Sept. 27, 2012
Vol. 9 • No. 39
Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative
girl talk
Gregg Gillis surfaces at Track 29
MUSIC ANGEL snow SCREEN ‘SAHKANAGA’ PANIC! HALLOWEEN GUIDE INSIDE
2 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
INSIDE THE PULSE •SEPT. 27-OCT. 3, 2012 •vol. 9 •no. 39
HIGHLIGHTS
ANGEL SNOW
• Sound contrived? Not really. North Georgia’s other “idol” has the support of bluegrass legend Alison Krauss and is a rising star as a folk singer in her own right. Sarah Skates talks to Snow in Sound Check. Music » P13 On the cover: Gregg Gillis is Girl Talk. Photo • Paul Sobata
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Publisher Zachary Cooper Creative Commando Bill Ramsey Contributors Rich Bailey • Rob Brezsny ChuckChattanooga’s Crowder •Weekly JohnAlternative DeVore • Janis Hashe Matt Jones • Chris Kelly • D.E. Langley Mike McJunkin • Patrick Noland • Ernie Paik Cole Rose • Alex Teach • Richard Winham Photographers Jason Dunn • Josh Lang Cartoonists Max Cannon • Richard Rice Tom Tomorrow Intern Erin McFarland
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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. © 2012 Brewer Media
BREWER MEDIA GROUP President Jim Brewer II
chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 3
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Jell-O shots, services at PRIDE Festival from interfaith services to line dancing and Jell-O shots, the 2012 Chattanooga PRIDE Festival lineup boasts a colorful juxtaposition of events when it debuts this year from Oct. 1 to 7. Tennessee Valley Pride will host the festival under the theme “Celebrating All Shades of the Rainbow” in conjunction with National LGBT Diversity Month. While most nightly events are 21 and up, PRIDE will conclude with the free, family-friendly Chattanooga PRIDE Festival from 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, in Miller Plaza. The festival will include performances by The DC Cowboys, Summer Osborne, The Ashley Jo Farmer Band,
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“
We want to make sure that we are inclusive of everybody. Mario Forte Tennessee Valley Pride
Charlie Brown of “Charlie Brown’s Cabaret” and Stone Parquet-Mr. Bear Unlimited. Despite the fact that Chattanooga sits cozily in the buckle of “The Bible Belt,” and may not yet be a friendly haven for the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender population, the city’s LGBT population is growing. As if recognizing this sector, six local affirming churches will be represented during the week. Affirming churches
accept people of all sexual orientations without attempting to change them. “We do hear that people who are gay who have been rejected by their church feel a sense of rejection from religion in general, so having affirming churches is a plus for people who do have faith and happen to be gay,” Mario Forte, TVP’s president and a current committee member, said. TVP is a nonprofit organization designed to celebrate diversity in the Chattanooga area by combining resources from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population to educate and strengthen the community, ultimately creating a safe environment to improve the human condition. For Chattanooga residents unfamiliar with the LGBT community, Forte recommends attending the screening and panel discussion of “For the Bible Tells Me So” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Grace Episcopal Church. “I think it’s a very important message that you can have your faith and still understand, respect and love your fellow human beings,” Forte said. “We want to make sure that we are inclusive of everybody. It’s an alliance of our understanding that we are all people.” Not only will this year’s festival play host to more events, vendors, entertainment and sponsors than past PRIDE festivals, but also will feature perhaps the most exciting installment—commitment ceremonies will be held in Miller Park on Oct. 7 to give couples the opportunity to pledge commitment to one another in front of friends and family. “Plans for a public commitment ceremony have been discussed for the past several years. This year with the announcement of the president of the United States supporting the rights of LGBT people to marry, the timing seemed right,” TVP said in a news release. Clergy members from the area’s affirming churches will perform the ceremonies and will be available for couples counseling prior to the ceremony. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit tennesseevalleypride. com. —Erin McFarland
hackanooga
WTCI shares top honors at hackfest wtci-tv’s hackanooga team and project Proximity1 was honored as the “Best Vision for the Future of Chattanooga,” an honor that they shared with a team called “Change.” Project Proximity1 is a mobile app concept that WTCI-TV is leading as a community collaboration conceived by board member and investment advisor Ray Ryan of Patten and Patten to genuinely use the gig in our backyard to act as an aggregator of local content. “Hackanooga,” presented by U.S. Ignite and Mozilla and sponsored by EPB, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the National Science Foundation, CO.LAB, Lamp Post Group and Easy Designs, was a 48-hour event that connected experienced web developers to Chattanooga’s one-gigabitper-second Internet speed. Nancy Patterson presented WTCI’s Project Proximity1 to the crowd of experienced web developers from Chattanooga and around the country, building a team of local professionals who spent 48 hours creating an unfinished prototype of the web-based local digital video content aggregator that WTCI and nonprofit partners have been exploring. Patterson, a WTCI board member, wife and mother, led the Hackanooga team and is the co-founder of a legal start-up and owns a non-profit consulting business. “Nancy has brought a passion and commitment to her service on the board of directors and she and board member Ray Ryan have been instrumental in moving the station toward the goal of bringing innovation in providing quality digital content to the public” Paul Grove, president and CEO of WTCI said. WTCI is Chattanooga’s PBS station and serves a 35-county region, striving to educate, engage and inspire citizens by providing quality programming, services and being an active community partner. U.S. Ignite is a White House initiative that is a federally funded, public-private partnership designed to promote the development of apps and services for ultra-fast broadband networks. WTCI provided the live streaming services for the Gig Tank event held in August, sharing the Chattanooga experience with an international audience. Ideas that are created at events like Hackanooga can become submissions for the Mozilla Ignite challenge, a grant opportunity offering $485,000 in awards partnered with mentorship opportunities to help apps get off the ground. The unfinished prototype can be viewed at proximity1.com and is represented on Facebook at Proximity1. For more information, contact WTCI at (423) 702-7815 or on Facebook at WTCI-TV. —Staff
Dizzy Town
POLITICS & THE MEDIA
The Politics of Rock at least since the reagan era, politicians have attempted to co-opt the themes of popular rock songs to bolster their campaigns. And ever since, musicians have mostly complained about politicians using their music. While politicians of all stripes seem to love the anthems of such rock stars as Bruce Springsteen, the musicians themselves tend to lean liberal—and they don’t generally agree with the views of their politico fans. Most recently, a long article in The Atlantic magazine profiling New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his “unrequited” love for The Boss examined this phenomenon. Christie is a hardcore fan of his fellow “Jersey Boy,” and has been to more than 100 Springsteen concerts. Suffice it to say, he’d love to hang out with Bruce. Problem is, The Boss doesn’t share the love. As the article pointed out, most politicians of national stature are either too dull or too monomanically careerist to maintain fervent relationships with artists. And the artists, who are neither dull but possibly monomanical, are often put off, to be polite, by the right-wing leanings of those such as Christie, an abrasive blowhard we’ll see more of in the future, we’d guess. The epic fail that was the Reagan campaign’s 1984 attempt to use “Born in the USA” still burns because then, as now, campaign strategists view popular music as simply that—a theme. If they had listened and understood the lyrics of that song, they would have backed off. Ronald Reagan surely didn’t have an iPod, and if he did it would not include Springsteen. Fast forward to the
present. Popular music is still a popular draw for politicians, increasingly so on the right, whose candidates continue to ignore or misinterpret the actual themes of the songs they embrace. It’s sad and they should stop. But they won’t—until threatened by a lawsuit, and those happen rightfully with increasing frequency. It’s fine to embrace musicians who embrace you—as Mitt Romney has done with Kid Rock and what’s left of Lynryd Skynrd— but other than that, just leave it alone, guys. It’s a different story for Democrats. Fleetwood Mac had no problem with Bill Clinton using “Don’t Stop.” We’re not sure what’s on President Obama’s iPod, but we’d guess most of the artists would be pleased if he used their songs along the Campaign Trail. Why? The short answer is most Republicans are shallow dicks, the kind of people who listen to Classic Rock and think modern radio formatting is just fine. Which brings us to Andy Berke, our state senator and future mayor of Chattanooga—if all goes well for him, and that seems to be the case. On Thursday, Oct. 4, Berke will hold his fourth
annual “Springsteen Fundraiser,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Lindsay Street Hall. Berke, like many, is a Springsteen fan—although he falls short of Christie’s record of shows with only 25 concerts on his tally. Berke is a moderate Democrat who is leaving his state office to run for mayor. His state senate seat, thanks to redistricting, will likely be filled by a Republican. He saw the writing on the wall and perhaps his mayoral run will serve as a springboard for a national run. As of now, he’s running unapposed for the mayor’s office, although that can and will change. In the meantime, Berke is hosting his “Bruce, BBQ and Berke” fundraiser, a low-key affair he says is just an opportunity to “come out, have fun and listen to some music while talking about things that matter,” he told Nooga. com. While the mayor’s office is not particularly partisan, Berke should assume power next March. He’s likeable, progressive and has an earned understanding of politics that Littlefield and other recent mayors have not. As for his choice theme song for the evening, Berke told Nooga he’d selcect “Reason to Believe,” a bleak but hopeful cut from Springsteen’s 1982 album, Nebraska. Like that album’s follow-up, Born in the USA, The Boss is clearly in dark territory on Nebraska, but finds him in flux, much like our country. We’d like to think he’d approve of Berke’s event. chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 5
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On the Beat
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Two Retired Cops sweat rolled down the officer’s forehead despite the ball cap-style uniform hat he was wearing, the thick growth of reeds slowly being parted by the bow of the boat he was riding in making a soft whisking sound against the hull. (The reeds posed a risk of getting caught up in the outboard propellers of an average boat, but not in the ones this Zodiac center console was equipped with. It was well designed, and incredibly overpowered.) He was completely focused, leaning forward with his arms braced on the rails for stability, but raising occasionally to direct the pilot “left” or “right” as they sought their quarry. He was quiet, as was his partner in the captain’s chair and the craft’s outboard motors (or at least as quiet as they could be), and he was certain he was close. The reeds were dense, but most inland Florida lakes were like that, and in the late summer especially. The water was cool, however, and inviting … apparently too inviting to resist for the two young women reportedly bathing topless on floats just inside the area of Turkey Lake Park, which is what brought the marine patrol unit to the area. And, of course, their focus. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Anderson said in a muffled tone as he raised his left hand in the form of a fist (cop-talk for “Stop”), allowing him to not have to look
back. “Found ’em,” he declared, and the Captain smiled. Clearly realizing the boat had approached long before they were actually spotted, the two women continued to lie on their floats hoping the boat would miss them thanks to their very intentional camouflage. Once they were spotted, however, while they were not exactly rude … they were certainly less than thrilled to have been seen by these strangers who had no doubt been seeking them out. The two blondes crisscrossed their arms over their chests to obscure them as the boat approached, and remained lying
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flat. “Good afternoon, ladies,” Anderson said, clearly looking at them but also looking around them at the water. “Hello officer. Are we in trouble?” the Left Blonde inquired. She was not alarmed or making any obvious move to leave or even recover her top, and in fact seemed miffed in general in that way that only attractive women can be when caught doing something against the rules that they feel their looks should exempt them from. “For this? Of course not, you’re fine. We’re just looking for a water moccasin someone reported in the area.” And with that, the ladies exchanged their pursed, angry lips for jaws slackened with surprise, and they simultaneously grasped the side edges of their floats and sat bolt-upright, the business usually hidden by a bra now exposed to the world … just as the incredibly clever (and unscrupulous) Officer Anderson intended. “No, no!” Anderson said. “You’re fine!” he yelled out. “But we’ll be right here in the area looking. Relax!” The girls were still sitting upright, but this encouraged them to lie back down, starting to cover themselves again. Anderson and the Captain moved forward, and when just out of sight, the Cap’ leaned over one side of the boat and said, “Andy, grab that big reed out of the water.” His partner
was confused, but he complied. Reaching over and getting in inside, the Cap’ then said, “Ok, now wrestle with it. Give ’em a show!” And with that, realization dawned on Anderson’s face and he slung that wet reed around like it owed him money. Less than a minute passed, and he stopped. The Captain began to back out, past the girls. “Oh my God, was that it?!?” the Right Blonde asked. “Yes!” Anderson said with dismissive coolness. “You’re perfectly safe. We’ll be heading out now, we’re sorry if we scared you.” “Scared us?” said the Left Blonde. “You saved us!” she said with glee. “Our heroes! Would you mind giving us a ride in? We’re really freaked out now.” “Why no, ma’am. Not at all,” Anderson said, reaching out to take her hand. (*This wasn’t me, folks. This is a story from a bygone era; 1981 to be precise. Events like these are a fireable offense now, of course, but I have to tell you, they sure are hilarious to hear over dinner with some very old, and very dynamicthinking retired cops. Salute, boys; glad I couldn’t beat your story!) 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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Sherry Gravitt shows off recent finds at her Encore Consignment Boutique on Hixson Pike.
At Encore Consignment Boutique, Sherry Gravitt finds fashion gems in gently worn wardrobes.
By Junnie Kwon sherry gravitt, owner of encore consignment Boutique, and Marc Jacobs have more in common than Gravitt knows. Both connoisseurs of fashion at age 15 started their first jobs in fashion. For Jacobs, it was as a stockboy at Charivari, a now-defunct boutique in New York City. For Gravitt, it was in the handbag department at the Vogue, “which was the designer boutique in Chattanooga,” she chimed. Both entrepreneurs of fashion and business have claimed bragging rights in their respective ways—although Jacobs’ life is decidedly more glamorous—but both have global reach. Encore lays claim to the of title Best Consignment Store in Chattanooga from the
Times Free Press’ Reader’s Choice and Best of the Best awards. “[When I bought the storefront,] quite frankly, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back into clothing or antiques,” she said. “I decided, that’s it. I mean it was just, »P8
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Sherry Gravitt shows off recent finds at her Encore Consignment Boutique on Hixson Pike. Photo • Jason Dunn for The Pulse
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bam. Done.” And while impulsive decisions, especially when it comes to the clothing business, can result in disappointing ends. In Gravitt’s case, her instinct came from a business and marketing degree and a long affair with fashion. She represented her high school on Loveman’s Teen Board and continued working at the Vogue in college. “If you go into a business like this, and you don’t know clothing, and you don’t know designers, it would be extremely hard,” she said. “But that’s something that I’ve been around my whole life. My grandmother was the manager of the crystal room at Miller’s when it was downtown.” Gravitt channels her experience in past fashion to evaluating the current. She visits Atlanta at least once a month to scour inventory at a variety of stores, and when her daughter lived in New York, she went to the Big Apple twice a year to observe the market there. Setting Encore’s reputation and distinguishing it from thrift stores was the real challenge. The two industries sell preowned clothing but differ in almost every dimension from business operation to selecting merchandise, according to her. First, Gravitt stresses that while thrift stores accept all donations, consignment stores have standards for buying pieces to sell. Encore adheres to a very selective
and specific process for accepting clothing and accessories. For clothes, items must be three years old or less, dry cleaned or laundered, pressed and on hangers before they are considered. Easily found on the racks are designer gems from Akris, an esoteric Swedish fashion label, Fendi and Ralph Lauren, but in the same space are retail and contemporary brands such as J.Crew and Tracy Reese. You might find the likes of said tags at thrift stores, but only with sheer luck and without abundance. This leads to the second main distinction, which is the consumer demographic. “In a thrift store, too, you’ve got a particular market that are looking for very, very, very inexpensive pieces,” she said. “Whereas, we tend to, we go the higher end.” People with superfluous expensive items gravitate towards consignment stores not only because of reimbursement, but also because they know they can entrust their items with places like Encore who have high standards and reliable business models. “In the consignment business, this is a trust business,” she said. With 2,300 consignors on record, Gravitt has consignors who shop all over the world, resulting in an injection of global fashion perspectives in Chattanooga. This also means that global shoppers return home to try on brand-new, white cheetah print boots only to find that they don’t fit like they did in that store in Italy. Gravitt estimates that a third of merchandise are new with tags. However, one thing that should never have tags, according to Gravitt, is a designer handbag: “Louis Vuitton never attached a tag.” Before Gravitt takes any piece, she spends hours researching to authenticate the label, especially in designer handbags. “It might take me eight hours to authenticate a bag, and it has many times,” she said. She has crafted a list of clear giveaways, such as the stitching, but with her honed experience, she can authenticate a signature handbag, such as Louis Vuitton’s Speedy, almost by instinct. As she dissects the features of an authentic bag with me, she hesitates for a moment. “You just have to learn the feel,” she explained. “It’s kind of like with a Chanel— there are two types of leather that they usually use with a Chanel—you have to know that feel. And you can’t do that unless you’ve seen a lot of them and you just go on and on and on. It takes years, basically, to kind of, figure some of that out.” It’s in this way that Gravitt has succeeded in the industry and that newcomers often neglect: you have to pay your dues.
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CALENDAR
LIST
THE 09.27-10.03
friday 9:30 • saturday 10:30
» pulse PICKS
» pulse picks OF THE LITTER
THU09.27
Rocktober at Pickle Barrel
MUSIC The Wild West Band • Alt-outlaw country, blues and classic rock. 9 p.m. • The Honest Pint • 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 478-4192 • thehonestpint.com
EVENT Art + Issues: Leadership and Contemplation • State Senate candidate Andraé McGary. 6 p.m. • Hunter Museum • 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 • huntermuseum.org
FRI09.28 MUSIC Andy Irvine • Legendary Irish troubadour. 8 p.m. • Barking Legs Theater • 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 • barkinglegs.org
EVENT
• The Pickle Barrel is our favorite Chattanooga bar, because it’s just that—a place you go to drink. Now, the PB is adding live music to the mix. Dubbing it “Rocktober,” the Market Street bar will feature a slate of music on its deck from 8 to 11 p.m., beginning with James Leg (pictured at right) on Monday, Oct. 1. The schedule continues each Monday in Roctober, with Jenny Holder, Mark “Porkchop” Holder, The Bohannons and Uncle Lightnin’ scheduled to perform.
SEPTEMBER 28-29
SAM MORRIL
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Pickle Barrel 1012 Market St. (423) 266-1103 goodfoodchattanooga.com
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OCT 12-13
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Low Country Boil • Benefits young people who need prosthetics. 5 p.m. • The Chattanoogan Hotel 1201 S. Broad St. • (423) 424-3700 chattanooganhotel.com
Lord T & Eloise Crash JJ’s
SAT09.29
• The stylings of “aristocrunk” pioneers Lord T & Eloise have graced Chattanooga stages enough that regular live music ticketbuyers have most likely seen them somewhere downtown ... or one would assume anyway. But there are surely those out there who have never had the chance, or perhaps have dismissed the dynamic duo, placing them in the category of a pure novelty and believing they are all style and no substance.
MUSIC Dave Walters Trio • Swinging, tasteful jazz in a cozy environment. 8:30 p.m. • The Foundry • 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400 • chattanooganhotel.com
EVENT Hamilton County Fair • Hang out at the park for two days, eat hot dogs, commune with nature. 10 a.m. • Chester Frost Park (423) 209-6040 • hamiltontn.gov
Given the over the top style and stage presence— more ruffles, wigs and body paint than a Manga convention in Tokyo— that’s understandable, but it’s a mistake. Their lyrics are inventive and composed with talent, and their mixes are chock full of additive hooks. LT&E’s new single, “Day Drinking,” upholds those expectations with wit, style and substance. That single is due to appear on their upcoming mixtape Blackout Crunk Volume I:
Sunrise to Sunset. Whether you like the style, the substance or the entire package, there is no denying they offer a 24-carat gold show for a 12-carat gold ticket price. To play off a favored Lord T & Eloise lyric, they make this shit look easy baby. Lord T & Eloise 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com
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jumping up and down, gregg gillis, who is girl Talk, exhorts the crowd to join him in chanting, “Girl Talk! Girl Talk!” Satisfied, he dives back behind the console housing his twin laptops, both pre-programmed with endless loops and mixes. The bass-driven riff from the Spencer Davis classic, “Gimme Some Lovin,’ ” kicks in, providing a dynamic backdrop for the lights, hands-inthe-air fist-pumping, and Gillis’ manic cheerleader gyrations.
It’s a fan’s ultimate triumph—Gillis behind the mic, roaming the stage, leading the crowd in a mutual admiration lovefest as he plays the hookiest, most immediately identifiable rock and rap hits. A bank of pulsating lights towers several stories high behind him, as dancers and members of his crew fire streams of toilet paper over the crowd. Their adrenaline pumping, fans mimic his moves and sing along with his samples. It’s just another of the 200 or so shows Girl Talk plays in clubs and stadiums every year. Gillis, who is scheduled to perform at Track 29 on Friday, makes every fan’s rock ‘n’ roll fantasy a reality each time he’s on stage. It all began in
12 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
2000 when he was given a laptop his freshman year at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where he was working on a degree in biomedical engineering. Schooled on a combination of punk and rap, Gillis was drawn to a form that allowed him to combine his engineer’s love of structure and design with the anarchic side of his personality, which relished punk’s go-for-thejugular abandon.
He began playing at house parties and in small clubs. His only instruments were a pair of laptops, but unlike many of his peers, he had no intention of standing motionless, moving a mouse. “It’d be pretty boring watching someone clicking a mouse on a laptop,” he said in a phone interview. And although he’s a disc jockey, he has yet to spin a single disc. “In 12 years of doing this, I’ve never played an unaltered song,” he said. “It comes out of a very small subculture where you use a laptop, but you treat it like you’re playing a guitar.” Gillis decided from the start that he’d give his audience a show. “It started with me thinking, ‘I want to have some classic rock ‘n’ roll energy. I want to jump on people.’ I’d rather be on an Iggy Pop level—I want to have that inyour-face mentality,” he said. Unlike most DJ’s, he never worked from a booth isolating him from the crowd. He wants to be right in the middle of the action, which wasn’t difficult for the first few years when the crowds were relatively small— sometimes as few as 50 people. Within a few years he‘d graduated to bigger venues of a thousand or more people, but he was reluctant to let go of the intimate connection with his audience. So he invited the dancers onto the stage with him. The result was often chaotic. “It was definitely insane for a few years,” he said. “There are some shows that stand out in my mind that were some of the craziest things I’ve ever done. You know, these shows where people, maybe even the venue, didn’t know what was going to go down, or I was opening for
someone or playing a festival and all hell would break loose.” These days he’s still surrounded by dancers, but he also has a crew of assistants engaging the crowd by raining toilet paper and confetti on them, while a blizzard of lights, neon pictures and abstract images flash across giant screens and he runs back and forth across the stage and behind his enormous console fronted by yet another illuminated screen. Although the show is carefully choreographed, Gillis is cognizant of the need for spontaneity for the thrill of the unexpected, even for those who’ve seen the show several times. Many of his fans first heard his work on one of his five albums available as free downloads through his label’s (Illegal Art) website. But listening to the albums and watching him perform are two very different experiences. “The shows resemble the album,” he said. “I reproduce elements from the album, but there’s a slightly different pace to it. There are some details that I just can’t execute in real life … I love dense detail in music—hip hop and rock—but those details don’t translate well live.” The albums are largely a product of the left-brained, hyper-detail oriented engineering Gillis, his “dominant side in real life.” What he soon realized, however, is that although his densely detailed juxtapositions of rap songs with (mostly) rock music worked well over headphones in his room, on stage he needed to amp everything up—a lot. As he put it, “The performance side of me is a concept I developed early on—this is what I’d like to see out of a per-
formance. This is what I think is the coolest performance I could do.” But he’s also influenced by the crowd’s reaction to a particular mix, like the one that opens his most recent album, All Day. It begins with Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” juxtaposed with Ludacris’ “Move Bitch.” It’s an inspired combination of two tracks separated by about 40 years, and yet sounding as if they were created together, much like the original Run DMC/Aerosmith mash-up that brought some much-needed energy to MTV’s anodyne programming during that era. The five-minute long opening mix moves rapidly through 17 more samples, including decades-straddling combinations such as Dorrough’s “Ice Cream Paint Job” over The Brothers Johnson’s “Strawberry Letter #23,” Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh rhyming over The Doors’ “Waiting For The Sun,” and a manic mix of Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On” with The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.” The shifts from one to another, sometimes two or three at once, flash by at a blinding pace that rewards repeated listening. It’s not only that his minutely sequenced, tightly timed mixes are almost impossible to replicate live. More to the point, said Gillis, is that they’d be lost live. “Live I can be more transparent with the samples,” he said. “On record, I don’t want to hide it, but I do want to keep it moving, keep it complicated,
whereas in a live setting it can be more effective to reveal my hand. It‘s a slightly different art form, even though the sound is related.” It’s an open question as to how he’s managed to avoid what The New York Times called “a lawsuit waiting to happen” in its review of his 2008 album, Feed The Animals. One attorney, Peter Friedman, suggested that Gillis has a strong “fair use” defense: “Gillis’s argument that he has transformed the copyrighted materials sufficiently that his work constitutes noninfringing fair use is just too good,” he wrote in a blog. In an ideal world, Girl Talk’s “reconceptualizations,” would be sufficient to shield him from litigation. But according to Gillis, it’s a moot point. Big record company reps and artist’s agents have been seeking him out for the past couple of years offering him tracks because they’ve recognized that he introduces diverse new audiences to artists they’d never otherwise hear. “It was never a goal of mine to sell these artists, but I am a fan,” he said. “If anyone gets turned on to something new through what I do, I think that’s great.” Whether they are or not, one thing’s for sure—it’s a hell of a ride. 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.
Sound Check Angel Snow: Georgia’s Other Idol By Sarah Skates folk singer angel snow learned about being herself during
her years working the Chattanooga music scene. Today she is sharing that important message with fans through her first new album in five years. “This album is a labor of love about being who you are and not being afraid of it,” she explains. “I want my music to comfort people and I want them to know that I’ve struggled too.” The Chickamauga, Ga., native elaborates, “Chattanooga has a freeing characteristic. I always felt like I could be who I was there. I felt good about being an artist there. It is a community where everyone supports each other. It is a good place to start.” Now based in Nashville, Snow will promote her self-titled album with a month-long tour with Marc Scibilia, including a release show Wed., Oct. 3, at Nashville hot-spot The Basement. Joining her that evening will be Scibilia and frequent co-writer Matraca Berg, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. Snow is looking forward to a CD release concert in Chattanooga later this year, but details are yet to be announced. Snow’s career has blossomed in the last year. In between studio sessions, she opened select dates in California for acclaimed bluegrass band Alison Krauss and Union Station. She recently entered a management agreement with Ramseur Records, best known for work with The Avett Brothers, and has signed a music publishing deal with international powerhouse BMG Rights Management. Snow spent part of the summer on the road with fellow singer-songwriter Mindy Smith. It was a full-circle experience that shows how Snow’s career has grown since she moved to Music City. “Mindy is very talented, and I’ve always liked who she is as an artist,” says Snow. “Six years ago I saw her play at an Americana music festival, and I wanted to share the stage with her. This year, I finally got to do it.” »P23
Home of the $2 High Life & $3 well drinks
Oktoberfest is here!
Neighborhood Chattanooga’s
Pub
Enjoy the area’s best Oktoberfest beer selection and food specials every week through October 15 Come be a Biadimpfe at the Dog!
Eat Local, Drink Local chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 13
Chattanooga Live
MUSIC CALENDAR
Wednesday • September 26 Guilty Pleasures Dance Party
Thursday • September 27 Dirty Bourbon River Show Long Gone Darlings
Friday • September 28 Lord T & Eloise
Saturday • September 29 Deep Machine • Sparkz Gold Plated Gold • Milktooth
Sunday • September 30
An Evening with Cory Brannon
Tuesday • October 2
Comedy Buffet with Zac Ames
Wednesday • October 3
Prophets & Kings • Brainstorm
Thursday • October 4
LORD T & ELOISE • Aristocrunk returns to Chattanooga when Lord T & Eloise shake up JJ’s Bohemia on Friday. On the heels of their latest single, “Day Drinking,” from the forthcoming mixtape, “Blackout Crunk,” these Memphians defy categorization and should not be missed. FRI 09.28 • 9 p.m. • JJ’s Bohemia • 231 E. MLK Blvd. • (423) 266-1400 • jjsbohemia.com
The Unsatisfied • Labretta Suede
Friday • October 5 Pujol
JJ’s Bohemia • 231 E MLK Blvd. 423.266.1400 • jjsbohemia.com
Thu 09.27
LIVE MUSIC
901 Carter St (Inside Days Inn) 423-634-9191
CHATTANOOGA SEP/0CT
THE DELTA SAINTS
Those Foot Stompin’ Boys are Back!
BREAKFAST CLUB
80’s Retro and Dance, All The Hits!
MILELE ROOTS The Best in Reggae.
BEN MILLER BAND Foot Stompin’ Delta Blues
ZOOGMA
27 FRI. 10:15p 28 SAT. 10p 29 WED. 9:30p 3 THU. 10p 4
THU. 9:30p
Heavyweight Beat-Driven Dance Party COMING: 10/5: SLIPPERY WHEN WET 10/6: AFR0 with DEEP FRIED 5 10/9: KEEP IT MOVIN’ DANCE PARTY ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE
221 MARKET STREET
HOT MUSIC • FINE BEER • GREAT FOOD BUY TICKETS ONLINE • RHYTHM-BREWS.COM
Thursday, Sept. 27: 9pm Open Mic with Mark Holder
Friday, Sept. 28: 9pm
Mark “Porkchop” Holder
Saturday, Sept. 29: 9pm Jenny Clower
Tuesday, Oct. 2: 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
14 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
The Wild West Band with John Truitt 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com The Delta Saints 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews Dirty Bourbon River Show with Long Gone Darlings 10p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com Friday
fri 09.28
Bluegrass Night featuring Slim Pickins 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Lord T & Eloise 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com Andy Irvine with Pay the Reckoning
8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Dave Walters Trio 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400 chattanooganhotel.com Mark “Porkchop” Holder 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 Girl Talk 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-4323 track29.co. Code Blue 9:30 p.m. SkyZoo, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533 skyzoochattanooga.com Southlander 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Crane 10 p.m. Raw Sushi Bar, 409 Market St.
(423) 756-1919 Breakfast Club 10:15 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com
sat 09.29 Sandra McCracken with Chelsea Scott 7:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Dave Walters Trio 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400 chattanooganhotel.com Smooth Dialects 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Code Blue 9 p.m. SkyZoo, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533 skyzoochattanooga.com Jenny Clower 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St.
»P16
13th Annual All Hallows Eve Bash Saturday, Oct. 27 featuring
The Bohannons • Eight Knives How I Became The Bomb
Second Annual Halloween Night Show Wednesday, Oct. 31 featuring
Opposite Box Subterranean Cirqus Smooth Dialects Costume Contests on Both Nights with Cash Prizes! 35 Patten Parkway * 423.468.4192 * thehonestpint.com * Facebook.com/thehonestpint chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 15
Milele Roots
& The Reggaelicious Crew present a celebration of the life and music of
Peter Tosh
10pm • Saturday, Sept. 29 ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE
221 MARKET STREET HOT MUSIC • FINE BEER • GREAT FOOD
(423) 634-9191 Deep Machine with Sparkz, Gold Plated Gold and Milktooth 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com Soul Survivor 9:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Crane 10 p.m. Raw Sushi Bar, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919 Milele Roots 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com
sun 09.30 Cory Branan 7 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com
mon 10.01 Old-Timers 7 p.m. Chattanooga Folk School, 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 827-8906 chattanoogafolk.com James Leg 8 p.m. Pickle Barrel, 1012 Market St. (423) 266-1103 goodfoodchattanooga.com
wed 10.03 The Kite Fighters 8 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Ben Miller Band 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Prophets & Kings with Brainstorm 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com
Map these locations at chattanoogapulse.com. Send live music listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com.
16 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
Between the Sleeves record reviews • ernie paik when i read that swedish crooner jens lekman’s new album, I Know What Love Isn’t, was the result of his real-life break-up, I cringed. Mind you, this is the fellow who created my favorite album of 2007, Night Falls over Kortedala, a rich and unique pop album with a quirky conception of romance, so expectations were high. L ek m a n’s lat e st—h is third proper album—isn’t the all-out mope-fest that it could have been, but it takes some time for it to really become Jens Lekman engaging. I Know What Love Isn’t The arrange(Secretly Canadian) ments are pleasing yet a bit bland for the first few songs (think “indie adult contemporary” with piano and sax accents), covering well-worn lyrical themes. On those tracks, Lekman’s baritone voice doesn’t sound like its usual self, but in a subtle way; it’s not oppressively melancholic, but it doesn’t seem expressive as before. Eventually, the album rights itself, starting with its first glimmer on “She Just Don’t Want to Be with You Anymore,” with sonic qualities that distinguish itself from the opening tracks, with a water-drop sound and drum machine forming a backbone and echoing piano notes. Finally, a mood change can be heard in Lekman’s voice on “The World Moves On,” carrying a kinetic spirit with tight electric guitar strums, string flourishes, and conga beats; here, Lekman puts his dissolution in perspective, acknowledging potential lukewarm indifference toward his breakup, singing “The world just shrugs its shoulders and keeps going.” His off-kilter lyrical style hits its stride as the album turns optimistic, with charismatic melodies to match, on numbers like “The End of the World Is Bigger Than Love.” Toward the album’s end, post-breakup, Lekman’s seemingly offhanded marriage proposal to another woman is met with laughter, but Lekman explains that the marriage is only for citizenship; he then sings, “I’ve always liked the idea of it: a relationship that doesn’t lie about its intentions and shit.” Although it takes too long to warm up, I Know What Love Isn’t works out in the end; what could have been a self-absorbed, insufferable indulgence shows honest glimpses of a charming humility. Ernie Paik reveiws new music each week in The Pulse. Read more of his reviews online at chattanoogapulse.com.
chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 17
halloween guide local haunts Blowing Screams Farm 271 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Ga. blowingscreamsfarm.com Hours/Dates: 7 p.m. Every Friday & Saturday in October Tickets: Forest of Fear $15; Ghost Ride $15; $25 for both
Enchanted Maize
271 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Ga. enchantedmaze.com Features: “Another Y-Ear of Corny Fun” Hours/Dates: Sept. 20-23 & 27-30; Oct. 4-7, 11-14, 18-21 & 25-28 Tickets: $9 adults; $7 children
Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern
1720 S. Scenic Hwy. hauntedcavern.com Hours/Dates: 8 p.m. Fridays,
PANIC ALERT! The Pulse’s Panic! Halloween Guide will appear each week through Halloween (Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25). Listings are updated weekly. If you operate a haunted house or event and would like to be listed or your listed event changes, submit information as formatted here and email to creative@chattanoogapulse.com. Saturdays and Sundays in October & Oct. 31 Tickets: $21 online; $17 Sundays
Halloween Express
7425 Commons Blvd. Large selection of costunes, accessories, props and decorations. halloweenexpress.com
Doc Shock Horror Movie Night
1720 S. Scenic Highway hauntedcavern.com Hours/Dates: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29; Friday, Oct. 5;
18 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
Wednesday, Oct. 31 Tickets: $60
Chattanooga Ghost Tours
100 Walnut St. chattanoogaghosttour.com Features: Walking ghost tours, ghost hunts with the talking Ovilus X and extended tours with an inside visit to a haunted location. Hours/Dates: Walking Ghost Tour 7:30 p.m. nightly; 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays in October; Extended Ghost Tour: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays & Saturdays;
Ghost Hunt 9:30 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays Tickets: Tour $14 adults, $9 kids; Hunt $20 adults only
McDonald, Tenn. Hours/Dates: 7 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 & Nov. 2-3 Tickets: $15
301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. chattzoo.org Hours/Dates: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 19-20 & 26-27 Tickets: $8.95 adults; $5.95 children
8235 Hwy. 58 thehauntedhilltop.com Hours/Dates: 7 p.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 1920 & 26-27 Tickets: $18
Boo in the Zoo
Halloween Eerie Express
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum 4119 Cromwell Road thehauntedbarnchattanooga. com Hours/Dates: Oct. 12-13, 19-20 & 26-27; trains depart at 5:45 p.m. & 7:45 p.m. Tickets: $22 ages 2 & up tvrail.com
The Haunted Barn 5107 McDonald Road
The Haunted Hilltop
Haunted Depot & Hayride
155 Depot St Ringgold, Ga. ringgoldhaunteddepot.com Hours/Dates: 7 p.m. Oct. 12-13, 19-20 & 26-27 Tickets: $5 for Depot; $3 for Hayride Mystery Dog Ranch 975 Wooten RoadRinggold, Ga. mysterydogranch.com Features: “The Headless Horseman” Hours/Dates: 7 p.m. Oct. 12-13,
halloween guide 19-20 & 26-27 Tickets: $10
DR. SHOCK
Sunday Slasher Cinema Sluggo’s North 501 Cherokee Blvd. Hours/Dates: 7:30 p.m. Every Sunday in October. Tickets: $2 (donation) Double Features: • Oct. 7: “Phantasm” and “Maniac” • Oct. 14: “The Beyond” and “Demons” • Oct. 28: “Private Parts” and “Halloween”
bars & clubs The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy. thehonestpint.com • Oct. 27: 13th Annual All Hallows Eve Bash with The Bohannons, Eight Knives and How I Became The Bomb. Costume contest with cash prize. • Oct. 31: Second Annual Halloween Night Show with Opposite Box, Subterranean Cirqus and Smooth Dialects. Costume contest with cash prize.
Shock & Co. back in black last year during halloween, we profiled Jack Gray, the local musican turned horror host, and his revival of Dr. Shock, Chattanooga’s famed horror host who became a cult phenomenon in the area during the 1970s. Many Chattanoogans of a certain age retain fond memories of the original Shock and “Shock Theatre,” a latenight horror movie festival hosted by the Tommy Reynolds on Channel 9. Gray had a tough time getting the new “Shock Theatre” off the ground last year, but continues on as the character, along with Nurse Goodbody (Constance Haynes) and Dingbat, his
shocktheatre.com or rubyfalls.com.
puppet foil and sidekick. Shock and Co. are back in black again this Halloween hosting horror film nights at 7 p.m. at Ruby Falls’ Haunted Cavern through Halloween Night. For more information, visit dr-
• Saturday, Sept. 29 Shock Theatre presents Episode 2 “The Woman in Black,” a 1989 television drama starring Adrian Rawlins, Bernard Hepton, David Daker and Pauline Moran, was adapted from the novel of the same name by Susan Hill and directed by Herbert Wise. • Friday, Oct. 5 Shock Theatre presents the 1926 surreal masterpiece, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” often considered one of the greatest horror movies of the silent era. • Wednesday, Oct. 31 Shock Theatre and Legend Films present the colorized version of Ed Wood’s classic, “Plan 9 From Outer Space.”
chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 19
Jordan Thomas Foundation
Low CounTry
BoiL
Sunday • Sept. 30 • 6:30pm
STrATTon HALL on BroAd STreeT
MuSiC By PriSCiLLA & LiTTLe riCKee
SiLenT AuCTion • CASuAL ATTire reSerVATionS: JordAnTHoMASFoundATion.orG
“GeTTin’ KidS ProSTHeTiCS”
ACE
ARTS • CULTURE • ENTERTAINMENT
Strategic Investment in the Arts “ By Rich Bailey
for emerson burch, cultivating artists is like gardening. “Is the soil healthy? Are there invasive species? Are you getting enough sunlight or water? Artists will grow and develop given the right environment,” he said.
As founder and executive director of 35.85 Guild, in the last two years Burch has devoted a substantial amount of time—not to mention 60 to 70 percent of his income—into developing Chattanooga’s creative economy. With little or no outside funding, he’s had to start small, but he’s investing primarily where it counts the most: directly in artist development. The guild offers educational programs, low-cost studio space in three locations and helps create mentor relationships between older and younger artists. For some artists, the guild provides subsidies for studio space and materials, as well as substantial stipends to do their creative work, allowing artists to accelerate their creative learning curve. Painter Shaun LaRose, for example, received funding from 35.85 Guild that helped him create a body of work for the 2010 and 2011 4 Bridges festivals. And sculptor Maria Larson received funding that allowed her to focus exclusively on her work for a year and a half. This kind of funding buys artists the time to work fulltime and develop their skills more quickly than is possible working around a day job. According to Burch, “It’s easy for an artist to turn into one trick pony and never become masterful, because mastery takes lot of time.” He sees 35.85 Guild’s work
20 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
We have a lot of people who want to pay as little as they can for art. Emerson Burch Founder, 35.85 Guild
A work by painter Nathan Foxton, a member of 35.85 Guild.
as fundamentally different than any other arts organization in Chattanooga, calling it an artists organization, rather than an arts organization. “We’re focused on developing artists so they can be exceptional in their craft and also professionally as entrepreneurs,” he said. Beyond those artistic and entrepreneurial needs, he says artists need a healthy ecosystem in which they can thrive. Despite Chattanooga’s growing reputation as an art town, Burch said the artist’s ecosystem he envisions not only doesn’t exist here, but will require a deep cultural transformation. Many of artists’ needs are similar to those of any professional: professional and creative development opportu-
nities, a community of peers. Others might be unique to artists. Burch says access to appropriately priced materials is difficult and (until recently at least) inexpensive studio spaces have been hard to find. But the knottiest issue is both economic and cultural— the inability of artists to make a living here by selling their work. “I know so many artists here who are trying to do their artwork full time, are exceptional at their craft, and are struggling to make 15 to 20 thousand dollars a year,” he said. “We’ve had a large number of really talented artists come to Chattanooga and then leave in three to five years. The majority of them left because there’s no economic engine to help support their work here.” Burch is critical of what he sees as an unhealthy dependence on public commissions. He thinks supporting artists by commissioning works is like giving antihistamines to a person who’s sneezing. Rather than looking for what’s causing the allergic reaction, he said, what artists need is “an ongoing professional context in which to do their work, based on an economic structure here.” The biggest missing piece is an educated market of buyers. “We have a lot of people who
want to pay as little as they can for art,” he said. “In a larger city, more people not only see the value of art, but are willing to pay what it is actually worth.” Burch’s ideas on how to grow Chattanooga’s creative economy sounds remarkably like many of the city’s successful economic and cultural development initiatives. Using tourists to educate locals, for example. Downtown developers in the 1980s strategically looked to the Tennessee Aquarium’s success with tourists to convince locals that downtown could be fun and safe. Burch sees a huge market for art tourism targeting people who understand that Chattanooga has high quality but underpriced work by local artists. He recently hosted friends from New York who “stocked up” on art from Rachel Collins’ Gallery 301 because they were used to paying four to five times as much for similar quality work in the northeast. Burch also talks about strategically priming the market. Rather than subsidizing artistic creation through public commissions, he said he’d rather see municipalities and foundations investing in galleries that can market a broad swath of art while educating buyers. That sounds remarkably like what GreenSpaces has done so effectively to educate local builders on green building techniques and Gaining Ground is doing for local food. “I don’t think we’re thinking big enough here,” he said. “We have thought big as a city—the Aquarium, the 21st Century Waterfront—and the economic impact has been substantial. We could do same thing in the arts.”
Screen
JOHN DEVORE
Southern Gothic
john henry summerour is one thorough mofo. i can say that with full confidence because when I complimented him for answering four of my questions so completely that it pushes 3,000 words, he responded by saying, “I’m a thorough mofo.”
In addition to be thorough—and a self-confessed mofo—Summerour is a talented director and writer with a strong connection to Chattanooga. His film, “SAHKANAGA,” opens at the Majestic 12 on Friday, Oct. 12. The film, which was shot locally using local talent, is the coming-of-age story of a young man who discovers a grisly secret. It is based on the 2001 Tri State Crematory scandal in north Georgia in which more than over 300 bodies that were scheduled for cremation were buried, stored in a shed or unceremoniously dumped in the woods. No reasons were ever given by the man responsible. He simply hung his head and accepted his sentence. “SAHKANAGA,” which means “Great Blue Hills of God” in Cherokee, follows Paul, the son of the director of the funeral home, as he initially discovers the
On the set of “SAHKANAGA,” Kristin Rievley, Trevor Neuhoff and John Henry Summerour. Photo • Tara Anderson
bodies and focuses on the actions taken and the consequences of the scandal. The film is understandably dark, as the events were as both embarrassing and macabre, a blemish on a small southern community that certainly wanted to be known for more than a casual disregard for the wishes of the dead. While based on true events, the subject matter is a staple of southern fiction. It fits in well with stories like William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” or Flannery O’Conner’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” both examples of a gothic style that describes human depravity in a distinctly southern way. “SAHKANAGA” does this on less grand scale,
one that focuses more on forgiveness than the act itself. Summerour intended to explore what he calls the “beauty, mystery and subtle terror that pervade southern culture, specifically as experienced by teenagers,” through this film. “There is something universal about the teenage experience,” he says. “Feeling misunderstood, isolated, angry, scared, powerless. But the experience of growing up in the American South is inextricably linked to our shared history—the treatment of Native Americans, slavery, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, the impact of the Bible Belt, I don’t think I fully realized how unique the environment is until I moved to New York and studied with kids from different parts of the country and the world. We’re taught to focus on »P23 chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 21
Arts & Entertainment Thu 09.27 Street Food Thursdays 11 a.m. Warehouse Row, 1110 Market St. warehouserow.net Art + Issues: Leadership and Contemplation 6 p.m. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org
fri 09.28 Home School Workshop 10 a.m. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org Fresh on Fridays 11 a.m. Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. (423) 265-3700 rivercitycompany.com Low Country Boil 5 p.m. The Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 S. Broad St. (423) 424-3700 chattanooganhotel.com Southside ArtStroll 5 p.m. Southside Art District 12th Annual Chattanooga Dances 7 p.m. Center for Creative Arts, 1301 Dallas Road (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net “MacBeth” 7:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141 ensembletheatre ofchattanooga.com Landry 7:30 & 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “Bunnicula” 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com Southside ArtStroll End-of-Season Party
22 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
CALENDAR
8 p.m. The Church on Main, 1600 Rossville Ave. (423) 619-4692 facebook.com/ southsideartstroll “The 39 Steps” Girls’ Night Out with Brewer Media 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com Andy Irvine 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Sam Morril 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com
fri 09.29 Football at the Falls 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scene Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Hamilton County Fair 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Chester Frost Park (423) 209-6030 hamiltontn.gov River Market 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, 1 Broad St. (423) 402-9960 chattanoogamarket.com Day at Pickett’s Trout Ranch 10 a.m. Pickett’s Trout Ranch, 128 Trout Ranch Lane (423) 267-3474 tnaqua.org 2012 Harvest Hoedown 2 p.m. East Brainerd Ball Park, 8011 Batters Place Road westviewhoedown.com “MacBeth” 2 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141 ensembletheatre ofchattanooga.com “Bunnicula” 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River
St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com Harvest Sleep in the Deep Overnight 5:30 p.m.-,8:30 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 267 3474 tnaqua.org Once in a Blue Moon 6 p.m. 472 W. MLK Blvd. aimcenterinc.org/donate “The 39 Steps” 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com Landry 7:30 & 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-223 thecomedycatch.com “Klown and Miami Connection” 8:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Sam Morril 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com
sun 09.30 Football at the Falls 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scene Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Hamilton County Fair 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Chester Frost Park (423) 209-6030 hamiltontn.gov Chattanooga Market: Chattanooga Chili 11 a.m.-4 p.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Carter St. (423) 402-9960 chattanoogamarket.com 13th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 1 p.m. McKenzie Arena, 615 McCallie Ave. (423) 499-9155 komenchattanooga.org “Bunnicula” 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga
Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com “MacBeth” 6:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141 ensembletheatreofchattanooga.com Landry 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com
mon 10.01 Thrills, Gills and Chills 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 267 3474 tnaqua.org Auditions for “Annie” 4:30 p.m. (youth), 7:30 p.m. (adults) Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com
tue 10.02 Carl Hurley and Jeanne Robertson 2 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (800) 955-4746 chattanooga.gov Auditions for “Annie” 4:30 p.m. (youth), 7:30 p.m. (adults) Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com
wed 10.03 Thrills, Gills and Chills 10 a.m.-8 p.m.) Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 267-3474 tnaqua.org Wine Wednesdays 5 p.m. Back Inn Café, 412 E 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com
Map these locations at chattanoogapulse. com. Send calendar listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com.
«P21
«P13 A chance meeting with Krauss in 2009 helped propel Snow’s career. The beloved songstress paired Snow with her musician brother, Viktor Krauss. They clicked musically and ended up co-writing several songs for Snow’s new album, which also includes new versions of a few tracks from her well received debut Fortune Tellers. Krauss produced the album and tapped first-call session players such as drummer Matt Chamberlain (Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, John Mayer, Pearl Jam). The result is a sweeping landscape of folk and blues melodies accentuated by heartfelt lyrics. Alison Krauss and Union Station recorded three songs written by Snow and Viktor Krauss for the deluxe edition of the band’s award-winning album Paper Airplane. Snow also opened for the bluegrass stars at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in August 2011. Snow is very grateful for these opportunities, and especially for her fans. She funded the new album through website pledgemusic.com, where listeners preordered copies of the record, private concerts and more. Online or on the road, connecting with fans is Snow’s top priority. “When they are at a show, I want them to feel as if I’m singing about what they’re going through, because we’re all in this together,” she says.
our Christian values, our strong family bonds and the importance of community, but there’s a sense of shame regarding the darker aspects of our history.” By this measure, the film is quite successful. It paints a picture of a community that struggles with the dark nature of the events, but is not overcome by it. The use of local actors, many of whom had connections to the events on which the film is based, could have seriously damaged the overall message. Many indie films suffer from stilted or ham-fisted acting, simply because they are performed by amateurs. Even classic indie films such as “Clerks” have moments where the audience becomes suddenly aware that they are watching actors deliver lines. “SAHKANAGA” manages this rather well. I was especially impressed with the performances of the younger actors. Summerour, in part, credits the advent of reality television with the quality of performances of the teenagers in the film. What I enjoyed most about the film was its strong sense of place. Those of us who grew up in the South are aware of the pervasive and powerful role Christianity plays in almost every aspect of our culture. It is hardwired and inescapable, sometimes overpowering and suffocating. These themes of religion are weaved throughout the narrative, which lends to the authenticity of the film and ultimately creates a believable environment for the narrative to exist. “I don’t think I’ll ever make a film that doesn’t explore spirituality to some degree,” says Summerour, who grew up the son of Methodist minister. “I also must say that my experience growing up in the church was very positive. During the times when I was bullied at school, or felt misunderstood and marginalized, the church was always a safe haven of acceptance and love for me. I wanted this to be true in the film as well. The church is a place of healing and acceptance in the film, without being simplistic.” While this comes across in the film very well, my own experiences with being raised a Southern Baptist caused me to roll my eyes a bit. The church scenes are undoubtedly faithful to what happens there, but the empty symbolism remains empty. I would have liked a bit more self awareness when it comes to the absurdity inherent in faithbased comfort. We need to encourage more local filmmakers to make films like this one, as we have so many more stories to tell. So head over to the Majestic 12 downtown on Friday, Oct. 12, to see what our people are capable of. You won’t be disappointed.
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chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 23
Food &Drink Sushi Nabe: Japanese Comfort Food DINING OUT CHATTANOOGA
By D.E. Langley
Y
asushi Watanabe has always been a pioneer of sorts, and that fact is on display at Sushi Nabe. Tucked in between the storefronts of the North Shore and Coolidge Park, the cozy restaurant reflects its owner’s spirit in nearly every way. Nabe-san has been making sushi since he was 17, when he began honing his craft in his native country of Japan. He came to the United States in 1981, and after stints in Florida and Washington, D.C., he passed through Chattanooga on his way to work for a friend. The city captivated Nabesan and his wife, Chikako. “The people in Chattanooga had lots of heart,” she told me. The draw proved irresistible, and they moved here soon after. Watanabe has been serving Japanese cuisine to Chattanoogans ever since. Eight years ago, the restaurant moved to its present location to become a part of the downtown renaissance. While I never visited the former location, I can’t imagine a more fitting setting for Sushi Nabe. The space is very intimate, even with the spacious outdoor seating area. As opposed to flashier, more modern restaurants, a trip to Sushi Nabe is more akin to visiting someone’s home. The interior is filled with warm neutral tones, and the walls are adorned with hand-drawn signs relating the contents of their specialty rolls. The rolls themselves are unique originals. Some originated when Nabe-san began asking his customers where they were from, and drew on those locations for inspiration. Examples include the Biloxi roll (deep-fried and filled with tuna, crab, cream cheese and asparagus) and the Utah roll (snow crab and asparagus with filet mignon and a spicy sauce).
Sushi Nabe 110 River St. (423) 634-0171 sushinabechattanooga.com Monday: Closed Tuesday-Thursday: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. Friday: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Saturday: Noon-10 p.m. Sunday: Noon-9 p.m.
Photos • Josh Lang
Another category is based on locally popular college sports teams, including the Vol Roll (featuring tempura pumpkin, snow crab, cream cheese and spelt eggs) and the Roll Tide Roll (with shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, and spicy smelt eggs).
24 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
The Big Nabe uses tempura crunchies and soy paper to lend contrasting texture to tuna, shrimp, and cucumber, all topped with a spicy sauce. Others aren’t even rolls at all. Nabe-san really lets his creativity shine with options like the Nabe Nachos, Japa-
nese tortilla chips topped with tuna, crab, avocado and special sauces. In addition to these rolls and the beautiful simplicity of sashimi, other Japanese favorites are available as well, including chicken teriyaki and gyoza. Samplers of sorts are available in the form of bento boxes, filled with a variety of selections. I chose one of Nabe-san’s unique offerings on my visit. Sushi Nabe used to have a roster of seasonal rolls through which they
would rotate, but customers kept asking for the winter selections throughout the year. Now, choices like the Christmas Roll and Eskimo Roll are on the menu yearround. One in particular sounded too interesting not to try, and after sipping on green tea provided by Mrs. Watanabe and sampling the house-made pickles (from local farm-fresh cucumbers), the Candy Cane Roll arrived. It was visually stunning, evoking its namesake—laid out in a cane shape, with silky red and white tuna alternating atop. A light dusting of cayenne provided a nod to the mild spice of the peppermint in the confectionery. The center held crab, cream cheese and tempura crunchies, each in the ideal amount to provide contrast to the fish without being overly heavy. I left satiated and at ease—it definitely qualified as comfort food. Solo diners can sit at the sushi bar and revel in the work of the expert chefs, each trained by Nabe-san himself. Families are always welcome, and less adventurous children can order from a kids’ menu. Even those with dietary restrictions can feel at ease—in addition to sake, they carry gluten-free beers. Reservations are accepted, but not necessary unless you’ve got a large group. Parking is free after 4:30 p.m. and on Sundays, which came as a pleasant surprise to me. In short, Sushi Nabe is all about a relaxing experience. It’s no small feat to make Japanese cuisine feel so familiar. Nabesan and Chikako welcome all of their guests like family, and their warmth and radiance is evident in every aspect of their operation. Pay them a visit, and you’ll see why Sushi Nabe has become the go-to sushi spot for so many Chattanoogans.
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Facebook.com/hairagogo chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 25
Saturday • September 29, 2012 6 pm ‘til mission accomplished
A rare lunar celebration featuring celestial cocktails, food and moon dancing indoors and out at AIM Center • 472 West ML King Blvd. $75 per person RSVP to Ashley 423-702-8019 or online aimcenterinc.org/donate Blue attire encouraged AIM Center, a United Way Partner Agency, is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee Department of Mental Health; the Department of Finance and Administration, Volunteer Tennessee; United Healthcare Community Plan; ValueOptions; the Tennessee Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services; City of Chattanooga; Combined Federal Campaign; and private donors. www.aimcenterinc.org
26 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
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Free Will Astrology LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): German poet and philosopher Friedrich von Schiller liked to have rotting apples in his desk drawer as he worked; the scent inspired him. Agatha Christie testified that many of her best ideas came to her while she was washing dishes. What about you, Libra? Are there odd inclinations and idiosyncratic behaviors that in the past have roused your original thinking? I encourage you to try them all this week, and then see if you can dream up at least two new ones. You have officially entered the brainstorming season.
SCORPIO
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(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): It’s expensive for the U.S. to hold prisoners at its Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba: $800,000 per year for each detainee. According to the Miami Herald, Guantanamo is the most expensive prison on the planet. How much do you spend on locking stuff up, Scorpio? What does it cost, not just financially but emotionally and spiritually, for you to keep your secrets hidden and your fears tamped down and your unruly passions bottled up and your naughty urges suppressed? The coming weeks would be a good time to make sure the price you pay for all that is reasonable.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What time is it, boys and girls? It’s Floods of Fantastic Gratitude Week: a perfect opportunity to express your passionate appreciation for everything you’ve been given. So get out there and tell people how much you’ve benefited from what they’ve done for you. For best results, be playful and have fun as you express your thanks. By the way, there’ll be a fringe benefit to this outpouring: By celebrating the blessings you already enjoy, you will generate future blessings.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Telling the whole deep truth and nothing but the whole deep truth isn’t necessarily a recipe for being popular. It may on occasion provoke chaos and be disruptive. In an institutional setting, displays of candor may even diminish your clout and undermine your ambitions. But now take everything I just said and disregard it for a while. This is one of those rare times when being profoundly authentic will work to your supreme advantage. AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Show me the money” is a meme that first appeared in the 1996 movie “Jerry Maguire.” It has been
Visit chattanoogajobpost.com or call 423.242.7671 28 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
rob brezsny
uttered approximately a hundred trillion times since then. Have you ever said it in earnest? If so, you were probably demanding to get what you had been promised. You were telling people you wanted to see tangible proof that they valued your efforts. In light of your current astrological omens, I propose that you use a variation on this theme. What you need right now is less materialistic and more marvelous. Try making this your mantra: “Show me the magic.”
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20): My acquaintance Jacob fell for a woman who also professed her ardor for him. But in the midst of their courtship, she suddenly left the country. “I’ve got to go to Indonesia,” she texted him one night, and she was gone the next day. Jacob was confused, forlorn, dazed. He barely ate for days. On the sixth day, a FedEx package arrived from her. It contained a green silk scarf and a note: “I wore this as I walked to the top of the volcano and said a five-hour prayer to elevate our love.” Jacob wasn’t sure how to interpret it, although it seemed to be a good omen. What happened next? I haven’t heard yet. I predict that you will soon receive a sign that has resemblances to this one. Don’t jump to conclusions about what it means, but assume the best.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Here’s the curious message I derived from the current astrological configurations: It’s one of those rare times when a wall may actually help bring people together. How? Why? The omens don’t reveal that specific information. They only tell me that what seems like a barrier might end up serving as a connector. An influence that in other situations would tend to cause separation will in this case be likely to promote unity. Capitalize on this anomaly, Aries! TAURUS
(April 20-May 20): In my first dream last night, I gave you a holy book that you left out in the rain. In my second dream, I assigned you some homework that would have helped you discover important clues about tending to your emotional health. Alas, you didn’t do the homework. In the morning, I woke up from my dreams feeling exasperated and worried. But later I began to theorize that maybe they were helpful warnings. I’m hoping you will become alert to the gifts you’ve been ignoring and take advantage of the healing opportunities you’ve been neglecting.
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20): There’s a good chance that your rhythm in the coming days will resemble a gentle, continuous orgasm. It won’t be stupendously ecstatic, mind you. I’m not predicting massive eruptions of honeyed bliss that keep blowing your mind. Rather, the experience will be more like a persistent flow of warm contentment. Again and again you will slip into a delicious feeling that everything is unfolding exactly as it should be. Warning! There are two factors that could possibly undermine this blessing: 1. if you scare it away with blasts of cynicism; 2. if you get greedy and try to force it to become bigger and stronger. So please don’t do those things!
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Philosopher Jonathan Zap provides the seed for this week’s meditation: “Conscious reflection on the past can deepen the soul and provide revelations of great value for the present and future. On the other hand, returning to the past obsessively out of emotional addiction can be a massive draining of vitality needed for full engagement with the present.” So which will it be, Cancerian? One way or another, you are likely to be pulled back toward the old days and the old ways. Re-examine your history and extract useful lessons from the past instead of wallowing in dark nostalgia. LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22): Picture a TV satellite dish on the roof of a peasant’s shack in rural Honduras. Visualize the Dalai Lama quoting Chris Rock a bit out of context but with humorous and dramatic effect. Got all that? Next, imagine that these three scenes are metaphors for your metaphysical assignment in the coming week. Need another hint? OK. Think about how you can make sure that nothing gets lost in the dicey translations you’ll be responsible for making.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here
are some ways to get more respect: Do your best in every single thing you do. Maintain impeccable levels of integrity in everything you do. But don’t try so compulsively hard to do your best and cultivate integrity that you get selfconscious and obstruct the flow of your natural intelligence. Make it your goal that no later than four years from now you will be doing what you love to do at least 51 percent of the time. Give other people as much respect as you sincerely believe they deserve. Give yourself more respect.
matt jones
“Adjusted to Fit Your Screen”—what the flip is going on? Across
1. Big letters, for short (and what your answers must be written in to understand the theme) 5. Hiking path 10. “Which came first?” choice 13. Clapton or Cartman 14. “The Freshmaker” candy 16. Stuff to fix a squeaky hinge 17. Aligned correctly 19. Pompous attribute 20. Stun gun relative 21. Jewel 22. Amy Winehouse hit 24. Complainer’s sounds 26. 1980s hairstyle that may have involved a kit 27. Donut shop quantities 30. Cop show with the line “Just the facts, ma’am” 33. Cupid’s Greek counterpart 34. Wire-___ (like some terriers’ coats) 37. Rowboat propeller 38. Send a document
over phone lines 39. Devices that, when turned, adjust themselves (just like the theme answers) 40. Greek vowel 41. Biblical verb suffix 42. Audrey Tautou’s quirky title role of 2001 43. Stay away from 44. Changed an area of town from residential to commercial, e.g. 46. They’re collected in passports 48. Coffee dispensers 49. Cartoonist Guisewite, or her comic strip 51. Faith that emphasizes the oneness of humanity 53. Rapper ___ Def 54. Walkway on an airplane 58. Bullfighting cheer 59. Neil Armstrong went on one 62. Homer’s outburst 63. It’s tossed after a wedding 64. Charity benefit, say 65. View
66. Doesn’t eat for a while 67. Bridge’s length
Down
1. Like some checks: abbr. 2. Opera solo 3. Sty dwellers 4. Crafty plans 5. Symbols after brand names 6. Rule over a kingdom 7. South American mountain range 8 .Checklist component 9. Rawls of R&B 10. “Land sakes alive that’s awesome!” 11. Prefix for byte meaning “one billion” 12. Amorphous clump 15. Jam, margarine and cream cheese 18. Sci-fi film set inside a computer 23. Exercise machine unit 25. Makes embarrassed 26. Class warmup before a big exam 27. Postpone 28. Make big speeches
29. Do the “I am not a crook” thing with the double V-signs, for example? 30. Three, in Germany 31. Completely devour 32. ___ fatty acids 35. Troy’s friend on “Community” 36. Under the weather 39. ___ salon 43. Well-known quotations 45. “Are you a man ___ mouse?” 47. Warm up after being in the freezer 49. Amounts on a bill 50. Liability counterpart 51. Physiques, casually 52. Lotion ingredient 53. Actress Sorvino 55. Dove or Ivory 56. Hit for the Kinks 57. Actor McGregor 60. Clumsy sort 61. Org. that provides W-2 forms
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: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0591.
BREWER MEDIA IS HIRING
Jonesin’ Crossword
Account Executive Account Executive (Chattanooga) Position Available at Brewer Media Permanent Full-Time
Brewer Media wants YOU! We’re seeking talented Sales Account Executives to join our high-performing team in print and online media sales. You will be responsible for hunting out new leads, making fancy presentations, managing existing accounts and selling new business. The ideal candidate has been a successful sales person, loves Chattanooga, and excels in cultivating relationships with area businesses. Qualified candidates will possess: Excellent written and verbal command of the English language; Organization of time with a laser-focus attention to detail, plus amazing follow through; audience- and needsbased selling approach (and knowing what that means); Outgoing and influential personality with a positive attitude (save your drama for your momma); Ability to generate your own business and to think creatively for clients. The position offers you product training, a base salary plus commission on all sales, bonuses, and the ability to get free passes to events! We also have a few radio stations you can represent as well. To be considered, please email a cover letter, resume, and salary history to : Mike Baskin: mikebaskin@brewermediagroup.com Subject: “Sales Job” The Pulse Advantage: With the most comprehensive news, arts and entertainment coverage in Chattanooga, The Pulse has become the most reliable media resource for an extremely diverse readership. Each and every week, more than 30,000 active, educated, affluent and highly influential consumers make many of their purchasing decisions based on advertisements they see on the pages of The Pulse.
Brewer Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 29
Life in the Noog
chuck crowder
Riders, Drivers Beware recently, a good friend of mine (and pulse employee) was practically mowed down by a car as he rode his bicycle home from work downtown in broad daylight. Luckily, he made it out of the ordeal unharmed, but his bike was not so lucky. Then, a couple of days later, I heard a similar story—although this time the victim was severely injured, but is recovering. These stories have me a little gun shy now when inflating my bike’s tires for a downtown ride. According to countless publications around the country, Chattanooga is becoming one of the most progressive and livable mid-size cities in America. However, it’s citizens and visitors navigating the streets of our award winning city center in their thousand-pound gas-guzzlers might need to catch up with this notion. Several periodicals tailored to bike enthusiasts site the Noog’s bike lanes, flat surfaces and new Bike Share program as forwardthinking steps towards a metro environment that is very cycle-friendly, as well as “green.” Now we just have to make sure motorists “get it.” The person who nailed my friend with his car actually told him, “I always look for other cars and pedestrians, but I sometimes forget about cyclists.” This is a little troubling to say the least—especially when most casual cyclists I know forego the accessory of a helmet. The lack of protective headwear is dangerous, but my thinking is that these cyclists are substituting their two-wheelers for cars as a form of general transportation rather than “balls out” exercising at top speeds. Even the Bike Share program, for example, doesn’t offer the optional accessory of a helmet at their docking stations. Good or bad, helmet disregard is a fact that
30 • The Pulse • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
motorists must take into account when encountering bicycles that share the very lanes their cars neatly fit within. Personally, I forego the helmet option as well, although I am seriously considering adding one given the recent incidents I mentioned. Then again, I also tend to forego street riding, opting for the sidewalk if it’s absent of pedestrians. I know that sidewalk riding is considered a little faux pas with hardcore enthusiasts, but my distrust of inattentive motorists is hardcore as well. The “three foot rule” of passing a cyclist in your car is good measure, when it’s observed, but even this standard can have its tribulations. One time I was “pulled over” at a red light by two police officers on bicycles after giving them ample room when passing in my car. My infraction? I crossed the double yellow line dividing the two-way street as I passed. I explained that because they were slowly pedaling uphill, I didn’t want them to experience the added pressure of a possibly impatient motorist hot on their heels. They bought it.
The bottom line is that our downtown streets are becoming less and less about motorized traffic and more and more about cyclists—and pedestrians. Those on foot also pose a new obstacle that can be even more unpredictable than cyclists. I’m speaking, of course, about those on foot who tempt fate by jaywalking across several lanes at not only a tortoise’s pace, but also without looking to see what car or cars might be barreling down on them. To me, this phenomenon is a blatant disrespect for the dangers of the street. At least cyclists tend to take defensive measures when traveling (likely for fear of getting run over like those I previously mentioned). However, since pedestrians have the right of way, those on foot know that cars will slow down or even stop to let them cross—even if not at red light-protected crosswalks. Seems we motorists have adapted to the unpredictable nature of the sidewalk stroller. Now we must learn the ins and outs of the comings and goings of two-wheelers as well. It could mean the difference between life and vehicular homicide. Be careful out there! Chuck Crowder is a local writer and general man about town. His opinions are his own.
chattanoogapulse.com • SEPT. 27-oct. 3, 2012 • The Pulse • 31