May 2008 by verge

downtown augusta

I Feel Good Downtown! putting the soul back into downtown

Thunder Over Augusta

jet fighters and chainsaws and fireworks, oh my!

Go Local Downtown

top ten reasons to stay local

may 2008

verge / may /

contents 15

More Reasons to Choose Local Shopping locally invigorates the economy

Jet Fighters and Chainsaws and Fireworks, Oh My! Thunder Over Augusta prepares to celebrate Armed Forces Day

gallery: Tire City Potters soundcheck: Jennifer Daniels onstage: Pagliacci offstage: The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown

past times: The Stovall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Barnes House A local investor brings life back to this 1860 family home at the gateway to downtown

hands across downtown: Miracle Making Ministries Robert Williams is changing downtown one heart at a time

experience more 5

smatterings

5 7

enter to win free stuff quick clips

discover downtown

downtown news

they saw

front porch

artscene & movies at main

good chow

in the music

pipeline: get plugged in

29 30

more to see and do to call from tree to tree

printed matter / cormac mccarthy

marketing for the people

augusta music 101

volume one issue three

downtown as i see it #3 the godfather of soul in downtown augusta circa 1970 original photograph by Frank Christian

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smatterings / notes from the publisher publisher Matt Plocha editor Lara Plocha pipeline editors Claire Riche & Jason Barron web guy Andy Donnan ad graphics guys Ryan Davis John Cannon Editorial content of verge is the opinion of each contributing writer and is not necessarily the opinion of verge, its staff or its advertisers. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

verge is printed on 50% recycled stock. It may be recycled further, please do your part.

Happy May! Has it already been a month? It seems like just yesterday we were busily dead-lining the April issue of verge and look – another one is in your hands. This issue makes number three. Third time’s the charm? You bet! So much excitement is in the air about and around downtown that I have to share it with you. Let’s take a look: Vintage Ooollee. This new true vintage clothing store is set to have its grand opening on May 1st on the 1100 block of Broad. Right beside it will be Costumes by Michele. Yes, the same Michele you came to know and love at FatMan’s. She is continuing the tradition of creating magic with her costumes, this time on Broad Street. Covet, a new clothing store on Broad will be opening soon next to Wicked Wasabi. That reminds me, you need to try the steak teriyaki and ask Techan to “kick up the heat a bit.” You will not be disappointed. Broad Street Market is open for dinner and even accepts reservations online. Wow, that’s cool. The ahi tuna will melt in your mouth. PVC (paper, vinyl, cloth) is getting closer to opening on 8th Street, while Munchies has opened on Broad next door to Firehouse Bar. 1102 Bar and Grill began a singer/songwriter series on Sunday nights with some of the best artists performing “Music In The Round”

got a story tip? editor@vergelive.com free event listings pipeline@vergelive.com letters to the editor editor@vergelive.com mail 1124 Broad Street Augusta GA 30901 submit your ideas editor@vergelive.com www.vergelive.com

That’s a brief run down on the eats and the music. It’s also PayBack time. Come downtown to help honor the Godfather of Soul and celebrate his birthday. While downtown, check out the new James Brown exhibit at the Augusta Museum of History that opens in May. There is so much more to see and do, but my editor says my space is limited and there are 39 more pages to look through to get caught up for the month. I was speaking to several folks who were visiting our area this past month. It was thrilling to hear the

great things they are saying about downtown. Folks from Chicago, New York, Florida, and California (just to name a few places) were so impressed by the beauty of our downtown district and the unique offering. It simply amazed them. I also had the privilege of speaking to a local banker and, during our conversation, he said that all of the great things going on in the downtown district re-affirmed his belief that we are actually on the “verge” of some pretty amazing things. That’s cool. Wow (over used I know). This brings me to my next opportunity. verge is a community based, locally owned and operated monthly newspaper. There are a lot of opportunities for you to get involved with verge. Whether you are a photographer, writer, poet, dreamer, visionary, business owner, resident or just frequent downtown and would like to contribute to verge, we have an open door policy. We’d love to talk to you about getting more involved. Our contact information is in the information bar on the side of this page, drop us a line. we’ll see you downtown! Matt

free stuff / sample downtown

acoustic sets. Admission is free and doors open at 9 p.m. They also have some really cool cover bands lined up over the next couple of months, get your tickets online at etix.com. Again, wow! Speaking of cool stuff, Joe’s Underground is pulling out all of the stops with their live music for the month (check out the pipeline for a complete schedule). Soul Bar and Sector 7G keep it rockin’ as well (again, check out the pipeline). Café 209 on the River is a worthy trip as Glen whips up a pretty good meal and now they are open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch. Speaking of lunch, have you tried the Shrimp and Grits at Sweet Lou’s? He’s kidding right? What does Chris put in those grits? Wow, so much to do. Did I say that already?

register to win free cool stuff from downtown merchants ❏ enter to win pillowman tickets for two at le chat noir enter to win a pair of tickets to the critically acclaimed play Pillowman at Le Chat Noir (for showings in June). (value: $40)

❏ enter to win coffee and biscotti for two Sweet Lou’s brings you a sweet date for two: two Jamaican Blue Mountain coffees and biscotti in an atmosphere designed to bring you a smile. (value: $12.50)

❏ enter to win a set of new tree chocolate bars Do something good for yourself: eat more chocolate. NewTree Chocolates give you the perfect reason: each bar contains health benefits. blue magnolia offers a complete set of eight bars from vigor to tranquility. (value: $50)

name: address:

email: phone: enter to win – three ways – registration ends may 23, 2008 via email: editor@vergelive.com • via mail or in person: 1124 broad street 30901

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quick clips eat, drink and be munchie at downtown’s late night eatery Finally, a place that’s open late and actually delivers to other downtown businesses. Joseph Christie and Alan Odom have put in a small eatery, Munchies, at 1149 Broad Street, where Adam’s Pizza used to be. The menu primarily consists of sandwiches, wings and fries – with a twist. I tried the Feta Cheese Fries; imagine fries topped with a great greek salad, sans lettuce. Wings vary from rosemary-garlic to the ever-popular jerk. Joseph says everything is baked – no fried food here – and fresh. Munchies is open for lunch from 11 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday and back again from 9 pm til whenever for the late night crowd.

no cover on sunday nights for 1102’s original music series It’s Sunday, what am I gonna do in downtown Augusta? Every Sunday, 1102 Downtown Bar and Grill hosts live acoustic music. Ranging from full acoustic bands to solo artists to the bi-weekly singer/songwriters in the round it is something for everyone. This week the 1102 owners decided to eliminate the typical Sunday night cover charge. If you have never attended a singer/songwriters in the round, this is a must! Typically holding a minimum of three artists, each take turns performing their original music while the other artists watch and listen or join in as the mood strikes them. The line up includes two local artists and one out-oftown performer. Keep your eyes and ears out for an occasional guest performer to join in on accompaniment, adding that extra special something. It is a night of fun, storytelling, improvisational performance, and just great music! the book tavern hosts several books signings in may The Book Tavern (1026 Broad Street) is awash in local author book signings in May. On May, 3 from 11 am to 1 pm, Josh Griffing will be signing copies of his book Bards of Broken Songs. Terry Leiden, author of Back in the Game, will be there on May 17 from 11am - 1pm. And on May 24, pre-teen girls will be delighted to meet Christine Hurley Deriso, author of the popular pre-teen series, The Right

Under Club. All book signings are from 11 am to 1 pm. Visit www.booktavern. com for more details. foundation doubles prize money The Porter Fleming Writing Competition will accept entries in the categories of Short Stories (2,500 words max), Poetry (one poem per page, three poems per entry); Nonfiction (Article or Personal Essay, 2,000 words max), and Playwriting (15 pages max) until June 13. There is a $10 entry fee, and any residents of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina are eligible to participate. Top Prize in each category is $1,500; Second Prize is $800; Third Prize is $500. Call the Greater Augusta Arts Council for more information: 706826-4702 or www.augustaarts.com .

more new business updates The White’s Building folks are putting the finishing touches on the first level of condos. 12 of the 17 condos on the first floor are under contract. The 3rd and 4th floors are now on sale and should be completed months after the grand opening. Look for Costumes by Michele (1125 Broad) and Vintage Ooollee (1121 Broad) to be open within a few weeks. The new clothing store at 1046 Broad has changed its name from Swank to Covet, promising new and nearly new fashions from top designers. We saw their doors open on First Friday, but haven’t caught them open since.

st. paul’s unveils new event facility on the river walk Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church invites the public to attend the dedication and preview party for the new Parish House, which will contain an event facility and full catering kitchen. The hall is located on the River Walk and will be available for rent for meetings, conferences, wedding receptions and so on. The facility can accommodate almost 400 people. Saint Paul’s is one of the oldest churches in Augusta, originally built in 1750, and is located at 605 Reynolds Street. The dedication and preview party will begin at the River Walk entrance. For more information, visit www.saintpauls.org.

sidewalk steam cleaner is in full action. CADI started steaming the sidewalks on Reynolds Street, block by block. The difference is startling clear – years of ground in grime and grit cleaned away, leaving sparkling sidewalks behind. See the difference – check out the area near Merry’s Trash and Treasures on the 1200 block of Broad. The team cleaned a portion of the sidewalk there for a visible demonstration of the difference steamcleaning makes.

arts in the heart festival seeks performers Greater Augusta Arts Council is seeking performers for Augusta’s oldest and largest Festival. There are four stages with two suited for dance and a Café Stage used mainly for spoken word. Arts in the Heart is September 19 to 21. Application available online at www.ArtsintheHeart.com

new downtown library ready to proceed with final plans After a decade of planning and fundraising, the new Augusta Headquarters Library is approaching its groundbreaking ceremonies. The 90,000 square foot facility will be located on the corner of Telfair Street and James Brown Boulevard. You can check out the proposed contemporary glass lined building proposed at www.ecgrl.public.lib.ga.us. With a goal of being fully operational in the new facility by summer 2010, the Library is on a fast-track for completion. The design emulates the touted contemporary design of the current library, with huge glass expanses created for natural light and a feeling of community connectivity.

cadi clean sweeps downtown In seven weeks, CADI has picked up 15,000 pounds of trash with a team of eight staffers! Rick Wiggins, project manager of CADI (Clean Augusta Downtown Initiative) reports that the new

got news? editor@vergelive.com

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Augusta

TangoClub

Promoting Argentine Tango in the Augusta/CSRA. Performing and providing group lessons, some private lessons on a limited basis, and dance opportunities.

May 10th from 2 - 5 pm - Cutno Dance Center Beginner Immersion workshop Learn a basic Argentine Tango dance, etiquette, culture and more! Non members $20/ person, $10/ student ATC members $5. May 17th 7 - 8 pm - Cutno Dance Center Advanced beginner/intermediate workshop. Better floor navigation with tight turns. Non-members $10 ATC members $5. May 8 and 22 from 7 - 9pm - Tap Tap - 1032 Broad St. Practice Dances The dancing is free! Please buy something and tip the staff! May 17th Augusta Tango Club Monthly Milonga (dance) 8 - 11 pm at Cutno Dance Center. $10/person and $5 for ATC members.

Cutno Dance Center 739 Greene St. Augusta, Ga. 30901 For changes and updates please check: augustatangoclub.com

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discover downtown shop

dine

play

live

Hamilton’s Bookstore

Jasmine Café

Rhythm Skate Shop

Brass Ring

209 Ninth Street

217 Ninth Street

130 Ninth Street

122 Ninth Street

There is nothing like a good book and that’s what you’ll find at Hamilton’s Bookstore and Art Gallery at 209 Ninth Street. The main theme of the store is African-American literature. With over 20,000 different titles in stock, there is no shortage of information or history on its shelves. Hamilton’s is the only store within 100 miles of Augusta that deals primarily in African-American books. Subjects range from important political leaders of today to the history of African-American influence on popular culture to fictional adventure stories. Owner, Vincent Hamilton, keeps shop hours Monday – Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm.

Latanya Muhammad owns and operates a charming little restaurant at 217 Ninth Street. Jasmine Café is open Tuesday – Saturday for breakfast from 8:30 to 10:30 am and for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The menu consists primarily of soups, salads and sandwiches. Dinner is served Thursday – Saturday from 6 pm to 10 pm, by reservation only, featuring food described by Latanya as “Southern Elegance.” The dining area is small compared to other restaurants, but serves to add a certain personal and homey touch to your dining experience. To set up a reservation, call 706.722.3650 or stop in during business hours.

Rhythm Skate Shop, 130 Ninth Street, provides an excellent selection for anyone in need of skateboarding equipment. The walls are lined with hundreds of skate decks. Along with their selection of decks, wheel sets, and skating attire, the shop also features a collection of boards showing the history of skateboarding and the transformation of decks from the beginning of the sport to present day. Business owner and board mechanic Shawn Sibert offers a lounge area with a TV playing extreme skate videos (some made right here in Augusta). Store hours during the school year are Tuesday – Saturday: 1 pm to 6 pm.

Add a brilliant shine to your household fixtures at Brass Ring, 122 Ninth Street. Specializing in metal finishing for nearly anything brass, copper, or silver, owner Jason Hough’s shop overflows with door hardware, lighting fixtures, fireplace coverings, car rims, mirror frames, candlesticks, and other out-of-the-ordinary products. All are high quality testaments to his workmanship. Jason provides a likenew shine to any lackluster metal item with one of several finishes including his most popular “polished and lacquered” or “fine brushed satin.” Business hours are Monday – Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. photos and stories by Andrew Mullis

DDA news / a sidewalk to downtown growth Walking down Tenth Street, it’s hard to ignore the recent change in footing that offers a newfound beauty to the section between Ellis and Broad Street. For some insight into this undertaking, I sat down with Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority Margaret Woodard. Mrs. Woodard smiles as she speaks of the success of this difficult project. Despite the struggles inherent in structural transformations and the wrestling match found in the fifty year old utility pipe work below the sidewalk, the project is almost completed and has turned out well. She hopes this project will inspire other sections of downtown to work towards beautifying the atmosphere of the city, and simply offers this sidewalk as a picture of what downtown could look like in the future.

before

With the addition of banners welcoming people downtown, poles crafted with artistic designs to compliment the beauty of the trees being added along the sidewalk, and the first kiosk installation promoting events in the area, the growth of life is personified by the creation of beauty from the ground up. In all these efforts, the renovation of Tenth Street is an early step toward a more pleasant downtown for consumers, residents, and businesses to enjoy. by J. Edward Sumerau • photos courtesy of DDA and Ben Riche

after

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they saw the lady jaguars spend a girls night out downtown Anna Tedder: Before going to dinner, we walked around downtown going into shops and boutiques. My game socks were holey so I needed a new pair. Our team equipment is often ordered from Johannsen’s Sporting Goods so I popped in to buy socks. The employees recognized us as we came in and directed me to the exact pair I needed.

Jessie Sadlowsky: I absolutely loved The Bee’s Knees. The food came in small portions, but it was packed with flavor. At dinner, I realized how much I truly like the girls on my team. Although we are not all alike, we get along so well. I am so thankful for having such well rounded teammates and friends.

Ashley Roberts: I’ve been looking for a pair of jeans, so a couple of the girls mentioned Mid-Town Threds to me. We walked in and I thought it was cutest boutique I had ever seen! They had everything from jeans and shirts, to shoes and accessories. Unfortunately, they did not have my size in the jeans that I wanted, but I will be returning soon to check out some new Threds!

Jacklyn Benenhaley: After a wonderful dinner, we made our way to the River Walk. It was a beautiful setting, so like always the cameras came out and it turned into a thirty minute photo shoot! We started at the fountain, then we went to the steps, and finally we made it to the river. All the while having to take about ten tries at each spot because none of us could stay serious long enough to get a good shot in. We will most likely make our way back to the River Walk for another photo shoot some day, or if nothing else at least to take in the amazing scenery that it provides!

Amy Dumas: My favorite store downtown is definitely Cloud Nine. When you walk in door, it sends this relaxing vibe through your body. I bought some moisturizing face cream while I was there. The coolest thing I saw was this breath freshener called Tooth Powder. You put it in your mouth before you go to sleep and when you wake up your breath is still fresh. The people who work there are always so friendly and go out of their way to help you find what you are looking for. Amber Hunt: Our senior dinner took place at The Bee’s Knees, a restaurant known for their “tapas,” which is Spanish for “small plates.” It was my first tapas experience and I sampled many dishes including crab quesadillas, miso soup, tuna, shrimp tempura, and my personal favorite, stuffed avocados. Afterwards, we walked around downtown which was full of nightlife. We visited many small art shops and walked up and down Broad Street, soaking in the night time atmosphere.

Anna Cheely: Boll Weevil’s desserts were amazing! Service was great, very pleasant. I thought the atmosphere was unique. The art on the wall really caught my attention and I enjoyed walking around looking at the different photographs and paintings while I waited for my dinner. My favorite desserts are the Apple Blossoms and the red velvet cake. But the dessert that really caught my eye was the perfect chocolate cake – it’s massive. The senior members of the ASU Lady Jaguar Softball team celebrated the close of the season with a girls night out downtown: Amber Hunt, Amy Dumas, Anna Cheely, Anna Tedder, Ashley Roberts. Jacklyn Benenhaley, Leigh Robbins and Jessie Sadlowsky.

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Sandwich City Grill Since 1972

10th at Ellis • Augusta, Georgia (706) 823-6237 Dine-In or Take-Out Breakfast 7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Lunch til 2:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday

Tenth Street

Broad Street

DOWNTOWN DENTAL Dr. Juanita Adkins 724-0544 General Dentistry For The Entire Family. Now Accepting Appointments! Get your cleaning done on your lunch hour!

Emergency Walk-Ins Welcome Most Insurance Accepted

Ellis Street

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We Make Your Smiles Come True 1162 Broad Street Augusta, GA 30901

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front porch / betts murdison a house founded on heart If you’ve ever driven down Greene Street in Augusta, you probably noticed Ronald McDonald sitting on a bench outside a particular Victorian mansion. Chances are your knowledge of the nature of the house ends there, unless you’ve been one to take up residence under its ceiling.

grace and intelligence of Dee Crawford, a local McDonalds franchise owner, and with a taste of true admiration, recognizes that Mrs. Crawford is a lady of standing in the community while focusing on the wonderful heart and integrity she has found her mentor.

Beyond Ronald is the Augusta branch of Ronald McDonald House Charities. One of 276 such houses in the world, the mission of this charitable foundation is to provide comfort and support to families who come to town in search of medical care for their children. More than just a hotel, this house provides a community for parents in some of their hardest moments and serves as an inspiration and comfort during times of medical duress.

As with most charitable services, Betts becomes animated on the topic of fundraising. While McDonalds is very supportive of the House and provides national sponsorship agreements with companies like Coca-Cola, Brand Source Appliance, and Bissell, the House is “not fully supported by the corporation.” The constant support and contribution of local owners and local citizens allows the House to exist and thrive. Anyone can contribute in various ways. Aside from financial “What shines out of Betts contributions, she seeks strong backs to help Murdison is her heart which with renovations to the lives in the foundation of House and the re-painting of rooms.

Opened in 1984, a mere ten years after the opening of the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, the Augusta house has Ronald McDonald House.” served 6,600 families This coming fall over the last 24 years. Opened before the adprovides the community with a perfect opporvent of the MCG Children’s Medical Center, the tunity to participate: a Charitable Golf Tournahouse has a long-standing tradition of providment at Mount Vintage Golf Course and Ball ing a safe-haven within the city of Augusta for at the Marriot of Augusta on September 7 and families with children in need of serious medical 8, 2008. She smiles while speaking of a new care at area hospitals. technology available only to Ronald McDonald House Charities that will turn the hassles of At the helm of this bastion of familial supsilent auctions into a pleasurable experience. Atport is Betts Murdison. She describes herself tendees will be given a blackberry-esque piece to simply as a mother of three boys and a doctor’s carry, giving them the ability to track the silent wife who focuses her life on helping families. auction while dancing or mingling throughout She became involved with Ronald McDonald the evening. house as a volunteer in Delaware. After graduating to a staff position managing volunteers, she won awards in the state of Delaware for Outstanding Volunteer and Charitable Services during her seven years with the house, and took up the lead of the Augusta chapter upon moving to the area last spring. Betts speaks of the city in glowing terms. She loves the community feel of the city and the high standard of living. She sees the recent revitalization of downtown as merely the beginning of a spirit of growth and expansion, and compares the potential of Augusta to that of Savannah’s thriving downtown districts. The changes downtown while she lived in Delaware have energized her upon returning to the city, and she feels the possibilities for the area are unlimited in the coming years. With such growth, Betts sees the role of Ronald McDonald House growing exponentially as well. She speaks with pure gratitude for the endless support she has received from local McDonalds’ owners in the area. She points to the

Speaking of fundraising, the House has instituted an adopt-a-room program that works toward full renovation of the house, and she smiles talking about a different group providing meals each night at the house. Volunteers are the heart of charitable activity because volunteers want to be there and desire to make a difference. Betts states she “is Ronald McDonald House Charities.” The House is a “fundamental part of who she is as a person.” She chuckles, recalling a recent day off which she spent buying a ceiling fan at a local hardware store for the House. Her time, her money, and her family become part of the House, but what shines out of Betts Murdison’s expressions and mannerisms is her heart, which lives in the foundation of a House in downtown Augusta providing support for those in need of some honest care. by J. Edward Sumerau photos by Brooke Southerland

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online retailers have to pay state sales tax in new york In a bold move, the New York legislature recently passed a measure that requires online retailers, including Amazon. com, to collect state and local sales taxes. The effects could have a significant impact on independent retailers, as the provision removes the consumer allure of avoiding sales tax charges on most online purchases. “From the beginning, all we have asked for is an even playing field so that all retailers get the same treatment from New York,” said Oren Teicher of the American Booksellers Association (ABA). “This has never been a case of enacting a new tax; rather, we have simply called for the equitable enforcement of existing tax law.” New York will be the first state to require internet companies to adhere to its sales tax laws. In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that out-of-state companies are not required to collect sales tax unless that company has a physical location in the state (such as a store or warehouse). The Court called that physical presence “nexus.” Under the revisions to New York’s tax regulations, so that retailers with more than $10,000 a year are considered to have “nexus” if it has sales affiliates in the state. Sales affiliates are companies that receive a commission for promoting an online retailer’s products and driving customer traffic to its sites. For instance, Amazon. com has thousands of sales affiliates nationwide. Lawmakers across the country are closely watching New York’s new policy. New York is the first state to require out-of-state internet companies to comply with its sales tax law. New York expects the change in the state’s sales tax policy to increase state revenue by $47 million.

ten good reasons to go local In March’s verge, we talked about the significant economic impact we can each make on our community by choosing to make purchases and do business with locally owned businesses. The statistics are startlingly clear: for every $100 spent at a locally owned and operated business, $45 stays in the community. That same $100 spent at a chain store only puts $13 back into our local economy. While the economic benefits remain number one on our list, your decision to shop locally has far reaching benefits. When you make the choice to go local you:

1. strengthen the local economy Significantly more money re-circulates in Augusta when purchases are made at locally owned, rather than nationally owned businesses. More money is kept in the community because locally owned businesses purchase from other local businesses and service providers.

2. create local jobs and wages Most new jobs are provided by local businesses. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally, and often provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

3. support local character and prosperity Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of downtown’s distinctive character. The unique character of Augusta is what brought us here and will keep us here. Our tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust

4. foster community well-being Local business owners invest in community. Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

5. receive better customer service Local businesses often hire people with more specific product expertise for better customer service. You are also more likely to get to know the owners and do business directly with the people making the decisions.

6. encourage healthy competition Competition and diversity leads to more choices. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices and lower prices.

7. reduce negative environmental impact Local stores help sustain vibrant, compact walkable town centers, which are in turn essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

8. reduce public services costs Public benefits far outweigh public costs. Local businesses in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.

9. encourage entrepreneurship A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

10. support local causes Non-profit organizations receive an average 350% greater support from local business owners than they do from nonlocally owned businesses. The above is adapted with permission from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a national nonprofit organization working to rebuild local economies.

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thunder over augusta A Daylong Celebration of America’s Armed Forces Saturday, May 17 • Augusta Common • 2 to 9:30 pm Downtown Augusta is kicking off summer early with a celebration of America on Armed Forces Day, May 17, with Thunder Over Augusta at the Augusta Common. With a collection of exhibits and entertainment, this free event is sure to stir the hearts and patriotism of participants while providing a day’s worth of wild entertainment and fun. In honor of the United States military, the city of Augusta is staging the grandest Armed Forces Day celebration downtown totally free to the public. A day full of fun and laughter, the event is stacked with wonderful exhibits for the community to explore. Aerial fans can witness the thrill of the United States Air Force fly-over during the opening ceremonies. The Chainsaw Chix will be demonstrating chainsaw art at the Husqvarna display at the Commons. Several NASCAR vehicles will be on display. Along with these attractions, guest can enjoy the performances of a skydiving team, the stimulation of rock climbing, the demonstrations of military police dogs, and a display of various Army vehicles. Aside from exhibits sure to entice the adventurous, the event is loaded with performances of quality entertainment. Throughout the day, the crowd will witness the performance of the 434 Army Signal Corps Band and treated to a rendition of the National Anthem by 10-year-old Jaycie Ward. Furthermore, the country music fan may want to mark this day on the calendar as Lee Greenwood of “God Bless the USA” fame will perform a 70 minute concert right in the heart of downtown Augusta as part of the festivities. The night will be capped off by the largest fireworks display ever seen in Augusta! The Melrose Pyrotechnics group will show off their specialization in a fireworks extravaganza, culminating in a fantastic thunder over the city to close the night. Finally, some special participants of note will be honored at the event. These include the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Marine Corps League Detachment #921, the Georgia State Defense Force, the American Legion Auxiliary Richmond Unit #63, and the AMVETS 5 Augusta and Ladies Auxiliary. As the celebration takes center stage in beautiful downtown Augusta, join these men and women to celebrate the contributions of the people who serve this country in the name of defense and honor. As of verge press time, a complete schedule of events was unavailable. For details on particular acts and exhibits, visit www.thunderoveraugusta.com. Come on out and break the sound barrier in the heart of downtown Augusta on Armed Forces Day 2008!

by J. Edward Sumerau

cool events not to miss at thunder over augusta lisa temanson • chainsaw chix

fletch and folk • 3:15 pm

In an incredible display of artistic talent, control and dexterity, Lisa Temanson will carve a giant eagle on site throughout the day during Thunder over Augusta. Lisa, part of the “Chainsaw Chix,” is widely known for her carvings across America. warning: don’t try this at home: Performance chainsaw artists do “quick carves,” focusing their attention on the tool and speed. Special chainsaw blades and chains have been developed for this type of carving. In order to reach the high levels of skill required to be a “chainsaw carver,” a considerable amount of instruction and practice is required in the safe operation of a chainsaw. This is followed by plenty of study and practice in carving basic shapes which ultimately leads to more ambitious projects.

From the halls of Georgia Southern University to wedding receptions to the downtown Augusta club scene, this folksy rock band has hit Augusta with a passion for the local grassroots music scene. Mixing in a bit of Motown and a touch of soul, Fletch and Folk will appeal to the young and the seasoned. Fletch and Folk is made up of Erik Fletcher on lead vocals and guitars; Beth Fletcher on lead vocals, keys, organ and violin; Paul Bryant on bass and background vocals; Owen Fletcher on lead guitar; and Justin Benson on drums.

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movies at main: may • real lives

5 May: Charlie Wilson’s War 2007 • rated R • 102 minutes directed by Mike Nichols starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts the true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson

Augusta Headquarters Library 902 Greene Street 6:30 pm • mondays • free

After watching “Charlie Wilson’s War,” I was overwhelmed by a sudden desire to explore politics. I’ve always been a big fan of the rock-n-roll lifestyle. But who knew you could have that with a Washington office and the means to make a difference if the mood struck you? I certainly have always thought of most politicians as being uptight, highly conservative and certainly not as coarse as the image presented of Charlie Wilson. Obviously you have to take into consideration the Hollywoodization of any actual person portrayed on the screen, but even with that, wow! Tom Hanks tends to make me smile with his choices of roles. Still, the image of him as Kip in “Bosom Buddies” lingers with me. Julia Roberts’ portrayal of Joanne Herring was a little annoying with her Hollywood Texas accent dropping in and out throughout the film. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is always a treat to me every time I see him. I loved his character from the moment he stepped on the screen. All in all, a great film that could inspire any political pessimist with a sense of anything can happen. [Jason Barron] 12 May: I’m Not There 2007 • R • 135 minutes

19 May: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly 2007 • PG-13 • 112 minutes

directed by Todd Haynes starring Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Richard Gere capturing the essence of Bob Dylan

directed by Julian Schnabel starring Mathieu Amalric & Emmanuelle Seigner the true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby

Ruminations on the life of Bob Dylan, where six characters follow the musician’s invention and reinvention of himself. Featuring a stellar performance by Cate Blanchett as Dylan in the early years. Rolling Stone said of her performance: “Blanchett’s soon-to-be-legendary performance is not a stunt, it’s some kind of miracle. Playing the skinny, androgynous Dylan in his electric years — when his hair stood on end to match his fried nerves — Blanchett extends the possibilities of acting. You won’t see a better example of interpretive art this year by man or woman.”

Elle France editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who, in 1995 at the age of 43, suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body, except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently described the aspects of his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body to his imagined stories from lands he’d only visited in his mind.

artscene / harvey maisel Walt Whitman once said, “A morning glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books.” Harvey Maisel brings that satisfaction to a permanent state with his retrospective exhibit, Cente Fiori: One Hundred Flowers. Mr. Maisel has photographed flowers throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Canada. He moved to Augusta in 2004 from New York where he had worked as a teacher and photo technician for Newsweek Magazine. During the 1970s, he studied portraiture with the famous photographer, Phillipe Halsman. Cente Fiori: One Hundred Flowers will be on exhibit at blue magnolia (1124 Broad) through the end of June

20 / may / verge

gallery

soundcheck

Tire City Potters 210 Tenth Street • ever changing

Jennifer Daniels Le Chat Noir • May 9

Since I have developed an embarrassingly strong addiction to coffee, I have also acquired an absurdly large collection of coffee cups. My collecting has become a bit of an obsession. So you can imagine the kid-in-a-candy-store feeling I felt when I walked into Tire City Potters and discovered an entire wall covered, from floor to ceiling, with an assortment of handcrafted mugs, bowls, vases, and various other forms of unique pottery.

Oft compared to Ani DiFranco and Joni Mitchell, Jennifer Daniels creates an earthy folk rock style and sound all her own with a distinct vocal style and impressive range. But what sets Jennifer truly apart is her magnetic stage presence that immerses the audience in her darkly romantic, Southern gothic world.

Since its opening in 2002, Tire City has functioned as a combination art gallery, studio space, and frame shop. It has provided a communal atmosphere for emerging artists in Augusta to showcase their work. Recently, the shop expanded its professional framing services and now needs more space. This means that Augusta will be losing another contemporary art gallery. Shishir Chokshi, one of the owners and artists at TCP, stresses that these changes are only being made in order to renovate the upstairs, hoping to create more space for a better store and provide time for him to work on his craft. Despite these changes, there will be no lack of artistic creations at which to marvel. The best part is that these creations are totally functional as well. It’s like getting to actually use Duchamp’s urinal! That might be a bit of an overstatement based on my own personal obsession with collecting coffee mugs, but perhaps that is the beauty of pottery – functionality. White Azalea, a new restaurant opening in the White’s Building, is also a fan of Shishir’s work. They have commissioned him to make all the dish-ware by the restaurant’s opening in early summer. Shishir has converted his home garage into a makeshift factory in order to produce nearly 600 individual dishes that will complement the style of an upscale restaurant while maintaining his signature earthy tone. Diners should expect to be wowed. In the meantime, head over to Tire City and start a collection of your own. Tire City Potters is open Tuesday – Friday: 11 am to 2 pm; 3 pm to 7 pm and on Saturday from 3 pm to 7 pm. by Katie McGuire

Jennifer’s music springs from Celtic roots but provides a connection to the land inhabiting her songs (she hails from Tennessee). Performing Songwriter described Jennifer’s music as “the Flannery O’ Conner and William Faulkner South. Darkly romantic, hot and humid, haunted and gothic. This is music that seems to have grown slowly from some rich, dark soil.” Her sophomore release, Dive and Fly, received critical acclaim from press and fans alike. Jennifer was repeatedly hailed as one of the most promising artists on the music scene. It’s been a long five years waiting, but the 2007 release Summer Filled Sky fulfills that promise. The breadth of Jennifer’s third album is impressive. From joyful pop rock anthems like Day to Live and Welcome to Your Life to the beautiful melancholy of ballads like Tattoo and Spiderman, the album leaves no emotion untapped and no feeling unstirred. What impresses even more is the word crafting Jennifer plies on each song. She readily acknowledges being influenced by poets and authors such as Robert Frost and J.R.R. Tolkien. Her lyrics read like good literature, and possess a timeless beauty. Paste Magazine writes, “It is a rare gift that someone can express such depth and power in lyrics, and it is even more rare that the lyrical gift is accompanied by such an amazing musical talent.” Over the last year, Jennifer has performed 150 concerts across the country with Jeff Neal, whose touch on guitar and mandolin embellish her melodies. The duo performs frequently at The Bitter End in New York and Eddies Attic in Atlanta. You can see Jennifer Daniels live in downtown Augusta at Le Chat Noir on Friday, May 9th at 9 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show. Hear the music at www.jenniferdaniels.com. by Wylie Graves

verge / may / 21

onstage

offstage

Pagliacci The Imperial Theatre • May 16 and 17 RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES: Jealous husband stabs wanderlustsmitten wife, then turns knife on her lover in front of stunned witnesses. Ruggero Leoncavallo doesn’t watch Law and Order, but his story is as fresh as today’s headlines. He crystallizes the brutal love triangle of controlling husband, faithless wife and amorous lover. He throws in a jilted admirer who, seeking petty revenge, rats out the illicit romance. Leoncavallo ends the affair as abruptly as it begins, with a blood smeared knife and the final words “la commedia e finita” (the play is over). And he wrote it in 1892. The Augusta Opera brings Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci to the Imperial stage under the artistic direction of Mark D. Flint and the stage direction of John Hoomes. Allegedly based on true events, Pagliacci is relatively brief for traditional opera and famous for its clowns, memorable lines and juicy plot. The cast is a veritable who’s who in today’s opera world. Diane Alexander, called “gloriously expansive… delighting opera-goers with a splendidly clear voice that nailed every single top note without effort” by the Washington Post, plays Nedda, the errant wife. The dark, handsome tenor Marcos Aguiar, who came on the opera scene in 2003 to take the hearts of critics and lovers alike, will take your heart as Canio, the jealous husband. Baritone Corey McKern brings Silvio, the lover, to life. Completing the quartet, Todd Thomas, an established true Verdi baritone, portrays the jilted admirer Tonio. If you’re new to opera, Pagliacci is one to try – a thriller with great music, memorable lines, jugglers, clowns and acrobatics. Pagliacci is the fourteenth most performed opera in North America and contains one the most famous tenor arias: “Vesti La Guibba.” Try it on for size: type the title into YouTube.com and hear Pavarotti’s version. See Pagliacci Friday, May 16th or Saturday, May 17th at the Imperial Theatre. Both performances begin at 8:00 pm and tickets range in price from $15 to $49. by Wylie Graves

The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown Augusta Museum of History • Opening May 3 James Brown was one of the most major musical influences on American culture in the past 50 years, pioneering the way music and lyrics were composed, written and portrayed. What became known as soul music in the 1960s, funk music in the 1970s, and rap in the 1980s are all directly attributable to James Brown. The Augusta Museum of History will open the exhibition, The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown on May 3, the first major exhibit celebrating the life and legacy of James Brown. The exhibit will span Mr. Brown’s life: from his early poverty-stricken years growing up in a brothel in Augusta, where he would dance and shine shoes for money on street corners, to his heyday as a two-time Grammy Award winner, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, and as one of the initial artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To be displayed through May 2011, the exhibit will feature memorable and personal artifacts, including photographs, posters, albums, performing outfits, and more to vividly tell the story of Brown’s life – the man, the music, and the legacy. It will also recognize his influence on race relations and education. Much as he did with his landmark and influential 1968 single, “Say it Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud”, Mr. Brown used his position of influence to speak positively about race relations. He embraced it with energy and positivity – encouraging children not to neglect their education and to avoid violent retaliation. The exhibition will open in conjunction with the concert event PAYBACK (celebrate James Brown) at the Augusta Common. Concert ticket includes admission to the exhibit. Museum hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 pm., Sunday, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., Closed Monday. $4 Adults, $3 Seniors, $2 Children, Free Children under 5. www.augustamuseum.org or 706-722-8454 for more information. by Rebekah Henry • photo by Frank Christian

22 / may / verge

Serving Eclectic Sunday Brunch Tuesday-Thursday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm Friday and Saturday 11:00 am to 1:00 am Sunday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

verge / may / 23

now there’s no excuse to skip breakfast whistle stop café the pancake Dining at the Whistle Stop always reminds me of breakfast at Grandma’s; whatever you want, made right away, plenty of it, and always good. The pancake is no exception. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s not a stack. One pancake is more than enough. That golden brown circle reaches the outermost limit of your plate the way sunshine reaches the edges of the planet. A little syrup is plenty to accent the buttery goodness of this down home delicacy. I actually prefer it to Grandma’s.

good chow southern living highlights two downtown restaurants in may issue comfort food in augusta we’ve found the best places in town to indulge in lunch and dessert. Yummy, yum, yum! Diets are out in this town. You gotta try these Augusta, Georgia, restaurants when you want to chow down. The food’s as soulful and familiar as an old gospel hymn (and has nothing to do with golf).

jasmine café salmon croquette I always thought Croquette was a game rich people played on their front lawns; however, there is a difference between Croquet (the game) and Croquette (the food). It’s a delicious divergence found in its French root croquer, or to crunch. Jasmine’s Salmon Croquette is light and flavorful with a crispiness true to its name. At only three bucks, it’s affordable enough for me, but elegant enough for those rich people who love their lawn games.

sweet lou’s egg, cheese & bacon breakfast bagel I hope you’re hungry, because Sweet Lou’s Breakfast Bagel is ginormous. Ever notice when you fill your gas tank the needle actually rises above the full mark? A mountain of eggs and cheese and the most amazing bacon this side of Scotland will send your stomach needle to the same place. While I love the bacon, there’s also steak, sausage and ham. Don’t forget to make time to relax with some coffee for a few moments before getting up.

new moon café eggs benedict I regret to inform you Eggs Benedict can only be had on Sundays. So save this savoury, succulent treat for an after church brunch. Eggs on english muffins smothered in Hollandaise sauce creates an amazing textural taste. Before, I would never have ordered anything with an egg yolk sauce, but this one was so beautiful I had to try it. So put aside your preconceived notions and experience an elegance which belies the simple egg. by Jack Casey • photos by Katie McGuire

Bring on Dessert: Boll Weevil Café and Sweetery You’ll be asking to surrender your good intentions as soon as walk in the front door at the Boll Weevil Café. Owner George Harrison strategically placed the dessert case there, and when your eyes lock on the Perfect Chocolate Cake, you’ll be done in. It stands about 18 inches tall, topped with brownie sprinkles and drizzled in chocolate ganache. Not ready for dessert just yet? Order a cup of the homemade hoppin’ John or a sandwich made with honey-wheat bread each morning. 10 Ninth Street; (706) 722-7772. Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Sunday – Thursday, 11 am – 11 pm, Friday – Saturday. They Have Soul: Café 209 and Creative Caterers We ask owner Cassandra Brinson what makes her fried chicken oh so good. “I tell you, it’s the love we put in it,” she says and laughs. We’re smitten. We’re high on the sides, too, especially the gooey macaroni and cheese and perfectly simmered fresh collard greens. 215 10th Street; (706) 722-9692. Hours: 11 am – 4 pm daily. by Tanner C. Latham • © 2008 Southern Living Magazine • reprinted with the permission of Southern Living. • photos by Andy Donnan

24 / may / verge

the eff bombs rip up, through and over rap When we told Amy, a manager at New Moon Café, that we were writing an article about ourselves, she said, simply, “Oh, God.” The Eff Bombs are a tag-team powerhouse of pop-crunk-gospel-funk-soul-jazz-swing-disco-club-two-step and UK-dub. With influences like The Red Rockers, Andre The Giant, Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, Dr. Dre, Nas, Jay-z, Tears for Fears, James Brown, Outkast, Eric B and Rakim, Little Richard, Rick Astley, Dolly Parton, Townes Van Zandt and Eazy E, it is easy to see why our fans have described our sound as “the opposite of Mary Kate and Ashley Olson’s Pool Party.” [for the un-indoctrinated, the Eff Bombs are a tag team of two: Theorist and Wonda’ Bread] Our style of dress can most accurately be compared to that of the dude in Ace of Bass. (Remember? He had that part where he said “dance, or fall down”) Well, know this: when we rock a show, no one will be falling down. Despite the fact that David Hutchison, owner of The Book Tavern, said of our music that he “would not call that rap,” we hold true to the fact that we are the best rap group ever in the history of music. We’ll be the first to admit, this level of celebrity comes at a pretty hefty price. Friends have been lost, hearts have been broken, speakers (and minds) have been blown, and yet, we continue. Our main, if not only, objectives are to be EXTREMELY honest with our fans and to rap every single second of every day. Rumors are circulating that Wonda’ Bread raps in his sleep! Although no one is willing to confirm this, I am going to insist it is true. With our first show came a flood of emotion, hype and tongue-twisting wizardry. Wonda’ Bread ripped through lyrics like Hulk Hogan rips through t-shirts, while Theorist spit freestyles that were so intense someone was almost fired! The Soul Bar will never be the same and neither will hip-hop. We’re not only reinventing a genre, we’re actually inventing ways of making it sound like we’re reinventing a genre. We have come straight off the streets of Augusta and which is more than evident in our lyrics. With songs like Need A Riva’ Dog, That is a Butt, and The Eff Bombs Anthem, we hope to pay homage to the Garden City and consistently rep’ our club roots. With this being said, we eagerly look forward to our second show. If you need us, you can find us somewhere in the AUG doing one of the following activities: 1. Rapping

6. Studying rap

2. Playing basketball

7. Loving rap

3. Avoiding the Headknocka’ (I got your license plate number, dog.)

8. Enjoying everything about rap

4. Laying down some tracks

9. Being really into rap

5. Listening to rap

10. Never being able to get enough of rap

Keep an eye out for us this month. We plan to have several legitimate shows and an EP coming soon. Until then, Theorist and Wonda’ Bread will be “just shootin’ game in the form of story raps now.” (Outkast) You can see and hear us at The Book Tavern on May 2nd hosting our first freestyle competition and slam (5 pm to 10 pm). by the shamelessly self-promoting Theorist and Wonda’ Bread • photos by Diana Gurley

brian vander ark brings the music back at 1102 on May 16 You know the song and the band, you just may not know the name behind the tune that still lingers in your mind. Brian Vander Ark, former front man and principal songwriter for The Verve Pipe is the man who put the song The Freshmen on your lips. Having sold more than 3 million albums worldwide and producing a string of hits can create massive success and an unforgiving aftermath that is difficult to grasp. Many artists find themselves in places often worse than when they began. Brian Vander Ark decided that instead of being just another one of those stories, chasing old dreams, he would sell all his possessions (or, as he points out on his myspace page, he kept some clothes. Not the “rock star” ones. He gave those to some friends) and go out on his own. In 2005, he ventured out in support of his acclaimed debut album Resurrection released in 2004. Brian tackles subjects in his songwriting that many shy away from in an earnest and reflective manner. Writing about family life, struggles with fame,

loss, religion and the perceptions of such and, the most important of all, love. Lyrically, his songs have a way of reaching you deeply like you would never expect a songwriter to. Touring and recording like a mad man, Brian Vander Ark has released three albums since his solo debut, Within Reach (2005), Angel, Put Your Face On (2006), and this years self-titled release Brian Vander Ark. Revel in the music of Brian Vander Ark at 1102 Downtown Bar and Grill’s Back Bar Friday, May 16th with Silverdash Music and Jacob Johnson. Tickets are on sale at 1102 and Rock Bottom Music or go online to www.etix.com. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 day of show. Check out the music at www.myspace. com/brianvanderark or www.brianvanderark.com. by Jason Barron

verge / may / 25 friday may 2

special events

outdoor events First Friday: James Brown Birthday Bash Broad St • 5 to 10 pm • free Downtown comes to life as galleries, studios and shops stay open late and the street is filled with vendors and live entertainment. Stretching from 5th to 12th St., this family friendly event boasts over 22 live music venues, complemented by numerous locally owned restaurants. Featuring the Jerusalem Sounds Brass Band at 10th & Broad. The Eff! Bombs presents A Soulful Freestyle Competition and Slam The Book Tavern • 5 to 10 pm • free Bust out your Rhymes with James Brown in Mind. Bring your tightest Flow and Show the Godfather you Know. Details: 706.826.1940

special events Space Week Event Fort Discovery • 10 am to 5 pm • $6 to $8 NASA Speakers Bureau from Cape Kennedy, Florida present exciting topics and interactive presentations. Wine Tasting 209 Music Lounge • 8 to 10 pm • $5 Fabulous wine tasting sponsored by Empire Dist. and Korus. Introducing and launching the new wine of Kedar Beverages LLC and K’orus Wine- a product of France.

art events Art Exhibit of Jennifer Larson & Kimberly Marley 551 Broad Street • 5 to 9 pm • free Currently stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, Jennifer Larson paints mostly abstracts. Kimberly Marley is a student at Augusta State University pursuing a fine arts degree. A portion of the art work sales during exhibition will be donated to the Disabled American Veterans. At Artistic Perceptions. Details: 706.724.8739

James Brown Birthday Bash Vintage 965 • 10 am to 8 pm • free Free refreshments and 10% off with your PAYBACK ticket stub. Author Signing: Josh Griffing Book Tavern • 11 am to 1 pm • free Local author Josh Griffing will be signing copies of his book Bards of Broken Songs. Details: 706.826.1940 Space Week Event Fort Discovery • 10 am to 5 pm • $6 to $8

pipeline / 5.2 - 5.9 Blue Cotton Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • folk

monday may 5

Mojo 1102 • 10 pm • $5 • rock

film

Joe Graves & The Dirty Left Hand • Eat Lightning Playground Bar • 10 pm • $3 • rock Modern Skirts Soul Bar • 11:30 pm • $5

Children’s Spring Festival Lucy Craft Laney Museum • 10 am to 4 pm • free for kids & $1 for adults Children young and young at heart will enjoy games, arts and crafts, entertainment, food and more. Details: 706.724.3576

theatre The Wizard of Oz Imperial Theatre • 8 pm • $12 to $38

live music Black Dahlia Murder • Arsis • By the Sins Fell Angels • Aralic Sector 7G • 7 pm • $12 After Party for the Soul Generals 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $8 Tony and Mike Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 • R&B Turf War The Firehouse Bar • 9 pm • $3

Movies at Main presents Charlie Wilson’s War rated R 102 minutes

live music

NASA Speakers Bureau from Cape Kennedy, Florida present exciting topics and interactive presentations.

for kids

Charlie Wilson’s War Main Library on Greene St • 6:30 pm • free

Brandon Reeves

sunday may 4

Joes Underground • 9 pm • $2 • acoustic

special event Candlelight Jazz: Augusta State University Jazz Band Riverwalk Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 • bring your own seating and picnic

for kids Artrageous! Sunday: Abstract Painting with Found Object Morris Museum • 2 to 4 pm • free Get inspired by David Hammon’s Work B Ball Drawing and create a painting using found objects with instructor Pamela Ferguson Haggins.

theatre The Wizard of Oz Imperial Theatre • 3 pm • $12 to $38

live music Patterson and Nate 1102 • 10 pm • free

tuesday may 6 for kids Toddler Time: Absolutely Abstract Morris Museum • 10 am or 11:15 am • up to $4 Celebrating the true independent spirit Discover what abstract means and create your own colorful shape painting using stamps. Children 5 and younger. Details: 706.828.3867

art events Opening for A. Aubrey Bodine: Baltimore Pictorialist Morris Museum • 6 to 8 pm • free Jennifer Bodine, daughter of the late photographer A. Aubrey Bodine, discusses her father’s long and productive career. Reception and conversation with the speaker follow.

live music A Kiss for Jersey • Amen • The Animal • Agnes • Courier • Sons of Skies Sector 7G • 7 pm • $8 • punk/pop

thursday may 8

New Art Opening by WolfKid Soul Bar • 8 pm • free

live music theatre

Keith Gregory Joes Underground • 9 pm • $3

The Wizard of Oz Imperial Theatre • 8 pm • $12 to $38

friday may 9

The Augusta Players’ production of Wizard of Oz brings to life the movie version of Frank Baum’s story, which has captivated the young and the young at heart for over 60 years. Once again, Dorothy and Toto will dance down the yellow brick road to discover the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, and defeat the Wicked Witch of the West. Along the way, enjoy memorable songs such as Over the Rainbow and Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.

outdoor events High School Musical 2 (the film) Augusta Common • 9 pm • $2

special events Augusta Tango Club Dance Tap Tap • 7 to 9 pm • free

art events

live music

Art at Lunch Morris Museum • noon • $10 to $13

Loot & T-Buc Soul Bar • 8 pm • free Fletch & Folk Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • folk Eldorado Deluxe Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 • R&B Jazz Collective Tribeca Buddha Lounge • 9:30 pm • $3 Augusta’s premier jazz trio upholding the tradition of straight ahead jazz begun by Miles, Coltrane, Mingus and Theolonius. A must for those who follow the groove. 420 Outback 1102 • 10 pm • $5 • rock Shinebox The Playground • 10 pm • $3

saturday may 3 outdoor events PAYBACK: Celebrating James Brown Augusta Common • noon to 10 pm • $35 to $45 Honoring the career and life of the James Brown, The Doobie Brothers, The Soul Generals, Branford Marsalis and The Modern Skirts join together for this daylong concert. Presented by the Augusta Museum of History.

art auction for medical mission trip sunday may 18 • 2 pm to 6 pm • blue magnolia The MCG Physician’s Assistant Class of 2009 will hold a special silent art auction to fund a medical trip to several villages in the Philippines next spring. The trip will feature a free medical clinic to provide basic yet essential care for people who would otherwise have to do without. The average cost per person is $3000 including medical supplies, transportation and room/board. Most of the art is created by students in the class and includes photography, water colours, oil paintings and sculptures. Auction items can be viewed throughout the week preceding the event and bids can be placed at anytime. Information on alternate forms of support will be given during the auction. Refreshments will be served during the auction. Held at blue magnolia, 1124 Broad Street. berlin wall • original photograph by Helen Parham

Master printmaker Jackson Cheatham discusses his techniques using actual examples of printing plates and finished pieces. Catered by A Catered Affair. RSVP by May 7: 706.724.7501

live music Jennifer Daniels Le Chat Noir • 9 pm • $15 to $20 See the full review of Jennifer Daniels on page 20. Details: 706.722.3322 A Kiss for Jersey • Amen • The Animal • Agnes • Courier • Sons of Skies Sector 7G • 7 pm • $8 • punk/pop Box of Moonlight Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • folk Blue Cotton Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 Bayou Bleu 1102 • 10 pm • $5 • rock Necessary Evil • The Stain Remains • Metal Ink The Playground • 10 pm • $3 • metal

26 / may / verge

pipeline / 5.10 - 5.25

live music Veara • Dang We’re on Fire • I Am the Pilot Sector 7G • 7 pm • $10 • pop/punk

live music

Black Sheep Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock

soul bar prom night

Terry & Jordan Cotton Patch,• 9 pm • $2

saturday may 10 • soul bar

Delta Swagger Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm • $4

The Mason Jars 1102 • 10 pm • free • acoustic

monday may 19

Brian VanderArk • Silverdash Music • Jacob Johnson 1102 • 10 pm • $8 to $10 • acoustic

You don’t have to be an avid reader of Seventeen Magazine to know that it’s Prom season. Isn’t is wonderful to look back and remember how much fun you had at prom? Paying the outrageous ticket prices, getting rejected enough times to take your sister as a date, forgetting the corsage, getting stuck with the limo bill, and explaining to your parents why its imperative that you HAVE to stay out until 5 am. Maybe you didn’t have a blast, or maybe you just didn’t go. You probably had just as much fun playing Pokemon with your little brother on that particular Saturday night. Now it’s a few years later, and maybe you’d like to relive those high school experiences, or maybe you just want to finally get to attend a prom. So pull out your planner and start making arrangements, because Prom is back and its bigger than ever! And by that I mean there will be alcohol! Soul Bar will be hosting the event. If all goes as expected, prom attendees can expect to hear cheesy cover songs from Augusta’s very own Language Arts followed by an open dance floor and crazy spins from DJ Track 8 Theory. Wear your dancing shoes and your most absurd outfit because the theme of this years prom is TACKY. Or if you want, we can just send you picture messages while you’re playing World of Warcraft at home.

art and poses the aesthetic question: “why do we consider this art?” during a gallery talk about the exhibition Something to Look Forward To.

Black Sheep Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock

film The Diving Bell and The Butterfly Main Library on Greene St • 6:30 pm • free Movies at Main presents The Diving Bell and The Butterfly rated PG-13, 112 minutes

saturday may 17

live music

outdoor events Thunder Over Augusta: Armed Forces Day Celebration Augusta Common • 2 pm to 10 pm • free In honor of our military troops, the Common will be full of entertainment, exhibitions, rides, and the largest fireworks show Augusta has ever seen. Lee Greenwood (God Bless the USA) will perform. See the details on page 17.

special events Author Signing: Terry Leiden Book Tavern • 11 am to 1 pm • free Local Author Terry Leiden will be signing copies of his book Get Back In The Game. Details: 706.826.1940 Armed Forces Day Celebration Vintage 965 • 10 am to 6 pm • free

John Kolbeck Joes Underground • 9 pm • $2

tuesday may 20 live music Joe Stevenson Joes Underground • 9 pm • $3 • acoustic

thursday may 22 live music Cliff Bennet Joes Underground • 9 pm • $3 • rock

friday may 23 special events Tentative Grand Opening of Sky City

Free refreshments and 10% off with your active military ID.

Sky City • 10 pm • $7 Featuring Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Don Chambers & Goat and The Shaun Piazza Band.

theatre

saturday may 10

Pagliacci Imperial Theatre • 8 pm • $15 to $49

monday may 12 for kids

Stupendous! Family Saturday: Abstract Mania Morris Museum • 10:30 am to 12:30 pm • free Enjoy a lively interactive modern dance performance by the Power Company in the auditorium, and construct abstract sculptures in the activity room.

dance Tango Beginner Immersion Cutno Dance Center • 3 to 5 pm • $10 to $20

film

Movies at Main presents I’m Not There rated R 135 minutes

live music Dave Furman Joes Underground • 9 pm • $2 • rock

live music Soul Bar Prom Night Soul Bar • all night • free with corsage Brown Sugar with Eric Mayweather 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $8 Fighting Foo (Foo Fighters Tribute Band) 1102 • 10 pm • $8 to $10 Edison Project Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock Sandinistas! (Clash Tribute Band) The Firehouse Bar • 9 pm • $5 Shotgun Opera • Dirty Sons of Ireland • Chairleg Playground Bar • 10 pm • free

sunday may 11 special event Candlelight Jazz: DJM Trio Riverwalk Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 • bring your own seating and picnic

live music There for Tomorrow • Versa Emerge • Schoolboy Humor Sector 7G • 7 pm • $10 Singer/Songwriters In the Round 1102 • 10 pm • free Pat Blanchard, Woody Wood and Hannah Miller

dance Tango Workshop Cutno Dance Center • 2 to 4 pm • $10 to $20 Variations in Turns: Argentine Tango Workshop with Danny and Leslie Waggoner from Atlanta. For advanced beginners & intermediates. Details: 706.736.6670 Argentine Tango Dance Cutno Dance Center • 8 to 11 pm • $10

tuesday may 13

After this class, you should be able to dance a basic dance at a Milonga. Details: 706.736.6670

The Fence Sitters Rave Night Sector 7G • 7 pm • $5 • techno/house

see full description on page 21

I’m Not There Main Library on Greene St • 6:30 pm • free

Sounds Unlimited with Krystal & Lynwood Holmes 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $8

thursday may 15 outdoor events Lunch in the Park Augusta Common • noon to 1:30pm • free Come to the Common for a midday lunch break every other Thursday. Enjoy a variety of live music performed by your favorite local artists. Details: 706.821.1754

live music The Medic Droid • A Cursive Memory • Baumer Sector 7G • 7pm • $10 • pop/punk Smoke Damaged & The Mason Jars Soul Bar • 10:30 pm • $3 • folk/funk Paul Underwood Joes Underground • 9 pm • $3 • rock

friday may 16 theatre Pagliacci Imperial Theatre • 8 pm • $15 to $49 Presented by the Augusta Opera, Pagliacci depicts the tragic tale of love and betrayal in a commedia dell’ Arte troupe. One of the most performed operas in North America. See page 21 for details or augustaopera.com.

Picture Perfect Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 Keith Gregory Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • acoustic Blue Cotton 1102 • 10 pm • $5 • acoustic The Stain Remains • Snapshots & Streetlights The Playground • 10 pm • metal

saturday may 24

live music

live music Jeff Liberty Joes Underground • 9 pm • $2 • folk

live music

John Kolbeck Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2

special events Author Signing: Christine Hurley Deriso The Book Tavern • 11 am to 1 pm • free Local Author Christine Hurley Deriso will be signing copies of her book The Right Under Club. Details: 706.826.1940

Fletch and Folk • The SoulMites 1102 • 10 pm • $5

live music

Joe Stevenson Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock

Brown Sugar with Eric Mayweather 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $8

Dead Confederate Soul Bar • 10:30 pm • $5

Eldorado Deluxe Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2

sports events Augusta Colts Arena Football James Brown Arena • 7:30 pm • $8 to $30 Augusta Colts vs. Canton Legends

sunday may 18 special events Silent Art Auction Benefit blue magnolia • 2 to 6 pm • free Candlelight Jazz: Not Gaddy & The Jazz Servants Riverwalk Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 • bring your own seating and picnic

art events Lecture: Why Is This Art? Morris Museum • 2 pm • free Georgia Southern University professor Dr. Bruce Little removes the mystery surrounding abstract

Blue Funk: The David Heath Project Joes Underground • 9 pm • blues Eat Lightning with The Stellas 1102 • 10 pm • $5 • indie

sunday may 25 outdoor events Candlelight Jazz: quietStorm Riverwalk Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 • bring your own seating and picnic

live music Music at the Morris: Caroline Herring Morris Museum • 2 pm • free Singer Caroline Herring performs music blending a variety of traditional styles, including acoustic folk, bluegrass, and old-time country. Paddock Park • Xoversa • Agnes Sector 7G • 7 pm • $8 • punk/pop

verge / may / 27

pipeline / 5.27 - 6.5

Singer/Songwriters in the Round 1102 • 10 pm • free John Kolbeck, John Krueger & Caleb Grimes

tuesday may 27

shops stay open late and the street is filled with vendors and live entertainment. Stretching from 5th to 12th St., this family friendly event boasts over 22 live music venues, complemented by numerous locally owned restaurants.

live music James Heath Joes Underground • 9 pm • $2 • acoustic

sports events

thursday may 29

Augusta Colts Arena Football James Brown Arena • 7:30 pm • $8 to $30

outdoor events Lunch in the Park Augusta Common • noon to 1:30pm • free

Augusta Colts vs. Carolina Speed

Come to the Common for a midday lunch break every other Thursday. Enjoy a variety of live music performed by your favorite local artists. Details: 706.821.1754

every week sundays Jim Perkins Augustinos • 8 pm • free

live music

Keith Gregory or Deveran Roof Cotton Patch • 8 pm • free

The Mason Jars Joes Underground • 9 pm • $3

friday may 30 outdoor events Spiderman 3 Augusta Common • 9 pm • $2 Note: film is rated PG-13 for intense action violence

live music Gray Lines of Perfection • Amen • The Animal • Take It Back • Anxious Arms • Aralic Sector 7G • 7 pm • $8 • punk/pop Tony Williams & Side Effect Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 Red Headed Step Child Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock Mayhem String Band Stillwater Tap Room • 10 pm • $4

saturday may 31 theatre When a Man Loves A Woman Bell Auditorium • 8 pm • $26 to $31

live music Mellow D with Pam Bowman 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $8 Tony & Mike Cotton Patch • 9 pm • $2 • R&B Daddy Grace Joes Underground • 9 pm • $4 • rock Behind the Sun (Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute Band 1102 • 10 pm • $8 to $10

sunday june 1 outdoor event Candlelight Jazz: Jazz Collective Riverwalk Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8 pm • $6 • bring your own seating and picnic

art events Artrageous! Sunday: Light and Shadow Morris Museum • 2 pm • free View the A. Aubrey Bodine exhibition and create a drawing that focuses on light and shadow.

monday june 2 art events Art Lecture: Children’s Art Morris Museum • 2 pm • free Dr. Jane Ellis, professor emeritus of developmental psychology at Augusta State University, will discuss Rhoda Kellogg’s extensive cross-cultural research on the artistic creations of children ages two to seven.

caroline herring: music at the morris sunday may 25 • 2 pm • morris museum Caroline Herring returns to the forefront of the American roots music scene with her new album Lantana (2008), firmly establishing herself as a preeminent storyteller that re-images the Gothic South. Lantana was co-produced with longtime collaborator and Augusta favorite Rich Brotherton (Robert Earl Keen). Herring’s songs represent the experiences of women who have not only faced the challenges inherent in a rural South childhood, but also the heartrending and often complex experiences of adult women who feel pressured to choose between tradition and career ambitions. The songs show that the results can be both awe-inspiring and sometimes even devastating. Morris Museum of Art brings her to Augusta on Sunday, May 25, for an intimate afternoon with this incredibly talented singer/songwriter. Admission is free.

thursday june 5 special events Discussion: The Gathering Le Chat Noir • 8 pm • free Do you like Jesus, but not the Church? Join in on the discussion. Hosted by The Gathering. Details: augustagathering.com

friday june 6 outdoor events First Friday: Beach Party Blast Broad St • 5 to 10 pm • free Downtown comes to life as galleries, studios and

John Kolbeck Cotton Patch • 10 pm • free

tuesdays Dr. John Fischer The Fox’s Lair • 7 pm • free Trivia at The Playground The Playground • 8 pm • free

every wednesday Trivia with Cliff Bennett Cotton Patch • 7 pm • free Trivia with Paul Arrowood Joes Underground • 9 pm • free Open Mic Night 209 Music Lounge • 8:30 pm • $5 Krazy Karaoke Playground Bar • free

every thursday Preschool Story Time Main Branch Library on Greene • 10 am • free Toddler Story Time Main Branch Library on Greene • 10:45 am • free Karaoke with Fatz & Cher 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $5

every friday DJ: Awesome Rick & Out of Sight Tony Wright 209 Music Lounge • 9 pm • $5

every saturday Saturday Market Eighth Street Plaza • 8 am to 1 pm • free Located off Reynolds Street, a unique, open air venue that provides area farmers/growers & artisans an inviting, enjoyable location to sell their merchandise.

matter, Ambler’s work reaches beyond the surface of representation and explores his deeper concerns for nature. Opening Reception and Gallery Talk: Friday, April 18, 2008, 6 to 8 pm. Open to the public; non-members $5 William Anderson: Lest We Forget Lucy Craft Laney Museum • April 6 thru June 30 • $2 to $5 • 1116 Phillips St • Tue – Fri: 9 am to 5 pm; Sat: 10 am to 4 pm As special feature for the 1st Annual Augusta Photography Festival, William Anderson compiles a retrospective of black and white photographs from a period covering 1958 through 2008. This exhibition will be flanked by sculpture and a selection of paintings. A. Aubrey Bodine: Baltimore Pictorialist Morris Museum of Art • now thru July 13 • $3 to $5 • free on Sundays • 1 Tenth St • Tue – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm & Sun: noon to 5 pm This exhibition includes a representative sampling of the work of master pictorialist photographer A. Aubrey Bodine. Bodine was a longtime staff member at the Baltimore Sun, for which he created photo-essays on subjects ranging from studies of his hometown, Baltimore, Maryland, to the oystermen and skipjack fishermen of the Chesapeake Bay. This overview exhibition includes only a small percentage of the thousands of photographs he produced. Something to Look Forward to: Abstract Art by 22 Distinguished Americans of African Descent Morris Museum of Art • now thru May 25 • $3 to $5 • free on Sundays • 1 Tenth St • Tue – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm & Sun: noon to 5 pm Something to Look Forward To: Abstract Art by 22 Distinguished Americans of African Descent, which presents abstraction by African American artists inspired by the tradition of abstract expressionism. This important movement had penetrated the American art scene by the 1950s with its combination of abstraction—the art did not depict objects in the physical world—and expressionism—it used the raw materials of color and form to record the feelings and passions of the artist. Wilson 150: the Exhibition Historic Augusta • Now Thru May 23 • $3 to $5 • 415 Seventh St • Tue – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm A traveling exhibition of Woodrow Wilson artifacts and documents on view at the Joseph R. Lamar Boyhood Home. Details: 706.724.0436

Jazz Collective Metro A Coffee House • 9 pm • $2

ongoing exhibitions The Godfather of Soul: Mr. James Brown Augusta Museum of History • Opens May 3 • $2 to $4 • 560 Reynolds Street • Tue – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm • Sun: 1 pm to 5 pm The first major exhibition devoted to the life of James Brown, The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown, will open at the Augusta Museum of History on May 3, 2008. To be displayed through May 2011, the exhibit will celebrate his life through three studies – the man, the music, and his great legacy. His popularity is worldwide due to his music and talent, but he is also remembered for his influential role in racial relations, avocation for education, and his commitment to helping those less fortunate. The exhibition will offer an opportunity for fans around the world to pay homage to the Augusta, Georgia native son and world-famous entertainer Life in Relief: Woodcut Prints by Kent Ambler Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art • April 18 thru May 23 • free • 506 Telfair St • Tue – Fri from 10 am to 5 pm Seneca, SC artist Kent Ambler brings an exceptional collection of recent woodcuts to the Institute’s Main Gallery this spring. Expressionistic in style and often deeply personal in its inspiration and subject

publicize your event Have a great event coming to downtown? Pipeline calendar is a free way to promote what you’ve got going on! Simply send us the who, what, where, when and tix info plus a brief description by the 22nd of each month to pipeline@vergelive.com. (the more you send, the more we put in!) Hi-resolution photos and graphics are encouraged.

28 / may / verge

verge / may / 29

the downtown loft tour / june 6 and 7 a personal view of loft living

the pillowman at le chat noir tickets for june performances now on sale Le Chat Noir once again challenges social mores and presuppositions with its upcoming run of the critically acclaimed play The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh. This provocative work tells the tale of Katurian, a fiction writer living in a police state who is interrogated about the gruesome contents of his short stories, and their similarities to a number of bizarre incidents occurring locally. The Pillowman is unlike anything you’ll ever see – a story of the twisted, the gruesome, and the redeeming power of love and creativity. The all-male cast includes Doug Joiner as Katurian, Mark Swanson as Tupolski, Gary Dennis as Ariel, and Krys Bailey as Michal. Le Chat’s version of The Pillowman will feature an original score by Mark Swanson. Get your tickets now. Seating in the intimate black-box theatre is very limited. Tickets for Le Chat’s last show, Sordid Lives, sold out two weeks in advance and all added shows and seats sold out as well! Choose your dates: June 13 & 14, 20 & 21, 26 to 28. Opening night features an cabaret style event with appetizers, wine and beer.

I have lived in Augusta, Georgia, for almost 10 years now. I chose to move here for a journalism job fresh out of college at the University of Iowa and I’ll be honest – I love it here! I especially love the downtown area. In 1998, Downtown Augusta was not the same place it is today, I can tell you that for sure. There were but a few restaurants and bars around and even less retail stores for our shopping pleasure. As far as Downtown Living – I wouldn’t know the first thing about what was available because, back then, I never inquired. Today I live in a loft on Broad Street. I’ve been here for almost three years and I enjoy pretty much everything about Downtown Living. I love to walk to breakfast and to my office. I like that I know many of the owners and employees at Downtown businesses and I enjoy the feeling of community in the area. I have also become accustomed to having my window open and I’m soothed by the sounds of the cars rolling by, folks walking along Broad Street and the breeze on my face when my fiancé and I sit out on the balcony sharing a bottle of wine. In my years Downtown, I’ve made point to become inTrent Snyder and Jake London enjoy the volved in the organizations that support this area. One of those Enterprise Mill loft on the 2007 tour. groups is Historic Augusta. This June 6th and 7th will mark the fourth year for their annual Downtown Loft Tour. I’ve been on the tour as a patron, opened my loft up and hosted guests on the tour and this year I’ve become even more involved, chairing the event. See – I told you I love Downtown Augusta. Not only do I love the area but I have always felt that Historic Augusta’s Downtown Loft Tour is a wonderful way to share a piece of what Downtown Living is with others. People that always wondered what it was like to live in one of those windows they see along the street. People that are contemplating a move to Downtown Augusta get a view of where they might live and those who just enjoy seeing the renovation work in the beautiful buildings of Downtown Augusta get the change to see them from the inside. This year Loft Tour patrons will not only get to see some of the traditional lofts in Downtown Augusta, but also the renovations done on some of the businesses in the area, a lofty church and also the new condos available in The White’s Building. Tickets to this year’s Loft Tour will be on sale soon at blue magnolia, Mellow Mushroom, the Metro Spirit and at Historic Augusta. Get yours today and see what Downtown Living is all about! details on The Loft Tour can be found at www.historicaugusta.org or 706.724.0436 by Emily Carder • photo by Julia Jackson

a. aubrey bodine: baltimore pictorialist the morris museum of art • may 3 through july 13

The Morris Museum of Art’s latest exhibit, A. Aubrey Bodine: Baltimore Pictorialist, features a representative sampling of the work of the renowned photojournalist Bodine, a photographer in the pictorialist style, who worked at the Baltimore Sun for fifty years. “Long before Robert Capa and Alfred Eisenstadt became famous for their Life magazine photo-essays, Aubrey Bodine, week in and week out, year in and year out, was producing a remarkably rich and eloquent photographic document of his beloved Maryland on assignment for the Baltimore Sun. Because of him, readers of the Sun came to know every part of the state, from the Atlantic seaboard to the rolling farm lands of western Montgomery County to the clangor of Baltimore,” said Kevin Grogan, executive director of the Morris Museum of Art.

A. Aubrey Bodine, Misty Harbor, 1955. Copyright Jennifer B. Bodine.

Through a small sampling of the thousands and thousands of photographs that Bodine shot through the length of this career from the early 1920s until his death in 1970, the exhibition includes classic examples of his rural, urban, and maritime images. Best remembered for his photographs of the Chesapeake Bay and its watermen, Bodine worked in the same romantic pictorial tradition as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen. The first photographer to be awarded a fellowship in both the Photographic Society of America and the National Press Photographers Association, Bodine was recognized and honored as one of the world’s great photographers by his peers. Kathleen Ewing, author of A. Aubrey Bodine, Baltimore Pictorialist, 1906–1970 and an expert on Bodine’s work, is working with the Morris Museum on the organization of the exhibition which will appear only in Augusta.

30 / may / verge

to call from tree to tree rosencrantz asks

guildenstern answers

can there be an end to our faces?

if there’s an end to us.

i saw you, your face.

face isn’t face against a wall.

walls which are for us.

us or faces?

our faces.

is there a difference?

(when our bodies weep and we do not)

tears or oceans?

an ocean of bodies – out our eyes –

– coming out our faces. – but our real eyes can’t be found in faces.

– only because our faces make up

there is nothing in our eyes.

oceans in which nothing stays. nothing is absent. not naming is just.

absent: I, body of woman. is it unjust to name a body, Woman?

a body is a Woman.

“oh the eyes of Absence!”

eyes of empty things –

– give over to their roots.

roots like us. possible if it knows us. love inside bones.

similarity or affection? both possible? roots know us, like parasitical love. inside-inside. my side is in.

bones are the only in-side.

are they? the only in side?

only us in-side us.

is there even an end to us?

an us drowning inside. they only speak us-words. you may be, still. there is more than darkness in still shots. empty word things. eyes of babies, to be over with. are i gone? – and air takes the oceans out of our bodies. for no-named bodies; eyes salt in Woman faces eyes in-side eyes in-side faces –

rosencrantz answers

how many us are drowning? what-what. be still my baby for this night. shots can hang still in this night. eyes in words or words in eyes? us coming over us, our drowning roots. only if oceans can be gone tooour absence births us to us, our body. salt with tears or oceans? – is there ever an end to us?

guildenstern asks

Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are two beleivers who have tried to join the Flat Earth Society several times, but their answers for the questions “What is your favorite flavor jellybean?” and “What is your favorite Eastern European Nation?” have created conflict with the society’s strict guidelines of acceptance. The fact that they don’t actually believe the world is flat doesn’t help their case either. Look for their street art which will be coming (legally) to a downtown wall near you.

verge / may / 31

printed matter / cormac mccarthy Please don’t let Matt Damon stop you from reading a book. I confess he nearly kept me from reading All the Pretty Horses. Matt Damon. Maybe it’s not the best excuse. After all, I read other books by Cormac McCarthy. A love of Faulkner led me to Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West many years ago. I perused Child of God around the time I moved to Augusta. I purchased The Crossing at a library sale, discarding it upon learning it was the sequel to Horses. Sadly, this was where I stopped reading McCarthy. Thanks Matt Damon. Then, Andy Stokes told me to read The Road. He effused praise for it, so I expected to be disappointed. Instead, I was astounded. My earlier interest awoke to No Country for Old Men and coincided with the film’s release. Both book and film pleased me. That’s when I decided to share McCarthy with you and knew I could no longer avoid All the Pretty Horses. After loving everything else he wrote, I shouldn’t be surprised to find my attention riveted. I am surprised. I am riveted. Thank you Andy Stokes. With two films credited to his works, and three more on the way (Blood Meridian, The Road and Outer Dark), McCarthy is becoming a Hollywood darling. I was raving over the Coens’ adaptation and how easily they lifted narrative and dialogue straight into the film when a downtowner told me it’s easy when the book is written with the screenplay in mind. It’s a real pressure on literature today. A film can push a book’s sales to unwritten heights, and authors are hoping for a shot at Tinseltown. McCarthy already published a screenplay in 1976. Director Richard Pearce asked him to write The Gardner’s Son for a PBS series. Set in our own Graniteville one hundred years earlier, it dramatizes the struggles of mill town life. Perhaps he’s been writing for the screen ever since.

tion forces a careful pace. I often lose track of the dialogue or descriptive detail lulled by the lyric rhythm of his prose. But it’s The Road, the most amazing post-apocalyptic book ever penned, that I really want you to read. With sparser language, even compared to his former novels, The Road commands your attention through bleak and devastating imagery. Violating the genre’s hallmark explanation of apocalyptic mechanism, the narrative begins with a man and boy amidst an empty earth on fire. They must keep moving to stay safe from not only from the fires, but from other survivors whom they cannot trust. Our heroes are nameless. They cannot even hope for the comfort of a name. They cannot look to another for help. They do not try. They move south and east looking for water knowing their existence keeps the fire of humanity alive. Such a small and tired flame. McCarthy makes you hunger for humanity. By the time I read the last page, my pores oozed with desolate longing. I dripped with their blood and sweat. I believed in the fire. I wanted to carry it like they did, inside me. Keeping it burning when humanity puts the world to the torch.

I could tell you more about The Road. But I don’t photo by Katie McGuire But, McCarthy doesn’t need the notoriety think I should. I’d rather you find the fire for yourself. Hollywood delivers. He has all the accolades he could ever want; the Faulkner Prize, Next Month: A dozen amazing books for you & your the National Book Award, the Pulitkids to read this summer. Seriously, if you haven’t read zer Prize, numerous fellowships, and children’s literature lately, this article is for you. love from authors and critics alike. He doesn’t really need me to tell you he is great. If Harold Bloom thinks Blood Meridian is one of the most important novels of the 20th Century, what can I add? David Hutchison is the proprietor of the Book Tavern, located at 1026 Broad I add a common reader’s view. What I look for most in a book is accessibilStreet. David is best known for his unique ability to match the perfect book to a ity. While his early works have Faulkneresque and Joycean qualities, the meter customer’s personality and being a veritable walking encyclopedia of literary works. of the words compensates for their density. Read them out loud in the slowness characteristic of Southern speech. McCarthy’s minimal approach to punctua-

32 / may / verge

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verge / may / 33

past times / stovall-barnes house The Stovall-Barnes House stood for many years at 1211 Greene Street in a sad state of decline. Augusta residents and tourists to our city drove past this home daily as they entered downtown via the Calhoun Expressway. Thanks to the efforts of a group of local investors who want to see the building’s architecture and history preserved, it is currently being rehabilitated. Together with the rehabilitation of an adjacent property by another preservation-minded owner and new wayfinding signage provided through a partnership between the City of Augusta, the Augusta Downtown Development Authority, the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau and others, the gateway to downtown at the base of the Calhoun Expressway is becoming much more inviting.

1860 A two and a half story brick home with a side-gable roof and two story front porch together with a two story kitchen building was built for Augusta cotton broker Bolling Anthony Stovall and his wife Martha Smithey Wilson Stovall at 1211 Greene Street. They lived in the home with their children, one of which was Pleasant Alexander Stovall, childhood friend and school mate of Woodrow Wilson and member with Wilson in the Lightfoot Baseball Club. Pleasant A. Stovall later became a newspaper editor in Augusta, established Savannah’s first evening daily paper and was appointed Ambassador to Switzerland by Wilson during World War I.

1872 An early two story addition with bay window on the bottom floor was added to the west side of the house.

1873 Bolling and Martha Stovall moved to Athens, Georgia and sold the home to George Thomas Barnes who lived there with his wife Katherine Wilson Barnes and their three children. After the death of his first wife Barnes later married her sister Octavia who resided with him in the house until his death in 1901. Barnes was a lawyer, Confederate officer and member of the Democratic National Committee from 1876 until he was elected to Congress in 1884. He served two terms but was then defeated by Thomas E. Watson in 1890.

20th Century The house was sold to Louis Erhlich who used it as his residence and for a time also rented the first floor as doctors offices. Throughout the 20th Century a series of owners took in boarders or used it as rental property. By the 1950’s the Stovall-Barnes House was known as the Greene Street Hotel. It continued to be used as apartments until recent years.

Today Concerned about the maintenance and long-term preservation of the Stovall-Barnes House, Historic Augusta, Inc. listed the property on its 2007 Endangered Properties List. A group of local investors, operating under the name Stovall-Barnes LLC, became interested in the historic home and purchased it subsequent to the release of the list. A certified rehabilitation according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards is being conducted by The Rex Group on behalf of the new owners. The project is scheduled to be completed later this year and will result in six upscale residential apartments. by Julia Jackson / Historic Augusta • rendering courtesy of Historic Augusta, Inc./Tom Robertson • current photos by Ben Riche

Julia Jackson is the Programs and Marketing Director for Historic Augusta, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve historically or architecturally significant structures and sites in Augusta and Richmond County, Georgia.

34 / may / verge

marketing for the people three major internet myths This month I’m addressing a few issues that you, as a business owner, may be pushing around as an excuse not to be on the web. Read it and act on it. MYTH NUMBER 1: one day the internet will be huge and, by then, I’ll get something up For starters, the internet wave has already happened. One of the factors in the Google search engine algorithms is time, which means the quicker you get on the internet, the better it will be for your business. Please note this is not the only factor, but it is an important one. For example, I was building a website for a local company, and the project was paused for about 5 months. During that time, he had a domain name, and I had sample page of his site up (that did include his phone number and some nice imagery) live on the internet. This sample was only a jpg, I put in a few searchable tags and we let it just sit there. This company had no major online area competitors, and Google indexed his one page and listed it #1 for his service and the area. He was receiving on the average of 50 page views per month. The moral of this myth is that ANYTHING is better than nothing, and the wave of the future is already here.

MYTH NUMBER 2: my business is targeted for locals, I’m in the phonebook, that should be enough This statement seems logical, but you also need to consider how many people today don’t even use phonebooks. Some still do, but most phonebook companies are offering the opportunity of an online listing as well. I’m not doubting the value of phonebook advertising. I’ve been in it ever since I started my own company. It’s just that the tunnel vision of “only a local business” doesn’t see very far. Businesses from dry-cleaners to plumbers to banks have gone virtual. A great web presence can open your doors wider than almost any other form of advertising media. You can assist, provide answers to common questions, tell information about your store, give directions, sell product and increase your business. You can keep the small business feel and still have website.

MYTH NUMBER 3: I’ve been burned by a web designer/ web company, its honestly not worth the trouble It’s true, many of the world’s creative digital art masterminds are quite scattered. I am one. I am scattered. I can understand the feeling; it’s like a bad breakup, you’d rather just not deal with it. Here’s all I ask, even if you don’t want to invest the time and effort into another site, you still should do something. I suggest listing your company online by yourself. You can visit http://www.google.com/local/add and add your location for free. If you feel more savvy than that, visit http://www. merchantcircle.com where you can add an entire profile, specials, images, blog and all kinds of the things for free. If you take 20 minutes and do this yourself, you can then modify it yourself, no designer needed. Shane Thompson is the founder of Westobou, a local marketing and design firm. He’s from Augusta and enjoys chatting about financially efficient and effective ways to market a small business.

verge / may / 35

hands across augusta / miracle-making ministries changing downtown one heart at a time Miracles do happen, though maybe not in the way you might expect. Robert Williams attests to miracles happening daily as he and others work to improve lives and change hearts downtown through Miracle-Making Ministries. Dr. Williams, a graduate of MidAmerica Baptist Theological Seminary, is a local pastor who also directs a staff and volunteer base from various mission-minded churches in the CSRA. By “mission-minded,” he means those churches whose doors are open to the needs of our community, as opposed to institutions that “go through the motions” while refusing to change (i.e. methods or outreach efforts) as the downtown neighborhood changes. Churches that do partner with Miracle-Making Ministries (a non-profit organization) include groups from multiple, cross-racial denominations, many of which contribute to the downtown cause even though they are located outside Richmond County. Where are their energies being directed? Right now, Dr. Williams devotes much of his time to Miracle-Making Ministries’ flagship ministry, a primary care clinic located at 1127 Druid Park Avenue. The Druid Park Community Health Center, aimed at providing health care services for under- and un-insured individuals, has been in operation for three years. The clinic serves an average of 24 people per day, five days a week, and is moving toward the goal of a totally volunteer staff. Dr. Williams laughs when asked if he ever expected to work in health care management, admitting “they don’t teach you this in seminary.” Dr. Williams has attended numerous workshops to fuel and equip his passion for ministering to downtown Augusta, citing the Lawndale Christian Health Center outside Chicago (www.lawndale.org) as one of the best models in our nation of a non-profit community health clinic. Dr. Williams also draws on demographic similarities between Augusta and other cities, such as Nashville, which had 35 such clinics in 2006. Although there are currently 6 similar clinics in Augusta, Dr. Williams says that the needs in Augusta could support 25-30 clinics like the Druid Park Community Health Center. Another priority of the Miracle-Making Ministry team that has taken Dr. Williams by surprise is their assistance in providing free pharmaceuticals to Druid Park patients. When looking at their numbers from 2007, he was amazed to realize that they had assisted a total of 380 patients with prescription and OTC drugs totaling $1.8 million! Miracle-Making Ministries is able to pro-

vide such assistance through grants from varied secular and faithbased organizations and donations of time and money from local volunteers. While the ministry’s benevolent fund used to be spent predominantly on requests from single, female heads of household, 60% of that fund now goes toward prescription drugs for senior citizens. Miracle-Making Ministries has also changed their benevolence efforts through the years, by staffing volunteers to follow-up phone requests for financial assistance. Dr. Williams feels that each phone call received by the ministry is an important opportunity for face-to-face contact. It is through that face-to-face contact with the needy of Augusta that Dr. Williams has witnessed miracles through the years. MiracleMaking Ministries’ ultimate goal is evangelism, as “every soul saved is a miracle in process.” Dr. Williams notes that, “we’re in a place to impact hundreds of people who will never go to your church.” Miracle-Making Ministries aims to impact individuals through practical ministry and local missions, leading people “out of darkness into marvelous light.”

Anything about downtown’s growth worth marveling at should include Miracle-Making Ministries’ positive impact downtown. An old church building at 818 8th street was donated to the mission years ago by Augusta Gas Light, property that now sits across from the future new courthouse. Clean-up efforts began at that property over 10 years ago, tearing down 18 abandoned houses and making room for a new structure on the corner of 8th and Walton Way. Plans for the new building include larger accommodations for a health clinic, administrative space for other outreach efforts, and hopefully some lease space that will generate an income www.miraclemakingministries.com stream for addiby phone / 706.722.8693 tional downtown in person / 456 Telfair Street ministry.

be a part of the miracle volunteer or contribute

Plan to see “wonderful” outcomes of individuals “beating the odds” (Wikipedia’s definition of “miracle”) as they are changed for the better through involvement with Miracle-Making Ministries. by Melody Carr • photography by Brooke Southerland

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augusta music history 101 Makin’ It Funky in May Now that we’ve finished experiencing one long-standing Augusta institution (the Masters), it’s time to move on to another much more funkier area tradition: celebrating the Godfather goodness that is James Brown. May 3, 1933

May 5, 1997

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, is born in Barnwell, SC, to Susie and Joseph Brown, a filling station attendant. While he was supposed to be named after his father, Brown’s name was accidentally reversed on his birth certificate resulting in the future legend becoming James Joseph Brown, Jr. Four years later, Brown would relocate to live with an aunt in Augusta following his parent’s separation.

Super Birthday Bash ‘97 is held at the Bell Auditorium and features appearances by Snoop Doggy Dog, Kenny Wayne Shepard, and Yamma Brown. Also appearing were The Blues Brothers whose movie Brown appeared in 1980. The evening concluded with a performance by the Godfather himself and would be one of his last concert performances in Augusta.

May 26, 1962 James Brown hits #5 on the R&B charts and #35 on the pop charts with the song Night Train. Originally created in parts in the 40s as That’s the Blues, Old Man and Happy-Go-Lucky Local by Duke Ellington band member Johnny Hodges and Ellington himself, Night Train would first become a #1 R&B hit for former Ellington sideman Jimmy Forrest in 1952. Brown’s 1962 version would later be sampled for hip hop and dance tracks by Public Enemy in 1991 and Kadoc in 1996.

May 3, 1994 Bobby Brown, Hammer, Simply Red, Sharon Stone, Slash and Tone Loc convene on Augusta to help the Godfather celebrate his 61st birthday at the James Brown Arena, then called the Augusta Richmond County Civic Center. Reportedly, Slash was later seen trying to hail down a limo in front of the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center on Broad Street.

May 6, 2005 The City of Augusta unveils a life-sized statue on Broad Street as a special present to celebrate Brown’s 72nd birthday. The following year, the statue would briefly disappear from Broad Street in order to place a pedestal beneath it. Since his passing, the statue has become a popular attraction as well as a memorial for fans to leave gifts and flowers.

May 4, 2007 Downtown Augusta becomes a celebration of all things James Brown during “Funky First Friday,” an outdoor street party celebrating what would have been the funk and soul legends 74th birthday. Hundreds filled up the 10th Street block for a special birthday cake ceremony that included members of Brown’s band and family. Afterwards close to 4,000 people enjoyed a free concert at the Augusta Common featuring The Soul Generals, Brown’s long-time backing band.

MAY 5, 2007 Cable news channel CNN premieres “Special Investigations Unit – James Brown, Say it Proud”, a retrospective on the life of Mr. Brown. Hosted by Don Lemon, the program includes interviews with past and present music superstars such as Little Richard, Bootsy Collins and Usher, plus James Brown insiders Rev. Al Sharpton and Bobby Byrd. John “Stoney” Cannon is the creator of Augusta music resource Lokal Loudness and has been covering area music since 1992. For more information visit www. lokalloudness.com.

Alexis All-Star Picks Kicks Off with Jemani CD The 2000 album Lockdown, by Augusta “rip-hop” band Jemani, kicks off our series of “Alexis All-Star Picks” spotlighting prominent releases by great Augusta artists regularly found in heavy rotation on one of Alexis Colohan-Cannon Haworth’s many CD players. Lockdown, Jemani’s sophomore release, would go on to become one of Augusta’s most sought after CDs prompting the band to re-release it in 2005 with additional tracks. Containing popular songs such as I Don’t Think You Know and Peaceful Man, the CD and the band’s high-energy performances would go on to garner Jemani area awards for favorite and/or best band, album and song (Peaceful Man).

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verge marketplace

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may snapshot a quick look at may for your fridge

Augusta’s Original

Smoker’s Lounge th 8Street

Tobacco

Your No. 1 Source for Everything Tobacco Import, Domestic, Traditional Nontraditional Tobaccos CSRA’s Largest Selection of Hand Blown Glass Glass Artist on Staff Huge Collection of Exotic Smoking Accessories 230 8th Street Augusta GA 30901 706.828.6790

Eff Bombs: Book Tavern Jazz Collective: Tribeca

PAYBACK: The Common Modern Skirts: Soul Bar

Candlelight Jazz: RiverWalk Wizard of Oz: Imperial

A. Aubrey Bodine: The Morris Kiss for Jersey: Sector 7G

Jennifer Daniels: Le Chat Bayou Blue: 1102

Abstract Mania: The Morris Soul Bar Prom Night

DJM Trio: RiverWalk Pat Blanchard: 1102

Pagliacci: Imperial Brian Vander Ark: 1102

Thunder Over Augusta Tango Dance: Cutno

MCG Art Auction: blue magnolia Candlelight Jazz: RiverWalk

Fence Sitters Rave: Sector 7G Blue Cotton: 1102

Christine Deriso: Book Tavern Blue Funk: Joes Underground

Caroline Herring: The Morris In The Round: 1102

Spiderman 3: The Common Mayhem String Band: Stillwater

Mellow D: 209 Music Lounge Behind the Sun: 1102

see the details in pipeline pages 25 to 27