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HEADLINING THIS WEEK! VOL 18 + ISSUE 44
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - NOVEMBER 10, 2016 EDITORIAL PUBLISHER + EDITOR Jeff lawrence NEWS + FEATURES EDITOR Chris Faraone ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR Nina Corcoran ASSOCIATE FILM EDITOR Jake Mulligan ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR Christopher Ehlers COPY EDITOR Mitchell Dewar CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Emily Hopkins, Jason Pramas CONTRIBUTORS Nate Boroyan, Renan Fontes, Bill Hayduke, Emily Hopkins, Micaela Kimball, Jason Pramas, Dave Wedge INTERNS Erin Hussey, Brianna Silva
DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tak Toyoshima COMICS Tim Chamberlain Pat Falco Patt Kelley
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DEAR READER I hate to have to use this space to sing the blues and ask for your support. As usual, we have loads of unique badass content this week that I should be flanking. Nevertheless, this is a critical time to remind readers that in addition to being the news and features editor of DigBoston, last year I co-founded the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism (BINJ) to bolster everything from arts reporting to investigations in these pages and in other small, alternative, and independent outlets as well. In a few days, when this absurd presidential election is over, you will be faced with three options: to retreat from current events altogether, continuing to eat more of the mainstream garbage you’ve been fed throughout the cycle, or to pay overdue attention to state and local issues that actually matter. Should you choose the regional route in some way or another, we hope that you read and follow the Dig and BINJ as we expand both operations, and that you support our efforts (for starters, we have a kickass holiday party coming up at Aeronaut Brewing Co. in Somerville on Saturday, Nov 12 from noon to 5 pm, and we’d love for you to join us). Sorry if I’m being too forward, but just last week the Boston Globe announced that it is also now actively seeking nonprofit funding; in fact it’s claiming its is a “new model for supporting arts journalism.” It isn’t, and it doesn’t need your money. We do, plus your participation and your shares on social media. And if you want to take this journey with us as a media maker, be sure to reach out (info@binjonline.org). Trust me, you won’t see the Globe making such offers.
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1 Hour Showtime Special, Chelsea Lately
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CHRIS FARAONE, NEWS + FEATURES EDITOR
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OH, CRUEL WORLD
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Chelsea Lately, Last Comic Standing
Beyond Words: The Italian Renaissance Books is at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum through January. Go do some reading.
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Dear TSA Screener,
Shit-Faced Shakespeare
I am well aware that there is nothing more predictable than hollering at she or he who doth firsketh us upon one’s entry to the airport. I just found out about this Dig rag recently but would imagine that you could publish a volume that includes little more than former rants from just this column about ballbags being brushed and torsos enduring the Swayze treatment. But I still have to scream about how you insist on getting mad at me for not following rules that literally change by the day in some cases. Ziploc, no Ziploc, shoes, no shoes, I’m here to work with you my friend. I’m not a mind reader though, and judging by the X-ray machine that you’re staring into, I’m guessing you’re not either.
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NEWS US
THE COMEBACK KITTY NEWS TO US
New Englanders bring Clinton cat back from the dead BY ANDREW QUEMERE The year is 1993: Bill Clinton is president, his family has a cat named Socks—and for some weird reason, a company called Kaneko intends to publish a Super Nintendo game about the aforementioned feline saving the world from nuclear devastation. But alas, this 1MB oddity of the 16-bit era is never released. The company shuts down in 1994. Enter 2016: Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee for president, and the real-life Socks has been dead since 2009—but Socks the Cat Rocks the Hill, the bizarre platformer that has become a legend among retro game hobbyists since it was featured in magazines years ago, will soon live thanks to a pair of New Englanders. Old prototype cartridges, which developers used for bug testing or showed off at trade shows, have a way of winding up in the possession of collectors willing to spend lots of money. On occasion, collectors even obtain nearly complete versions of unreleased games, with EarthBound—the lost NES prequel to the humorous Super Nintendo game of the same name—possibly being the most well-known example. As it turns out, a 4
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prolific collector named Jason Wilson managed to buy a prototype of Socks from a former Kaneko employee who worked on the game. Wilson later agreed to sell the possibly one-of-a-kind cartridge to fellow collector Tom Curtin around 2012. Curtin, a channel manager for a tech firm and a Massachusetts resident, says the deal didn’t happen overnight. “I think he had maybe three things that he kinda considered from his collection that were off the table, [Socks] being one of them. And then the other one was actually a prototype of The Legend of Zelda [for the NES],” Curtin says. But Wilson relented on Zelda: “I think I paid six thousand for it or something like that, which is obviously a ridiculous amount of money. But it did kind of establish the fact that I was a serious buyer and that we built up a good rapport.” Eventually, Wilson relented on Socks too: “One day, he was just going after something that he wanted … and he said that Socks was available … I knew if I owned it, it wasn’t something that I was just going to hold onto. I
knew it would become a project. It wasn’t a trophy for me. So I thought about it for a little bit, and then we settled on a price, and I ended up buying it.” Curtin wouldn’t say exactly how much he paid, but did say it was four figures. That led Curtin to where he is now: managing a $30,000 Kickstarter campaign to produce Super Nintendo cartridges of this strange game during an equally strange election cycle. His right-hand man and publisher is Adam Welch, who—when not at his day job as a database administrator and application developer for a utility company—runs Second Dimension, a Connecticutbased business that makes home-brew video games and hardware for old consoles, particularly the Sega Genesis. Curtin says it wasn’t his original intention to market Socks during the 2016 election. However, releasing the game to the public ended up being a much bigger investment, both financially and timewise, than he anticipated. While he owned a copy of the game, he didn’t own the rights to distribute it, so he hired lawyers to negotiate a purchase of the copyright—a process that KITTY continued on pg. 6
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KITTY continued from pg. 4
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took years. He also registered the trademark for the actual Socks the cat to cover all his bases. (The trademark was previously held by a Virginia nonprofit that ran the, believe it or not, Socks the cat fan club, but the trademark lapsed in 1996.) Another problem was that while the prototype was complete, it had a number of bugs—including a kill-screen bug during the level-six boss battle which left the fight and final two levels unplayable. “[W]hat would happen with the game is it would go to this grayish, pinkish screen, and you couldn’t see anything … It was very similar to when your old Nintendo games needed to be blown off,” says Curtin. “[I]f you tried to move the character, Socks, he would just fall through the floor … to his death.” Curtin and Welch hired an expert Super Nintendo ROM hacker who Welch had corresponded with over the years. Welch says he thought the hacker solved the major bug during the first day and estimated he completed all the debugging work in about 10 hours, an impressive feat considering he didn’t have access to the source code. Curtin also had to hire an artist to create three different pieces of box art as well as instruction manual art and posters because he was worried about copyright issues with the art designed in the ’90s. He also didn’t have high-resolution copies of the old art, just low-res scans from magazines that are available on the internet. “[W]e figured we’d do all original art,” Curtin says. “Just do it how we want to do it.” So is this game actually worth playing? Or is it just another piece of outdated digital trash? Magazines gave it passable reviews in the ’90s, but Curtin and Welch say the reviewers probably only played the first level or two. They both loved the game, particularly the bosses, who are caricatures of well-known political figures. “[I]t’s a game that just gets better and better as you play it. The levels get cooler, the end bosses definitely get much cooler,” says Curtin. “It’s funny ’cause a lot of the stuff that’s in the game is still relevant today, even some of the end bosses, which—I can’t tell you who they all are, but they are very recognizable, and some of them are very, very fun.” Curtin did confirm that a certain right-wing talk-show host is in the game. “[I] t’s based on the Rush Limbaugh of the early ’90s, not Rush Limbaugh today, as we know him. So as you can imagine, his stature is quite a bit bigger in the game,” Curtin says. Other appearances include Jimmy Carter and Ross Perot, according to old gaming magazines. “[M]y reaction to Socks the Cat was nothing but laughter. It hits both sides: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party,” says Welch, who—like Curtin— describes himself as “independent” and vows to vote on Election Day, the last day of the duo’s Kickstarter campaign. Through Kickstarter, the two are offering a digital-only version of Socks, a cartridge version, and a “complete in box” set (which includes a cartridge, box, and instruction manual). Those who donate enough will also get copies of Get ’Em Gary for the NES and Handy Harvy for the Sega Genesis, both of which were inspired by Fix-It Felix, Jr., the fictional arcade game in the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph. The two games were produced by Welch, who created them from scratch with the help of friends. Welch says all the cartridges will be made from new parts rather than repurposed old games, which is common among manufacturers of so-called reproduction cartridges. Backers will get the games by next July at the latest. Curtin says he just wants people to appreciate Socks itself, the effort he and his small team have put into it, and why they are trying to raise $30,000 for the project: “[B]elieve it or not, that actually represents our breakeven. So after all is said and done, including Kickstarter fees, legal fees, the trademark fees, our artist, our videographer, our programmer, the publishing, the manufacturing, taxes that we’ll have to pay, all that stuff, $30,000 is breakeven—and if I break even, that’s all I care about. It’s getting a game that people have wanted for over 20 years into their hands and giving them the best version of that game that’s ever existed. That was important to us.” This niche fundraising campaign has already raised more than two-thirds of its target and will continue for several more days. If you’d like to help it meet its goal, check out the Kickstarter page here.
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NEWS TO US
50 SANDWICHES, 5 QUESTIONS
Journalist breaks bread with homeless coast to coast BY DIG STAFF @DIGBOSTON We get a lot of press releases at DigBoston. Most of them are bullshit. So when the following note came in (just hours before going to press) from a recent Boise State University journalism grad named Justin Doering, we nearly tossed it in the trash with so much other junk:
Certified Beer Sniffers 9 2 H A MP S HIR E S T, CA MB R ID G E, M A | 6 1 7-2 5 0 - 8 4 5 4 | L O R D H O B O.C O M
I am … traveling the country for my non-profit project to humanize the homeless … I will be conducting interviews in Boston from November 3rd to the 6th … Fifty Sandwiches is a registered non-profit journey dedicated to presenting the public with a rare glimpse into the lives and stories of America’s homeless. For three months I will be traveling city to city, offering to take homeless people out for a free meal in exchange for an interview. Upon further inspection of the Kickstarter that launched Doering on his mission, we also discovered the following gem explaining his perspective, “First of all, I’m a nobody, a middle man. These aren’t my stories or my experiences. I’m just the medium through which they are told.” Which was enough for us to toss the kid a couple Qs about his 13,000-plus mile trek that swings through the Hub this week. DB: What inspired this journey in the first place? Is it more of an experiment in journalism? Or in humanity? JD: I always found the way homeless people were treated by society rather surprising. The homeless population is an aspect of American culture that is often profiled or even demonized by the rest of society. I was 16 when I originally came up with this project … These people didn’t start out on the street, and I have always been curious about the path that lead them to where they are. What major goals did you set out with, and how have they changed already? If at all? The original intent was to travel the country and try to capture a collective face to homelessness. It took less than a week of the project for me to realize that is not an option. Homelessness is such a complex and circumstantial issue, I would have to interview 500,000 people to accurately give a face to homelessness. The new mission is to simply exemplify the diversity. Fifty Sandwiches aims to present all these stories to prove that homelessness is a complex [situation] that anyone can find themselves in.
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What have been some of the differences between the homeless populations you’ve encountered thus far? I have encountered all sorts of homeless people. I have talked to those who suffer from chronic homelessness, whether it be due to addiction, mental illness, or abuse, and I have spoken to people who have recently found themselves on the streets due to financial hardships or unforeseen tragedy. Perhaps the most intriguing thing I have realized in these differences is the variation that lies in stereotypes. If I speak to two different people who suffer from heroin addiction, for example, their experiences may vary greatly. One person may have resorted to heroin after an abusive childhood as they gradually succumbed to their addiction to the point where they lose their home, where another individual may have turned to heroin only after they found themselves sleeping on the streets at rock bottom. Is a project like yours able to cut through some of the politics and rhetoric surrounding the national homelessness epidemic? How so? I hope to use these stories to dispel a lot of this rhetoric. Statistics can be informative, but often simplify the issue to numbers. This project hopes to pair statistics with anecdotes to show the faces and stories beyond the numbers. What are you expecting to find in Boston, and how might you document it? I will be heading to both a women’s and men’s shelter in Boston. Because I only conduct three to four interviews per city, I do not have nearly the sample size to make the claim, ‘This is what Boston’s homeless looks like.’ My goal in Boston is simply to hear stories and backgrounds that I have not yet heard. Follow Doering at fiftysandwiches.com and on Facebook and Instagram.
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NEWS TO US
FEATURE
DEPT. OF COMMERCE
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HOMEGROWN CONSPIRACIES FEATURE
Satan stalks Mass House race BY CHIP BERLET
If your priority is improving public education in Massachusetts, keep an eye on the race in the 21st Middlesex district north of Boston—especially if you worry that agents of the Satanic conspiracy of “secular humanism” now control the curriculum in our state. Paul Girouard is running as a Republican to capture the state representative seat for Burlington, Bedford, and one precinct in Wilmington—an area between Boston and Lowell best known by shoppers as the home of the Burlington Mall. The incumbent is Democratic Rep. Ken Gordon. According to campaign materials, Girouard is “running to be your voice on Beacon Hill,” and he will “fight for your priorities of growing jobs, lowering our tax burden and requiring transparency and accountability.” He also believes that families seeking a place to live should be required to produce a “social security number in order to get state housing.” Because “it would stop illegals from getting housing ahead of veterans.” This from a man who is proud to be a devout Christian and a worship leader at the Church of the Living God in Woburn. As for public education—Girouard and his wife schooled their three sons at King’s Kids Academy Christian School K-9, a project of the church where Paul Girouard is a worship leader. The candidate explains: Our Christian school … was incorporated so that our children may be protected from the secular humanistic philosophies of our current public school system [after the school closed] … most parents chose to home school and/or to put their children in another nearby Christian school. The idea that our public schools are hotbeds of “secular humanistic philosophies” originates as a conspiracy theory on the Christian Right championed by the late evangelical icon author Tim LaHaye. LaHaye wrote that planet Earth is a battleground between the Godly and the Satanic, facing an approaching End Times confrontation prophesied in the Bible’s book of Revelation. The master plan of the Satanic conspiracy, according to LaHaye, is Secular Humanism. LaHaye is not referring to an actual
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existing group of secular humanists, but his fantastic claim of a vast socialist utopian conspiracy hatched back in the 1800s. LaHaye further claims it was the Satan himself who engineered the “crafty election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as president for twelve years.” This was part of a secret conspiracy to turn the “American constitution upside down,” in order to “use our freedoms to promote pornography, homosexuality, immorality, and a host of evils characteristic of the last days.” Girouard worries about government conspiracies under the Obama administration. According to the candidate, one of the most important issues for voters in Middlesex is “National Security.” He said he has heard rumors that potential terrorist Syrian refugee immigrants are silently being slipped into our communities after secretly landing at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford. (Though during a candidate forum with the incumbent Gordon at Burlington Cable Access Television, Girouard conceded he was unable to substantiate that rumor.) Officials at Hanscom Air Force Base, contacted by phone, immediately and emphatically said the refugee rumor was false. The current Republican election campaign is bubbling over with rumors, half-baked theories, and outright lies—this from the Donald Trump stovetop to the bottom baking rack. Most of the Republicans running in state and local races actually believe in the conspiracy theories alleging subversion and treason by Democrats and their closest cadre of communists, socialists, godless atheists, radical feminazis, and sexual renegades. So do a scary percentage of Republican voters. In 2009, for example, 15 percent of Republicans in New Jersey said they thought President Barack Obama might be Satan’s End Times sidekick, the Antichrist. Another 14 percent thought it was a fact. Most corporate media characterizes Trump as a loose cannon free-associating alarmist bulletpoints that he knows are lies. Not so. Most of Trump’s false claims
originate in a deep and wide network of right-wing information sources including Glenn Beck, the John Birch Society, Alt-Right and hundreds of other online, broadcast, and print publications. This network launched a major effort to take over the GOP during the administration of Bill Clinton. Now Hillary Clinton is the target. There is no reliable social science data showing that people who vote Republican, join right-wing political or social movements, or cheer at Trump rallies are stupid or crazy. Some studies, however, confirm many are ignorant of basic facts—more so if they binge watch Fox News. The John Birch Society, founded in Massachusetts, has been a major purveyor of right-wing conspiracy theories since 1959. Several studies have revealed that JBS members on average had a higher income level and educational attainment than average Americans. Democratic Party elites were horrified by the 1972 presidential campaign of George McGovern, who brought as delegates to the Miami convention a significant number of grassroots activists from the civil rights, antiwar, student rights, women’s rights, environmentalist, and gay rights movements. I covered the convention for the alternative press and interviewed these participants—and then covered how a faction of the Democratic Party elites intentionally sank the McGovern campaign and then rewrote the party rules to favor control by bigwigs and inside-the-Beltway hacks ironically called “superdelegates.” Strong and vibrant grassroots social movements pull political parties toward their goals. The Christian Right recruited Paul Girouard, whether or not he agrees with that assessment. He is a smart, capable man who honestly believes what he says. If you disagree with him, then after the election get involved in a local campaign to defend the rights of women, immigrants, Muslims, labor unions—any subject of the false claims and conspiracist rants that have painted targets on the backs of so many of our neighbors.
LIVE MUSIC • LOCAVORE MENU PRIVATE EVENTS 11/2 DIIV, Pill 11/3 The Proletariat, Ancient Filth, The Pragmatics 11/4 Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, Soggy Po Boys 11/7 Matt Charette and the Truer Sound 11/9 The Moth: True Stories Told Live 11/10 Anicon, Wayfarer, Grue 11/11 The Long Ryders, Cactus Attack 11/12 Kaiju Big Battel - Somer(ville)Slam 11/13 The Hunna, Night Riots, The Shelters 11/14 Toddlerbilly Taco Takeover with Matt Heaton 11/14 Charlie Don’t Surf - A Tribute to The Clash 11/15 The Orbiting Human Circus feat. Julian Koster and The Music Tapes 11/16 Boston Comedy Festival Pre-lims #3 & #4 11/17 Boston Comedy Festival Pre-lim #7 11/17 Boston Comedy Festival presents: Hold On w/ Eugene Mirman 11/18 Boston Comedy Festival Semi-final #3 & #4
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BACK TO THE RAT FEATURE
Happy anniversary to an essential Boston punk rock document BY SEAN L. MALONEY @SEANLMALONEY “Good evening, everyone, you’re at Boston’s most intense underground dwelling, it’s that subterranean cavern of vice and l’amour known as the Rat!” It’s hard to imagine now, what with all the fancy hotels and chain restaurants, but back in the day Kenmore Square used to be fun. More than just a shared food court for BU students and Fenway faithfuls, the area was a grimy and vital intersection where art and vice cozied up next each other, the regional capital of rock ’n’ roll hedonism. Nowhere were those pursuits more entangled than in the basement of the Old Vienna Hoffbrau, best known as the Rat. And said anarchic spirit was captured on tape 40 years ago this fall, laying the foundation for Live at the Rat, the essential document of Boston’s primordial punk scene. “Boston rock ’n’ roll started right here with Barry and the Remains back in 1965,” announces Willie Alexander as his Boom Boom Band ramps up its mutant doo wop on the introductory “At the Rat.” “The stage used to be over there, it’s over here now and we’re still here now. So is rock ’n’ roll in Boston.” Alexander was a scene veteran who’d witnessed first-hand the city’s music evolution. He was in the Lost, which played some of the earliest gigs at the massively influential psychedelic ballroom the Boston Tea Party, and was also instrumental as part of the acid-soul shouters the Bagatelle, which cut a record for ABC Records. Along with his Grass Menagerie bandmate Doug Yule, Alexander even played in the post-Lou Reed version of the Velvet Underground. Alexander had seen it all by the time the Rat scene coalesced. From the Remains imploding just as it was about to break out, to the Modern Lovers starting a major label bidding war, to Aerosmith growing from scrubby New Hampshire kids to one of the biggest bands in America. Bottom line: Alexander knew a thing or two about Boston rock, and his endorsement of the Rat’s uniquely slimey aesthetic frames the debauchery that follows as more critical study than simple chaos. Recorded two months before the Sex Pistols released “Anarchy in the U.K.,” Live at the Rat captures the punk spirit in the moments before it became a media frenzy. 12
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The aesthetic had yet to be narrowly defined, the image hadn’t been solidified, and the sounds that bands like Thundertrain, Real Kids, and DMZ put down on the compilation cover a much broader style spectrum than we typically expect from punk. The same goes for Third Rail, Susan, and Sass in their channeling psychedelia, glam, and heavy metal. If there’s a single running theme, it’s intensity and energy in overdrive. In addition to being a local rock comp of surprising depth, beyond just capturing a fleeting moment, Live at the Rat marks an important change in the way business was done. Too unruly for a major label in ’76, the
album would eventually be released independently the following winter, summoning the start of Boston’s indie label-fueled ascension to the top of the New Wave pile. As for Rat Records, the imprint would be short-lived, releasing just four singles. Nonetheless, some of the bands on Live at the Rat would go on to record classic punk albums—Real Kids, DMZ, and the Boom Boom Band—while others like Thundertrain, whose hard-glam shenanigans were 10 years ahead of the pop market, would languish in obscurity. All together, the album’s release would presage a golden age for Boston indie labels that included Rick Harte’s Ace of Hearts, Newbury Comics spin-off Modern Method, and hardcore upstart Taang! Records. The Rat, of course, continued fostering Boston’s punk and indie scene for another two decades before being consumed by the forces of gentrification and demolished for the hollow, plastic facade of the upscale Hotel Commonwealth. Sean L. Maloney is an author in Boston. Look out for his upcoming 33 1/3 book The Modern Lovers’ The Modern Lovers. This throwback was produced in collaboration with the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. For posts connecting old headlines with contemporary news stories, check out medium.com/binj-reports/tagged/throwbacks
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Monponsett Inn, Halifax
It seems that too often, people go west or north to do some leaf peeping, while not realizing that some really beautiful routes for fall foliage—including Routes 6A, 105, and 58—can be found south of Boston. And it is this last road that includes a classic American restaurant in a particularly scenic location, perched above a lake out back while also facing a second lake across the street. The Monponsett Inn isn’t actually an inn, but is instead a family-friendly dining and drinking spot that is also used for functions, and because of its gorgeous location, it is a very popular spot for weddings. MONPONSETT INN. 550 MONPONSETT ST., HALIFAX. MONPONSETTINN.COM
The Lobster Pool, Rockport
EATS
TEN DINING LEAF-PEEPER SPOTS Foliage Fodder for Foodies BY MARC HURWITZ @HIDDENBOSTON A few weeks ago, it looked like this year could be a bust for fall foliage in New England and that leaf peepers may want to wait until 2017. But whether it was the recent heavy rains or the string of mild days, it appears that this prediction can be thrown out the window because colors are now brilliant in southern and central New England. One question that often comes up: What are some good restaurants to go to while checking out the foliage? Ten such places are listed below, all 90 minutes or less from the Boston area and all in the heart of scenic areas for the ever-changing colors.
not too far from Worcester and less than an hour from the western suburbs of Boston, the Bean certainly feels a world away in an affluent little hilltop town with nearby views that look a lot like the farm country of Vermont; any approach to the cafe is a gorgeous one with great foliage everywhere. The Vanilla Bean is a good place for a light meal and/or a dessert, and it also serves some decent beers, while at night it features local acts for those who are looking for live music. VANILLA BEAN CAFE. 450 DEERFIELD RD., POMFRET, CT. THEVANILLABEANCAFE.COM
Rye Tavern, Plymouth
The Commons Lunch, Little Compton, RI
What better way to view fall foliage than along a treeshaded dirt road? Well, you don’t have to go all the way to New Hampshire or Vermont to do this, as Old Sandwich Road in the Pinehills area of Plymouth is an unpaved lane that feels like it is 100 miles or more from Boston. And the Rye Tavern resides along this old road in a cozy 18th-century structure that comes complete with exposed beams, fireplaces, and nothing but woods and fields surrounding it. The focus here is on New American and classic American fare in an upscale but casual environment, and it is a perfect spot for a date or a special occasion. RYE TAVERN. 517 OLD SANDWICH RD., PLYMOUTH. RYETAVERN.COM
Johnson’s Drive-In, Groton
Located on one of the most scenic roads in eastern Massachusetts (Route 225), this roadside restaurant is a classic, offering burgers, dogs, fried chicken, and ice cream to customers, who sit at wooden picnic tables inside the place or, on mild fall days, outside in the shadows of a wooded hill. Half the fun of Johnson’s (which is also known as Johnson’s Restaurant and Dairy Bar) is getting there, as it sits in the heart of apple country and also has an abundance of maple trees whose leaves turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow this time of year. JOHNSON’S DRIVE-IN. 164 BOSTON RD., GROTON. JOHNSONSRESTAURANTANDDAIRYBAR.COM
Vanilla Bean Cafe, Pomfret, CT
If you own a motorcycle, chances are you know about this funky dining spot in the Quiet Corner of Connecticut a short distance south of the Massachusetts line. Located 14
11.3.16 - 11.10.16
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It is no secret that Rhode Island has some tremendous regional foods, including johnny cakes, calamari, and clam cakes, and this little out-of-the-way place has all of this and more in a peaceful setting in one of the most picturesque towns in all of New England. Just outside the door is a village green complete with white church spire overlooking it, and the surrounding area is a unique blend of farmland, wooded hills and valleys, and ocean. Mainly a local spot because it is so far off the beaten path, the Commons Lunch is a great alternative for diners who try to avoid chains and touristy spots, though granted, this little section of Rhode Island doesn’t have much of either. THE COMMONS LUNCH. 48 COMMONS, LITTLE COMPTON, RI.
Aprile’s European Restaurant, Chelmsford
If the name “Aprile’s European Restaurant” sounds a bit familiar to you, perhaps it is because it has a connection to a long-gone dining spot in Boston’s North End that was known in part for its outstanding pizza. Some of the old recipes are from that Hanover Street eatery, including, yes, the pizza, which certainly does taste a lot like that of the old European. So what is this place that’s in the outer suburbs of Boston doing on a list of restaurants to go to while on fall foliage trips? Well, it is located in a beautifully restored mill building on a river and at the peak of the foliage season, the views from the windows are pretty memorable—and it is also just off Route 3, so for those traveling to New Hampshire to check out the leaves, it is an easy stop along the way. APRILE’S EUROPEAN RESTAURANT. 133 HARVARD AVE., CHELMSFORD. APRILESEUROPEANRESTAURANT.COM
The North Shore has some incredible scenery, and the looping, meandering section of Route 127 on Cape Ann has some of the best in the area, including during the fall when the reds, yellows, and oranges of the trees contrast with the deep blue ocean around nearly every corner. There aren’t many restaurants on this road once you leave the centers of Rockport and Gloucester, making the Lobster Pool—which is located right on the Rockport/Gloucester line—a particularly popular spot for hungry travelers. One bonus is that the eatery sits just south of the beautiful Halibut Point State Park, so if the foliage/ocean views at the Lobster Pool aren’t enough for you, it’s a very short drive next door for some equally great scenery. THE LOBSTER POOL. 329 GRANITE ST., ROCKPORT. LOBSTERPOOLRESTAURANT.COM
Parker’s Maple Barn, Mason, NH
A rite of passage for some in the spring and for others in the fall, this combination restaurant/gift shop/sugar house is a must this time of year when New Hampshire’s “Currier and Ives Country” explodes in color. Located on a winding, narrow, and hilly road in the middle of the woods a bit north of the Massachusetts line, Parker’s is a very rustic spot that is known mainly for its hearty New England breakfasts, with pancakes, waffles, and French toast being popular choices here, though the ribs and turkey dinner at lunchtime are big hits as well. PARKER’S MAPLE BARN. 1316 BROOKLINE RD., MASON, NH. PARKERSMAPLEBARN.COM
Pickity Place, Mason, NH
Staying in the little town of Mason for a bit, this nearly impossible-to-find spot high up in the beautiful hills west of Parker’s is quite a bit different from that place; while Parker’s has almost a Wild West feel to it, Pickity Place is rather peaceful and laid-back, with a garden center, a gift shop that has almost a New Age feel, and a restaurant that features a gourmet five-course lunch that changes each month. The eatery offers three seatings each day (at 11:30 am, 12:45 pm, and 2 pm) and includes dishes using ingredients that are grown in the eatery’s own garden. PICKITY PLACE. 248 NUTTING HILL RD., MASON, NH. PICKITYPLACE.COM
The Marshside, East Dennis
Route 6A was mentioned earlier as a great road to hit for fall foliage, and it really is tough to think of many other routes in New England that are as stunning as this one when the leaves change. And just off Route 6A is this casual and slightly upscale spot that features seafood and New American fare, along with views from its porch and dining room that are tremendous any time of year. As you can tell by its name, Marshside is indeed located alongside a marshy area just south of Cape Cod Bay, and some of the window seats at this restaurant have mindblowing views that will definitely give your camera a good workout. THE MARSHSIDE. 28 BRIDGE ST., EAST DENNIS. THEMARSHSIDE.COM
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MUSIC
HASSLE FEST 8
The return of Boston’s weirdest music festival
MUSIC
SHONEN KNIFE
Why the Japanese trio still rocks 30 years later BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN At some point, a cult following bursts. The secrecy that elevates the band’s underrated relevance is broken, its longdeserved appreciation is delivered via press coverage, and the fame fans once wanted for it feels exploited. Cult followings continue to exist because, to some extent, there’s a wanting of ownership, a need to identify talent and reap credit as the talent spotter. More often than not, though, cult followings come from a celebration of what’s cool without a regard to what’s popular. We’ve seen this rise-before-the-explosion-of-acclaim endless times before—My Bloody Valentine, Neutral Milk Hotel, even Arcade Fire—within indie rock. Punk, however, seems more indebted to cult followings and the preservation of them. Bands uphold an importance regardless of the size of their fandom. Just look at Shonen Knife. The Japanese trio is 35 years deep in their punk rock career and they have yet to explode. Perhaps that’s for the best. Back in 1981, sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano met with friend and bassist Michie Nakatani to create a band. Shonen Knife was formed with the intent to ignore J-pop’s rise and instead bring punk rock to their hometown of Osaka, Japan. They were rightfully unphased by the dominance of all-male bands in the scene. Instead, they focused on positivity and idealistic lyrics—Naoko often sings about candy and cats—while their music blended the charm of ’60s pop groups like the Beach Boys with the straightforward grit of early punk rock acts like the Ramones. Though a few member rotations occurred over the years, like Ritsuko Taneda replacing Nakatani on bass, Shonen Knife remains strong in its relevance and output, dropping 22 albums since then. “Risa plays the drums for her family band called Brinky,” explains Naoko. “She plays with her father and younger sister. They cover Shonen Knife songs a lot, actually. I met her when Brinky opened for one of our shows.” That member swap not only shows an acceptance of age differences but self-awareness and the ability to be at terms with your place in punk history. This year’s full-length, the punchy Adventure, nods to the Runaways and Thin Lizzy while charging forward with the trio’s signature grin. Shonen Knife outlasts other punk bands in every way: the matching outfits onstage, the unremitting cheeriness, the DIY ethos, the cover song LPs. It’s the group’s songwriting, however, that continues its brand, and Naoko knows that. “I still write down key words when I get good motifs for my lyrics,” she says. “When I write songs, I expand it to lyrics and then put melody lines on them, because making melodies is rather easy.” What the three do differently from other punk bands, however, is refuse to let age define them. Passing three and a half decades together is just as unexpected to Shonen Knife as it is to onlookers. “I just look forward and never look back, so I don’t have any conscious about being in a band so long,” says Naoko. “Our fans’ support makes me keep going. That, and that I especially do nothing … but I do play tennis for my health.” Arguably the most critical part of a cult following is word of mouth. Go ahead and check that off here. Shonen Knife boasts the ability to impress different generations as the years pass, even when opening shows thousands of miles from its homeland—which, considering it toured alongside (and then influenced) bands like Nirvana and Sonic Youth, says a lot. As it gears up to flood the Middle East Upstairs with volume-cranked happiness on Nov 9, the band promises to make good on the title of its newest LP. Those curious to find out what the band is about should attend. Those who already know what the band is about can confirm: Another adventure is on the way, and younger generations are lucky to witness it with their own eyes, though this may not be your last chance to see them. When asked what their best tour memory of the last 35 years is, Naoko speaks excitedly: “My favorite memory will be appear[ing] in the future!” It’s a call to action, a promise to make good on the energy the band constantly doles out, and a commitment to punk that DIY still runs on decades into the game. >> SHONEN KNIFE, SHEPHERDESS, BIRTHING HIPS. WED 11.9. MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS, 472 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. 8PM/ALL AGES/$13. MIDEASTOFFERS.COM
MUSIC EVENTS
>> HASSLE FEST 8. FRI 11.4–SAT 11.5. BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL, 158 BRIGHTON AVE., ALLSTON. 2PM/ALL AGES/$22. CROSSROADSPRESENTS.COM
THU 11.3
SAT 11.5
SUN 11.6
MON 11.7
TUE 11.8
[Middle East Downstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 7pm/18+/$40. mideastoffers.com]
[The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge. 8pm/18+/$15. sinclaircambridge.com]
[Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., Allston. 7pm/18+/$29.59. crossroadspresents.com]
[The Royale, 279 Tremont St., Boston. 7pm/all ages/$17.50. royaleboston. com]
[Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., Allston. 7pm/18+/$25. crossroadspresents.com]
THE DESAI FOUNDATION BENEFIT FALU’S BOLLYWOOD ORCHESTRA
16
BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN Hassle Fest is back, and things look weirder than ever. Well, not too weird. Like, we’re eyeing the lineup and totally want to go, but in part because the stack of bands isn’t the normal combination music lovers come across, thanks to creepy Dr. Seuss art, noise rock, and political photography. You know, that kind of weird. Now in its eighth edition, Hassle Fest is a twoday music festival run by the fine folks over at Boston Hassle. This year, the festival goes down at Brighton Music Hall on Friday, Nov 4 and Saturday, Nov 5. Over 40 bands are set to play. People of all ages can attend. Art shows will be held in the same space throughout. It’s a mishmash of visual and sonic work that, no matter what time you arrive, will blow you away. And if none of that has you giddy, then look at how their DIY ethics haven’t changed, aka you get the talent and vibe of a basement show in Cambridge without the sweaty stench. The festival’s dedication to the odder side of music shines through its curation once again. Willis Earl Beal, the Steve Baczkowski/Jake Meginsky/Bill Nace trio, Silver Applies, Girlpool, Rhys Chatham, Monsieurs, Bang! Bros., Ian Sweet, Macula Dog, Dent, Birthing Hips, and the Craters kick things off at 5 pm on Friday. Then, starting at 2 pm on Saturday, Wolf Eyes, Guerilla Toss, Pharmakon, Mossenek, Doomsday Student, Forma, Ava Luna, Jahiliyya Fields, Sad13, Sadist, Palberta, Bugs and Rats, Mommy, Pink Wash, Ben Hersey, New England Patriots, Id M Theft Able, Surface to Air Missive, Confusion Band, and Sadha change gears for a melodic undertone. From the dark pop of Sad13 and Ava Luna to the blistering noise of Pharmakon and New England Patriots, this year’s edition of Hassle Fest promises to push the mind until viewers wonder how they ever clung to pop as tightly as they did years ago. So when you’re ruminating on the curious sounds of Wolf Eyes or take a break to observe the “art environment” Trash Land works, take a deep breath and grin. This is the type of creative environment Boston continues to increase thanks to promoters who seek regional and international touring acts that represent mental expansion. Best of all, it’s not a hassle to attend—though summing up all the ridiculous, intense, and vibrant music you saw in under 140 characters may be.
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FOLK TALES FOR FROWNING FOLKS DAMIEN JURADO + DOUG KEITH
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REGGAE ROCK STEADY TOOTS & THE MAYTALS + LEBA
FOLK PUNK PUNCHES ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD + DINERS + CHRIS FARREN
’90s HIP-HOP GETS ALT DIGABLE PLANETS + DJ EARL
WED 11.9
ELECTRO-POP BRIT BOYS PET SHOP BOYS
[Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Pl., Boston. 7:30pm/all ages/$38. crossroadspresents.com]
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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
17
FILM
AN INTERVIEW WITH KELLY REICHARDT One of the nation’s foremost narrative filmmakers talks about her craft BY JAKE MULLIGAN @_JAKEMULLIGAN Kelly Reichardt is an American filmmaker whose works include Wendy and Lucy [2008], Meek’s Cutoff [2010], and Night Moves [2013]. Her first film, River of Grass [1994], played at the Brattle Theatre earlier this summer. Her latest film, the Montana-set Certain Women [2016]— which adapts three short stories by Maile Meloy, with roles played by Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, and Kristen Stewart—opens in Boston this Friday. Reichardt was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (“I think it must have been ’84– ’87”), which we discussed at the start of the phone call transcribed here.
One thing during the process that always helps is to go spend time in the place you’re making the film about. So that you’re not like a tourist, and you can get down into a routine. What kind of car you’d be driving, where you’d be living, and shopping for your groceries, taking your recycling, or whatever it is, your day-to-day. Or in this case, working on the ranch. It’s really helpful for figuring out the details. And the people you’re meeting along the way while doing all this research—it brings a lot of unexpected answers. A lot of what you find out isn’t the thing you went out looking for, but you still ended up figuring something out. So anyways, it’s just a process, I guess.
The word “slow” is often deployed in reference to your work. I think I’d prefer to use “still.” One reason I bring up the School of the Museum of Fine Arts is because I wondered if forms like painting and still photography influence the way you compose your own imagery. Yeah … I’m not sure that still is better than slow, though. It’s really just about hunkering down and being able to spend time in a place long enough that you can get accustomed to routine, and the smaller strokes of a day. I’ve been teaching with Peter Hutton* for a decade—a filmmaker that passed away this summer who influenced me greatly. He made landscape films; he referred to them as “reels.” And he talked constantly about being in places long enough to really see them. Really see. And I don’t know how you do that in a flash. My shots actually aren’t that long. It’s only in comparativeness … It’s really just about being in places long enough to be able to see.
You bring up the idea of finding something that links the three stories together. While watching the movie I found myself resisting the urge to try and connect those dots. That’s good. I just don’t think that they’re plot driven, for the most part. And what runs through them appears differently to [any] different viewer. I hope the overall takeaway is … that your best self is your worst self. And sometimes you have these really close, connected moments with strangers. And then really estranged and faraway moments with the people you’re most intimate with. You can be right next to someone and not really see what their needs are. You can be wrapped up in your own bubble. There’s the Jared Harris character, who’s in his 50s and is almost having his feelings hurt by this “surprising” fact that the system isn’t working fairly. And he’s in a car, one foot away from a female lawyer [Dern] who, you know … If you’re a working woman, or a person of color, you know that at a much younger age. Or if you’re from a certain socioeconomic class, you’re going to realize that much sooner. That loss of innocence comes earlier. Likewise, she’s in her own bubble and not really realizing how catastrophic her own blasé attitude towards him is. What it’s costing him. While physically, they’re so close to each other. Same for the relationship in the second story, where the couple [Williams and James LeGros] comes together, and are closest, when they’re trying to get something from a stranger. And not understanding the costs or the implications of that, or of not connecting with their kid [Sara Rodier]. It’s a lot of misses. Close encounters and misses. That runs throughout the film. Maybe more than commonalities, it’s more like, there’s so many different ways to misunderstand someone.
In calling the films still, I was thinking about blocking more than shot length. Like the scene in the bedroom at the start of Certain Women, or the way we cut into the cafe. There’s not a lot of forward movement. The first images I was working off of, more for color and tone, were Milton Avery’s paintings. Then I was looking at so much Alice Neel. Some of the set design, and even the posturing of people, came from her paintings. I’ve used Robert Adams over the years—someone who really focused on the natures of backdrops and whatever the footprint of the time is. And I had my Stephen Shore books with me. Because his parking lot photos are so beautiful and ugly at the same time. He had much better cars to work with than we do now. But there are a lot of parking lots in the movie, so thinking about how he uses those spaces was helpful. The direct source for the movie is obviously literature. “Travis B.” and the other stories you adapted often feature details on the biographies and inner lives of the characters. I would say your movie exists almost entirely
outside the characters, though. There’s one insert shot from a man’s point of view early in the movie, and I was surprised that we even got to see that. What were your methods in deciding what to elide and what to include? It was a long process. I played around with it for a year. I dropped out some stories. I was trying to figure out if there was a way that these stories would add up to more as a whole than they would individually. And I made trips to Montana, which ended up being very helpful. I had passed through Montana a lot, but I hadn’t hunkered down there and really looked closely at some of the areas. I went up to Helena, Billings, Butte, Livingston, Bozeman. And the first thing that really dawned on me, and helped me figure out how to see the movie, was seeing how native references echoed through all this prefab hotel art and restaurant art. There’s almost nowhere you can go where there are not native references all around. But you don’t really see any brown faces. It’s so white. So it’s weird how there’s this commodity of native faux art out there in the west. I thought that spoke really loudly. And I made that a thread in the stories.
*The Harvard Film Archive will present “Time and Tide. A Tribute to Peter Hutton” next month, with programs on Thu 11.10, Fri 11.11, and Sun 11.13. See hcl.harvard.edu for showtimes.
>> CERTAIN WOMEN. RATED R. OPENS FRI 10.21 AT THE KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA.
FILM EVENTS THU 11.3
‘BAD HOMBRES AND NASTY WOMEN’ DOUBLE FEATURE A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS [1964] AND PERDITA DURANGO [1997]
[Brattle Theatre. 40 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 7:30 and 9:30pm, respectively/R/$11 for a single showing, $13 for both. 35mm. brattlefilm. org] 18
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FRI 11.4
COOLIDGE AFTER MIDNIGHT PRESENTS WES CRAVEN’S SWAMP THING [1982]
[Coolidge Corner Theatre. 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Midnight/PG/$11.25. 35mm. coolidge.org]
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MON 11.7
THE DOCYARD AND DIRECTOR DIEGO ECHEVERRIA PRESENT LOS SURES [1984] W/ SHORTS FROM THE LIVING LOS SURES PROJECT
[Brattle Theatre. 40 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 7pm/NR/$9-11. brattlefilm.org]
MON 11.7
DIRECTOR MADELINE ANDERSON IN PERSON INTEGRATION REPORT 1 [1960], A TRIBUTE TO MALCOLM X [1967], AND I AM SOMEBODY [1970] [Harvard Film Archive. 24 Quincy St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 7pm/NR/free admission. 16mm and digital. hcl.harvard.edu/ hfa]
MON 11.7
WILLIAM WYLER’S THE LITTLE FOXES [1941]
[Somerville Theatre. 55 Davis Square, Somerville. 7:30pm/NR/$10. somervilletheatre.com]
WED 11.9
DIRECTOR CRAIG ATKINSON’S FILM ON POLICE MILITARIZATION DO NOT RESIST [2016]
[Museum of Fine Arts. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. 3pm/NR/$9-11. Also screens on 11.10, 11.16, and other dates—see mfa.org for showtimes.]
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19
ARTS
BRILLIANT BOOKS Italian Renaissance Books at the Gardner BY CHRISTOPHER EHLERS @_CHRISEHLERS Before Isabella Stewart Gardner was an art collector, she was a passionate collector of books. Her collection includes over two thousand books that she arranged throughout her museum. It is fitting, then, that the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of the institutions participating in the citywide project Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts in Boston Collections, which is the largest-ever exhibition of medieval and Renaissance books to be shown in North America. Harvard University’s Houghton Library will show Manuscripts from Church and Cloister through Dec 10, while Boston College’s McMullen Museum will exhibit Manuscripts for Pleasure and Piety through Dec 11. The Gardner Museum’s exhibition, on view through Jan 16, is called Italian Renaissance Books, and it is a stunning, once-in-a-generation chance to take a peek inside these scarcely seen books, some of which have never been on display to the public before now. It had been in development for 16 years. Italian Renaissance Books kicks off with, and
introduces visitors to, the concept of humanism, which took hold in Florence around 1400. In short, humanists wanted to restore glory to Florence through literature. They began to hand-copy ancient texts into a thenrevolutionary portable book, which also featured ornate hand-drawn illustrations. The books that we read today are direct descendants of their innovations. The exhibition, which is curated beautifully, is divided into four sections: “Study,” “Library,” “Chapel,” and “Press.” Beneath glass, the open books allow for a rare glimpse inside these treasures, which, following the end of the exhibition, will likely remain out of view for another generation. Among the highlights of the show are Gardner’s four copies of Dante’s Divine Comedy. On display is an illuminated manuscript from the early 1400s showing unfathomably gorgeous and vividly colored marginalia, illuminated in tempera paint and gold. Also on display is a 1481 edition of the book that features engravings by Botticelli. Amazingly, this is the first copy of The Divine
Comedy to enter the United States. (Less than 10 years later, Gardner would acquire The Tragedy of Lucretia, the first piece of art by Botticelli to find its way into America.) Another remarkable feat here is the discovery of a prayer book that belonged to the controversial Pope Julius III, which had long been thought to be lost. The book was discovered by curator Dr. Anne-Marie Eze as she combed through Boston libraries in preparation of this exhibition, which she described to me as a “career-defining moment.” Downstairs, in the museum’s Vatichino gallery, a complimentary exhibition called Beyond Words: Gardner’s Literary World celebrates Gardner’s love for books and writers and reminds us of her singular vision, one that still so flawlessly serves as the beating heart of Boston’s arts community. On display is a letter from Charles Dickens, a manuscript by Ralph Waldo Emerson, a first edition of The Scarlet Letter, and a letter sent to Gardner from Bram Stoker. Beyond Words: Italian Renaissance Books requires a bit more work from the viewer than most museum exhibitions, but it is well worth reading each and every label to truly comprehend the significance of the works on display. It’s taken an entire generation for most of these books to make their way into the light, and it’s entirely possible that this is our one and only chance to get to see them. Don’t miss it.
>> BEYOND WORDS: ITALIAN RENAISSANCE BOOKS. THROUGH 1.16 AT THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM, 25 EVANS WAY, BOSTON. WWW.GARDNERMUSEUM.ORG
ARTS EVENTS GORGEOUS TONY-WINNING MUSICAL AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
[Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont St., Boston. Through 10.23. bochcenter. org]
20
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FINAL WEEKEND! HAMLET
[Actors’ Shakespeare Project, 67 Newbury St., Boston. Through 11.6. actorsshakespeareproject.org]
HILARIOUS NEW COMEDY TIGER STYLE!
[Huntington Theatre Company, 527 Tremont St., Boston. Through 11.20. huntingtontheatre.org]
INCREDIBLE RENAISSANCE SCULPTURE DELLA ROBBIA
[Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. Through 12.4. mfa.org]
THE EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR WILLIAM MERRITT CHASE
[Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. Through 1.16. mfa.org]
ON O S G N COMI
TO
GLOWBERON
JOEY ARIAS 11/3 — 8PM
MORTIFIED 11/4 — 8PM
OUR CARNAL HEARTS 11/9 - 11/12
WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT 11/14 - 11/16
SOUND SOCIETY
PARSONSFIELD 11/17 — 8PM
OLD SCHOOL GAME SHOW
R U O AL N R C A RT S A E H
11/19 — 7PM
PHOENIX ORCHESTRA 11/21 — 7:30PM
5TH ANNUAL
'DAVID BOOBIE BLACK FRIDAY' 11/25 & 11/26
SOUND SOCIETY
SIDE PROJECT
FT/ MEMBERS OF LAKE STREET DIVE 12/4 — 8PM
CLUB DROSSELMEYER
M P 0 3 : 7 — 2 1 9 . NOV
UT T DEB S A LLS O AST C SHOW CA E R E ES H . THE , MAK EXORCISM POTLIGHT S, S R A HEL M THE S ALITIE T OF T RAC ONATE AC ES—INTO Y PERSON S I T R EA UIS SSI RAR MANC ARTS, A PA OLITICAL G ONTEMPO R O F L HE H PER ND P TS, C BRITIS UR CARNA RSONAL A LES, TWEE O TA PE WITH IN ALL ITS FOLK F O Y E — ENVY H A MEDL SINGING. G P U R THRO CRED HA SA AND
KET C I T 0 $3
clubOBERON.com
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12/11 & 12/16 — 7:30PM
SOUND SOCIETY
THE SWEETBACK SISTERS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS SINGALONG SPECTACULAR 12/15 — 8PM
THE DONKEY SHOW EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT
A.R.T.’s club OBERON 2 ARROW ST. HARVARD SQ.
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SAVAGE LOVE
CUCK EVERLASTING
WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST BY PATT KELLEY WHATS4BREAKFAST.COM
BY DAN SAVAGE @FAKEDANSAVAGE | MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET
I’m a 41-year-old male who looks like the tall, strong, professional, alpha-male type on the outside. On the inside, though, I would like to find a strong, confident woman who wants a cuckolding relationship—she sleeps with other men, while I am faithful and submissive to her. There must be women out there who would love to have a loving, doting boyfriend or husband waiting at home while they go out with other men, but I tend to attract women who want the alpha-male type. What can I do to find—or attract—the kind of woman I’m interested in? Or should I go in for vanilla dating and then have a discussion about cuckolding after we’ve started having sex? Another Lad Pursuing Humiliating Action “Most women, even dominant women, are still looking for guys who look like they ‘kick ass and take names’ in every other aspect of their lives,” said FleeMarket (u/flee_market), one of the moderators of r/cuckold on Reddit. “As for how to find dominant women, I see a lot of submissive guys on various websites—OkCupid, Reddit, Tinder, FetLife—and something they don’t understand is that women looking for sex or love online tend to get buried in unsolicited PMs from thirsty guys. That makes it hard to find that one respectful PM from a guy like our letter writer here. The signal gets lost in the noise.” Before we get to some practical advice for ALPHA, a quick word about the term “cuck.” While it has long been an affectionate/horny term embraced by self-identified cuckold fetishists, the alt-right has attempted to turn “cuck” into a term of abuse, hurling it at any straight white man who gives a shit about racial justice, police brutality, and the plight of undocumented immigrants. In an effort to wrest “cuck” back from the bigots, and to mark the waning days of the Trump campaign, I’m dedicating this week’s column to “cuck” as properly understood: a guy who wants his partner to sleep with other men. So, ALPHA, how can you attract a woman who wants a cuck? “What’s worked for me is using the internet not to find people but to find kinky events where dominant women gather in real life,” said FleeMarket. “I’m on my second openly dominant female partner in four years, both of whom I met at kinky parties. The events are usually listed on FetLife, and you usually have to attend a munch first to demonstrate that you’re not a dingus who can’t follow the rules or a psycho
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