyone else’s needs first without honoring your own needs and wants, or when you simply can’t say “no.”

Diminishing your own importance, ignoring healthy boundaries, a lack of good self-care…these are the best ways I know of to plant seeds of resentment.

If you get your holiday cookies through suffering or guilt or playing the martyr,

it’s time to look at that. Because the holidays are when all these buttons are absolutely going to get pushed. So you might as well start your process of paying attention now.

3) Go hug a tree. Now, you can take this as literally as you’d like. What I mean by this is, take a break. Observe your own pace, and when you start to race too fast—talk too fast, eat too fast, think too fast, drive too fast—slow down.

You know the feeling I’m talking about.

So use it as a red flag to remind you to take a breath. Push the pause button.

And maybe spend the afternoon over a long lunch with a good friend. Or call an elderly relative and really listen to them, with nothing else on your mind.

Sit on the back porch with a cup of tea or a glass of mulled wine and breathe in the energy of the universe. Get out of yourself, and think of a creative act of kindness to do for a stranger. Play with the dogs. Go for a walk. Hug a tree.

I hope these suggestions help make your holidays the best ever. My gift to you is a wish for great joy, good health, and a forgiving spirit.

Until next time, from Byron Katie: “Our loved ones will continue to press every button we have, until we realize what it is that we don’t want to know about ourselves yet.”

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COVER STORY

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

What is old is new again when it comes to "found fashion"

By Jessie Gantt-Temple

“

Pulse contributor

The animals spend an entire year growing the goods and, if poor conditions happen like it gets stuck on something and shreds, it is junked and felt it into floor rugs.”

A

S A FIRST GENERATION FARMER, MY DETERMINAtion to get to the root of where anything I own comes from has blossomed even in these dreary winter days. I had a revelation this year of how community can flourish if everyone really tried to buy only local, or items at least made in America, and that should expand beyond the kitchen table.

I started rooting through my closet and smiling at some of the handmade garments, like the patchwork skirt my mom made or the crocheted beanie my friend gifted me. This introspection led me to unravel the slow fashion movement and discover opportunities to reduce waste, revamp lost trades and upcycle outdated trends.

FROM FARM TO FASHION “I want to inspire people to be more mindful about choosing their

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fiber as carefully as they choose their food.” The animals spend an entire year growing the goods and, if poor conditions happen like it gets stuck on something and shreds, it is junked and felt it into floor rugs. It is the ultimate slow grow.

Katy Light, owner of Poppy Creek Farm and Barn To Yarn, is not shy about letting her customers know that her handspun yarn does not come from a pet free home. With kittens at your heels, goats nipping at your

pockets and doggies at the windows--there is ample amounts of creatures’ coats woven in her daily routine.

On ninety acres atop Sand Mountain, Katy is consumed by warmth and love in the forms of Alpacas, goats, and sheep. With most of the livestock “excessively friendly,” it is hard not to love them right back with their coarse, curly coats and names like Brownie, Cassiopeia, Button, Tulip and my favorite, Peanut. Those names don’t even cover her three steer, two horses, three donkeys or her six-month, blind-in-one-eye calf, Miriam.

“That’s Mary and Faith,” pointing out her oh so fluffy Great Pyrenees, “Cause everyone needs a little

Faith.” I joked about making yarn from her pups but she laughed then said she has with her German Shepherd.

It’s called Chiengora, chien which is French for dog.

Premium wool, fleece, Alpaca and mohair are her specialties and the yarn is available in their unaltered, natural color or can be dyed in an all-natural process using organic material like hickory nuts, elderberries, mint, poke berries or goldenrod flowers and leaves. Katy steeps the fibers in rain water and completes the process through solar extraction.

Katy not only hand spins and hand dyes, she raises and sheers all the animal herself too and she’s willing to teach classes from April through October.

“I learned to spin when I was three,” she said as her two feet quickly peddled with both hands feeding the fibers. “My babysitter had a spinning wheel I was fascinated with.”

Rapunzel is the closest thing to a spinning wheel most of us have ever gotten but now anyone can partake in their own handspun fairytale by taking a class at the unique, creative prop-

“

When I asked Randy Forester if he would design my wedding dress out of a set of Bargain Hunt fabric shower curtains, he was hoping that I envisioned something a bit more intricate than draperies on a rod.” erty. Earlier this year, Katy hosted a “Learn To Dye” workshop at Crabtree Farms and hopes to teach another one next year but, in the meantime, she offers on-site, personalized one-on-one tutorials at poppycreekfarm.com Book online and choose to learn how to select, sheer, process, dye, card, blend or spin. Affordable and priceless, these customized sessions range from one to two days, include all the dyes, and you leave with a pound of fiber or a half pound of mohair.

She has two etsy stores that feature different farm fresh finds. Her “Poppy Creek Farm” etsy account showcases her raw and processed dyed fibers and her whereas her “Poppy Creek Yarn” etsy presents only her yarn products.

Don’t forget those “excessively friendly” farm critters that are great to look at and you can follow them on Instagram @poppycreekfarmermama.

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN Last year, when I asked Randy Forester if he would design my wedding dress out of a set of Bargain Hunt fabric shower curtains, he was hoping that I envisioned something a bit more intricate than draperies on a rod. As he specializes in regency era fashion, I knew he would make me feel like a princess.

More than a stitcher or a seamstress, Randy is a self-taught, wardrobe master. Working with about every production company in the area including

Closed Door Entertainment and the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, he has created astonishing outfits using the most random resources like brick banding in bodices and placemats as hats.

“I find working with all natural fabrics is so much easier.” He loves working with silk but it’s not always within the budget, “You can find silk drapes at thrift stores and I’ve used quilts as petticoats. So much of the old ways, they made do with what they had.”

While there is a longer turnaround rate versus other fast fashion resources, Randy sticks mostly to commission work and, as a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism, he finds joy in bringing history back to life. Historically accurate period pieces, especially from the 17th and 18th century, are his strong suit but that doesn’t mean it’s all lace and ruffles.

Last year, he designed an Elizabethan period Captain America costume, complete with pumpkin pants and cape. He is presently putting together a pink, three-piece silk suit because allegedly George Washington had a pink silk suit.

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COVER STORY

When displaying his limited inventory, he explains how he can’t mass produce because each construct is very time consuming. His recent works of art have gone directly to the performances so are not for sale. Mary Poppins’ multiple looks and Madame de la Grande Bouche’s gown from “Beauty and The Beast” are some of his favorite current creations.

“Madame Butterfly” and “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are also a few productions under his belt and he is currently designing for the upcoming CSO’s “Carmen”.

Randy frequents the stage both in front of and behind the curtain. Appearing as Uncle Fester in “The Addams Family”, he crafted his lines as well as his and other cast members’ wardrobes.

From wedding dress to warrior wear, silk to shower curtains, email RandyWonderful@yahoo.com for a bespoke look made from scratch to your specifications.

FRONT WOMAN FASHION In my journey to discover upcycled fashion and repurposed couture, I 10 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

thought I would come across an abundance of artists like Elizabeth Miller of Funky Junktion but I learned quickly that she was one-of-a-kind.

Originally from St. Elmo, Elizabeth moved to New Orleans, where she earned her degree in music and jumped the broom with her husband Marc. She also began selling her rare, designer and vintage clothes in shops around town while performing as a lead singer and drummer.

Although she may no longer be a stage-hopping front woman, Elizabeth continues to steal any spotlight with her handcrafted, avant garde accessories and fashion forward designs.

She gained most of the inspiration for her affectionately termed “fashion risks” from Mardi Gras and Jazzfest where people were expected to wear their artistic expressions on their sleeve.

“I see my fashion as 3D sculptural, collage performance art,” she says as she showcased her bedazzled embellishments in light fixtures and heavy jackets. “I’m such a glue gunner but I can hand stitch too like nobody’s busi-

“

Enamored with her shop, now turned domestic dwelling, the walls were covered in eclectic, found and formed fashion like a pair of bubble wrap capris and a postcard-laden skirt.”

ness.”

Enamored with her shop, now turned domestic dwelling, the walls were covered in eclectic, found and formed fashion like a pair of bubble wrap capris and a postcard-laden skirt. An homage of hats donned feathers, flowers and skulls and greets you at the door.

The official shop within Funky Junktion, called the HoRadio Cafe, stopped continuously opening its doors some years ago due to life changing events that prevented Elizabeth from being sole decision maker. A 13-year cancer survivor, widow and mother of a 21year old son, Elizabeth is now a full grown hippy rediscovering her equilibrium in the universe.

“I don’t want to do retail or pop up shops anymore,” as she describes how that environment is no longer conducive to her goals. “I would love to sell wholesale to a costume department or any group wanting to demolish and design.”

She began this new all-encompassing approach by organizing the Incline Art Crawl in 2017 to help other artists display in a pedestrian friendly, clothesline art show. With bags of material and slews of ideas, Elizabeth is at a point to support others’ creations with bulk supplies and endless influence.

“Not everyone appreciates my weirdness.” I definitely did appreciate

and bought in.

Her prices are not like thrift stores as much of the collections contain vintage, high end couture like Betsy Johnson and Victor Costa. Even though the energy of the garb may have a shabby chic feel, it is definitely more chic and she describes it as “affordable fun.”

As she begins to take inventory for the new year and focus on presenting her fabrications on Instagram (FunkyJunktion) and etsy (CountryFunkyJunky), she is booking private shopping parties that can be as custom as the treasures you will find.

Reach out to Elizabeth at HoRadioCafe@gmail.com or through Funky Junktion on facebook.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR A negative attitude or a closed mind in regards to someone’s choice of fashion. Not saying to purge your closet of all mass produced, cheap clothing but a night of creating one Frankenstein fashionista ensemble is encouraged.

Sew on and sew on.

Dreaming of wanting to be a writer since she could remember, Jessie Gantt-Temple moved here three years ago from the Carolinas with her husband, and has found roots on her farm in Soddy Daisy.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Post-Apocalyptic Art LaDarrel Ransom embraces the Wasteland

An All Artist Open House Reflections Gallery never ceases to put forth amazing artists. Local, regional, new and well-known, their “All Artist” Open House this Thursday will surely be an event not to be missed.

Showcasing over seventeen artists starting at 4 p.m., Reflections will be the place to be this Thursday as they offer the public a free opportunity to meet the artists, observe ongoing paintings and so much more.

A few participating artists will be offering seasonal specials on unframed pieces, small works and prints while Reflections Gallery will be giving guests an opportunity to find the perfect handmade holiday gift on their “Under $100” wall.

Stop by for a visit to watch Margaret Park working away on her Yupo watercolor, or Virginia Skipper as she paints porcelain.

Don Hill will be showcasing an atmosphere perspective in landscape at 5:10 p.m., followed by a plein air watercolor demo by Lora Miller at 6:15 p.m., Nadine Koski working in encasutics at 6:45 p.m., and Susan Budash in indirect painting to round it out at 7:15 p.m.

So many artists, so many goings on, and one event that will have you walking away with an arm full of special gifts, and a whole new love for First Fridays. — Brooke Brown

By Tony Mraz Pulse contributor

“

I made art on my own, and didn’t really have any direction,” Ransom says.

“I just began creating because it was something I wanted to do.”

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L

OCAL PAINTER/ILLUSTRATOR LADARRELL RANSOM is bringing a post-apocalyptic world from the fringe to Chattanooga, with a series of installations and immersive Wasteland experiences.

Like many artists, Ransom started drawing comics in elementary school. He was inspired by Frank Miller and Todd MacFarland’s work in the Batman and Spiderman comics, and drew constantly.

“I made art on my own, and didn’t really have any direction,” Ransom says. “I just began creating because it was something I wanted to do.”

As the years went by, he drifted away from art and took up skateboarding, though he always doodled on the margins of papers in school. Then in 2010, when he was in his early twenties, Ransom had an accident while skating. When

he was recovering, he picked up a pencil and started drawing comics again. A few years later, he started taking the doodles seriously.

Ransom works primarily with micron pens, India ink, and acrylic paint. He uses brushes to apply the ink and supplements the lines with hatching from the microns, and employs acrylics to color the images.

At first, he painted images of things he wanted to see—cartoons, super heroes, and his own characters—but lately he has been inspired heavily by life experiences, and anything Wasteland related.

Wasteland is the blanket term for all kinds of post-apocalyptic role

playing. Participants imagine themselves to be survivors and scavengers that populate a world in the aftermath of civilization. Wasteland communities and events are very loosely organized, though the movement is gaining momentum as more people become interested.

In the Wasteland, people create costumes, props, and environments from scavenged materials—found objects, and junk that would be seen in a postapocalyptic world. Everything in these fascinating installations is made from something else that is already existing—here are no “new” products. Like in Mad Max or The Walking Dead, they embrace an aesthetic of how things would be if there were no means of manufacturing.

There are entire Wasteland cities in California, most notably East Jesus and Slab City, that attract tourists and permanent residents. People who have nowhere else to go end up in these cities and live the post-apocalyptic lifestyle, literally on the edge of the world—at the edge of civilization.

“If society were to collapse,” Ransom notes, “Wasteland would be more than roleplaying—it would be a lifestyle, and the people living in these communities would be prepared for it.”

Residents of the Wasteland cities feed themselves with community gardens, and live in improvised structures without bathrooms or running water.

“

Residents of the Wasteland cities feed themselves with community gardens, and live in improvised structures without bathrooms or running water.”

The cities host events, and people from all over the country travel to spend a weekend immersed in the post-apocalyptic world.

Wasteland culture is catching on here in the southeast, with festivals and LARP events like Nukelanta and Aftermath, where participants create characters and go on quests, play games, or just party.

The recent Aftermath event in Hokes Bluff Alabama was a four-day long excursion into cataclysmic ecstasy. Participants worked together as a team to create the post-apocalyptic environments, then dwelled in them for the weekend, wearing elaborate costumes that look like something straight out of a movie.

Ransom’s most recent costume is comprised of an umpire suit, shoulder pads, a few tires, a hat from the Brainerd Army Store, and a bunch of random found objects to give it the proper Wasteland aesthetic. The immersion in post-apocalyptic culture heavily influences his art, which is gritty and dark yet playful.

By interpreting his experiences and

interactions from Wasteland and illustrating them, he achieves a unique visual style. He is making a series of Wasteland paintings, a comic book in the same vein, creating more costuming, and preparing for upcoming events.

Ransom is partnering with painter/ sculptor Chris Artell to form the Wasteland A/V crew, where they are setting up a post-apocalyptic movie theater.

They will be bringing the installation, along with Artell’s “Murdercedes” art car (recently in the MAINX24 Parade), to the Sooty Stockings Post-Apocalyptic Christmas Party on Dec 22, the Last Art Show Of The Year at JJ’s Bohemia on Dec 28 and 29, and to ConNooga in February.

“The reactions of all the people who show up are some of the greatest things,” He tells us. “People are in shock and awe. When it comes down to it, Wasteland is the outsiders and outcasts of society, the people that don’t fit in, creating their own society, living on the edge and surviving. It is not a fad, not a small thing—it has been around, and it will continue.”

THU12.6

FRI12.7

SAT12.8

Throwback Thursday

“An Irish Courage Christmas”

The Nutcracker

Come out and enjoy the permanent collection free of charge and their special exhibit "The Hunter Invitational IV".

4 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View. huntermuseum.org

Set in an Irish Pub, come explore Christmas in the early 1900s in Ireland in this original production.

7:30 p.m.

The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. bapshows.coms

Come catch the holiday tradition with the Chattanooga Ballet. But get your tickets now before the shows sell out!

2, 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR “Scene in Passing”

THURSDAY12.6 “All Artist” Open House 4 p.m.

Reflections Gallery 6922 Lee Hwy. (423) 892-3072 reflectionsgallerytn.com Throwback Thursday 4 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View.

(423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Holiday Open House 4:30 p.m.

Shuptrine’s Gallery 2613 Broad St. (423) 266-4453 shuptrinesgallery.com Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Reno Collier 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com 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

14 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

FRIDAY12.7 Out On 8th 5 p.m.

West Village 802 Pine St. (423) 424-1831 westvillagechattanooga.com “Scene in Passing: An Artist Views Chattanooga” Artist Reception 5 p.m.

In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com Flypaper Open Reception 6 p.m.

Versa Gallery 1918 Union Ave. versagallery.org Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Muse of Fire Project 7 p.m.

McCallie School 500 Dodds Ave. themuseoffireproject.org Reno Collier 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “An Irish Courage Christmas” 7:30 p.m.

The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com The Floor Is Yours 7:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com

“A Charlie Brown Christmas”

TUESDAY12.11

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Improv "Movie" Night 8 p.m.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.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.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SATURDAY12.8 A Christmas Tail 5K and Mutt Strut 8 a.m.

3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Jewelry-Wearable Extravaganza 10 a.m.

River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com Chattanooga Ballet presents The Nutcracker 2, 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “Amahl and the Night Visitors” 4 p.m.

Chattanooga Christian School 3354 Charger Dr. ccsk12.com Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Winter in West Village 6 p.m.

West Village 802 Pine St. westvillagechattanooga.com Reno Collier 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “An Irish Courage Christmas” 7:30 p.m.

The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com Whose Line Chattanooga 10 p.m.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SUNDAY12.9 Chattanooga Ballet presents The Nutcracker

2 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com “A Charlie Brown Christmas” 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “An Irish Courage Christmas” 2:30 p.m.

The Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. (706) 996-8350 bapshows.com Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Reno Collier 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Krish Mohan 7:30 p.m.

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

MONDAY12.10 Winter Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Ice on the Landing

Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Christmas Movie Night 7 p.m.

Ringgold Depot 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgoldga.gov Paths to Pints 6:30 p.m.

The Tap House 3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com Johnny Azari Misdirection Tour 8 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY12.13 Main Street Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Ice on the Landing 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. iceonthelanding.com Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 7:30 p.m.

The Bitter Alibi 825 Houston St. (423) 362-5070 thebitteralibi.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 15

Holiday

Shopping Guide

For the beauty fan on your list, how about a Mario Badescu Travel Set with three best-selling facial sprays: cucumber and green tea (to hydrate and tone), rosewater and herbs (to energize your complexion midday), and chamomile and lavender (to calm in the evening). It's a skincare lover's dream come true: 24/7 pampering. $15 · urbanoutfitters.com

Bubble teas are all the rage these days, and KTeas Bubble Tea Kit has everything you need to make the best drink around.

With two flavors of tea—classic black and rooibos chai— tapioca pearls, and two reusable stainless steel straws, this addictive delight is now home-brewable. Just add your choice of milk (or not) and enjoy. $59.90 · forever21.com

Who says high style has to break the bank? This brushed woven Plaid Print Coat features an allover plaid print, notched collar, long sleeves with button cuffs, front welt pockets, satin lining, and double-breasted closures. $59.90 · forever21.com

16 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

The perfect gift for that slightly offbeat cookbook fan on your list: Fifty Shades of Chicken, by F.L. Fowler. A young, free-range chicken. A dominating, ravenous chef.

Fifty recipes to make every dinner a turn-on. This is how you "dominate" dinner. $14.79 fiftyshadesofchicken.com

Ever wanted to make your own butter?

Sure, who hasn't? Then you'll certainly want a Kilner Vintage Glass Butter Churn, which makes it easier than what your great-grandmother had to contend with.

Simply place whipping cream into the butter churner, turn the handle, and is as little as ten minutes you can enjoy fresh and delicious tasting butter. $39 · thegrommet.com

Ramp up your cooking game with Pragati Turmeric Powder. This bottle of turmeric, known as the "Golden Spice"is grown in India by Kasaraneni Prabhu, a 4th generation farmer, and has a 4.7% curcumin content (the special ingredient rumored to reduce inflammation). $15 · urbanoutfitters.com Everyone has at least one germaphobe on this holiday list. And what better way to make them happy than with the PhoneSoap 3 Phone Sanitizer. It safely kills 99.99 percent of germs by utilizing bacteria-zapping UV rays. And it's large enough to fit even the biggest phones.

Plus is allows you charge your phone while it disinfects. $39 · thegrommet.com

THE PULSE • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • 17

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18 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Need something to break the ice? How about allowing people to burst your bubbles...literally? This ThumbsUp Bubble Costume ensemble (from a sortaclassic comedy film) includes trousers and hooded jacket and is perfect for almost any occasion. "Dude, where's my bubble wrap costume?" $18.49 · shop4megastore.com Travel a lot? Tired of the same old boring nech pillows? Add a splash of color and whimsy to your next flight with this Unicorn Neck Pillow, the most comfortable, cozy, plush hooded travel neck pillow you will ever use. And with a hood, it helps to give you much-needed privacy and comfort no matter where you travel.. $37.30 · bonanza.com

The new leak-free BlenderBottle Stainless Steel Shaker Bottle will keep your drink hot or cold. With three styles to choose from, including insulated stainless steel, there's sure to be one for the on-the-go person on your list. $29.99 · bedbathandbeyond.com

Rule the park or the parking lot when you fire up your Coleman RoadTrip LXE Grill. The collapsible stand and wheels make moving this grill as easy as flipping a burger. And when it’s time to head home simply fold this grill up, and it will store nicely out of the way. $29.99 · bedbathandbeyond.com

Live a stronger, smarter life with the Samsung Galaxy Watch on your wrist. Rest well and stay active with built-in health tracking and a Bluetooth connection that keeps everything at your wrist. Plus, it can go for days without charging. $249 · amazon.com THE PULSE • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • 19

THE MUSIC SCENE

Songs Of The Roaring ‘60s Anger & Phelps bring the music of our people

A Man Of Many Titles When people ask me what I do, I tend to give the same answer; “I’m a writer and editor.” But one man with so many titles he couldn’t possibly list them in a casual conversation is Thollem McDonas.

“A perpetually traveling pianist, keyboardist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author and teacher,” McDonas is a wearer of many hats, a man of many talents and titles. See him perform live this Thursday at Barking Legs with what will surely be a show of many wonders.

Thollem will perform two musical sets and an artist talkback in your single admission price, making for not only an enjoyable evening of musical frivolity by “an intense and virtuoistic keyboardist” (according to TimeOut New York) but also an educational conversation on Thollem’s wide array of musical abilities and the journey that has brought him here to Chattanooga.

One set will feature “Electric Confluence,” which combines naturally-occurring sounds with the “myriad of culture that exist on this continent” with another featuring a set of solo piano improvisations on Barking Legs’ gorgeous Steinway grand piano.

The show starts at 7:30 and this incredible event is only $10 at the door — Brooke Brown

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

“

Fiddle player Anger is an inveterate practitioner of ‘old time’ bluegrass, roots and ‘psychograss’ music.”

20 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

O

LD HIPPIE MUSICIANS NEVER DIE, THEY JUST recompose. Darol Anger will be well-known to some.

As a founding member of the Dave Grisman Quintet, Anger has made his mark on a particular genre of music.

He may be somewhat less well-known to the broader market, and that’s a shame, but his 2018 entry, Music of Our People: Songs of the Roaring Sixties may do something to resolve that problem.

Fiddle player Anger, who notably appeared as one of the players on the theme to NPR’s longrunning Car Talk, is an inveterate practitioner of “old time” bluegrass, roots and “psychograss” music.

The list of performers he has joined on stage and in the studio

is broad and deep and includes the likes of Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs, Bill Frisell, Willie Nelson and more. Anger spent the last three years teamed up with vocalist and instrumentalist Emy Phelps (and friends) to produce an album of popular music reinterpreted in the folk tradition.

The track list includes wellknown classics “These Boots (were made for walkin’),” “The Wichita Lineman,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Ripple,” and “Uncle John’s Band,” to name a few, all performed in ways you

“

Hardcore deadheads may not care for a noncanonical version of ‘Uncle John’s Band’, but the inclusion of Celtic harp and accordion on the old standard is simply gorgeous. ” aren’t likely to have heard before.

Despite my own connections to folk music, I tend to be a little leery of “reimaginings” of tunes. Granted, the very nature of folk lends itself to interpretation, that’s part of the point, but too often an artist looking to flesh out an album will pick an old tune, play it on different instruments, at a different tempo, or in a different key, and call it a day.

Without naming names, I can say that there are at least two popular groups that in the last five or ten years have seen chart success with their versions of seminal Bowie, Lennon and Dylan songs and honestly, these were “new” versions that never needed to be made.

The popular artists brought nothing new to the table, had no particular “spin,”

no new vision; it was simply, “Hey, this is us playing that guy’s song,” which is disappointing.

This is not the case with Anger and Phelps, whose love of the source material, combined with their mastery of technique, and with a little help from an all-star lineup of “friends,” have successfully taken on the Herculean task of approaching wellknown music with a, “Here’s a new way to hear this” attitude.

Hardcore deadheads may not care for a non-canonical version of “Uncle John’s Band”, but the inclusion of Celtic harp and accordion on the old standard is simply gorgeous. You tread a razor’s edge when you start messing with classics and there is rarely any middle ground. You either fall flat or you knock it out of the

Milele Roots Brings The Funk To JJ's This Friday the venerable Milele Roots will be taking over JJ’s Bohemia, along with special guests Road to Nightfall and ReverseFerret, in what promises to be one of the most rollicking feel-good parties of the season.

For over two decades, Milele Roots has been an icon of Chattanooga music, with their instantly recognizable blend of reggae and funk. A band simply does not enjoy that sort of longevity or consistent popularity without knowing how to throw down properly and the group’s staggering reputation is hard won and well earned.

No less impressive are Road to Nightfall and relative newcomer ReverseFerret. The combined talent and shared musicians blurs the line between whether JJ’s is presenting three excellent bands, or one supergroup of some of the area’s most talented players.

In either case (and I suspect it’s really going to be a combination of both) it is definitely going to be a night of peace, love and good vibes Come early, stay late, and go home feeling better than you did when you came. This Friday at 9 p.m., JJ’s Bohemia will be the happiest place in town.

— MTM

park and Anger and Phelps consistently knock it out of the park on Music of Our People.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that for a younger generation who isn’t bound to the original music by nostalgia, the songs as performed here may easily supersede the originals as “favorite versions.”

The album is available now and is currently in rotation at our local NPR station and as far as additions to your personal music collection, it’s a very safe bet.

At worst you will find a collection of very pleasant sounding versions of familiar tunes. At best, you will find new life breathed in to iconic standards of a generation.

In either case, or anywhere in between, you will definitely have an album of beautiful music.

THU12.6

FRI12.7

SAT12.8

Stone Cold Fox, Preachervan, Stars Like Arrows

Travis & Heather Kilgore

Courtney Holder

The weather may be cold outside, but the music is hot inside JJ's.

9 p.m.

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

This dynamic duo takes the stage for an intimate evening of fantastic music.

9 p.m.

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

This young songwriter takes what she feels and puts it on paper, connecting with the hearts of the people.

8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 21

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Jess Goggans Band

THURSDAY12.6 CSO Wind Quintet 11:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital 975 E. 3rd St. chattanoogasymphony.org James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Zech Dallas 6 p.m.

Heaven & Ale 9431 Bradmore Ln. beerelevated.com Jimmy Dormire 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Toby Hewitt 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Nicholas Edward Williams 7 p.m.

The Mad Priest 719 Cherry St. madpriestcha.com Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

Moccasin Bend Brewing Co. 3210 Broad St. bendbrewingbeer.com Thollem McDonas: “Electric Confluence” 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave.

22 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

barkinglegs.org Jesse James & Tim Neal 7:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. (423) 296-1073 Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Open Mic Night with Jonathan Wimpee 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Stone Cold Fox, Preachervan, Stars Like Arrows 9 p.m.

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

FRIDAY12.7 Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Ryan Oyer 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Maria Sable 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Songwriters Stage Finals

7 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com A Candlelight Concert with Hesperus 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 305 W. 7th St. stpaulschatt.org Sandra Bullets, Worlds Collide, Joey Whited 8 p.m.

Barley Taphouse 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com Pickin Crows 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 Burnin Hermans 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Jason Lyles 9:30 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Throttle 21 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SATURDAY12.8 Preston Ruffing 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Amber Fults 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Forever Bluegrass 7 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Courtney Holder 8:30 p.m.

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

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Jess Goggans Band 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Pale Rider, Tourist Trap,

Celtic Thunder X Bongsloth 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Throttle 21 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SUNDAY12.9 Nikki Michelle and the Cosmic Collective 11 a.m.

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

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Kristen Ford 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775 Mathis & Martin 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar

29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com

MONDAY12.10 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Mike McDade 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Celtic Thunder X 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com

TUESDAY12.11 Danimal 6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Pete Boubel 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com String Theory: Jason Vieaux and Julien Labro 6:30 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View.

(423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Open Mic Jam Session 7 p.m.

Crust Pizza 3211 Broad St. crustpizza.com Harry Connick Jr. 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Live Jam Session with Freddy Mc & Friends 8 p.m.

Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Open Mic with Xll Olympians 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com

WEDNESDAY12.13 No Big Deal 6 p.m.

SpringHill Suites

495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com John Carroll 6:30 p.m.

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

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Live Jazz In The Lounge 7 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Randall Adams 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Cloud Nothings, IcanJapan, The Courtneys 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Prime Cut Trio 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 23

ERNIE PAIK’S RECORD REVIEWS

Three Way Mirror New Normal (Southern Crescent)

Ahmoudou Madassane Zerzura (Sahel Sounds)

S

gates the classical, jazz and rock worlds, and completing the lineup is percussionist and artistic polymath John Arthur Brown (a.k.a. Yaya Brown) on congas, who is also a poet and photographer.

New Normal is mostly comprised of Crompton’s originals, including bouncy “Poncey,” which swings unrelentingly; this demonstrates Crompton’s talent for creating memorable tunes that can hold their own, even beside the three jazz classics covered on New Normal by Horace Silver, Marion Brown and Thelonious Monk.

On “Skin,” the lineup is enhanced with the Edgewood Saxophone Trio, playing a slithering, mysterious melody in unison before diverging into prickly, discordant note inter-

ax, tuba, congas—one might think that the instruments of the jazz trio Three Way Mirror were drawn at random from a hat, but when Atlanta saxophonist Jeff Crompton put together this group back in 2015, he took partial inspiration from Arthur Blythe’s 1978 album Bush Baby, which employed the exact same instrumentation.

Crompton is a seasoned, ever-exploring player with several other outfits in and beyond the jazz realm, including the Jeff Crompton Trio, the Edgewood Saxophone Trio and the duo RoboCromp.

Joining Crompton in Three Way Mirror on tuba is Bill Pritchard, an Eastman School of Music graduate and Lee University instructor who navi-

24 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

vals. Pritchard’s tuba acts as a bass line unless he’s soloing or mirroring Crompton’s melody, like on “Three Way Mirror” with a start/stop tug that perhaps is the aural equivalent of crossing a brook using careful hops on stepping stones, with Brown’s constant beats acting as the rushing water.

Listening to Three Way Mirror’s album New Normal brings to mind certain aesthetic qualities that seem to be borderline contradictory; it has a clean, precise sound but doesn’t feel sterile or clinical. Ostensibly there’s a lightness to it, with a playful approach that’s easy to take in, but it can go deep, beyond expectations, particularly during solos.

With each instrument occupying its own space, the album’s sound is uncluttered and somewhat economical—that said, the songs have ample room to breathe and stretch their arms and legs over the hour-long album. The pace is patient and unhurried but not sluggish; it’s like the musicians are savoring each moment.

Also, the album’s approach doesn’t show any compulsive need to fill every crevice with sound, resulting in a sonic density that varies widely over the album, as if using continuous cycles of palate-cleansing.

It’s a refreshing, sleek, clearheaded album, and a welcome change with unconventional jazz instrumentation and nuanced, expressive solos.

T

he film Zerzura, starring West African Tuareg guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane and directed by Sahel Sounds founder Christopher Kirkley, was built on folklore about the mythical oasis Zerzura in the Sahara Desert, guarded by evil spirits but purportedly full of rewards for intrepid desert travelers.

Although unseen by this writer, the film apparently adopts the universal theme that surrounds a mythical paradise, regarding searching for something that is known to be false; sights can be deceptive, whether they are mirages or hallucinations, and hidden treasures are never to be found.

With this in mind, the instrumental soundtrack album for Zerzura seems fitting, which was mostly performed by Madassane while watching footage from the film at the Type Foundry recording studio in Portland, Ore. With minimal, wandering electric guitar improvisations, Madassane conveys a complicated mood that’s persistent but not overbearing, uncertain and bewildering but not hope-

less.

It’s not a stomping rock album, but instead it offers space for rambling thoughts. At times, collaborators join Madassane, including guitarist Marisa Anderson and Kirkley himself, and in addition to the electric guitar, Madassane adds subtle flourishes from studio instruments including a Moog keyboard and a prepared piano.

Rhythm is stripped-down to its barest, most skeletal form with simple, soft drum beats, and various snippets of field recordings—wind, water, animals—act both as punctuation and evocative tools to help set the mood.

The album strolls through its scenes, alternating between the idyllic and the calmly disorienting; the one-minute track “Targhat” is a slice of psychedelia, featuring backwards guitar parts, and “Azal N’emgre” turns up the distortion to bristle and envelope the listener.

One of the album’s highlights is “Derhan,” which offers an electric guitar vamp that’s relaxed and stretched for the track’s duration, to a muted drum pulse.

It’s a delicately sparse album that embraces the adventure of the unknown, conveying a nobility that is upheld even if the goal is never reached.

THE ART OF BUSINESS

Fine Fashion On The North Shore

M Brooke Brown

Pulse Assistant Editor

“

People here aren’t living under a rock,” she says jokingly. “They know good style; they know designer pieces.

I try to keep that in mind.”

The Scoop MILK Boutique 330 Frazier Avenue (423) 266-6661 Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm Sun: 1-5pm milk-boutique.com

ILK BOUTIQUE OWNER STARR Card has an eye for fashion, something that’s evident the moment I meet her. Dressed in a luxurious, yet simply tasteful white, knee-length cashmere vest she’s belted into a dress over black leggings and knee-high black suede boots, it’s clear this woman knows her stuff, and there are few people I’d rather dress me.

Her love for fashion extends back before purchasing and rebranding Frankie and Julien’s into MILK Boutique, as she used to work at F&J before the previous owner mentioned she wanted to sell, and would love for Starr to consider taking on the role of owner.

“She said I had the eye,” Starr says.

“It’s really just a matter of being creative, and I’ve always loved clothes and part of the reason I decided to buy the store was it became something my daughter and I could do together.”

When it comes to rebranding, MILK still carries a few of the staple lines previously held at F&J, like Ecru, Michael Stars, and Mauvi Jeans. With Chattanoogans becoming more well-traveled, expanding the lines became a must for Starr.

“People here aren’t living under a rock,” she says jokingly. “They know good style; they know designer pieces. I try to keep that in mind, and our customers have really embraced the new things I’ve brought in.”

Of MILK’s new fashion forward lines, Anatomie, and Italian line made for the well-traveled business woman, these sleek pieces wrinkle minimally and can be washed in your hotel room and dried in fifteen minutes. Another new favorite, Byron Lars puts together intricately detailed pieces and it flies off the shelves.

“One of my favorite new lines is See U Soon out of Paris, and that really says it all,” Starr says of the Parisian locale.

“They’re very fashion forward, fun, flirty.

It’s a twist on traditional, classic styles.”

As for price range, MILK is for everybody, with pieces ranging from fifty dollars up to a beautiful, decadent ninehundred and sixty-dollar cashmere coat.

“It’s a sturdy, beautiful piece from a line called Kinross,” she says. “It’s what you’d call an investment piece. Cashmere is here to stay, it’s timeless. You choose quality over quantity, and as long as it’s not something that’s just trendy, and will be out next year, it’s okay to spend a good chunk of money on it.”

As with any boutique, MILK carries minimal sizes to ensure you don’t see yourself walking around town. There’s nothing worse than walking into a restaurant, bar, what have you, to see someone wearing the exact same outfit as you.

“If someone’s shopping for an event, for example, and someone else comes in later discussing going to that same event, we’ll steer them away from what somebody’s already bought to ensure they won’t be wearing that same outfit.”

With the handful of boutiques on the

North Shore and in the Chattanooga area, they’re each very conscious of the lines everyone carries to ensure in a wide range for customers as well as not to step on each other’s toes.

“We shop there, they shop here,” Starr says. “It’s all friendly competition and the camaraderie between boutiques is really special.”

With Christmas coming up, MILK is the perfect place to purchase that special something for your special someone. Gift cards are nice, sure, but a beautiful scarf, a pair of simple, locally-made earrings and a gift card all from MILK would be even better.

Or if you want to surprise them with an outfit from the boutique and the someone you’re shopping for is already a customer, MILK’s staff can look up customer histories complete with sizes to ensure you buy the perfect piece in the right size.

MILK is the place to find the perfect piece for yourself or someone else. Use the holiday season as an excuse to pop in, and find that you’ll be coming back all year round.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 25

FILM & TELEVISION

Traveling The Jim Crow Highways Of History Green Book aims high, but just misses

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

“

America is saturated with people who will fight tooth and nail to remain ignorant in the face of overwhelming evidence.”

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I

T TAKES A BIT OF SKILL TO MAKE A SAFE FILM ABOUT an uncomfortable subject. History is littered with horrors. People have been, and continue to be, unabashedly awful to each other for a variety of reasons. Ignorance abounds, from sanctuary to street, from child to adult, from alderman to President.

Some of that ignorance is genuine— some people have never been given the opportunity to experience the world outside of their own narrow communities.

Some of that ignorance is willful, particularly when the political class courts the vote of those same narrow communities.

But ignorance is often maintained by a stubborn unwillingness to grow, to change, or to be wrong. America is saturated with people who will fight tooth and nail to remain ignorant in the

face of overwhelming evidence, almost always for the sake of tradition, a tradition that always benefits one group over another.

And while that’s been commonplace in the South for as long as I can remember, those in other parts of the country aren’t immune. The same challenges exist there—they aren’t even particularly well hidden.

Green Book is a film about one of our most recent and most abhorrent horrors: segregation. It tells the story of an

artist that challenged that horror, met it face to face, and an unlikely friendship that was borne out of the struggle.

Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) has worked nightclubs his entire life.

He’s a big guy, one that doesn’t take guff from anyone, and is more than willing to break a few bones to keep order in the Copacabana, even if it means knocking around a few made guys.

When the Copa closes for a few months for renovations, Tony is back on the street hustling. He needs few bucks to make ends meet for his wife and children.

Because of his history as a tough guy, Tony’s name reaches the ear of Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), world famous jazz pianist and entertainer.

Shirley is due to make a tour in the Jim Crow South and is in need of a driver. But more than that, he needs a man that can handle any problems that might arise. The money is good, so Tony accepts.

The pair make their way south, butting heads occasionally, but working out their own prejudices along the way.

As I mentioned, it’s hard to make a safe film about a difficult subject. Director Peter Farrelly, the same man who brought the world Dumber and Dumber, There’s

“

Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali are exceptional actors and make the film enjoyable, despite a lot of heavy-handed writing.”

Something About Mary, and Movie 43, does his best to navigate the waters of racism and discrimination without stepping on too many toes. Because we’re currently in the weirdest timeline imaginable, he does pretty well.

To be fair, much of this is due to the performances of the leads.

Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali are exceptional actors and make the film enjoyable, despite a lot of heavy-handed writing.

There’s a lot of characters who state outright what should be inferred, spelling things out for audiences. Farrelly and writers Nick Vallelonga (Tony Lip’s son) and Brian Hayes Curie seem to think that people need to be spoonfed the underlying themes and that they need any unpleasantness to be lightly seasoned with humor and levity.

The film will play well to mainstream audiences for these reasons—it isn’t challenging, especially, or complex in any way that

hasn’t been examined in other, better films. It’s enjoyable for what it is, however.

Like Shirley himself, the film hits all the right notes at all the right times, and the result is a tight, well-structured narrative that safely delivers the audience home in time for Christmas.

It’s easy to watch a film like Green Book and come away feeling good about the progress we’ve made as a country in terms of race. Segregation and Jim Crow are such obvious evils when viewed through modern eyes.

A better movie might have challenged viewers to look inward and challenge their own prejudices. A better movie might have shown where we are now as a country and what we might do to move forward.

Green Book is fine for what it is—a safe look at race relations in the broadest context possible.

I, however, think audiences should expect more.

✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴

Mary Queen of Scots Mary Stuart's attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.

Director: Josie Rourke Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn

Ben Is Back A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family's home on Christmas Eve. Director: Peter Hedges Stars: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 27

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY his delusion, he learned a useful skill.

I foresee a similar progression for you, Aquarius. Something you did that was motivated by misguided or irrelevant ideas may yield positive results.

ROB BREZSNY SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Robert Louis Stevenson published his gothic novel Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886. It was a bestseller, and quickly got turned into a theatrical production. In the ensuing 132 years, there have been well over a hundred further adaptations of the story into film and stage productions.

Here’s the funny thing about this influential work: Stevenson wrote it fast. It took him three feverish days to get the gist of it, and just another six weeks to revise. Some biographers say he was high on drugs during the initial burst, perhaps cocaine. I suspect you could also produce some robust and interesting creation in the coming weeks, Sagittarius—and you won’t even need cocaine to fuel you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A blogger on Tumblr named Ffsshh composed a set of guidelines that I think will be apt and useful for you to draw on in the coming weeks. Please study these suggestions and adapt them for your healing process. “Draw stick figures. Sing off-key. Write bad poems. Sew ugly clothes. Run slowly.

Flirt clumsily. Play video games on ‘easy.’ OK? You do not need to be good at something to enjoy it. Sometimes talent is overrated. Do things you like doing just because you like doing them. It’s OK to suck.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian athlete Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player who ever lived. He was also the first to become a billionaire. But when he was growing up, he didn’t foresee the glory that awaited him. For example, in high school he took a home economics class so as to acquire cooking abilities. Why? He imagined that as an adult he might have to prepare all of his own meals.

His ears were so huge and ungainly, he reasoned, that no woman would want to be his wife. So the bad news was that he suffered from a delusion.

The good news was that because of

28 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Bible does not say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute or even a “sinner.”

There’s no mention of her sexual proclivities at all. Delusional ideas about her arose in the Middle Ages, instigated by priests who confused her with other women in the Bible. The truth is that the Bible names her as a key ally to Christ, and the crucial witness to his resurrection. Fortunately, a number of scholars and church leaders have in recent years been working to correct her reputation. I invite you to be motivated and inspired by this transformation as you take steps to adjust and polish your own image during the coming weeks. It’s time to get your public and private selves into closer alignment.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When I write a horoscope for you, I focus on one or two questions because I don’t have room to cover every single aspect of your life. The theme I’ve chosen this time may seem a bit impractical, but if you take it to heart, I guarantee you it will have practical benefits. It comes from Italian author Umberto Eco. He wrote, “Perhaps the mission of those who love humanity is to make people laugh at the truth, to make truth laugh, because the only truth lies in learning to free ourselves from insane passion for the truth.” I swear to you, Aries, that if you laugh at the truth and make the truth laugh in the coming days, you will be guided to do all the right and necessary things.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have a cosmic mandate and a poetic license to stir up far more erotic fantasies than usual. It’ll be healthy for you to unleash many new thoughts about sexual experiments that would be fun to try and novel feelings you’d like to explore and people whose naked flesh you’d be interested to experience sliding and gliding against yours. But please note that the cosmic mandate and poetic license do not necessarily extend to you acting out your fantasies. The important thing is to let your imagination run wild. That will catalyze a psychic healing you didn’t even realize you needed.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In my continuing efforts to help you want what you need and need what you want,

Homework: Imagine that one of your heroes comes to you and says, “Teach me the most important things you know.” What do you say?

FreeWillAstrology.com I’ve collected four wise quotes that address your looming opportunities.

1. “What are you willing to give up, in order to become who you really need to be?”—author Elizabeth Gilbert 2. “Leave the door open for the unknown, the door into the dark. That’s where the most important things come from.” —Rebecca Solnit 3. “You enter the extraordinary by way of the ordinary.”—Frederick Buechner 4.

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”—Nathaniel Hawthorne CANCER (June 21-July 22): I’ve called on author Robert Heinlein to provide your horoscope. According to my astrological analysis, his insights are exactly what you need to focus on right now. “Do not confuse ‘duty’ with what other people expect of you,” he wrote.

“They are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.

But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What does “beauty” mean to you? What sights, sounds, images, qualities, thoughts, and behavior do you regard as beautiful? Whatever your answers might be to those questions right now, I suggest you expand and deepen your definitions in the coming weeks.

You’re at a perfect pivot point to invite more gorgeous, lyrical grace into your life; to seek out more elegance and charm and artistry; to cultivate more alluring, delightful magic.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You know the expiration dates that appear on the labels of the prescription drugs you buy? They don’t mean that the drugs lose their potency after that date. In fact, most drugs are still quite

effective for at least another ten years.

Let’s use this fact as a metaphor for a certain resource or influence in your life that you fear is used up or defunct. I’m guessing it still has a lot to offer you, although you will have to shift your thinking in order to make its reserves fully available.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran rapper Eminem is renowned for his verbal skill. It may be best exemplified in his song “Rap God,” in which he delivers 1,560 words in six minutes and four seconds, or 4.28 words per second. In one stretch, he crams in 97 words in 15 seconds, achieving a pace of 6.5 words per second. I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will also be unusually adept at using words, although your forte will be potent profundity rather than sheer speed. I encourage you to prepare by making a list of the situations where your enhanced powers of persuasion will be most useful.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In May of 1883, the newly built Brooklyn Bridge opened for traffic. Spanning the East River to link Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. But almost immediately people spread rumors that it was unstable. There was a growing fear that it might even crumble and fall.

That’s when charismatic showman P. T. Barnum stepped in. He arranged to march 21 elephants across the bridge. There was no collapse, and so the rumors quickly died. I regard the coming weeks as a time when you should take inspiration from Barnum.

Provide proof that will dispel gossipy doubt. Drive away superstitious fear with dramatic gestures. Demonstrate how strong and viable your improvements really are.

Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of curiosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, myth-savvy perspective to his work. It’s all in the stars.

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

“Ask Me How I’m Doing”—the circles will tell you ACROSS 1 Advanced degrees 5 Thesaurus innovator Peter Mark ___ 10 Hit all the buttons at once, in arcade games 14 Temptation 15 Saint Teresa’s home 16 “The Joy of Cooking” co-author Rombauer 17 Regular “QI” panelist Davies 18 Back-country 19 Phone feature, once 20 Side-to-side movement 21 Judge on two versions of “The X Factor” 23 Any miniature golf shot 25 ___ seat (air passenger’s request) 26 Went on sabbatical, perhaps 32 One who keeps their buns moving?

33 Hunk of dirt 34 Cheese with a red rind

38 Preferred pronoun, perhaps 39 Bullwinkle, for one 40 Hoppy drink 41 “99 and 44/100% ___” (old slogan) 43 1980 “Dukes of Hazzard” spin-off 44 Big name in kitchen wrap 46 Newton’s first, alternately 49 Pine tree substance 52 Listed thing 53 Historical peak 58 Have debts to pay 61 Shipmate of Picard, Riker, Worf, et al.

62 Notre Dame’s Fighting ___ 63 Diamonds, for one 64 “It slipped!”

65 Animal whose droppings are used for kopi luwak coffee 66 “___ Wonderful Life” 67 Russian refusal 68 Reflex test sites 69 “The Giving Tree” author Silverstein

DOWN 1 Tony candidate 2 Island dance 3 Texas hold ‘em, e.g.

4 JFK, once 5 Once-in-a-bluemoon event 6 Egg, to biologists 7 ___ d’Italia (cycling event) 8 Brio 9 Absorbent powder 10 Delivery assistant 11 First sign of the zodiac 12 Fries size 13 Berry scheduled to be in “John Wick 3” 21 Headliner 22 Bumbler 24 “Aloha Oe” instrument, for short 26 Shortening used in recipes?

27 Island of Hawaii 28 ___ Lodge (motel chain) 29 Cool and distant 30 “Arrested Development” actress Portia de ___

31 It takes dedication to write 35 Only Ivy League school called a college (not a university) 36 Jai ___ (fastpaced game) 37 “American Pie” actress Suvari 39 Kitten’s sound 42 Supporter of the 1%, say 44 “Family Guy” creator MacFarlane 45 “Scooby-Doo, Where ___ You?” 47 “32 Flavors” singer DiFranco 48 Work shift for some 49 Sell out, in a way 50 George Jetson’s son 51 Ski area 54 Head Stone?

55 “___ Brockovich” (Julia Roberts film) 56 Apiary feature 57 “Oh, OK” 59 Informed 60 “And others,” briefly 63 “Pretty sneaky, ___” (Connect Four ad line)

Copyright © 2018 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. 913 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 29

COLUMN · GAME ON!

Surviving The Online Apocalypse Surly gamer tips to save your money and your sanity

N Brandon Watson Pulse columnist

“

Never trust a meaningful experience. If you ever hear the words ‘meaningful experience’ in connection to a video game sales pitch or demo, be afraid.”

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

EWTON NORMAN MINOW referred to the television industry as a “wasteland” in a speech given at a broadcaster’s convention in 1961. If Newt could have seen the future I wonder if he would’ve amended his words to include the videogame industry, or maybe check into an insane asylum.

Lately the industry has become a heated quagmire of consumer outrage, lawsuit rumors, and social media hatred.

Game publishing behemoth Bethesda has been taking both barrels to the face with their latest post-apocalyptic travesty Fallout 76.

Now before anyone decides to aim a pocket nuke towards my house, I want to be very clear: I’m an O.G. Fallout fan. I own the original Fallout collection, and had deep conversations with Chris Avellone about Fallout New Vegas’ story development.

But I’ve seen the cracks since Bethesda took the mantle and it was very clear they were going to drive this beloved postapocalyptic RPG off a high cliff and bury the remains in an irradiated field.

I stand by my hate for Fallout 4 and, after watching all the bad features crammed into 76’s reveal it, was clear that Bethesda was out to grab us by the wallets with sexy sales pitches and gamer pillow talk. Post launch I laughed with righteous self-satisfaction as the gaming world melted down when all my assumptions proved true.

I only wish I’d warned the world sooner with my predictions, maybe I could’ve saved a few poor souls who dropped $200 on this broken game and cheap tote bag.

So, I’m going to share some salty gamer wisdom with three survival tips to save you some grief. Being so close to Christmas you’re going to need all the help you can in order to keep your sanity.

Be scared of big changes. When

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Bethesda dropped the no NPCs bomb, I quietly died inside. A franchise that teemed with memorable NPCs, and hinged on interesting storylines from its inception, felt sacrilegious. Even the most grindy of MMOs are filled with NPCs or some kind of narrative. Taking this away from any Fallout game just makes no sense. It’s like saying they are going to make a Halo title with no guns or aliens; it’s pure lunacy.

Never trust a meaningful experience. If you ever hear the words “meaningful experience” in connection to a video game sales pitch or demo, be afraid. What does that even mean and shouldn’t the experience depend on the players?

If you’ve ever played any game online you should know that any experience fluctuates from enjoyable to sour in .5 of a second after a load screen. Play any Call of Duty game online and you will see.

I’d appreciate if more publishers focused on the value of the end product rather than if I will have an existential awakening from it. You let me worry about it being a meaningful experience when I play it; you just make sure it’s playable in the first place.

Be suspicious of online-all-the-time.

I was burned by Diablo 3 upon release and it ultimately lost me as a customer forever. I’ll never spend my money on Blizzard products for as long as I live. The

big issues with online-all-the-time start day one of release with either their servers not working or horribly buggy content.

There is also a 99 percent chance online-all-the-time games will be trying to sell you additional crap. Real money auction houses, or in game currency exchanges being clear indicators that you’d probably get more fun from opening a vein than spend $18 on digital underwear.

Lately publishers have been so bold as to only sell half of a finished game with stringing out costly DLC over time. If I’m paying near $70 for a game, I want the entire game, the DLC should be optional.

Some say single player games are dead but Red Dead 2, God of War, Spider-man and an endless library of independent games have proved otherwise.

Fallout 76 is a great example of how a consumer base will not stand for a shoddy product from a trusted publisher.

Consumer trust is a finite commodity and one that has been constantly toyed with for years. Yet once it’s lost it’s a lonesome road to travel in order to get it back.

Hopefully Bethesda will recover from this fallout and fix the game that was promised to so many eager fans. Until then, I will keep my caps firmly in hand and enjoy the glow of the latest and greatest videogame dumpster fires.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 6, 2018 • THE PULSE • 31