The Pulse 9.14 » April 5-11, 2012

April 5-11, 2012

THE BOWL

STRUT SLAM Plus: ALEX TEACH AND CHUCK CROWDER ON THE STRUT FUSS

MUSIC Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

Alison KRauss ‘PAPER AIRPLANE’TAKES FLIGHT ARTS

WRITER@WORK TERRY KAY AT CHATT STATE

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2 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

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EDITORIAL

april 5-11, 2012

Publisher Zachary Cooper Creative Director Bill Ramsey Contributors Rich Bailey • Rob Brezsny Chuck Crowder • Michael Crumb • John DeVore Brook Evans • Randall Gray • Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib Paul Hatcher • Janis Hashe • Matt Jones • Chris Kelly D.E. Langley • Mike McJunkin • David Morton Ernie Paik • Alex Teach • Richard Winham Cartoonists Rick Baldwin • Max Cannon Jesse Reklaw • Richard Rice • Tom Tomorrow Photography Jason Dunn • Josh Lang Lesha Patterson Interns Britton Catignani • Kinsey Elliott Molly Farrell • Rachel Saunders

Contents COVER STORY

Wings Over Hixson

• At a tiny landing strip hidden in a residential area in North Hixson, some committed volunteers are forging a flight museum dedicated to military aviation. » 7

ADVERTISING Sales Director Lysa Greer Account Executives David Barry • Rick Leavell

CONTACT Phone 423.265.9494 Fax 423.266.2335 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com calendar@chattanoogapulse.com Got a stamp? 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402

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MUSIC

Please limit letters to 300 words or less. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. The Pulse reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity.

Alison Krauss

• Modern bluegrass legends Alison Krauss & Union Station arrive in Chattanooga for a two-night stand at the Tivoli in support of their new album, “Paper Airplane.” » 12

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 culture, the arts, entertainment and local news.

The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per weekly issue. We’re watching. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

arts

© 2012 Brewer Media

Terry Kay

BREWER MEDIA GROUP President Jim Brewer II

On the cover

U.S. Marine Corps Warrant Officer Pete O’Hare photographed by Lesha Patterson on March 25 in the cockpit of a Marine T-28 at the Hixson Flight Museum at Dallas Bay Skypark. On this page, O’Hare takes off on a test flight in the newly restored T-28.

• Author Terry Kay visits Chatt State to inaugurate the new Writers@ Work program. Chris Kelly chats with Kay about the writing life and his work. » 15

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chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 3

BOWL

THE COMMENT

TALK OF THE NOOG

facebook/chattanoogapulse • email: CREATIVE@chattanoogapulse.com

Strut Slam

Fans vow to back MLK event when this issue of the pulse arrives on newstands, it will have been a full week since Mayor Ron Littlefield announced that the Bessie Smith Strut would be moved to the Riverbend Festival grounds. When word got out, outrage, debate and speculation erupted. Talk of backroom conspiracies between the mayor and Friends of the Festival, racial prejudices and neighborhood neglect, crime and violence were filling mouths, ears and Facebook posts. Everything was now bottled inside the single serving of the mayor’s plan.

The announcement, if you could call it that, was itself an enormous gaffe. The headline dripped from a faucet with no supporting copy points of the decision process coming from the mayor’s office. It hung an albatross around the neck of Riverbend and gave the distinct impression that moving the Strut was a coordinated effort. As things have unfolded, that was clearly not the case.

Making such a drastic, fundamental and unilateral change to a 31-year-old festival was treated as if it

were a dry administrative procedure connected with a mundane but necessary government function. We can assume there was more to it than that behind the scenes.

But if there was ever a time the mayor’s office needed to show us a decision-making process, this was that time.

It was just a few hours after the first headlines about the Strut were out that a Facebook event page was created inviting people to “Occupy” MLK on June 11 and support businesses, creating an alternative to the blasphemous

“Bessie Smith Blues Night” happening on the river (or whatever name is ultimately chosen). The event page now known as “Occupy Your Favorite MLK Establishment for Bessie Smith Strut Night” was started by David Smotherman. As of this writing, the event has registered 1,089 people planning to attend. Smotherman’s primary business, as owner of Winder Binder Folk Art Gallery and Bookstore on the North Shore, was quickly overshadowed with interview requests as he became the official spokesperson of the grassroots event.

The latest effort to coordinate some compromise was Riverbend officials offering the Strut’s performing bands to the MLK Association.

These bands are booked and paid for by the festival. The idea was to have the headliner at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center and the other two bands in different locations. Riverbend’s Chip Baker, Dixie Fuller and Jeff Styles were behind this offer.

It held promising potential and there were high hopes, but MLK leaders rejected the idea. They wanted full restoration of The Strut to MLK.

“Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey...

You’re welcome here.”

Pilgrim Congregational Church United Church of Christ Sunday • Worship 11am 400 Glenwood Drive at 3rd Street

pilgrim-church.com • mail@pilgrim-church.com

Liberal • Progressive • Inclusive • Protestant Church 4 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Disappointing, yes. Surprising? Hardly. However noble and grand the gesture of goodwill and cooperation was, it ran the risk of coming across like a mistress offering to let the ex-wife borrow the good china for her dinner party.

I spoke with “Occupy MLK” creator David Smotherman on the phone shortly after that effort had failed and we rehashed the past days events. Smotherman has stated that his motivation for the effort was not political and that he, in fact, was not entirely certain moving The Strut would ultimately be a good thing.

“I think the reason this Occupy MLK idea has taken off is because people love the Strut tradition,” he said. “I love it and that was my only motivation. I just didn’t want to see the MLK neighborhood empty on the night of The Strut.”

Assuming the current momentum brings people to the MLK neighborhood on June 11, it’s likely the streets, or at least the sidewalks, of MLK will not be empty on that day.

Perhaps even giving birth to a new event.

—Zachary Cooper

CheCk out the Cat in the hat

On the Beat

alex teach

Moving The Strut: A Bold Call there is an analogy about a “stopped clock being right twice a day” I always try to keep in mind when dealing with stupid people, as to not let myself get lax in my thinking and let underestimation get the better of me.

It is from this basis that I have determined that statistically speaking, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield must be a digital clock, because he sure as hell beats even the statistical odds of the analog. But this week, he got something right.

Moving the Bessie Smith Strut from its traditional Martin Luther King Boulevard location is incredibly bold, and not without merit despite the end of the world predicted by both local businessmen there.

(I joke. There are at least four).

The reason? Safety.

Yes, I know … A Martin Luther King Boulevard in this country that is dangerous? Dr. King was a man of peace so this is absurdity at its best, to be sure, but every damn year in this town at this event there is some terrible memory or psychological scar left on the cops (and attendees over 25) that know how bad this event is, and how bad it could be in ways we couldn’t anticipate.

Starting around 6 p.m. and ending at 11 p.m. in its early days, the event was a boon to the local purveyors of turkey drumsticks, barbeque and chopped wiener plates (which my colon still curses, damn you Memo’s Grill) not to mention the hectares of chilled beer that are served, which lead to the obvious altercations and widespread displays of urination.

But it’s not the micturition and fights that have the cops (and parents pushing kids in strollers with beer in the cup holders) so nervous year after year. It’s the damn youth packing guns that would inevitably appear at one point or another.

Sure, “just” one person was killed over 10 years ago, but

so hectic is the event that even though the venue was shut down at 6:30 p.m. last year most people didn’t realize it until 8:30 p.m., so aggressive were the patrons (largely teens) ignoring the reopened roadways status.

A crowd rush (a panic of hundreds of people moving like a flock of birds) is generally the worst you have to expect for the first half of the Strut, and those usually started conveniently around dusk. But in the last three months this city has had more than 25 shootings (not including the nationally broadcast shooting of nine people Christmas morning at a “Christmas party” downtown). All 25 were black-onblack shootings, and this is an event held in a black neighborhood celebrating a black blues singer (known not so much for

her bisexuality as she was her rampant alcoholism).

When tensions are not high, this is a high-stress event. But when they are, safety can’t be guaranteed, and it can’t even be assumed, and cops and cities are in the business of protecting people. This year, the mayor decided to create a controversy about not allowing a crisis to occur, as opposed to being blamed for a crisis he could have prevented, and I have to say, I agree with him.

This event that usually cordons off eight blocks of roadway downtown for the day isn’t being cancelled, but rather celebrated on the main site of the festival nine blocks north, because unlike MLK, it has controlled access and existing security in place. And that makes it “racism.”

Last Friday, local black leaders Napoleon “Donut” Williams (a retired cop, himself), James Mapp (a past NAACP president), Kevin Adams, and the Rev. Jeffrey Wilson held a press conference to protest this move and innovative words like “racism” were repeated over and over.

It’s “racist” to move the event away from an un-securable location. It’s racism that this night of our Riverbend Festival is no longer going

to be free (most likely—this hasn’t been decided at press time).

Changing the location is racism, but do you see Williams or Mapp holding press conferences when a 13-yearold girl is randomly shot by a 17-year-old (both AfricanAmerican)?

Nope.

You conveniently see them when it affects the commerce (that is, “money”) for local restaurants on M.L. King for up to two hours.

(Memo to white people: You’re not off the hook either, just yet. Because you are racist if you are mad that it’s the only day you go there, and you don’t want to miss out. It’s open before and after.)

And to the so called “black leaders” and your press conferences on commerce instead of violence? Shame on your priorities.

The Strut will go on, but your credibility will not.

Bold call, Mr. Littlefield.

(Just keep your hands off the Brewers Festival, OK?) Alex Teach is a full-time police officer of nearly 20 years experience. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him on Facebook at facebook. com/alex.teach.

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chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 5

The Art of Business

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Pure Barre Fitness Sweeping Nation

By Kinsey Elliott just off east brainerd road, at 1414 jenkins road, sits pure barre, Chattanooga’s branch of the company that founded “the fastest, most effective way to change the shape of your body.” Amanda Holmes brought the Pure Barre technique to Chattanooga in the fall of 2010, explaining that our fitness-forward town could benefit from the upcoming concept that is sweeping the nation.

“We try to meet women where they’re at and set goals to match their desired results,” Holmes said. The Pure Barre technique uses, first and foremost, the ballet barre as a tool to guide a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time. The workout consists of small isometric movements set to fantastic music.

“It’s a very athletic approach set to great music, and it’s a lot of fun,” Holmes said. She emphasized that the workout is very music-driven, with motivating music during the workout and calmer tunes for stretching exercises. Holmes said that all classes involve stretching, some more heavily than others.

Two kinds of classes are offered—regular pure barre and

6 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

“

We try to meet women where they’re at and set goals to match their desired results. It’s a very athletic approach set to great music, and it’s a lot of fun.

Amanda Holmes barre lite, a less intense, more stretch-driven workout. Each quarter there is an additional intensive workshop. Upcoming is the Lifted Seat Inten-

sive, focusing on additional seat work to burn away fat and leave you with a high, tight, lifted seat by the end of class.

Costs of regular classes begin at $16 for a single session, but packages are offered at discounted rates, and can be redeemed at the purchaser’s availability. Standard unlimited monthly packages and “baby bounce back” and bridal three-month unlimited packages are also available.

Classes are offered every day of the week at various times throughout the day.

Pure Barre has partnered with Kids Park, a nearby childcare center, to provide childcare for Pure Barre customers. For just $3 an hour, per child, mothers can enjoy peace of mind and body in class, while their children are in good care nearby.

The Pure Barre technique

is lead by an instructor who walks students through various movements and precise actions that are geared to tone the notoriously difficult abs, hips, bottom and arms. Exercises are conducted on the floor and at the ballet barre, each move stretching and strengthening the targeted areas. The isometric movements result in muscles that are long and lean rather than bulky.

“I believe nutrition is key for success in anything fitness related,” Holmes said.

She brings in a nutritionist to work with women individually to give their results more impact for long-term healthy living.

Holmes said that you do not have to have a dance background to reap the benefits of a Pure Barre class. Though some of the same moves are used, the classes are open to anyone.

“The technique is conducive to all ages and body types,” Holmes said. Though most of the clientele are women, men have taken the class and been impressed with the intensity of the workout. Holmes said that PB is very complimentary of yoga and Pilates as for who it appeals to, but the workout itself is entirely different.

Whether you’re familiar with technique or you’re getting started for the first time, she said, “As long as you can hold onto a ballet barre, you can handle this workout.”

Pure Barre Chattanooga 1414 Jenkins Road, Ste. 122 (423) 468-4960 purebarre.com

WINGS OVER HIXSON marine pilot PETE O’HARE & HIS CREW AT THE HIXSON FLIGHT MUSEUM take to the skies over suburban chattanooga

By Kinsey Elliott • Photos by Lesha Patterson

nestled between the middle valley recreation Center and Dallas Bay Skypark is a spectacle much more Huntsville than Hixson. Past the cheering ball fields of kids chomping on Dubble Bubble, you’ll find a small, baby blue building with a tacked-on sign that reads “Hixson Flight Museum.” Step inside and you’ll step back in time.

Walk the narrow path to the open doors and open arms of the volunteers and supporters that keep the museum in order. To your left you’ll see eerie pictures of passengers flying above Hixson during last year’s tumultuous tornado. To your right you’ll see rockets perched appropriately next to rocket launchers. Like any good museum, merchandise is centrally located as you walk through the entryway.

On any given day, you’ll find

a handful of volunteers, both men and women, swapping stories and working at the museum. I was greeted by Brent “Poncho” Wade on my visit, and he was kind enough to give me an extensive tour with full commentary on each aircraft, which I appreciated both for the information and sincere interest he has for aviation. While at the museum, Wade goes by Poncho, a nickname he was

Clockwise from top: Volunteers at the Hixson Flight Museum at Dallas Bay Skypark prepare a Marine T-28 trainer aircraft for storage in the hangar after a successful test flight. The T-28 is one of two aircraft museum volunteers are making airworthy and for display at the museum and air shows. The tail section of a MiG 17 fighter jet awaits restoration in a work room at the museum. Museum director Jody Whitmire’s jacket hangs in the museum’s Ready Room.

»P8

chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 7

A vintage Piper Cub and a Navy T-28 “Trojan” trainer are housed at the Hixson Flight Museum.

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8 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

given by other volunteers. After so many hours of service, volunteers go through a kangaroo-court ceremony and receive a quirky nickname. I also met director of operations Jody “Nutty Buddy” Whitmire.

“If you stick around, we’ll put a wrench in your hand,” said Whitmire. He emphasized that this is a working and flying museum, where volunteers keep maintenance on the aircraft and fly them to retain their order.

Aside from the entry room, the museum has two additional spaces that really take flight. Past the entry is the carefully restored hangar where all of the aircraft are stored, restored and showcased. The Ready Room next door is full of unique avation memorabilia such as captain chairs, flight suits from the Korean War, and Russian clocks taken from submarines. Whether you lived through the Cold War era or not, the museum documents, it’s easy to appreciate the features of the museum for the aviation and history itself. What I learned while at the museum was what an unexpected variety of military aircraft have been collected and transported to this tiny Hixson hangar.

Housed at the museum are two military aircraft, the Alpha and Bravo models of the North American T-28 “Trojan,” which was designed for pilot training. The Alpha was used by the Air Force and the Bravo was the Navy’s version, but both have combat history. Also stationed nearby is a Piper Cub, a general civilian flying plane that was also used by the military, and the L4 Grasshopper, used for sleek obser-

“

It’s important we have something physical so that visitors can be in touch with aviation in terms of arts and science.

Pete O’Hare vation. A Soviet MiG 17 was used by the Polish Air Force and, once restored, will be the only static display at the museum.

The Taylorcraft, made in 1946, is similar to the Cub, but uses a wheel instead of a stick for steering.

Although bound by limited space, the museum has not yet reached its maximum growth. “We’re on the Naval surplus list for a static display,” said Whitmire.

Founder of the museum, Pete O’Hare, hopes to get more aircraft on display, and continue efforts of reaching out to the community, gathering more volunteers, expanding awareness and supporting the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.

The collection currently on working display at the museum is comprised of personal planes of the museum’s founders and supporters. “It’s important we have something physical so that visitors can be in touch with aviation in terms of arts and science,” O’Hare said.

At a time when interest in aviation seems to be decreasing, the opportunity

Military memorabilia on display at the Hixson Flight Museum.

to see aircraft and speak to knowledgeable volunteers can spark a newfound interest of aviation. For that reason, field trips and tours of the museum are offered and encouraged. The museum has been a destination for the Boy Scouts, public and home school students, but museum coordinators would like to see the number of group trips expand.

“If you have an interest in aviation, it will get your foot in the door and you’ll have fun,” said Whitmire.

Volunteer Brent Wade said that it gives you a chance to be part of something bigger than yourself. If you don’t have the handy skills to work on the actual aircraft, there are a variety of ways to volunteer at the museum after becoming a member.

The Hixson Flight Museum supports the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, and funds are raised for the charity at events hosted by the museum. O’Hare was involved with the charity before establishing the museum, and he wanted to continue his support. O’Hare’s wife was an administrator at the hospital, an additional reason to support the cause.

O’Hare is a chief warrant officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, and he owns most of the aircraft exhibited, and on loan, to the museum. He flew in Desert Storm, and his great uncle, Butch O’Hare, was the first Navy pilot of World War II to be given the Medal of Honor. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is named for him.

With his direct dedication to aviation, O’Hare wanted to establish a center for

Hangar Gala Fundraisers at the museum are held throughout the year, but two larger events are hosted in the fall and spring. Coming up on Saturday, April 21. is the second annual Hangar Gala. Tickets are $100 per person, with proceeds of a silent auction benefiting the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. The catered event includes dinner, cocktails, live music and dancing to obtain a USO Show vibe. “Wings, Wheels, and Water” is another event the museum hosts each September, which includes a car and airplane show. For more information, visit the museum’s website at hixsonflightmuseum.com.

those interested and invested in aviation to gather in his hometown of Hixson. “To be in the country where aviation started, we want people in the community to be able to experience the joy of aviation,” O’Hare said.

Only 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, the Hixson Flight Museum is right in our own backyard. Cruise on over from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays to view the in-house displays or test true airspeed with a piloted flight. On a good day, you can experience an aerial view of the region for $69.

Guided tours range from $5 to $10, but the photo opportunities and uniqueness of our hometown flight museum make the opportunity priceless. chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 9

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LIST

THE april 5-11 NIGHTFALL

Strung Like A Horse wins Road to Nightfall After weeks of competition, area bands vying for a headlining spot at this year’s Nightfall concert series were whittled down to four finalists, with Strung Like A Horse emerging as the winner during the final competition on Thursday, March 29, at Rhythm & Brews.

The “garage-grass” favorites bested Ryan Oyer, Amber Fults and Long Gone Darlings to win the coveted Aug. 3 spot. The other finalists will be guaranteed an opening slot for a headlining band when the summer series opens May 11. Strung Like A Horse has developed a passionate following locally and regionally and is comprised of Clay Maselle, Ben Crawford, Mark Fiddler, B.J. Hightower and SLOTH. “All of the bands did an excellent job, and all were worthy of the showcase,” said Zachary Cooper, Pulse publisher and a Nightfall committee member who attended the show. “But Strung Like A Horse was the clear winner and put on a great show.”

Judges for the compeition included Carla Pritchard of Chattanooga Presents, WUTCFM host (and Pulse music columnist) Richard Winham, and Barrett Sellars, a Nashville talent agent for William Morris.

THU04.05

MUSIC

« Endangered Blood

• New York-based acoustic jazz super-group. Read Ernie Paik’s album review on Page 14.

8 p.m. • Barking Legs Theatre • 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 • barkinglegs.org

DANIEL SHEEHAN

CALENDAR

» pulse picks

EVENT

» pulse pick OF THE LITTER: SHOVELS & ROPE

Lookouts Opening Night • Chattanooga’s baseball team takes the field.

7:15 p.m. • AT&T Field 201 Power Alley • (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com

New Classic Country

FRI04.06 MUSIC Alison Krauss & Union Station • Modern bluegrass pioneer begins a two-night run at the Tivoli.

8 p.m. • Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. • (423) 757-5050 • chattanooga.gov

EVENT Lake Winnepesaukah Opening Day • Family fun-park opens for the season.

Noon • 1730 Lakeview Dr. • Rossville, Ga. (423) 525-3946 • lakewinnie.com

SAT04.07 MUSIC Stereotype • Moving and grooving all night.

10 p.m. • Raw • 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919 • Facebook/Raw

EVENT ReelJazz Film Screening

T

echnically, this show should appear in our April 12 issue, but when hot shows pop up on Thursdays, we recommend them a week ahead. Shovels and Rope (above) with Jonny Corndawg is such a show.

S&R is Charleston, S.C., husband-and-wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, who sing harmony-driven folk rock and country. “Sharing guitar and drum duties, pingponging seamlessly, Shovels & Rope should have an easy time satisfying your classiccountry-loving heart,” says

the Houston Press, claiming the duo is the antidote to Civil Wars and She & Him. Singer-songwriter Jonny Corndawg has a heart as warm as warm beer, said the Nashville Scene in its review

of his latest album, “Down on the Bikini Line.” Corndawg’s obvious affinities are with songwriters such as David Allan Coe, Billy Joe Shaver and Tom T. Hall, and he often sounds like a redneck version of Michael Hurley, said the Scene.

Shovels & Rope with Jonny Corndawg $5 pre-show online $7 at the door 9 p.m. • Thursday, April 12 The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com

TUE04.10 OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORT FILMS • 7 P.M. • MAJESTIC 12 • TUGG.COM

• Documentary “A Day in Harlem.”

6 p.m. • Green Spaces 63 E. Main St. • (423) 648-0963 greenspaceschattanooga.com

SUN04.08 EASTER Easter Brunch • Enjoy brunch in the arts district.

10 a.m. • Back Inn Café • 412 E 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com

EASTER Easter at Coolidge • Easter egg hunt and activities for children of all ages.

9 a.m.

Coolidge Park 150 River St.

chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 11

Music

richard winham

‘Paper Airplane’Takes Flight

alison krauss has a crystalline soprano. it may have been her remarkable fiddle playing that first made her a star when she was still a teenager, but it’s her voice and her way with a song that sets her apart. Take “Paper Airplane,” the opening song on her most recent album with Union Station. The song opens with Ron Block fingerpicking the melody on an acoustic guitar. He pauses for Krauss, her voice barely above a whisper, “I’ve put it all behind me,” she sings, only to contradict herself in the closing couplet, “But every silver lining always seem to have a cloud / That comes my way.” That impression is confirmed when halfway through the first line of the third verse, her voice rising with indignation, standing with her hands on her hips, she sounds incensed that she is “here all alone and still wondering why.” Like Billie Holiday and other gifted interpreters, Krauss has the ability to make the listener feel every moment of her pain and frustration.

When Tavis Smiley asked Krauss about the song in an interview last year, she told him, “You know, women … they have pride. That’s how they show strength, and they’re cool, and they don’t show emotion. That’s the only way you can really show strength and still be respected in the case of losing love.”

“Paper Airplane” was written by Robert Lee Castleman.

One of Krauss’ favorite writers, he was also responsible for “Forget About It,” “Crazy As Me,” and “Gravity,” among others. No surprise he’s one of her main go-to writers. But when she called him to ask if he’d write a song for the al-

12 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

bum he demurred, saying he’d had a months-long case of writer’s block. “‘I’ve just been dry,” he told her.

“I had been calling him for months and months about that,” Krauss recalled in a video interview on the Union Station website. He wasn’t biting, but she wasn’t about to give up. She couldn’t. The group had been working on

their first album after a sixyear hiatus, and while by all accounts they were enjoying being back together, the songs weren’t jelling into an album.

“We had recorded for … a week or so,” she said with a heavy sigh in the video interview. ”At the end of that week I was sitting in the lounge, looking through the list, and when everybody got in there, I said ‘We don’t have it. We don’t have what we need to have … you know, a whole piece of work. We have some good songs, but ….’”

She kept returning to Castleman for help, and eventually he invited her over. “Come on over and sit with me while

I try to write something,” he said. Within six hours, according to Krauss, he had finished “Paper Airplane.” The resulting song not only captured her state of mind and set the tone for the album, it tapped into the post-depression zeitgeist.

“Paper Airplane” is followed on the album by Dan Tyminski singing Peter Rowan’s “Dust Bowl Children.”

The song laments the lacerating losses of the Great Depression, but it must have felt jarringly familiar to many listeners in 2010. Heard one after the other on the album, they are a perfect illustration of Jerry Douglas’ droll observation, “The palette cleanser is Alison Krauss in our band...” he says with a chuckle in the video on the website.

As bass player Barry Bales notes in the video, the “dichotomy” between Krauss’ voice and Tyminski’s voice is one of the group’s great strengths.

They are five world-class musicians, but when they sing and play together they “achieve something close to perfection,” wrote a reviewer for The New York Times. You can judge the truth of that observation for yourself when they play two shows at the Tivoli Theatre this weekend.

Alison Krauss & Union Station 8 p.m. Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7 Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. chattanooga.gov

Richard Winham is the host and producer of WUTC-FM’s afternoon music program and has observed the Chattanooga music scene for more than 25 years.

Music

Party at the

CHATTANOOGA LIVE

Thur 04.05 Endangered Blood » 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Crossfire 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com EOTO, Kraddy 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Great Barrier Reefs, Milele Roots 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Long Gone Darlings, Hardin Draw, Sans Abri 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400

Fri 04.06 Prophets & Kings, Dolphin Mouth, Big Kitty 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Channing Wilson 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com of Montreal, Loney Dear, Kishi Bashi 8 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Alison Krauss and Union Station, Jerry Douglas 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanooga.gov The Pool 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Boogie 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919 Pete Boubel 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 The Wrong Way:

A Tribute to Sublime, Ugly Stick 9:30 p.m Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Bounty Hunter 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878 budssportsbar.com

Sat 04.07 Heypenny, James Wallace 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Brandon K Curtis 7 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Alison Krauss and Union Station, Jerry Douglas 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanooga.gov Hudson K, Eliza Rickman, Woodford Sessions 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Psych Factory Dance Party Featuring DJ Excel, DJ K7, Flux 308 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Queen B & the Well Strung Band 9 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com Mary Adams 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 The Pool 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Stereotype 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919 Bounty Hunter 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878

budssportsbar.com Velcro Pygmies 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Anna Banana 10 p.m. Sluggo’s North, 501 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 752-5224

Sun 04.08

Jesse Jane’s Going Away Party 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400

Tue 04.10 Hannah Thomas, A Fragile Tomorrow 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400

Wed 04.11 The Vespers, Act Of Congress 7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Straight No Chaser 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 Prime Cut Trio 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com Pioneer Chik’n Stand 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 4684192 thehonestpint.com Chris & Greg 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878 budssportsbar.com Husky Burnette, Jonny Monster Band 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 John Mark Mcmillan, Kye Key, Jude Moses 9 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send live music listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com.

Wednesday • April 4

Molly Gene One Whoaman Band Saturine Tales

Thursday • April 5

Long Gone Darlings Hardin Draw • Sans Abri

Friday • April 6

Prophets & Kings Dolphin Mouth • Big Kitty

Saturday • April 7

Heypenny • James Wallace

Tuesday • April 10

A Fragile Tomorrow • Hannah Thomas

Wednesday • April 11

Husky Burnette • Jonny Monster Band

Thursday • April 12

Robosapian • Deep Machine

Friday • April 13

The Tammys • Night Beats • Eight Knives

All Week Long!

Mon & tue LIVE DJ

Wii on the Big Screen wednesdays OPEN MIC

5-Week Guitar & Bass Contest CONTINUES!

thursdays

LIVE MUSIC

LOCAL LEGENDS

CHATTANOOGA APRIL

HOUSE PARTY WITH 5 DJS

4 $1 BEER 10-11PM FRI. FRI THE WRONG WAY 9:30p6 BOOGIE SAT. 10p 7 VELCRO PYGMIES $1 BEER 10-11PM sat WED. JOHN MARK MCMILLAN 9p 11 STEREOTYPE FRI. 9p 13 WTM BLUES BAND Party on Two Floors!

CUMBERLAND COLLECTIVE MIKE WILLIS • CLAY EVANS • CONNOR RAND • JASON ESKRIDGE • ISAAC HAYDEN DEBRA GORDON • PHILIP LOWMAN • REGGIE SULLIVAN • BRENDAN BULL • AND GUESTS

WED. 9p

WEEKEND PARTY ZONE!

A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME with Ugly Stick

LIVE MUSIC WITH

CAM & THE BOYS ARE BACK TO PARTY!

LIVE MUSIC WITH

with KYE KEY and JUDE MOSES

Door benefits Hamilton County Long Term Recovery Team

with RICK BOWERS BAND

APRIL 14: ZOSO-THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE! ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE

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1st Floor: Live Music • 2nd Floor: Dancing

Raw Sushi Bar

Restaurant & Nightclub 409 Market Street •423.756.1919

BUY TICKETS ONLINE • RHYTHM-BREWS.COM chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 13

901 Carter St (Inside Days Inn) 423-634-9191

Thursday, April 5: 9pm Open Mic with Mark Holder

Friday, April 6: 9pm Pete Boubel

Saturday, April 7: 9pm Marty Adams

Tuesday, April 10: 7pm Server Appreciation Night $5 Pitchers $2 Wells $1.50 Domestics ●

All shows are free with dinner or 2 drinks!

Stop by & check out our daily specials!

Happy Hour: Mon-Fri: 4-7pm $1 10oz drafts, $3 32oz drafts, $2 Wells, $1.50 Domestics, Free Appetizers

Facebook.com/theofficechatt

Music

regular gigs

Thursdays Open Mic: Mark Holder 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. • (423) 634-9191 Songwriters Showcase: Jordan Hallquist with Special Guests 8 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. • (423) 634-0260 marketstreettavern.com Thursday Night Fever with DJ Barry 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 • sugarsribs.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com

Fridays Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000 • choochoo.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 • thepalmsathamilton.com Bluegrass Night 8 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com amilton.com

Saturdays

Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000 • choochoo.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 • thepalmsathamilton.com

Nightly Specials Mondays 50¢ Wings $3 Yazoo

Tuesdays $1 Tacos 1/2 Price Margaritas

Wednesdays Wine Night + Live Jazz!

Thursdays Burger & Beer Night

Saturdays $2 Domestics 4pm to Midnight

850 Market Street• 423.634.0260 Facebook.com/marketstreettavern

14 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Mondays Live Classical Music 7:30 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com Big Band Night 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 • thepalmsathamilton.com

Tuesdays Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 • funnydinner.com

Wednesdays Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. • (423) 634-0260 marketstreettavern.com Folk School of Chattanooga Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com

Between the Sleeves ERNIE PAIK

Acoustic Fusion the divide between jazz and rock has been bridged frequently since Miles Davis’s fusion period starting in the late 1960s, including notable forays from The Lounge Lizards and John Zorn’s schizophrenic thrashjazz group Naked City.

One thing in common with those configurations is the incorporation of electric instruments. The Brooklyn quartet Endangered Endangered Blood delivers its own Blood particular jazz-rock “Endangered odyssey solely with Blood” (Skirl) acoustic instruments, avoiding typical fusion methods and demonstrating a subtlety that reflects experience while keeping things interesting and exciting.

Endangered Blood’s self-titled debut album features compositions from Chris Speed, one of the band’s two saxophonists, with room for the performers to stretch.

Saxophonist and clarinetist Oscar Noriega is a perfect fit for Speed, with tight, tandem playing and a sense of balance. Trevor Dunn, best known for being a founder of the insane, unclassifiable cult band Mr. Bungle, plays double bass with nimble plucks and a restless, fluid style. But of the four players, the one who lends the most to providing the rock attitude is drummer Jim Black, who avoids the constant-ride-cymbal-tapping thing and gushes forth with a barrage of styles and quick snare/bass drum exchanges, even supplying some choice bursts of jungle breakbeats.

“Taco at Oscar’s” begins with an array of tom hits in a speedy lurch that becomes chaotic, and it’s a good showcase of the quartet’s dexterity and restraint, particularly in the brassy sax solo that finally erupts in ultra-high-frequency squawking. “Valya” starts in a mysterious way with wispy, tiptoeing notes and a light sound-fog, featuring slow trills, brushed drums, and gentle dissonance. The Thelonious Monk standard “Epistrophy” is presented with a menacing manner, and “Andrew’s Ditty Variation One” is the closest that the quartet gets to rocking out, with unstoppable vamps and stimulating drum-and-bass patterns.

Endangered Blood demonstrates that you don’t necessarily need aggressive hardblowing, disorderly free jazz noise, or an electric fusion approach to make rock-infused jazz that’s worthy of attention.

Arts

LITERATURE

Terry Kay, Writer@Work Southern author inaugurates new Chatt State writing program

By Chris Kelly he barely made it to the phone. Award-winning author Terry Kay was preparing a vegetable dish for his family to enjoy later that night.

“An experiment with kale,” he called it. So there began our conversation about food.

Namely, Southern food. We talked about vegetarianism, his allergy to beef (“a hell of a thing for a man to have”), gravy and biscuits before the conversation eventually turned to writing.

Terry Kay’s life is itself the stuff of Southern literature.

Born the eleventh of 12 children in rural Hart County, Georgia, Kay’s life began on a farm. After graduating from LaGrange College with a degree in social science, Kay had intentions of furthering his education in graduate school at Duke University, but money was short so he took a job selling insurance. His wife did not like the late hours salesmen sometimes kept, so Kay began his job search again.

The aspiration and desire to become a writer never existed until he found a newspaper ad that read: “Newspaper looking for a young man to learn an interesting profession.”

“I took the job just to show my wife I could find a job by the end of the day,” Kay said.

The $40 per week job was at a local paper and involved sweeping, cleaning restrooms, errands—even some writing.

The writing led him to work

at the Atlanta Journal and under the tutelage of famed journalist Furman Bisher, where sports writing became his new profession.

As a journalist, Kay has interviewed The Beatles, John Wayne, Elvis Presley and Alfred Hitchcock, just to name a few. But it was his good friend and fellow Southern writer Pat Conroy who persuaded him to try fiction.

“Conroy told his publisher in Boston that I had written a lot of fiction knowing that I hadn’t,” recalled Kay. “They expressed interest, and Conroy told me, ‘You can either turn it in or not.’ ” Kay reluctantly sent publishing giant Houghton Mifflin 150 pages that he had half-heartedly

written and they actually loved it.

His career took off as a novelist. Kay now has more than a dozen books to his credit and several awards under his belt.

“To Dance with the White Dog,” published in 1990, has achieved the most critical acclaim and established Kay as one of the most important writers the South has produced. The book is about an elderly man dealing with the grief over a recently deceased wife and the subsequent mysterious appearance of a white dog. The book was the basis of the 1993 made-for-TV movie starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, and won a Prime Time Emmy Award. In 2006, Kay was inducted into

the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame.

Southern writers like Tennessee Williams have played their part in influencing his work, Kay said. “I read everything I can,” he said, “even cereal boxes!”

Kay loves to talk about writing and his conversation is always full of advice.

“One of the best ways to learn about writing is to sit down and copy a book by a favorite author word for word,” he said. “You will be a much better writer after you are done.”

Kay will dispense more advice and encouragement when he comes to Chattanooga State this month to inaugurate Writers@Work, a new program that hopes to bring about advances in teaching English and to help students become better writers. The program focuses especially on the students taking Composition II. Kay will host a screening of “To Dance with the White Dog,” followed by a book signing and reception, at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, April 10, at Chatt State’s C.C. Bond Humanities Auditorium. The next day, from 2 to 4 p.m., Kay will conduct a writer’s workshop entitled “The DNA of Writing” at the college’s Health Science Center. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, Kay will present the lecture, “An Overview of the Writing Life,” again in the Bond Auditorium.

“If you want to know what happened to the white dog come see my presentation,” Kay quipped. “Better yet, if you would like to hear a man talk of this topic, come on out.

And the topic is this—Southern literature is alive and well and resides in New York City.” chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 15

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• UTC Department of Art Senior BFA Thesis Exhibitions Show One runs through April 13.

Cress Gallery • 752 Vine St. • (423) 304-9789 • cressgallery.org

Thur 04.05 UTC Department of Art Senior BFA Thesis Exhibitions Daily. Cress Gallery of Art, 752 Vine St. (423) 304-9789 cressgallery.org Art + Issues: A Legacy of Strong Women 6 p.m. Hunter Museum, 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org Regional Talent Showcase 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

Fri 04.06 Lake Winnepesaukah Opening Day Noon.

1730 Lakeview Dr. Rossville, Ga. (423) 525-3946 “Multimedia Minis”

16 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Opening Reception 5 p.m. In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com “Dialogue” Opening Reception 5:30 p.m. Tanner-Hill Art Gallery, 3069 S. Broad St. (423) 280-7182 “Pathways” Opening Reception 6:30 p.m. River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com “The Living Newspaper” 7:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141 ensembletheatreofchattanooga.com College Band Night 7:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Wide Open Floor 9 p.m. Barking Legs

Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Ken Evans 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com

Sat 04.07 Out Run the Police!

7:30 a.m. Coolidge Park, 150 River St. Buddhapalooza 10 a.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Old Stone Fort Wildflower Walk 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496 tnaqua.org Saturday PlayGym 10:30 a.m Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 648-6043 cdmfun.org

Opening Day

jazz appreciation month • Jazzanooga celebrates April as Jazz Appreciation Month with a series of events, including a screening of the 1995 Academy Award-winning film, “A Great Day in Harlem” at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 7.

Green Spaces • 63 E. Main St. • jazzanooga.com

Earth Dayz 11 a.m. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, Ga. (800) 854-0675 seerockcity.com “The Living Newspaper” 2 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141 ensembletheatreofchattanooga.com Hug-A-Bunny Day 3 p.m. Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1322 chattzoo.org.com ReelJazz Film Screening: “A Great Day in Harlem” 6 p.m. Green Spaces, 63 E. Main St. jazzanooga.com Regional Talent Showcase 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Ken Evans 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com

Sun 04.08 Easter at Coolidge 9 a.m. Coolidge Park, 150 River St. Easter Brunch 10 a.m. Back Inn Café, 412 East 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com

Mon 04.09 Scenic City Adaptive Cycling 6 p.m. Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-1345 “Catch the Groove” 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center, Roland Hayes Hall, 725 Vine St. (423) 425-4601 utc.edu/music

Tue 04.10 Writers @ Work 6 p.m. Chattanooga State, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-3207 chattanoogastate.edu A Celebration of Books 7 p.m. The Public Library, 1001 Broad St. (423) 757-5310

lib.chattanooga.gov Songs & Stories: Lon Eldridge 7 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com AEC Presents 2012 Oscar-Nominated Short Films 7 p.m. Majestic 12, 311 Broad St. (423) 265-5220 tugg.com

Wed 04.11 Synchrony by Oliver Herring 6:30 p.m. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org Straight No Chaser 7 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanooga.gov

Thurs, April 5 • 7:15 PM vs. Tennessee Smokies Free magnet schedules Skydiver delivers game ball Fri, April 6 • 7:15 PM vs. Tennessee Smokies Fireworks Show!

Sat, April 7 • 7:15 PM vs. Tennessee Smokies Clown Jester of Baseball Myron Noodleman Sun, April 8 • 6:15 PM vs. Tennessee Smokies Easter Egg Hunt

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com. chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 17

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Find uS on FAcEbook blacksmithstelmo.com 18 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

MIKE MCJUNKIN

The Real Thing i’m sure you remember where you were that fateful afternoon.

I wish I could forget the events that unfolded tragically before me but they are forever burned into my psyche. Here in Chattanooga, gray clouds and misting rain were an ominous portend of the awful news that was about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. Coca-Cola changed its formula.

Chattanooga has a long history with Coca-Cola as the home of its first bottling plant. If you’re a native of the city I’m sure that your mother, like mine, told you bedtime stories of how the three wise men of the mountain—Benjamin Thomas, Joseph Whitehead and Jack Lupton—were visited by a band of mischievous Rock City gnomes and given the power to bottle this magical elixir so that it could be shared with the people of the world.

Perhaps fueled by Aqua Net Extra Super Hold fumes or confused by the popularity of Jack Wagner, focus groups in the early 1980s began to express a preference for sweeter sodas and “Project Kansas” was born to explore the reformulation of Coke. At the same time, both Coke and Pepsi soft drink engineers had another monumental change in the works. On Nov. 6, 1984, the two companies announced they were no longer using sugar in their drinks and were instead replacing it with high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. When Coca-Cola announced the formula change I panicked and bought a figal (five gallon container) of original formula syrup and tucked it away like a bottle of Château Pétrus. Turns out that was a bit of an overreaction. Less than

Mexican Coca-Cola packs all the sugar of the original U.S. formula—and now it’s all over town. three months after the introduction of New Coke, news anchor Peter Jennings interrupted “General Hospital” to announce Coca-Cola was returning to its original formula, prompting U.S. Sen. David Pryor to call the reintroduction a “meaningful moment in U.S. history.”

Indeed.

But the change from cane sugar to HFCS had gotten lost in the drama and hype over New Coke.

The switch went largely unnoticed by the general public, but many of the more discerning devotees of Coca-Cola noted that although the reintroduced Coke was supposed to be the original formula, something wasn’t quite right. And they were right.

Luckily, nothing changed South of the Border.

With its glistening glass bottle and white “Hecho en Mexico” label on the neck, Mexican CocaCola, or MexiCoke, is the answer to the prayers of many a connoisseur of the carbonated concoction.

You see, Mexican Coke is still made with actual cane sugar instead of the cloying HFCS. A comparison of the ingredients in U.S.-bottled Coke and its Mexican counterpart shows only one other slight difference. MexiCoke has a bit more sodium, likely due to differences in the carbonation process.

It’s probably obvious by now, but I’m a serious Coke head. I can ramble on about Brix levels (the ratio of dissolved sugar to water in a liquid) and wax eloquently on the virtue of keeping ice out of Coke (it waters it down—don’t argue with me I’m a purist) and for me, Mexican Coke is as addicting as … well, Mexican coke.

Until recently, Mexican Cokes were as hard to find as Bobby Flay’s humility, but now they are popping up in big box stores and food trucks all over Chattanooga. For this, I say “Muchas gracias, Mexico!”

I may never recover from the brutalizing trauma that was inflicted upon me during the dark reign of New Coke, but a smooth glass bottle of MexiCoke is a sweet, sugary salve for my wounds.

With time and a bottle opener I can heal.

Mike McJunkin cooks better than you. Visit his Facebook page (Sushi and Biscuits). We compel you.

Comix

chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 19

Free Will Astrology ARIES

(March 21-April 19): Please study this testimony: “Born in a rancid, bat-infested cave at the base of the smoldering Sangay Volcano, I was raised by the half-bear demon princess Arcastia. At the age of four my training as a ninja shaman began when I was left naked and alone next to a stream of burning lava with only two safety pins, a package of dental floss, and a plastic bag full of Cheerios. My mission: to find my way to my spiritual home.”

Now, Aries, I’d like you to compose your own version of this declaration: a playful, over-thetop myth about your origins that gives you a greater appreciation for the heroic journey you’ve been on all these years.

CHATTANOOGA CHOW

RESTAURANT GUIDE

THE PULSE HUGE FOOD&DRINK ISSUE

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Our ancestors owned slaves and denied education to young women. What were they thinking? Time magazine asked renowned historian David McCullough if there was anything we do today that our descendants will regard as equally insane and inexcusable. His reply: “How we could have spent so much time watching TV.” I’ll ask you, Taurus, to apply this same exercise on a personal level. Think of some things you did when you were younger that now seem incomprehensible or ignorant. Then explore the possibility that you will look back with incredulity at some weird habit or tweaked form of selfindulgence you’re pursuing today.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

APRIL 19 CALL 423.242.7693 TO ADVERTISE

“I can’t tell if I’m dealing well with life these days or if I just don’t give a shit any more.” I stumbled upon that comment at someecards.com, and I decided to pass it along for your consideration. You may be pondering the same riddle: feeling suspicious about why you seem more relaxed and tolerant than usual in the face of plain old everyday chaos. I’m here to tell you my opinion, which is that your recent equanimity is not rooted in jaded numbness.

Rather, it’s the result of some hard work you did on yourself during the last six months. Congrats and enjoy!

20 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

rob brezsny

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

What excites you, Cancerian?

What mobilizes your self-discipline and inspires you to see the big picture? I encourage you to identify those sources of highoctane fuel, and then take extraordinary measures to make them a strong presence in your life. There has rarely been a better time than now for you to do this. It could create effects that will last for years. (P.S. Here’s a nudge from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever achieved without it.”)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): While browsing in a bookstore, I came across a book and deck of cards that were collectively called “Tarot Secrets.” The subtitle of the kit was “A Fast and Easy Way to Learn a Powerful Ancient Art.” I snorted derisively to read that claim, since I myself have studied Tarot intensively for years and am nowhere near mastery. Later, though, when I was back home meditating on your horoscope, I softened my attitude a bit. The astrological omens do indeed suggest that in the upcoming weeks and months, you just might be able to learn a rather substantial skill in a relatively short time.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Writing in The New Yorker, Joanna Ravenna paraphrased German philosopher Nietzsche: “The best way to enrage people is to force them to change their mind about you.” I’d like to see you mutate this theory in the coming weeks, Virgo. If possible, see if you can amuse and entertain people, not enrage them, by compelling them to change their minds about you.

I realize that’s a tricky proposition, but given the current astrological omens, I have faith that you can pull it off.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1892, when Wrigley was just starting out as a company, its main product was baking powder. Free chewing gum was included in each package as a promotional gimmick. But soon the freebie became so popu-

lar that Wrigley rearranged its entire business. Now it’s a multi-billion-dollar company that sells gum in 140 different countries—and no baking powder. Maybe there’s something like that on the verge of happening in your own life, Libra: What seemed like the main event could turn out to be secondary, or what seemed incidental might become a centerpiece. Is there something you are overvaluing at the cost of something you are undervaluing?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): People in intimate relationships are hypersensitive to negative comments from their partners. Psychologists say it takes five compliments to outweigh the effects of a single dash of derogatory criticism.

I’m sure the ratio is similar even for relationships that aren’t as close as lovers and spouses.

With this in mind, I urge you to be extra careful not to dispense barbs. They would be especially damaging during this phase of your astrological cycle— both to you and to those at whom you direct them. Instead, Scorpio, why not dole out an abundance of compliments? They will build up a reservoir of goodwill you’ll be able to draw on for a long time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-

Dec. 21): Researchers report that the typical man falls in love 5.4 times over the course of his life, while the average woman basks in the glow of this great mystery on 4.6 occasions. I suspect you may be close to having a .4 or .6 type of experience, Sagittarius: sort of like infatuation, but without the crazed mania. That could actually be a good thing. The challenging spiritual project that a relationship offers may be most viable when the two people involved are not electrifyingly interwoven with every last one of their karmic threads. Maybe we have more slack in our quest for intimacy if we love but are not obsessed.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22Jan. 19): “I couldn’t wait for success,” said comedian Jonathan Winters, “so I went ahead with-

out it.” I love that approach, and I suggest you try it out. Is there any area of your life that is held captive by an image of perfection? Consider the possibility that shiny concepts of victory and progress might be distracting you from doing the work that will bring you meaning and fulfillment. If you’re too busy dreaming of someday attaining the ideal mate, weight, job, pleasure, and community, you may miss out on the imperfect but amazing opportunities that are available right now.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.

18): On Reddit.com, Kaushalp88 asked the question, “What is the most badass thing that you have ever done, but that other people weren’t impressed by?”

Here’s his own story: “I was at an ice-cream shop. At the exit, there was a small raised step I didn’t see. I tripped over it with my ice cream cone in my right hand. The ice cream ball sprung out of the cone. I instinctively lurched my left hand forward and grabbed it, but at the same time I was already falling toward the pavement. I tucked my head into my chest and made a perfect somersault, rising to my feet and plopping the ice cream back in the cone.” I suspect you will soon have comparable experiences, Aquarius—unusual triumphs and unexpected accomplishments. But you may have to be content with provoking awe in no one else beside yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” So says a Swedish proverb. Can we talk about this, please, Pisces? Of course there are real hazards and difficulties in life, and they deserve your ingenious problemsolving. But why devote any of your precious energy becoming embroiled in merely hyped-up hazards and hypothetical difficulties? Based on my analysis of the astrological omens, now is a propitious time to cut shadows down to their proper size. It’s also a perfect moment to liberate yourself from needless anxiety. I think you’ll be amazed at how much more accurate your perceptions will be as a result.

Jonesin’ Crossword

matt jones

BRAVES BASEBALL

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Across

1.“The Alienist” author Carr 6. Stitch’s friend, in a Disney movie 10. Vegetable in Cajun cuisine 14. By itself 15. With 60-down, “The Price is Right” prize worth freaking out over 16. Lousy 17. End up winning and coming second at the same time?

20. One of a biblical 150 21. “___ the loneliest number...”

22. Start 26. “Yo, ___!”

28. AKC winner plus a mini Shetland?

31. Actress Skye of “Say Anything” 32. ___ bran muffins 33. It may be obtained in a bed 34. Blind followers 36. Honey ___ (KFC sauce) 38. Belgian city of WWI battles 42. Mai ___ (drink) 44. Lawyers’ gp.

46. Dinghy need

47. Soldier’s comment akin to “It’s time to join the line, dear”?

51. How some meds are taken 52. Wedding dress fabrics 53. Participate in a bee 54. Qatari leaders 57. Narrator’s goal to maximally project his voice?

63. Effortlessness 64. Insurance variety 65. Ex who gave “The Donald” his nickname 66. “South Park” cocreator Parker 67. Word in many Scottish place names 68. Spine-tingling

Down

1. Tube top?

2. Every last bit 3. Mauna ___ (macadamia nut brand) 4. End-of-letter abbr.

5. Went off like a microwave 6. Singer ___ Del Rey 7. Part of IHOP 8. “Brothers” in the 2008 market collapse 9. Come up short 10. It may include an

“undecided” option 11. From Pyeongchang 12. Like violin bowstrings 13. Sciences’ counterpart 18. Defensive schoolyard retort 19. Unlike volunteer work 22. Suffix for an illness 23. “That’s not good...”

24. Fine-tune muscles 25. High school in a 1980s-90s fiction series 27. “Silent Spring” pesticide 29. Shoot the breeze 30. Facing the pitcher 35. Seafood-and-rice dish 37. Most Super Bowl MVPs 39. Political cartoonist Ted 40. The shallowest Great Lake

41. Tax return nos.

43. Beastie Boys album “Licensed to ___” 45. Union for voiceover artists (FAR AT anagram) 47. Adorable bunny feature 48. Open-ended ultimatum 49. Sight to take in 50. Down Under native 53. “Leave it in,” to a proofreader 55. Chess goal 56. Token in an old Monopoly set 58. Become droopy 59. “___ Been Everywhere” (Johnny Cash song) 60. See 15-across 61. Punk/folk singer DiFranco 62. No, in Robert Burns poems

Sunday

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Jonesin’ Crossword created By Matt Jones. © 2012 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: 1-800655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0566. chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 21

Life in the Noog

chuck crowder

Bessie Strutted Down MLK,Just Like Me “

for the first time in more than 20 years, I won’t be walking down the middle of MLK Boulevard on a hot afternoon in June drinking $3 tall boys and gnawing on a barbecued turkey leg—at least not legally. For, in the infinite wisdom of the current administration, the “City” has decided that for my own safety I’d be better off on the riverfront where they can keep an eye on things a little better.

The Bessie Smith Strut, a beloved local tradition tolerated by Riverbend officials and the police for nearly three decades, is moving this year from its home on MLK to the safety of its step-parents’ festival grounds. And, like all Chattanoogans who consider the Strut to be one of the last—if not the only—truly multi-cultural events in town, I’m mad as hell about it. The Strut is a part of our city’s history that I just can’t let go.

For those who need the backstory, Bessie Smith was a blues singer who lived (albeit briefly) near Martin Luther King Boulevard (then called 9th Street) back in the early 1900s. She sang on the street corners for spare change, drank in the gutter and infamously fought with any man she was involved with at the time. Then like The Impressions, Samuel L. Jackson and Usher, she decided that Chattanooga had nothing else to offer colored folk and moved away to become famous. Since

honest music

then however, we back here at home still cling to the farfetched notion that she “got her start” in Chattanooga and therefore named a blues festival (as well as a multicultural center) after her.

Traditionally, the Bessie Smith Strut has been a coming together of all races for an annual street party to celebrate diversity—or at least give whitey an excuse to safely see how the other half lives while pretending to slum it. It also gives the African-American community an opportunity to take us under their wing and show us a good time experiencing a culture far away from the bubble of private schools and country clubs.

If you still like Foreigner and/or the Goo Goo Dolls and are pumped about their appearances on this year’s CocaCola Stage, then the Strut is likely not for you.

Multiple races walk up and down the street together, sharing barbeque, cheap beer, live blues music and the entertainment of street preachers trying to save our hopelessly sinful souls. It’s one day a year when people from all walks of life mingle in MLK’s bars, restaurants and businesses (although they’re also open the other 364 days). But despite the irony of the situation, the Strut is just plain fun.

But it’s not for everyone, I’ll give you that. It’s not for the hateful or intolerant. It’s not for those who can’t stand hot pavement and cold beer. And it’s certainly not for the average Riverbend patron. If you still

like Foreigner and/or the Goo Goo Dolls and are pumped about their appearances on this year’s Coca-Cola Stage, then the Strut is likely not for you.

Most of my friends who attend the Strut haven’t purchased a Riverbend pin in years, if ever. And they’re not alone. A WRCB-TV online poll recently reported that 66 percent of respondents said they weren’t going to Riverbend this year, and another 10 percent were undecided. That leaves a measly 24 percent who qualify to attend the new “Bessie Smith Blues Celebration” (or whatever it’s called), to be held behind the secure gates of the festival’s “pin-required” environment. Likely these are the same people who voted for Mayor Littlefield, the man behind the event’s move to the Riverbend Festival grounds.

I’m surprised a man in his position doesn’t see that moving the event away from MLK sends a message that Chattanooga Police perceivably don’t have the energy or manpower to control a linear street festival for three hours one afternoon a year. He also apparently doesn’t see that moving the festival away from the African-American community is another gentrified slap in the

face to a race we already don’t celebrate enough (and who ironically voted for him). And, Littlefield doesn’t see the obvious visual difference between a turkey leg and a corn dog, the savory taste of a rib sandwich versus greasy chicken-on-astick, or the bold palette of a 24-ounce Colt 45 versus a watered down Michelob Ultra. He just doesn’t get it.

Despite an understaffed police force, seemingly unstoppable gang violence and outbreaks of mayhem each and every year, the Strut has occurred on MLK without question since I can remember. But wait a minute, so has Mardi Gras in New Orleans, St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah and New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Are we really saying that we know more about how to keep our citizens safe during a festival than those cities? Surely not. That would be ridiculously short-sighted and ignorant.

Chuck Crowder is a local writer and general man about town. His opinions are just that. Everything expressed is loosely based on fact and crap he hears people talking about.

Take what you read with a grain of salt, but let it pepper your thoughts.

local and regional shows

Snake Doctors with Bearhound ($3)

Wed, Apr 4

9pm

Great Barrier Reefs with Milele Roots ($3)

Thu, Apr 5

9pm

Pioneer Chik’n Stand and Lon Eldridge ($3)

Wed, Apr 11

9pm

Shovels and Rope with Jonny Corndawg $5 online/$7 night of show

Thu, Apr 12

9pm

Coming April 18: Uncle Touchy with Saturine Tales Free Show April 29: Molly Maguires

22 • The Pulse • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Full food menu serving lunch and dinner.

11am-2am, 7 days a week.

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chattanoogapulse.com • APRIL 5-11, 2012 • The Pulse • 23