LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987
Meet the Mayor A Conversation With Kelly Girtz p. 6
JANUARY 9, 2019 · VOL. 33 · NO. 1 · FREE
COLORBEARER OF ATHENS SWEARING OFF AND SWEARING IN
UNITED GROUP OF ARTISTS PRESENTS
JAN 21ST
2019
MLK ATHENS-CLARKE 3RD ANNUAL
JR.
DAY
PARADE & FESTIVAL
EVENTBRITE: REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE MARCHING BANDS, VENDORS, PERFORMERS & FOOD PARADE STARTS 3PM | FESTIVAL 4PM | HULL ST & WASHINGTON
FOR MORE INFO CALL 678.740.3884 A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT
ATHENS ANTI-DISCRIMINATION MOVEMENT
THE ASHTON HOPE KEEGAN FOUNDATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ATHENS TECHNICAL COLLEGE
The Hope Gala PROUDLY PRESENT THE 2ND ANNUAL
JANUARY 26, 2019 6PM-10PM HOTEL INDIGO-RIALTO ROOM
Musical Performance by Rachel O'Neal Special Live Auction conducted by Williamson Bros Realty & Auction Co Sponsored By
Rich & Linda Crooks Coca-Cola United, Athens Insight Global
James & Jessica Whitley Jackson EMC Soundboard Marketing Conference
Rotary Club of Athens Suphreds Cake Creations
www.AshtonHopeKeeganFoundation.org/tickets Find Us on Facebook
2
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
this week’s issue
contents
Lunch, Dinner & Weekend Brunch
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22ND
4TH TUESDAY TASTING
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sonic Youth’s landmark album Daydream Nation, drummer Steve Shelley and filmmaker Lance Bangs will screen documentary footage at Ciné Jan. 15. See p. 15.
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 NEWS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Officials Were Unprepared for High Midterm Turnout
This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Kelly Girtz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Auction Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
MUSIC: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
King Tuff Takes Walks, Collects Records for Inspiration
Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
$60
Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Movie Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Local Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 JOHN KELLEY
CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editorial@flagpole.com
LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com MUSIC: music@flagpole.com NEWS: news@flagpole.com ADVICE: advice@flagpole.com
Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14,500 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $70 a year, $40 for six months. © 2019 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOLUME 33 ISSUE NUMBER 1
CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 706.354.7901
Corner of Chase and Boulevard
heirloomathens.com
You Are Invited
Making Room for You: A Celebration of Community
COVER PHOTOGRAPH of Kelly Girtz by Savannah Cole (see feature story on p. 6) STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981
CAVA DINNER
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Everything You Missed in 2018 Restaurant News
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum MANAGING EDITOR & MUSIC EDITOR Gabe Vodicka CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS EDITOR & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jessica Smith CLASSIFIEDS & OFFICE MANAGER Kassadi Saunders AD DESIGNER Anna LeBer CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack PHOTOGRAPHER Savannah Cole CONTRIBUTORS David R. Adler, Bonita Applebum, Hillary Brown, Gordon Lamb, Ed Morales, Drew Wheeler CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Ernie LoBue, Dain Marx, Taylor Ross ASSISTANT AD DESIGNER Chris McNeal ADVERTISING INTERN Damalas Moreland EDITORIAL INTERNS Jessie Goodson, Rosemary Scott, Ashlyn Webb
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH
Flickskinny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Is My Sex Prowess Scaring Guys Away?
6P.M.
WITH ANNA LOPEZ LIDÓN FROM GRAMONA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORMAL WINE SCHOOL
FOOD: Grub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
ADVICE: Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
BONFIRES & BOOTSTRAPS: WINES TO WARM YOUR BODY & YOUR SOUL
to mark the completion of the building expansion of the
comments section “Y’all do know he has his own air-conditioned dog house, they bring him sacks of ice to lay on, and he’s treated like royalty by thousands of red-and-black wearing fanatics. What’s indefensible was making him watch that Sugar Bowl game.” — George Anderson From “PETA Wants Georgia to Get Rid of Uga,” at flagpole. com.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens 780 Timothy Road
Saturday, January 19 • 3:30p.m. program of celebration followed by a reception, tours, and Cause of the Month organizational showcase
Parking lot entrances off both Rambling Road and Cheathan Drive
For further information, contact UUFA (706.546.7914) uuathensga.org • www.facebook.com/uufaga
Association of Alternative Newsmedia
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
3
news
letters
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO P. O. BOX 1027, ATHENS, GA 30603 OR EMAIL US AT LETTERS@FLAGPOLE.COM
Local Officials Were Unprepared for November Election In the months leading up the Nov. 6 election, there were already telltale signs that Athens-Clarke Director of Elections and Voter Registration Charlotte Sosebee was not reading the tea leaves as to the expectations of the residents of Clarke County. The Economic Justice Coalition, a local organization committed to voter registration year-round, had made repeated trips to both comprehensive high schools to sign up eligible voters. But when Board of Elections member Jesse Evans sought to establish a one-day early voting site at Cedar Shoals High School, he was told by Sosebee that a two- to three-month lead time was not sufficient to make that happen. At its October meeting, the five-member Board of Elections asked for four days of early voting to be extended into the evening: two at the BOE office and two in the Clarke County Library, if permission could be gained from the library staff. But when early-voting hours were announced, only two days of extended hours at the library were provided. When I asked Sosebee about this, she expressed concern about downtown parking and a staffing issue. Of course, it was pointed out to her that parking downtown at dinner time would be easier than during the day. As to the staffing issue, she was reminded that, at that October Board of Elections meeting, she said she had the staff to do the job. These decisions made by Sosebee only added to the long lines that many early voters experienced. To add insult to injury, Flagpole quoted her as saying, “Two hours shouldn’t have turned people away.” Fast forward to Election Day. Combining of precincts at Whit Davis Elementary, Gaines Elementary and Whitehead Road Elementary left long lines at the polls. This was followed by a botched process of counting votes. Sosebee explained a week after Election Day that the absentee ballots were counted the day of the election by temporary staff and counted the next day by her permanent staff. There was a two-vote discrepancy that she said was due to temporary staff not following her instructions.
4
The following week, voters in eight precincts petitioned for a recount. The Secretary of State’s office followed up by requiring a recount for the entire county. Over the two-day period that this was done, a much larger discrepancy in the absentee ballot count was discovered. According to the Clarke County Board of Elections website, 54 fewer absentee ballots were found to exist. I strongly challenge this. When comparing precinct by precinct, I count a decrease of 79 voters. An additional discrepancy is the number of provisional voters in the county. When I asked for a complete list of provisional voters, 218 were provided. However, the Board of Elections has since claimed 219. In her defense, I can say that Sosebee has always provided me the information I have requested and has consistently answered my questions. But this pattern of discrepancy by her office continued even in the total number of votes reportedly cast in Clarke County. According to the Secretary of State’s office, the number was 43,500. However, if you count the totals precinct by precinct, the ballot total was 43,444. Hopefully, the Board of Elections will question these discrepancies. Greg Davis Davis, of the Economic Justice Coalition, serves on the Clarke County School Board.
UGA Can Do More to Help the Black Community Regarding the ongoing meetings, conversations, discussions and debates regarding UGA and the Baldwin Hall Memorial commemorating the remains of the 100plus enslaved African people (who became African Americans) unearthed in 2015, I have an idea. Well, maybe it’s more of an epiphany. Or even a revelation. Methinks this idea would be a wonderful opportunity for UGA to act in a way that would have a positive social, cultural, political and academic impact. It would even profit UGA in terms of any marketing initiative to quantitatively increase its minority student enrollment or improve its potentially tarnished public image regarding its perceived or real mishandling of the
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
remains of the 100-plus enslaved African Americans who resided and toiled in Athens during UGA’s 19th Century expansion. Oh, the memorial service was a wonderful gesture, as are the plaque and the permanent granite memorial at Baldwin Hall, and all three should be acknowledged, applauded and appreciated. However, many agree that much more can be done, and should be done, by such a renowned and wealthy institution— especially one whose administrators have reportedly wondered how they might broaden the institution’s appeal to attract more students of color. While memorial services, plaques and the construction of monuments are highly effective and valuable ways to memorialize and document the past lives and historical experiences of a people, a much broader vision of and commitment to preservation should take into consideration the perpetuation and sustainability of those specific and similar lives, accounts and narratives, and how they are discovered, documented, gathered, stored and forwarded into the future. Put another way: How might President Jere Morehead’s previous statement that the granite memorial “will serve as a source of contemplation and inspiration for generations to come” be actualized and measured? Furthermore, now that UGA has offered some act of homage to the 100plus enslaved Africans through a service, commemorative inscription and a shrine, what next can they do to honor and respect the descendants of those enslaved and the African-American community collectively? How can UGA advance a commitment to or action plan for a restorative act of reconciliation, of sorts—a kind of gesture of reparations? Or even a unique kind of gift as means and ends to and for resolution and restoration? Some might even suggest reference to that other “R” word: repentance. Here are my thoughts: Maybe UGA can offer scholarships, degrees or certificates to black and brown students interested in studying antiquities law, archeology law, cultural property law, cemetery law, museum law, historic preservation, archaeology or cultural anthropology. Maybe UGA can offer continuing education courses, workshops or seminars to individuals or organizations—first and foremost, those of color—interested in the previously mentioned disciplines or fields of study. Maybe UGA can boost its commitments to the discovery, documentation and preservation of local black life, culture and history through
collaborations and partnerships with individuals and organizations, off campus and throughout the city. Timothy Aaron-Styles Athens
They Terk Our Jerbs Are you trying to replace the comics? I noticed an ad mentioning “jobs.” How did the jobs work out for you under the Obama Administration. Slow, in spite of what the former president is saying. Edward Britt Athens
Reasons to Move to Georgia My sister owns a little box of a house on a typical tiny Jersey lot in upmarket Hillsdale, NJ, up by the New York state border. If she sold it, she could come where we are in beautiful Athens, GA, and get twice as big a house on 10 acres of land, and still have money left over in the bank. I asked her, “Why on Earth do you stay?” She blubbered some baloney about proximity to New York City (a train stops two blocks away from her address). So, I ask her, “No bull, how many times exactly did you go to The City last year, in the past 12 months?” Her reply? “Once!” I’m like, are you stupid? Sell your crap, move down here, and fly back once a year! We went to Florida first—bad move. Getting way too crowded—mostly with New Jersey and New York transplants—and crazy stupid laws, too. Everything seems to be a felony in Florida. A couple of years ago, two kids in their 20s got, like, years in prison for sex on a beach. Florida is nuts! Georgia is much more hip, with winters almost as nice as Florida. In some ways, it’s better, because the seasons change. Last year, we got maybe a whole inch of snow. Friendlier people. Economy booming, jobs everywhere for those who want to work. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a new van, got tags in exactly five minutes—in and out. Try that trick in Jersey, but you better pack a lunch, and maybe a dinner, too. We love this place! Plus, if you decide to drive back for a visit, it’s a breeze. From Fort Lauderdale, Broward, Dade or Palm Beach counties, it takes seven hours to get to the Georgia line. Heading north from Atlanta, you can hit the Pennsylvania line in almost that time. Don’t wait, just go. In fact, run! James P. Hilton Athens
city dope
to the board and district staff. One possibility, Means said, is to hire one lawyer for the board and one for the administration, so that in situations like expulsion hearings— where the board’s attorney both argues A four-hour BOE work session Thursday, on behalf of staff to expel a student and Jan. 6 consisted mostly of discussion on advises the board on whether to approve whether the board can and should offer the expulsion—there would be no conflict By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com a multi-year contract to the law firm that of interest. represents the district and name an on-call The contract currently belongs to Hall The Flagpole staff has emerged from some architectural firm. Booth Smith—a firm with 15 offices, Freeman and former chief Jack Lumpkin’s much-needed hibernation, and it looks like CCSD’s charter only allows the board to including one in Athens—and has for legacy of community-oriented policing we didn’t miss a whole lot. News always offer one-year contracts for legal represendecades. Michael Pruett is usually the diswhile also keeping rank-and-file officers slows to a trickle as the city empties out tation, which Means said discourages firms trict’s attorney, although Andrea Jolliffe happy—an area where Freeman failed. for the holidays. But that never lasts long. from submitting bids. Only one or two are represented the firm at the most recent Meanwhile, Williams also has another Here’s a look at a few 2018 stories that will received each year, rather than the typical meeting. If the board approves a longer top spot to fill. Assistant Manager Robert continue to generate headcontract, Jolliffe told board lines in the new year. members that they wouldn’t be bound by it—they could SPLOST 2020: The first vote terminate the contract at the ACC Commission takes any time. The question, in the new year could be Jolliffe said, is whether it’s a on a motion to reconsider good use of resources to go a December decision to through the bidding process include a $72 million judievery year if Hall Booth cial center and $44 million Smith wins it every time. for affordable housing on Similarly, interim a list of SPLOST projects Associate Superintendent that will go before voters in for District Services John November. Some sitting and Gilbreath proposed namincoming commissioners ing Atlanta-based Lindsay have been critical of putting Pope Brayfield Clifford & those projects on the list Associates as its on-call before a citizens advisory architect. LPBC has won committee has had the the district’s last four chance to vet them. Also architectural contracts in a this month, that committee row, designing Oglethorpe will start sifting through Avenue Elementary and the 88 proposed projects— Burney-Harris-Lyons, worth a total of $1 billion— Hilsman and Coile middle and whittling it down before schools. Gilbreath said the commission makes a LPBC has proven it has the final decision on the project flexibility and ability to stay list this summer. within budget to design New Clarke County Board of Education members (from left) Tawana Mattox, Kara Dyckman and LaKeisha Gantt were sworn in by Clerk of Courts future projects, and giving it Beverly Logan before the board’s Thursday, Jan. 3 work session. WEST BROAD SCHOOL: For a rolling five-year contract, years, school board and rather than putting each 10 or 15 at other districts, he said. Means community members have engaged in project out for bid, will save time. But Davis Hiss announced over the holidays that wants the board’s permission to ask state a racially tinged debate over whether to and other board members were skeptical of he’s stepping down Feb. 22 to become the legislators to change the charter to allow keep or bulldoze the Athens Land Trust’s that proposal as well. county manager in Bedford County, VA. for longer contracts, but some members— community garden at the long-vacant West “My sense is the board is uncomfortable Hiss, who was hired in 2014, oversees 10 mainly Greg Davis—had questions about Broad School. But that’s just one aspect of with having one architect,” Means said. “If county departments, including fire, plana larger issue involving space needs for the ning, transit, elections, building inspections the proposal and the attorney’s relationship that’s your direction, we’ll move there.” f Clarke County School District. The Athens and tax assessors. Community Career Academy, a vocational education program housed at the nearby NORTHSIDE GROWTH: Last year, work finally H.T. Edwards complex, is bursting at the got started on the 100 Prince mixed-use seams, there’s a waiting list for pre-K and project at the old St. Joseph Catholic Head Start, and central office staffers still Church and resumed on a medical office lack a permanent home after CCSD sold its building in Normaltown where famed bar Mitchell Bridge Road building three years Allen’s used to be. Atlanta developers broke ago. ground on another mixed-use project at Superintendent Demond Means has the old General Time/Westclox plant off proposed renovating the West Broad School Newton Bridge Road, just up the street and using it for pre-K classes—while from Southern Mill, a similar project in an making no commitment to keeping the old denim factory. Over on Commerce Road garden—and opening a health clinic there. by the Loop, a massive amphitheater has A competing ALT and ACC proposal would received approval. New businesses have keep the garden and turn the main building popped up, like Bain Mattox’s Buvez on into a community center offering entrepreBarber Street and Peter Dale’s Maepole on neurship classes and meeting space. While Chase Street. In other words, Prince Avenue board members keep punting, the historic and points north are booming. Look for West Broad School crumbles. Meanwhile, that trend to continue in 2019. Means also wants to clear administrators out of H.T. Edwards to make room for the SEA LEGS: Eleven new local elected officareer academy to expand—but where will cials—Mayor Kelly Girtz, commissioners they go? Patrick Davenport, Tim Denson, Russell Edwards and Ovita Thornton, school board NEW OFFICIALS: The search continues for members Kara Dyckman, LaKeisha Gantt a new police chief after Scott Freeman and Tawana Mattox, state representatives resigned under pressure in October. Marcus Wiedower and Houston Gaines, Whomever ACC Manager Blaine Williams and Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott—take hires will face the task of expanding on office this month. How will they make their
news
Tomorrow’s News Today
mark on local politics? Keep an eye on this column to find out.
School Board Considers Contracts
A LOOK AHEAD AT 2019 HEADLINES AND MORE LOCAL NEWS
SAVANNAH COLE
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
5
feature
news
TRUE GIRTZ Athens’ New Mayor Opens Up
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
T
FP: What has been holding us back from keeping up with these peer communities? KG: Some of it has been simply putting the mechanisms in place that are going to make us economically stronger and better connected—saying we’re not going to talk about corridor plans, we’re going to implement them; we’re not going to talk about financial tools like tax allocation districts, but we’re going to implement them.
we’re going to have sort of an operational retreat, where we just talk about, “Hey, welcome to the team. Let’s talk about how we work together.” In February, we’re going to talk about the what—policy and budget planning. How do we carry this into a real prosperous time for Athens? One of the things everybody talks about is, how do we do public outreach in a better way, where we’re not getting the same 15 voices at the table? Some of that has to do with where we put the table, and some of it has to do with what kind of table it is. Everybody talks about the diversity of the Athens community. One element of that diversity is we’ve got large portions of
SAVANNAH COLE
welve years ago, Kelly Girtz was set to take office as one of Athens-Clarke County’s youngest and most progressive commissioners. Now, he’s moving a few seats over to the mayor’s chair, where he’ll lead the commission, including a new batch of mostly young progressives—Patrick Davenport, Tim Denson, Russell Edwards and Ovita Thornton—who were also sworn in Jan. 8. (Mariah Parker, also elected in May, took the oath in June.) After eight years of relative inaction under Mayor Nancy Denson, they have their work cut out for them. But as Girtz said, “If I can teach middle school, I can do anything.” The new mayor sat down with Flagpole in December to talk about his plans for the new administration, his path to City Hall and his favorite bands. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
out… Most of my extended family is from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. My mom’s in College Station, TX, and my dad’s in Norfolk [VA], where I grew up. So, I’ve had the opportunity to see places that are doing different, innovative, interesting things.
Flagpole: How does it feel to be sort of the elder statesman now? Kelly Girtz: For 10 years, ever since Elton Dodson rolled off, I’ve been the youngest person up there. Now, at 47, I’m middle of the pack. FP: Since Harry Sims left, you’ve been there longer than anybody. KG: Two months longer than Andy [Herod]. He rolled in on that special election when States [McCarter] decided to take his toys and Kelly Girtz watches election results roll in May 22 with his wife, Andrea Griffith-Girtz, and their 6-year-old son, Noah. go home. It’s amazing how quickly that seemed to happen. That ’06 election still seems fresh to It’s doing something more than nibbling the community that are not hanging out on me. It’s been an amazing whirlwind. around the edges. It’s not putting down a social media all day long, that are not lookbig footprint, and it’s time to put down a ing for a survey on the web. We’ve got to be FP: What’s changed between then and now big footprint to meet community needs. conscious of that and have multiple access in local politics? points… In the same way I want infrastrucKG: What I can account for is how the FP: A lot of that seems politically motiture to connect people and resources, we pieces of the puzzle fit together, when vated—kicking the can down the road as a way need to be reaching out—building connecyou think about the combination of youth of avoiding a hard conversation. How do you tions that have not been there. development, economic development activchange that dynamic? ity, poverty remediation, housing needs, KG: It is a willingness to have hard conFP: In May, you said you were going to have transportation needs. I had the rudiments versations, given that, for every positive a package of legislation ready to bring forward of some of that 12 years ago, and it’s not action you do, there is some disruption or after you took office. Is that ready? What’s in like I’m the be-all end-all expert, but I have change in status quo. While the change it? a much better sense of how all those things in status quo might be uncomfortable, KG: We’re going to see a housing packtie together to create community health. it means we’ll be in a much better place, age that contains both some incentives That’s true for me. For the community, I not just next year, but in 2050. We want and some private-sector involvement think people have increasingly experienced to leave our kids something better than to create mixed-income environments, other places, even in the region, and have we found it. If we continue to kick the can whether that’s greenfield development or wondered why we haven’t kept up with down the road, that’s not going to be true. redevelopment. aspects of peer communities—Asheville We’re going to see criminal justice [NC] or Chattanooga [TN] or that standby, FP: How do you see the new commissionreform, some of which can be done by ordiGreenville [SC]. ers changing the way the commission does nance, but much of which has to be done by I travel a lot. I’m in Gainesville, FL, at business? collaboration with the solicitor’s office, the least once a year. Andrea’s dad has a place KG: I couldn’t be more excited about judiciary, the probation office or the sherright outside of there, so I go check that the new group in January. In mid-January, iff’s office.
6
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
We’re going to see lots of youth development activity. That’s going to extend to include things like the return of Grand Slam [a Leisure Services summer camp], and also a significant expansion around our work with Great Promise Partnership [a mentorship and jobs program for teens]. We’re going to see an enormous set of economic development activity. There are a few zones that are ripe for that, the Hawthorne [Avenue] corridor being a great example, Chase Park, Newton Bridge. FP: How are you going to pay for all this stuff? Do you foresee a property tax hike? KG: No. To a great degree, it’s just a shifting of priorities. If you’re talking about something like Great Promise, we do landscaping activities already. If we shift some of that money to horticulture activities that teenagers are doing, that’s just spending dollars in different ways that layer opportunities on top of one another. In the criminal justice world, over the arc of time, I could see operational costs of our criminal justice system being reduced—in fact, not spending more money, but freeing up funds. I didn’t vote for the current or coming [state] administration, but that’s something Atlanta has done well. They’ve recognized the importance of criminal justice reform, and I don’t care whether somebody comes to the table out of a humanitarian mission or fiscal-sense sake, it’s important work. FP: You’ve had a firsthand look at the criminal justice system at Foothills [Education Charter High School]. KG: That’s right. I’ve been in three state prisons every month for the past four years. FP: Do you feel like the reforms Gov. Deal has put in place are working? KG: There’s more work to be done, but it is working. I’ll say proudly, of every graduate of Foothills that’s been released into the community after their time in prison, there’s been no recidivism. None. When I go into those prisons, those young people are really no different than anyone I’ve ever taught. They’re not much different than I was at 16. I got picked up by the police a couple times, but they dropped me off at my doorstep, and my dad hollered at me. But we know that people of color have not often had that experience. FP: Brian Kemp being from Athens, he didn’t get a lot of support here. Do you think he’s going to be hostile to Athens because of our politics, or is he going to help us because this is his hometown?
FP: I look at Gov.-elect Kemp’s background—before he was in the public sector, he was in the private sector as a developer—and he’s a person who wants to get things done, and he looks for a path there. While he and I may not see eye-to-eye on a state [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] or a lot of hot-button topics, I think when it comes to leveraging some of the resources that we share—whether that’s research and development activity at the university or youth development work or economic development work—that’ll be an opportunity for some shared terrain, in the same way [former Atlanta mayor] Kasim Reed and Nathan Deal were able to work together on some projects. We’re having coffee next week, and I’m looking forward to that. FP: Twenty-something years ago, when you moved to town and you were delivering pizzas, did you ever think you’d be mayor and sitting down for coffee with the governor next week? KG: There’s something of an out-of-body experience that comes with some of this, because I can still almost close my eyes and smell the stack of pizza pans I need to wash as if they’re right in front of me. But it’s exciting to think I’m able to employ some of my real, ground-level experience as a person, as a human being, in the seat of mayor. I live a very different life than I did 20, 25 years ago, but I’m not that far from it. What I’ve said and what I really think is, the positive journey I’ve taken in life, I’d like to be shared by as many as possible. I certainly was never as economically challenged or socially challenged as some of the kids I work with. I was a working-class kid who worked hard and was supported by some really good people in my undergraduate years and in graduate school and in my professional career. Maxine Easom hired me to teach at Coile Middle School 21 years ago. To be given the opportunity to be on front porches all across this community as an educator has been really valuable. And one thing I’ll say, coming from a service sector background—I delivered pizza for five years, worked in a record store for two years, worked at the Holiday Inn through grad school for two-and-a-half years—what I’ve brought into public ed and public policy-making is a customer-service approach, to ensure we’re always putting our best foot forward. It’s easy to grow comfortable, but having been in those positions reminds me that we can’t rest on our laurels. We always need to be asking
ourselves how we can be doing a better job as an organization and for our 1,700 employees. FP: A lot of people don’t know the mayor isn’t the boss of those employees. KG: That’s right. I’m the boss of their boss, but I’m not their boss. FP: Especially after Chief [Scott] Freeman was fired, a lot of people were surprised that the mayor and commission had nothing to do with that decision, and there was talk about, well, maybe they should. Should we change the charter to give the mayor more power? KG: In the Clarke County School District, while the school board doesn’t have supervisory power over teachers or administrators, they do approve them every month, and even that has been fraught with problems. So, I don’t want to move in that direction, but what I do want to do is always be setting tangible goals. Two or three times a year, we’re going to be having halfday sessions where we follow up on those goals we’ve defined. Some of what you’ve probably noticed in City Hall is commissioners insert paragraphs into the discussion behind the rail that seem sort of detached from the agenda item under discussion at the time. Some of that is because there’s been a need for pressure release in things commissioners are interested in that don’t have a forum for conversation. FP: That they can’t get on the agenda. KG: That’s right. I want to create that format for continual conversation toward goal attainment. If we say we want a police department that’s very community-focused, in which police officers are engaging as human beings with the populace, let’s find out how to measure that and how to track it. FP: You have the power to set the agenda as mayor. Do you plan on wielding that power strictly or letting commissioners drive that train? KG: That’s what those recurrent sessions are about. It’s saying, “All right, what do a cluster of us want to do?” While that’s a formal power of the mayor, I see that as one that’s best wielded in a shared way. I work best when I’m not working in a bubble, when I’m getting opportunities to have lots of conversations. I want to encourage that and create a format for that to happen. f
Girtz’s Grooves When he’s not commissioning, you can often catch Girtz at a concert. Here are a few of hizzoner’s favorite local shows. Neighbor Lady: “I’ve seen them twice in the last year. I really like them a bunch.” Bob Dylan: “I used to go see him three or four times a year. Now, it’s maybe once a year, if he’s in the area. I drove to Augusta a month ago, in that crazy monsoon. Out of all the Dylan shows I’ve seen, it was one of the best. The band is killer right now.” Patti Smith: “That was transcendent. I felt like I was floating off the floor.” Circulatory System: “Outdoors, on the patio at Farm [255], that’s now the Korean barbecue, around ’09 or ’10. Man, that was fabulous.” Kelly Hogan: “At the High Hat blues club that Tony Eubanks used to co-own. So strong. She played ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ and just nailed it.” Vic Chesnutt: “The very last Vic Chesnutt show in Athens, with Godspeed You! Black Emperor folks and Guy [Picciotto] from Fugazi playing with him.” The Replacements: “There was a Replacements cover night a few weeks ago. You could tell everybody just rehearsed the songs that afternoon. Bryan Howard and The HEAP did a set with horns. I love the Replacements in a way that goes beyond music you like. It’s more of a kinship or a familial tie.”
REAL ESTATE
$124,054 IN DONATIONS SINCE OCTOBER 18, 2017
We donate 10% of every commission to Athens-area non-profits. Give Back Real Estate agents are: Danielle Almond Levi Brooks Colby Gunby Jon Head September Hoeler Chris Holliday Jared Marsden Tim Meek Alex Pannell Alberto Rodriguez Jose Rodriguez Fred Sewell Reign Streiter Kalif Sydnor Michelle Watson
706-248-5370 706-424-0333 770-330-1868 706-340-5159 706-424-1052 706-248-1823 706-340-3867 404-606-6479 706-338-2080 706-201-2107 706-621-9478 706-461-8712 706-372-4166 678-551-0476 706-614-6947
The 19 area non-profits we support are: Acceptance Recovery Center · Athens Nurses Clinic Athens Tutorial Program · AthFest Educates Boys and Girls Club of Athens · Chess and Community ESP (Extra Special People) · Habitat for Humanity Jeanette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund Local Area Food Bank · Local Area Homeless Shelter Local Area Humane Society · Meals on Wheels · Nuçi’s Space Project Safe · Strong Girls · The Cottage The Tyanna Foundation for Mammogram Imaging · U-Lead
When you use a Give Back REALTOR®, you choose which non-profit receives 10% of the Give Back agents commission.
Dream big… Change your world.
GiveBackRealEstate.com
706-612-1100
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
7
8
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
feature
“I want to make sure I understand your most recent message,” Evans wrote back. “Are you saying that 37 business days/51 calendar days wouldn’t provide enough time to plan & coordinate staffing & logistics for 1 day of early voting at CSHS?” Her response in a follow-up email: “I just do not see it.” “When Jesse first called me about us going to Cedar, I said, ‘Oh, that’s such a great idea, you could even push it to By Ed Morales news@flagpole.com the point where you could have later hours—it’s going to be different than all the other polling locations,’” Sosebee said thens-Clarke County offered fewer opportunities to that we need to work on,” she said during an interview last in a phone interview. “After I got off the phone with Jesse, vote early and fewer Election Day polling places last month. “My goal is to have us ready for 2019 so that 2020 I got excited, and I’m telling the staff and everything, and fall than in 2016, despite an uptick in registered voters will be smooth. That’s my plan.” [Elections Assistant Cora Wright] said, ‘Wait a minute, I and turnout that wound up nearly matching the last presBut there were some moves made—and not made—that don’t think we’re going to have enough equipment. I don’t idential election, and the local election supervisor argued might have smoothed certain bumps along the 2018 road. think we’re going to have enough laptops, because we have against a request to open another early voting location, The numbers show that more early voting opportunities to use laptops when we’re going to early voting.’ And then I according to documents Flagpole obtained through an open could have made a difference. Plans for advance voting at called Wanda [Raley]—she handles our poll workers—and records request. Cedar Shoals High School were painted as a last-minute she said, ‘Charlotte, we don’t even have enough poll workA numerical dissection of the 2018 election in Athensidea by both Sosebee and some members of the ACC Board ers lined up for the other places that we have already conClarke County—which featured unusually long lines and of Elections, but recently obtained documents tell a differsented to.’ I told Jesse that sounds like a good idea—and it problems counting absentee ballots—reveals a handful of ent story. was a good idea—but I told him the board has to make that telling observations: The same day—Aug. 21—that BOE member Jesse decision.” Evans called Sosebee to inquire about early voting at CSHS, During an executive session at the Sept. 4 meeting— • There were 10,186 more ACC registered voters in the 2018 Sosebee sent an email to BOE Chairman Charles Knapper which the ACC attorney’s office would later say was in midterms than the 2016 general election. Of the 70,597 giving him a heads-up that Evans would contact him and violation of the Georgia Open Meetings act—the board registered voters, 43,450 voted discussed matters involving early (61.6 percent) in 2018, which was voting at Cedar Shoals. In decidonly 2,238 fewer voters than two ing against the early voting site, years before. Knapper said the location was brought up at the “last minute,” a • Yet despite the increase of regissentiment echoed by fellow board tered voters compared to 2016, in member Alison McCullick. 2018 there were 78 fewer planned There is no set time period hours of advance voting (296 before an election to declare to 218), 59 fewer poll workers advance voting sites. State law (216 to 157) and 10 fewer touchsays counties “shall provide reascreen units on Election Day (169 sonable notice to the electors of to 159). their jurisdiction of the availability of advance voting as well as • Filling out a provisional ballot the times, dates, and locations was largely a waste of time. Of the at which advance voting will be 216 ballots filled out, 41 of them conducted.” And while attempting were counted (18 percent). In to set up an advance voting site in precinct 4B, which had the most two months might prove a diffiprovisional ballots requested cult task, it’s been done before in (32), only two were counted. In Athens. During the 2016 election, 7B, which had the third-most the decision to make UGA’s Tate provisional ballots requested (23), Student Center an early voting site not a single one was allowed. The was approved by the BOE on Sept. main reason for a provisional bal7, less than two months before the lot request? Voting at the wrong general election. Both Knapper and Local voters reported wait times of up to two hours to vote early and at some polling places on Election Day. precinct (160). McCullick were on the board at the time. • Of the 3,609 absentee ballots requested, 3,047 were detailing all the reasons early voting at CSHS shouldn’t hapEven if Cedar Shoals had been approved for one day of returned and counted. It should be noted that 290 ballots pen. While she did note that delaying the hours there would voting, the opportunity to vote at City Hall was dramatinitially mailed contained an error, listing a candidate in give commuters a chance to vote that they didn’t normally ically reduced in 2018 from 2016—a total of 97 hours in the state Senate District 47 race as a third-party candihave, she cited staff shortages, lack of laptops, IT issues and 2016 versus 18 in 2018. In response to the heavy turnout date, when he was actually a certified write-in candidate a short time frame as reasons not to move forward. “Really on Election Day, Sosebee told Flagpole, “I think people could and should not have been on the ballot. and truly, with consideration of the things I mentioned, we have voted earlier.” are too far into the preplanning of the process to make any In 2016, there were more opportunities to do so. • Nearly as many people voted early (20,014) as on Election changes,” she wrote in the email to Knapper. As for Election Day, Sosebee was caught by surprise— Day (20,367). In 2016, 4,000 more people voted early Sosebee continued that “it should also meet the approval and she said many of her counterparts across the state than on Election Day—but more on that later. of the board for us to include an additional site and your were, as well—by the large turnout. During the 2014 midnext meeting is 9/4, which would be too late to even conterms, 46 percent of 56,000 voters turned out in ACC, but • Four precincts were combined with other precincts’ sider the possibilities.” even if the percentage remained the same in 2018, there polling places, one of which had nearly 74 percent of its Meanwhile, Evans, unaware of those machinations, still would have been thousands more voters at the polls, registered voters cast a ballot. The largest non-combined received approval from Cedar Shoals principal Derrick because an additional 14,000 people had registered. precinct, 2B in East Athens, had the lowest turnout with Maxwell to host early voting there, and prepared a schedule Sosebee acknowledged that she underestimated the 47.5 percent of its 4,788 voters, while the two smallest to account for time to get the machines in and set up the turnout, but said she based her planning on past history precincts—6D on the Westside (1,586 registered voters) IT for one day of voting. Sosebee told Evans the BOE had and phone calls requesting paper ballots. and 5C in Normaltown (1,963)—recorded turnouts of 72 to decide if CSHS was a go at its Sept. 4 meeting, but in the “If we go back in history, the turnouts for midterm percent and 75.2 percent, respectively. email added that “it may be too late in the game to make elections are not normally that high,” she said. “We were additions; plans for other sites are already in motion and also getting so many phone calls and so many complaints. What does this all add up to? It was the first big election information updated already with our ballot builder.” People were watching what was going on, and they were in Athens for Director of Elections and Voter Registration Evans called the Georgia Secretary of State’s office to not for the touch-screen unit. I told poll workers in our Charlotte Sosebee, who came to work here from Hall determine if there was enough time to get advance voting training classes, because of the number of paper ballots County after the November 2016 election. While Hall in place if OK’d at the meeting, and was told “that as long requests that we were getting, No. 1, and No. 2, the people County does have 45,000 more voters, the two counties’ as we enter the location into [the computer system] by the being so expressive about the use of the touch screens, I demographics are much different, with more black voters in first day of early voting (10/15/18) then we will have met just don’t feel like we’re going to have a lot of people voting Clarke and more Hispanic and white voters in Hall. Sosebee the only relevant deadline.” Sosebee said that was indeed in person.” admitted she’s still getting a read on ACC’s electoral true, but reiterated, “I am not sure how effective we will be But there were, and despite the issues on Election Day, tendencies. with our scheduling as far as staffing the locations and the Sosebee said, it’s a good problem to have. “People are vot“I’m learning my new area, and there are some things delivery team’s schedule.” ing,” Sosebee said, “and that’s a great thing.” f
news
Polling Problems
ELECTION OFFICIALS WERE UNPREPARED FOR HIGH TURNOUT, DOCUMENTS SHOW
A
SAVANNAH COLE
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
9
music
feature
music
feature
Tuff Stuff
Culture Shock
THREE THINGS THAT INFLUENCED KING TUFF’S SURPRISING NEW LP
AUCTION PROJECT BLENDS JAZZ, CELTIC AND AFRO-CUBAN SOUNDS
By Gabe Vodicka music@flagpole.com
By David R. Adler music@flagpole.com
OLIVIA BEE
Building a Home Studio “I knew from the start that I wanted to go back to recording myself for this record,” says Thomas, who self-produced The Other—his first time behind the boards since his debut, Was Dead. “I wanted to do it the way I used to when I was younger, playing most of the instruments and experimenting in my own little late-night world—only with better tools and knowledge picked up along the way.” The Other is a studio album—more so than any other King Tuff LP to date. But it doesn’t feel cloistered. Sonically, it marries the warmth and sparkle of ’70s-era glam with the digital wooziness of modern psych. “It took about a year to buy everything I needed and get it all set up, but once I did, I knew instantly it was right,” says Thomas. “I felt so inspired by all this gear that I had no idea how to use. I would spend hours just turning knobs and playing with sounds, and I’d emerge wild-haired, and a whole day would have passed without my knowing! “I find any new tool or instrument to be the most inspiring thing,” he adds. “Each instrument holds its own songs, and you have to play around with them to get the songs out. So, really, it was a time of discovery making this album, which is also a theme in the lyrics. I feel like I’ve still only scratched the surface of what my studio is capable of, and that’s a very exciting thing.”
Record Collecting Thomas, whose all-encompassing grasp of rock and roll was evident on his previous records, set out to expand his horizons while making The Other.
10
“My ears had gotten pretty sick of electric guitars at that point, and I was constantly seeking out new sounds in my daily listening,” he says. “I was listening to more jazz, funk, soul, ethnic and experimental music. “I’m very much a collector nerd, and records are like drugs to me,” he continues. “It’s a total addiction. I just love music, and there’s so much out there to be discovered—it’s endless, really.” King Tuff’s new album flirts with proto-disco (“Psycho Star”), cosmic twang (“No Man’s Land”) and sunkissed electropop (“Raindrop Blue”), with each element providing a glimpse into Thomas’ musical Rolodex. “It’s kind of like having a stack of old National Geographics to cut up and make a collage out of,” Thomas says of his ever-growing collection. “I just love seeing all my records when I walk in the door, knowing there’s so much possibility that lies within. It’s like a library of alien information stored on shiny black UFOs. I’m broke because of it, but it’s so worth it.”
Walking When he got stuck during the making of his latest album, Thomas says, he put down his instruments and headed out the door. “I’ve always found inspiration from taking long walks,” he says. “Something about the rhythm of walking gives me all kinds of ideas. Ideally, I’d love to have some sort of studio that I could control with my brain while walking, but i’m not sure how that would work.” The Other moves at the head-clearing pace of a thousand mid-afternoon strolls. “It’s just important to take a step back while you’re working on something and get perspective, and sitting in the studio all day is definitely not good for ye ol’ beach bod,” jokes Thomas. “I have this walk I like to do that I call the Megaloop. If I’m stuck on something, I just go do the Megaloop, and the problem is usually solved when I get back.” Ever the sage, Thomas stresses the importance of cardiovascular fitness vis-àvis the creative process. “I’m actually developing a new genre alternative to rock ’n’ roll called walk ’n’ stroll, so keep your ears open for that in the future.” f
WHO: King Tuff, Stonefield, Eureka California WHERE: Georgia Theatre WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. HOW MUCH: $12 (adv.), $15 (door)
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
A
week prior to a gig at New York’s illustrious Birdland, alto saxophonist David Bixler and his group Auction Project will appear in Athens Jan. 12, before heading to Savannah the next night. Known for their adventurous hybrid of jazz, Celtic and Afro-Cuban music, the quintet features Bixler alongside acclaimed pianist and four-time Grammy winner Arturo O’Farrill. O’Farrill is one of today’s leading bandleader-composers—a champion of musical hybridity and open cultural exchange. Auction Project is “neither trendy nor conservative, neither fringe nor centrist,” says O’Farrill. “It’s unique and handcrafted, unlike any other project I’m involved with, and a privilege to be a part of. It’s a specialized group of people that can handle any musical demand that David’s crazy, brilliant mind is capable of putting in front of us.” These appearances also mark a return to form for Bixler after he was partially sidelined by a family crisis. He and his wife, Auction Project violinist Heather Martin Bixler, spent several years laser-focused on the struggles of their son—the youngest of four children—who suffered a traumatic brain injury in infancy and began showing delayed complications at age 7. “A lot of things needed to happen for us as a family—things that were vastly more important [than music],” Bixler says. After a difficult period involving two surgeries, their son is stable and improving, attending high school at age 15. And Bixler is undergoing a renewed creative burst— not just with Auction Project, but also a brilliant new quartet; The Bixtet, a ninepiece with strings inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes; and a podcast of musician-to-musician interviews, “Liner Notes.” There are certain natural affinities, Bixler explains, that allow Auction Project’s music to jell. “Like jazz, Irish music is an oral tradition, and that’s how it’s passed on,” he says. “It’s really about ownership of the tune, about how you’re going to ornament the tune. The people who are masters have found many different ways to approach the material. A lot of it is in 6/8, as well, so that makes it a cool hookup with some of the Latin grooves.” Bassist Carlo De Rosa and drummer Vince Cherico, virtuosos with wide stylistic command, tie together the group’s disparate elements with rocksteady authority. It was his wife’s growing immersion in Celtic music, and hearing it daily at home, that led Bixler to explore further and bring Auction Project into being. “Heather is a Juilliard-trained concert violinist who fell in love with Irish fiddling
and became a master at it,” says O’Farrill, noting his own Irish ancestry via his late father, the legendary Afro-Cuban jazz pioneer Chico O’Farrill. “It resonated with me, because my father and his people far back are from the county of Longford. There’s a lot of Irish in the O’Farrills still.” For Bixler, who years ago had his own transformative experience playing in Chico’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, it seemed imperative to recruit Arturo for his group. A first official gig, for a public-school auction and benefit, gave the band its name; an eponymous debut for the Zoho label followed in 2010. Slink, a 2013 follow-up, featured two cameos by fusion guitar great Mike Stern, but ended up being the last Bixler effort before the hiatus. At Hendershot’s, the newly revived band will JON MACAPODI
W
ith his first three albums as King Tuff, songwriter Kyle Thomas established himself as a modern master of riffy, debauched garage-pop. On The Other, his surprising new record, Thomas ditches the rock-excess posturing, opting instead for a widescreen approach that reflects deep-cut influences from the past half-century. Flagpole caught up with Thomas to find out what inspired him to shake things up. Here are three specific experiences that His Tuffness says played a role in his musical leap.
draw on these two releases, but also kick around new music for a third album still in the planning. In the way they inhabit spaces between genres, Auction Project seems to further the legacy of Chico O’Farrill himself, whose artistry Arturo discusses with Bixler in an episode of “Liner Notes” from September 2018. Chico, the son muses, “was a knucklehead, because he would insist on writing 12-tone-row mambos.” He melded European musical conventions with Afrofolkloric forms and cutting-edge American jazz. “Ethnically, geographically, artistically, culturally and aesthetically, he sat at the midst of many worlds,” O’Farrill concludes, adding, “One of the most heroic things you can do in life is not define yourself on a point… this nationality, that music, this instrument, that style.” One could argue there’s a lot of Athens in that worldview—something for local folks to show up for and welcome with open arms. f
WHO: David Bixler Auction Project WHERE: Hendershot’s Coffee Bar WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m. HOW MUCH: $10
music
threats & promises
2019 in Review PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com Welcome to 2019, y’all. For the sake of efficiency, I went ahead and got the whole year’s news together in advance. It’s just easier this way. So, take a look below, and remember it all before you get too busy to forget.
it is. Lemme check.” Before anyone finished checking, it was decided that a round of howdys was in order, then everyone celebrated imagining students being out of town, and that’s really how everything went.
JANUARY: After struggling for weeks to schedule shows for New Year’s Eve—before realizing that the celebrated holiday fell on a Monday—Athens bands found themselves competing for bookings with those songs-in-the-round things, open mic shows and whatever else clubs traditionally do to get a Monday crowd. One agent told me, “Look, it’s still Monday, and as far as I can see, ain’t nothin’ goin’ on but the rent!”
JUNE–AUGUST: A blur, a whirlwind, a three-month tour of never-ending heat and semi-mayhem… all these things are exactly what summer 2019 was not. It was hot, wet and more crowded than usual, and every band you thought was going to play AthFest actually did—but not on the night you went out. Athens Popfest waited until the very last minute to announce reunion shows from R.E.M., The Smiths, The Beatles, Herman’s Hermits and Vanilla Fudge. While several of these shows sold out quickly, attracting fans from around the world, most of the Athens scene was found later at Nowhere Bar, where they remarked, “Wait, that was tonight?”
FEBRUARY: Both fans and friends of fans were edified by popular local restaurants offering a “songs for your supper” special for Valentine’s Day. The way this worked was patrons showed up for dinner, then were serenaded by whatever musician happened to be waiting on them.* No actual food was harmed during these shenanigans, as it very clearly says the supper is songs. (*No substitutions.) MARCH: The number of small, sort-of-boutique, regional festivals purporting to be a nice place to stop “on the way to SXSW” reached a breaking point. Unbeknownst to the
SEPTEMBER: Although fall session at UGA had begun a few weeks earlier, we were all really proud of our friends who decided to go back to school this term. It’s hard enough going to college in the first place, and even more difficult once you’re past 30. That said, we still kinda resent them for not coming to our shows anymore, and for how they’ve really fallen off.
SAVANNAH COLE
OCTOBER: After declaring himself King of Halloween a decade ago, Wild Rumpus founder Timi Conley successfully petitioned the ACC government to just let him go for it and take the whole month. While the actual parade only happened on one night, the boon to the costume-shop economy was noted and appreciated, while local “makers” talked a whole lot online about how Halloween has totally sold out and the devil never meant for it to get so corporate.
King of Halloween
music industry at large, it’s actually really frickin’ impossible for groups of four and five to take two whole weeks off of work to go travel around for “exposure.” That said, the sandwiches were cool, and we really appreciate the floor space. Here’s to making I-20 the corridor to the stars. APRIL: Seeking to redress a grievance for which none of them could discern an actual point of origin, a small gaggle of train hoppers, crusty punks, wooks and full-on oogles wrote a bunch of signs on cardboard and stood in front of the downtown Starbucks. Loosely organized behind the theme of “April Showers is a microaggressive signifier of limpio-normativity!” or some such crap, most were cool with a couple of bucks for their folk-punk band, and if you dared, you could pet their dog. MAY: Toward the end of this month, multiple shows were woefully under-attended, so everyone working them was forced to talk among themselves. “Whoa, is it finals week?” most asked. “I dunno, maybe?” came the reply. “Pretty sure
NOVEMBER: In the weeks leading up to the Athens music scene’s day of reflection, gluttony and—for more than a comfortable few—football, things started slowing down. During what is known colloquially as “sad acoustic time,” several new EPs were released documenting breakups, evictions, a questionable interest-rate environment and whatever else happened to be on our gentle artists’ mind during those hours when all their roommates insisted they be quiet. For the most part, they each received a solid B for effort. DECEMBER: After years of speculation and opinion gathering, it was unanimously decided that the Downtown Parade of Lights was by far the best live event of the year. To this end, the city dispensed with the requisite permits for floats, and every local band just jumped on in. While the Flagpole float remained the exclusive domain of the powers that be, out there on the street the 1,000-person strong Elephant 6 Orchestra marched through the street with all its grandchildren, everyone agreed that this year’s theme of “Holland, 1945” was pretty A-OK, and the potluck dinner held outside City Hall had too many green bean casseroles. Overall, though, 2019 was another spectacular year in the Classic City! f
A BOARD GAME CAFÉ
· Family Friendly · 700 Games · Signature Cocktails · Georgia Beers · Local Foods · Patio · Parking
January 8th, 7:30pm:
RPG Night
Peter Reitz teaches you a new RPG every month!
January 10th, 7pm:
Vinyl Night
Bring your own records and our staff will spin while you play
January 17th, 7pm:
Boarding School Every other Thursday the R&P staff teaches you a new, great game: $5 for a game pass OR buy a specialty coffee, cocktail or draft beer and the pass is free!
Every Tuesday, 6pm:
Happy Hour Trivia with James Majure
Every Wednesday Night:
Service Industry Night 294 W. Washington St. (Across from the 40 Watt)
www.therookandpawn.com
vintage
& handmade Coffee Shop Now Open!
The best place in Athens to shop for handmade goods as well as vintage and antiques, LP’s, vintage clothes, jewelry, etc.
hipvintagehandmade.com
215 Commerce Blvd. · Athens, Ga 706-215-9585 OPEN Wed - Sat · 10am - 6pm OPEN Sundays beginning January 6th!
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
11
grub notes
food & drink
Restaurant Roundup 2018 IN LOCAL FOOD NEWS By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com Compared to 2017, last year brought a whole bunch of delights and some extremely solid new additions to the Athens-area food scene. Downtown remained fairly quiet, but if you were willing and able to drive, you could find a lot on the outskirts of or actually outside Athens.
Bajan Delight, on Vine Street, opened at the end of the year, but is well worth your time to investigate, especially for its unctuous, deeply flavorful oxtail, served with rice and peas, plantains and steamed cabbage. Not in Athens but worth a trip are Off the Vine Produce, in Winterville, with biscuits, sandwiches and home-churned
The Epps Bridge area added chains Poké Bar and Nothing Bundt Cakes, but was otherwise fairly quiet—something you can likely expect to change whenever the next
SAVANNAH COLE
Perhaps the best addition to our town last year was Buvez, a light-filled dawn-to-dusk European-style café on Barber Street that manages to have something for pretty much everyone: families with kids, folks on a date night, people who need a co-working space, retirees with time to nurse a coffee, people who just want a delicious pre-made sandwich to go. The menu continues to be small, with a few sandwiches, pastries and snacks, plus coffee, beer, wine, wine-based aperitifs and snoballs, which means it’s good top to bottom. Manila Express, the adorable Filipino food truck that says it’s adding a delivery option in 2019, even started doing Wednesday pop-ups in the parking lot that make use of the shaved ice machine.
dining area is one of the loveliest spots in town.
chain Winghouse Grill in the latter’s building, as well as a location of Jacob’s Pizza, a whole-grain-focused pizzeria out of Colbert. Pub on Main took over what had been Pour on the main drag and quickly attracted a large following with its lawn games, family-friendly atmosphere and drinks list, including frosé. Suncatcher Cafe, which does biscuits and other quick breakfast, added a Sunday lunch option. Also in the OC, in the swanky new shopping center that also houses the second branch of Mama’s Boy, are Treehouse Market (a fancy convenience store that also makes sandwiches to order) and The Falls (an upscale place with great views and prices to match).
More ambitious and an impressive newThe Expat comer is The Expat, in Five Points, with a refined French-influenced menu—the charcuterie and cheese are especially worth your time—and a long, thoughtful list of cocktails. It’s a restaurant and a bar for grown-ups without being stodgy, focused on real experiences rather than on fostering FOMO. La Michoacana Antojitos Mexicanos (aka La Michoacana Ice Cream Parlor), on the other hand, has one of the strongest Instagram games in town. The incredibly cute, candy-colored paleteria on Jefferson Road does every kind of popsicle you can think of and then some. Across the street is Taqueria Juaritos, inside the Petro Express, doing excellent Mexican food, including hearty, vegetable-forward soups. Peter Dale’s Maepole, on Chase Street, already feels like it’s been part of this town for years, so quickly did it become a routine for a lot of folks. Want to grab something quick without sacrificing your New Year’s resolutions for health and wellness? Dale has you covered, with food that doesn’t rely on high-fructose corn syrup or excessive salt and is sustainably sourced. The outdoor
12
ice cream on weekends, and Cafe Racer Coffee and Donuts, in Crawford, doing serious coffee and good doughnuts out of the itty-bittiest space in a field. Also outside of town but opened prior to 2018 are Pinky’s Indian Cuisine (in a gas station in Commerce) and Doughnut World (in a gas station in Winder), both of which confirm the opinion that petrol-adjacent eats can be some of the best around. Magnolia Cafe opened in Crawford in the fall, serving breakfast and lunch Sunday through Tuesday. G Brand BBQ also began serving in Crawford, doing brisket and pork, plus super-good green beans in a big, airy space right by the water tower and giving Crawford three new restaurants in the space of a year (!). Winterville also added Peach Pit Cafe (barbecue) and a retail location for Piedmont Provisions, selling jam, chutney, syrups, shrubs, vinegar, hot sauce and more in a variety of unusual flavors next to the Golden Pantry at the town’s five-point intersection. Watkinsville lost Chick-n-Fix and JB’s Smokin’ Pig, but added a branch of local
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
phase of development begins. On the other hand, The Mark development on Oconee Street stepped into that void, opening a Crazy Dough’s Artisan Slice Bar and a Frutta Bowls, with Purpose Snackery and I Heart Mac and Cheese yet to come. Over on the Eastside, Taste of India completed its move from downtown after its building was sold, moving into the Ansonborough development toward the end of the year and eliminating its buffet but maintaining lunch specials. The Menchie’s and Firehouse Subs by the Eastside Publix both closed. Downtown added a Chick-fil-A and a Wings Over, as well as Koa Surf Bar and Restaurant (poké and such), Franklin House Cafe (coffee, cute toasts, sandwiches), Alumni Cookie Dough (formerly known as Dawg Dough, doing scoops of food-safe raw cookie dough on Thomas Street), Lindsey’s Culinary Market (which moved from Prince and expanded to eat-in operations, even adding a liquor license) and Starland Pizzeria and Pub (which took over Transmetropolitan
and vastly simplified it to good effect). Burgerim, a franchise, is yet to open on Broad. Taqueria Mundos moved into the former Huddle House on North Avenue, with a wide-ranging menu and an amazing Sunday buffet that, sadly, is no more. It’s still worth a trip. Chain WNB Factory opened in the former/original Blind Pig on Williams Street. Five Points added a second location of Atlanta Highway’s Sakura (sushi and hibachi), and its Waffle House shuttered, to many tears. (It’ll be occupied by another location of Watkinsville’s Fully Loaded Pizza Kitchen this year.) Baxter Street’s Hungry Howie’s closed, but the area added Four Fat Cows, a premium ice creamery, and should add D92 Korean BBQ and Paws Up, a cat café in the former Off Campus Bookstore, in the upcoming months. Milledge Avenue added Cakewalk (a retail store with cakes from several suppliers) in the middle of Greek Row and Athens Pizza in the former Koyla near the bypass. In Normaltown, HalfShepherd Market and Cheese Shop (with sandwiches, as well as cheese and snacks) opened recently. The Prince Avenue location of Siri Thai closed unexpectedly and was replaced by Blia’s Thai Kitchen. Hawthorne’s JR Crickets (wings, ribs, shrimp and more) seems to be doing quite well. Caborita Cantina and Grill opened on Mitchell Bridge Road, and Hokulia Shave Ice moved three cheerful trailers around to different locations during the warmer months. Rashe’s Cuisine hasn’t opened a brick-and-mortar location yet, but is still doing catering, and owner Rashe Malcolm is running a Community Market at the Jittery Joe’s Roaster on Barber Street every Saturday through Mar. 9 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., with vendors and food trucks, benefiting her upcoming Culinary Kitchen of Athens. Both Sonny’s BBQ and then its successor Malinda’s Country Kitchen, on Atlanta Highway, closed, as did The Fish Shack on Broad at Hancock. In addition to the places noted above as yet to open, you should be able to expect El Barrio Tacos and Tequila (in Five Points), Normaltown Brewing Co. (Tracy Street warehouses), Lumberjaxe (the axe-throwing bar, which has not changed its name after all), Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’s Cool World (still in progress, I am promised, in Ansonborough), a branch of Tuscaloosa, AL’s Chuck’s Fish in the Greyhound station downtown, the return of Square One Fish Co. and perhaps the third location of Cali N Tito’s, on Jefferson Road. f
arts & culture
art notes
Art Roundup FOUR EXHIBITIONS TO CATCH BEFORE THEY CLOSE, AND OTHER NEWS By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART: In his first solo museum exhibition, “Even if I Lose Everything,” Texas-based artist Ted Kincaid presents a collection of abstracted skyscapes that vibrate with fuzzy geometric forms and sublime color palettes. Investigating photography’s balance between reality and artistic truth, he digitally deconstructs and radically reassembles elements from paintings of historical artists and his own photographs of skies. The pixel-based results deceptively blend the appearances of both media and offer reinterpreted skies that weave influences of Romanticism and fantasy. Kincaid will discuss his work in a talk titled “Stranger Than Nonfiction” on Friday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m., and the exhibition will remain on view through Sunday, Jan. 13.
design at UGA, Athenian René Shoemaker and Iowa resident Judy Bales collaborated on “Call & Response,” an exhibition of dyed silks, fiber works and wearable art. While Shoemaker depicts travel scenes onto
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER: Make sure to visit the Lyndon House before three of its current four exhibitions close on Saturday, Jan. 12. One of the most special exhibitions of the past year, “St. EOM of Pasaquan” explores the life and legacy of self-taught artist Eddie Owens Martin, who created the mag- Carol John nificent, internationally recognized art environment Pasaquan in his hometown delicate, hand-painted silks, Bales utilizes of Buena Vista. Following a two-year presimprobable combinations of industrial and ervation effort supported by the Kohler natural materials in avant-garde fashion. Foundation, the 7-acre site—full of painted Another creative collaboration, totems, masonry fence, decorative walkways “Perennial Pattern,” is a series of 22 screenand a handful of unusual buildings—was printed mono prints that showcase the gifted to Columbus State University. “St. playful practice of Simon Hunt and Sara EOM of Pasaquan” embodies the mystique Parker. While a concept is agreed upon in of the site through paintings, drawings, advance, the duo uses improvisation to sculptures, garments, accessories and video. build unexpected layers of textures, colors Inspired by a long-term friendship that and patterns. Hunt and Parker will offer an began while pursuing degrees in fabric artists’ talk on Jan. 12 at 2 p.m.
STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART: Well worth the 30-mile or so drive outside of Athens, “The Great Folk Art Parade: Down the Lane to STMA” includes dozens of notable past and contemporary folk artists. Popular figures such as Howard Finster of Paradise Garden, St. EOM of Pasaquan and Clyde Jones of Bynum, NC, roadside wonder fame are all represented, as are several locals, such as Harold Rittenberry, Tex Crawford and Kip Ramey. Curator Peter Loose will give a talk discussing the history of folk art and anecdotes about the participating artists during a closing reception on Jan. 12 from 3–5 p.m.
experimental approach to painting. A tribute to Fahey will be held on Jan. 12 from 5–9 p.m. with performances by Jeremy Kiran Fernandes, Michael Gerard Levasseur, Michael Potter, Tif Sigfrids, Tom Watson and Jacob Sunderlin. Also closing on Jan. 12, an exhibition of paintings by Alicia Gibson and Carol John at Howard’s is full of energy, improvisation and pop art sensibilities. Brooklyn-based artist Alicia Gibson collages cultural references, text and doodles into lowbrow works that occasionally recall high-school composition notebooks. The paintings of Athens-based artist Carol John pulsate with patterns, interlocking forms and familiar quips like “oh” and “huh.” MINA KIM: Local creative powerhouse Mina Kim, 37, of Watkinsville, died on Christmas Day, leaving behind many family members and friends who will deeply miss her. As a performer, Kim is perhaps best recognized as Monkey Monk from the theatrical, kid-friendly pop group Like Totally!, but she was also a singer and multi-instrumentalist who played with several bands over the years. As an artist, she was a talented painter and illustrator whose work contributed to the visual landscape of Athens, appearing on the walls of Flicker, Ciné, Craft Public House and The Grit, among others.
TIF SIGFRIDS & HOWARD’S: Housed within a shared space downtown, galleries Tif Sigfrids and Howard’s are offering another set of engaging concurrent exhibitions, as well as co-hosting Michael Stipe’s audiovisual piece “Jeremy Dance.” Organized by John Andrew, Tif Sigfrids is presenting “Critter Konzepts,” a collection of colorful abstract expressionist paintings by the late John Fahey. Primarily recognized as a self-taught American primitive guitarist and composer, Fahey applied a similar
PIXEL & INK: For nearly four years, Pixel & Ink Studio has provided valuable services to the creative community, making changes along the way to best accommodate client needs as well as the local business climate. Last fall, co-owners Carolyn Crist and Laulea Taylor made the difficult decision to close the upstairs Trio Contemporary Art Gallery, and they announced this past week that Pixel & Ink will also permanently shut its doors at the end of the month. The studio’s building at 766 W. Broad Street— which they beautifully renovated following the tenure of DIY music venue Secret Squirrel—has been sold to neighboring business Saucehouse BBQ, which plans to expand its operations in February. f
Happy New Year!
Empanadas • Argentine Cheesesteak Gaby’s Atomic Cupcakes ng rati b e l Ce ears ! 11 Y
Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten-Free Options
Dog Spa
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER!
Open Tuesday-Sunday
247 PRINCE AVENUE
Custom Tattooing and Professional Piercing
Resolve to Keep Your Pets Healthy & Lookin’ Good in 2019 Safety-Certified Salon
Voted Athens’ Favorite Groomer
We Groom Dogs & Cats!
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy · 706-353-1065
Now offering Microblading and Permanent Cosmetics, stop by for a free consult Walk Ins Welcome
@3ravenstattoo facebook.com/3ravenstattoo
706-850-3330 159 W. Clayton St.
across from the Georgia Theatre
706-850-8284
Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction
Workshop in Athens, GA Change your relationship to stress, fear, anxiety... Learn More
Amber Hilton • Normaltown JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
13
THE EASY RIDE TO THE RINK accgov.com/transit
UGA
OPERA
THEATRE
2019
SPRING OPERA
Sunday, February 3rd | 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm Brunch & Concert | Athens Country Club
4TH FLOOR TO WALKWAY
ENJOY THE RIDE MyStop® App Accgov.com/Transit
ENTER MULTIMODAL CENTER
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
Limited Tickets Available. Reserve yours today.
4
TO CLASSIC CENTER & DOWNTOWN
Reserve Online at gail.uga.edu/operagala
Athens-Clarke County’s Multimodal Center is just an elevator ride away from the Classic Center, making Athens-Clarke County Transit the easy ride to the rink... and other downtown locations. Avoid the fuss and ride the bus!
Safe, Clean & Reliable. Youth under 18 ride free. Flagpole-quarter-page-ad.indd 1
Gala Ticket Cost: $75 (includes a three-course meal and glass of wine)
Registration deadline 1/30/19 a portion of the ticket price is a gift to the Opera Studies Support Fund
1/4/19 11:01 AM
Still need a flu vaccine? Get the nasal spray flu vaccine and be part of important UGA research! Are you planning on getting the flu vaccine this season? Researchers at the University of Georgia are conducting a study on how the body’s immune system responds to the vaccine.
ROOMFUL OF TEETH This Grammy Award-winning contemporary vocal ensemble is dedicated to mining the expressive potential of the human voice while forging a new repertoire without borders.
WED JAN 16, 7:30 pm Hodgson Concert Hall
UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office Mon-Fri, 10 am-5pm | (706) 542-4400
pac.uga.edu
14
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
Participants should: - Be between the ages of 18-49 years old; - Have not yet received the current season flu vaccine; - Have not had the flu this season - Have no diagnoses of asthma, heart or lung disease, kidney or liver disease, diabetes or anemia - Have no autoimmune disease diagnoses or allergies to flu vaccine; - Have no recent treatment with immunosuppressive or steroid medications or have a weakened immune system; Eligible subjects will receive the nasal spray influenza vaccination and undergo three blood draws on different days. Subjects will receive the influenza vaccine for free and receive up to $90 for participating in the study. The study will be conducted at the Clinical and Translational Research Unit on the UGA Health Sciences Campus. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Ted Ross.
For more information, call 706-713-2721 or email ctru@uga.edu.
the calendar!
calendar picks
Lake Street Dive
ART | WED, JAN 9
MUSIC | FRI, JAN 11
ART | SAT, JAN 12
FILM | TUE, JAN 15
Heirloom Cafe · 5:30–6:30 p.m. · FREE! After retiring from the University of Georgia in 2004, media specialist and Watkinsville resident John Weber turned his attention to the arts. Over the years, he wrote for and edited trade and special interest magazines, with photography often finding its way into his work. Raised along the south shore of Long Island, and having lived between Florida and Georgia for close to six decades, it comes as no surprise that the Eastern seaboard’s bays and estuaries take center stage in his photographs. Images of rushing waves, smooth sand dunes and other marine-life vignettes emphasize texture, color and light. Weber’s work will remain on view at Heirloom through Mar. 4. [Jessica Smith]
Georgia Theatre · 8 p.m. · SOLD OUT Though its star rose thanks to a viral al fresco Jackson 5 cover, Boston band Lake Street Dive’s staying power has far eclipsed that of the typical YouTube sensation. The group has spent six studio albums exploring the intersection of pop, soul, folk and rock, flavoring the blend with splashes of disco, jazz, funk and Motown. Lake Street Dive’s latest, 2018’s Free Yourself Up, is its widest-ranging effort to date. The band, known for its energetic, engaging live show, headlines a sold-out gig at the Georgia Theatre Friday with support from New York singer-songwriter Mikaela Davis, a classically trained harpist whose work draws lovingly on the classic pop canon. [Gabe Vodicka]
ATHICA · 6–9 p.m. · Donations accepted. As a nonprofit and volunteer-run gallery, ATHICA greatly relies on memberships—which offer perks like space rental, pop-up shows and other gifts in return—to keep its programming running smoothly. The third annual Members’ Showcase not only rewards supporters by ensuring their artwork makes it to the walls of a professional gallery, but offers an interesting time capsule of the current arts scene for viewers. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional works in all media were considered for inclusion, as long as submissions were created within the past two years and have not been shown previously in town. The exhibition will remain on view through Feb. 10. [JS]
Ciné · 8 p.m. Three decades after its release, Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation stands as arguably the NYC noise-rock group’s greatest album. The searing yet melodic collection established the band as indie royalty and spawned a generation of imitators, none of which could quite capture its canny blend of anxiety and cool. To mark the record’s 30th anniversary, Athens expat Lance Bangs will swing through town with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley in tow to present an evening of related films, including two newly restored archival videos from 1989, plus excerpts from Bangs’ new concert film, which documents the group playing Daydream Nation in Glasgow in 2007. [GV]
John Weber
Tuesday 8 CLASSES: Modern Western Square Dance Lesson (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Learn this western dance with a modern twist. 2–4 p.m. $10. 317-855-0009 or 770315-9319 COMEDY: Decaf Comedy Open Mic (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) Hear comics from Athens and Atlanta. Newcomers are welcome. Email to perform. Second Tuesday of the
Lake Street Dive
month. 8:30 p.m. FREE! efj32330@ gmail.com, www.hendershotscoffee. com EVENTS: ACC Swearing In Ceremony (Athens City Hall) New local officials will get sworn in on the steps of City Hall. 5:30 p.m. GAMES: Trivia (Hi-Lo Lounge) General trivia hosted by Jacob and Wes. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-8561 GAMES: Full Contact Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) (2301 College Station Road) Every Tuesday. 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/blindpigtavern
GAMES: RPG Night (The Rook and Pawn) Come out and try a roleplaying game. 7:30 p.m. www. therookandpawn.com GAMES: Happy Hour Trivia (The Rook and Pawn) Hosted by James Majure. 6 p.m. FREE! www. therookandpawn.com GAMES: Locos Trivia (Locos Grill & Pub) Westside and Eastside locations of Locos Grill and Pub feature trivia night every Tuesday. 8 p.m. FREE! www.locosgrill.com KIDSTUFF: Toddler Tuesday (Georgia Museum of Art) Families
2018–19 Members’ Showcase 30 Years of Daydream Nation
and children 18 months–3 years can take a tour, listen to stories and participate in a hands-on activity. This month’s program is “Treasure Hunt,” inspired by the exhibit “The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II.” 10 a.m. FREE! callan@uga.edu, www.georgiamuseum.org KIDSTUFF: Tiny Tales on Tuesdays (Memorial Park) Storytime and a craft. Ages 18 months–6 years. 10:30 a.m. $3–4. www.accgov.com/leisure KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs,
movement, crafts, and fun for preschool aged children. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies Book Club (Bogart Library) Discuss Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart MEETINGS: Tips on Learning Morse Code (Institute for Disaster Management, 105 Bowstrom Rd.) Learn the basics of Morse Code presented by the Athens Radio Club. 6:30-8:30 p.m. FREE! www.athensradioclub.org
Wednesday 9 ART: Tour at Two (Georgia Museum of Art) Docents lead a tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! georgiamuseum.org ART: Opening Reception (Heirloom Cafe and Fresh Market) See photography by John Weber. See Calendar Pick on p. 15. 5:30–6:30 p.m. FREE! www.heirloomathens.com EVENTS: Rabbit Box (The Foundry) Storytelling for adults. This month’s k continued on next page
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
15
LIVE MUSIC BAR RESTAURANT
@ GRADUATE ATHENS
295 E. DOUGHERTY ST. // ATHENS GA 30601 706-389-5549 · THEFOUNDRYATHENS.COM TERRAPIN ALL LAUNCH OF OUR SPECIALS NIGHT NEW TERRAPIN TWO FOR TUESDAY WITH
THE POWERS & OZELLO
TUESDAY, JAN 8
THE CALENDAR! theme is “Metamorphosis.” 7 p.m. $10. rabbitboxstories@gmail.com GAMES: Trivia (Craft Public House) General trivia. Industry night. Cash house prizes. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www. craftathens.com GAMES: Cornhole Tournament (Saucehouse Barbeque) Gather a team and compete. 8 p.m. www. saucehouse.com GAMES: General Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Weekly trivia hosted by
Wednesday, Dec. 5 continued from p. 15
for RBDigital will offer instruction and answers to questions about the system. 2:30–4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/madison CLASSES: Computer Class: RBDigital (ACC Library) Learn how to use RBDigital. Registration required. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org CLASSES: Fix Your Own Bike (BikeAthens) (1075 W. Broad St) Learn how to repair your bike with
leadership skills with the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement. Ages 11–18. 4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/athens LECTURES & LIT: Inclusive Book Club (Madison County Library, Danielsville) The book of the month is Little Men by Louisa May Alcott. 1 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ madison THEATER: Gravity and Other Myths: A Simple Space (UGA Performing Arts Center) Seven acrobats from Australia’s circus ensemble push their physical abili-
Southern States. 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE! 706-352-2060 PERFORMANCE: Eric Dowler (Athens First Baptist Church) This musical narrative of The Book of Samuel features elements of jazz, barbershop quartet and art song. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-466-1547
Saturday 12 ART: Artists Talk (Lyndon House Arts Center) Sara Parker and Simon Hunt discuss their exhibition, “Perennial
2 FOR 1 ADMISSION WITH COLLEGE ID
RABBIT BOX STORYTELLING "METAMORPHOSIS"
WEDNESDAY, JAN 9
NIGHT OF BLUES WITH
THURSDAY, JAN 10
THE MG3 AND TERRAPLANE
KINCHAFOONEE COWBOYS FRIDAY, JAN 11
ABBEY ROAD LIVE! TWO SHOWS!
SATURDAY, JAN 12
ALL AGES FAMILY MATINEE @ 3:30PM, EVENING SHOW @ 9PM
COMING SOON:
JAN 13 – SEGAR JAZZ AFFAIR SMOOTH JAZZ CONCERT #51 WITH KOLLABORATION FEATURING KEYBOARDIST ANTWAUN LEWIS & SAXOPHONIST RON ADWATERS JAN 15 - TERRAPIN TWO FOR TUESDAY WITH 2ND DINNER & TBA. TERRAPIN SPECIALS ALL NIGHT! 2 FOR 1 ADMISSION WITH COLLEGE ID JAN 17 - ROCK THE ARK: BENEFIT CONCERT FEATURING SAM BURCHFIELD WITH PIP THE PANSY, OTIS REDDING III AND KARA WATERS JAN 18 – SIDE HUSTLE DANCE BAND – BENEFIT FOR ESP JAN 19 – REVEL IN ROMANCE
Residential • Office • Construction • Move In • Move Out
Make the New Year bright with a clean house!
Adilene Valencia 706-424-9810
aecleanathens@gmail.com
16
Artwork by Jason Matherly is currently on view in “Color & Comp” at the Gallery@Hotel Indigo through Saturday, Feb. 2. the one and only Count Zapula. 9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3144 GAMES: Nerd Trivia (Grindhouse Killer Burgers) Every Wednesday. Prizes and house cash. 8 p.m. FREE! www.grindhouseburgers.com GAMES: Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) (2440 W. Broad St.) Compete for prizes. 8 p.m. FREE! www.fullcontacttrivia.wordpress.com GAMES: Dirty South Trivia (Mellow Mushroom) Dirty South Trivia offers house cash prizes. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-613-0892 KIDSTUFF: Wonderful Wednesday Storytime (Bogart Ag Building) Ms. Donna presents stories, songs, rhymes and a simple craft. Ages 3.5–8. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: PRISM (Oconee County Library) PRISM is a safe space for all teens who share a common vision of equality. Grades 6–12. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee KIDSTUFF: Preschooler Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs and crafts for preschool-aged children and their caregivers. 10 & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs, movement, crafts, and fun for preschool aged children. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! 706-769-3950
Thursday 10 CLASSES: RBDigital Help (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Accounts manager
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
tools and advice from experts. 6–8:30 p.m. $10/hr. suggested donation. www.bikeathens.org CLASSES: RBDigital (Oconee County Library) Learn how to download library ebooks and audiobooks. Call to register. 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950, www.athenslibrary. org/oconee EVENTS: Vinyl Night (The Rook and Pawn) Bring in vinyl to spin while you play games. 8 p.m. www. therookandpawn.com EVENTS: Make It An Evening (Georgia Museum of Art) Enjoy Jittery Joe’s coffee, Cecilia Villaveces’ cakes and gallery tours prior to the performance in Hodgson Hall by acrobats from Gravity and Other Myths. 5:30–7:30 p.m. FREE! $5 (coffee & dessert). www.pac. uga.edu EVENTS: Line and Ballroom Dance Lessons (Boutier Winery & Inn) Ron Putham leads lessons. 6:30 p.m. (line dancing), 7:30 p.m. (ballroom) $10-15. www.boutierwinery.com GAMES: Music Trivia (Saucehouse Barbeque) Meet at the bar for a round of trivia. 8 p.m. FREE! www. facebook.com/saucehousebbq KIDSTUFF: It’s a Small World Playtime (Rocksprings Community Center) Interactive playtime will focus on global children’s games, international crafts, traditional dancing, and snack time. Ages 1-6. Registration is required. 10–11 a.m. $5 (residents), $7.50 (non-residents). www.accgov.com/leisure KIDSTUFF: Teen Social Justice Speech & Debate Club (ACC Library) Learn communication and
ties to the extreme in this acclaimed performance. Featuring a live percussive soundtrack. 7:30-8:30 p.m. $40. www.ugapresents.org
Friday 11 ART: Ted Kincaid (Georgia Museum of Art) The Texas-based artist will discuss his work in a talk, “Stranger than Non-Fiction.” See Art Notes on p. 13. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org CLASSES: Friends First Friday: How to Control Invasive Plants in our Area (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) (Gardenside Room) Lauren Muller will lead the conversation about invasive plants. Pre-registration is required. Fee includes breakfast. 9-10:30 a.m. $12. www.botgarden.uga.edu KIDSTUFF: Spanish Storytime (Oconee County Library) Listen and practice Spanish songs and stories. Participants do not need to speak Spanish. 4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee KIDSTUFF: Chess Action (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Beginner to advanced level. Meets on the second Friday of the month. 7–10 p.m. $15. wintervillechessclub@gmail.com KIDSTUFF: Anime Club (ACC Library) Watch the latest anime from Crunchyroll. 4 p.m. FREE! 706613-3650 LECTURES & LIT: Caroline Eubanks (Avid Bookshop) (Prince Ave.) Author Caroline Eubanks will sign copies of This is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the
Pattern.” See Art Notes on p. 13. 2 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3623 ART: Opening Reception (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) View the “2018-19 Members’ Showcase.” See Calendar Pick on p. 15. 6–9 p.m. www.athica. org ART: Closing Reception (Steffen Thomas Museum of Art) “The Great Folk Art Parade: Down the Lane to STMA” includes over 250 folk art pieces from over 100 artists. Curator Peter Loose will lead a final gallery tour. See Art Notes on p. 13. 3 p.m. FREE! www.steffenthomas.org EVENTS: Athens-Clarke & Oconee County Democrats Breakfast (ACC Democrats HQ, 1060 Gaines School Rd.) Join the area Democrats for breakfast and hear from guest speaker, Linda Lloyd. 9 a.m. $14. www.clarkedemocrats.com EVENTS: Really Really Free Market (Reese & Pope Park) Just like a yard sale, but everything is free. Bring what you can, take what you need. Free lunch prepared by Food Not Bombs. Second Saturday of every month. 12–2 p.m. FREE! reallyreallyfreemarketathens@gmail. com GAMES: D&D (Oconee County Library) Join in on a game of Dungeons & Dragons. Grades 6–12. 3–5 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee KIDSTUFF: Critter Tales (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Families are invited to listen to a story about nature. Staff will then bring it to life by visiting a critter or going outdoors for an activity. 2:30–3 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3615
Sunday 13 ART: Sunday Spotlight Tour (Georgia Museum of Art) Docents lead a tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 3 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org ART: Artist Reception (Oconee County Library) Meet artist Hye Kyung Han. 3 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee ART: Artist Reception (Madison County Library, Danielsville) “The Georgia Artists with DisAbilities” features works promoted by the organization, which aims to increase opportunities for showing and selling work. 2 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/madison EVENTS: Lariato Pro Wrestling Guild (Fun Galaxy) Join wrestling stars Tyson Dean, Micah Taylor, Nigel Sherrod and more for a family fun night of wrestling. 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5-15. www.fungalaxygeorgia. com GAMES: Rockin’ Roll Bingo (Starland Pizzeria and Pub) Play to win. 9 p.m. FREE! 706-613-8773 THEATER: 2nd Sundays New Play Reading (Winterville Auditorium) Circle Ensemble Theatre presents Tracks, a new play in development that was written by John Patrick Bray and is directed by Jake Hunsbusher. 3 p.m. FREE! circleensemble@ gmail.com
receive pointers for building literacy and language skills. 10:15 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart LECTURES & LIT: Pushing Preservation Forward (UGA Jackson St. Building) Sarah Marsom discusses the future of preservation, engaging the next generation, and ensuring lesser-known histories are remembered. 6-8 p.m. FREE! shpo@ uga.edu MEETINGS: The Federation of Neighborhoods (Ciné Barcafé) This month’s topic is “Your Local Government Services Face-to-Face.” 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.accneighborhoods.org
Tuesday 15 CLASSES: Computer Class (ACC Library) “Gmail Basics.” Registration
evening of films related to Sonic Youth’s album Daydream Nation. See Calendar Pick on p. 15. 8 p.m. www. athenscine.com GAMES: Trivia (Hi-Lo Lounge) See Tuesday listing for full description. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-8561 GAMES: Locos Trivia (Locos Grill & Pub) Westside and Eastside locations of Locos Grill and Pub feature trivia night every Tuesday. 8 p.m. FREE! www.locosgrill.com GAMES: Happy Hour Trivia (The Rook and Pawn) See Tuesday listing for full description. 6 p.m. FREE! www.therookandpawn.com GAMES: Full Contact Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) See Tuesday listing for full description. 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/blindpigtavern KIDSTUFF: Tiny Tales on Tuesdays (Memorial Park) See Tuesday listing for full description.
bucha making. Pre-registration is required. Fee includes supplies. 5–7 p.m. $33. www.farmviewmarket.com COMEDY: Educated Mess (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) See standups from Athens and Atlanta. 9 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotscoffee.com GAMES: Cornhole Tournament (Saucehouse Barbeque) Gather a team and compete. 8 p.m. www. saucehouse.com GAMES: Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) See Wednesday listing for full description. 8 p.m. FREE! www.fullcontacttrivia.wordpress.com GAMES: Trivia (Craft Public House) See Wednesday listing for full description. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www. craftathens.com GAMES: Nerd Trivia (Grindhouse Killer Burgers) Every Wednesday. Prizes and house cash. 8 p.m. FREE! www.grindhouseburgers.com
Group (ACC Library) This month’s title is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Newcomers welcome. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org PERFORMANCE: Roomful of Teeth (UGA Performing Arts Center) Grammy Award-winning contemporary vocal ensemble. 6-8 p.m. $25. www.ugapresents.org
LIVE MUSIC Tuesday 8 Big City Bread Cafe 6:30 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0029 KIRBY AIMICK Local guitarist and banjoist creating instrumental melodies derived from American and Celtic traditions.
NICHOLAS VON THROWER
KIDSTUFF: Family Day: Geometric Holiday (Georgia Museum of Art) Participants will learn about “The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II” and create their own gold-embroidered treasure. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org PERFORMANCE: The Kourtesans (40 Watt Club) The drag troupe presents “Sirens,” a celebation of femininity. Performances by Karmella Macchiato, Alex Suarez, Semaj Onyx-Coxring, Cola Fizz, Raven La’Wrath, Miss He and Lisa Couchlocher, along with several special guests. 8 p.m. $8–10. www.40watt.com PERFORMANCE: Intrusive Thots (Caledonia Lounge) Celebrate Video Tronic’s birthday with her very own funeral. Drag performances by Miss He, Rose A., Poodle, Meta, Angel Fazce, Mystery Meat, Thin Mint and Video Tronic. 9:30 p.m. $5. www. caledonialounge.com
Go Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-5609 SEADUST MERCURY DREAM Athens-based experimental duo of Javier Romero and Jeremy Kiran Fernandes. LEISURE SERVICE Michael Pierce plays a set of blown out, bass-heavy techno. SEVERE BLUSH Experimental electronic sounds from Athens’ Logan Shirah. OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS Playing ambient techno and other electronic sounds. Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 TRENT IN THE TREES “Psychedelic funk space reggae” collective from Atlanta. Porterhouse Grill 6:30 p.m. FREE! 706-369-0990 JAZZ NIGHT The longest standing weekly music gig in Athens! Enjoy an evening of original music, improv and standards.
Thursday 10 Caledonia Lounge 8:30 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18–20). www. caledonialounge.com FOUR EYES Guitarist and songwriter Erin Lovett plays “stripped-down love songs for séances.” PARADISE MONTAGE Experimental pop from sweet local friends. SOFT TEETH “A very nice and fun band” featuring members of Buddy System and Futo. 40 Watt Club 11 p.m. $5. www.40watt.com SILENT DISCO Dance the night away to three different channels of music. One of them is a request line! The Foundry 7:30 p.m. $5 (adv.), $7 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com THE MG3 Michael Guthrie, Greg Veale and Deane Quinter play psychedelic rock and blues classics. TERRAPLANE Local blues-rock band featuring Doug Peters, John Straw and Dean Johnson. Go Bar 11 p.m. FREE! 706-546-5609 KARAOKE Hosted by karaoke fanatic Dr. Fred and featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more. Every Thursday!
Monday 14 EVENTS: Trail Ambassadors (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Learn how to service Athens’ trails and greenways in this orientation. 4:30 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/leisure GAMES: Geeks Who Drink Trivia (Highwire Lounge) Test your general knowledge for geeky prizes. 8–10 p.m. FREE! www.highwirelounge. com GAMES: General Knowledge Trivia (Beef ’O’ Brady’s) Win house cash and prizes! Every Monday night. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-8501916 GAMES: Trivia (Craft Public House) General trivia. Industry night. Cash house prizes. 7 p.m. FREE! www. craftathens.com KIDSTUFF: Preschool Pals (Bogart Ag Building) Preschool-aged children will learn social and language skills through songs stories and crafts. Ages almost 3–almost 5. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Ag Building) Songs, finger plays, wiggles and giggles for ages three and under. Caregivers will
THE PIERRES Alt-rock group from Athens. GRUNFELDER Local garage-rock band.
Toward Space plays the Caledonia Lounge on Wednesday, Jan. 9. required. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/athens EVENTS: Tuesday Tour at Two (Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries) Take a guided tour of the exhibit galleries of the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies. Meet in the rotunda on the second floor. 2 p.m. FREE! jclevela@ uga.edu EVENTS: Athens Rock and Gem Club (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) Bring in a mineral specimen for a “show and tell.” 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.athensrockandgemclub.org FILM: 30 Years of Daydream Nation (Ciné Barcafé) Athens expat Lance Bangs and Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley present an
10:30 a.m. $3–4. www.accgov.com/ leisure KIDSTUFF: Lego Club (Oconee County Library) Create Lego art and enjoy Lego-based activities. Legos provided. Ages 3–11. 4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs, movement, crafts, and fun for preschool aged children. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 KIDSTUFF: Teen Gaming (ACC Library) Virtual reality, video games and board games for grades 6–12. 4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/athens
Wednesday 16 CLASSES: Kombucha Making (Farmview Market) Guide to kom-
GAMES: General Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Weekly trivia hosted by the one and only Count Zapula. 9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3144 GAMES: Dirty South Trivia (Mellow Mushroom) See Wednesday listing for full description. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-613-0892 KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs, movement, crafts, and fun for preschool aged children. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 KIDSTUFF: Preschooler Storytime (Oconee County Library) Stories, songs and crafts for children and their caregivers. 10 & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee KIDSTUFF: Karaoke (Oconee County Library) Grades 6–12. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee LECTURES & LIT: Talking About Books: Adult Book Discussion
The Foundry 7:30 p.m. $5. www.thefoundryathens. com THE POWERS Local folk-rock band of brothers. OZELLO Atlanta-based queercore punk-rock band with folk influences.
Wednesday 9 Boar’s Head Lounge 11 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3040 OPEN MIC A weekly open-mic jam hosted by Louis Phillip Pelot. All musicians welcome. Backline provided! Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18–20). www. caledonialounge.com TOWARD SPACE Melodic punk band from Richmond, VA.
Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. www.hendershotscoffee.com LIVE JAZZ Enjoy an evening of jazz standards and originals. Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 JACK’S RIVER BAND Atlanta group blending blues and rock with “raw, funkadelic energy.” OKLAHOMA STACKHOUSE Reggaerock crew from Orlando, FL.
Friday 11 Caledonia Lounge 9:30 p.m. $10 (21+), $12 (18–20). www.caledonialounge.com BIT BRIGADE Local supergroup plays the soundtrack to vintage video games while Noah McCarthy plays the games onstage. THOR AXE Virtuosic instrumental metal group from St. Louis. k continued on next page
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
17
THE CALENDAR! 40 Watt Club 8 p.m. $10. www.40watt.com JESTER Local alternative rock fourpiece. THE BROOK & THE BLUFF Upstart folk-rock band from Birmingham, AL. WANDERWILD Intricate, intimate local indie-rock project led by songwriter Matt Martin.
Highwire Lounge 11 p.m. $2 (headphone). www.highwirelounge.com SILENT DISCO Dance the night away to three different channels of music. One of them is a request line! Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 TOMATOBAND Charleston, SC band blending rock, funk and jazz sounds. Southern Brewing Company 6 p.m. FREE! www.sobrewco.com DJ OSMOSE International touring DJ and Athens resident lays down an
NEW DARK AGE Local group paying tribute to post-punk band The Sound. Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. www.hendershotscoffee.com DAVID BIXLER AUCTION PROJECT Group blending Celtic, jazz and Afro-Latin influences and featuring Grammy winner Arturo O’Farrill. See story on p. 10. Highwire Lounge 11 p.m. $2 (headphone). www.highwirelounge.com SILENT DISCO Dance the evening away to three different channels of music. One of the channels is a request line! SCOTT & KIM
The Foundry 8 p.m. $12 (adv.), $15 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com KINCHAFOONEE COWBOYS Longrunning country band from South Georgia.
Monday, Dec. 17 continued from p. 17
Sweet Megg & the Wayfarers play Hendershot’s Coffee Bar on Tuesday, Jan. 15. Georgia Theatre 8 p.m. SOLD OUT. www.georgiatheatre. com LAKE STREET DIVE Five-piece pop group that draws inspiration from soul, rock and R&B. See Calendar Pick on p. 15. MIKAELA DAVIS New York-based composer whose music pulls from classical, pop, folk and rock stylings. Go Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-5609 DONNY KNOTTSVILLE Local hiphop artist combines modern and traditional rap styles. FART JAR Local experimental heavyrock project. SOHI Underground hip-hop MC formerly of Athens groups Mad Axes and Deaf Judges. BILLBOARD BAGGINS Athensbased experimental outfit. DJ MAHOGANY Popular local DJ spins freaky funk, sultry soul, righteous R&B and a whole lotta unexpected faves. Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. $7. www.hendershotscoffee. com WONDERLAND RANGERS Local rabble-rouser Timi Conley performs dance-tastic psych-pop with his allstar backing band. PINKY DOODLE POODLE Highenergy rock band from Japan.
18
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
all-vinyl set of funk, soul, boogie and more. Terrapin Beer Co. 5 p.m. FREE! www.terrapinbeer.com BRAD GERKE Local folk and alt-country singer-songwriter.
Saturday 12 Boutier Winery & Inn 8:30 p.m. $10. www.boutierwinery.com STRIKE 4 Family band focusing on classic pop and rock from the ’60s-’90s. The Foundry 3:30 & 9 p.m. $8–13. www.thefoundryathens.com ABBEY ROAD LIVE Beloved local Beatles tribute band known for its attention to detail and musical proficiency. Georgia Theatre 8 p.m. $22 (adv.), $25 (door). www. georgiatheatre.com YACHT ROCK REVUE Georgia’s favorite ’70s light-rock tribute band. Go Bar Nuci’s Space Benefit. 10 p.m. 706546-5609 THE VG MINUS ’70s-styled power-pop/punk band from Athens. TEARS FOR THE DYING Local death-rock group fronted by longtime Athenian Adrya Stembridge.
Little Kings Shuffle Club 9 p.m. $5. www.facebook.com/lkshuffleclub CALICO VISION Athens-based melodic psychedelic-pop group. THE HOLIFIELDS Psych- and progrock group from Knoxville, TN. SECRET NUDIST PARTY Philadelphia-based garage-psych and post-punk group. WALTZ Athens-based heavy-rock duo. Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 DANGFLY Local all-star rock band led by Adam Payne. THE BROKEN STRING BAND Athens band blending Western folk with indie rock. THE SEDONAS Americana-rock group from Knoxville, TN. Tif Sigfrids 5 p.m. www.tifsigfrids.com JOHN FAHEY TRIBUTE Local musicians pay tribute to the guitar innovator, featuring Jeremy Kiran Fernandes, Michael Levasseur, Michael Potter, Tif Sigfrids, Jacob Sunderlin and Tom Watson. See Art Notes on p. 13.
Sunday 13 Cali ’N’ Tito’s Eastside 6 p.m. FREE! 706-355-7087 THE LUCKY JONES Local band playing old-school rhythm and blues.
The Foundry 6 p.m. $12 (adv.), $15 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com THE SEGAR JAZZ AFFAIR WXAG radio DJ Dwain Segar curates a night of smooth jazz. This month’s show features Kollaboration. Terrapin Beer Co. 3 p.m. FREE! www.terrapinbeer.com DAVID HYDE Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Ball Ground.
Monday 14 Creature Comforts Brewery 6 p.m. FREE! www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com CLOUDS AND DIVE No info available. Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotscoffee. com OPEN MIC Showcase your talent at this open mic night most Mondays. Hosted by Larry Forte. Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 SO NASTY Athens group led by saxophonist and vocalist Gnarly G and featuring a rotating cast of local musicians.
Tuesday 15 Big City Bread Cafe 6:30 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0029 KIRBY AIMICK Local guitarist and banjoist creating instrumental melodies derived from American and Celtic traditions. Georgia Theatre 8 p.m. $12 (adv.), $15 (door). www. georgiatheatre.com KING TUFF Fuzzed-out, glammy garage-rock band led by songwriter Kyle Thomas. See story on p. 10. STONEFIELD Australian psychedelic rock group. EUREKA CALIFORNIA Melodic, rough-edged, guitar-driven local garage-rock duo. Go Bar 10 p.m. $5. 706-546-5609 TROUT MOUTH Eccentric solo project of Shenendoah Valley singer-songwriter Blake Cramer. DOG TURD Virginia-based experimental solo project. TOMMY! Athens piano man and singer-songwriter. PETER WEBB Local musician playing meditative, jazz-influenced experimental folk. Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. www.hendershotscoffee.com SWEET MEGG & THE WAYFARERS New York band playing swing music for your dancing pleasure. TRIO DELUXE Smoky songbook standards and hot virtuosity from Andrea DeMarcus (Cicada Rhythm), Dan Coy (Bonaventure Quartet) and John Norris (lots of Athens bands).
Wednesday 16 Boar’s Head Lounge 11 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3040 OPEN MIC A weekly open-mic jam hosted by Louis Phillip Pelot.
All musicians welcome. Backline provided! Porterhouse Grill 6:30 p.m. FREE! 706-369-0990 JAZZ NIGHT The longest standing weekly music gig in Athens! Enjoy an evening of original music, improv and standards.
Down the Line 1/17 IDLE BLOOM / BLUE BODIES / FLORAL CEMETERY (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 1/17 CLOUDLAND / EVERYDAY DOGS / ELIJAH JOHNSTON (40 Watt Club) 1/17 ROCK THE ARK / Otis Redding III / Sam Burchfield / Pip the Pansy / Davis Causey / Kara Waters / Tom Ryan (The Foundry) 1/17 CHRIS LANE / GABBY BARRETT (Georgia Theatre) 1/18 LAZER/WULF / YASHIRA / DOUBLE FERRARI (Caledonia Lounge) 1/18 NAG / KNEELER / FRIED E/M / EKEBUBA (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 1/18 ASHES TO OMENS / ROSIE & THE RATDOGS / RCI (40 Watt Club) 1/18 SIDE HUSTLE (The Foundry) 1/18 CHANDLER TYSON / NIKI NEICONI (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/18 ANDREW THELSTON BAND (Terrapin Beer Co.) 1/19 SLOPPY JANE / MATERIAL GIRLS / MONSOON / O KEY (Caledonia Lounge) 1/19 ILLEGAL DRUGS / SHEHEHE / VISION VIDEO / DJS TWIN POWERS & WARDADDY (40 Watt Club) 1/19 BATTLE OF THE BANDS / Ad Blanco / Cheese Dream / The Voltures / Snapdragon / Fish Bug (40 Watt Club) 1/19 REVEL IN ROMANCE / ODD STREET (The Foundry) 1/19 REHAB (Georgia Theatre) 1/19 CAROLINE AIKEN / STEVE COUGHLIN (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/19 THE RIGHTLY SO (Terrapin Beer Co.) 1/20 ATHENS IN HARMONY (The Foundry) 1/20 CLASSICAL REVOLUTION (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/20 PRISCILLA BLOCK (Terrapin Beer Co.) 1/21 LAURA GIBSON (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/22 KIRBY AIMICK (Big City Bread Cafe) 1/22 KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE / SOUTHERN AVENUE (Georgia Theatre) 1/22 TONGUE DEPRESSOR / SAHADA BUCKLEY / ARIEL ACKERLY / MICHAEL POTTER (Go Bar) 1/23 OPEN MIC (Boar’s Head Lounge) 1/23 MARBIN (The Foundry) 1/24 THE STEEL WOODS (40 Watt Club) 1/24 ZOSO / GIMME HENDRIX (Georgia Theatre) 1/24 DAVID LOWERY AND JOHNNY HICKMAN (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/25 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN / CRACKER / ANDREW SHEPARD (40 Watt Club) 1/25 MORGAN WALLEN (Georgia Theatre) 1/25 GMEA JAZZ JAM (Hendershot’s Coffee Bar) 1/25 THE LUCKY JONES (Terrapin Beer Co.)
Deadline for getting listed in The Calendar is FRIDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Contact us at calendar@flagpole.com.
NORTHEAST GEORGIA’S
1 INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING GYM!
#
Daniel Peiken
daniel@athenshome.com
2 rooms for rent on Mandy Dr. 706-296-2941 2 rooms for rent 706-296-2941 on Hancock Ave. ATHENS, GA
Check out his listings at
655 BARBER ST. · 706.354.0038
www.AthensHome.com
ACTIVECLIMBING.COM
The Broken String Band at Nowhere Bar
A Perfect New Year’s Resolution for 2019
Eat More Ooey Gooeys!
Joined by
Flagpole.com
Dangfly! The Sedonas
Saturday, January 12 th 9:30pm
Breakfast · Brunch · Lunch 1075 Baxter St. · Athens, GA
706-850-9797
PAIN & WONDER
TATTOO
VOTED ATHENS’ FAVORITE TATTOO STUDIO EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW!
SUPERCUT I
$10.95 Open M-F until 7pm Sunday 11am-5pm
285 W. Washington St.
Athens, GA 30601
(706) 208-9588 www.painandwonder.com
1/31/19
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
19
bulletin board Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.
Art CALL FOR ARTISTS: BEN EPPS AIRPORT (Ben Epps Airport) The airport is seeking local artists and makers to display works in their terminals. Email website and photo examples of your work to info@ athensculturalaffairs.org CALL FOR PLAY SUBMISSIONS (Circle Ensemble Theatre Company) Second Sundays is a new play reading series held the second Sunday of every month at 3 p.m. in the Winterville Auditorium. The series is seeking play submissions for consideration in the 2019 season. Send plays of any length or genre. newplays@circleensemble.com 44TH ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION (Lyndon House Arts Center) The annual show will be juried by Lauren Hayes, Curator of Contemporary Art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Drop off entry forms and up to three works on Jan. 24, 1–8 p.m. & Jan. 25, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www.athensclarke county.com/lyndonhouse HOT CORNER: AN ATHENS LEGACY (Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission invites professional artists to submit a proposal and images of a mural concept for consideration. The selected artist(s) will work with the ACAC and Athens-Clarke County goverment staff. Complete the proposal form online. Deadline Jan. 27 at 11:59 p.m. www.accgov.com/8509/callfor-public-art---hot-corner-mural
LOVE IN ALL ITS MANY FORMS (KA Artist Shop) Seeking artwork representing or inspired by love for a group exhibition. Submit images and brief descriptions by Feb. 5. Exhibit opens with a reception Feb. 14, 5–7 p.m. Find guidelines online. kaartistshop@gmail.com, www. kaartist.com OPEN STUDIO MEMBERSHIP (Lyndon House Arts Center) Local artists can access studio facilities through a new open studio monthly membership program. Studios include ceramics, jewelry, painting, fiber, printmaking, photography and woodshop/sculpture studios. Up to 32 hours per week. $65/month or $175/three months. 706-613-3623, www.athensclarkecounty.com/leisure
Auditions THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME IN CONCERT (Memorial Park, Quinn Hall) Athens Creative Theatre is accepting sign-ups for the Athens Musical Theatre Orchestra’s performance. Ages 16 & up. Auditions for lead roles will be held Jan. 9, 6–9 p.m. No audition required for the chorus and orchestra. 706-613-3628, daniel.self@ accgov.com WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (Memorial Park, Quinn Hall) Athens Creative Theatre hosts auditions consisting of cold readings from the script in individual and group settings. Ages 18 & up. Auditions are on Jan. 7–8, 6–9 p.m.
art around town AMICI (233 E. Clayton St.) Grateful Beads hand makes bohemian chic gemstone jewelry. Through February. ANTIQUES & JEWELS ART GALLERY (290 N. Milledge Ave.) New paintings by Mary Porter, Greg Benson, Chatham Murray, Candle Brumby, Lana Mitchell and more. ART ON THE SIDE GALLERY AND GIFTS (17 N. Main St., Watkinsville) A gallery featuring works by various artists in media including ceramics, paintings and fused glass. ATHENS ACADEMY (1281 Spartan Lane) In the Harrison Lobby Gallery, Elizabeth Barton shares quilts and watercolors. Through June. • In the Lampkin Lobby Gallery, a permanent exhibition showcases Greek and Italian photography and artwork. ATHENS ART AND FRAME (1021 Parkway Blvd.) Heidi Hensley’s paintings depict colorful and eclectic scenes of Athens and UGA. ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) “Shifting Shapes— Collaborations with Nature” features sculptures by Barbara Odil. Through Jan. 12. ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ATHICA) (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200) The 2018-19 Members’ Showcase includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional works in various media by supporting members. Opening reception Jan. 12. Through Feb. 10. ATHENS LATINO CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND SERVICES (445 Huntington Rd., #120) See 20 paintings by Stanley Bermudez. BENDZUNAS GLASS (89 W. South Ave., Comer) The family-run studio has been creating fine art glass for almost 40 years. CINÉ BARCAFE (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Eileen Wallace: Glitch” is a series of letterpress prints made by repetitive printing of hairline thickness lead rule. CIRCLE GALLERY (UGA College of Environment and Design, 285 S. Jackson St.) “The New American Garden: The Landscape Architecture of Oehme, van Sweden.” Reception Jan. 16. Through Feb. 21. CITY OF WATKINSVILLE (Downtown Watkinsville) “Public Art Watkinsville: A Pop-up Sculpture Exhibit” consists of sculptures placed in prominent locations around downtown. Artists include Benjamin Lock, William Massey, Stan Mullins, Robert Clements, Harold Rittenberry and Joni Younkins-Herzog. •
20
Contact to schedule an audition appointment. 706-613-3628, daniel. self@accgov.com
Classes CLASSES (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) “Open Community Coffeehouse,” Tuesdays from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. “Oil Painting,” Mondays at 1:30 p.m. “Chess Club,” Mondays at 6:30 p.m. “Coffee with a Veteran,” Tuedays at 9 a.m. “Threadwork Crafting Club,” Tuesdays at 9 a.m. “Square Dancing,” Tuesdays at 2 p.m. “Bellydance,” Wednesdays at 7 p.m. “Mahjong,” Thursdays at 1 p.m. Chess tournaments are held on the second Friday of the month at 6 p.m. 706-742-0823, wintervillecenter@ gmail.com, www.wintervillecenter. com CLAY CLASSES (Good Dirt) Weekly “Try Clay” classes ($20/person) introduce participants to the potter’s wheel every Friday from 7–9 p.m. “Family Try Clay” classes show children and adults hand-building methods every Sunday from 2–4 p.m. $20. 706-355-3161, www. gooddirt.net DANCE CLASS REGISTRATION (East Athens Educational Dance Center) Offering classes for beginners through advanced students. Classes include ballet, modern dance, tap, urban soul and more. Children, teens and adults. Classes begin in late January. 706-6133624, www.accgov.com/dance
“Ted Kincaid: Even If I Lose Everything” is currently on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through Sunday, Jan. 13. Kincaid will discuss his work in a talk entitled “Stranger than Non-Fiction” on Friday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. FREE KARATE (East Athens Community Center) Learn the basics of karate. All ages and skill levels welcome. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3593 GENTLE HATHA YOGA (St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church) Enjoy stretching with awareness, breathing practices and deep relaxation. Tuesdays, 5:30–7 p.m. $10. 706-248-8918, mfhealy@bellsouth.net NIMBL CLASSES (Nimbl, 160 Winston Dr. #9) Classes offered for kids, teens and adults in dance, creative movement, choreography, pilates and more. www.nimble athens.com
“Artscape Oconee: The Monuments of Artland” features a total of 20 paintings on panels installed around town. Artists include Claire Clements, Peter Loose, Andy Cherewick, Lisa Freeman, Manda McKay and others. CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) Gallery I shows “Stitch,” an exhibition of contemporary quilts, includes the industrial-scales of Elizabeth Barton, the obsessive geometric precision of Barbette Houser, the vibrant sewn gardens of Cleo Ward, the magic and mischief of Danielle Lasker and the meditative devotion of Anne Marie Vencill. Classic Gallery II features a solo exhibition of detailed portraits by Jaquelynn Faass. DONDEROS’ KITCHEN (590 N. Milledge Ave.) “You Don’t Know How It Feels” is a black-and-white portrait series depicting millennial women by photographer Ian McFarlane. FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Artwork by Lydia Sera. Through Feb. 1. GALLERY@HOTEL INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Color & Comp” features works by Shawn Campbell, Jason Matherly, Jaime Keiter, Mike Landers, In Kyoung Chun and James Wilson. Through Feb. 2. GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Even If I Lose Everything” features a series of abstracted skycaps by Ted Kincaid. Through Jan. 13. • “Richard Hunt: Synthesis.” Through Feb. 3. • “The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II.” Through Mar. 17. • “Out of the Darkness: Light in the Depths of the Sea of Cortez” is a solo exhibition by Rebecca Rutstein. Through Oct. 27. GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Solar System (dad, you came to earth a long time ago)” is a site-specific installation by Trevor Reese utilizing miscellaneous furnishings, colored lights and mirrors. HEIRLOOM CAFE & FRESH MARKET (815 N. Chase St.) John Weber presents nature photographs emphasizing special attention given to shapes, textures, colors and light. Opening reception Jan. 9. Through Mar. 4. HOWARD’S (119 N. Jackson St.) Paintings by Carol John and Alicia Gibson. Through Jan. 12. LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) “La Mostra” shares artwork produced by students and faculty during their sojourn at UGA’s residential center in Cortona, Italy. Closing reception Jan. 26. LOWERY GALLERY (2400 Booger Hill Rd., Danielsville) The gallery celebrates “24 Years of Art” with Giclee prints, originals, photographs and sculptures by over 24 artists including Claire Clements, Ben Rouse, Peter Loose, Kip Ramey and more. LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (293 Hoyt St.) “St. EOM of Pasaquan”
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
OCAF SPRING ART CLASSES (OCAF, Watkinsville) “Paint with Charles,” “Painting Portraits in Oil with Abner Cope,” “Paper Beadmaking,” “Four-Part Watercolor Workshop: Light and Shadow” and “Four-Part Workshop: Making Color Speak.” Check website for dates, times and fees. www.ocaf.com PIEDMONT MANDOLIN CAMP (Athens, GA) Brian Oberlin and Jordan Ramsey teach campers the ins and outs of playing mandolin. Mar. 7–9. www.mandoberlin.com SALSA CLASSES (Dancefx) Learn how to salsa dance. No partner required. Salsa and Bachata every
Tuesday, 7 p.m. (beginners), 7:45 (intermediate/advanced). $10. www. dancefx.org SALSA DANCE CLASSES (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Cuban-style salsa classes. 7:30 p.m. (beginner lesson). Richard and Victor perform salsa music every second Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Blue Eyed Amigos perform swing and salsa every fourth Wednesday at 9 p.m. $10/class (incl. one drink). Music show is $3 for class participants and $6 otherwise. www.facebook.com/ salsaathens WINE CLASSES (J’s Bottle Shop) “Wine 101: Fundamentals of Wine
explores the life of visionary artist Eddie Owens Martin through paintings, clothing and artifacts. Through Jan. 12. • “Perennial Pattern,” by Sara Parker and Simon Hunt, is a body of 22 screen-printed mono prints, each a result of a process of deconstruction and play. Artists talk Jan. 12. Through Jan. 12. • “Call & Response” is an exhibit of works by Rene Shoemaker and Judy Bales. Through Jan. 12. • On view in the Lounge Gallery, “Citrine Visuals” features abstractions by Antoine Stewart. Through Mar. 2. MADISON COUNTY LIBRARY (1315 GA-98, Danielsville) The “Georgia Artists with DisAbilities” exhibit features works promoted by the organization, which aims to provide opportunities for showing and selling work. Reception Jan. 13. Currently on view through February. MADISON MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) “South by South” features oil paintings by post-impressionist Alice Williams. Through Jan. 20. NORMAL BOOKS (1238A Prince Ave.) A variety of art on display, including paintings by Mary Eaton, GCH Pet Portraits, metal art by Julia Vereen, ceramics by Shannon Dominy, sculpture by Doug Makemson, collage art by Susan Pelham and handwoven rugs by Bonnie Montgomery. THE PINE & THE ROOT (1235 S. Milledge Ave.) Artwork by Emmi Walker. PINEWOODS PUBLIC LIBRARY (1265 Hwy. 29 N. #12) See paintings by Stanley Bermudez as well as a community mural. STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave.) The Mountain Laurel Quilters’ Guild presents “Put a Bird on It,” a collection of 30 wall quilts using tradition, contemporary and art quilting techniques. Each quilt features one or more birds. Through Mar. 3. STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) Curated by Peter Loose, “The Great Folk Art Parade: Down the Lane to STMA” includes over 250 pieces by over 100 artists. Through Jan. 12. TIF SIGFRIDS (119 N. Jackson St.) “Critter Konzepts” features paintings by the late John Fahey, who is primarily recognized as a guitarist and composer. Tribute performance Jan. 12. Through Jan. 16. VERONICA’S SWEET SPOT (149 Oneta St., #6C6) See work by local and regional artists, craftsmen, potters and sculptors. WINTERVILLE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE (371 N. Church St., Winterville) Folk art by Cap Man. Through January. THE WORLD FAMOUS (351 N. Hull St.) Permanent artists include RA Miller, Chris Hubbard, Travis Craig, Michelle Fontaine, Dan Smith, Greg Stone and more.
& Wine Tasting Appreciation.” Jan. 9, 23, Feb. 3, 20, 6:30–7:45 p.m. $75. “Wine 201A: Introduction to Wines of Europe” explores the major wine regions of France, Italy, Spain, Austria and Germany. Jan. 10, 17, 31 & Feb. 21, 6:30–7:45 p.m. $75. “Women Who Wine: Wine 101 Basic Concepts of Wine & Wine Tasting.” Jan. 16, 30, Feb. 13, 27, 6:30–7:45 p.m. $75. “Wine 202B: Introduction to Wines of the New World.” Jan. 24, Feb. 7, 28, Mar. 14, 6:30–7:45 p.m. $75. 706-353-8881, www. jsbottleshop.com YOGA CLASSES (5 Points Yoga) Free yoga to cultivate kindness. Jan. 13, 2:30 p.m. Free kirtan and mindfulness. Jan. 25, 7 p.m. Weekend retreat in North Carolina. Jan. 18–20. New 200-hour and 300hour teacher training school begins February. Various classes include flow, yin, restorative, power flow, gentle, Iyengar and simple stretch. www.athensfivepointsyoga.com
Help Out OCAF THRIFT SALE DONATIONS Donations can be dropped off to Rocket Hall every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in Jan. from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. www.ocaf. com/art
Kidstuff BEGINNING ACTING WORKSHOP (Athens Creative Theatre (ACT)) Students will use simple monologues, skits and improvisation to explore the benefits of drama. For ages 8–12. Thursdays, Jan. 10–Feb. 14, 4:30–5:30 p.m. $83–125. 706-613-3628 TWEEN ACTING WORKSHOP (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Toi Mekhi Watson of Star Academy leads a workshop covering movement, voice and acting exercises and collaborative activities. Ages 9–14. Call to register. Jan. 15, 22 and 29 at 6 p.m. Jan. 19, 26 and Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597
Support Groups ALS SUPPORT GROUP (Oconee Veterans Park, Watkinsville) Provides awareness and education to individuals living with ALS. Meets fourth Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. 706-207-5800 ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS SUPPORT GROUP (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) is a 12-step program for people who grew up in alcoholic or dysfunctional homes. Mondays, 7–8 p.m. www.meetings.adultchildren.org ALANON 12 STEP (Young Harris Memorial United Methodist Church) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Meetings are held at various times. 478-9553422, www.ga-al-anon.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. www.athensaa.org ATHENS DEBTORS ANONYMOUS (Covenant Presbyterian Church) A 12-step program for anyone wishing to recover financially and be rid of debt. Meets every Sunday, 12:30– 1:30 p.m. 949-235-2508 CHRONIC ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP (ACC Library) Meet others who are dealing with chronic illness such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Lyme. Third Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. athenschronicillness@ gmail.com
EMOTIONS ANONYMOUS (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens) A 12-step program open to anyone with a desire to become well emotionally. Meets Sundays, 4–5 p.m. www.emotionsanonymous.org MENTAL HEALTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP (Nuçi’s Space) Meets the second Wednesday of every month. Open to anyone focused on improving their life and learning how to live with their condition. www.nuci.org NAMI SUPPORT GROUPS (First Presbyterian Church of Athens) For family members, friends and caregivers of individuals with mental illnesses. “NAMI Family Support Group.” Every fourth Tuesday, 6–7:30 p.m. www.namihall.org PFLAG MEETING (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens) PFLAG Athens Area is an organization to advance equality through its mission of support, education and advocacy by uniting LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, friends and allies. Meetings usually held third Sunday of the month. pflagathensarea.com
It’s a brand new year...
HOW ABOUT A HEALTHIER YOU?
On The Street ADULT TRIPS (Rocksprings Community Center) “Hannah’s Cherokee.” Feb. 11, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $25–37.50. All trips depart and return to Rocksprings Park. Ages 18 & up. www.accgov.com/leisure MEDITATION IN ATHENS (Multiple Locations) Meditations are offered in various forms across town. Athens Zen Group offers a newcomers orientation every Sunday (except first Sunday of the month) at 11 a.m. athenszen.org. Mindful Breath Sangha offers mindfulness meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Sundays, 6:30–8 p.m. beckylockman@gmail.com. M3Yoga offers meditation Mondays, 6 p.m. www.m3yoga.com. Dedicated Mindfulness Practitioners meets at the Griffin-Dubose Healing Lodge every Saturday, 8:30 a.m. jaseyjones@gmail.com. Mindful Living Center offers intro mindfulness classes every second Friday, 5:30–7 p.m. at the Healing Lodge, Piedmont Athens Regional. www.mindfuliving. org. Satchidananda Mission offers yoga meditation every Sunday, 6:30–7:30 p.m. and Kirtan every third Sunday, 4–6 p.m. revmanjula@ bellsouth.net. Let It Be Yoga hosts the Athens Singing Circle every Monday, 7–9 p.m. 5 Points Yoga hosts meditations Thursdays at 8–9 a.m. www.athensfivepointsyoga.com RIPPLE EFFECT FILM PROJECT (Athens, GA) Filmmakers of all ages and levels of experience are invited to create original short films about water conservation and water stewardship. Finalists’ films will be screened at the Blue Carpet Premiere on Mar. 23. Visit website for official rules and entry form. $1,000 in cash prizes. Deadline Jan. 25. www. rippleeffectfilmproject.org STORMWATER STEWARD AWARD NOMINATIONS (Athens, GA) Nominate a person, business or organization that completed an innovative project last year relating to stormwater management. Winners will be recognized at the GreenFest Environmental Awards Ceremony in the spring. stormwater@accgov.com WATER CONVERSATION LEADERSHIP AWARD NOMINATIONS (Athens, GA) Nominate an individual, business or organization that demonstrates wise water use. Deadline Feb. 8. The award recipient will be recognized during the Green Life Expo & Awards on Feb. 23. Find the nomination form online. 706-613-3729, www. accgov.com f
DOHC MAY HELP *
*Diabetes, Overweight, Hypertension, Cardiac Disease
2nd Tuesday of each month: free information, classes PLUS keto-friendly food samples!
Clarke County Health Department 345 North Harris Street
706.389.6921
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
21
movies
reviews
A Transformers With Heart? PLUS, A MUSICALLY DEFICIENT POPPINS AND MORE By Drew Wheeler movies@flagpole.com BUMBLEBEE (PG-13) The fifth Transformers movie, The Last Knight, easily reached the series’ peak of goofy fun, but Bumblebee, a prequel to Michael Bay’s bombastic actioners, is the most spiritually faithful to Hasbro’s popular robots in disguise since 1986’s animated feature. It even has Stan Bush’s “The Touch,” a nod to the animated movie I have only been expecting since Bay’s 2007 blockbuster kicked off this highly anticipated, violently disappointing franchise. Set in 1987, Bumblebee focuses on newly 18-year-old Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), who finds the titular yellow Autobot in her uncle’s junkyard. Naturally, a shadowy government organization—represented by a properly humorous John Cena—and two exceptionally mean Decepticons voiced by Angela Parkour! Bassett and Justin Theroux are also after Bumblebee, who was sent to Earth by Autobot leader Optimus Prime. Director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) and writer Christina Hodson meld ’80s coming-of-age flick—the soundtrack is absolutely perfect—with the blockbuster robot-on-robot action audiences have come to expect to create a Transformers with heart and humanity. Bumblebee feels like a long-lost ’80s flick you grew up loving. Too bad the movie simply sets up the five bellicose Transformers we already have, rather than its own kinder, gentler series. THE FAVOURITE (R) It is easy to see why the Atlanta Film Critics Circle lauded Yorgo Lanthimos’ The Favourite with their awards for Best Film, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Screenplay. Lanthimos’ most accessible film intelligently combines a costume biopic about Queen Anne (Olivia Colman)—the one after whom furniture is named—with a wicked satire about class, gender, sexual orientation, you name it. While attempting to rule England in the midst of a war with France, Queen Anne is advised by her rather mean friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), whose husband, the Duke of Marlborough, leads the army. Then, Lady Sarah’s poor cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone), arrives at court and rather quickly wins Anne’s favor. The political and social machinations at court have rarely been portrayed with such relevance, again thanks to the sharp script and performances from Weisz, Stone and Nicholas Hoult, as a landowning member of Parliament. However, Colman’s Anne sizzles with the mercurial nature of a sick royal depicted, probably unfairly, as unable to govern her kingdom. Just when you thought bawdy, historical satire might be out of style, The Favourite reminds us how important it can be for assessing our current political and social climes. MARY POPPINS RETURNS (PG) This Mary Poppins sequel—some of my family members confusedly expected a remake—is not
22
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
practically perfect in every way, though its flaws are mostly musical, as you will not remember one single song once the credits have rolled. Why cast Lin-Manuel Miranda as the new Dick Van Dyke—a singing, dancing lamplighter named Jack—if you are not going to let him punch up the songs?
The movie has its standout moments. Meryl Streep makes a nice addition to the Poppins-verse as Mary’s upside-down (only on the second Wednesday of the month) cousin, Topsy, and Marshall shows off his choreography background when the lamplighters jaw-droppingly “Trip a Little Light Fantastic.” If Blunt’s Mary happens to drop by again—hopefully, in less than 54 years— remind her to bring some more supercalifragilisticexpialidocious songs.
VICE (R) Vice may not be as cinematically satisfying a modern history lesson as Adam McKay’s tremendous achievement The Big Short, but brushing up on recent U.S. history is usually not this fun. McKay’s cinematic op-ed on the deleterious effects of the second Bush presiMary Poppins Returns dency, thanks to what he sees as Dick Cheney’s long political con, boasts performances that are nothing short of phenomenal. Christian Bale’s transformation into the five-time heart attack survivor may not be as unbelievable as what he did to himself for The Machinist, but it is comprehensive. Even then, Amy Adams rules the screen anytime Second Lady Lynne Cheney shows up. Then there is Steve Carell’s unbelievable Donald Rumsfeld, who gets Rummy’s likable creepiness. (Who else so closely If you can get past how poorly the resembles a talking skull?) sequel compares to the original musiTherein lies the problem with Vice, which cally—obviously, I cannot—you can be feels more like a series of impressive “SNL” swept away by Emily Blunt’s enigmatic sketches—Sam Rockwell as W! Tyler Perry take on P.L. Travers’ flying nanny, who as Colin Powell!—than a biting satire wishhas returned to help the now grown-up ing to be taken seriously. Maybe McKay did Banks children, Michael and Jane (Ben not go far enough. Why not cast Will Ferrell Whishaw and Emily Mortimer) again. as W? Imagine the possibilities. f
advice
hey, bonita…
Am I Too Hot to Handle? ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN
For the adult in all of us.
By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com Happy New Year, and it’s OK if you’re not feeling “The New Year” just yet. The word is that pretty much everyone had a rough year, and that kind of heaviness isn’t just gonna slough off because the date changed. What’s important are our intentions— the values and goals that we carry with us every day. Resolutions are cute, but intention is what I believe can carry us through to the life changes we seek. It’s OK if you didn’t get that New Year’s Day run in, or if you already cheated on your veganism, or if you snuck a cigarette last night. Keep your intentions close to you, and remember that you’re just as human as the next person. Be nice to yourself this year, and every year. Now, for the first question of 2019!
You actually sound like myself in my 20s. Like you, I was having mind-blowing encounters with people who never wanted to hook up again, and I just chalked it up to Kegels and good old know-how. Then, I ended up in bed with someone who clearly thought the same of himself, but actually, he just moved too fast, used too much strength and didn’t listen to me while we were intimate. We weren’t even done by the time I decided I’d never speak to him again. Lines were crossed, and I wasn’t invested enough to try to talk to him about it. He confused being aggressive with being good in bed, and so did I, though I wasn’t even noticing that behavior from myself. I’m not saying you’re overly aggressive or blurring
Bonita, Do you think someone can have such sexual prowess that they scare people off after the first encounter? I am a female who enjoys making men climax multiple times, and the men never seem to complain—if they can speak in sentences at all afterwards—but I have been asked why I am so vigorous. In my sexual liberation as of late, I do try to let myself be free—even if it means I don’t fully reach the peak myself—but I do let them know that I’m especially turned on, and that I can’t keep up with my own pace forever, and it will slow down at some point (only if they’ve asked or brought it up more than twice). But there never seems to be a second encounter, even when it was definitely established as just a hookup, and even when the dude genuinely seems to want to meet up again. I blew their mind in the sack, it seems, so am I crazy to think they’d want another go at it later? Could it be that I might be scaring them all off? Something of a Succubus
the lines of consent. I just ask you to go over these encounters in your mind as objectively as possible, and with your partners in mind. You don’t want to lose the forest for the trees, especially where another person is involved. Think of how your partners behave during the act, not after. (I’m pretty sure I told that guy that we’d get together again, too.) Think of when and where you use your physical strength during intimacy, and whether you are doing that with the informed consent of your partner. You describe men asking about your prowess and your responses being akin to, “I can’t keep up with myself,” which implies a lack of control that I would not recommend in the bedroom. Sex of any sort should always come with clear guidelines— especially in casual encounters. Your partners could very well be having a blast, but in the same way that the Great American Scream Machine is a blast: super fun but super scary, so why go to Six Flags more than once a year? I started getting way more second dates once I started talking and asking permission and not losing myself in the moment, but instead staying present with my partner for the benefit of us both. f
Hi Succubus, It is awesome that you have this much confidence in yourself and your sexual prowess, but it could very well be working against you.
Your EROTIC
2019 Is Here, With Us!
ElectroLove
Couples Friendly Atmosphere! This t n e s e Pr er For: Off
15% OFF Your Total Purchase!* (*Offer not to be combined with other discounts or offers.)
Movies • Toys • Vapes • Hookahs eCigs • Tobacco • Lingerie • Fetish Body Oils • Detox • Alt. Party Gifts Plus SO MUCH MORE ADULT FUN!
4100 Lexington Rd. Athens
Adjacent to Willowood Square • 706.552.1492 SAVE
24/7 @
ShopElations.com
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
23
classifieds Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime, email class@flagpole.com
Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com
REAL ESTATE APARTMENTS FOR RENT Eastside quadraplex, 2BR/2BA, $525/ mo. & 2BR/1BA, $500/mo. Westside 2BR/2BA 1500sqft, $650/mo. We have others pre-listing for next year. Call McWaters Realty: 706-540-1529.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Office/Warehouse Space f o r L e a s e . O l d C re e k Business Park Space Available 2000-4500SF, Contact Stacey Smith: 706353-1039.
HOUSES FOR RENT Five Points off Baxter St. 2 story, old Colonial home. 4BR/2BA. $1400/ mo. Avail. Aug. 1 Call McWaters Realty: 706-5401529. Flagpole ♥ real estate.
WANTING TO RENT Graduating? Studying abroad? Sublease your house or apartment with Flagpole Classifieds! Visit classifieds.flagpole.com or call(706) 549-0301.
FOR SALE ANTIQUES Archipelago Antiques: Furnishings, tableware, art, crafts, nostalgia. 1676 S. Lumpkin St. Open daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 706-3544297. Flagpole ♥ finding things for sale, especially sales with antiques.
MISCELLANEOUS Wa n t o l d n e w s p a p e r s for your garden? Paper mache? They’re free at the Flagpole office! Call ahead, then come grab an armful. Please leave current issues on stands. 706-549-0301.
Subscribe today and have your weekly Flagpole sent to you! $40 for 6 mos, $70 for a yr! Call 706549-0301 for more info.
YARD SALES Need to get rid of unnecessary clutter? Someone else wants it! Advertise your yard sale with Flagpole! Call (706) 549-0301. Now accepting donations f o r O C A F ’s A n n u a l Thrift Sale. Furniture, antiques, working vehicles, fitness equipment, electronics, lawn/garden supplies, books, toys, clothing, jewelry, artwork, etc. Donations are tax deductible and all proceeds support OCAF. Drop-off donations at 34 School St. (Rocket Hall), Watkinsville, Mon, Wed & Sat—10 to 2 starting Jan 5th thru Feb 9th. To schedule a pickup call Cyndee Moore @ 434-2031885 or visit www.ocaf. com. HOUSEKEEPING
flagpole classifieds
at its best. 20 years experience. Dependable & personable.
Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week! Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale
Call Sharon: 706-202-8944
Employment Vehicles Messages Personals
BASIC RATES*
MUSIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Looking for a pianist, saxophone player or violinist? Find your music mate with Flagpole Classifieds! Call (706) 5490301 today.
EQUIPMENT Nuçi’s Space needs your old instruments & music gear! All donations are taxdeductible. Call 706-2271515 or come by Nuçi’s Space, 396 Oconee St.
MUSIC SERVICES Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428.
SERVICES CLASSES Conquer the Boring in Your Storytelling. Fiction course for aspiring writers who need love, support, and a kick in the pants. Personalized. Engaging. Fun. https://www.exit271. com/writer-course/
Learn to sew via quilt making, start to finish. All skill levels welcome. 3 machines available. 706-325-5283, needleinahaystack7@ yahoo.com, sewsomething withamandawhitsel.com. We have a new offering of the beginning class, Sunday Jan 13th. 2-4, 6 weeks $100. Ask about a special class to make your sweetie a Valentine! Tuesday night $60. We can handle minor sewing tension problems—call for an estimate.
MISC. SERVICES Caricature/Cartoon Portraits…Live drawing enter tainment for your special event! Great i c e b re a k e r f o r f a m i l y, social or business gatherings. Check out Charlestreadwell.com and call me at (407) 484-2119.
JOBS FULL-TIME Moder n Age is hiring! Va p i n g e x p e r i e n c e / knowledge a must! Bring resumes into Modern Age. No phone calls please. Flagpole ♥ employment.
ADOPT ME!
Visit athenspets.net to view all the cats and dogs available at the shelter
Individual $10 per week Real Estate $14 per week Business $16 per week (RTS) Run-‘Til-Sold** $40 per 12 weeks Online Only*** $5 per week *Ad enhancement prices are viewable at flagpole.com **Run-‘Til-Sold rates are for MERCHANDISE ONLY ***Available for individual rate categories only
PLACE AN AD • Call our Classifieds Dept. (706) 549-0301 • Email us at class@flagpole.com
Hulk (50776) Don’t let his name fool you, Hulk is a big softie. He has the sweetest face and demeanor. Come meet Hulk if you’re looking for your partner in crime.
Winterfell (50701) This adorable sweetheart is always on his best behavior. He loves getting pets on his head and observing his surroundings.
Taste of India is now hiring all positions. Flexible hours and competitive pay. Apply in person: 1040 Gaines School Rd. For further questions contact: indiaathens@gmail.com.
OPPORTUNITIES Advertise your special skills! Move-in/move-out help, pet care, child care, yard work, cleaning, etc. Let Athens know how to contact you with Flagpole classifieds! Call (706) 5490301 or visit classifieds. flagpole.com. Local farmer wanting to establish a commercial vegetable garden. I have land, water, and most equipment. Bring your ideas, energy, and strong work ethic. Not an employment situation but a partnership. Frank: 706202-0533.
PART-TIME Food Runner/Counter Staff needed @ Big City B re a d C a f e . M u s t b e available early mornings through afternoons and on weekends. Food service e x p e r i e n c e p re f e r re d . Please apply in person.
NOTICES
PETS
Missing Bird: M y b e l o v e d b i rd flew away. Kiwi is a small green parrot with a gold crested chest. He flew away on Dec. 19 from the Brookstone subdivision in East Athens. If found, call 706-355-3123. Please help me bring my bird home!
Blitzen (50705) There’s no stopping this happy boy. Blitzen is always on the move and ready for an active lifestyle. The only thing missing is his fur-ever home.
These pets and many others are available for adoption at:
• Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid
24
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
Athens-Clarke County Animal Control 125 Buddy Christian Way · 706-613-3540 Open every day except Wednesday 10am-4pm
flagpole.com
SUDOKU
Edited by Margie E. Burke
Difficulty: Easy
8
6 9 1 6 3
7
2
6 6 2 9 5 3 9 2 3 1 1 5 7
8
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
15
16
17
18
19
21 23
25
1 7 36 9 39 2 3 8 45 5 50 4 55 6 29
12
7 31 9 2 40 5 8 6 1 3 4
Boarding · Digital X-Ray Acupuncture Chiropractic Laser Surgery Endoscopy
1150 Mitchell Bridge Rd. 706-546-7879 · www.hopeamc.com
(BRICK BUILDING IN FRONT OF TARGET AND NEXT TO HARDEE’S)
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm Saturday 8am-1pm
13
If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, Graduate Athens wants you to find help.
24
32
33
34
35
38 41 43
44 49 52
53
54
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
ACROSS 1 Conn. neighbor 5 Herringlike fishes 10 Leave in, to an editor 14 Ancient Andean 15 "Water Lilies" painter 16 Fiesta fare 17 Go to great heights 18 Itsy-bitsy bits 19 How one might run 20 Spanish gentleman 22 Mac maker 23 Wife, jokingly 25 Hindu soul 28 Aspen aficionado 29 Word after pocket or loose 31 Deliberate destruction 36 They may be pulled 38 Dilbert's workspace 39 Erotic 41 Early English comedy, "____ Gurton's Needle"
11
22
Solution to Sudoku: 26 27 28 8 3 2 6 9 4 5 30 2 5 4 3 1 6 8 6 4 7 8 5 3 371 4 7 6 9 8 1 3 5 6 1 2424 7 9 1 947 548 7 3 2 4 46 9 2 3 4 6 8 517 7 8 9 1 2 5 6 56 3 1 8 5 7 9 2
EXCEPTIONAL CARE FOR EXCEPTIONAL PETS
by Margie E. Burke
14
20
FEATURING
3125 Atlanta Hwy.
Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain Week 1/7/19 1- 1/13/19 theof numbers to 9.
2
ATHENS!
CIGARS (NEW WALK IN HUMIDOR!) DETOX AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS MODERN AGE IS KNOWN FOR!
6
HOW TO SOLVE:
1
FOR VOTING US
FAVORITE VET CLINIC
NOW HIRING TO FILL THE DEMAND!
ATHENS’ BEST SELECTION OF E-LIQUIDS YOUR E-CIG & ACCESSORIES HEADQUATERS ROLL YOUR OWN!
Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate
The Weekly Crossword
THANK YOU
OUR NEW EXPANDED LOCATION IS BOOMING!
Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate
42 "Get lost!" 44 Minuscule 45 Accept responsibility 50 Unaccompanied 51 Weatherman offerings 55 Lose steam 56 Parlor piece 57 Beat badly 58 Clothing line 59 Certain exams 60 Frank Herbert sci-fi series 61 Nothing but 62 To the point 63 A whole bunch DOWN 1 Catchall abbr. 2 Forest ox 3 Wound covering 4 Minuet-like dances 5 Clothing size 6 Monopoly purchases 7 Polar parkas 8 Possessed one 9 Ave. crossers 10 Kind of infection 11 Buccaneers' home
12 Reason for a food recall 13 Representative 21 Spiny lobster 22 Like Cirque du Soleil performers 24 Fix, in a way 25 Plays a part 26 Quaker's "you" 27 "Death in Venice" author 30 Son of Cain 32 They're punched at work 33 Top of the heap 34 Secluded valley 35 Mysterious: Var. 37 Guaranteed 40 Russian urn 43 Diego Rivera creations 45 Weighty putdown 46 1979 sci-fi classic 47 Snorkeling sight 48 Hostile force 49 Have a hunch 52 Music category 53 Spotify selection 54 Hearty dish 56 URL punctuator
When you are struggling to meet the demands of a controlling and jealous partner it is hard to plan for the future. Project Safe has advocates available to help you sort through what options are available to you, and how you can stay safe while you explore options. All services are free and confidential.
706-543-3331
Hotline, 24 hours/day
Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia
Puzzle answers are available at www.flagpole.com/puzzles
JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
25
LIVE MUSIC
NIGHTLY
NO WHERE BAR 8 Voted # ll Bar Footba erica in Am
... just listen
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10TH
jazz
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11TH
wonderland rangers and pinky doodle poodle SATURDAY, JANUARY 12TH
dave bixler auction project (jazz) Deal of the Week...
$1 off coffee (any size)
when you mention this ad ATHENS’ INTIMATE LIVE MUSIC VENUE
LIVE MUSIC (All shows start at 10pm)
Wed. January 9
TRENT IN THE TREES Thur. January 10
JACKS RIVER BAND OKLAHOMA STACKHOUSE Fri. January 11
TOMATOBAND Sat. January 12
DANGFLY! THE BROKEN STRING BAND THE SEDONAS Mon. January 14
SO NASTY
See website for show times & details
hendershotscoffee.com
237 prince ave. • 706.353.3050
240 N. LUMPKIN ST. / 706-546-4742
chinese acrobats of hebei FRI JAN 25, 7:30 pm SAT JAN 26, 2:00 pm Fine Arts Theatre
Impressive derring-do takes center stage when these masters of agility and grace combine Chinese traditions, extraordinary nimbleness, and beautiful costumes into an awe-inspiring spectacle.
UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office Mon-Fri, 10 am-5pm | (706) 542-4400
pac.uga.edu
26
FLAGPOLE.COM | JANUARY 9, 2019
comics
locally grown
news
pub notes
Cheating, Lying and Corruption are OK ONCE YOU’RE ELECTED GOVERNOR, THAT STUFF VANISHES, LIKE YOUR DEBTS By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com Cheating, lying and corruption are OK. They are means to an end. If that end is election to public office, and you win, cheating, lying and corruption don’t count. In fact, if you are elected governor of Georgia, cheating, lying and corruption go away—along with any debts you may have—and you are now honorable and honored. You are respected. You are the governor. It has always been this way, except that it is more so now, because the president of the United States has set new standards for cheating, lying APOLOGIES TO GAGE SKIDMORE
and corruption, to the point that anything the governor of Georgia does is OK. In fact, looking like the president of the United States will get you elected in Georgia. You get a pass on cheating, lying and corruption, and all your sins and debts are forgiven at the moment you place your hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the law. You know the story of that good ole Athens boy, Brian Kemp, with the big pickup and the little shotgun, who parlayed being secretary of state into being governor, with the endorsement of President Trump. You know how many times he was accused, even by federal judges, of suppressing votes, of using his office to disqualify thousands of people who were trying to register to vote. Brian Kemp, as secretary of state, the chief elections official in Georgia, accused thousands of Georgians of committing voter fraud by trying to register to vote. And, look, he knew that if he could get through the Republican primary, he would be running for governor against the woman who was helping all those people register to vote. And it was OK for Kemp to suppress those voters, because
215 North Lumpkin St. • Athens, GA
18 & over / ID reqd. Tickets available online and at Georgia Theatre Box Office
most of them were, shall we say, not white Republicans. So, with the full support of the white, Republican Georgia legislature, Kemp was fighting to keep all those nonwhite, non-Republicans from electing a non-white, non-Republican woman governor of Georgia, instead of his own white Republican self. It was an epic battle, and it was all about voter registration and voter turnout. And in spite of all those years of Kemp’s suppressing voter registration and losing voter lists and destroying evidence of his incompetence and malfeasance, the polls showed him neck and neck with the non-white woman lawyer who had challenged his vote suppression. One more dirty trick was needed, so Kemp, as secretary of state and chief Georgia elections official, on the weekend before the election charged that the state Democratic Party had hacked into the Georgia election system and compromised it. The secretary of state said that—the chief election official. It must be true, and if true, the Democrats did not deserve to win the election, right? How many people were swayed by Kemp’s announcement, who might have been leaning toward voting for the Democrat? It didn’t take many. Kemp won the election by around 1 percent. A squeaker, but close don’t count. Brian Kemp is the new governor of Georgia, and he’ll be sworn in next week and honored at official parties all over Georgia. You know, it’s a funny thing. Kemp never offered any evidence about any Democratic hack. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution couldn’t find any evidence of a Democratic hack. It never happened, but it doesn’t really matter. It was just one more lie, one more example of cheating. One more instance of Kemp corrupting the office he held as a public trust. But none of that matters. Kemp, however he got them, had the most votes. Kemp is our governor, and Georgia governors are all, all honorable men. And next week, Brian Kemp will place his hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the law and defend the constitution and faithfully perform the duties of his office. Kemp has modeled himself on the president, whose endorsement gave him the winning edge. Perhaps Trump can be reassured by his Georgia Mini-Me that cheating, lying and corruption can indeed all finally go away, even if it takes a little longer at the top. f
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
SATURDAY, JANUARY 12
AN EVENING WITH
YACHT ROCK REVUE
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15
KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE FEAT. MARCUS KING
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24
KING TUFF THE INFINITE
SMILES TOUR W/ STONEFIELD, EUREKA CALIFORNIA
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
ZOSO:
THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE W/ GIMME HENDRIX (JIMI HENDRIX TRIBUTE)
DOORS 7:00PM • SHOW 8:00PM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24 AT 40 WATT CLUB
CHRIS LANE W/ GABBY BARRETT
THE STEEL WOODS
DOORS 7:30PM • SHOW 8:30PM
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26
BRENT COBB AND THEM
AFTM
ALBUM RELEASE SHOW W/ MARADEEN & UNDERGROUND SPRINGHOUSE
W/ SAVANNAH CONLEY DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19
REHAB
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
1/30 1/31 2/1 2/2 2/2
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 AT NOWHERE BAR
LIZ COOPER & THE STAMPEDE W/ NEW MADRID
DOORS 8:00PM • SHOW 9:00PM
COMING SOON
DANIEL ROMANO & T. HARDY MORRIS CBDB RUSSEL DICKERSON THE STEELDRIVERS TRAVIS DENNING (40 WATT CLUB)
2/5 2/6 2/7 2/8 2/12 2/13
LIGHT BRIGADE LIQUID STRANGER YOUNG THE GIANT YOUNG THE GIANT DAWES MATT AND KIM
* FOR COMPLETE LINEUP VISIT WWW.GEORGIATHEATRE.COM * JANUARY 9, 2019 | FLAGPOLE.COM
27