The Pulse 16.51 » December 19, 2019

VOLUME 16, ISSUE 51 | DECEMBER 19, 2019

CITY LIFE · BETWEEN THE BRIDGES

Windows Into History BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher James Brewer, Sr.

EPB is celebrating eighty years of giving us the power to do more with a holiday tradition

General Manager Kira Headlee THE PULSE Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Jessie Gantt-Temple Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Art Director Kelly Lockhart Director Of Sales Mike Baskin mike@brewermediagroup.com Office 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Website chattanoogapulse.com Facebook @chattanoogapulse Founded 2003

by Zachary Cooper & Michael Kull 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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HEN THINKING OF CHATTANOOGA’S HISTORY, THERE ARE MANY COMPAnies that have been an integral part of making Chattanooga who we are, such as Krystal, Loveman’s, Double-Cola, MoonPie, and numerous others. However, we couldn’t have gotten close to where we are now without electric power, which is why EPB is also an important aspect of the city’s history.

By Addie Whitlow

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Pulse contributor

Constructing the Holiday Windows is essentially a labor of love from participants and volunteers.”

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If you’ve been downtown any time since November 27th, then you’ve likely seen EPB’s magical Holiday Windows display, featured in their office on West M.L.K. Boulevard. The theme for this year’s windows is also a bit of a celebration, marking 80 years of serving the Scenic City.

EPB’s official theme is “Celebrating 80 years of service in holiday fashion and giving our customers the power to do more”. Angela Love, Resource Planning Manager and Holiday Windows Project Lead, explained that EPB has been providing power to the city since 1939, which is why they decided to integrate their history into this year’s holiday windows.

“We more or less focused on our history, who we were back when we began and who we are now. If you observe the windows, you’ll notice on the Market Street side there is a rendition of the old EPB building and you’ve got some of the things or scenery that you would’ve seen back in that period,” Love explained.

“We have our storefront, and I think there’s a little paper boy that’s actually advertising the paper that came out January 31st of 1939, and it says ‘Hooray, it’s here,’ letting everyone know that electric power had come to the South.”

Not only has EPB been providing power to Chattanooga since 1939,

EDITOONS they’ve also been putting their oliday windows on display since 1941.

Love explained that one of the window scenes this year is actually a replica from the original windows in the early 1940s. This year, they hosted meet and greets with both Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Buddy the Elf when they unveiled their Holiday Windows on November 27th.

Constructing the Holiday Windows is essentially a labor of love from participants and volunteers, as the build itself takes about eight weeks which is why EPB begins work in early October.

However, the planning period actually begins around June which gives EPB time to start collaborating with schools and businesses in the community.

This year also marks five years of working with the STEM School of Chattanooga. Eighteen students participated in a fabrication lab, which allowed them to create some of the signature pieces in the windows like the manhole cover that depicts EPB’s original logo.

Tyner Future Ready Academy students donated a robot they constructed, and other community partners donated their time and resources, such as the Tennessee Aquarium who

helped inspire the idea of constructing a “Scuba Santa” at the Aquarium.

Other notable partners include the Chattanooga Girls Choir, Ringgold Powersports, The Chattanooga Public Library, Chattanooga State, Professional Sign Services, and The Window Tinting Company.

“Well, this is our annual, I guess, present to the community, and it was pretty cool for me this year to just kind of showcase some of the things that we’ve done for the year. You know, putting on the windows back in the early ‘40s, and we’re still doing that now, but also showcasing some of the things that we were offering in the early years of electricity,” Love said.

“And then today we’re doing solar power and we have our fiber optic service. We’re just so much more than an electric company. I’m just hoping that everyone who visits has a newfound appreciation for who we are and what we do in the community.”

The EPB Holiday Windows will be on display through the end of this year, and EPB invites you to visit their downtown office, at 10 West M.L.K. Blvd, to observe and celebrate EPB’s role in giving Chattanooga residents the power to do more since 1939.

Cons ider This w ith Dr. Rick “Yes, the pen is indeed heavy.

The hardest part is writing down those first few words. But once they started to flow, my thoughts took shape, and yes, relief began to wash over my aching spirit and quench the fires of rage.”

I love this quote because it can be applied to so many parts of life. This happens to be from a fellow writer, but it describes the angst in beginning anything that’s important to you…

Relationships. Work. Planning a

chore, a trip, an event. Even holiday shopping. The hardest part is breaking up the log jam. As a writer, I admit that I know this feeling all too well. But once it starts to flow, I experience something so powerful my typing fingers can barely keep up!

These words from philosopher Ram Dass can be a gentle, uplifting encouragement: “It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.”

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D. CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 3

with

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Gary, Beth & Eric

COLUMN · JUST A THEORY

Bits & Pieces From Time & Space Our science guy looks back on a decade of scientific strides

I Steven W. Disbrow Pulse columnist

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The eerie silence, the supremely weird darkness in the middle of the day, and the halo of the sun dancing around the moon made it an experience I’ll remember the rest of my life.”

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.

T’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IN JUST a few days, the “twenty-teens” will be over. The last ten years have gone by surprisingly fast and in that time, science and technology have made tremendous strides forward. I thought that for my last column of the decade, I’d take a look back at some of the biggest science stories from the last decade.

Gettin’ Higgy With It! In 2012, scientists working at the Large Hadron Collider announced that they finally found the Higgs Boson. The discovery of this long sought-after particle was the culmination of decades of work and filled in a troublesome hole in the standard model of particle physics.

The reason this discovery is so important is that the Higgs Boson comes from the Higgs Field, and that’s the field that give particles (and, by extension, everything in the universe), their mass. Basically, the mass of a thing is a measurement of its level of interaction with the Higgs Field.

More interactive means more mass.

Some things interact a lot and are therefore very massive, while some things, like photons of light, don’t interact at all and so are massless.

A New Kind of Astronomy In 2014, researchers at the BICEP Array in Antarctica claimed to have detected gravitational waves. These “waves” are actually ripples in the fabric of spacetime, and occur whenever massive objects do something spectacularly catastrophic like when two black holes collide. Einstein predicted them but they are so subtle and tiny, it was thought that they’d never be seen.

Unfortunately, the BICEP result turned out to be an error, and the whole enterprise was written off as too hard. But then in 2015, the folks at LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Ob-

servatory) announced they had detected the gravitational waves coming from two colliding black holes! Best of all, the result held up!

Since then LIGO and its companion observatories have found dozens of gravitational wave sources scattered across the sky. This amazing observatory has given us a completely new window on the universe and it generates new discoveries regularly.

Strange Visitors In October 2017, astronomers at the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii announced the discovery of something truly unique: The first interstellar object ever observed in our solar system! They named it Oumuamua, which is pronounced, “oh mooa mooa,” and is a Hawaiian word meaning “scout” or “messenger.”

At first, it was thought to be a comet but it didn’t have a tail like other comets, so it was re-classified as an asteroid. And then…some scientists suggested that it might be an alien probe! As of now, it’s speeding out of the solar system and we still don’t know exactly what it is. But one thing we did find out was that it wasn’t unique!

Earlier this year, astronomers spotted another interstellar object headed into our solar system. This one, with the less fanciful name “2I/Borisov,” is very clearly a comet with a lovely blue-hued coma and tail.

Astronomers figure there are a lot more of these objects passing through our solar system, and they’re excited to find more of them and learn whatever they can to teach us about other star systems.

The Great American Eclipse of 2017 This was a personal highlight for me.

I’d never seen a full solar eclipse before and the experience was truly spectacular.

The eerie silence, the supremely weird darkness in the middle of the day, and the halo of the sun dancing around the moon made it an experience I’ll remember the rest of my life.

America: The Rise of Ignorance Sadly, a running theme of the last decade was the rise of scientific ignorance among the American public. From Flat-Earthers to Anti-Vaxxers and Climate Change Deniers, the last decade has been a good one for fear-mongers, charlatans and those that would exploit the ignorant for personal gain.

While Flat-Earthers are just an incredible embarrassment and laughingstock, these other anti-science movements have a real cost. We’re seeing more and more outbreaks of measles and other preventable diseases due to the anti-vaccine movement.

More ominously, the Climate Change denial movement is costing us valuable time in the fight against what is, quite literally, an existential threat to the human species. Of course, the planet won’t care if we’re gone but I personally want to see the Marvel movies that are in the works for 2030. The end of civilization is sure to put a damper on my plans there.

Still, it’s been a fantastic decade for science overall! Here’s to the next 100 decades of science!

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 5

COVER STORY

All I Want For Christmas On the wishlist: red wine, a red bicycle, and a chance

By Cody Maxwell Pulse contributor

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When we were kids and this bicycle was in the store all shiny and new it called to us. A machine this slick had to go fast.”

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HAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RAVINE AND A ditch? The word ravine has a French flavor to it. If you say the word more than once you’ll start saying it differently with every breath. At first it’s just a ravine. Soon it becomes a “ra-VEEEN” and begins to sound artsy, maybe even beautiful.

Beautiful dead people are found in ravines. Drunk actors drive Porsches off into ivy-covered Hollywood ravines. Every now and then someone will stumble across a rusted pistol or tire iron said to be linked to the Black Dahlia or a member of Charlie Manson’s family or some other highdollar murder. James Dean and dead hippies lurk in shadowy ravines.

A ditch on the other hand, is about two feet deep and runs alongside a road.

Thoughts of a ditch conjure visions of plastic Chik-fil-A cups and broken glass.

Cracked plastic hubcaps and dead animals. Wildflowers and spit and remnants of those Repent Now! religious tracts that get left on the backs of men’s urinals.

The most beautiful thing in ditches are

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found just after a summer rain when oil leaking from junk cars is washed off the road and into little whirlpools. There it makes those swirling and heavenly rainbow colors that dance in after-rain light. If you smell centipedes and exhaust fumes, you’ll know you found this rainbow.

The red bicycle was found in a place that’s a cross between a ravine and this ditch. It was down a hill that went from a half-paved backroad to the railroad tracks. It was the dark side of town. People dump garbage off the side of this road.

A stench of dry possum hair, household garbage and cheap crime lingers around these places. Half-buried amongst the pine trees and garbage was the rusted red bicycle.

When we were kids and this bicycle was in the store all shiny and new it called to us. A machine this slick had to go fast. The tread on those tires would take you anywhere. The seat fit perfectly when you pulled the bicycle into the aisle and threw your leg over it.

This was the one. All those gears meant that the FUTURE was where you were going and you would get there quick.

You could really outrun your problems on that red bicycle. Children know the way out of here is simple. All you have to do is be good and stay hopeful. Santa Claus winks on your way out of the store and you knew it was just a matter of time And Santa Claus delivers. By spring you learned how to ride. Somebody jacked that bicycle seat up and gave you a good solid push. It was a now-ornever push that told you nobody gives a damn whether you ride or crash so you might as well ride. So off you went wobbling down the road with the wind in your hair and a smile forming in your eyes. The future was yours.

And here we are. The future is now and all you want is to hide from Kris Kringle and his sparkling minions. The televisions say that you’re supposed to be out spending money you don’t have.

You’re supposed to be stuffing your gut with pounds of food in restaurants with loved ones you don’t even like. When you start feeling sick you go home and lay down all warm inside with frost on the windows. This is the holy season.

This is how we worship unless you’re a godless Grinch.

When I realized Santa Claus was a con, I took that godless way out. I spent my Christmases in old smoke-filled billiards clubs listening to Warren Zevon and learning the real truth of things in all-night talks with some girl in an alley behind the bar.

I met a guy named Ken in those

places. He knew it was all a con too. That’s all we had in common but it was enough to make us friends. One year we spent the holidays in an old house in Highland Park with a bunch of other people who had nowhere to go.

We were all drunk. Somebody brought out a cheap guitar and we passed it around singing songs and laughing.

When I got the guitar somebody put a harmonica around my neck and I pretended I knew what I was doing. Ken just sat leaned back on the couch in silence. He never said much and nobody said much to him. That’s how he was.

Ken would get this look on his face sometimes. His eyes would look scared and his eyebrows all confused. Sometimes you’d look up and Ken was staring at you like that. He’d always look away. Other times he’d look scared and he didn’t know you were watching him. It was a frozen look like there was something that caused him shame and he was terrified someone would see it. Something he didn’t understand and feared at the same time. But when you tried to see what he was looking at, there was never anything there. A tree. A window with nothing but white sky and powerlines outside it. A girl nobody knew. Nothing. You’d catch Ken looking at a brick wall that way.

But he stayed with us and we were glad he was around. Ken said later that he had never been surrounded by as much talent as he was that night in Highland Park. I laughed. None of us were talented. We were just drunk. He still said it was the best Christmas he ever had.

The last time I talked to Ken, we talked about a story on drag queens I was working up. He invited me to come see the shows at Chuck’s Condom Shop where he was the bartender. We made our plans then I had to go. When I was nearly gone I looked back to wave and he was watching me leave with that look on his face. The story never went anywhere. I never went to Chuck’s and

“

I thought he had done what we all dream of. He just picked up whatever he could carry, took what money was in his pocket and left everything.” that was the last time I saw Ken. One day he just disappeared. Nobody knew where he was. I tried to look him up until Georgia detectives and the news channels got involved. Someone found him on a piece of surveillance tape with a beard and ball cap walking out of a gas station in Flintstone. The camera was looking down and caught that look on his face that I knew so well. Ken wore glasses in the video and his beard was long but it didn’t hide that look. Where he went after that nobody knew.

I followed the story of Ken disappearing for as long as it was out there. The story faded after a while. I thought he had done what we all dream of. He just picked up whatever he could carry, took what money was in his pocket and left everything. My old friend Ken, despite that strange look of fear on his face, had the bravery to do what the rest of us only dream of: scratch our losses and disappear. I smiled thinking about that clever bastard.

Months went by but I still wondered about him. Nobody can disappear all the way. I looked his name up one day and read on the Chattanoogan’s news

page: Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson announced that the human remains found Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area off Georgia Highway 193 in the High Point Community have been identified.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab has positively identified the remains as Kenneth S. Dues, 36, of Flintstone. Dental records were used to identify Mr. Dues.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner ruled the death a suicide by hanging.

He’d been out there for five months.

I felt the way anybody else would feel.

It’s Christmas again. Smoky barrooms lose their charm after a while.

Once you spend so many nights learning from women, you start to realize you’re hearing the same things over and over again. Life starts to feel like another con.

Time does weird things to us. I went walking down that backroad wondering why my old friends are all gone.

All I had anymore was myself and two bottles of red wine. But when I spotted

that red bicycle, I heard Warren Zevon again. He was singing about Boom Boom Mancini: “when Alexis Arguello gave Boom Boom a beating / seven weeks later he was back in the ring.”

I pulled the bicycle up the hill. Took it home. Turned on the radio and started on the wine.

What do you do?

Knock the mud off. Put some oil on the chain.

Nico, Lou Reed’s haunting Nordic girl, crashed such a bicycle on her way to buy dope. She died on the side of the road.

Put her on the radio and wrap an old shirt around the bicycle seat. Tighten up the spokes.

Let it be for Nico.

“Wishful Sinful” came on and Jim Morrison croons. Sex and death were the same thing to him. He put to song ”Le petit Morte,” as the French folk call it. The little death. Ken appeared when this song played, dressed up like a German beer garden girl, smiling but that look was in his eye.

Let it be for Ken. But the man whose birth we honor on Christmas said, “Let the dead bury the dead.”

Maybe you should find some poor kid to give it to.

Do something, for God’s sake.

Make the red bicycle new again for yourself if you’re all you have. Put on your shoes and coat. Tie that threedollar bottle of wine to the handlebars and pedal out through the cold in honor of that dreaming kid you used to be and all the other people you’re not anymore. Sometimes you have to leave yourself behind, too. But you have to keep going.

Where are you going?

Hopefully somewhere we belong.

Where’s your home?

Don’t know but we’re on our way, pedaling wine-drunk through the holiest season of the year with breath coming out of our mouths like clouds that go up to mingle with the stars.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 7

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Three Simple Words Come To Life Charleston Van Buren explains his concise creation

By Alex Volz Pulse contributor

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In a flash of inspiration, Van Buren painted the phrase on a cutting board and hung it on the kitchen wall. The trend spread like wildfire, and soon every home in Tuscany had one.”

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IVE. LAUGH. LOVE. THIS SIMPLE YET PROFOUND PHRASE speaks to the very core of what it means to be human. It is a personal mantra, a daily affirmation, and perhaps most importantly, a slogan used to adorn clothing and household products.

But where did this phrase originate?

And who was the linguistic alchemist responsible for its concoction? These questions will be answered December 21st at WanderLinger Brewery when renowned artist Charleston “Chip” Van Buren brings his unique art to Chattanooga for one night only.

“These words mean different things to different people,” Van Buren muses, “but in my opinion they are more than mere words…they are symbols used to represent our very thoughts and feelings.”

At a critical juncture in his life, Van Buren chose to eschew his privileged upbringing, abandoning his coursework at Savannah College of Art and Design.

“I craved an education that was deeper than books and classes could provide. I needed the world to educate me.”

This led him to apprentice under farmers, blacksmiths, and craftsmen throughout the Mediterranean region. “I remember quite vividly the experience of sheering sheep in Tuscany when my hand slipped, slicing an artery and mortally wounding a sheep named Ollie.”

Van Buren apologized profusely, but the shepherd laughed off his mistake and pointed out they’d now be having mutton for supper. “This is what it means to live, laugh and love,” Van Buren recalls the old shepherd telling him. “It is what Ollie would have wanted.”

In a flash of inspiration, Van Buren painted the phrase on a cutting board and hung it on the kitchen wall. The trend spread like wildfire, and soon every home in Tuscany had one. Satisfied with his artistic development, Van Buren

THU12.19

FRI12.20

SAT12.21

Miss America Watch Party

Billy Elliot: The Musical

Join us in supporting Miss Tennessee, Brianna Mason, in the Miss America 2020 Pageant 7 p.m.

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd. bessiesmithcc.org

A gem of musical theatre where you’ll see the power of determination and persistence triumph.

7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org

‘Nooga Nutcracker The Chattanooga Dance Theatre presents the holiday classic with a cast of local dancers and actors of all ages.

2:30 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. tivolichattanooga.com

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In 1933, Sagittarian artist Diego Rivera was commissioned to paint a huge mural in one of the famous Rockefeller buildings in New York City. His patrons didn’t realize he was planning to include a controversial portrait of former Soviet Communist leader Vladimir Lenin. When the deed was done, they ordered him to remove it.

When he refused, they ushered him out and destroyed the whole mural. As a result, Rivera also lost another commission to create art at the Chicago World’s Fair. In any other year, Sagittarius, I might encourage you to be as idealistic as Rivera. I’d invite you to place artistic integrity over financial considerations. But I’m less inclined to advise that in 2020. I think it may serve you to be unusually pragmatic. At least consider leaving Lenin out of your murals.

returned home in hopes of cashing in on his artistic creation. But alas, the artistic sensation was already sweeping America.

“I was appalled to see cutting boards with my phrase being sold in numerous national chains like Target and Ikea,” Van Buren lamented. “The craze had spread far beyond mere cutting boards…they’d cannibalized my idea for T-shirts, coffee mugs and all manner of tacky merchandise.”

Van Buren endured a period of depression and artistic disillusionment, seeking refuge in nature. It was this love for the outdoors that led him to Chattanooga. “As an avid reader of Outdoor Magazine, I was well aware of Chattanooga’s status as Best Town Ever,” he explained. “To win that honor once is outstanding, but twice? It’s unheard of.”

Van Buren credits his week in Chattanooga rekindling his desire to paint.

“Everything about this city is inspiring, from Northshore’s foggy mornings to Southside’s sizzling nights.” Van Buren was so inspired that he soon found himself with a brush in hand, painting one of the scenic city’s most iconic landmarks: The Walnut Street Bridge.

“All the years of bitterness and resentment began to melt away like a scoop of Clumpie’s Baked Apple Cider Sorbet during a hot August Road to Nightfall concert,” Van Buren recalls wistfully. He finished the painting by adorning it with three simple words: Live, Laugh, Love.

“I wasn’t even conscious of the fact that I’d painted those words again,” Van Buren recalls, “but maybe that was the moment in which I finally truly understood what it meant to live, laugh and love.”

His remaining days in Chattanooga were spent painting local hotspots like the Station Street, the Edwin Hotel, and the bustling sidewalks of the West Village. “I drew particular inspiration from the American impressionism at the Hunter,” Van Buren recalls. “Soon I began painting the very works of art themselves, and in so doing, coined my next slogan: Art Is Beautiful.” He hopes this phrase will one day become as ubiquitous as Live, Laugh, Love.

Van Buren plans to attend the event via video chat, but cautions that the Internet connection in his Tuscan villa is unreliable.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “People mistake their limitations for high standards,” wrote Capricorn author Jean Toomer. In my astrological opinion, it’s crucial that you avoid doing that in 2020.

Why? First, I’m quite sure that you will have considerable power to shed and transcend at least some of your limitations. For best results, you can’t afford to deceive yourself into thinking that those limitations are high standards. Secondly, Capricorn, you will have good reasons and a substantial ability to raise your standards higher than they’ve ever been. So you definitely don’t want to confuse high standards with limitations.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Historians once thought that 14thcentury Englishmen were the first humans to track the rhythms of the planet Jupiter using the complicated mathematics known as calculus. But in 2015, researchers discovered that Babylonians had done it 1400 years before the Englishmen. Why was Jupiter’s behavior so important to those ancient people? They were astrologers!

They believed the planet’s movements were correlated with practical events on earth, like the weather, river levels, and grain harvests.

I think that this correction in the origin story of tracking Jupiter’s rhythms will be a useful metaphor for you in 2020. It’s likely you will come to understand your past in ways that are different from what you’ve believed up until now. Your old tales will change.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): China produces the most apples in the world. The United States is second.

That wasn’t always true. When Europeans first reached the shores of the New World, crab apple was the only apple species that grew natively. But the invaders planted other varieties that they brought with them. They also imported the key to all future proliferation: honeybees, champion pollinators,

which were previously absent from the land that many indigenous people called Turtle Island.

I see 2020 as a time for you to accomplish the equivalent, in your own sphere, of getting the pollination you need. What are the fertilizing influences that will help you accomplish your goals?

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The English word “hubris” means prideful, exaggerated self-assurance. In the HBO TV series Rome, the ancient Roman politician and general Mark Antony says to his boss Julius Caesar, “I’m glad you’re so confident. Some would call it hubris.” Caesar has a snappy comeback: “It’s only hubris if I fail.” I’m tempted to dare you to use you that as one of your mottoes in 2020, Aries. I have a rather expansive vision of your capacity to accomplish great things during the coming months. And I also think that one key to your triumphs and breakthroughs will be your determination to cultivate a well-honed aplomb, even audacity.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): For years I’ve lived in a house bordering a wetland, and I’ve come to love that ecosystem more than any other. While communing with reeds and herons and muddy water, my favorite poet has been Taurus-born Lorine Niedecker, who wrote about marshes with supreme artistry. Until the age of 60, her poetic output was less than abundant because she had to earn a meager living by cleaning hospital floors. Then, due to a fortuitous shift in circumstances, she was able to leave that job and devote more time to what she loved most and did best. With Niedecker’s breakthrough as our inspiration, I propose that we do all we can, you and I, as we conspire to make 2020 the year you devote more time to the activity that you love most and do best.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the English language, the prefix “re” comes at the beginning of many words with potent transformational meaning: reinvent; redeem; rediscover; release; relieve; redesign; resurrect; rearrange; reconstruct; reform; reanimate; reawaken; regain. I hope you’ll put words like those at the top of your priority list in 2020. If you hope to take maximum advantage of the cosmic currents, it’ll be a year of revival, realignment, and restoration.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I won’t be surprised if you’re enamored and amorous more than usual in 2020. I suspect you will experience delight and enchantment at an elevated rate. The intensity and depth of the feelings that flow through you may break all your previous records. Is that going to be a problem? I suppose it could be if you worry that the profuse flows of tenderness and affection

will render you weak and vulnerable. But if you’re willing and eager to interpret your extra sensitivity as a superpower, that’s probably what it will be.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Does the word “spirit” mean anything to you? Or are you numb to it? Has it come to seem virtually meaningless—a foggy abstraction used carelessly by millions of people to express sentimental beliefs and avoid clear thinking? In accordance with astrological omens, I’ll ask you to create a sturdier and more vigorous definition of “spirit” for your practical use in 2020. For instance, you might decide that “spirit” refers to the life force that launches you out of bed each morning and motivates you to keep transforming yourself into the ever-more beautiful soul you want to become.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “There are people who take the heart out of you, and there are people who put it back,” wrote author Charles de Lint. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your heart will encounter far more of the former than the latter types of people in 2020. There may be one wrangler who tries to take the heart out of you, but there will be an array of nurturers who will strive to keep the heart in you—as well as boosters and builders who will add even more heart.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Composer Igor Stravinsky was born a Russian citizen, but later in life became a French citizen, and still later took on American citizenship.

If you have had any similar predilections, Libra, I’m guessing they won’t be in play during 2020. My prediction is that you will develop a more robust sense of where you belong than ever before. Any uncertainties you’d had about where your true power spot lies will dissipate. Questions you’ve harbored about the nature of home will be answered. With flair and satisfaction, you’ll resolve long-running riddles about home and community.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Friendship is a very taxing and arduous form of leisure activity,” wrote philosopher and educator Mortimer Adler. He was exaggerating a bit for comic effect, but he was basically correct. We all must mobilize a great deal of intelligence and hard work to initiate new friendships and maintain existing friendships. But I have some very good news about how these activities will play out for you in 2020, Scorpio. I expect that your knack for practicing the art of friendship will be at an all-time high. I also believe that your close alliances will be especially gratifying and useful for you. You’ll be well-rewarded for your skill and care at cultivating rapport.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

THURSDAY12.19 Restaurant: Impossible Filming Noon Blue Orleans 1463 Market St. (423) 757-0088 blueorleansdowntown.com A Night of Literacy 5:30 p.m.

The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. (423) 643-6770 theedney.com River Runners 6 p.m.

Basecamp Bar and Restaurant 346 Frazier Ave. (423) 803-5251 basecampcha.com NYE Champagne Cocktails 6 p.m.

The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Open Mic Poetry & More 6:30 p.m.

Stone Cup Café 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Mary Poppins 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Miss America Watch Party 7 p.m.

10 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-8658 bessiesmithcc.org The Amen Corner 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Frank Del Pizzo 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Beautiful: The Carole King Musical 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Billy Elliot: The Musical 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Alcoholics Not Anonymous Comedy Open Mic 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200 chattanoogabarley.com

FRIDAY12.20 Restaurant: Impossible Filming

Noon Blue Orleans 1463 Market St. (423) 757-0088 blueorleansdowntown.com Frank Del Pizzo 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

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

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Improv “Movie” Night: A Swapping Places Movie!

8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Mary Poppins 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com The Amen Corner 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.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

SATURDAY12.21 A Little Me Time: A Half-Day Workshop 9:30 a.m.

The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Chattanooga Holiday Market 10 a.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Winter Solstice Market 10 a.m.

The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Rooted In Color: Pop Up Gallery & Art Sale Noon RISE Chattanooga 401 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 402-0452 jazzanooga.org Pet Photos with Santa 1 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Ballet Tennessee Holiday Special 2 p.m.

Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Chattanooga Dance Theatre Presents: ‘Nooga Nutcracker 2:30 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Mary Poppins 2:30, 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com The Donnies Comedy Awards 7 p.m.

The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Frank Del Pizzo 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

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

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org 1-Star Reviews 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave.

(423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com The Amen Corner 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Whose Line Chattanooga 10 p.m.

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

SUNDAY12.22 Christmas At The Movies: Christmas Vacation 10:30 a.m.

Abba’s House 5208 Hixson Pike (423) 877-6462 abbashouse.com Chattanooga Holiday Market 11 a.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Mary Poppins 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com The Amen Corner 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534

theatrecentre.com Frank Del Pizzo 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Roast of Santa Comedy Show 8 p.m.

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

MONDAY12.23 Bobby Stone Film Series: Elf 2 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Winter Belly Dance Session 6 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd.

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

Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. (423) 702-9958 chattabrew.com Bobby Stone Film Series: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com

TUESDAY12.24 Chattanooga Self Improvement Meetup 8 a.m.

The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. (423) 643-6770 theedney.com Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker 4 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Sew What 4 p.m.

Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Paths to Pints 6:30 p.m.

The Tap House 3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 11

THE MUSIC SCENE

The Annual Celtic Christmas Show & Clothing Drive Mark your calendars for next Saturday, Dec. 28th, as the Honest Pint presents their Fifth Annual Celtic Christmas Show and Clothing Drive for the Community Kitchen.

Featuring performances by the Wolf Hounds, Tri-Selkie, The Molly Maguires, and guest appearances by some of your favorite musicians and artists from all walks of life, the event is one more opportunity to share the love and light of the season with friends and family while extending that same spirit to Chattanooga’s often overlooked less fortunate.

There is no cover charge, but attendees are asked to bring whatever articles of clothing (particularly coats and blankets but anything is acceptable) to the event where they will be personally collected by a well-known and beloved community figure then distributed directly to those whose need is especially great this time of year.

If you don’t have any used clothing to donate, gifts of new socks, toiletries and other sundry items are gratefully accepted. Please remember, everything you donate will go directly to the homeless. — MTM

Authenticity Can Be Found On Mitchell Ave. Kay B. Brown evinces realness on record

T

HERE IS, UNSURPRISINGLY, A COMMON ELEMENT BETWEEN A LOT OF ROCK music and hip-hop. It’s something I reflect on more and more as I get older and think back on the impression certain bands made on me as a teenager. That common bond is a sort of adolescent male fantasy fulfillment expressed mainly through braggadocio, posturing and, for lack of a better term, self-promoting trash talk.

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

“

Kay B. Brown does not wear a mask on stage that he takes off and hangs by the door when he goes home at night.”

I genuinely laugh out loud now to think of the omnipresent scrawny, 120-pound boys in spandex with a head full of hair spray who screamed and snarled about their sexual prowess and dangerous nature in the eighties.

Hip-hop, too, was (and is) rife with angry young men rapping about being hardened by the toughness of street life, who actually grew up in nice, middle-class suburban neighborhoods.

It would be easy to cry “fake” and “poseur”, but the music business is performance art after all, and there’s nothing too shocking about the notion that many of those acts

are, well, an act. That is a common occurrence, but it isn’t a rule, and there are plenty of notable exceptions.

Lemmy Kilmeister legitimately seemed like a man you wouldn’t want to run afoul of, and a great deal of the hardest, grittiest rap was created by people who really did grow up in the mean streets under circumstances their suburban counterparts couldn’t fathom, much less survive.

As a musician and a person who writes about other musicians, I respect talent. I respect a good act.

There is another layer of respect though, a much deeper one that is

THU12.19

FRI12.20

SAT12.21

Muscadine Bloodline

Xmas Jingle Jam

There’s a new force making major waves in country music and they are bringing their Alabama sound to town.

8:30 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com

Christmas ain't all Michale Buble and Nat King Gole. Come out for a headbanging night of holiday celebration.

9 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 265-8711

Chattanooga All Star Jam

12 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

A holiday gathering of some of the city's best musicians take the stage for one serious party.

9 p.m.

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

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

reserved for authenticity, for the artists whose acts aren’t merely acts but are instead reflections of their real world experiences. That is one of many reasons that I am continually impressed with one of the very best hip-hop performers in the city, the region, and the southeast.

Kay B. Brown does not wear a mask on stage that he takes off and hangs by the door when he goes home at night. Every word, every nuance, every expression of pain, anger, hope, and love, is drawn directly from his life. He isn’t just a performer, although he has worked hard to refine his skills as a performer to a razor’s edge. He is as much a poet, philosopher, writer, and creative intellectual as he is anything else and his music speaks with a voice that cannot be faked.

Every track on his latest release, the long-awaited Mitchell Ave (Story 2 Tell II), is alive with the passion of a man who knows himself, his world, and has a lot of unfiltered truth to share. Tracks like “Let’s Talk About

It”, “Dope”, and “Testimony” pull no punches regarding the good, the bad, and the ugly of urban life. There is righteous anger, but not bitterness.

Unvarnished realism, but not hopelessness.

In fact, if there is one thing most especially that Brown has captured that so many others fail to do. It is a message of positivity and affirmation, a message of “This is the way things are, but not the way they have to be”.

Like a wise older brother, he comes from a place of love, but tough love and no-nonsense. The album, several years in the making, evinces all the wisdom and careful crafting of an artist who genuinely has something to say, something that everyone needs to hear.

Mitchell Ave (Story 2 Tell II) is hands down one of the most important, socially conscious, nakedly honest albums I have ever heard, of any genre. It is a masterpiece that further cements the reality that in the world of artists, Kay B is one of the best of us.

“Alphabet Run”—the quick part of the song.

ACROSS 1 Tres ___ cake 7 Dangerous reptiles 11 Indicted Giuliani associate Parnas 14 Breathe out 15 Monument Valley state 16 Windows file extension 17 100% correct 18 It may be an acquired taste 20 Comment about a loud blockbuster after thinking it was a Chaplin movie?

22 “___ Tu” (1974 hit song) 23 Shoe bottom 24 “Nailed It!” host Nicole 26 Mountain suffix 27 Permit 29 “Beefy” Trogdor feature 31 Academic URL ender 32 Fake device 34 “Where did

___ leave off?”

36 Phrase you won’t hear from me or other solvers?

39 Winding 41 Den-izens?

42 Planned Airbnb event in 2020 43 Throw in 46 “A Dream Within a Dream” writer 47 “Charlie’s Angels” director, 2000 50 “That ___ funny” 52 Island with Pearl Harbor 54 Country singer McCann 55 Like the most lenient newspaper ever?

59 Word before band or papers 60 2001 A.L. MVP Suzuki 61 Pint at a pub 62 Service rank 63 Home-___ (local athlete) 64 “That’s it”

65 Steering wheel adjunct 66 Finely decorated DOWN 1 Apartment renter 2 Become invalid 3 Irascibility 4 Has no love for 5 Tesla CEO Musk 6 Airmailed 7 Pub quiz round format, maybe 8 “A Streetcar Named Desire” shout 9 Four-time Masters champion 10 It’s between the knee and the ankle 11 2020, for one 12 Goes beyond 13 “Oy ___!”

19 Summer cookout leftover 21 Aperture setting on a camera 25 9-to-5 grind 27 “Threepenny Opera” star Lotte 28 “Baudolino” author Umberto

30 Creator of Piglet and Pooh 32 Driver’s license agcy.

33 “The King and I” star Brynner 35 “___ Miserables” 36 Hematite and pyrite 37 Close, as a jacket 38 Exhibit site 39 10% of MXX 40 High-end 44 Two-ended tile 45 De Niro’s wife in “Meet the Parents” 47 Smallest possible quantities 48 Bordeaux red wine 49 Aplenty 51 “American Chopper” network 53 Hulkamania figure 54 “Mean Girls” actress Lindsay 56 “Trouble’s in store” 57 “Mambo King” Puente 58 “Happy Birthday” writer 59 Indy 500 month

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. 967 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 13

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR THURSDAY12.19 Danimal & Friends 6 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com David Anthony & Paul Stone 6 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Slo Tyme 7 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Uptown Big Band 7 p.m.

The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy. facebook.com/TheHonestPint Toby Hewitt 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Naomi Ingram 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Christmas for Kids with Wynonna & The Big Noise 8 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. tivolichattanooga.com Mother Legacy 8 p.m.

Trish’s Sports Bar 4762 Highway 58 (423) 269-8400 Muscadine Bloodline 8:30 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com 7th Annual Colortest Holidaze 9 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Open Mic Night with Jonathan Wimpee 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Tyler Martelli B-Day Bash

14 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Oweda 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com CBDB with Masseuse 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirds.rocks

FRIDAY12.20 Stephen Busie Trio 6 p.m.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que 205 Manufacturers Rd. edleysbbq.com Chris Knight: Full Band CD Release Show 6 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirds.rocks Courtney Holder 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Behold The Brave 7 p.m.

Oddstory Brewing Company 336 E. MLK Blvd. oddstorybrewing.co Preston Ruffing 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Winter Vibes with Swayyvo, Courtney Reid, Jessica Hitte

7:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Jason Lyles Holiday Extravaganza 7:30 p.m.

Virgola Wine Bar 608 Georgia Ave. chattanoogawinebar.com Aunt Betty & Van Hagar 8 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Pony Bradshaw, Sarah Lee Langford 8 p.m.

The Bicycle Bar 45 E. Main St. (423) 475-6569 Matt Downer 8:30 p.m.

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

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com How Oweda Stole Christmas 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Citico, Trembles, Charles Alison, Ryder Pierce 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia

231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Xmas Jingle Jam 9 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 265-8711 David Ingle & Friends 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Brandon Maddox 9 p.m.

Mayo's Bar and Grill 3820 Brainerd Rd. mayosbarandgrill.com The Breakfast Club 80’s Christmas Party 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirds.rocks Roger Alan Wade 10 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Canvas, Spinchilla, Happycamper, Werd 10 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Marty Manus 10 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Gino Fanelli’s Jalopy Brothers

7 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org

MONDAY12.23

SevenStones 10 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com

SATURDAY12.21 Danimal 10:30 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com The Pajama Jam 5:30 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Sounds of Melange 6 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Jesse Jungkurth 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Glass Caps, Stellar’s Jay 7 p.m.

Gate 11 Distillery 1400 Market St. gate11distillery.com Jimmy Hall and The DifferenTs 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirds.rocks Steve Busie 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar

801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Danimal’s Ugly Sweater Event 8 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Paul Smith & Sky High Band 8 p.m.

Eagles Club 6128 Airways Blvd. foe.com Aunt Betty & Van Hagar 8 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Jason Lyles 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com UP the Dose Live Christmas Party 9 p.m.

Trish’s Sports Bar 4762 Highway 58 (423) 269-8400 Sexy Beast 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Chattanooga All Star Jam 9 p.m.

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

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com SevenStones with The Lix and Subkonscious 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirds.rocks Austin Zackary Band 10 p.m.

Sky Zoo 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 521-2966

SUNDAY12.22 Kathy Veazey & John Rawlston 11 a.m.

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

Westin Chattanooga 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com My Name Is Preston Noon Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com Anna Stine 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Robin Grant & The Standard Jazz Christmas

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. songbirds.rocks Jim Brickman: A Christmas Celebration 8 p.m.

Walker Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. tivolichattanooga.com

TUESDAY12.24 Tyler Martelli & Maria Jordania 5 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Danimal 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Tre Powell 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Open Mic Night with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com

WEDNESDAY12.25 WAR ON XMAS 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • THE PULSE • 15

ERNIE PAIK’S RECORD REVIEWS trampling leaves its strange footprints in a stranger wilderness.

C COIMS The Realisation That Someone Has Been Stood Behind You Your Entire Life (Eh?)

T

he new album from COIMS, released on cassette on the Public Eyesore imprint Eh?, is the sound of getting lost in time and space and not feeling particularly concerned.

The Bristol, U.K. duo has used the words “eco” and “primitive” to describe its perplexing, abstract, and fascinating pieces that take an odd pleasure in wandering and meandering, coaxing or prodding vibrations from various sources, melding the organic with the electronic, and making striking sounds using nontraditional percussion.

At times, the album features an eeriness, with sparse metal clangs and string-like drones, where other moments inspire comparisons to animalistic noises; a tuba-like squeak suggests the sound of a rambling elephant, while a low squawk could be the unsettling cry of some lumbering dinosaur wandering a green, leafy jungle looking for a place to lie down and die.

Percussion rolls vary from

16 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Soloriens Native Unity Quartet featuring Marshall Allen Aerials and Antennas (Feeding Tube/Ornesco) a slow dirge to tense, swift taps while shattering cymbals and scrap metal clinks offer an anxious element; as synthetic notes are introduced, the aforementioned dinosaur roars and tears its flesh, revealing the electronic components hidden underneath.

On the cassette’s second side, solely comprised of a single track entitled “Over the weather and under the hill”, a weird electronic note solo acts as a salvo followed by rapid tone pulses, as if suggesting complex calculations being furiously made in some science fiction universe. Then emerges a melody that could be a song to summon aliens, and odd singing samples are used in some indistinct, arcane language.

A tick-tock tension is generated with pitter-patters and tremolo tones while low, rapid spatters act like a burst of firecrackers to spark excitement. Oddly, for a short amount of time, a sense of rhythmic order and not chaos builds energy and suspense, and the aural

ontemplating the vast expanse of the universe can make a person feel small and insignificant but from another perspective, it can fill a person with imagination and a desire to explore with a curiosity regarding the unknown and a courage to overcome fear.

Along these lines, this writer was dismayed by a recent conversation where a colleague explained that he felt no motivation to step foot outside the U.S.A., explaining that there was already plenty to see in this country.

This critic would like to compare this line of thinking to limiting one’s movie-watching to just one genre—say, action films.

Sure, there may be enough quality action films for a lifetime of viewing, but wouldn’t life be more interesting with a comedy or suspense film or documentary once in a while?

All of these things came to mind when listening to the new, live album Aerials and Antennas from Soloriens Native Unity Quartet (released on vinyl), where the key theme—spoken and unspoken—is going beyond.

Beyond life, beyond death, beyond the planet.

Band leader and saxophonist James Harrar recites words by Sun Ra and himself at the album’s opening, setting a tone of embracing the unknown with lines like, “Come with us to other worlds / You have nothing

else to lose.”

The most famous member of the quartet is reedist Marshall Allen, the current leader of Sun Ra Arkestra, who at the age of 92 (at the time of the performance in Nashville, in 2016) sounds unfettered with regards to creativity and energy levels. ‑Joined by the rhythm section of percussionist Kenito Murray and bassist Maxwell Boecker, the group wastes no time in traveling to a strange place on side A; with the band’s free-jazz expeditions, the idea is not to leave a hummable tune in the listener’s head but to make an impression regarding the complicated mood and feeling.

While the first side is spirited and complex, sometimes featuring EVI (electronic valve instrument) synth-like sounds from Allen and Harrar, the second side is even better with frequently shifting moods and diverse sound palettes.

Murray’s deliberate and liberated percussion, with jingle bells and assorted rattling, form a bed for echoing, bluesy sax swatches before moving toward an expansive spiritual jazz vibe, with eastern flavors and scales from Harrar’s electronic koto and Allen’s flute.

Harrar’s wordless, floating vocalizations give way to more wild, raucous territory, anchored by Murray’s driving beat, leading to spacious resolutions, an intense sax climax, and a speedy rhythm section vamp, with the proper momentum to launch the listener into other realms.

The Frankfurt Pour Over Coffee Maker from Grosche is a beautiful brewer with wooden accents. With stylish looks and premium quality components it will look great and work well in any kitchen. Easily make perfect barista-quality coffee at home within minutes. $99.99 · grosche.ca

Holiday

Shopping Guide

A must have for the amateur or professional wine connoisseur: pour your wine into the Savino Glass Wine Preserver and it will keep your wine fresh for up to a week.

Patented technology eliminates the need for the pumps, gasses and corks. Automatically seals and unseals your wine so every glass is fresh and delicious. $49.95 · savinowine.com

Silky soft, breathable, temperature-regulating comfort comes from the right bed sheets. These bedVoyage Bamboo Sheets offer exceptional softness with a smooth, silky feel that makes getting into bed at night a true luxury. The fabric’s excellent moisturewicking abilities make them perfect for people with sensitive skin. $114.99 · bedvoyage.com

The Northern Brewer Brew Share Enjoy Homebrew Starter Kit gives a first-time brewer all of the key tools to ferment their dream beer.

There’s even a solid amber ale recipe for beginners. From there, the kit can brew up traditional beers (Reinheitsgebot!) or create trendier variations. $109.98 · northernbrewer.com Tandem Skydiving Gift Certificates from Chattanooga Skydiving Company will no question be the best gift you ever give! Tandem Jumps from $169 to $299 or multi jump learn to skydive packages from $1,199 to $2,530. Good for two years instantly printable from your email inbox. Great for people you like or don’t like, also the best re-gift ever! ChattanoogaSkydivingCompany.com THE PULSE • HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • 17

Ever wonder what your dog does all day? Or are you worried your furbaby is bored at home alone? The Furbo Dog Camera is a smart dog camera with a connected app that lets you see, talk, and even toss treats to your dog when you’re away. Be together with your furry loved ones, no matter how far you go! $169 · furbo.com

Complete all computing tasks with this HP Chromebook. The 14-inch anti-glare HD display delivers crisp and detailed images, while the B&O sound system produces powerful sound for an all-around multimedia experience. A perfect on-the-go laptop that fits just about any budget. $179 · bestbuy.com

The size of a rolled-up T-shirt, the Outlier Grid Linen Towel could save an adventurous traveler the discomfort of using mildewed or threadbare towels at their lodgings. It can even serve as a blanket on trains and redeye flights. $65 · outlier.nyc

The original digital pet you loved back in 1997 is back with a colorful mermaid shell! With the original Tamagotchi programming, you feed it, clean up after it, take care of it and even discipline it if it’s bothering you when it doesn’t need you.

Relive the ‘90s all over again! $49.99 · walmart.com The GlowBowl will transform ANY toilet into a nightlight. No more missing your target or stumbling around in the dark in your bathroom—The GlowBowl is motion activated, light-sensitive and solves all these night time bathroom problems. With the touch of a button, you get your choice of seven different colors in one device: blue, purple, aqua, yellow, red, white or green. $18.99 · glowbowl.com

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Super-soft and full of festive cheer, this colorful Holly Scarf is one you’ll look forward to bundling up in all season long.

A full 75.5 inches long and 17.75 inches wide and made of 100% acrylic to keep it itch-free. $58 · anthropologie.com

Once the weather starts to get a bit chilly and you pull the Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Vest out of your closet, you probably won’t put it away again until spring comes back around. $99 · backcountry.com

For someone who plays Go, Blokus, or even chess, Cathedral will be a welcome addition to their game collection. Block by block, two players vie for control of a small board using hardwood pieces that feel substantial and look great on display. $40 · amazon.com

And because no gift guide would be complete without something from the future, now you can maintain your grass with the touch of a button with the Automower 310. This robotic lawnmower is your fully automated, robotic battery solution that cuts grass day or night, rain or shine. $1,599.99 · husqvarna.com

TikiTunes is an award winning, one-of-a-kind, indoor/outdoor Bluetooth speaker that looks like a tiki torch, but cooler! It’s made from the highest quality materials, packs an impressive sound and is a great conversation piece that’s sure to have your friends say, “Wow! Where did you get that?!” $39.99 · gettikitunes.io

Warm, stretchy mitts with the added benefit of full touchscreen functionality, the Black Diamond HeavyWeight ScreenTap gloves started with a warm and stretchy Polartec Power Stretch fleece shell, then covered the entire palm with U|R Powered material to allow for gloveson touchscreen use. $44.95 · blackdiamondequipment.com

THE PULSE • HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • 19

FILM & TELEVISION

Nature On The Big Screen Lookout Wild Film Festival continues to amaze

By John DeVore

“

Pulse Film Editor

Every year, the LWFF brings films that highlight the wild parts of the world, places not seen and experiences not had by most.”

I

F SOMEONE HAD ASKED ME WHEN I FIRST STARTED AT THE Pulse if Chattanooga would ever have a long running film festival, I would have firmly expressed my doubts. The first few years of covering film in the area was nothing short of a desert. But around seven years ago, something changed.

Not only were there murmurings of a new film festival by pioneer Chris Dortch, but suddenly there was an additional festival, one with a specific focus in mind.

The Lookout Wild Film Festival is technically the longest running festival in Chattanooga, as it started a few months before the CFF, and it’s been no less successful.

Every year, the LWFF brings films that highlight the wild parts of the world, places not seen and experiences not had by most.

What it contains are beautiful celebrations of the outdoors, from everywhere in

20 • THE PULSE • DECEMBER 19, 2019 • HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

the world, appealing to anyone that cares about nature.

This year is no different. Passes are now available for the LWFF, scheduled for January 16-19 at the Tivoli. Here are just some of the selections for this year:

Brotherhood of Skiing, USA The National Brotherhood of Skiers is an “organization dedicated to creating a welcoming place for people of color” on the ski slopes of the United States.

It’s no secret that certain sports have had a history of being inaccessible for

minorities in the U.S. These sports are generally the ones that are favored by upper classes—money is the great separator.

However, the NBS has been working to change that since its formation “during the height of the black power” movement. This film tells a story of inclusion, of change, and a representation in American snow sports.

Gone Tomorrow, USA The idea of ice climbing in the south is absurd on its face. While we’ve all driven across mountains on the interstate during the winter and seen some spectacular ice falls, we’ve likely never thought of climbing them.

Why would we? Winter is fleeting here. But, of course, there are crazy people everywhere. This film features some of them as they seek out new routes up a mountain that will vanish in a matter of hours.

Nigerians Fight to Protect the World’s Most Trafficked Mammal, Nigeria There’s nothing familiar about a pangolin. They are dinosaur mammals, completely foreign and strange, which leads to a complicated problem. Their strangeness makes them one of the most trafficked mammals in the world.

“

You never know exactly what you’ll see at the Lookout Wild Film Festival, but it’s more than worth the price of admission.”

Even with four different species, the pangolin population has dwindled in the wild. This short film introduces audiences to a few Nigerians who hope to protect them,

The Bee Rescuer, India When I was in fourth grade, I signed up for a bee keeping class at 4H. While I was determined to overcome my fear of bees, I was unable to overcome my poor sense of direction and couldn’t find where the class was being held.

Hopefully, The Bee Rescuer can fill in some of the gaps I missed.

The film is about an Indian man fighting to save bees in urban India, something that the world desperately needs given their important role as pollinators.

Wild Toddler Chronicles: Legacy, USA One of the best pieces of advice I ever got as a parent was that children don’t have to change

your lifestyle. As a parent, you can bring the children into your world rather than changing it to fit theirs.

Showing children your passions will foster relationships and open the child’s eyes to new experiences. This film shows how this might be done as a couple attempts to recreate their past adventures with a new family member.

Of course, these are just some of the films being featured at the festival. For a full schedule (and to purchase tickets), visit lookoutwildfilmfestival.org.

There are currently twenty-eight selections for the festival but more are being added every day. Rumor has it “Night Runners”, a short documentary film by Chattanooga State professor Chris Willis, has been selected as well.

You never know exactly what you’ll see at the Lookout Wild Film Festival, but it’s more than worth the price of admission. Chattanooga needs events like this. The more we have, the better we’ll be.

Support local film.

✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga. Chances are you just may have heard a little bit about this movie.

Director: J.J. Abrams Stars: Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell

Cats A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. But hey, singing cats.

Director: Tom Hooper Stars: Taylor Swift, Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Judi Dench

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COLUMN · ON THE BEAT

Not A Creature Was Stirring A simple Christmas morning with Officer Alex

T Alex Teach

Pulse columnist

“

The sound of my feet gently shifting in the gravel was my only company and I lifted the edge of a cheap coffee mug to mirthless lips. It was quiet and it was not raining, so it was a good morning.”

When officer Alexander D. Teach is not patrolling our fair city on the heels of the criminal element, he spends his spare time volunteering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center.

HE SUN CREPT UP OVER A BARren ridge line, an emotionless landscape dotted with leafless trees and the occasional abandoned house. Derelict cars obscured by the foliage of summer now lay exposed and a fine mist gave it the appearance of the graveyard that it probably really was until the sun was high enough to burn it off.

It was a ritual I'd seen a hundred times before. This one only being different because of a notation on the calendar.

It was Christmas morning in East Chattanooga.

I was posted up outside my Crown Vic, leaning back against my favorite spot in front of the drivers side-view mirror where the height of the fender reached that perfect apex where my ass could rest against it while at the same time not allow the gun belt accouterments to scratch up the paint any further.

The center of the industrial park I was in the had been long-since abandoned and was a favorite spot of mine because the fence allowed only one way in and out for me to keep track of, and it was far enough off the beaten path that even pimps and thieves found it too inconvenient to conduct business.

The sound of my feet gently shifting in the gravel was my only company and I lifted the edge of a cheap coffee mug to mirthless lips. It was quiet and it was not raining, so it was a good morning.

I reached down with my free hand to switch my radio on and off, then went down a channel and back up one on the knob next to it to both hear the familiar chirp of it powering up and the follow up tactile response of knowing I'm on the right channel.

Like anyone on the job more than a

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few years I didn't even realize I was doing this. An autonomic response to making sure you were spared the embarrassment of being on the wrong channel or having your radio off (attributing it otherwise to being "really, REALLY quiet, isn't it?"), not that I really wanted the radio to come to life at the moment.

I liked mornings like these for the same reason I liked the job itself; they allowed me to do what I wanted, or rather as much or as little as I wanted, and being here in silence without a cell phone in my hand or a computer at my fingertips was just that. A celebration of silence on this most marketable holiday.

I was trying to smile but I glanced downward and to my left and my thoughts inevitably led to those who couldn't be here to share it with, as was the custom. The man (and mentor) who showed me this spot was dead four years now, by his own hand. The space he left was as yet unfilled with anything other than the fear of inevitability which we have to stave off at times of mortal reflection like these very moments.

Others that had shared this lot on hol-

iday mornings had left by more practical means (transfers, terminations and wise career changes) and there were numerous replacements for them also on shift, yet now it felt best to be here alone to soak in the peace of the sunrise before the inevitable breakdowns of family dynamics that would require my attention.

And if there's one thing I love more than spending Christmas morning away from my kids, it's having to respond to those who take these mornings, and these moments, for granted.

I toyed with the idea of breaking out a Black & Mild and nearly had the chance to do so when the voice of an equally landlocked dispatcher came over the air with a call for service. I took in one last deep breath before keying up the shoulder mic.

I wasn't ungrateful, mind you. I just didn't like being there. But like all other aspects of this job, if not me, another would have to be doing it in my place.

So once again, I found a reason to make it all worthwhile.

It was, after all, Christmas morning.

For a cop.

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