Fort Worth Weekly // February 24-March 2, 2021

February 24-March 2, 2021 FREE fwweekly.com

Could last week’s catastrophe have been avoided?

BY S TAT I C

FEATURE My anger is what really kept us warm.

BY ANTHONY MARIANI

EATS & DRINKS Smokestack 1948 arrives just in time for the beergardening weather.

BY C O DY N E AT H E RY

BUCK U Power was missing in most of Fort Worth, including TCU men’s hoops.

BY BUCK D. ELLIOTT

MUSIC Rapper Tornup attacks his most ambitious project yet: a sci-fi/horror trio of albums.

BY PAT R I C K H I G G I N S

Vo lum e 16

N umber 46

Febr uar y 24- Marc h 2, 2021

INSIDE Snowblind

Snowed in without power, a family survives.

Not miraculously.

By Anthony Mariani

6

Smokin’

The taproom/ lounge/beer garden Smokestack 1948 has a lot to offer.

By Cody Neathery

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Lovecraft Country Blending sci-fi and the macabre is what rapper Tornup is doing with his new concept project.

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Feature N&D Buck U Eats & Drinks

ATE DAY8 a week . . . 16

Music

Hearsay . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

20 Classifieds

Backpage . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Anthony Mariani, Editor

Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director

Lee Newquist, Publisher

Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

Bob Niehoff, General Manager

Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive

Ryan Burger, Art Director

Julie Strehl, Account Executive

Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Tony Diaz, Account Executive

Edward Brown, Staff Writer

Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator

Taylor Provost, Proofreader

Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

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Cover photo courtesy of Walt Burns

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By Anthony Mariani

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Luther and Parish, Sam Anderson, and the Effinays are just some of the artists slated to play this week.

GUARANTEED!

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Mask Up, Head Out

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CLOG-FREE GUT TERS Peter Wierenga

By Patrick Higgins

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METROPOLIS

Guilty Until Proven Innocent One man’s plight may be emblematic of a larger, systemic problem within the local criminal justice system.

B R O W N

When John returned from a visit to Florida to see relatives, members of Fort Worth police department’s SWAT team were waiting for him. John asked that a pseudonym be used because he fears retaliation from law enforcement.

Static Reports of exposure-related deaths are coming in from across the state, and the victims range from children to the elderly.

A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DHS) said that a statewide survey of deaths caused by the recent winter storm and subsequent blackout is underway but could take weeks to complete.

Of the customers tracked by PowerOutage.us, nearly 900,000 Tarrant County residents were without power on Tuesday, Feb. 16, as temperatures plunged below zero for the first time in several decades.

The promised rolling blackouts largely never materialized, and Fort Worth residents were left completely in the dark or with little to no power outages.

“Typically, our emergency operation plans spread these outages across the service territory on a rotating basis,” said a spokesperson for Oncor, the largest energy provider in Texas. The spokesperson said Oncor was directed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the nonprofit that manages Texas’ network of power generators and transmitters, to “drop a record amount of load,” which prevented regular rotations of blackouts.

Some of our readers weren’t buying it.

“If they can control where the power is being sent, then they could have controlled the length per section,” one commenter said. “This could have prevented the devastating infrastructure losses.

People could have maintained some control over any losses. Poor management on the part of Oncor and ERCOT. Most of the managers need to be replaced.

Been there too long!”

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

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Sacrificing Public Health on Texas’ BusinessFriendly Alter

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While being processed in the jail, John said he met numerous innocent inmates who were unable to buy their freedom by posting bail — either as a cash payment or through a loan provided by a bail bond company for a 10% fee. Bail is used to ensure defendants return for their respective court dates. Tarrant County officials

SWAT team members allegedly raided his home, and John’s children saw their father being restrained at gunpoint before being taken to Tarrant County Jail to face charges of assault. John denies any wrongdoing. He alleges that his accuser owes him money and that the “victim” is using the criminal justice system to avoid paying up.

The catastrophe is not without irony.

The complete and utter failure of energyrich Texas to provide basic services to residents during a crisis has left power companies pointing to the extreme weather conditions as the cause of power supply failures while officials and public leaders demand answers.

Texas relies on several sources of electricity — natural gas (40%), wind (23%), coal (18%), nuclear (11%), and other renewables and nonrenewables (8%) — and every system failed to an alarming degree, largely due to the lack of weatherizing measures that allow wind farms to function in Antarctica and power plants to service communities at extreme latitudes.

Last week’s problems could be traced back to 1999. That’s when state leaders began deregulating the state power market to provide a competitive and cost-friendly electrical market. Under the current system, power companies are given guidance of best practices, and enforcement practices are nearly nonexistent.

Recent reporting by the Dallas Morning News found that state utility regulators have “issued only three fines related to inadequate weather planning by power generators” since 1999.

The abysmal lack of government oversight hasn’t stopped Gov. Greg Abbott from feigning surprise at the situation that state leaders like him created.

The governor recently called for an investigation into the statewide power failure and for the Texas Legislature to consider using state funds to update and weatherize power plants. Abbott’s critics note that for all his bluster, the governor’s campaign war chest is largely funded by the private energy sector — to the tune of $26 million in contributions, according to the Associated Press.

Former District 90 State Rep. Lon Burnam made energy reform a central focus during his 18 years in office. Burnam said that every group tasked with overseeing the state’s electrical grid and

have worked in recent years to increase the number of no-cost “personal recognizance” bonds that are given to defendants. Those steps were taken to avoid the types of lawsuits that have forced Dallas and Harris counties to address the constitutionality of their bail systems (“Criminalizing Poverty or Ensuring Justice?” July 8, 2020).

Cour tesy of Walt Burns

E D W A R D

Of the customers tracked by PowerOutage.us, nearly 900,000 Tarrant County residents were without power on Tuesday, Feb. 16, as temperatures plunged below zero for the first time in several decades.

power systems — from the governing Public Utility Commission of Texas to ERCOT — is under the sway of private energy groups and lobbyists. The former state representative and Democrat said he held his nose when voting in favor of deregulating the state’s energy sector two decades ago. He said he made the decision because deregulation also benefited the state’s then-nascent solar and wind programs.

Recent false and misleading statements by Abbott and Republican officials that wind turbine failures were the main culprit of last week’s energy meltdown are a distraction from the real reforms that are now needed, Burnam said. “Abbott is giving lip service to weatherizing.

People are saying it was an all-time, worstcase scenario. Because of climate change, we will continue to see our climate be in radical flux, whether it is an extraordinary heatwave or a wet spring or drought. They need to pick up my legislation that would require a half dozen agencies to adopt training to anticipate what we would do in these crisis situations.”

Burnam added that locals have a role

to play in conserving power, which would have long-term benefits for the environment and the stability of the electrical grid during the next crisis. Texas’ electrical companies and state officials have not made conservation a priority because private interests are more concerned with “quarterly earnings” than helping Texans, he said.

Tarrant County residents are uniquely positioned to influence energy reforms this legislative session, Burnam added.

He recommends that anyone who is angry at last week’s energy failure contact State Sen. Kelly Hancock (who represents District 9 and chairs the business and commerce committee) at 817-514-3804 and State Rep. Craig Goldman (who represents District 97 and chairs the energy resources committee) at 817-920-5912 to demand that private companies be held accountable for creating the deadly and dire situation that millions of Texans suffered through last week.

The Weekly welcomes submissions of all political persuasions. Please email Editor Anthony Mariani at anthony@fwweekly.com.

iStock

Critics of ankle monitors say the devices create a virtual system of mass incarceration outside of jail walls.

POWER OF GRATITUDE Jill Darden and Her Son Jiles Clark Put Their Purpose in Writing

You could say news runs in her blood. Her late mother Chris Lott published a newspaper in Wichita Falls and, in addition to helping her mother put the paper together, one of Darden’s first jobs was delivering the paper to local customers. “I fell in love with the news, having regular customers, and the business,” Darden said.

Darden also credits her mother for a couple of other Power 9 habits –– the 80% Rule and adding a Plant Slant to her diet. “My mom was not a ‘traditional’ cook,” Darden said. At her mother’s table, “you didn’t come for fried, highly seasoned food, you came for the love.” While Darden doesn’t preach to her readers, she does, as she says, “try to provide light” through the paper. “I share what I do and information from credible sources to inspire people to be healthier.”

Darden’s example is one that her son Jiles Clark is following. As an entrepreneur mom, Darden has shared her news experiences with Jiles. Now age 13, Clark wrote Never Give Up when he was 11. Inspired by an elementary school classmate who was going through a difficult time, Clark’s message of hope, persistence and faith “is timeless and applicable,” Darden said. “That book encourages me too.” In July, Jiles delighted television show host Kelly Clarkson with his positive message, and WFAA’s Tashara Parker featured him on her I Am Up segment. Part of the proceeds of his books benefit the charity, Book Angel, which provides books to children in need. Jiles just finished his second book, Be Yourself, which will be coming out next month. Inspiring others, just like mom!

Find a More POWERful You at LiveLongFortWorth.com

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Jill Darden founded the Fort Worth Black News in 1997 when she was newly graduated from UTA with a degree in broadcast journalism. “I was looking for a publication I that wanted to read, that talked about what was going on in our community,” Darden said. The former editor of the Paschal High newspaper found her Purpose (one of the Blue Zones Power 9® principles) early on. Over the past three decades, Darden has added virtual components, first through cable and now online through streaming news and a digital publishing company. “We can reach people in a variety of ways, and even people I haven’t met can see the stories,” Darden said.

“Before, it was just newspapers reaching a smaller radius.”

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than 125,000 defendants were required to have monitors placed in 2015, compared with just 53,000 people in 2005. Last year, the Weekly reviewed the bond condition of a man who was arrested three times due to a malfunction with his ankle monitor that set off false tampering notifications.

Pamela Young, criminal justice organizer for the grassroots group United Fort Worth, said onerous and costly pretrial conditions undermine the Constitutional assumption of innocence that is the basis of the U.S. criminal justice system.

“Unless there is substantial probable cause evidence that proves an individual is a danger to the community or a flight risk, there should be no pretrial supervision, detention, or fees — period,” she said. “They should be released, given their court date, and left alone to work on their defense.

Pretrial supervision fees for people who have not been proven guilty are a direct attack on their rights to due process, life, and liberty. Unfortunately, capitalism has overshadowed all of that. Along with the unjust money bail system, these arbitrary pretrial supervision fees are a disgusting and unethical practice that destroys families and communities daily, and that must end in Tarrant County and the nation.”

John said his heavy-handed arrest, experiences in jail, and ongoing financial woes have rattled him.

“Mentally, I wake up throughout the night,” he said. “It traumatized my kids to see their guns pointed at me. Imagine how many hardworking people who are not criminals have encounters with these [violent police]. It’d be different if they caught me red-handed committing a crime. It just doesn’t add up. It’s crazy.”

Gustin said that “RMS has no influence or control over which individuals are referred to the program. It’s important to note that RMS is required to provide services to clients regardless of their ability to pay the monthly fee, and RMS cannot refuse to provide services or terminate services for non-payment. RMS is committed to providing quality services to every client that is referred to their programs.”

The numerous criminal actions taken by former President Donald Trump have emboldened law enforcement officers to act recklessly, John said. The criminal justice system, he said, needs more than reforms. It needs to be “overthrown.” l

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

Critics of monetary bail (which is used across the United States but in few other countries) say the system criminalizes poverty while sending $14 billion into the coffers of bail bond companies every year. The average bail set in Tarrant County is $4,785.09, according to the county. John works 40 hours a week and earns just enough income to support his family. Coming up with his $4,000 portion of the $30,000 bail he was levied required that several members of his family contribute scarce personal funds. Although it was financially difficult, John said his relatives dug deep to pool together the money because they believe John will ultimately be exonerated of the charges.

Once freed, the defendant found that posting bail was only the first of several onerous requirements stipulated by Tarrant County’s Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD), which supervises around 20,000 individuals who have been court-ordered to some type of supervision.

Every month, John is required to pay $350 to Dallas-based Recovery Monitoring Solutions (RMS), according to county documents that I reviewed.

“I have to pay my bills,” John said. “I have to pay for my daughters’ dance classes. I don’t have money like that.”

John said that he was told by his supervising CSCD officer that if he was unable to pay the monthly fees, he would spend the next several months or longer waiting for his trial in Tarrant County jail.

Criminal trials in Tarrant County have been severely delayed due to COVID-19.

A CSCD spokesperson said that she was unaware of any case in which an individual under supervision has been incarcerated solely for inability to pay.

“We do have a system in place for indigent individuals at the pretrial level,” she continued. “If the individual needs financial assistance, he should speak with his officer or the officer’s supervisor.”

The spokesperson said that only a “small percentage” of individuals in Tarrant County are court-ordered to have electronic monitoring that tracks their whereabouts through GPS technology.

“These are generally our most serious offenses,” the spokesperson said, “and most involve a victim.”

I reached out to RMS and was referred to CoreCivic, which owns Recovery Monitoring Solutions.

CoreCivic spokesperson Ryan Gustin said in an email that “RMS is the contracted provider for services with [CSCD] for radio frequency, global positioning satellite, and continuous alcohol monitoring, which are all ankle-worn devices. This contract was awarded to RMS through a competitive process. These services are community-based programs used by the courts, judges, and CSCD as alternatives to incarceration.”

Collaborative reporting by ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine recently found that ankle monitors, which are presented as a humane alternative to jail, frequently drive defendants into debt or force their return to jail. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, a nonprofit NGO, more

5

A Song of Ice and Fireplace It didn’t have to be this bad.

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and subsisting on bottles of Ozarka. Insert: Texas-is-a-third-world-country barb.

Allow me to take a moment to pay tribute to the true hero of our “survival,” my Halo. About the size of an old Russian novel, a Halo is essentially a mondo battery with multiple outlets. My mom, who’s on oxygen, bought one for herself after coming across it on QVC one night, and she loved it so much, she bought one for all three of her grown children and me. I had totally forgotten about it, and we would have been absolutely screwed if my wife had not remembered it toward the middle of Monday. Being able to charge both of our phones and the kid’s iPad was a total #blessing. Just plug the Halo into your car outlet and wait about an hour, and you’re good to go. Things were looking up.

For a little while. All along, I was wondering not only if my co-workers and I could put out the paper but if we were going to at all.

Our son was a problem but only in theory.

In practice, A. was awesome, which is worth noting because he’s developmentally delayed. Though he has good grades and can read on an eighth-grade level or higher, he’s more like a 5- or 6-year-old emotionally.

My wife D. and I were worried about him cracking or, more than that, jonesing for his beloved iPad. Unfortunately for all of us, the only a-hole in the house turned out to

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t was the middle of the night, so we weren’t too worried about losing power. Again. It had gone out at least twice a year since my wife and I moved into our North Fort Worth house, and it’s usually back long before we two and the 9-year-old need to relocate most of the food in our fridge to a cooler. It’s never usually a biggie, just inconvenient and ridiculous — I grew up in the snowy Rust Belt up north, and in my 20 years there, I think we lost power twice. Don’t hold it against me for referring to my adopted home state as a third-world country once or twice. Or every other power outage.

The morning, Monday, was a different story. Still, no power. And the snow and ice, and subzero temperatures, had coated our humble little domicile and environs in a ghostly white. Luckily, we still had water and a gas fireplace to huddle by, which we did for three straight nights without electricity.

We are still among the lucky ones. My initial thoughts were for the homeless. I hoped they would find shelter. My pity then turned to Fort Worthians without fireplaces, and as chintzy as ours is, it still puts out heat (some). Like nearly everyone else, I’d seen the pics of old folks wrapped up in blankets and winter clothing. Oddly enough, the beloved old folks in my life made for a tale of two cities. While my mom back home in frigid Pittsburgh was enjoying her electricity and running water, my in-laws in San Antonio were freezing

W O R D S

The roads leading out of the author’s housing complex were an icy mess.

B Y

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be the lone alleged adult male: me.

“This is bullshit,” I told D. through gritted teeth, reading the news on my phone. “All the nice parts of North Texas have power, but it’s out in all of the not-sorich parts like ours. This is total bullshit.”

It would be another three or four days before I would learn the truth, that the energy providers were as ill-prepared as we were and that some “nice” parts of town suffered just as badly as we did. Past me cares only enough to apologize to D. and A. for my not infrequent outbursts/grunts/ wild-eyed looks. My bad, fam.

That first morning without power, Monday, was a little too chill-in-the-rapperway than it should have been. Again, D. and I had become accustomed to short power outages. We honestly thought that at any minute, all of our appliances would return to life with an annoying beep and all would be right with the world. Texting with the neighbors and surfing Nextdoor brought my wife and me closer to reality. It was when considering the long game that my lovely wife remembered the Halo.

“Let’s hook it up,” I said, and she did — she’s famous for never giving me the chance to follow through, probably because of my lack of follow-through.

“Thank you?” I managed.

As an old journalism prof once said of our kind, you take a notebook out of our hands, and we’re idiots. And it’s true. I can’t tell you where the life-saving devices are in my house, but I haven’t missed a deadline in 22 years. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to miss one on account of some “storm” that wouldn’t even qualify as a two-hour school delay back home up north. My only other questions were logistical in nature: How would we be able to distribute the paper, and who would be able to pick them up?

T-minus a day and a half ’til deadline day.

Perhaps scariest of all for two parents locked in a small house with a special-needs child, we were down to the champagne.

And the peppermint schnapps.

Though it felt like -12 outside, checking my phone every other minute — what else were we going to do? — ensured that at least I was going to stay warm. An inferno of anger raged through me. A lot of my “friends,” according to Fakebook, still refer to climate change as “global warming” and believe that “global warming” can’t exist in a weather event this cold and this far south.

I still have to stop myself from commenting

the truth. I trust that most of us go through the same thing every day in Fakebookland.

Apologies.

Climate change is ravaging the planet, and it also did quite a number on ERCOT. The poorly named Electric Reliability Council of Texas that manages nearly 90% of the state’s electricity load should have been better prepared for another one of these once-in-a-generation weather catastrophes that we somehow keep experiencing every year. As a network of utilities created to avoid federal regulation (and increase profits for a very small few), ERCOT cannot pull and pool resources from other, regional energy systems during a calamity. The recurring joke — that Texas is a state of rugged individualism — can’t be cracked often enough, because when the time came for our infrastructure to support us as it normally does, we were all left alone together. What lots of “individuals” don’t realize is that what’s rugged for some of us might be a little too demanding for Grandma and Grandpa, who may be expendable to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick but certainly, hopefully not to their families.

More than 4 million Texans and almost as many lost water after Winter Storm Uri blanketed most of the state in snow and subzero temps. We many not know how many people died, and many did, until months from now. At one innocent, earlier point, A. snapped a pic of the snow in our backyard and texted it to his cousin in Katy, right outside of Houston.

“Roasted,” A.’s cousin wrote back with a photo of even deeper, bigger snow.

That’s just one family I know of dealing with a busted water pipe. Thankfully, our backyard spigot is only leaking. We’re still rationing water as we have been since Monday, when we had to boil it, which we did on the propane grill out back, and by “we,” I mean “I.” As spread out as Fort Worth is, most of us without power were left with frighteningly few options: bundle up at home and hope for the best or hop in the car and slip-slide on the icy roads to a friend’s or relative’s place with power and risk catching/giving the COVID. My family was lucky enough to stay put and do a lot of hoping.

The much ballyhooed “rolling blackouts” were a joke. While some of us suffered, many neighborhoods had a jolly old, full-powered time — as much as I hate Facebook and avoid it, during the times I checked it while powerless, I saw just enough shiny, happy fun-ness in the snow

Like most folks, I suppose, we also had taken photos and a couple of videos to share with friends and family. Look how silly!

Snow in Texas! Snowballs! There was also a vainglorious attempt at a snowman that ended up as nothing more than a glorified anthill. D. and A. dubbed it the “Snowcano” in objection to my label, the “Volcansnow.”

As enervating and dour as “the social network” is, it occasionally presents me with something interesting or even sublime. Like last week during Uri. While making my daily 10-second scroll through my newsfeed, I came across a stunning photo of my hometown of Pittsburgh from that morning. The focal point was an

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We have an excellent selection, but note that product availability still varies by store as we all recover from the winter weather.

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*Made mental note to get back at son next snowball fight*

because your [sic] lazy is a direct result of your raising! Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish [sic]. … This is sadly a product of a socialist government where they feed people to believe that the FEW will work and others will become dependent for handouts.”

And it went on.

Texas individualism, as I understand it from this blowhard’s post, is the opposite of socialism, that bugaboo of the right as if anyone who throws around the “socialism!” sobriquet actually knows what it means. Socialism does not mean poor people are given handouts. Socialism means we all share in the struggle and reap the rewards. Socialism means narrowing the gap between 1-percenters and the rest of us. Socialism can also mean public parks and beaches, public schools, public roads, public libraries, and public utilities. And if you’re afraid of socialism, don’t dare call 911 unless you’re prepared to pay for all services rendered. You’re welcome.

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They were down to their last two bottles of booze: champagne.

On the outside, I was jolly ol’ family guy.

Inside, I was steaming.

No one warned us of a potential disaster. We knew snow and subzero temps were coming — why did Oncor and other utilities neglect to inform us that their laughable “rolling blackouts” were a possibility? Had we known, maybe we would have done something differently, like maybe stock up on bottled water or maybe buy Halos for our loved ones or maybe jet off to Cancun with our wife and kids and get shamed into coming back.

Never mind. That’s right. The utility giants and ERCOT and their enablers in Austin couldn’t care less about us. We are Texans. We are “individuals.”

“No one owes you are [sic] your family anything,” that disgraced former mayor of nearby Colorado City Facebooked during the storm, “nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim it’s your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout! If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal without and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family. If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you

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to swear off the app until my nausea went away. I could only hope I wasn’t as nauseous as the COVID-19 patients stuck in their hospital rooms waiting for vaccines that wouldn’t come. John Peter Smith Hospital rushed out into the community to start vaccinating folks on the spot. And did.

Texas had not seen temperatures this low since the 1990s. Playing out back in the snow with my family again, just like we had done one power-full day before, I could not remember the last time my toes had been as cold. My duck boots, they were useless.

Making snowballs in my “gloves” was even worse. Somehow, someway, most of the family gloves had disappeared. I say this sarcastically yet lovingly because my wife is crazy about packing up bags of clothes we haven’t worn in a month and dropping them off at donation stations. (Love ya, babe.) All we were left with were a pair of cloth gloves for my wife and, for our son and me each, a pair of “cool” gardening gloves that look like what BMXers wear while riding. All of us had touch-friendly index fingertips and thumbs because America. After packing and launching about a dozen snowballs, every inch of my hands had turned to ice.

A., a rambunctious kid, was just getting started. He fired one that hit me in the ass as I was walking back inside to “take a break” but really to check the news and my messages on my dumb phone. The good news: Liquor King is open! The bad: How would I get there?

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COME SHOP, DINE & DANCE THE AMERICAN RODEO STOCKYARDS STYLE! F E B RUA RY 2 5 - M A RC H 7

RFD-TV’s

RFD-TV’s

This 11-day rodeo competition kicks off its 8th year in the historic Cowtown Coliseum.

It’s the richest weekend in western sports!

THE AMERICAN RODEO Semi-Finals MARCH 3–5 | 6PM | COWTOWN COLISEUM

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Please stop what you’re doing and buy one of these for Texas’ next weather event, which won’t be once in a generation but probably this summer.

incline, or funicular — it’s like a cable car along the side of a mountain. There it went, running up and down its tracks smoothly, perfectly, surrounded by snow. Nearly 1,250 miles away, there I was with my family praying for electricity and heat and for our pipes not to burst.

No matter what the talking heads on the right say, and they will say a lot, untrammeled deregulation and a lack of leadership are mostly responsible for last week. As Gov. Greg Abbott has demanded and received the heads of ERCOT’s leaders, he still sits comfortably ensconced in the Austin Capitol when his and Dan Patrick’s obsession with bathrooms and Chickfil-A instead of infrastructure and good governance helped lead to the “rolling blackouts.” I needed a dance party.

As A.’s psychiatrist and play therapist have told him millions of times, the best way to control anger is to just start moving.

With D. and our son dancing like lunatics in the living room on Monday afternoon, I sat back and filmed it. Not to share. There aren’t any pictures of our son in social media-world. But to document. For the three of us to be able to look back on this moment and say, “See what a badass mother your mom is?” In total, I offered next to nothing to keep our spirits up or distract our son from perhaps the bone-chilling possibility that the situation would last for days. My snowball-throwing game was on point, though.

Finally, I heard from our owner. For Tuesday, our press deadline, we would put out a “greatest hits” issue, essentially republish select stories from our recent past.

I told him fine but that I would squeeze in as many timely stories as possible. I told my writers to simply email me their stories and I would edit them on my phone. Somehow.

Plotting the upcoming issue, there on my phone by myself while my wife was shaming Mary Poppins, I thought we should focus some of our 2021 coverage to energy justice. As a newspaper in energyrich Texas, we should explain the Green New Deal whenever we can. Note: It’s not socialism. The Green New Deal simply means that utilities will be publicly owned, that they will be carefully — not overly — regulated, that they will be completely decarbonized, and that they will be

The author’s son would have taken this snowball in the mouth if he had not turned his head at the last minute.

was deregulated, privatized, and removed from the interconnected networks to avoid federal regulation and increase profits to a small number of wealthy individuals.”

Standing in front of the grill, me dressed in my high school letterman’s jacket and a hoodie, I thought to look down to my left. There, buried up to their necks, were our last two bottles of bubbly. Fakebook came back to me. For whatever reason, my “taking the edge off,” probably, the social network kept showing me an ad for Drizly, an alcohol delivery service.

It took me about 10 seconds to download the app and place the order.

It took Drizly about 10 minutes to cancel my order. “No drivers.”

For our nighttime entertainment, we thought to introduce our son, officially, to the Star Wars franchise, starting with the second-best movie, The Empire Strikes Back.

Thanks, Halo. Thanks, Ma. (We all know Return of the Jedi is the best.)

Wednesday brought a little sun. And quite a little luck.

The day was the anniversary of our first date. True to our early years, D. was craving a pizza with jalapenos and pineapple.

Jalapeno-pineapple pizza was our go-to date-night meal back in the day. The only joint open was a Domino’s exactly 1.3 miles away. Almost without question, I started stepping into my useless duck boots.

“Where you going?” my wife asked.

Cue: a sweet story about wanting to do whatever it took to make our 22nd dating anniversary not just come and go with no fanfare or jalapeno-pineapple pizza.

In truth, the lack of leadership from Austin and last night’s, um, working conditions had me raging. I needed to just move.

The roads leading out of my housing complex were an icy mess. Once I reached

the main drag, Old Denton Road, the coverage wasn’t as slip-inducing and Old Denton itself was passable, its gray lay wiped clean in one direction either way by the kind of people who have to drive to work during a major snowstorm to make pizzas for people like me. I almost fell only once.

Paying for my pie took all of about five minutes, just enough time for me to google “liquor store 76131.”

By the time I reached the last bend to my house, my toes were frozen and my lower back ached. My wife and son greeted me. I handed them the pizza.

“Where you going?” D. said, incredulous.

“It looks like that little liquor store by Fred’s on Western Center is open,” I said.

“OK,” my wife relented. “Text us when you’re on the way back, and we’ll come and meet you.”

The path to GG’s Liquor Store took me through a Chick-fil-A parking lot and drive-thru. The line stretched for at least a quarter mile in two directions. And lots of honking. Lots of chicken lovers honking at one another. Lots of anti-LGBTQcompany folks getting their honk on. One of them even pulled up in front of me as I, a humble pedestrian, was trying to cross the line. Like WTF? You think I’m going to stand there to order food? We don’t support Chick-fil-A anyway. Wish someone would make a bumper sticker. Or a T-shirt. My wife and I would sport it for sure.

One of the chief reasons that a damned Yankee like me does not want to “go back to where I came from!” is that I’ve made my life here. I was sent to Texas by a large company for a job, and I fell in love with an Air Force brat who happened to be in the state at the time. Had I not met D. and married her, I think I’d probably be living in Hawaii. I heard they have their own grid, too. l

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By the end of Monday night, stories for last week’s paper started filling my inbox.

I thought about my time as a cub reporter back up north and how I would call in the main points of late-night council meetings to my editor, who would insert my words into the skeleton story I had penned before leaving the office for the city building. I thought that that Anthony would slap me for not taking advantage of the technology in my hands. Basically, I edited last week’s issue using the markup function on screenshots. Only three “greatest hits” stories ran. The rest were all brand new.

Hope you liked it. Thanks to the writers for not demanding much of me and for our proofreader Taylor Provost for carrying the feature. I owe you all.

This was around the time we Marianis started boiling water on the stove and the propane grill out back. In between pots, we managed to sneak in our family’s inaugural game of Clue, the Simpsons version. We would roll a few times, stop to explain the game to the youngest player a few times, get confused a few times, and then I would slip off my Crocs to put on my dumb duck boots and go out back to check on the water. The weird thing was, it seemed so natural. I guess having a kid makes adults accustomed to struggling. We also had some leftover homemade jambalya that I thought to warm up over the propane flames. In reality, I just wanted more time to play on my absurd phone. And stew.

One tweet among all of the angry tweets really got me going. It was by this guy Bryan William Jones: “This is a good time to note that the electrical grid in Texas

The “Volcansnow,” or “Snowcano,” was still standing after the temps started to rise.

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ridiculous duck boots. I packed my first one tight. “Grrr, Greg Abbott.” Bang! I nailed my kid in the back. “Grrr, ERCOT.” Kapow! Got him in the thigh. “Grrr, Donald Trump!”

If my son had not turned his head at the last minute, he would have eaten a facefull of snow/ice. I had to remove myself.

A quick check of my phone back inside told me it was really time to start worrying.

Oncor, the state’s largest energy provider, indicated the outage was “extended.”

Opening the fridge to make another round of PB&J’s for the fam, I was stunned by its emptiness.

“I took all the stuff out and put it either out back or in the garage, which is colder — no sun,” D. said. Once again, survival was just another excuse for my lovely wife to point out my lack of follow-through, my “alleged” lack of follow-through. I’m still contesting the results.

“Thanks, babe,” I whinnied. “So where’s the jelly?”

“Out in the garage.”

“OK?” I said. “But what about the champagne?”

“Where do you think?” my wife answered. “Out back in the snow.”

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guaranteed to all. It’s about time.

Republicans can’t wait to start throwing shade. We all need to get used to hearing them blame Democrats for everything. I’m sure in some warped right-wing minds, it was the Democrats who did not insulate the wind turbines and natural gas pipelines.

To some of the trolls, it was also the Dems who sent Uri, not Mother Earth.

Never one to apologize or accept blame, Abbott and other Republicans are arguing that the catastrophe is a reason to increase our reliance on fossil fuels, either completely oblivious or completely unconcerned that we can all see the oil and gas lobby behind the statements much in the way that very same lobby is behind Abbott’s and other Republicans’ political careers. That there may be no planet for their children and grandchildren to inherit means nothing compared to political expediency.

Uri “shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America,” Abbott said Tuesday, despite the fact that only a quarter of the state’s electricity generation in 2020 came from wind and solar, according to ERCOT. The rest came from gas and nonrenewables, nearly 60% in total. Bloomberg News said that wind comprised a tiny fraction of resources taken offline due to the subzero conditions.

Some sunshine made our second snowball battle a little more bearable. I made sure to stay on the patio, where the heaps of white stuff were a lot less liable to pile up on the cellophane-thin toes of my

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Photo by Antonio Ragusi

NIGHT&DAY

Creatures of the night want to play.

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As a part of the North Texas State Fair & Rodeo (2217 N Carroll Blvd, Thursday Denton, 941-704-8572), daily thru Sunday, experience the horror/ fantasy production Paranormal Cirque, a blend of cabaret, circus, and theater with acrobats, illusionists, freaks, and creatures of the night. This show is R-rated. A parent or guardian 21 or over must accompany those under 17, and no children under 13 will be admitted. Tickets are $10-50 at Black.

CirqueItalia.com.

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Live music venue/recent warming place Rail Club Live (3101 Joyce Dr, 817Friday 386-4309) is without a liquor license (thanks, TABC) but is still hosting great shows as a BYOB joint. From 7:30pm to 12:30am, see Texas-based Kill Devil Hill with a host of opening bands. The hard-rock supergroup with a modern, heavy sound features frontman Dewey Bragg (of Pissing Razors), session/touring guitarist Mark Zavon (of Type O Negative and Danzig), and drummer Johnny Kelly (of A Pale Horse Named Death), with bassist Nico D’Arnese, who recently replaced founding member Rex Brown (of Pantera). General admission tickets are $10 at the door or on Eventbrite. VIP tickets are $50 and include unlimited sodas, Red Bull, ice, and water.

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IMMERSIVE PHOTOGR APHY AND VIDEO

BY A G R O U N D B R E A K I N G A R T I S T

February 28–May 16 www.themodern.org

MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH

Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again is organized by The Broad, Los Angeles, and curated by Ed Schad, Curator, The Broad.

The presentation in Fort Worth is generously supported by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts, with additional support from the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District.

Shirin Neshat, Untitled (Women of Allah), 1996. © Shirin Neshat/Courtesy the artist and Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

After last week’s winter weather, it might be a good idea to sage all of North Saturday Texas. If you think so, too, check out the grand opening of Fort Worth’s newest metaphysical shop, Higher Purpose Emporium (505 W Northside Dr, 682-2075351). From noon to 7pm, Higher Purpose will have door prizes (while supplies last) and a socially distant mini-fair featuring apothecary items, décor, ritual tools, and more.

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All good things must come to an end, even in Grapevine. For Winterfest Sunday 2021 at the Gaylord Texan (1501 Gaylord Trl, 817-778-1000), the end is Sun. Enjoy one last wintery weekend escape

featuring family-friendly fun that includes animal encounters, art activities, illusionist shows, and live musical performances.

For reservations and prices, visit Tickets.

GaylordTexan.com.

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From 6pm to 9pm every Mon, head to Fat Daddy’s Mansfield (781 W Debbie Monday Ln, 817-453-0188) for Free World Poker Night hosted by the WPT League. Cash freeroll is $50 with six players per table. Masks are required, and hand sanitizer is placed at every table. Happy hour specials from 2pm to 7pm include $2 domestic draft beers and well drinks, $3 margaritas and wine, $7.50 domestic pitchers, and $9.50 import pitchers, plus appetizer deals.

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Given the local nature of our publication, we typically don’t cover corporate goingsTuesday on. However, Chipotle (3050 S Hulen St, Ste C, 817-735-8355) is an acceptable exception. Not only are the burritos yummy, but the company gets an A+ for animal welfare standards. From 4pm to 8pm, your patronage helps children, too. When ordering online, use the code DTZ4RTD, and a portion of the proceeds will go to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Tarrant County. This volunteer group stands up on behalf of abused and neglected children.

If you are dining in, print the flyer you’ll find at SpeakUpforaChild.org/Events/Chipotle and bring it with you.

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Knight Rider. I loved it as a kid. This is not that.

Fort Worth is home to a Wednesday social group called Night Riders. The group does weekly bike rides on Wed and Sun, with HopFusion Ale Works (210 E Broadway Av, 682-841-1721) as the starting point. On the first Wed of the month, a restaurant destination is picked, and the group heads there and back on a Dinner Ride that is never more than 10-13 miles total. The meet-up time is 7pm, and the bikes roll out at 7:30pm. For today’s dining destination and future events, follow Facebook.com/FortWorthNightRiders.

B U C K

D .

E L L I O T T

We’re no fans of cliche here at the Weekly, but I can’t discard the events of last week as quickly as the state legislators will before I derive adequate pun mileage. So, what the heck is the problem with TCU men’s basketball this season? Answer: power.

Not the natural-gas pipeline freezing, wonky wind turbine, coal crystalizing, power production problems endured by our friends, families, and neighbors last week. Gov. Greg Abbott will most likely spend the next year gazing backward to find a scapegoat to those hardships, but the problem for TCU — and Jamie Dixon in particular — is power forward.

Saturday should have proved a manageable contest against Kansas State, who were — and still are — scraping the bottom of the conference standings.

The Wildcats had logged only one win against a Big 12 opponent, which was the Cyclones back in 2020. The clashing purples knotted themselves at 29 before breaking for intermission, and afterward, KSU accelerated while Dixon’s dribblers dropped into low gear in anticipation of black ice. Who’s to blame? Guards RJ Nembhard (#22) and Mike Miles (#1)

combined for 27 points. Center Kevin Samuel (#21) jammed in nine, which wasn’t his best, but far from his worst.

Other than the aforementioned three, no player wearing non-tacky purple scored more than five. The real problem is there isn’t one formidable, or even reliable, forward gracing TCU’s roster. In contrast, KSU starts two forwards and a center, and those three big men combined for 23 points. Add 28 Wildcat points from their two starting guards, and they needed only one bucket from the bench to eclipse TCU’s disappointing 54 points. As hard as it might be to believe, the Frogs are scoring a superior number of points per game than last season (albeit, the sample size is much smaller), but their scoring trend — or lack thereof — is alarming considering the first years of Dixon’s tenure. When Jamie Dixon returned to his alma mater to coach the Frogs in 2016, the squad managed approximately 75 points each game and steamrolled their way to an NIT championship. The next year, their scoring ballooned to better than 82 per meeting. Not surprisingly, the offensive explosion yielded a school-best 9-9 Big 12 record and the first NCAA tournament bid for TCU in 20 years. In 2018-19[,]

the pace dropped below Dixon’s first year at just below 74 points per game before dropping last year to a tenure low at 65.4 points. What happened? Look forward, or rather, look at the forwards who were in Fort Worth and have since graduated.

It’s unfair to reminisce, but in retrospect Dixon was gifted a talented front-court roster upon arrival. Vladimir Brodziansky — the Slovakian Serpent — was and might remain one of the best players to ever grace Berry Street and University Drive. Centerlike size embodying silky post moves, outside shooting ability, and sniper free throws made Vlad a nearly unguardable force who was always in the mix for the top scorer in the conference. Assisting Brodzianky was Kenrich Williams, one of the only Frogs besides Desmond Bane to be drafted into the NBA in recent memory.

Williams’ hustle, athleticism, and ability to fly into the paint and above the rim won’t soon be replicated. Those two equaled a dynamic duo of forward fury. We’d be remiss to forget JD Miller, who began his purple career as a role player before becoming the nitrous fuel that returned the Frogs to the NIT championship game the season after Brodzianky and Williams departed. These big men propelled TCU

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Coach Jamie Dixon’s Frogs need to generate more scoring, and they don’t have the infrastructure to do it.

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What do TCU men’s basketball and the state of Texas have in common?

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Power Failure

Cour tesy of Stephen Spillman and TCU

BUCK U

basketball, and Dixon, to the relevance that fans had craved since the start of the 21st century.

The depressing news is they haven’t been replaced, or even imitated, by anyone on the current roster. For those who have never evaluated basketball closely, allow me to metaphor in snowpocalypse terms.

TCU’s guards are this state’s power grid.

Most of the time, they appear solid and can deliver the goods and consumers won’t even notice. But add some inclement weather — or, in this case, a decent opponent — and what seemed like seamless electricity became rolling blackouts. If your neighborhood was anything like mine, there’s no coherent timeframe for when the lights might click on. Forwards are backup generators. They can propel your home, and team, along during bleak spells where you just need the essentials to stay alive and prevent the pipes from freezing. You might not rely on forwards all the time, especially when the weather is clear and temperate, but when you need them, they’re friggin’ really essential.

The Horned Frogs have suspended play numerous times this season and are currently 11-9 (4-7 in the Big 12) and need a herculean effort to complete a “winning,” season. Two games remain to complete the Frogs’ heavily modified regular season schedule. Their first spat is hosting the 13th-ranked Mountaineers on Tuesday night. By the time this piece goes to press or you’re reading online, TCU will be 11-10, unless for some reason that game isn’t played at all, which seems more plausible than this Frog squad pulling the upset. Their final tip is Saturday in Iowa — one of those states where the electricity is still running during negative temperatures — against a Cyclone squad that has been victorious only twice this season, with zero conference victories. A final game against languishing Iowa State seems as good an opportunity for victory as any, but our Frogs barely escaped with a one-possession victory when hosting ISU only three weeks ago. It’s still possible Dixon’s disciples will play in a postseason tournament, but we’ll have to NI-wait and see. l

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Final Weeks

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Through March 14, 2021

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The exhibition is organized by the Museo Egizio, Turin, and StArt, in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum. It is supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust, the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District, and the Consulate General of Italy in Houston.

Promotional support provided by

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MON-FRI 8am-5:30pm

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Come see our showrooms!

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Small wares, pots & pans, and all kitchen essentials available to the public.

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Smokestack 1948 Scorches

This cocktail lounge, craft beer taproom, venue, and beer garden is ideal for the springtime.

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N E A T H E R Y

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Cody Neathery

The catchphrase “but first, coffee” has etched a permanent spot in our lingo with countless repetitive memes and various declarative configurations — to the point of oversaturation and monotony. As cliched as it might be, this is how chef and entrepreneur Carter Froman chose to start, near a moribund industrial complex hidden on Stanley Avenue near the 8th Avenue/Berry Street junction which eventually took shape as his more extensive concept, Smokestack 1948.

Carter’s Coffee, a drive-thru food trailer featuring a short but stout selection of liquid pickme-ups and breakfast sandwiches, opened months prior to Smokestack’s December debut. Before his return home to his Fort Worth roots, Froman meandered south to Austin and west to Denver, learning and weaving his way into chef positions at high-profile restaurants. Froman’s caffeinated return came across as a friendly

FIRST BLUE ZONES

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APPROVED THAI RESTAURANTS IN FW!

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Cody Neathery

EATS & drinks

salutation to the neighborhood before bringing a muchneeded venue that begat a cocktail lounge, craft beer taproom (located in an actual former icehouse), live music space with plenty of yard for dogs and kids, and ample outdoor seating in a graveled beer garden under strands of party bulbs.

Simulating a business model that has driven youth to the West 7th corridor, Froman envisions a similar yet more family-oriented response to Smokestack 1948 while also providing a go-to place for the TCU crowd during game days and other televised sporting events for your everyday sports fan.

“We’re hoping for a big turnout when spring arrives,” Froman said. “I’m betting on the ‘If you build it, they will come’ idea.”

When forging a menu that would appeal to all, what pairs better with cocktails and draft beers than pizza?

817 Pizza is the permanent on-site food trailer that provides Detroit-style pie. Think: Chicago deep dish but with focaccia. Originally helmed by chef and culinary instructor Edward Gutierrez, who has since departed, both chefs created a slew of panned pizzas with fresh Texas ingredients and in-house smoked meats.

Housing the modern and laidback cocktail lounge that was originally constructed in 1948 as an office are salvaged bricks from, you guessed it, a smokestack once belonging to a factory in Arlington Heights that met its fate by fire prior to 1948 — Froman has been unable to pinpoint the exact year of the factory’s construction. Overseeing the bar is Sur Easley, previously from Piattello Italian Kitchen, now in the role as bar manager, while Amber Davidson from the recently shuttered Bird Cafe leads as head bartender.

The cocktails ride a proverbial wave of creativity and style. Either a nod to Talking Heads or a statement reflecting one’s arrival to Smokestack 1948, This Must be the Place gives way to warmer temps from the chilled months. On one hand, the allspice and almond share semblance with winter cocktails that advise bundling up, and on the other, the gin, lime, and tiki

The drinks are tasty and well-balanced at Smokestack 1948.

bitters dress in floral patterned shirts and wave aloha — perfecting a balance of wayward complexity.

A wise idiom often used for preparation is two equals one and one equals nothing. A mental tug-o-war when preparing this menu conceived two margaritas with the variance being a pepper, both definitive on their own. In each, an ancho chile or poblano engages the bite of tequila and garnish of lime. The Poblano Verde, a drink with a shade of green, was smoother without pardoning the kick than the red-tinted Ancho Rojo, but why settle on one when you can have both.

The spirited Toucan Play this Game arrives in a champagne glass, and, as another idiom goes, good things come in small packages. The ingredients could whisk you down to the rum-washed Florida Keys as pineapple rum couples with fresh pineapple before Campari and cava, a Spanish wine, join the party that can best be described as something vivacious and potent as a night mingling on Duval Street.

Either enjoying a craft beer inside the old icehouse with opened garage doors as live music wafts through the air or sipping a cocktail while sitting on a winged-back chair in the lounge, Smokestack 1948 captures a convivial atmosphere in the least likely place. And as one last idiom applies, what goes up, must come down. All thanks to a doomed bricked pipe. l

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(SEE WHAT WE DID THERE?)

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COME ON IN!

America’s favorite children’s show host, Mr. Rogers, knew just what to do in times of crisis.

“When I was a boy and saw scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ ” During last week’s bad weather, there were plenty of helpers among local business owners. Now that Fort Worth is back to business as usual, send some of your hard-earned consumer dollars their way as a thank you.

1.) Contain Yourself For those on the Near Southside with water issues during the storm, The Bearded Lady (300 S Main St, 817-349-9832) was a welcome oasis, allowing anyone to fill containers with clean, fresh water. While closed on Mondays, the Lady is open 11am-10pm TueThu, 11am-midnight Fri-Sat, and 11am10pm Sun. For updates, visit Facebook. com/TheBeardedLadyFortWorth.

2.) Water World

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Fort Worth | 612 University A Full-Service Seafood Restaurant

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In other water news, several breweries have answered the call and are allowing patrons to fill their own containers with free water as well. When it’s time for a beer run, you know what to do. Cowtown Brewing Co. (1301 E Belknap St, 817-489-5800), HopFusion Ale Works (200 E Broadway Av, 682-841-1721), Maple Branch Brewery (2628 Whitmore St, MapleBranchBrew.com), Panther Island Brewing (501 N Main St, 817-882-8181), Wild Acre Brewing (1734 E El Paso St, Ste 190, 817-882-9453) and others are participating.

3.) Boiling it Down for Funkytown The Boiled Owl Tavern and Tarantula Tiki Lounge — sister businesses — are stepping up to do some grocery shopping for the nonprofit pantry concept FunkyTown Fridge. There are locations in Polytechnic Heights (2308 Vaughn) and on the South Side (3411 Bryan Av), plus a Westside location (5705 Wellesley Av) is coming soon. You can help by either sending $5 via Venmo to @AutumnBrackeen or dropping off donated blankets, food, and water at either establishment.

4.) From Scratch for First Responders When the storm first hit, the team at Enchiladas Ole (2418 Forest Park Blvd, 817984-1360) was quick to post offers of help. “If you have been without electricity or water and need a meal, please come in and let us know!

If you are a first responder or someone who has been working tirelessly to restore power to our city, call and let us take an on-the-house meal to you when you pull up.” Enchiladas is open 11am-8pm Mon-Wed, 11am-9pm ThuSat, and 11am-5pm Sun. For updates, visit Facebook.com/EnchiladasOle.

Cour tesy Facebook

Look for the Helpers

5.) Stay Golden On the morning of Wed, Feb 17, the dining destination known as Goldee’s Barbecue (4645 Dick Price Rd, 817-480-4131) received its regular weekly delivery of wood for the smokers. As it would be unlikely that Goldee’s would be opening in the immediate future, a generous offer was made to the public via social media. “Hey, y’all! Our wood people dropped off wood, but it’s unlikely we are able to open this weekend! If you need wood, feel free to come by and grab whatever you need! Stay safe!” Typically, Goldee’s is open 11am-3pm Fri-Sun. For updates, visit Facebook.com/GoldeesBBQ.

6.) Gimme Shelter When Chris Polone, owner of the Rail Club Live (3101 Joyce Dr, 817-386-4309), woke up Monday morning without power, he checked his Westside bar and music venue. The bar’s location near a Fort Worth police station and MedStar headquarters meant that power and heat would likely be consistent even as most of the city remained without them. Even though the bar continues to be closed due to state COVID-19-related mandates, Polone and his staff announced that the Rail would welcome anyone seeking a warm, safe space.

7.) Free Coffee & Firewood For a “warming center” of a different sort, last week folks could stop by Fort Worth’s newest music venue, Tulips (112 St. Louis Av, 817-367-9798), for a free cup of coffee, free firewood, and free water. The free coffee was donated by Craftwork Coffee Co. (1121 W Magnolia Av, 817-737-4169) and the firewood from C&C Services (817-203-4409), though firewood donations were also welcome. For updates, visit Facebook.com/TulipsFTW.

8.) United We Stand As national nonprofit organizations go, United Way is one of the more locally focused. United Way of Tarrant County has stepped into action, providing immediate help to people in our area impacted by severe winter weather with an Emergency Relief Fund. Services provided include assistance with food, hotels/housing/ rent solutions, plumbing/flooding repairs, utility bills, and more. For more information or to donate, visit UnitedWayTarrant.org and click Emergency Relief Fund.

By Jennifer Bovee

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The Ghost in Tornup’s Machine The hip-hop artist tackles artist exploitation in a novel way with the first of a trilogy of sci-fi/horror concept albums.

P A T R I C K

H I G G I N S

In the spring of 2012 at the exorbitant California music festival Coachella, a surprise guest appeared onstage with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Though he had been shot and killed in a drive-by shooting on the Vegas strip 15 years earlier, Tupac Shakur accompanied the famous Death Row Records tandem for a pair of songs.

Some were intrigued — if not having their disbelief fully suspended — by the holographic display. Others bemoaned the cheesiness of the stunt. Tornup shared in those opinions, but more significantly, the Fort Worth hip-hop artist was also disturbed by the whole thing.

“The concept of the Tupac hologram was always kinda funny to me,” he said, “but it also kinda gave me the creeps. The nature of a business that produces such a

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“I definitely think it’s a common thread in my work to deal with how social issues or societal happenings affect our collective ways of thinking,” he said. “I want people who think contemplatively about things to feel less alone and have their imaginations activated with my work.”

Hologram Zoo is a parable about the “exploitation of artists — especially Black artists, many of whom die young or before their time” by predatory music industry moguls.

“When I hear the prospect of holograms becoming more commonplace — and I often hear those prospects centered around Black artists — I tend to interpret it as Black exploitation. There can be a fine line between paying tribute and grave robbing. The language in a bad contract can sound so insane. It’s hard for me not to chuckle when I hear a phrase

like ‘… to use your name and likeness in perpetuity throughout the universe.’

Doesn’t that already sound like the basis of a sci-fi horror story?”

On Hologram, Tornup once again worked with engineer Peter Wierenga (Siberian Traps, Joseph Wayne Miller), with whom he’s worked almost exclusively throughout his career. For the beats, he recruited the sound of underrated producer Phil Ford, who works under the name BLKrKRT. Ford’s unique psychedelic, multi-genre-inspired amalgam lends Hologram a fitting cyperpunk quality.

“Phil is a goddamn genius.” Tornup said. “I appreciated his sonic palette already when I was choosing these insane beats he made that make up the songs on Hologram Zoo, but when I heard the individual sounds separated from the total mix, I began to understand just how far ahead this guy’s thinking is. This guy has oceans of details beneath the surface of what you hear when it all comes together.”

As Tornup explains, the Hologram Zoo project looks to become only more ambitious as it ventures into the forthcoming volumes.

“Vol. 1 had more of a social thriller/ horror movie tone like Get Out. Vol. 2 should have a more action/sci-fi/ blockbuster tone like Independence Day. Vol. 3 will round it out with more of a historical, psychological, supernatural base like Beloved a la Toni Morrison.”

Vol. 2 is tentatively slated for a midsummer release with Vol. 3 following near Halloween.

Tornup doesn’t want fear of Big Tech’s inevitable use of their digital prowess to prey upon creatives to be a deterrent to their being creative. The value of the work still transcends the monetary.

“I just want to encourage everyone, especially Black people, to make art,” he said. “These are challenging times, and having any kind of art piece that you can look at that looks back and says, ‘I understand you’ is priceless. l

Luther and Parish rock MASS Sat. Free show.

Cour tesy Facebook

MASS (1102 S Main St) will be buzzing all week, starting 9pm Wednesday with folky singersongwriter Levi Ray and friends. On Thursday, moody singer-songwriter Carey Wolff takes the stage at 9:30pm, and on Saturday, the lovable twosome of Luther and Parish will play lots of juicy classic rock and I’m guessing some originals from their respective bands (Polydogs and Royal Sons) starting at 9pm. But first, a poem from the Fakebook invite: “An undefinable duo from parts unknown / Two musical mysteries calling Fort Worth home / Other performers are often embarrassed / By the artistic skill of Luther and Parish.” All three MASS shows are free. Masks are required and stay away from people you didn’t come to the party with.

Cour tesy Facebook

HearSay

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Tornup: “There can be a fine line between paying tribute and grave robbing.”

Cour tesy Facebook

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B Y

Peter Wierenga

MUSIC

thing seems worth investigating. Art isn’t always taken seriously as a profession, but at least a mechanic gets to stop working when he dies. To me, there’s something allegorical between the hologram entertainer and Frankenstein’s monster.”

That sort of allegory rattled around latent in Torunup’s subconscious for years until it suddenly manifested itself again by pure chance. One day while freestyling over his Roland SP-404 (a digital sampling music workstation), a peculiar yet deceptively poignant phrase leapt out of the void.

“I was just having fun,” he recalled, “and the line just came out of thin air: ‘I’m a solid damn dude / In a solid damn mood / When I die, they gon’ put me in a hologram zoo!’ I almost fell out of my bed from laughing so hard. I was like, ‘What the hell is a hologram zoo?’ Then I spent the next six months of my life trying to answer that question.”

That answer came late last month in the form of Tornup’s latest album. A wildly creative and ambitious project, Hologram Zoo, Vol. 1: The Crypt is the first of a planned trilogy of concept albums. Part hip-hop record, part Orwellian radio play, the tracks alternate between songs and scripted skits that unwind a narrative that explores a sort of hyper-commercialized dystopian future.

“The story revolves around an app development company that is stealing the content of dead entertainers to create personalized, holographic performances for consumers,” he explained. “The app devs pick the wrong grave to rob and wind up haunted by a rap persona more hungry for clout than they” are.

Don’t let the Black Mirror-esque plot devices obscure the very real and serious systemic issues that Tornup is trying to address. Concretely established with 2019’s stirring You Will Never Understand (the State of Soul), Tornup has garnered a reputation for vividly and evocatively tackling socially relevant topics.

It’s $3 Nacho Night at the Post with Sam Anderson Wednesdays.

The Post at River East (2925 Race St, 817-945-8890) also has a slew of good-timing gigs coming up, starting every Tuesday at 6pm with singer-songwriter Adrian Hulet. On Wednesdays, Quaker City Night Hawks’ Sam Anderson rocks $3 Nacho Night starting at 7pm, and for every Furrsday, folky singer-songwriter Jacob Furr starts at 7pm. At 1pm Sunday, Suzy & The Sissies will hopefully get in some tunes before it rains. All three regular Post shows and Suzy’s are free and all-ages. Masks and social distancing required.

The Effinays will turn the Trailer Park into a par-tay Saturday.

For a bona fide rock show, head to Lola’s Trailer Park (2735 W 5th St, 817-759-9100) 8pm Saturday for the Effinays. Loyal Sally and King Clam will open for the “groove-oriented explosion of funk, Latin, rock, and reggae-fied cultural diversity.” Cover is $5. Wear a damn mask. — Anthony Mariani Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.

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American Airlines, Inc. has multiple openings for the following positions in Ft. Worth, TX: Sr. Analyst, Material Planning (Ref 619): Apply anytcl model & data optimz’g methds to devlp & interp info & complx data sets that assists w/ decision-making, growth evals, fin anyls & other functions; Engineer, IT Infrastructure (Ref 656): Resp for infrast implements based on desgns from infrast archt’s; Analyst (Ref 1431): Resp for anlyzg airline ops thru devlpg, maint’g & enhanc’g stats & bus mods; Sr. Systems Analyst, IT (Ref 1457): Elicit clear reqs to solve complex bus probs; Sr. Systems Analyst, IT Applications (1471): Resp for perform sys anlys for IT projs & translating bus reqs; Sr. Strategy Analyst, Agency Programs (1703): Dvlp reports, proposals, mkt asmts, bus plans, strategic & tactical initiatives, fin perform, profit plans & rpts to improve perform, profit & mkt presence; Sr. Business Analyst, IT (1705): Collab w/ cross funct’l teams to gather & documt bus & tech sys & tech sys user stories aligning w/ AA’s Airline Pilot Assoc Labor Agmt & FAA Mandates; Senior Analyst, Operations Analysis (Ref 1730): Resp for proactive anlyzg all aspects of ops peform covering a wide variety of strategic & ops anlsys; Analyst, Decision Support Systems (Ref 1752): Resp for serv’g as the key anytcl & dec suppt resource for Ops Plnng & Perform; Sr. Developer, IT Applications (Ref 1754): Design, devlp & implmnt obj-oriented dvlpmt tools to anlyze, model, design, constrt & test s/w sys; Sr. Engineer, IT Database (Ref 1805): Resp for design & build Oracle RAC sys, admin, maint Oracle relatn’l d/b’s & assist the app dvlpmt team in optimzg schema design & SQL stmts; Sr. Analyst, Revenue Management Stretegy & Analysis (Ref 1831): Resp for identify & quantify revnu opps thru anlys of int & ext’l rev data; Sr. Analyst, RM Strategy & Analysis (Ref 1833): Utilize stats anlys, sim, predict modeling or other analytical methods to anlyz data & devlp prac sols to bus probs; Analyst, RM Development Decision Support and Data Strategy (Ref 1834): Anlyz data, sys & proceds that suppt RM & the comm’l org to ensure complete & accurate data is avail timely. To learn more or to apply send inquiries &/or resume to AA, Inc., Attn: Gene Womack, HR, 1 Skyview Drive, MD 8B204, Ft. Worth, TX 76155; please include Ref # in cover letter.

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TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS I (Fort Worth, TX): Complete compliant investigations of events that occur in the manufacturing and distribution process, in accordance with applicable standards; Utilize documented evidence to determine root cause of events; Resume to: Alcon Research, LLC. Attn: Sylvia Cruz, 6201 South Freeway Fort Worth, TX 76134. Reference job #PK7910

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