22807 Spring 2013

Spring 2013 Vol. 1 Issue 1

MACROCK

MANIA 2 days, 6 venues, 78 bands, one massive music fest

Rocktown Rollers celebrate five years on wheels Laura Weeks documents trials and travels with photos Artists cooperate to showcase their fine art and craft at OASIS

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Content

MACROC Go DJ

Emilie Von Unwerth

Five years rolling

Karlyn Doyle

Oasis: art in the heart of downtown Rachel Dawson

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Feelin’ the vibe

Kellan Howell

Navigating Narrowback

Seth Harrison

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22807 magazine highlights life and culture in Harrisonburg, and is published by students in the School of Media Arts and Design program at James Madison University.

22807 is a nonprofit organization supported by the College of Arts and Letters and the School of Media Arts and Design. Subscriptions are not available.

S t a f f

Executive Editors Meaghan MacDonald Kellan Howell Rachel Dawson

Art Director

Margie Currier

Assistant Art Director

Karlyn Doyle

Photography Editor

Griffin Harrington

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43 More than words Meaghan MacDonald

Welcome to the underground Emilie Von Unwerth

Going the distance Claire Fogarty

It’s all in the jeans Karlyn Doyle

“Who you jivin’ with that Cosmic Debris” Stephen Proffitt

Assistant Photography Editor Seth Harrison

Online Editor

Danielle Erb

Articles Editor

Claire Fogarty

Assistant Articles Editor

Angela Williams

Writers

Emilie Von Unwerth Stephen Proffitt Faculty Advisors David Wendelken Brad Jenkins 22807 School of Media Arts and Design James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 22807mag.com SPRING 2013 l

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From the Editors:

To our readers, We are stoked to bring you a brand new, one-of-a-kind, JMU publication named 22807.

Our goal is to give you great stories that are hip, fresh, modern and exciting. Our publication name is a reference to JMU’s postal code in the heart of Harrisonburg. Both our town and school have so much to offer with so many people coming together from all different walks of life. We wanted to create something that showcases a different side of JMU and highlights an alternative side of Harrisonburg that other publications tend to ignore. We are focused on bringing our readers all things art, food, music and culture in the ’burg. Life here is fun, exciting and extends beyond the limits of our campus.

We’d especially like to thank the people who have helped us in class, on campus and back home in putting together the inaugural edition.

We hope that our stories inspire you to make the most of your time at JMU by getting out and experiencing everything Harrisonburg has to offer. From house shows and DJ sets downtown to new biking trails, hookah bars and roller derby, read and see what 22807 has in store for you.

Executive Editors

Kellan Howell

Meaghan MacDonald

Rachel Dawson

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staff

KELLAN HOWELL is a senior media arts and design (SMAD) and international affairs major with concentrations in journalism and Western European politics and a minor in British communication and media. She interned at ITPro in London and she currently works as a freelance reporter for The Washington Guardian and will complete an internship at their office in Washington D.C. after graduation.

MEAGHAN MacDONALD is a senior SMAD major with a journalism concentration and minors in sports communications and creative writing She has been the sports editor for The Breeze and contributing writer for The Bluestone. She has interned for the Trenton Thunder, the AA affiliate for the New York Yankees and as an editorial intern for JMU Communications and Marketing. After graduation, Meaghan hopes to get a job as a sports feature writer.

RACHEL DAWSON is a senior SMAD major with a journalism concentration and minors in educational media and British communications and media.

She has interned with The Literacy Institute at VCU and with Communications and Marketing at JMU as an editorial intern. She hopes to work in social media or journalism after graduation.

CLAIRE FOGARTY is a junior WRTC major with a minor in creative writing.

Claire has aspirations for writing for a magazine after she graduates.

DANIELLE ERB is a senior SMAD major from Tampa, Fl. She played volleyball at JMU for four years and wishes to continue her career in sports when she graduates.

MARGIE CURRIER is a senior SMAD major with a concentration in journalism. She was the design editor of The Breeze from 2012-2013 and has done various graphic design freelance work.

She enjoys art and Italian, and wants to teach English in Italy after graduating.

KARLYN DOYLE is a senior SMAD major with a journalism concentration and music industry and British communication minors. She is the Center Stage director for University Program Board.

Karlyn has interned for the Recording Industry Association of America in D.C. and Metropolis Group in London.

After graduation, she hopes to move to a major city and work in the music industry.

EMILIE VON UNWERTH is a senior SMAD major concentrating in journalism with a minor in writing and rhetoric. She wants to be a writer.

GRIFFIN HARRINGTON is a sophomore SMAD major concentrating in digital video and cinema. He can be found around campus following the basketball and football teams with his camera.

SETH HARRISON is a junior majoring in SMAD with a journalism concentration and a minor in technical and scientific communication. He has interned with Autoweek Magazine in Detroit, and plans to pursue a career writing in the automotive industry after graduation.

ANGELA WILLIAMS is a junior SMAD major with print journalism concentration. She is a contributing writer for the Bluestone and Madison 101. In 2010, Williams interned for Andrew Brooks Media Group and was the editorial intern for Showcase Magazine and Come Visit Our Town.

About the Cover Photo by Griffin Harrington

The People’s Temple hypes up the crowd at Clementine Café during MACROCK.

Two DJs dropping dope beats. One condition: ‘No Requests.’

By Emilie von unwerth Photography Art Pekun

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ith Top-40 artists’ current emphasis on dance and club music, it’s no wonder DJs are becoming staples of local music scenes. And while Harrisonburg is no exception to the rule, the small town is home to two DJs who are exceptional.

Matt Abraham goes by DJ Fayo, a version of a nickname he received while studying in South America.

“My friend who I was down there with would start saying ‘Mateo es feo’ – ‘Matt is ugly’ in Spanish,” Abraham said laughing. “That just became my name: Feo.” Abraham tried experimenting with different names when he started DJing in venues, but Feo seemed to stick. He changed the spelling around a little to make it his own and has since been DJ Fayo.

Neal Carter never really thought about it.

He would just come up with joke names for every gig he got. One day, a friend told him to go by Neals Barkley. He did, and it stuck, which, Carter admits, may not have been his most clever decision.

“Actually, once when [Abraham] and I were playing, a dude came up to us and yelled, ‘What’s your name?” Carter laughed. Upon learning Neal’s name, the man screamed, “Are you serious?”

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MUSIC

Up and coming Figz N Twigz

Although brand new to the DJ scene, Ross Figlerski and Tyler Van Parys — Figz N Twigz — are making quite a splash. With a weekly radio show on student-run radio station WXJM and constant house party gigs, the duo seems to get better by the minute. “To be honest, Ross is the technique,“ Van Parys said, a JMU senior and MC to Figlerski, a junior. “He’s the engineer, he’s the whole brains of the operation. I like to think that I’m the soul, maybe the heart in some matters. That’s why we work well together.”

Right Figlerski (left) and Van Parys (right) host a live DJ set on WXJM. BOTTOM Ryan Slocum scratches vinyl at the Easelbreakers event.

Ryan Slocum

JMU junior Ryan Slocum describes himself as a “young hip hop or scratch DJ.” While Slocum does have a digital set up in addition to vinyl, scratching records is his true passion. “I get inspiration and learn a lot from records,” Slocum said.

“I wanted to learn in a similar way to the DJs that influence me.” Although Slocum admits he has a long way to go, the DJ-of-three-years has been well received by the JMU community. “Many people appreciate the way I do things and reach out to me for gigs so I think that’s a good sign.” Keep your eyes and ears open for this old-school newcomer.

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Abraham and Carter – DJs Fayo and Neals Barkley – have been in charge of getting downtown Harrisonburg on the dance floor for the past several years. Carter plays at Ruby’s semi-weekly, and while both of the bearded men DJ individually at the Blue Nile every weekend, they are mostly known for the monthly set they do together at the basement bar: “No Requests.”

“We started it about two years ago,” said Abraham, a softspoken JMU graduate.

Abraham explained that, at that point, most of the gigs he and Carter played as individuals were very request-driven; it was only when they played together that they were able to do what they really wanted.

“At that point, dance music – house, electronic, experimental, techno – wasn’t popular at all … but we wanted to focus on that,” Abraham said. “The whole idea is that we wanted people to really trust us as DJs to present to them the best of what we found.”

And so, in April of 2011, “No Requests” was born. Matt and Neal had both been thinking about doing a set together regularly, but didn’t really have a place to do it. Mark Finks, downstairs manager at the Blue Nile, explained that the event was initially intended to travel throughout the downtown circuit. However, the two men quickly realized that the Blue Nile was the best fit.

“We had DJ lights over here, we could run a smoke machine. We actually had DJ nights on a regular basis,” Finks said. “It was just easier for them to do it here.”

Once Abraham and Carter got the ball rolling, they realized they had the ability to bring other, more prominent DJs onto the bill.

“We wanted to be educated a little bit by other DJs that we really like,” Abraham said. “And ‘No Requests’ was a platform for that. We figured if we built up a party that basically had a built-in crowd, we could afford to pay guarantees to DJs to either fly them in or train them in.”

And, boy, do they have a built-in crowd. The Blue Nile remains at capacity during most “No Requests” sets. There’s often a line, and people are willing to wait a while to get in.

“Most [No Requests], we do better than we would normally do on a Saturday night, sometimes double what we would normally do,” Finks said. “It’s always a really good event for us. It does really well. And it brings in a lot of people that might not normally come in here.”

Thanks to the prominence of dance music in popular culture, more and more people are flocking to DJ shows.

“I’ve been DJing in Harrisonburg since 2008, and from 2009 to 2011, people didn’t care about DJs at all,” Long Island-native Carter said. “If you would have asked me four years ago if I would have seen myself playing big room house stuff, I would have been

Carter (center) and Abraham (right) DJ for “No Requests” at the Blue Nile on the first Saturday of every month.

like, ‘No way! That’s not going to happen.’”

It did happen, and it happened fast. Since artists like Beyonce, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg began seeking out producers like Diplo – someone who started out as a DJ – dance and house music have become avidly sought after.

“The pop machine has always, throughout history, taken from the underground in any genre of music or art,” Abraham said.

He explained that artists like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears started creating songs with 120 to 135 beats per minute – which is house and techno speed – about five years ago, but songs like these didn’t become the norm until recently.

“When I started DJing for the first time at the [Artful] Dodger, one of Lady Gaga’s early tracks was at the top of the European charts,” Abraham said, grinning. “And I was like, ‘Cool, I’m going to play this track.’ And I played it and I just cleared the dance floor.”

Lady Gaga became the most popular recording artist in the world less than six months later.

While the current trend toward dance and pop makes the music Abraham and Carter play more accessible to a broader audience, it also puts pressure on them to play super loud, super fast, super intense sets; a fact that causes both men to want to pull back.

“Sometimes, I just want to play chill shit,” Carter said with a laugh.

Abraham explained that we’re living in an era of moreis-more.

“We’re kind of in a period of ‘maximalism’ in our cul-

ture,” Abraham said. “But everything goes in circles, and it’s kind of like going back to glam rock in the ’80s, but it’s dance music.”

The societal yearn for DJs and dance music has allowed Abraham and Carter to take “No Requests” to other cities, a double-edged sword of an opportunity. The two recently took their set to Manhattan, where they played on a rooftop of a members-only club.

“It was a little bit too hoity-toity, a little bit stuck up,” Abraham said. “And ‘No Requests’ has always been very DIY. We have kind of a pseudo-punk mentality about it; we’re very firmly-rooted in the underground.”

In terms of production, Abraham and Carter have built everything they have from the ground up, and not just in a figurative sense. They actually built their own stage and their own DJ booth.

Abraham and Carter are not your typical DJs. Although they have their own styles, both men take pride in the fact that they don’t – and can’t – stick to one genre. “No Requests” works well because both men can weave a dozen genres together and make them flow.

“I’m not a hip hop DJ, I’m not a house DJ,” Carter said.

“I listen to everything. I play everything from soul funk to dance music, new electronic stuff, trap music. I like it all.”

That’s what you’ll get at “No Requests:” no theme, no one particular genre, no rules, just really good DJing by two really cool dudes.

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years

ROLLING

Rocktown Rollers celebrate “derbyversary” of guts, glory and fishnets

By Karlyn Doyle | Photography Griffin Harrington

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his girl’s got more hops than a keg of PBR.” The announcer was never short of witty one-liners while announcing the Harrisonburg Rocktown Rollers’ first bout of the season. Of course, it’s not too difficult to think of clever puns when the skaters have names like “Allbie Dayum’d” and “Eff in Aye.” Roller derby, a sport that was popular in the ’70s and is now making a comeback, is known for fast skating girls in fishnets giving and taking hits. But what’s roller derby really like in Harrisonburg? I talked to the Rocktown Rollers’ captain Rosie the Retaliator to find out.

Rosie’s been on the team since July 2011 and joined almost instantly when she first saw the team.

“We were at the 4th of July parade with the kids and I saw the Rocktown Rollers skate by. I got a schedule and looked at the website that afternoon and emailed the head coach,” Rosie said. “That was on Saturday. On Tuesday, I was

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PEOPLE

PREVIOUS PAGE Pushing and shoving is all part of the game, and the Rocktown Rollers don’t play nice. For five years the team has been racing its way to the top. TOP Rocktown Jammer MaLuvicent slams by the New River Valley competition. on skates learning how to fall.”

Derby Association and we have had to improve our game play to keep up with other members of the assoThe Team The Rocktown Rollers, Harrison- ciation,” Rosie said. “We have started burg’s roller derby team, is celebrating traveling more to play tougher teams, their “Five Year Derbyversary” this but some of the tougher teams are season. While Rosie’s only been on the right here in Virginia. Richmond has team for two years, she filled me in on a great team and they are mentors to some changes she’s seen since joining. our team.”

“The team has gotten a lot more strategic and athletic in the time I’ve The Game been skating. We were accepted as a So there’s a lot of falling, slammember of the Women’s Flat Track ming, hitting and bruising involved.

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But what are the basic rules behind women’s flat track roller derby?

The basics: Each game is called a “bout” and is 60 minutes long. The bout is split into two 30-minute periods.

Each period is divided into “jams,” which are scoring periods that can last up to two minutes.

Seems confusing enough, right?

Let’s break it down even more with the different positions.

Pivots: These are the girls in the striped

The Injuries

Maybe you’ve been to a bout, or maybe you’ve just seen Ellen Paige get banged up in “Whip It.” Regardless, you probably have an idea of the outcomes of this contact sport. Rosie provided details on some of the biggest injuries she and her teammates have sustained.

“Bumps and bruises are just part of the territory. I broke my finger, of all things, in a bout during my first season and had to sit out three weeks because I was in a cast,” Rosie said. “Our head coach, Afro-Die-T, currently is nursing a broken leg back to health. We’re hoping she is back on the track soon.

A few players have broken their ankles and there’s been more than one broken tailbone.”

The Names

helmets. They’re responsible for setting the pace for the pack.

Jammers: These girls wear the stars on their helmets, and are responsible for scoring. There’s one on each team. They start side by side behind the pack and have to break through the blockers and pivots. For each player they lap, they score a point.

Blockers: They hang between the pivots and the jammers and make up the pack. They are both offense and defense.

the year my grandma was born. I’m also a history teacher, so my name ties in with that as well.”

Fresh Meat

So you kind of understand the rules, you want the cool name and you’re ready to rock the fishnets and take a hit. So how easy is it to join?

“Really easy,” Rosie said. “We have Fresh Meat intake a few times a year.

If you’re a female over the age of 18, you can come join us and we’ll help you learn what you need to know. Even if you don’t skate, we can teach you.”

The Culture

So you’re on the derby team, you’ve got a badass name, maybe some tattoos and a couple pairs of fishnets. Is the surrounding community in to what you do? In Harrisonburg, the answer is yes. The town can’t get enough of the Rocktown Roller girls, with tickets on sale at downtown retailers and after parties hosted at places like The Artful Dodger.

Rosie told me about the culture surrounding the Rocktown Rollers in Harrisonburg: “It’s so diverse and awesome, there’s really something for everyone. The skaters come from so many backgrounds and so many lifestyles, too many to name. Anyone can find a home in derby,” Rosie said. “And our fans represent us the same way. At any bout I could talk to someone who tells me about how they used to watch derby on TV when it was on banked track, back in the ’70s, and then sign an autograph for a 5-year-old who is asking me where she can buy fishnet tights just like mine.”

Derby names are one of the best parts of the sport. They’re clever, edgy and in-your-face. But where do these names come from? Do players give themselves names or are they assigned to the players? Rosie explained that it depends on the league, and Rocktown has its own method.

“You have to pass through the ‘Fresh Meat’ testing to be able to officially adopt your name. Fresh Meat is what we call our skaters who [have just] start[ed] with us. When you pass your safety assessment, which is the test that says you’re able to scrimmage with the team during practice, you get to choose your derby name,” Rosie explained.

Some women work with the team or their friends to find inspirations for their name. Others, like Rosie, come up with their new identities on their own.

“I’m ‘Rosie the Retaliator,’ because Want to watch some derby live? You can my grandma worked on planes durcatch the Rocktown Rollers at home on May ing World War II, a real life Rosie the Riveter, so my name is in honor of her. 18. To find out more about the team, visit their My number is 1920, which is the year website at www.rocktownrollers.com. women got the right to vote, and also 22807mag.com SPRING 2013 l

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Written and Photographed by Rachel Dawson

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t’s a corner shop a block from Court Square, with display windows full of art of all mediums. It’s an OASIS. Literally.

Thirty-six artist members display and sell their work at OASIS Fine Art and Craft on South Main Street, including media such as pottery, photography, jewelry, woodwork, glassware, fibers, and more.

When several local community members founded OASIS in 2000, Harrisonburg was lacking a visual arts space and presence in the community.

“What they wanted was a place to display art, and to educate people about art,” Brenda Fairweather, member and recent outgoing president of the OASIS board said. “It was more about the displaying of art, not so much the selling of art. So it’s evolved into what you experience when you come in today.”

Several of the founding members have now passed away, but their vision carries on as the heartbeat of OASIS. “You can’t walk by that window and not be intrigued,” Fairweather said. “Or if you’re sitting at that light there, it’s just phenomenal.”

Walking in the door of OASIS, you are met with a special exhibit featuring one artist’s work. In March, the show by Janet Marshman was entitled “Phobia Artistry” and it visual-

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izes phobias from chromatophobia, the fear of color, to botonophobia, the fear of plants.

Instrumental music by a local artist played lightly throughout the space as a background accompaniment to the visual art filling up the shelves, walls and even the upper mezzanine of the gallery. Warm light spilled in from the corner windows, joining with the gallery lighting to showcase all that’s inside.

“We try not to have blind spots,” Fairweather said. “As you can see, our walls are pretty full.”

Members apply for exhibit shows during an open application process, and a committee decides on the year’s schedule, with each selected artist getting a month to display their show.

“We’ve got some very creative people here,” Fairweather said.

Members of OASIS are classified on different levels: full-time, part-time and associate. The levels include different requirements for volunteering in the gallery, but all artists pay dues and can display their work equally throughout the space.

As a full-time member, two days a month of working in the gallery are required.

The membership levels also determine the breakdown of money when a piece sells, but

Artist member Joanna Gray works in the medium of fiber art, creating bags and other pieces from felted wool. She also works with silk, yarn and old sweaters as organic materials.

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each artist sets his or her own prices. Full-time members receive 80 percent of the sale, while part-time members get 70 percent and 30 percent split, and for associates, a 60 percent and 40 perecent split.

“Many of our artists have other full-time jobs and they can’t dedicate their time to building their business.

We do have a few members who are professional artists,” Fairweather said.

Fairweather’s baskets and pottery are currently in 10 other shops and galleries across the state.

“This was the first gallery I applied to and was accepted in. OASIS is special to me. It kind of launched what I have today.”

Fairweather has been a member at OASIS for about half the time it has been open. She only volunteers

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her time to work at OASIS, since many of the other galleries either don’t offer the option to their members, or are located too far away for it to be possible. OASIS has some members from West Virginia and Maryland.

“It’s too far away for them to come down and work, so they’re just associate members. It’s something for everyone.”

The artists’ experience at OASIS is different compared with other galleries. There is less involvement in the galleries, and artists just get a check in the mail a month after a piece sells. OASIS offers many members a chance to play a bigger role in the life and business of their art or craft.

For many of the members, their art is inspired and sourced locally.

Pete Johnson, a woodworker, has created pieces from a white oak tree in Augusta County called the Stonewall Jackson prayer tree.

“The story goes that Stonewall Jackson and his men camped near that tree and that’s where he prayed,” Fairweather said.

The tree died of natural causes, and local wood-turners salvaged the wood to create pieces that were extremely popular at OASIS. “We couldn’t keep it in stock when we first started selling it.”

Fairweather took herself on a solitary retreat recently to work on weaving new baskets.

“There’s a place at Smith Mountain Lake that I can go and be inspired by the water.”

No two baskets look alike, and they are woven together from a va-

riety of materials such as grapevine, reed, seagrass, thrift store neckties, yarn, fabrics, zippers, and other things she finds.

Fairweather’s most popular basket sells for $29, which falls into the average mid-range cost of products at OASIS. Cards made by various painters and photographers are one of the most popularly sold products, as well as one of the least expensive items they carry, at about $4 each.

Many pieces of jewelry, pottery, and baskets are in the $25 to $50 middle price range, while paintings and framed photographs range upwards of $100.

“I actually sold a basket last month for $189,” Fairweather said.

“That’s very unusual. Those kinds of things are really exciting.”

Fairweather has several new baskets from her weaving retreat ready to be included in her current displays, and customers in the store are eager to touch and see them before she even has put them out.

The inventory of all the artist members is monitored by exhibit chair Judy Ligon. She notifies artists if their inventory is staying inactive for too long and requests that they take pieces out or shift things around to try to keep things constantly changing.

Debra Fischer is the sole paid staff member at OASIS, and she also plays a role in organizing the store and keeping things looking fresh and updated.

Fischer’s husband, Steve, a woodturner and wood-carver, was formerly a member of OASIS, and he is the artist of the two.

Connecting with the local and even distant community of tourists and artists is a main goal of OASIS. Many pieces are sold to locals and

tourists stopping through from Massanutten, but occasionally pieces travel across the country or around the world.

“I once sold some baskets to the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium,” Fairweather said. “It’s amazing how from here you have this international connection.”

She also has pieces now in Japan, France, Africa and across the U.S. The main tourist season, according to Fischer, is from June to midfall, when JMU classes aren’t in session.

“There’s enough students that still stay around that we feel that nice atmosphere coming through the doors,” Fischer said. “When JMU has their homecoming, they bring in a lot of business too, because they’re

ART bringing their parents down, like ‘Mom, I want these earrings!’ Mom and dad have the money, and that makes perfect sense.”

Even locally, OASIS has connections with up-and-coming additions to the art community. Larkin Arts, which opened August 2012, is a recent addition to downtown Harrisonburg, but OASIS doesn’t feel threatened.

“They have classroom space, gallery space, supplies, and studios.

They cover it all, where we don’t,” Fairweather said. “We welcome their presence in the neighborhood as an art-related business. It’s going to be more appealing to visitors to come if there’s more variety.”

The owners of Larkin Arts feel the same.

LEFT On the corner of South Main Street and West Water Street, what was formerly a 1950s drugstore now showcases the work of over 36 unique artists. RIGHT Brenda Fairweather’s baskets are woven from both natural and manmade materials, such as grapevine and fabric scraps.

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Staff member Debra Fischer (shown above) and exhibit chair Judy Ligon work constantly to keep a balance of medium among the artist members. Their work is all original, most is locally sourced and produced, and every piece is also for sale.

A thriving arts culture is a great barometer for a thriving city.— Valerie Smith

”

“OASIS has been a pillar of the arts for years and we are so happy they have held anchor in downtown Harrisonburg during a time when it was likely hard to do so,” said Larkin Arts owner Valerie Smith. She agreed with Fairweather in that “the more galleries there are, the more art there is in a downtown district such as ours, the better it is for everyone.”

Having art in and around

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downtown Harrisonburg is something both owners and members hold in high esteem.

“A thriving arts culture is a great barometer for a thriving city,” Smith said.

Smith and her husband, Scott Whitten, both hold other jobs in the local community — Smith as an art teacher at Skyline Middle School, and Whitten as a bartender at Blue Nile.

They saw a unique need in the community, and created Larkin Arts to fit that need, specifically serving “the niche of supplying materials and classes taught by certified educators,” Smith said.

“I am very happy to be connected to [OASIS] through the local arts scene. I think we serve many of the same people, but are different enough that we complement one another and provide variety in a

flourishing downtown culture.”

In the 13 years OASIS has been open, a community of artists has developed and shared their work and talents with Harrisonburg and beyond. Even with new galleries and art spaces opening in the downtown scene, they’ve held their ground and stayed true to their original vision.

It’s a space full of art and handcrafted creations, a warm and welcoming invitation to experience local and unique art and support the artists who make it. It’s not just a gallery with the pieces on distant display — OASIS wants you to come in, look around, learn more, and maybe even take a piece of art home with you.

Oasis is open Monday — Thursday, noon — 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. — 5 p.m., and Sunday noon — 5p.m.

Feelin’ the VIBE

A new hookah bar provides cultural nightlife in Harrisonburg

By Kellan howell |Photography griffin harrington Plush leather couches, low lighting, soft indie rock music and clouds of fragrant smoke invite newcomers into this little hole in the wall. It might not look like much on the outside, but inside, Vibe Bistro and Hookah lounge is charming curious visitors.

Located on South Main, just a few minutes from Pheasant Run, Vibe is quickly becoming one of the new hot spots in Harrisonburg. Vibe offers a full bar, Middle Eastern cuisine, a relaxing atmosphere, and, of course, hookah. Vibe has over 55 different flavors of sheesha (hookah tobacco), including seven special flavors, like “Queen of Sex” and “Pirate Cave,” that

change on a monthly basis. Owner Parviz Barraghi said his favorite flavor to smoke is a mixture of watermelon and mint.

“We definitely help people with making decisions on flavors and food, but we don’t force them to try anything they don’t want to,” Barraghi said.

Barraghi runs Vibe with his three brothers and his parents. The family previously owned Brooklyn Café and Lounge, another hookah bar, downtown next to Urban Exchange. They decided to move to their new location on South Main because of a growing demand.

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Harrisonburg is becoming more multi-cultural than it has been. Seeing a new crew of people coming in to try our culture and getting to know them is awesome. I feel it’s removing barriers of culture. — Parviz Barraghi

“There aren’t too many places around here like ours,” Barraghi said.

“I’ve had bad service from other hookah bars in town and I wanted to open a place that would be more friendly and relaxing.”

Vibe definitely has the friendliness factor down. Barraghi and his brothers visit every table to chat with customers and make new friends. Barraghi’s brother, Suheil, says his favorite part about working at Vibe is being able to work with his family and meet new people.

“It’s pretty fun getting to spend more time with each other,” Suheil said.

The convenient location and quality bar at Vibe are helping to attract more JMU students.

“It’s really close to my house and

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the staff is really cool, my friends and I know all of them,” said JMU senior Omar Sulaiman.

While Vibe is known for being a hookah bar, there seems to be more emphasis on the bar than on the hookah. The Barraghi family is working on recipes for margaritas and are planning to include “fishbowl” style margarita deals on their menu.

“We have awesome drinks,” Barraghi said. “We don’t water them down or cheat our customers, and our pricing is very reasonable.”

The Barraghis pride themselves on using local ingredients and making everything fresh — that means no premade margarita mix.

“My fingers hurt from squeezing so many limes,” Barraghi said. The end result is definitely worth the pain. The

Barraghis have created a mixture that tastes fresh, natural, and not overly sweet.

The Barraghi family moved from the Iranian section of Kurdistan to the U.S. in 1996, and their Kurdish culture is evident in the food they serve at Vibe. Praviz recommends a traditional Kurdish dish called Ghormeh Sabzi, a childhood favorite consisting of sautéed herbs, lamb meat and beans with rice. The menu at Vibe includes various Middle Eastern dishes from kebob to lamb platters mixed with some traditional American appetizers like mozzarella sticks.

While the drinks are the main attraction at Vibe, it’s the hookah at Vibe that has everyone talking. Many people are coming to Vibe to try the exotic method of smoking for the first time.

PLACES

With so many flavors to choose from, it’s hard for a first timer to make a decision, but the Barraghis are happy to spend time talking with customers to help them make the right choice. They will even let customers smell each flavor and mix them together.

“Not a day goes by that we don’t have a hookah virgin,” Parviz said.

Parviz has seen some of the most interesting combinations that customers have come up with: strawberry daiquiri mixed with tequila sunrise and guava kiwi, which many people seem to like.

I ended up choosing a mixture of pirate cove and code 69, two of the seven special monthly flavors.

Smoking a mixture of pirate cove and blue mist, a group of Bridgewater students agreed that Vibe was a great place to be.

“It’s chill, there’s a relaxing atmosphere, great music, the staff is really friendly, and there’s no bar odor,” said Alissa*.

Jessica* added, “It’s not sketchy like other hookah bars that I’ve been to.”

Marie*, who had just lost her hookah virginity, thought Vibe would be a great place to go on a date. With its comfortable couches, soft indie rock music, and ethnic cuisine it’s easy to see why she thinks that. People who come to Vibe come for the laid back environment but also for the cultural experience.

“Harrisonburg is becoming more multi-cultural than it has been,” Parviz said. “Seeing a new crew of people coming in to try our culture and getting to know them is awesome. I feel it’s removing barriers of culture.”

Vibe also hosts parties with guest DJs, which are advertised on their Facebook page and Instagram @vibebistro. Vibe is open Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is no cover charge and prices for hookah vary depending on the sheesha. *Last names have been withheld for confidentiality.

FRONT Senior Omar Sulaiman smokes a mixture of “Pirate Cave” and “Blue Mist” sheesha, commonly referred to as “Pirate Mist.”

TOP Suheil Barraghi demonstrates some hookah tricks like smoke rings.

MIDDLE The staff at Vibe is always happy to recharge the hookah with extra coals. BOTTOM Sulaiman and JMU freshman, Mohammed Wahbah, frequent Vibe for the full bar and cultural atmosphere.

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Navigating Written and Photographed by SETH HARRISON

H

arrisonburg has no shortage of bike trails and good riding roads. As a cyclist, I like to take advantage of them whenever I can. The Narrowback Trail in outer Rockingham County is one of the newer options for mountain bikers, and had been on my to-do list for quite some time.

The weather in Harrisonburg at the beginning of 2013 had been unpredictable and cold for weeks, so when “The Weather Channel” forecasted a high of 55 one Friday, I jumped at the chance. I loaded up my gear, donned my bike pants (my family refers to them my “man-capris”) and set course for the trailhead, about a 30-minute drive from JMU’s campus.

There are two players in this adventure. The man: your humble author, age 21, and a bike enthusiast who spent the preceding several months sidelined due to jammed schedules, poor weather and illness. The bike: a 2007 Specialized Hardrock Sport, plucked off of Craigslist three years ago for $240, looking a bit worse for wear after a hard six years of life.

A close call with some mud in the parking area suggests that the mountains didn’t have a chance to dry out as much as the city has. Undeterred, I boost the bike off of the car. The Hardrock is your basic hardtail mountain bike, with shocks in the front but not the back. This particular example

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Narro

carries the wear and tear from two years of college commuter duty, plus multiple rides in both Washington D.C. and Michigan.

Unfortunately, at the time of the Narrowback conquest, the bike also carries scars from being crashed by my roommate a month earlier. After the accident, it still seems roadworthy, but I’m hoping there are no hidden surprises.

The trail starts out on the gravel road, and for the first half mile, it’s smooth sailing. The trail then heads off into the woods and steeply uphill.

This is when I encounter the mud for the first time. In spin classes, “thick mud” seems to be in every instructor’s vocabulary for how much resistance to apply to your bike during a given segment of the class, but actually fighting mud in the real world while going

owback

uphill is something else all together.

I begin to have regrets for being out of shape, already feeling worn out, and not even up the first hill yet. The first hill crests into a shale pit, one of the main geographic features of the trail. While most of the woods are a uniform tan color thanks to the fallen leaves, the shale pit has yellowness to it, giving the impression that without vegetation, it would make a decent

movie stand-in for the planet Venus.

I push on into the woods, rolling along at a decent pace as the trail gets narrower and narrower. As the hills get steeper, the Hardrock’s chain starts to grind, straining on the gears.

Maybe the accident did more damage than initially met my eye.

I pause once I reach the four-way intersection at the top of the ridge to snap a few photos. There is a decent

One man sets out to test one of Harrisonburg’s newest bike trails. In reality, it tests him.

view of Harrisonburg and Dayton, although the barren trees obscure much of it when I attempt to document the scene.

According to the trail description, the ridgeline is “flowing” and “sometimes rocky.” “Sometimes” may be an understatement. To me, the rocks appear to be fairly consistent and quite substantial. In an effort to smooth out the ride, I dial down the preload on 22807mag.com SPRING 2013 l

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PLACES A rare break in the trees reveals and expansive view to the west.

The Narrowback Trail is on the edge of the George Washington National Forest.

the Hardrock’s front shocks, hoping to loosen them up. As I bounce further along the ridgeline, it becomes obvious that rather than loosening up and cushioning the ride, the shocks have, in fact, seized. Oh, dear. I mentally add another item to the growing list of things on the bike that need attention. Still, despite the equipment failures, there’s no turning back now.

The views from the ridgeline are decent, although broken up by the trees. The rocks continue for almost three miles before dropping off the top of the ridge. The change in the landscape is remarkable: one second, slow going over rocks, the next, smooth downhill dirt trail only interrupted by the occasional mud puddle.

This is more suitable given the current conditions of both the bike and myself.

We dart down the mountain at a rapid pace, only disturbed by the nowwet brakes, which wail despondently.

Unfortunately, this portion of the trail ends abruptly at the fire road, which normally is quite navigable, but at the moment has become exceptionally soft and squishy, almost like riding on a mattress. Forward momentum is severely affected by the fact that I am

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sinking into the road as I go.

The route map indicates that the road is three miles of rolling terrain.

For the first few hill climbs, I’m fine; not quite as at ease as I was on the dirt trail, but making good progress.

Then slogging through the mud really becomes work and my pace begins to slow.

The hills and rocks have also taken a toll on the bike’s drivetrain, which now upshifts and downshifts at will and interprets the inputs of the gear shifters as mere suggestions. At one point, the cables become gummed with mud and the indicator jams on second gear. One hill later, it frees itself, just in time for the turn off the fire road and more rocks.

The climb from the fire road back up to the ridge is steep. Very steep. The rocks, having possibly been forced out of their natural habitat by the construction of the fire road, have all migrated here. I make it about halfway back to the ridge before my legs give out. I dismount and hike the rest of the way back up to the top in shame.

Once I reach the ridge, it’s the home stretch and all downhill from here.

The trail from the ridge to the parking area is more direct than the as-

cent through the shale pit, but there’s a reason the directions don’t send you up the mountain this way. For a large part, it’s arrow straight, and steeply sloped. Navigating it isn’t physically challenging but requires a decent amount of mental concentration to avoid obstacles.

By now, I’m muddy enough that I don’t bother to avoid the shallower mud spots. The trail has started to level out, and I’ve started to relax, when I round a bend and see the creek that I have to cross.

When the route description said creek, I assumed it meant a token amount of water running over some rocks. What I confront instead is a five-foot wide, two-foot deep body of water. I sit for a minute and ponder over the day and age that we live in; one that requires us to carry so many electronic gizmos on us at all times.

Had roughly $350 worth of technology not been at stake, I would have proceeded to splash gleefully through the deep part of the creek with reckless abandon. Now, I must find another way across. Hiking upstream reveals shallower water. I lower the bike in from the steep bank, climb on, and pedal slowly across. After fording the creek, the going is easy — a quick zip downhill, across a bridge and the truck is in sight. Sitting in the back seat is my prize for finishing: two Capri Suns.

Bottom line: Narrowback should not be taken lightly. It may be only nine miles, but those miles can be intense, especially if soggy. Also, the equipment you choose makes a difference. I think that with new front shocks and a properly adjusted chain, the Hardrock would be perfectly capable, although something with a full suspension would be even better. I definitely plan to go back, but first I think I need a trip to the bike shop.

And UREC. Definitely UREC.

More than

Words

From Italian scenery to emotional memories, senior Laura Weeks puts her experiences into photos

By Meaghan macdonald Photography Griffin Harrington

A

ll artists dream of having a show in a gallery that presents their years of hard work. Sometimes it takes years for this dream to come true, and sometimes an artist may never live to see their work framed on a gallery wall.

Senior media arts and design major Laura Weeks, however, had two showcases in February displaying her photography.

Weeks put together two separate shows, “Here & There” at Clementine Café, and “Portrait of My Father” at artworks Gallery on West Grace Street.

“Here & There” consisted of her travel photos, mostly from Chicago and Urbino, Italy, while “Portrait of My Father” is a 22807mag.com SPRING 2013 l

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PEOPLE photo essay depicting the life of Weeks’ father, Doug, who died in 2010.

While dozens of spectators crowded inside the venues to marvel at the talent and beauty of Weeks’ photos, she admits that her shows are only a marker of how far she’s come as a photographer.

“There’s still so much I don’t know about photography,” Weeks said. “I want people to know these shows don’t make me feel superior in any way as a photographer. If anything, they’re a stepping-stone from where I started and the progress I’ve made.”

Weeks has always had an interest in photography, and began playing around with cameras at a young age. But it wasn’t until college that her hobby turned into a passion. She joined The Breeze as a staff photographer her sophomore year, where she learned how to properly shoot with a SLR camera while exploring the use of different angles, lenses and lighting.

“Laura is our family photographer,” said Laura’s older sister, Anna, 30. “She has taken some very special pictures during my pregnancies and of my children. I remember the summer she saved up her waitressing tips to buy her own digital SLR camera.

It’s strange to see Laura without her camera hanging by her side.”

After years of experimenting, Weeks decided it was time to put together some shows to present her progress.

“It’s good to get yourself out there a little bit and have proof of what you’ve been working on.”

The process of putting together two shows at once was stressful and took more work than she expected.

“There [were] a lot of hidden expenses I didn’t think about,” she said, laughing.

Both shows required her to put

down security deposits, purchase matted frames of varying sizes and have business and show cards printed. artWorks Gallery also required her to pay to have her name above her section in the show. “I probably paid more than $200 and got less than $100 of it back. My mom helped me pay for the shows, though, because she knew what they meant to me.”

Despite the costs, Weeks considered both shows a success, estimating that about 30 people attended each opening night.

“I was surprised at how many people from the community came to look around.”

HERE AND THERE: FEBRUARY 1-22 Spending time in a foreign country can be daunting for some, but for Weeks it was both inspirational and exhilarating. The photos she took while studying abroad in Urbino, Italy, and in the States, made up the content for “Here & There,” her first February show.

“I’d never been out of the country until I went to Italy this summer,” said Weeks, who spent the month of June

and Design was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for Weeks. The program, which brought together about 50 participants from schools around the world, required students to write an article and create an accompanying multimedia piece. Laura’s project told I think when you are in a town where no one speaks English, it’s the story of young Italians’ frustrations with life in Italy and their desire to live easier to not be so self-conscious a more fulfilling life in the U.S. “The city was so small, there wasn’t about taking pictures of people, an alley we didn’t venture down,” said because you know you’re going Weeks, whose article was voted top to leave and they’re not going to five by the faculty and photo essay was picked No. 1. “We loved taking phoremember you.

— Laura Weeks tos in the piazza, watching people and drinking wine.” in Urbino. “For me, it was a whole While “Here & There” doesn’t have new world, and I wanted to take a pic- a storyline, it showcases the beauty of ture of everything.” the areas she visited, with vast views of The Urbino summer program of- green trees and fields and the quaint fered by the School of Media Arts cobblestone streets that wind through-

“”

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TOP “I love the movement and bold blur of colors,” Laura said of her photo called “There.” The photo was a part of Laura’s show “Here and There,” which depicted the lifestyle and culture of Italy. BOTTOM Laura (LEFT) poses for a family portrait with her mother Meg, sister Anna, brother Charlie and niece and nephew Amelia and Caleb at the opening night of “Portrait of My Father.”

out the area.

Besides architecture and nature, Weeks focused her photography in Urbino on the day-to-day interactions of the locals. In one photo, titled “Leaning,” she shows a handsome young man, nonchalantly leaning on an old stone fountain in the center of the piazza, gazing off into the distance.

Another shows three women of different generations, casually chatting outside a meat and wine shop.

After several projects in which she was assigned to simply sit, watch and capture daily life in Urbino, Weeks found shooting freeing.

“I think when you are in a town where no one speaks English, it’s easier to not be so self-conscious about taking pictures of people, because you know you’re going to leave and they’re not going to remember you.”

The class was accompanied by a group of faculty members, including Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and reporters.

“We had so much hands-on experience with people who are well beyond our experience.”

Laura became close with her mentor, Susan Biddle, a staff photographer for The Washington Post, while in Urbino.

One of 12 instructors on the Urbino trip, Biddle taught still photography to the multimedia and magazine students.

In Urbino, Biddle helped Laura mature her talent and work, often offering advice on which images to include in her multimedia piece. In January, when Laura sought her advice on “Portrait of My Father,” Biddle encouraged her to include detailed captions to tell a more complete story.

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be really, really good. And she’s good gineering books crammed into every at all of it — writing, photos, and or- possible nook and cranny. The tone ganizational skills.” of the show started off nostalgic and demure, showing photos of her dad PORTRAIT OF MY FATHER: fixing miles of derailed locomotives, FEBRUARY 11-22 anniversary cards from Weeks’ mom As the saying goes, you don’t know and his dusty collection of old rehow much you love someone until cords. they’re gone. On January 31, 2010, As the show progressed, though, Weeks’ father passed away unexpect- the tone shifted to one of longedly from a massive heart attack. ing and emptiness, showing spaces “He passed away my freshman where Weeks remembered her dad year, and I couldn’t bring myself to most, like the old couch with the speak in front of everyone at the fu- patterned quilt draped across the neral,” Weeks said. back or the dining room window Three years later, Weeks was able overlooking the neighborhood. to artistically express her grief with The final photo in the sequence “Portrait of My Father.” was of her father’s watch, with a fi“This was kind of my eulogy for nal caption: “We lost Dad to a heart him,” Weeks said. “Photography was attack on January 31, 2010, the day my medium for doing that. It’s a step- before his 62nd birthday. He enping-stone in the healing process.” joyed 61 years as a son and brother, The photo essay consisted of 15 31 years as a husband, 29 years as a

“

Instead of getting discouraged with work, I remind myself I want to be a legacy for him, and that pushes me to do well, to not be afraid of trying things even if I don’t think I am good enough. — Laura Weeks

photos ranging from black-and-white shots of her father’s belongings and places around the house that defined him, to color photos of him covered in grease from working 18-hour shifts as an engineer for Norfolk Southern Railway. Each photo is accompanied by a short description explaining the significance, giving the viewer more insight into who her dad truly was.

The photos take viewers into the home and mind of a man who loved his job, who made great sacrifices for his family and had a passion for technology, The Who and Morse Code.

His workspace, a narrow room in their basement, was cluttered with wires, gadgets, tools, radios and en-

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”

father and one month as a grandfather.”

According to Anna, her family was unaware Laura was working on the show, but found the end-product a pleasant and emotional surprise.

“She’s always been quiet about her work until she finishes and has it perfected, which was exactly what ‘Portrait of My Father’ was — a perfect showcase of Dad’s special moments and belongings,” Anna said.

“Her photos captured and evoked memories and emotions, not just for my family, but for others who came to the show. My mom, brother, and I felt so proud of Laura for honoring Dad’s memory, and we knew this was

an important and expressive way for Laura to grieve.”

The time and memories Weeks had with her father are precious and finite. But with “Portrait of My Father,” she has been able to keep her dad’s memory and spirit alive, particularly for her niece and nephew, who didn’t get to know him.

“I took those photos a year after he passed away,” Weeks said. “Part of it was to preserve stuff around the house that hadn’t really been touched yet. The picture of his desk and all the mess that was there doesn’t look like that now, two years later. I’m glad I took it. And if anything, it’s a

To see more of Laura’s work visit her online portfolio at www.lauraaweeks.com.

This picture is a part of Weeks’ exhibit “Portrait of My Father.” “Dad sat here every evening after work, catching up on the news and our day at school. On Sundays, he was here reading the newspaper and drinking coffee from his Virginia Tech mug.” It really represents one of the physical spaces he “left behind.” Someone at my opening reception told me he thought this photo perfectly captured the message of my artist’s statement. It was the last photo I added to the collection, and I took it about a year after the others. preservation of what it was like.”

Doug was more to Weeks than a father — he was a mentor who helped her transcend her own expectations and find a passion in photography.

“I feel like I started out at The Breeze as a photographer because of him,” said Weeks, who’s recently been playing around with her dad’s old film camera. “He was kind of interested in photography. I really wanted to be good at something for him, and that’s kind of been part of my whole

college experience. Instead of getting discouraged with work, I remind myself I want to be a legacy for him, and that pushes me to do well, to not be afraid of trying things even if I don’t think I am good enough.”

Weeks’ college experience has been emotionally trying, for better and for worse. But she’s faced her adversities by turning them into art. Photography has helped her find a way to express feelings that words could never explain, and helped her learn to move

on and discover more about herself and her talents.

“Starting out at The Breeze, I never thought that I would have two photo shows at the same time at pretty popular places around Harrisonburg,” Weeks said. “It’s nice to have this work and have it displayed. In a sense, that wraps up the work and encourages me to start new projects and think of what types of messages I want my photos to convey.”

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Every spring, Harrisonburg becomes center stage for independent music

By ANGELA WILLIAMS | Photography Griffin Harrington

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The guitarist of The People’s Temple shreds during Clementine’s garage rock showcase Friday, April 5th.

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M

ACROCK, previously known as the Mid Atlantic College Radio Conference (MACRoCk), is a two-day music festival hosted by local businesses of downtown Harrisonburg. The festival exists to promote independent music revolving around DIY culture while putting on a great show for the audience.

“It’s not the kind of thing that if you don’t know the bands, you shouldn’t go. It’s the kind of thing that you should buy a ticket, come and fall in love with them,” said JMU junior and MACROCK committee member, Christopher Donnell.

In its early years, beginning in 1996-97, MACROCK was affiliated with JMU and its radio station, WXJM. The event was then, and still is, run by a committee consisting of local student and community volunteers. After financial and ideological fallouts in 2006, the school and the festival cut ties.

“A few thousand dollars didn’t make it back to JMU,” Donnell said. “MACROCK didn’t happen for a year after that … Then, Harper took it on his shoulders to start it up again.”

Former committee member, Harper Holsinger, 29, says that the committee of the 2006-07 school year decided it was in the event’s best interest to hold off on having a conference that year.

“We decided to part ways and move downtown and become a fullfledged non-profit,” Holsinger said.

“”

It’s a passion. You get to meet interesting people that are free to do what they want artistically. It gives me inspiration. — Chris Donnell

Holsinger explained that, while the event didn’t happen in 2007, the time and effort of that year’s committee did not go to waste.

Current committee members said that Holsinger put his all into making MACROCK a stellar event in 2008. Holsinger took it upon himself to reach out to the downtown community to find venues and sponsors. Members commented that he even went as far as taking loans out in his own name to build the event back up. “Although he will never, ever take credit for it,” said senior committee member Emilie von Unwerth, “MACROCK would cease to exist without Harper’s efforts.”

Senior committee head Marisa Cagnoli shared this point of view. “He’s the grand-daddy of MACROCK. He wants to see the event succeed every year.”

Since MACROCK began, and even more so since it moved off campus, it has thrived on the principles of DIY — “do-ityourself ” — culture. Many of the bands are unsigned and are responsible for booking their own tours, recording their own music, and promoting their own shows.

“It’s a passion,” Donnell explained. “You get to meet

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MUSIC

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interesting people that are free to do what they want artistically. It gives me inspiration.”

DIY culture is about staying true to your roots and avoiding corporate influence and control. It is a more simplistic way of business, relying on the local community and your audience instead of a large label that’s main focus is on profit. According to Donnell, DIY culture is built on one’s own word and a handshake.

“It is really refreshing in a way because big businesses control many aspects of our lives. But, you can succeed without that,” Cagnoli said. This rejection of corporate influence is the foundation of MACROCK. Some even referred to the culture as DIY ethics.

“It’s about creating art, creating something that speaks to you and your audience, not about making a song that will meet the profit margins of a business man in a suit,” von Unwerth said. “Music should not be about that. It just shouldn’t.”

A committee of volunteers, along with the help of local businesses, put on the event. The committee members work year round to ensure the event is a continuing success — and they do it without getting paid.

“Doing anything that takes that long, and is that big, and takes so much work has to be about passion. Everyone that works on it is a volunteer. Any penny made goes back into perpetuating [the conference] forward,” Holsinger explained.

MACROCK consists of three key elements: live shows, informational panels, and a label exposition. Every year the participants change, but the structure of MACROCK stays the same. As one of the largest independent conferences on the East Coast, it is important to the committee that they maintain a grassroots approach to the festival. They do this by incorporating as many small businesses as possible and exposing the audience to a variety of new music.

Though the number of bands changes year to year, it tends to range from 80 to 90. The committee seeks out bands that play everything from metal to folk. The committee assigns each venue a genre, or genres, that will mesh well with its regular crowd.

According to von Unwerth, the Blue Nile usually hosts a metal or hardcore/punk showcase. Clementine houses garage rock bands while the Artful Dodger “stays weird,” hosting a range of genres from emo to funky rock. Court Square Music, formerly known as Downtown 34, tends to host louder, noisier showcases. Court Square Theater and Little Grill cater to the folksy, softer side of the spectrum.

Beyond the music, are the panels and label exposition. Panels are a unique element of MACROCK that provide information relevant to MACROCK’s purposes. Donnell explained that past panels have included information on promoting your craft, which blogs out there are helpful and even panels on

Grab Acid plays a packed room at Clementine’s Friday night. They quickly reached maximum capacity and lines were out the door.

“

It is really refreshing in a way because big businesses control many aspects of our lives. But, you can succeed without that.

”

— Marisa Cagnoli

eco-friendliness. The label expo runs in a flea-market-style setup with individual tables. Tables are purchased by independent and local vendors, labels and booking agencies all working to sell the their crafts.

“MACROCK’s goal with the label expo is to provide an arena where DIY entrepreneurs can pursue their own creative business interests in a market free of corporate competition,” said committee member Abby

Chapple, a JMU junior.

Many of the bands that have played MACROCK have gone on to achieve greater fame. Bands like Animal Collective, Fugazi and Sufjan Stevens played the conference in its earlier days. But even bands that have played in recent years, like Best Coast, Waxahatchee and On An On are well-known within their genres.

“Animal Collective got unplugged

by Dave, the owner of Dave’s Taver-

na, and now they are big,” Donnell said.

MACROCK, although relatively unknown to the JMU population, is a Harrisonburg staple. “We will continue to do what we do until the bank account runs dry,” von Unwerth said, “and with the help and support of the wonderful community we have here, that won’t happen any time soon.”

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Macrock reviews: Snowy Owls

Venue: The Artful Dodger

Hailing from Richmond, Va., Snowy Owls specializes in fuzzpop guitar rock. While the guitar may be “fuzzy,” the energy is sharp.

Snowy Owls rocked out, and so did the audience. For the entirety of their 20-minute set, Artful Dodger was bouncing, jamming and head bobbing along with their catchy jams.

It’s easy to see why they are crowd pleasers, with a sound that is loud but not abrasive, appealing to people with a variety of music tastes.

Their final song had everyone on their feet, while lead singer Matt Klimas’ furiously shook out his long locks. With super high energy, emphasis on the guitar and heavy on the whammy bar, these guys definitely love what they are doing, and they do it well.

Wes Swing and the Heart Venue: Court Square Theatre

This was the first time Wes Swing, a cellist from Charlottesville, Va., and his band mates, Anna and Jeff, performed together as Wes Swing and the Heart. With Anna on violin, Jeff on bass and Swing switching between guitar and cello, the trio produced a unique sound.

Court Square Theatre provided an intimate setting for Swing’s heartfelt, experimental folksy tunes. The use of a looping machine allowed the band to layer harmonies and rhythms, creating songs that juxtaposed simplicity and complexity.

Swing’s set showcased a mixture of

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By KELLAN HOWELL | Photography Griffin Harrington

traditional folk songs on guitar and experimental cello pieces. Concert attendees felt the need to close their eyes and deeply sink into the beauty of Swing’s music

SoftSpot

Venue: Court Square Theatre

A three-piece experimental band from Brooklyn, N.Y., SoftSpot is a band like no other. Singer Sarah Kinlaw’s hypnotic voice — similar to Björk’s — flows over guitar-heavy rock tracks, creating songs that encourage people to get up on their feet and jam out. Their live show was on the harder rock side of the music spectrum, while their latest album, “Enso,” is softer. Because of the contrast, the Court Square Theatre venue seemed off.

While the MACROCK staff probably expected a softer show, suited more for the theatre’s more intimate feel, SoftSpot opted to play newer, harder tracks.

Each song had something to say and was charged with intense emotional energy that culminated in Kinlaw’s insane vocal riffs that mesmerized the audience. If SoftSpot continues to lean towards a heavier rock sound, it would be wise to have them in another venue next time, where listeners can fully appreciate the tunes on their feet.

Timbre

Venue: Court Square Theatre

As soon as the lights dimmed and the crowd fell silent, Timbre, a Virginia Beach native, began softly strumming her harp and sweetly sang “The Wind May Be Beautiful” from her latest album, “Little Flowers.” The song started out soft, slow and gentle, like a lullaby.

Immediately, a feeling of serenity took over the auditorium and the audience

was swept onto a cloud, flying through the soundtrack of their dreams.

Timbre’s angelic voice cooed lyrics drenched in poetic beauty. The band kicked in halfway through the song with cello harmonies and percussion that added power and emotional depth to the song, while Timbre blew minds with her incredible vocal range and clarity. Timbre got to perform an unexpected hour set, treating the audience to new songs from her upcoming album.

Timbre’s songs promote a new kind of emotional expression that incorporates music, poetry and literature and wraps it into a package that feels incredibly ethereal. After an hour of celestial musical escape, the audience gave Timbre a well-deserved standing ovation.

Legs Like Tree Trunks Venue: Court Square Music

Traveling to Harrisonburg for the first time from Pittsburgh, Legs Like Tree Trunks looks like your typical garage band, plus one dude with a kick-ass beard. Their sound has a nostalgic quality, with songs that screamed “soundtrack to a summer,” bringing the audience back to a time when they didn’t have a care in the world. Even though their album has a more mellow vibe, their live show was full of energy as they performed mostly new material. Legs Like Tree Trunks is carefree and fresh with an endearing charm.

When singer, Matt Holden snapped an iPhone photo during a tune, it was easy to see that they were just as excited to be there as the crowd. They’re a group of guys who you just want to chill with.

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*Legs Like Tree Trunks is also pictured on pages 28-29.

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WELCOME to the UND 36

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By EMilie von unwerth| Photography MATT mckeon

DERGROUND

Emily Wyman floats above the crowd while Ava Luna plays at a popular downtown show house.

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tattooed man with a beard hauls an amp through the basement door. Outside, smokers break off into rings to discuss the band that played before. Drunken comments on the performance float up from the crowds with the smoke from their cigarettes.

Inside, the next band starts setting up and tuning. Loud guitar twangs, short bass riffs and seemingly random drum beats ooze out of their instruments. It’s almost time for their set.

The set lasts roughly a half hour.

The music fits with the current indie trend: fuzzed out to the max and rockin’. The kids up front bop around excitedly before playfully smashing into each other. In the back, bodies smush together in the packed room like – forgive the cliché – sardines in a can. We’re all getting to know each other tonight, whether we want to or not.

The draw of house shows is very hard to explain to a person who doesn’t already attend them. The way I see it, there really are two types of people in this world: those who actively like and seek out music and those who don’t. House shows are, obviously, for the former.

“They’re just like those apartment parties, but instead of bumping and grinding to an iPod people are standing and watching bands play music,” laughs Chris, a house show booker in Harrisonburg.

The thing about house shows is that the people who attend them want more out of their night than just drinking and dancing. They want to connect with the music they hear on a personal level. They want to see it happening. They want a relationship with their tunes.

Bookers are the unsung heroes of house shows, serving as liaisons between the bands and their audience.

They’re the ones who put everything

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“

House shows are [for] people that are willing to have strangers over, loud music from touring bands they’ve never met, beer spillage, and everything that comes with the scene. — Reid, band member of Houdan the Mystic and

together, and usually are the ones who host the shows. But how do house shows actually happen?

“A band will have my contact information, and they’ll email me, and ask for a certain date. And then I make sure it’s all good with my house mates,” Chris says. “And then I book local bands to play with the touring band. I’ll then promote it with a Facebook event and a flier.”

Chris explains that, as he knows it, you book your friends’ bands, then your friends’ bands go on tour. They then meet other bands, who they

Way, Shape or Form

”

then talk to about playing shows in Harrisonburg. Those bands receive Chris’ contact information, and then will email him about setting up a show. “It sounds stupid,” Chris says, “but after a certain point, you have a pretty big list – a pretty big network – so you don’t have to seek out bands anymore.”

For bands, house shows are a great way to fill in gaps during tours. Harrisonburg lies in between Philladelphia and Richmond – two pretty prominent music cities on the East Coast – so a lot of the house show traffic

MUSIC

Local band Malatese has been rocking Harrisonburg house shows since 2009.

TOP Vincent Castanello flashes a grin while surfing the crowd. BOTTOM Richmond band Gunboat takes the “stage” and performs for Harrisonburg locals. comes from bands having an off night when traveling between the two.

Reid of the Richmond bands Houdan the Mystic and Way, Shape or Form recently toured and played a house show in Harrisonburg. He explains that while bands usually draw more money from playing in venues, house shows provide a certain atmosphere that venues simply cannot.

“House shows are people that are willing to have strangers over, loud music from touring bands they’ve never met, beer spillage, and everything that comes with the scene,” says Reid.

There’s a community feeling to it, because the people who throw the shows and the bands who play must have a mutual respect for each other and the space.

Most of the time, the space is seriously disheveled. Show houses tend to be dingy, dirty, littered with empty beer cans and whiskey bottles,

and covered in graffiti. Living in one have been incredibly chill and suptakes courage and patience – a lot of portive of a the excellent DIY scene patience – and the understanding that in this town. The level of housemate you can’t do everything you want to drama under our roof stays at a conwith your space. “[My housemate] stant minimum due to our mutual and I tried to do some gardening the understanding of where we live,” says other week and had a long serious Josh. “Also ... my rent is cheap and discussion on ‘Where can we put this the house is huge.”

House shows are, without a so it won’t get stepped on, and how do we keep people from pissing on doubt, for a certain breed of human. it?’” says Josh, who has been living in They’re for people who don’t mind show houses for the past three years. getting sweaty, who are cool with “Cleaning your house seems like an BYOB parties, and who genuinely exercise in futility, because you know love live music. They’re for people the spent beer cans will just replenish who are willing to sacrifice their space to the music gods, and who themselves in a few days,” he adds.

Living in a show house is not for ask for nothing in return. They’re for everyone. Actually, it’s hardly for any- bands that want to play even when one. The living space is never clean, they have no venue to go to. They’re filled with random people most for the weirdos, the freaks, the hipweekends, and usually gets destroyed sters, the punks with back patches and by drunken miscreants. But there they can be for you too, but only if are benefits. “All of the people who I you want. have lived with in the last three years *Last names have been withheld for confidentiality.

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Going the Navid Attayan is embarking on a cross-country bike trip, raising awareness and money for pediatric cancer

Distanc

By CLAIRE FOGARTY| Photography Matt Schmachtenberg and seth Harrison

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iking coast to coast isn’t on the post-graduation summer agenda for many JMU seniors, but biology major Navid Attayan isn’t your average senior.

In October, Attayan launched ProJeKT 3000, an eight-week bike trip from Virginia to California, with the intention of raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer with a focus on neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma accounts for 15 percent of deaths caused by all pediatric cancers. Children diagnosed with this disease have a 50 percent chance of survival. He hopes to raise $15,000 by the time he begins his trip in June.

After Attayan spent three summers researching treatments for the disease at the National Institutes of Health lab, he wanted to do something big.

“It’s one thing to hear on the news what cancer is all about,” Attayan said. “It’s another thing to be in the circle and see the children, the families and the doctors. Lack of funding is the No. 1 problem in the lab.”

Attayan says he was particularly “touched and inspired to do something more” because of Hayley Kudro, a patient who passed away after a two-year battle with neuroblastoma.

“Neuroblastoma gets shoved under the blanket of larger cancers like breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer,” Attayan said. “People need to realize kids get cancer, too.”

According to Attayan, NIH is a last hope for patients. He took his passion for biking and his

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passion for the cause and mixed them together, setting a goal to raise more money for research. The capitalized P, J, K and T in ProJeKT 3000 each stand for the last name of a patient or family who inspired him. The K represents Hayley Kudro.

“Just because many of us are born with a better probability to survive and live does not excuse us from making ourselves blind to the duties we owe to humanity,” Attayan said. “This is the reason I started ProJeKT 3000. Because I am a firm believer that individuals, through small actions, can make a huge impact on their societies if they just stand up and take action.”

With the help of Gamma Sigma Sigma and JMU’s American Medical Student Association, the cause has taken off. After only one month on Facebook, ProJeKT 3000’s page surged beyond 1,000 “likes,” and Attayan says approximately 400 blogs around the world are talking about the cause.

“I’ve never met someone so passionate about something,” said Heidi Jenkins, a freshman nursing major. “He’s so giving, and not just with the foundation. Anything he can do for you, he will.

He makes you want to help him.”

Jenkins isn’t the only one who sees how giving Attayan is. By February, hundreds of people had nominated him to be a CNN Hero for Championing Children.

“If we get this it could be the big break for the project to go nationwide,” Attayan said. “I don’t want the stories to be about me, I want them to be

ance

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PEOPLE about the project.”

Just four months after creating the cause, Attayan raised over $1,700 and was able to make ProJeKT 3000 an official non-profit. He has since gained sponsorships from national names like The North Face and Monster Energy Drink, as well as local sponsorship from the Shenandoah Bicycle Company.

Attayan also started selling purple bracelets for $2 that say “ProJeKT 3000” on half the bracelet and “Kids Get Cancer Too” on the other half.

The Shenandoah Bicycle Company also sells them in store. The money from the bracelets, like all the money ProJeKT 3000 collects, is completely non-profit and goes directly towards the cause.

What started out as a one-man project has developed into something bigger. A collaborative team of student-run committees works with Attayan at JMU to help with public relations, fundraising and organizing programs.

Attayan will set off on his bicycle journey with only five bags. One bag

sits behind the bike seat and the other four bags sit on racks installed on both sides of the tires. In these bags are only the essentials: a week’s worth of clothes, spare parts for tires, a camp stove, three days’ worth of food, lots of water, a tent, sleeping bag and pad, pump, camera, small laptop and Verizon Wireless PC card, med kit, satellite phone with an emergency beacon and GPS capabilities, solar charger and pepper spray.

Along the way, he plans to spend only one night a week in a hotel. He wants to sleep primarily at campsites or just camp out in random places along the road to “add to the excitement and fear.”

But Attayan’s biggest fear is having his bike and gear stolen.

“I’m doing something this big for a good cause. I can’t start this project and go across the country thinking people are out to get me.”

His bike, which is a surly “Long Haul Trucker,” is a high-quality touring bike.

“It’s designed with a unique geometry so it can be comfortable for longNavid Attayan trains tirelessly for his upcoming 3000-mile journey.

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term rides,” said Shenandoah Bicycle Company employee David Lee. “It’s super durable and stable so riders can carry all their bags.”

According to Lee, who sold the bike to Attayan at the Shenandoah Bicycle Company, it costs around $1,100 and will “last forever.”

To prepare for the strenuous 55-mile-a-day ride, Attayan has a strict exercise regimen. Three times a week he goes to UREC to train, first running five miles as fast as he can and then getting on the elliptical for one to two hours.

“I’m in pain every day,” he said.

And for hills he goes to the Shenandoah National Park on Saturdays to “bike [his] ass off all day.”

He doesn’t anticipate a lot of pain on the actual trip. Attayan is Red Cross-certified and capable of “patching himself up.” As for things like saddle sores, he has a special Brooks bike seat.

“Let’s just say there’s comfort where comfort is needed,” Attayan said with a chuckle.

Attayan will deviate from the popular TransAmerica Bike Trail to include six cancer research sites, national parks and big cities. He plans to document his journey and film for a future documentary.

“I want to tell the kids there are people out there who care,” Attayan said. “It’s their chance to get their stories heard, and for me to show a side of cancer that nobody sees.”

Abby Perlin, JMU’s AMSA cofundraising chair, believes it’s a cause with great urgency.

“When you see the kids with no hair, hooked up to a million machines and saying ‘I want to be a pilot,’ how can you not donate,” Perlin said.

To help make a difference visit www. gofundme.com/project3k and donate with a credit card, or contact Navid Attayan at projekt.3k.ride@gmail.com.

It’s all in the Julie Himmel, owner of Flower Fox, designs and sells custom denim out of her home.

By karlyn doyle| Photography julie himmel

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ombre. Lace. Studs. Fabric.

These are just a few of the things that make Flower Fox shorts distinctly identifiable around JMU’s campus. The custom-made shorts are the unique creations of senior Julie Himmel, who decided to start her own denim company in May 2012.

“I could never come to terms with spending upwards of $80 or $90 on a pair of shorts that I felt like I could make myself,” Himmel said.

Instead, she took matters into her own hands and taught herself the art of making the perfect pair of cut-

offs. She sells them for about $50.

Himmel’s first pair of shorts started off as an outfit for the Electric Daisy Festival last summer. She needed something to wear and decided to hit up the local Goodwill and spend a few additional hours glitzing-out her purchase. The reaction was nothing but positive.

“They came out so sick,” Himmel said. “I never assumed that one day I would begin my own clothing brand, but because of people’s reactions, I got way more excited to create “Flower Fox.” One of the foundations of Himmel’s success is her 22807mag.com SPRING 2013 l

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PEOPLE

TOP Himmel shows off bleaching techniques with “black acid.”

MIDDLE Occasionally, Himmel experiments with other articles of clothing, such as this studded vest. BOTTOM “Laced over” highlights her layering ability.

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ability to communicate with her customers. Clients tell Himmel exactly what they want out of their jeans, from rise, to cut and to color.

“I’m not a store,” she explained. “I don’t have wholesale inventory. Each pair from beginning to end is dictated completely by the customer and the process is in the customer’s hands.”

Himmel has become an expert at pulling jeans off of thrift shelves that fit her customers every need based on size and rise. She does all of her selection focused on what her client has told her about the fit they want. And just to be sure, she has fittings and does the cutting in person based out of her bedroom, which she refers to as “The Den.” This is where she keeps examples and extras of some of her most popular designs for students and potential customers to try on. Along with her already created designs, she keeps around five pairs of uncut jeans in different sizes to use for personal fittings for the girls that want to custom-create their pair from the beginning.

“I do everything, all of it. When I say each pair is completely customized, it truly is,” Himmel said.

Senior Emmie Cleveland had her own positive experiences working with Himmel after seeing some of the Flower Fox designs on Instagram.

“I saw some I really liked, so I texted her and stopped by the next day to try them on,” Cleveland said. “The ones I liked actually didn’t fit, but she suggested another pair for me and I love them. They’re Calvin Klein denim so they’re good quality, and she cut them and distressed them and added studs so they’re edgy and fashionable, too.”

Positive responses and word-of-mouth have been huge parts of the Flower Fox marketing. After graduating in May, Himmel hopes to keep Flower Fox a big name on the JMU Campus along with about a dozen other campuses around the country through a “Flower Fox Ambassadorship Program” she is starting.

The idea is to keep Flower Fox representatives on campus, getting the brand’s name out to their college communities, as Himmel works on direct sales on the West Coast and manages the business from home.

Be sure to keep an eye out for Flower Fox denim on campus and online at www.FLOWERFOXDEN.com. You can see the denim featured on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FLOWERFOXDENIM and on Instagram. Orders can be placed online or in person, with shorts going for $50 a pair.

Who you jivin’ with that

COSMIC DEBRIS

Harrisonburg’s premiere record shop strives to prove that vinyl isn’t dead By stephen profFitt| Photography griffin harrington

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inyl is musical art. Just as the notes are engraved into individual grooves, music in its own right is etched into a city. Steve “Bumpy” Cape, the owner of “Cosmic Debris,” satisfies a need that Harrisonburg and every city in America still needs and that is music in its most original form.

“This is a real record shop,” he said definitively. “Not a store, a shop.”

When entering Cosmic Debris, shoppers are met by low ceilings, blaring tunes and a collage of wall art ranging from Bumpy’s autographs, to album covers, to a Lynyrd Skynyrd flag. Exploring the store feels like rediscovering a vinyl collection in a dusty attic. The cozy feel of the shop is something

Bumpy sees quite fitting.

“This is what a record store looked like in the ’70s; posters on the wall, clutter,” Bumpy reminisced. “It’s kind of messy, but it’s an old-school record shop. People like clutter because they like to dig through clutter.”

Besides being greeted by the clutter, customers are also greeted by Bumpy, who can be found wearing his typical jeans, old band shirt and flannel. The jolly storeowner is usually behind his desk fiddling on his vintage desktop PC with vinyl constantly spinning in the background.

But what’s up with the name, “Cosmic Debris?”

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MUSIC

Living the dream Bumpy, owner of Cosmic Debris, lives for music, both selling it and playing it.

For Steve “Bumpy” Cape, it’s all about a dream that came true with a lot of hard work. The dream began on September 30, 1964 in Winterville, Ga. Growing up in the late ’60s and early ’70s, much of his music exposure came from his parents and older brothers.

WRFC, a top-40 station in Athens, was Bumpy’s first real introduction to music. He recalled the station constantly playing in the kitchen when he got ready for school as a child. Another major outlet for his music exposure was his dad’s upholstery shop.

Starting at age seven, Bumpy would go hang out with his father at work on the weekends and heard his first grooves of Motown coming through the dusty radio speakers powered by WRFC. “When you’re introduced to good music, besides the crap you have today, you develop a real love for music,” Bumpy said.

In high school, Bumpy’s love of music and vinyl continued to grow as well as his participation within the music scene.

“I was hanging out with, you know, the hippies,” he said.

“The back parking lot crowd.”

Like any pack of hippies, music was life and the men behind the songs were seemingly immortal.

After 33 years in the business, Bumpy is living his dream.

However at 48, his health is on the decline and he’s in need of a kidney transplant.

With the local music scene behind him, Bumpy has successfully raised the $10,000 needed to cover the co-pay of his transplant. His is currently waiting to get approval from the University of Virginia Medical Center for the operation.

Don’t tell the record guy to stay home and not worry about running the shop. His hard work and drive for the store prevents him from wanting to take the easy road.

“I can live even more comfortably sitting at home all day doing nothing, but I can’t do that,” Bumpy said. “This is in my blood — this is who I am.”

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under the name, ‘Cosmic Debris,’” he said. “It’s all cosmic debris,” he added.

“Cosmik Debris” was a Frank Zappa number off his 1974 album, “Apostrophe.” The song inspired Bumpy to name the store after the legendary guitarist’s number.

“People see the name ‘Cosmic Debris’ and they know that it’s a record shop,” Bumpy said.

When it comes to selling records, the only things that matter are experience and knowledge. Bumpy is one of the most qualified people to be selling records and flaunts over 35 years of experience in the business. Inside the shop, customers can find vinyl from almost every era and genre, as well as the timely addition of multiple crates of compact discs. Prices on vinyl start as low as a dollar, with the majority in the $4 range and some rare records selling at top dollar prices.

“My price guide is from 1994,” Bumpy said. “I price things based on what I would pay for it. I’m in Harrisonburg, Va. That’s the way I look at it.”

Well into the 21st century, a music revolution was underway. Vinyl was being phased out by compact discs and eventually eclipsed by the media evolution of downloading through Napster and iTunes.

“The music industry realized that they could put CDs out cheaper and sell them for profit. So it was all about the dollar,” Bumpy said. “It was not about what sounded better.”

He was introduced to this medium back in 1983 by a journalism professor. The instructor told him that vinyl would become obsolete because the compact disc was proven to be indestructible and last forever.

“Bullshit,” Bumpy yelled.

“How can they tell me it’s going to last forever when it’s a brand new format?”

A scratched compact disc is about as valuable as a car without keys.

He also has a philosophy that bands these days don’t really have to “earn it.”

— Steve “Bumpy” Cape “They don’t have to pay their dues, let’s just put it that way,” Bumpy said. “You don’t even have to have a band anymore. Everything you can do digitally. You can write and record a song, put it on iTunes, make a million bucks and not even leave your mama’s basement.”

Bumpy’s fervor for music and collecting started at a very young age.

“One of my earliest memories is running around the house singing, ‘Light My Fire,’” he admitted. This, of course being a top hit of the iconic ’70s band, The Doors with iconic front

“”

This place was where I wanted to be from the beginning.

The art on the walls in Cosmic Debris gives shoppers a musical education. man, Jim Morrison.

During high school, Bumpy started frequenting ‘Wuxtry Records’ in downtown Athens, Ga., which has since been voted one of the “Top 25 Record Stores” in the country by Rolling Stone Magazine.

“It was a little tiny hole in the wall,” he said.

But aren’t they all? Record shops during that time were comparable to dorm rooms in size and space. This was a part of the dedication fans had to the music; digging through piles of dusty vinyl.

In 1980 at the age of 16, Bumpy’s record selling career began as a sole entrepreneur.

“I started putting posters up in the band room selling extra copies of records and buying people’s record collections,” he said.

In 1985, he got his first record shop job when his new friend, Brad, gave him a job in his shop, “Vinyl & Video.” This shop began with Brad hustling records out of his parents’ pants shop dressing room.

Bumpy said the competition among larger corporations, such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, hurt sales over the years that began in the late ’80s, early ’90s. Most would think this, accompanied by friends opening stores just down the street, would equate to a dog-eat-dog business.

“It’s like a brotherhood or a fraternity. Record shop owners are

not in competition with each other because,” he said, “I’ve got different stuff than [the competition] has. If someone comes in looking for something I don’t have, I’m gonna send you over to him because I feel it’s all about the music.”

This compassion and love for the business really translates to Bumpy’s personality too. If he doesn’t carry something, he’ll make sure you know where to go to get it.

“That’s the way you should do it with this kind of business,” he added.

Now for over a year and a half, he has been in his current spot just off South Main Street on Newman Avenue.

“This place was where I wanted to be from the beginning.”

Bumpy said he will continue to sell vinyl records for as long as he physically can, simply because it’s his life.

“It fills a need,” he said. “For the music lover, it’s really pretty much the ultimate format. You hear things on it you don’t hear on MP3 or even on CDs.” While he says his time on this earth may be limited, Bumpy is happier than ever and is satisfied with all he’s accomplished.

“I’ve done what I wanted to do and I’ve been happy doing it. Not many people can say that,” he said. “That’s why you always see me so happy, man. Be happy. Live your life to what makes you happy.”

‘Cosmic Debris’ is open Monday — Saturday, noon — 5 p.m.

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