The Pulse 10.52 » December 26, 2013

Dec 26-Jan 1

Vol. 10 • No. 52

A Night in the Day of a female impersonator

by Samantha leblonc

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

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EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Mike McJunkin Contributing Editor Janis Hashe Art Director Gary Poole Contributors Rob Brezsny • John DeVore • Mike Dobbs Janis Hashe • Lauren Haynes Matt Jones • Mike McJunkin Ernie Paik • Gary Poole Darvin Roberts • Alex Teach Editorial Intern Keith King Cartoonists & Illustrators Tom Tomorrow Photographers Josh Lang • David Andrews Founded 2003 by Zachary Cooper & Michael Kull

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Offices 1305 Carter St., Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Website chattanoogapulse.com Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Calendar calendar@chattanoogapulse.com 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. We’re watching. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors. © 2013 Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher & President Jim Brewer II

Contents

Cover Story

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2013

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26

S S e K' s IC ION Pul . R UT he DR OL in T S ek RE We

DECEMBER

6 LA CAGE AUX CHATT

By Darvin Roberts/Samantha Leblonc with photos by David Andrews Performing has been in my blood since I was a small child. Making my mother smile by putting on a dress and singing a Diana Ross song was as normal to me as climbing a tree was to my brother. Back then, I didn’t know this was strange, or even judged as bad by some.

Feature Stories

Everything Else

8 ONES YOU SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

By Ernie Paik Ernie shuffles through a year's worth of new, re-released, and archival releases of music from around the world to find the cream of the musical crop... the 20 best CD's you should add to your collection.

12 HISTORY IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE

By Lauren Haynes What do rock & roll, baseball, and civil rights have in common? Today’s answer is going to be Dr. Ernest C. Withers, the man behind some of the best-known photographs of each.

4 5 10 14 19 20 20 22

THE BOWL THE LIST MUSIC CALENDAR ARTS CALENDAR SPIRITS WITHIN FREE WILL ASTROLOGY JONESIN' CROSSWORD ON THE BEAT

16 PULSE PICKS FOR THE BIG SCREEN’S BEST

By John DeVore This has been an excellent year for film, assuming the discerning filmgoer stays away from typical multiplex fare. As in many previous years, comic book films and epic spectacles dominated box-office sales.

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 3

BOWL

THE

chattanooga’s weekly alternative NEWS • COMMENTARY • BULLETINS & PUSH NOTIFICATIONS AT DIAL-UP SPEED facebook/chattanoogapulsE • TWITTER @CHATTAPULSE EMAIL LOVE LETTERS, ADVICE & TRASH TALK TO INFO@CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

New Year’s reading

“How It Feels To Be Free” A new book coming out Jan. 2 might be ideal warm-up reading for the new Hunter Museum exhibit opening in February, “African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond.”

“How It Feels to Be Free: Black Women Entertainers and the Civil Rights Movement” by Ruth Feldstein explores the impact of six female entertainers in the ’50s-’70s: Lena Horne, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Abbey Lincoln, Diahann Carroll and Cicely Tyson.

Each woman contributed significantly, yet each did it in a unique way and with a different voice. Feldstein does an excel-

lent job of illuminating the significance of their often-overlooked participation in a crucial time in history.

Oxford University Press, $29.95 — Staff Chattanooga Film Festival

Searchlights in April Local film buffs and filmmakers perked up when it was announced officially that the 2014 Chattanooga Film Festival would happen April 3-6. As the city’s film community continues to evolve and mature, the dream of a festival attracting national and international quality films and talent is getting more support, including from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Hunter Museum and Carmike Cinemas.

The driving force behind Mise En Scenesters, Chris Dortch, has been named festival director, along with Mara Tasker as director of programming and Grey Watson as chairman.

But you don’t have to just sit back and wait for the lights to dim ahead of the first screening. A call for entries will go out in January (along with a new website), and the festival info has already indicated that local films will be a major component in this year’s event. Got a story that’s just perfect for film? This could be your big chance. Stay tuned for more information.

— Staff County Recycles Trees

Mulch for New Year As the Hamilton County Mayor’s Office reminds us, don’t throw away your formerly live Christmas tree after the holidays, because it can be put to excellent use. “Trees dropped off will be used by the Tennessee Department of Wildlife and Forestry Division and the Hamilton County Highway Department,” reads the memo.

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“The Highway Department chips the trees into mulch for walking trails, landscaping and landfill ground cover.” The county will accept Christmas trees at all five Hamilton County Recycling Centers through the month of January. Each center will have a designated space located outside the gate for dropping off trees.

Need mulch for your own yard? Here’s your chance, as Hamilton County residents are welcome to pick up mulch from the chip yard located at the Highway Department on Standifer Gap—for free.

County locations include: • Middle Valley Recycling Center 1900 Crabtree Rd., Hixson.

(423) 843-9317 Monday & Wednesday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Standifer Gap Recycling Center 7625 Standifer Gap Rd. (423) 855-6125 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Sequoyah Recycling Center 9525 Lovell Rd., Soddy-Daisy.

(423) 842-2391 Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Highway 58 Recycling Center 5414 Highway 58.

(423) 326-0992 Monday & Wednesday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Red Bank Recycling Center 4851-B Dayton Blvd.

(423) 876-2010 Tuesday & Thursday. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

— Staff

LIST

THE

pulse » PICKS

• A curated weekly selection of picks from the Chattanooga Live and Arts & Entertainment calendars by Pulse staffers.

ArtFRONT Presents Jim Avett Traditional country musician Jim Avett put his family first and spent 35 years building bridges in order to provide for them. This paid off in many ways, not the least of which is the influence he had on his two sons, Scott and Seth, better known as The Avett Brothers.

As a reward for a life well lived, in his retirement Jim has focused on his early love of playing guitar, singing and writing songs, an unbroken thread throughout his life. Jim Avett’s first paying gig was playing Beethoven and Bach on violin on a live radio show. The son of a Methodist minister and a classical pianist, Jim grew up in a home full of love and music.

Jim’s guitar was ever present and there was always singing.

After retiring in 2008, he recorded “Jim Avett and Family,”

a collection of gospel music, with his children, Bonnie, Scott and Seth. Soon after, in 2010, he released “Tribes,” a collection of original tunes ranging from soulful ballads to the lighthearted, “Fight with a Bottle of Booze”. In Jim’s latest offering, “Second Chance,” the influences of classic country and early rock and roll are apparent.

His shows are a combination of beloved country tunes and his original ballads with the stories he tells to introduce them.

Jim Avett plus Mandi Rae & Goodbye Girls 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347, barkinglegs.org

THU12.26

fri12.27

sat12.28

LOCAVORE FEASTING

HAUNTING HOLIDAYS

WINTER WONDERLAND

Ooltewah Farmers Market

“Holiday Lights and Spirits”

Wildlife Wanderland Tour

• When planning the traditional New Year's Day feast, what better place to get the freshest local foods than at the weekly Farmers Market?

3 p.m. • Ooltewah Nursery & Landscape Co 5829 Main St. (423) 238-9775, ooltewahnursery.com

• The always fun folks with the local ghost tours take a decidedly holiday turn with their annual Christmas tour of some of the most interesting holiday-themed spots in town.

6:30 p.m. • Chattanooga Ghost Tours, 138 Market St. (423) 821-7125, chattanoogaghosttours.com

HOMETOWN HOMECOMING

SUBLIMINAL TRIBUTE

• Grab the kids and get them out of the house for a special trip through a natural area with enclosures housing native wildlife that has been impacted by humans in one way or another and cannot successfully return to the wild.

11 a.m. • Chattanooga Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160, chattanooganaturecenter.org

Scott Youngberg

The Wrong Way

• Our old Sandbar favorite returns to town from the warmer climes of the sunny Florida Keys for a fun-filled evening of acoustic masterpieces. Welcome Scott back home in pure Chattanooga style.

8 p.m. • Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com

• What started as a side project to pay tribute to the music of Sublime has turned into a steady gig for this Athens, Ga quintet who have performed to packed houses across the Southeast.

10 p.m. • Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com

LONG LIVE HAIR METAL Velcro Pygmies • Put on your Spandex pants, your torn T-shirts, and spritz your hair up with half a can of Alberto VO5 and enjoy the raucous rock-n-roll from the era of excess.

10 p.m. • Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 5

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On the Beat

alex teach

Meeting in the Middle for the New Year Before I begin, please allow me to establish my lack of credibility.

What I’ll be writing about is a disagreement with another columnist, but saying that implies I am on remotely similar level to this man, which I’m not. Whatever I am, it’s not a columnist; I am a grammatically and morally offensive entity and a stark amateur in the world well stocked with literary professionals. David Cook, on the other hand, is the real thing.

With that said, I would like to display the lost art of “disagreeing with someone but not going pigshit crazy with hatred from this point forward.” Consider me a Reaganera congressman as opposed to an Obama-era one, for after this disagreement he and I will hopefully have lunch where we can poke fun at one another and then politely fight over payment of the meal, which I will of course ultimately defer to him. Because like David, I’m really a very nice guy, I just happen to have to hit people on occasion.

That established, while reading his December 17 column in the Times Free Press titled “A letter to city police,” I was pissed off to no end by the fifth paragraph.

My interpretation of being told to “own up” to what he called the “violent racism that has emerged through the badge of Chattanooga

“

It’s not about right and wrong necessarily, but rather about where to start, and the little guy isn’t the place.”

police over the years” was that I and 450 or so of my coworkers were, in fact, racists and that we should apologize for such. Something similar to the “Do you still beat your wife, yes or no?” frame of unfair questioning that fiercely frustrates people, especially when they are already frustrated (the cause of which is usually on the front page of his paper).

Being accused in this way, such a blanket statement, was bold, but I was further impressed by then being told to apologize for it. The feelings this forced me to process approached something along the lines of infuriating, so rather than wait I naturally responded immediately in writing and it turns out, I was far from the only one who took

it this way. (Making us all racists, of course.)

The sensitivity here for me is two-fold: One, with rare exceptions I find myself and co-workers to be exceptionally colorblind (which of course makes us racist). We serve “all,” literally, and when that “all” happens to be black, white or magenta and committing a crime or suspected of such, we treat them accordingly. Two, being accused of such creates worlds of inconvenience and frustration because there is simply no acceptable response to it other than, “I’m sorry.”

“But I have black/Asian/Pacific Islander friends!” Nope.

“But he was stabbing someone and I had to stop him!” Nope.

“I’m sorry, you’re right.” Bing!

The only acceptable answer, ever.

And this applies to African American officers as well…it’s a stunning thing to see them accused of racism against other African Americans.

Because of their paystub, of course.

His conversation went on to further blame the police for witnesses refusing to speak to police officers about crimes because of a lack of trust, by my interpretation. My response is that these witnesses in the numerical majority of the cases he is speaking of are criminals themselves, often shot and/or killed during the process of a criminal trans-

action, and when questioned by police or otherwise reluctant to come forward, the reason isn’t generally because they feel there is a divide in our relationship.

It’s because they are freaking criminals that were involved in a criminal transaction and they don’t want to go to jail.

Two confirmed gang-member drug dealers shooting at one another are not prone to talk to police because they are confirmed gangmember drug dealers, not because they have trust issues with a history of racial prejudice as determined by white people and fact-selective “social justice” advocates…but because they are diametrically freaking opposed to dealing with cops.

Then? I reached the twenty-second paragraph of his column, and here is where I will concede to having my annoyance (anger) cloud my judgment, because he was right: If there is to be an apology made, the burden is on the one that holds the power, and that’s us. It’s not about right and wrong necessarily, but rather about where to start, and the little guy isn’t the place.

I (and apparently several others) took what Mr. Cook said as stating we should apologize by making an admission of guilt. That’s what infuriated me. What I now believe he was saying was straight out of

another book, that we should not apologize out of guilt, but rather to admit what we’ve done hasn’t fixed the problem, and that while our intentions were good, bad things have happened, and harm has been done.

But that you’ve let us down too, and if you’ll meet us in the middle, we’re ready to try something else.

We want to know what you think, and whether you’ll put the past aside and work with us.

Not an apology to admit guilt (as both sides have seized upon), but an apology to clean the slate and try something new. Experience makes me cynical on occasion, but being a “believer” does give me hope.

I get it, Mr. Cook. Let’s have another lunch and talk this over… although I’ll never admit to taking this wrong.

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. Follow him on Facebook at www. facebook.com/alexteach

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 7

La Cage aux

Chatt A Night in the Day of a Female Impersonator

Story by Darvin Roberts, aka Samantha Leblonc Photos by David Andrews

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P

has been in ` myerforming blood since I was a small

child. Making my mother smile by putting on a dress and singing a Diana Ross song was as normal to me as climbing a tree was to my brother. Back then, I didn't know this was strange, or even judged as bad by some. I just knew that it brought joy to me, and the people I sang and danced for. How could that be wrong?

It was the beginning of a long journey that took me through various outlets, such as professional dancing, and various types of performance art, all the way up to doing what I do today; per-

reography, the schedule can be grueling. The money I make usually goes straight back into materials for future shows.

As far as music goes, I focus on choosing meaningful songs and interacting with my audience in a way that makes them forget about the problems of the week and just enjoy life for a bit. Before each show, I always talk

“Me singing a moving song in my sparkling costume

isn't just visually appealing

or entertaining, it also can

speak to a person in distress

on a much deeper level.”

—Samantha Leblonc

forming as a female impersonator at Images Nightclub here in Chattanooga.

Not only have I done shows in Chattanooga for many years, I have also competed in the pageantry system, including many of Chattanooga's local pageants as well as national pageants. Every pageant has taught me something as a performer. As an artist, I continue to evolve. I'm very proud of what I have accomplished. I am also humbled by the people who continue to come see me perform.

From making costumes, to editing music, making up and practicing cho-

to my audience and try my best to get some laughs and set the mood for the night. I make it a point to welcome newcomers and to let everyone know they are in a place where they can be themselves without fear of judgment.

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 9

We all tend to spend our days walking through society with our socially acceptable masks on. At Images, you can let that go and just be you, whoever that may be.

In my job I see people from every walk of life—they are gay, straight, bi-sexual, transgender—and even confused. The common factor is a search for acceptance. I'm lucky enough to be able to give a sense of that while doing what I love.

In my mind, art is art. Art for me isn't fulfilling unless it brings joy to others, or touches them in some way. So a typical day for me isn't just about the hair, makeup, and physical preparation I go through to transform into the role. But yes, there is a lot of preparation.

My day at work usually starts at 4 p.m. I arrive and get myself settled in. If it is a Thursday, then the entire cast has rehearsals for our weekend productions. We have to learn songs as well as group choreography.

Everyone gets input; this process can take hours. If it is a Friday or Saturday, then I have to start getting ready for the show. After I've posted on Facebook to invite people out, I write a line-up of the show schedule. I start my transformation process as I listen to music. It gives me ideas of what I would like to do in the show. If I have a certain costume in mind, I may listen to songs to find which song has just the right fit. This also gives me a chance to learn the lyrics. Every week there are new songs released. It’s hard to stay on top of them and to learn them all. I listen to them at work, in the car, or whenever I get the chance. There are also people and groups that will come in that will want to see you do a particular song or character. I get asked to do Cher and Annie Lennox a lot. You have to give the crowd what they want.

Once the transformation is complete, it’s time to go out and socialize. I like to go meet everyone and make them feel welcome.

We are all one big family here.

While I am doing this, I can also

get a feel of what kind of crowd we have, and I can decide what numbers I want to do and what kind of songs the crowd would like. Then it’s time to get ready for the opening production number. Usually, I have 10 minutes to change into a production costume. I listen to the production number one last time and make sure I can remember everything. After the DJ announces the cast, it’s show time!

After the opening, I MC on the microphone. I get to welcome the crowd to Images. We also call people up for their birthdays and special occasions; we have a lot of people bring in parties for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations— we have even had a few divorce parties. People like to celebrate, and we are here to party! Once I am finished, the first performer comes on and I have 12-15 minutes to change. I put on a new costume, put on new shoes or boots, and then touch up my makeup and hair.

This rotation happens three times and it is always a rush to be ready on time.

When the show is over, I go out to the audience one more time and thank them for watching our show.

After collecting my thoughts and touching up my makeup one last time, I head back out and socialize again.

Our cast is diverse, entertaining, but most of all, we're all approachable. I

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“We all tend to spend our days walking through society with our socially acceptable masks on. At Images, you can let that go and just be you, whoever that may be.”

— Samantha Leblonc

get a lot of requests to take pictures.

A lot of people will want a hug and to say goodbye before they leave.

This can happen for another hour or more after the show is finished.

Once we close the bar, it’s time to clean up. As the staff cleans the bar, it is my time to reverse the process and once again start planning for the next show. I start gathering my costumes and clothing and clean up my mess. (You should see the mess.

How does one person make such a mess? LOL. That's show business!)

A lot of people ask me if being a female impersonator interferes with my personal life at all. I admit at times it has. With a job that requires me to be in costume as a female much of the time, I tend to meet men that may be more interested in the illusion "Samantha Leblonc" instead of the real man underneath. So there are issues I have to navigate when my job complicates my love life. To me, it's a small price to pay. Luckily, my family accepts and supports me without judgment. In my line of work, I see that often is not the case, and it gives me the inspiration I need to continue on despite any difficulties.

Female impersonation is a job just like any other in many ways, but it also contains special meaning to have the lives of so many people intersect with mine at pivotal and even low points. Me singing a moving song in my sparkling costume isn't just visually appealing or entertaining, it also can speak to a person in distress on a much deeper level.

I won't compare what I do to a church service, but I do know it has spiritual meaning to me and to my audience. There is laughter and at times there are tears, but that's show business, isn't it?

You are welcome to come out to Images, where all walks of life are welcome, and see for yourself.

Spirits Within

mike dobbs

Whiskey on the Actual Auld Sod Our man on the bar stool visits Bushmills Distillery in Ireland

I

’VE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME WRITING THIS COLUMN OVER the last few months, visiting the local establishments and getting to know the bartenders that make the good stuff even better. So when the call came down from the top that I should do a piece on the famous Bushmills Irish Whiskey, some letters were exchanged and the decision was made that I forgo the familiar routine and shoot straight to the source.

Tickets were printed, hotels booked, way too much preparation was made and I pocketed the passport on my way out the door. A mere shuttle ride, three airports, a bus, a night in a hotel and two trains later, I found myself at Victoria Street Station in Belfast, Northern Ireland on a brisk sunny Saturday morning looking at my guide Donal and a couple of quite fetching German coeds.

“Oof we goo,” muttered Donal, and we pulled out through city center on the way to the scenic Antrim Coast Road, one of the most stunning and occasionally nauseating drives in the world. We made a brief rest stop in my ancestral hometown of Carrickfergus where Donal instructed, “Ye batter make tha bast of tha facilates hair. Ees a wall te tha next stoop,” or something like that. About two hours and 200 really scary brushes with the edge of the constantly curving pavement later, we arrived near the town of Ballintoy to walk across the Carrick-a-Rede bridge or what I re-named “The Bridge of Eternal Peril.” What you do here is walk uphill (both ways) to a rope bridge suspended between the mainland and a volcanic plug 100 feet over the churning surf of the Irish Sea. Once this task is completed, you get a certificate that states you’re an idiot and you can frame it for all to see.

“Bak oon da bus,” chanted Donal and we set off for my original destination. By the time we swung by to take a photo of the famous Dunluce Castle at Portrush, myself and the German hotties were getting antsy. “Vy not ve

been drink somesing alveady?” was mentioned by one of the frauleins.

Donal got the clue and we drove across the bridge of the Bush River toward the glorious Bushmills Distillery.

Why on Earth would someone travel all that way to go to a building? For the uninitiated, Bushmills Distillery has been around a while. In 1608, King James I granted the first-ever license to distill whiskey inthe-world. This place was the first, numero uno. So it’s been putting out the water of life for 405 years. It was only interrupted once. In 1885, the distillery burned down, fell over and sank into the swamp. But the second one stayed up.

The first thing I noticed when getting out of the bus was the smell. The scent of boiling barley permeates the air in Bushmills like a warm blanket. It’s absolutely heavenly and should be bottled and shipped to every town in the world. Secondly, it’s not a huge facility. I was expecting a giant behemoth of an industrial complex. Instead there’s a fourstory brick building and some

smaller whitewashed ones…and that’s it. But Ireland is so proud of it they put it on the back of the ten-pound note.

We immediately made our way through the gift shop, through the cafeteria and into the bar. Now I shouldn’t even really be talking about what I had first because (tease!), you can’t get it here. Actually, you can’t get it anywhere except at the distillery. They offer a 12-year old single malt with a pretty sky-blue label that’s aged in Spanish sherry casks and it’s delicious!

What you can get, though, are several members of the Bushmills family of whiskeys that are also served at the distillery bar. The original Bushmills is a triple-distilled blend

with a slightly vanilla-and-honey aroma. It’s the second-lightest sibling and is also aged in sherry barrels. This white-labeled whiskey is the most popular and available of the brand.

It’s the go-to standard for true Irish Whiskey.

The next step up is Bushmills Black Bush.

Now, this is a darker, 80 percent malt whiskey that’s aged seven years. There’s an immediate spicy sherry flavor and it has a more earthy, nutty aroma. This is my personal favorite of the group. Show up at your New Year’s party with this and you’ll make the other guests look like rubes with their 12-packs.

By now, Donal was getting anxious (or jealous) and wanted to get moving. We still had Giant’s Causeway to visit. I was fine with that, too, because I wanted to have my photo made climbing on the rocks like the “Houses of the Holy” album cover. Plus, the sooner we got dropped off back in Belfast, the sooner meine Freundins and I can get across the street to the Crown Liquor Saloon for more Bushmills.

Sláinte!

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 11

Music

ernie paik

Ones You Should Have Bought This Year Ernie chooses the must-haves of 2013 Top Ten New Releases David Greenberger & Shaking Ray Levis Tramps That Go Think in the Night Pahl, Palmer, Stagner Fishers O’ Wufmen Pahl-mer Pahl-mer Go ahead, call it cheating, call it a conflict of interest, whatever. Objectivity has limited purpose in music criticism, and if this writer is going to be absolutely honest with you and himself, his favorite new recordings of 2013, by a wide margin, are ones that feature the late keyboardist (and friend) Dennis Palmer, with David Greenberger’s humorous and poignant storytelling and vibrant, colorful music from multi-instrumentalist Frank Pahl and percussionist Bob Stagner. Maybe you won’t have such an emotional connection to this music as this writer does, but with Palmer’s intensely expressive, uniquely organic synth alchemy imbued with affection and a sense of purpose, maybe you will.

Various Artists Long Story Short This monstrous, overflowing 6-hour collection documents the German hard-blowing free-jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann’s 70th birthday festival with

large and small ensembles featuring young and old international improvisers representing hotspots including Chicago, Sweden and Japan; it’s a dream lineup, featuring reedists Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark and John Tchicai, wild guitarist Keiji Haino and many more.

The Handsome Family Wilderness Nobody in the world writes songs quite like Rennie Sparks— strange, macabre, vivid, imaginative and unforgettable stories with elements of fantasy and horror—and her husband Brett offers his deep baritone voice and fitting country-folk arrangements; this loose concept album about animals spins tales of death, insanity and shape-shifting.

Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba Jama Ko Recorded in the midst of a violent conflict, this album

by Kouyaté of the African nation Mali features his virtuoso playing on the ngoni (a stringed lute-like instrument) with a jaw-dropping surgical precision and impossibly swift speed, enhanced by impassioned singing from his wife Amy Sacko for a potent and impressive expression of discontent.

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Melt-Banana Fetch

Future Bible Heroes Partygoing

The Japanese duo of vocalist Yako and manic guitarist Agata concocts the aural equivalent of cartoon violence with staccato projectile barking, unbelievably sicksounding guitar work and an over-clocked drum machine; fast, precise, demented, inspired, perfect.

Featuring songwriter/ vocalist Stephin Merritt (of The Magnetic Fields) at his most cheeky, with vocals from Claudia Gonson and synth-pop arrangements by Chris Ewen, Partygoing is a wickedly irresistible collection that celebrates alcohol abuse, Satanism and general irresponsibility, with tongues firmly planted in cheeks.

Tal National Kaani The hardest working band in West Africa, Tal National delivers entrancing polyrhythmic guitar music that is rich, complex and full of vigor, with numerous details to savor and a propulsive rhythmic momentum.

John Butcher, Thomas Lehn, John Tilbury Exta Invoking a special kind of dread, this spooky and disquieting freeimprov album features the expertly nuanced sax playing of John Butcher, the fascinating electronic atmospherics of Thomas Lehn and the balanced, abstract elegance of London pianist John Tilbury.

Veronica Falls Waiting for Something to Happen The second album from the London quartet hits that indie-pop sweet spot on every track with girl/boy vocal harmonies, impeccable jangleguitar timbres and solid, unabashedly catchy melodies; it’s charming, hormonal and just a little bit twisted.

Barn Owl V Like a sonic version of a long voyage through the galaxy, this outstanding synth-heavy instrumental album from the San Francisco duo features ultra-concentrated, sculpted, cosmic pieces, sounding majestic, dark, eerie, revelatory and epic.

Music

ernie paik

Back Again for the First Time Paik goes back in time for the best of the rest Top Ten Reissues and Archival Collections

Miles Davis Quintet Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2

Orchestra Super Mazembe Mazembe @ 45RPM, Vol. 1

Davis’s transitional “lost quintet” after his Second Great Quintet and before his full-on “Electric Miles” jazzfusion mode is documented on three blistering CDs and one DVD, mixing standards with fiery new material, like “Miles Runs the Voodoo Down,” with an aggressively free attitude.

The discovery of the year for this writer—this collection of late-’70s singles from the Nairobi, Kenya band Orchestra Super Mazembe (“giant bulldozer orchestra”) features the irrepressible, upbeat sonic fabric of the dance music style Lingala, with fluid, spirited call-and-response vocals, animated drum rhythms and absolutely gorgeous, effortlessly flowing electric guitar melodies.

Herbie Hancock The Complete Columbia Album Collection 1972-1988 The fearless, innovative jazz keyboardist virtuoso gets the royal treatment in this humongous 34-CD collection, with generous helpings of acoustic jazz and electro-funk plus disco and hip-hop infusions; of note, eight albums here have never before been released outside Japan, and three have never been on CD. Sun City Girls Eye Mohini The mind-bogglingly diverse, frequently astounding, unclassifiable, ethno-pillaging trio Sun City Girls serves up its most satisfying volume in its out-of-print singles reissue series so far, globe-trotting from north Africa to Indonesia and elsewhere, with a daring eclecticism, provocative madness and mind-expanding musicianship.

Half Japanese ½ Gentlemen/Not Beasts One hell of a debut album, this legendary 1980 triple-album features brothers Jad and David Fair untrained and unrestrained, making incredibly raw, primitive and charmingly juvenile songs; it’s completely bonkers and never boring.

William Onyeabor World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who Is William Onyeabor?

This killer compilation of the mythical Nigerian electro-dance-funk master, active in the ’70s and ’80s, is an instant party, sporting slithering grooves with compelling hooks that won’t let go.

Various Artists Mutazione This meticulously documented 2-CD set, subtitled “Italian Electronic & New Wave Underground 19801988,” highlights

largely unknown acts bearing post-punk and industrial music sources, with Italy’s turmoilridden “Years of Lead” period of history serving as the backdrop.

Woody Guthrie American Radical Patriot With six CDs, one DVD and a 78-rpm record, this collects the recordings by the profoundly influential “Dust Bowl Troubadour” commissioned by the U.S. government in the ’40s, with a wealth of material recorded by Alan Lomax, radio skits and amusing curiosities, including a set of PSAs about VD. Neil Young Live at the Cellar Door These intimate recordings culled from a six-gig solo run at the Washington, D.C. venue in 1970 present Young at his vulnerable, heart-breaking best, with notable renditions of “Cinnamon Girl” and “Flying on the Ground Is Wrong” on the piano instead of guitar.

The Three O’Clock The Hidden World Revealed This collection of high-quality rarities and key tracks from the early-tomid period of one of the quintessential Paisley Underground bands of the ’80s showcases the California band’s infectious combinations of ’60s psychedelia, garage rock and power-pop.

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 13

Chattanooga Live

MUSIC CALENDAR Scott James Stambaugh

Scott Youngberg

THUrsday 12.26 Pickin’ at the Post 5 p.m. American Legion Post, Highway 11 N, Trenton, GA (423) 582-1337 Bluegrass and Country jam 6:30 p.m. Grace Nazarene Church, 6310 Dayton Blvd., Hixson. (423) 842 5919, chattanoogagrace.com Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m. Ringgold Nutrition Center, 144 Circle Dr, Ringgold, Ga, (706) 935-2541 Courtney Daly with Ivan Wilson 7 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5840 Lake Resort Terrace, (423) 870-0777, bartslakeshore.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055, thepalmsathamilton.com Jonathan Wimpee 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956, sugarsribs.com Bluegrass Jam 7 p.m. Poppy's Smokehouse, 2102 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, (423) 305-1936, poppysq.com Soddy-Daisy Jamboree 7 p.m. Soddy-Daisy Community Center, 9835 Dayton Pk. (423) 332-5323 Tim Neal and Mike Harris 7:30 p.m. Mexi-Wing VII, 5773 Brainerd Rd. (423) 509-8696, mexiwingviichattanooga.com

14 • The Pulse • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • chattanoogapulse.com

Richie Ragsdale 7:30 p.m. Brew & Cue, 5017 Rossville Blvd.

(423) 867-9402 Scott Youngberg, Amber Fults 8 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com Open Mic with Hap Henniger 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn) (423) 634-9191

friday 12.27 Charley Yates 4:30 p.m. Wimpie’s Country Restaurant, 9826 Dayton Pk. (423) 332-6201 Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m. El Mason, 2204 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.

(423) 894-8726, elmesonrestaurant.com Tim Lewis 5:30 p.m. El Mason Hixson, 248 Northgate Mall.

(423) 710-1201 Jason Thomas: The Man in Black Tribute 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo—Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000, choochoo.com Danny Sample/ Dave Walters 5 p.m. 212 Market, 212 Market St. (423) 265-1212, 212market.com The Silver Creek Band 5 p.m. American Legion Post 95, 3329 Ringgold Rd. (423) 624-9105,

americanlegionpost95.org Binji Varsossa 6 p.m. Cancun Mexican Restaurant and Lounge, 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 The Half & Half Band 7 p.m. Troy’s Place, 320 Emerson Dr., Ringgold, Ga. (423) 965-8346 Mountain Opry 8 p.m. Walden’s Ridge Civic Center, 2501 Fairmount Pk. (423) 886-3252 Crosstown Traffic 8 p.m. VFW Hall, 3370 N. Ocoee St. Cleveland, TN, (423) 476-8442 Brian Ashley Jones 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400, chattanooganhotel.com.

StoneLine 8:30 p.m. Jack A’s Chop Shop Saloon, 742 Ashland Ter, (423) 713-8739, jackaschopshopsaloon.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055, thepalmsathamilton.com Jim Avett, Mandi Rae & The Goodbye Girls 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347, barkinglegs.org Scott James Stambaugh 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn) (423) 634-9191 Skin Deep 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956,

sugarsribs.com The Wrong Way 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com Arlo Gilliam 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240 tboneschattanooga.com

saturday 12.28 Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m. El Mason, 2204 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.

(423) 894-8726, elmesonrestaurant.com Tim Lewis 5:30 p.m. El Mason Hixson, 248 Northgate Mall.

(423) 710-1201 Jason Thomas: The Man in Black Tribute 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo—Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000, choochoo.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m. Cancun Mexican Restaurant and Lounge, 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055, thepalmsathamilton.com GA/TENN Music Awards 7 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. chattanoogaonstage.com John Lathim & Michelle Young 7 p.m. Rock City Enchanted

Chattanooga Live

MUSIC CALENDAR

John Lathim & Michelle Young

Garden of Lights, 1400 Patten Rd, Lookout Mountain, GA, (706) 820-2531, seerockcity.com The Country Connecting Band 7 p.m. Teamsters Union Hall, 4431 Bonny Oaks Dr. The Hopeful Country Band 7 p.m. Troy's Place, 320 Emerson Dr, Ringgold, GA, (423) 965-8346 The Countrymen Band 8 p.m. Eagles Club, 6128 Airways Blvd., (423) 894-9940 Grown Azz 8 p.m. VFW Hall, 3370 N. Ocoee St. Cleveland.

(423) 476-8442 Taylor & Company 8 p.m. VFW Hall, 1491 Riverside Drive, (423) 624-6687.

Brian Ashley Jones 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400, chattanooganhotel.com Full Axess 8:30 p.m. American Legion, 227 James Asbury Dr NW, Cleveland.

(423) 476-4451.

Power Players 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956, sugarsribs.com Velcro Pygmies 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St., (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com Jack Kirton 10 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn) (423) 634-9191

Daze Like These 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240, tboneschattanooga.com One Night Stand 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878, budssportsbar.com

sunday 12.29 9th Street Stompers 11 a.m. The Flying Squirrel Bar, 55 Johnson St. (423) 602-5980, flyingsquirrelbar.com Open Jam Session 5 p.m. Cheap Seats Sports Bar, 2925 Rossville Blvd.

(423) 629-5636.

Evensong 5:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St, (423) 702-8081, thecamphouse.com Molly Maguires 7 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192, thehonestpint.com Danimal Planet 10 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919

monday 12.30 Babershop Harmony Group 7 p.m. All Saints Academy, 310 East 8th St. (423) 876-7359 Monday Night Big Band 6 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

Strung Like A Horse

(423) 499-5055, thepalmsathamilton.com Jordan Hallquist 8 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike, (423) 266-1996, tremonttavern.com

tuesday 12.31 Rick Rushing and the Blues Strangers 5 p.m. Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 7 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike, (423) 266-1996, tremonttavern.com Jim Palmer 7:30 p.m. 1885 Grill, 3914 St Elmo Ave. (423) 485.3050, 1885grill.com Emerald Empire Band 7.30 p.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 266-4121, sheratonreadhouse.com The Beaters 8 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000, choochoo.com Erin Hill 8 p.m. Acoustic Cafe, 61 RBC Dr, Ringgold, GA, (706) 965-2065, ringgoldacoustic.com One Night Stand 8:30 p.m. Jack A’s Chop Shop Saloon, 742 Ashland Terrace, (423) 713-8739, jackaschopshopsaloon.com Strung Like a Horse, Okinawa, Shark Week, Lacy 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192,

thehonestpint.com Husky Burnette, Wasted 9 p.m. SkyZoo, 5709 Lee Hwy, (423) 521-2966, chattazooga.com Here Come the Mummies 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929, track29.co The Pool 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956, sugarsribs.com That 90’s Show 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com Aunt Betty 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878, budssportsbar.com DJ Flux 10 p.m. The Flying Squirrel Bar, 55 Johnson St. (423) 602-5980, flyingsquirrelbar.com

See more listings in the Arts & Entertainment Calendar

wednesday 1.1 Dan Sheffield 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956, sugarsribs.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com. chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 15

Arts

Lauren Haynes

History Is Not Black and White Photos by a complex man illustrate a complex era

W

HAT DO ROCK & ROLL, BASEBALL, AND civil rights have in common? Today’s answer is going to be Dr. Ernest C. Withers, the man behind some of the best-known photographs of each.

The Memphis-born documentarian got his start as a military photographer while serving in the South Pacific during World War II, but progressed exponentially once the war ended, taking some five million pictures between the 1940s and the 1970s. Returning to Memphis, he opened his own photography studio at 333 Beale Street, and began rubbing shoulders with local music acts such as Elvis Presley, Al Green, Ike and Tina Turner, and future civil rights icons like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rev. Ralph Abernathy.

In the beginning, Withers would shoot anything, from family portraits to all kinds of Memphis nightlife. At the time, Withers’ photographs were not of interest to the mainstream press, and he was primarily published in black media outlets such as the Amsterdam News and Jet Magazine.

Everything changed for Withers when he covered the murder trials and open-casket funeral of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955, an event that drew blacks and whites alike to the civil rights cause. During the trial of Emmett Till’s killer, Withers defied the judge’s orders against courtroom photography in order to document Mose Wright, a witness to the murder, pointing to identify J.W. Milam, the defendant.

On one hand, Withers was a phenomenal photographer, marching alongside

“

Martin Luther King, Jr., in countless civil rights protests and capturing the oozing tension and emotion. But in 2007, Withers was revealed as a paid FBI informant throughout this same time, providing information leading to the incarceration of dozens of black activists, and tracking MLK, Jr. up to his assassination on April 4, 1968.

Looking at Withers’ body of work, it’s dizzying to see pictures of Rev. King reclining on his bed at the Lorraine Hotel and know that hours later he was dead, possibly due in part to Withers’ information.

Withers, who died in 2007, held awards and honorary doctorate degrees from the Art Institute of Boston, Memphis College of Art, Syracuse University and the University of Massachusetts. In 2004, he received what he considered to be his highest award, the University of Missouri School of Journalism Honor Medal for distinguished service in journalism. The National Association of Black Journalists honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also inducted into the Black Press Hall of Fame.

Sixty of Withers photographs are on display now through March 1, 2014 at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center in the exhibit “Pictures Tell the Story: The Work of Dr. Ernest C. Withers.” The BSCC is an engaging environment in

which to digest Withers’ work. Comparing the content of his work to the Chattanooga history in the museum shows you that what he was documenting was happening in cities all over the South.

Says Carmen Davis, curator and director of programming at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, “Just like on Beale Street, Ninth Street or the Big Nine was the place to see all of your favorite soul and blues acts. Many of the photos captured in the entertainment section of the exhibition, like the one of Ike and Tina Turner, could just as easily been taken in one of the nightclubs on the Big Nine.”

Reconciling the two dimensions of Withers’ involvement in the civil rights movement is challenging for us now.

Davis says it best, “His photo of Emmett Till in the casket or of teenagers getting hosed down at peaceful protests helped to shape America’s views on race relations in the South and moved the civil rights movement forward.

The world needed to see those images.

Not to mention the importance of African Americans seeing positive images of black life through his music, sports and religious photos, which served as a tool to uplift a people who had rarely seen themselves portrayed in a positive manner. I think that is the most important part of his legacy to remember and talk about.”

“Pictures Tell the Story: The Work of Dr. Ernest J. Withers,” Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-8658, bessiesmithcc.org

His photo of Emmett Till in the casket or of teenagers getting hosed down at peaceful protests helped to shape America’s views on race relations in the South.”

16 • The Pulse • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • chattanoogapulse.com

(TOP) Ernie Banks, Larry Doby, Matty Brescia, Jackie Robinson, Martin's Stadium, 1953.

(MIDDLE) Sanitation workers assemble in front of Clayborn Temple for a solidarity march. "I Am A Man" was the theme for Community On the Move for Equality (C.O.M.E.), which spearheaded The Sanitation Strike in Memphis, 1968 (BOTTOM) The Two Kings: Elvis Presley with B.B. King at WDIA Goodwill Review, December 7, 1957.

Photos © Dr. Ernest C. Withers, Sr. courtesy of the Withers Family Trust chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 17

Arts & Entertainment

EVENTS CALENDAR Matthew Lumpkin

THUrsday 12.26 Ooltewah Farmers Market 3 p.m. Ooltewah Nursery & Landscape Co, 5829 Main St. (423) 238-9775, ooltewahnursery.com Music Notes 7 p.m. Artsy-U, 5084 S. Ter., East Ridge. (423) 321-2317, artsychattanooga.com “Mystery of the Redneck Italian Wedding” 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com

friday 12.27 “Mystery of the Nightmare Office Party” 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com Van Gogh Tree 7 p.m. Artsy-U, 5084 S. Ter., East Ridge. (423) 321-2317, artsychattanooga.com “Holiday Lights and Spirits” 6:30 p.m. Chattanooga Ghost Tours, 138 Market St. (423) 821-7125, chattanoogaghosttours.co Rare Coalition Music & Comedy 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch,

18 • The Pulse • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • chattanoogapulse.com

3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233, thecomedycatch.com Stand-Up Comedy: Matthew Lumpkin 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Cafe, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com

saturday 12.28 Wildlife Wanderland Tour 11 a.m. Chattanooga Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160, chattanooganaturecenter.org Winter Wildlife Cruise 2 p.m. River Gorge Explorer, 1 Broad St. (423) 262-0695, tnaqua.org Birds of Prey 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160, chattanooganaturecenter. org “Mystery of Flight 138” 5:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com Wise Old Owl 7 p.m. Artsy-U, 5084 S. Ter., East Ridge. (423) 321-2317, artsychattanooga.com Home for the Holidays Showcase 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233,

Tony Tone

thecomedycatch.com “Mystery of The Facebook Fugitive” 8 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com Stand-Up Comedy: Matthew Lumpkin 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839, funnydinner.com

sunday 12.29 G.R. Goodwin, Tony Tone 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233, thecomedycatch.com

monday 12.30 Winter Zoobrrrnation Camp 9 a.m. Chattanooga Zoo, 301 Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 648-6045 Little Fox 5:30 p.m. Artsy-U, 5084 S. Ter., East Ridge.

(423) 321-2317, artsychattanooga.com

tuesday 12.31 Winter Zoobrrrnation Camp 9 a.m. Chattanooga Zoo,

301 Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 648-6045 New Year’s at Noon 10 a.m. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St, (423) 756-2738, cdmfun.org New Year’s Eve at the Foundry with Rick Rushing and the Blues Strangers 5 p.m. Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe Dinner 5 p.m. TerraMae Appalachian Bistro, 122 E. 10th St. (423) 710-2925, terramaechattanooga.com New Year’s Eve with Michael Mack 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233, thecomedycatch.com Emerald Empire Band 7.30 p.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St, (423) 266-4121, sheratonreadhouse.com New Year’s Eve on the Diner 8 p.m. Tennessee Valley Railroad, (423) 894-8028, tvrail.com New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with the Beaters 8 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000, choochoo.com

Arts & Entertainment

New Year’s Eve Champagne Celebration Brix Nouveau, 301 Cherokee Blvd. (423) 488-2126, brixnouveau.com New Year’s Eve Party on the Bluff 8 p.m. Hunter Museum of Art, 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968, huntermuseum.org New Year’s Eve on the River 8:30 p.m. Southern Belle Riverboat, 201 Riverfront Pkwy. #2, (423) 266-4488, chattanoogariverboat.com Knocks the Blocks Off Party 9 p.m. The Flying Squirrel Bar, 55 Johnson St. (423) 602-5980, flyingsquirrelbar.com “Wild in the Country” New Year’s Bash 9 p.m. Chattanooga Convention Center, 1100 Carter St, (423) 756-0001 New Year’s Eve at SkyZoo 9 p.m. SkyZoo, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 521-2966, chattazooga.com Okinawa, Shark Week, Lacy 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192, thehonestpint.com New Year’s Eve with Pistol Town

EVENTS CALENDAR

9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-191.

New Year’s Eve with Red State, Puke, Labirynth and Thrown 9 p.m. Ziggy's, 607 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 265-8711 New Year’s Eve with The Pool 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956, sugarsribs.com That 90’s Show 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644, rhythm-brews.com New Year’s Eve with Aunt Betty 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878, budssportsbar.com New Year’s Eve Party and Show 11 p.m. Images Showbar, 5917 Lee Hwy. (423) 855-8210, imagesbar.com

ongoing “Triple Whipple” 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Sat, 1 - 5 p.m. Sun. River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033,

river-gallery.com “Members Exhibit” 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tues.- Sat. AVA Gallery, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282, avarts.org “Baubles, Bangles & Beads” 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Mon-Sat, 1 - 5 p.m. Sun. In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214, intowngallery.com “Pictures Tell The Story” Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-8658, bessiesmithcc.org “Harmony & Hostility” art exhibit by John McLeod 10 a.m. Mon-Fri. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 W. 7th St. (423) 266-8195, stpaulschatt.org “Fine Art Landscapes” Reflections Gallery, 6922 Lee Hwy. (423) 892-3072, reflectionsgallerytn.com “Go Figure: Selections from the Permanent Collection” Hunter Museum, 10 Bluff View.

(423) 267-0968, huntermuseum.org The Gallery at Blackwell Winter Show and Sale 8 a.m. Gallery at

Blackwell, 71 Eastgate Loop. (423) 894-7112 “Small Works and Miniature” art exhibit Daily. E.G. Fisher Library 1289 Ingleside Ave., Athens. (423) 745-7782.

Rock City Raptors 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fri-Sat, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd., Lookout Mtn, Ga. seerockcity.com Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights Mon-Fri 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Rock City Gardens, 271 Chattanooga Valley Rd. (706) 820-2531, seerockcity.com Holidays Under the Peaks Daily. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 262-0695, tnaqua.org Gingerbread House Workshops Daily. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 756-2738.

Chattanooga Ghost Tours 9 p.m. nightly. The Little Curiosity Shoppe, 138 Market St. (423) 821-7125, chattanoogaghosttours.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com. chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 19

Screen

john devore

Pulse Picks for the Big Screen’s Best Bonus: A superb year for film isn’t over yet

F

ILMS LIKE “AMERICAN HUSTLE” AND “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET” are still waiting in the wings for release in Chattanooga, but the majority of the best films of 2013 have been issued, biding their time until Oscar season.

This has been an excellent year for film, assuming the discerning film-goer stays away from typical multiplex fare. As in many previous years, comic book films and epic spectacles dominated box-office sales, while comedy franchises frustrated film critics across the globe.

Some of the films were decent, some of them were less than inspired, and some of them were made by Adam Sandler. But while the middle-of-the-road crowd-pleasers soaked up the weekend sales, truly great films were being shown in solitary theaters across the country.

“12 Years A Slave” This heartwrenching, powerful story of a free black man sold into slavery during the 19th century is my pick for Best Picture of the year. Chiwetel Ejiofor, this year’s likely Best Actor, gives a dynamic and excoriating performance in a cast that is simply stacked with excellence.

The film reveals the

barbarity of U.S slavery in ways not yet seen—it doesn’t just show outright, blatant racism, but also the passive hand-wringing of whites caught in a never-ending cycle of institutional prejudice.

It has the same sort of emotional resonance as “Schindler’s List,” but lacks the distance of the Atlantic Ocean—this is a film that reminds us of the evils that lurk in our past and, as Harper Lee puts it, “the simple hell people give other people, without even thinking.”

“All Is Lost” This film is an example of how a simple story about a personal disaster can prove to be compelling and fascinating filmmaking. Here we have Robert Redford, a celebrated actor if there ever was one, disappearing into a role that features no speaking, limited voiceover, and no human interactions.

A testament to nonverbal communication, “All is Lost” is entertaining, tragic, and beautiful. The film is superbly crafted and tense, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat as an epic battle of man vs. nature unfolds in silence before them. “All is Lost” shows

20 • The Pulse • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • chattanoogapulse.com

in glorious detail what film is capable of as an artistic medium.

“Blue Jasmine” Woody Allen offers up one of his best films in recent years with a story about the 1 percent. Jasmine, played by a stunning and fragile Cate Blanchette, is a social climber who has fallen from the top to the bottom.

Once married to a Bernie Madoff-style investment banker, an inevitable scandal left her world shattered and her psyche damaged.

The film is something of an apology for the w e a l t h y, but one with an incredible amount of heart and sophistication. Allen works hard at humanizing the gods of affluence, not excusing the excess but explaining the attitudes.

At no point are Jasmine or her late husband vil-

ified in the traditional sense—instead, we see two very real people struggle with the same decisions as everyone else while cowering beneath the sometimes-justified derision of the general populace.

The film is funny and touching and most certainly one of the year’s most special.

“Europa Report “ Science fiction is largely ignored during awards shows, especially the

independent films without a major release.

“Europa Report” was first found as an On Demand selection on cable television. Regardless, it is one of the most true-to-life, honest science fiction films in recent memory, one that doesn’t cater to the mainstream action movie crowd.

It is a science fiction film that is more interested in the unknown, in discovery, than horror tropes set in a desolate future. The science is more accurate than many films of its type and the unrestrained wonder of possibility that the characters exude is far more inspiring than the everyday lasersin-space “Star Wars”- type movie. The film is slow and steady, bolder than “Star Trek,” and a genuine joy to watch.

“Gravity” Gravity is the big-budget cousin of “Europa Report,” featuring many of the same themes with slicker special effects and

“

recognizable stars. Despite any criticism from noted astrophysicists, the film is tense and well acted, exciting and full of spectacle. The visuals alone make the film worth seeing—watching it anywhere but an IMAX screen is doing the viewer a disservice.

My initial reaction to the film was one of awe, an instant thought of Best Picture accolades, and a genuine and satisfied grin.

While my original praises have softened some, “Gravity” is still light years beyond most films released in 2013.

As mentioned earlier, there are still films to be released and several that haven’t made it to Chattanooga. Some of them may surpass the ones listed above. The Golden Globes have announced their nominees— many of these films are among them. We’ll soon see if the Academy follows suit.

While the middleof-the-road crowd-pleasers soaked up the weekend sales, truly great films were being shown in solitary theaters across the country.”

chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 21

Free Will Astrology CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the ruler of Japan, confiscated the swords, daggers, and spears belonging to every citizen. He announced they would be melted down and used to make a giant Buddha statue.

I’d love to see you undertake a comparable transformation in 2014, Capricorn. You shouldn’t completely shed all your anger and pugnacity, of course; a certain amount is valuable, especially when you need to rouse yourself to change situations that need to be changed.

But it’s also true that you could benefit from a reduction in your levels of combativeness.

What if you could “melt down” some of your primal rage and use the energy that’s made available to build your personal equivalent of a Buddha icon?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The period between last July and next June is prime time to find or create your dream job. That might mean simply upgrading your existing gig so that it serves you better. Or it could involve you rethinking your relationship with work and going off in quest of a new way to earn a living. So how are you doing on this project, Aquarius? If you are proceeding on schedule, you should be halfway there by now. The goal should be clear, and you should be more disciplined, organized, and determined than ever. If for any reason this isn’t the case, start playing catch-up.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Singing teaches two skills that are essential for any creative process,” says author and vocalist Rachel Bagby, “the ability to listen and the ability to be flexible and spontaneous.” I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because 2014 could potentially be a Golden Age for your creativity. It will be a time when you will benefit even more than usual from exploring and enhancing your imaginative originality.

That’s why I’m encouraging you to sing more than you ever have before. Make a list of your 50 favorite singable songs. Be aggressive about expanding the music you get exposed to, and learn the melodies and lyrics to a lot of new tunes.

Cut loose with your vocal stylings whenever you have a chance, and take a vow to propel yourself out of funky moods with the creative energy of your singing.

22 • The Pulse • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • chattanoogapulse.com

rob brezsny big fat chance to expedite your cash flow to the max. But why get bogged down dreaming of the past or fantasizing about the future when fertile opportunities to boost your prosperity are in front of you right now?

Financial luck is flowing your way. Viable ideas for making money are materializing in your subconscious treasure house.

The contacts that could help you build your wealth are ready to play with you. (This offer is good until July 2014.)

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Edmund Kean (1789-1833) was one of the most famous British actors of his time. But a contemporary, the poet Samuel Coleridge, was frustrated by Kean’s inconsistency, regarding him as a great artist who on occasion lapsed into histrionics.

“To see him act,” said Coleridge, “is like reading Shakespeare by flashes of lightning.” Now and then I get that feeling about you, Aries.

You have bursts of brilliance that you sometimes don’t follow up on.

You’re like a superstar who loses your concentration. But I’ve got a strong feeling that in 2014 you will at least partially overcome this tendency. Your word of power will be consistency.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) is known as the father of nuclear physics not just because he won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. He was also a superb teacher. Eleven of his students won Nobel Prizes. That’s the kind of teacher or mentor or guide I urge you to connect with in 2014, Taurus. The coming months will potentially be an optimum time for you to learn deeply, and at a rapid rate. One of the best ways to fulfill that promise will be to apprentice yourself to adepts who have mastered the skills and savvy you want to acquire.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your last best hope to get rich was back in the latter half of 2001 and the first six months of 2002. From July 2025 to June 2026, the cosmos will again conspire to give you a

CANCER (June 21-July 22): French poet Edmond Jabès had this to say about the birth of big creative ideas that dramatically transform one’s life: “For the writer, discovering the work he will write is both like a miracle and a wound, like the miracle of the wound.” Regardless of whether or not you’re an artist, Cancerian, I expect that you will experience a wrenching and amazing awakening like this in 2014. The opening you’ve been hoping and working for will finally crack its way into your destiny. It may be one of the most pleasurable disruptions you’ve ever had.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the coming months, I’m betting that you will exit a confined place or shed cramped expectations or break off your commitment to a compromise that has drained you. It may happen suddenly, or it could take a while to complete. How the escape unfolds will have to do with how thoroughly you extract the lessons that your “incarceration” has made available. Here’s a ritual that might also expedite the process: Give a gift to the people you’re leaving behind, or offer a blessing in the spot where your difficult teachings have taken place.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good,” says a character in John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden. I suggest that you make this your rallying cry in 2014, Virgo.

In fact, why not begin right now, wherever you are? Say “Now that I don’t have to be perfect, I can be good.” Free yourself of the pressure to be the polished, ultimate embodiment of everything you’d ever hoped you would be. That will allow you to relax into being more content with the intriguing creation you have already become.

You may be surprised by how

much mojo this affords you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1972, English folk musician Nick Drake recorded his album Pink Moon.

He finished it in a mere four hours, singing all 11 songs and playing every instrumental track himself. It took years for anyone to appreciate his artistry, but eventually the magazine Melody Maker selected Pink Moon as number 48 on its list of the “All Time Top 100 Albums.”

Here’s one way I suspect your efforts will be similar to Drake’s in 2014, Libra: You will have the ability to get a lot done in a short time.

Here are two ways your fate will be different from Drake’s: First, you will have a big pool of trustworthy allies to call on for help. Second, what you produce won’t take nearly as long to get the appreciation it warrants.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Eierlegende Wollmilchsau is a colloquial German term for a mythical pig that lays eggs like a chicken, provides milk like a cow, supplies wool like a sheep, and ultimately becomes bacon and pork chops.

Metaphorically, it may refer to a fanciful device that performs many functions. Imagine, for instance, a futuristic smart phone that could interpret your dreams, trim your unwanted hair, fix you a perfect cup of coffee, tell you you’re beautiful in ways you actually believe, and cure your little health problems. In the real world, there’s no such thing, right? Not yet. But there’s a chance you will find the next best thing to an eierlegende Wollmilchsau in 2014.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “We don’t accomplish our love in a single year as the flowers do,” says Rainer Maria Rilke in the Duino Elegies. Do you promise to take that truth into consideration in 2014, Sagittarius? Will you pledge to diligently devote yourself to creating the right conditions for love to flourish? In the past, you may not have been fully able to carry out this slow-building marvel; you may not have had quite enough wise perseverance. But you do now.

Homework: Send me your New Year’s resolutions. Go to RealAstrology.com and click on “Email Rob.” For extra credit, send your antiresolutions: weird habits and vices you pledge to continue.

Jonesin’ Crossword

matt jones

“Full Houses”

--a pair plus three of a kind, and no Uncle Jesse.

Across 1 Camera setting 6 Play around with some music 9 Bar display 14 1986 Indy 500 champ Bobby 15 Prefix with scope or sclerosis 16 Last in a Greek series 17 Hill in a 1991 hearing 18 Howard Stern’s producer/sidekick 20 Emmy-winning scientist Bill 21 Leachman of “Young Frankenstein” 23 “Go back” computer command 24 Ground-water separator?

27 Since 28 Go to brunch 29 Day, to Don Quixote 32 Abbr. on a mountain peak sign 35 Fresh, in Frankfurt 37 “Bye Bye Bye” band, 2000

39 Pest 43 Language that gave us “kiwi” 44 Phoenix-toVancouver dir.

45 Photographer Geddes 46 2013 and 2014, e.g.

47 Curvy shape 50 Phobia 52 Appetizer trays at a luau 57 Bravo preceder 60 Kindle buys 61 Dennis’s sister on “It’s Always Sunny” 62 Rapper who dropped part of his name after 2001’s “Doggy Bag” 64 Fireplace nook 66 City of central Florida 67 Ginger ___ 68 “Wall Street” theme 69 SATB section 70 Gen-___ (Millennial) 71 Disgusting Down 1 Swiss cash 2 Big name in consumer

electronics 3 Man of steal?

4 Cereal grain 5 Yell on the set before “curtain up” 6 Posting sought by some seekers 7 “Asteroids” game company 8 Cell 9 Melodramatic sound 10 Love, French-style 11 Kings of ___ 12 Like some cheddar 13 “The Banana Boat Song” opening 19 “The Thin Man” dog 22 “Jurassic Park III” star Tea 25 Noisemaker or party hat 26 Mountain on the Mediterranean 29 Bob Dylan’s “In My Time of ___” 30 Get ___ the ground floor 31 Face trouble 32 Soap-making award?

33 “I don’t believe you!”

34 “Dukes of Hazzard” deputy 36 Tea server 38 Begin 40 Modern waltz violinist Andre ___ 41 Blooming 42 Make a slight adjustment to 48 Gush 49 Chain pitched by Michael Phelps 51 Punctuation in an e-mail address 52 Nobel-winning poet Neruda 53 Good surname for a lifeguard?

54 They may be sanded down 55 Get new tenants 56 Broken-down 57 “I get that ___” 58 Hair scare 59 Dessert after paella 63 Paddle cousin 65 Org. for shooters

Copyright © 2013 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0655 chattanoogapulse.com • december 26, 2013-january 1, 2014 • The Pulse • 23