Playgrounds Magazine / March 2005 by Will Dockery

Columbus’ premier live music and comedy room.

OPEN MIC NITE! Wednesday Mar. 2, 9, 16 & 23

*** COMEDY NITE! Every Thursday / 2 Shows / 8 & 10

MARCH COMEDY: (8 & 10 PM) 3- Tim Northern + Herbie Gill , 10- Derek Richards + Kevin Whelan, 17 (SPECIAL St. Pat’s show!)- Joel Lindsey + Eric Myers, 24- Darryl Rhoades + Jarrod Harris 3-4

3-11

3-18

3-25

With special guest,

Mark Stein 3-12

3-26 formerly JaD

3-5

With special guest,

TIME

With special guest,

Mike Willis Project

With special guest,

The Cyberkats

COMING! Apr. 2 - KENI THOMAS CD RELEASE, Apr. 26 - “Widespread Panic post-show party” w/ TISHAMINGO

Playgrounds Magazine is seeking volunteers for the following positions: Music Department Write CD reviews, performance reviews, artist interviews- oountry, hip-hop, punk, blues, christian, rap, rock, and more. Art Department Write reviews of receptions, inform the public of what’s going on in the art world, interview or spotlight local artists, contribute art, etc. Theatre Department The same as art department but for theatre. Call David or Vickie 562-0074 for more info Playgrounds Magazine

MARCH 2005

Playgrounds on the m

MARCH 2005

Volume 11

feature articles

Issue 3

PG monthly

5 from the editor 4 interview festival guide 4 Tripwire 6 places to go... 12 interview PG Picks 14 7 Sharp 9 8 go ask Alice 20 interview Rock Calendar 21 Country Spotlight 9 ask ISIS 22 Jo Dee Messina directory 22 Eden Creek 10 to the magic store 23

cover “Wine & Cheese”

Richie Havens

backstage with

American Devils

interview w/ Ryan Wexler

Glenn Danzig

contributors David Carson - Publisher Vickie Carson - Editor

interview

Eugene has a Dream fiction Chapter 1 18 Feardevil 19

Curtis Lynch Patrick McGough Dylan Nabors Courtney Owen Missy Pick Robyn Weissheier

Justin Austin Alice Barkwell Carson Burgess Will Dockery Kathy Honea

fiction Chapter 6

Playgrounds Magazine is an independently published entertainment tabloid. Views expressed in Playgrounds Magazine do not necessarily represent those of anyone other than the person who expressed them. Playgrounds Enterprises, Columbus, Georgia, established 1994.

Playgrounds Magazine P.O. Box 8154, Columbus, GA 31907

706-562-0074 playgroundsmag@ knology.net

www.playgrounds mag.com

glass mosaic art by

Beverly Roberts

Featured Artist for March at

Joseph House Gallery The exhibit, “Pictures in Glass” displays Beverly’s stylistic creations of glass mosaic art. The creations range from 6” by 18” to 3½-feet around. They are wall hangings, table tops and stools. Many of them contain thousands of pieces of multicolored glass. All of this glass -- large, small and minuscule - is designed, hand cut, glued in place, and then grouted. A native of Boston, Beverly moved in 1970 to Miami, where she began working with glass. For many years, her focus was on creating stained glass Tiffanystyle lamps and windows. Her first commission was in 1972. More recently, she has adapted her work to creating glass mosaic pieces. Beverly’s mosaics are in private collections in the northeast, Florida and Georgia. She has several pieces on display at the Joseph House Art Gallery, 828 Broadway, and Houlihan’s, both in the Historic District downtown. This piece of artwork will be featured in her show and there will be a drawing for it at the end of her exhibit on March 31st. Anyone can register at the Joseph House Art Gallery starting March 6, the day the exhibit opens.

Wine & Cheese Reception Sunday, March 6 2-5 pm

Flashback- St. Paddy’s Day Block Party Playgrounds Magazine

MARCH 2005

Britt David Studio’s Annual Empty Bowl Brunch Sunday, March 13th 11am-3pm to beneﬁt the Second Harvest Food Bank All proceeds from this event will go to feed needy children through Second Harvest Bank’s Kid’s Café program. In the past three years, this one day event has raised enough proceeds to cover the operation of the Second Harvest Food Bank’s “Kid’s Cafe” program for the entire ﬁscal year! The Kid’s Cafe program gives very needy children in our com-

munity a nutritious meal every day. Individuals will have their pick of hundreds of handmade bowls to ﬁll with soup or chili. We will also have plenty of desserts and breads donated by the membership and Publix. Cost for this event is $10 for adults and $6 for children. There is an unlimited amount of food to choose from.

Witchi Tai To (The Spirit of Spring) has sprung and it is time for FEST-I-VAL. Playgrounds has picked 12 music scenes to help you get out of the doldrums of winter’s HIB-ER-NA-TION.

Cooper Creek PetCare Hospital 4343 Milgen Rd Columbus, GA 31907 (706) 569-8999

Patrice Holt-Dunn, DVM visit our web site at www.coopercreek petcare.com

Playgrounds Magazine

1. Mar. 12 -13 Langerado Music Festival. langerado.com. Up and coming jam fest with 25 bands. Plus hanging out at the Everglades. Sunrise, Fl. 2. Mar. 18th - Apr 3rd. Savannah Music Fest. savannahmusicfestival.com. Week long celebration of world music. Savannah, Ga. 3. Mar. 18th - 20th. Tampa Bay Blues Festival. tampabaybluesfest.com. Kickin the blues down at the beach. St. Petersburg, Fl. 4. Mar. 24th - 27th. Magnolia Festival. Magfest.com. One the all time great festivals. Live Oak, Fl. 5. Mar. 31 st - Apr. 2nd. Friends and Heroes at Hoofers. hoofers.com. Bluegrass. Local and regional favorites. LaGrange, Ga. 6. Apr. 1st. - 2nd. Rock-n-Wheels Festival. eventsbyhogan. com. Southern Rock, Biker fest. Live Oak, Fl. 7. Apr. 2nd - 4th. Springing The Blues Festival. springingtheblues.com. Free blues. Jacksonville, Fla. 8. Apr. 3rd. Charleston Lowcountry Cajun Festival. Ccprc. com/Cajunfest. It’s only one day but, if you’re up that way, what more could you ask for? Charleston, SC. 9. APR. 7th - 9th. Lonesome River Band Music Fest. lrbmusicfest.com. Bluegrass. Live Oak, Fl. 10. Apr 8th - 10th. Atlanta Dogwood Festival. dogwood.org. multi-genre. Multi-fun. Atlanta, Ga. 11. Apr 8th - 10th. Stringbreak Music Festival. Lindentertainment. com. 60 performances. Larry Keel to Snake Oil Medicine show. Brookville, Fl. 12 . APR 9th - lOth. Pensacola Jazz Festival. jazzpensacola.com. Hard to find jazz notes. Pensacola, Fla. COLUMBUS CIVIC CENTER AWARDED PRIME SITE AWARD! Facilities Magazine named the Columbus Civic Center as one of the top entertainment venues for 2004 earning a 2004 Prime Site Award. The Civic Center will be featured in a full-page layout in the Spring/Summer issue of the magazine. This honor acknowledges the best venues in the United States and Canada. The Prime Site Awards are based on the opinions of industry members directly involved with site selection (promoters, booking agents and event promoters.) Voting criteria includes location convenience, facility attractiveness, technological capabilities, and ease of setup/breakdown, maintenance, and the quality of staff. J. Dale Hester, General Manager of the Civic Center said, ‘What an honor! This award means that our facility has been acknowledged at the national level. It’s great recognition for the dedicated employees of the Civic Center, as well as the City of Columbus.” The facility had a busy 2004 with several sold out events and great entertainment such as Harry Connick, Jr., Alabama, Disney on Ice, Nashville Star, Lonestar, Gerald Levert, KC & JoJo, Keith Sweat, Ron White, Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich. 2005 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year. Upcoming events include Rascal Flatts, Sisters in the Spirit, BET Comedy Tour, Champions on Ice, Widespread Panic, BB King, and Sesame Street Live.

March 31st and April 1st at 7:30pm Columbus Ballet resumes its annual spring offering this year with new Artistic Director David Herriott at the helm. In addition to the beautiful lakeside scene from Swan Lake, there will be new classical and dramatic works on the same program. The performance will be a feast for the eyes and ears from the classical beauty of Swan Lake to the energetic new works by Beth Griffin and Joanna Ahlman to the dramatic and sometimes lighthearted work by Mr. Herriott about Charlie Chaplin’s life. The second act of Swan Lake is closely identified with the story of the entire ballet. In this act the worldly Prince Siegfried first sets eyes upon a beautiful Swan Queen by the side of a lake. Prince Siegfried is enchanted by this woman-bird and their ensuing pas de deux reveals their almost instantaneous love for one another. This classical standard has become famous as a touchstone in the careers of many ballerinas, including Margot Fontaine, as they not only portray the fragile Swan Queen, Odette but also her nemesis, the sinister swan, Odile, in Act Three. Columbus Ballet’s Joanna Ahlman will dance the role of Odette partnered by Peter Swan as Prince Siegfried. Mr. Swan dances professionally with the Atlanta Festival Ballet Company. He will also partner Anna Rodriguez for the dynamic Black Swan pas de deux as she dances the role of Odile an excerpt from Swan Lake’s third act. Columbus Ballet’s company of 20 talented dancers will assume the swan corps of dancers doomed to live by the evil Von Rothbart’s spell. They must live their lives as swans by day and can only be young maidens from midnight to dawn. Ms Ahlman’s new work entitled Fight to Surrender is a strongly modern dance-influenced ballet on pointe. It consists of six segments that deal with the confusion surrounding us and our struggle to find serenity in life. Ms. Ahlman has chosen several contemporary composers to compliment her very original choreography. Rachel Singletary and Anna Rodriguez lead the company in this piece. Danse Macabre by composer Camille Saint-Saens was inspired by the Henri Cazalis poem of the same name. In the poem Death sits near a graveyard teasingly playing an out of tune violin while beckoning a grim assembly of skeletons to arise and dance at the stroke of midnight. Death is portrayed by Beth Maroney and partnered by Josh Rebuck as her sentinel. Associate Director Beth Griffin’s choreography invites onlookers to spend a night with the living (and dancing) dead. The program ends with an intriguing look at the life of actor Charlie Chaplin set to music composed by Chaplin himself and choreographed by Artistic Director, David Herriott. Entitled simply Chaplin this ballet traces the life of the silent film star with scenes that reflect his childhood in England, his love of his life that he leaves behind in London, his movie madness, his romantic relationships, and his sadness but also his artistry. Chaplin will be portrayed by Wil Ennis, a gifted actor, singer and dancer familiar to Columbus audiences. Jane Sutcliffe will be the love of his life and dance with him to the familiar music Smile. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $8 for students, seniors and military and are available at the Springer Opera House Box Office located at 103 10th Street, by calling 327-3688 or through tickets.com. For further details call 641-5030.

MARCH 2005

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Back to Woodstock with

Richie Havens interview and photo by

Alice Barkwell I couldn’t believe it when I heard Richie Havens was available for interviews! I have always loved his smoky voice and deft guitar playing, and longed to ask him all about that day he played for 2 hours and 45 minutes at Woodstock! What a fascinating life he has lead! You won’t want to miss a minute of it! PG: You grew up in Brooklyn, one of 9 children! What was having such a big family like? Richie: I was the oldest of 9! Where I grew up most families had at least 5 children, most more than that. It was the period just after World War II, and I think everyone, and all the returning soldiers, came through Brooklyn before they spread out to populate the United States. It was the melting pot. It was something I later came to know only happened in the northeastern United States, but we thought everyone was living like that! PG: Did you end up taking care of all the younger ones? Richie: Oh, absolutely! My mother worked nights and my father worked days, and I helped out a lot. We were all taken care of by my Grandmother, who lived in the same house. Most of my friends also had grandparents living with them too--it was a very different time. PG: Are your sisters and brothers musical too? Richie: I have a sister who sings. She is a karaoke freak! It seems that is really fun for a lot of people. I have a brother who is a drummer and one who is a piano player. They have a little band. together. PG: Did you really sing in Do Wop groups on the street corners? Richie: Oh yes, that was the nature of the ﬁrst-borns in our neighborhood. By the time they were 12 or 13 they were singing do wop songs from the radio or writing their own! I started when I was about 13 and stopped at 19. PG: Didn’t you also sing in church? Richie: My friend who was the lead singer in my do wop group’s mother ran a church and ran the choir. It was an entire singing family really. We made a deal with her that he could sing rock and roll with us if we would sing in their church. When I was much younger I sang in church because my grandmother made sure I was a part of the choir, and all my brothers and sisters too. She enlisted us! I lost my grandmother when I was 12 or 13. That church music, those songs, just pop out all through my life at the most unexpected times. PG: You moved to Greenwich Village when all the famous beatniks and poets were there. What was Greenwich Village

Playgrounds Magazine

nedy was shot. I got to see Nina Simone at the Howard Theater three times a day! PG: Tell me about your unusual guitar playing style. Richie: It’s the open D chord. There are a couple of guitar tunings where you don’t really change the guitar but you change a couple strings. Its an actual chord in the key of D. The rhythm is just natural. I just have to play that way! To hold up my voice–I, to feel like I am singing with enough music! It all came very naturally. I learned a lot of songs sitting in the audience watching other people play. I decide to get a guitar and learn to play these songs. I learned 4 or 5 songs in just a few days.. Follow The Drinking Gourd, a great song! Also The Water is Wide, Lily of the West, Freddy Neal’s The Bag Im In and Dino Valenti wrote What About Me? and Come On People Now. Very wonderful songs! PG: And you wrote Handsome Johnny with Louis Gossett Jr. –I didn’t realize he could sing or write songs! Richie: Oh yes, he has a great voice and plays guitar as well! Actually he came to me one day and said, “Richie, I have written a real folk song!” he sang it for me and it stopped by Dunkirk- -and I asked what about the rest of the wars? He asked me to finish it so I added all the other wars he has left out. Korea, Viet Nam and the rest. It was on my first album! PG: Speaking of your albums, why was that one called “Richard P Havens 1983?” Richie: My middle name is Pearce, and 1983 is the year before 1984--remember the book? I was saying I thought we were already there --that Big Brother was already here! PG: You played a lot of the earliest rock festivals-- Newport and Monterey. Richie: I couldn’t figure out why they had me on any of those shows! I didn’t sing any jazz and I was at Monterey Jazz Festival. After my first album came out, they sent me across the country playing coffee houses for seven years in a row. I would play a place called Johnny’s Jazz and I didn’t play jazz--and the next week Joey’s Blues Club and I don’t play blues, but people would love it! It was really a time of integration of musical styles!

like? Richie: Oh, it was magic! First of all you have a place in Manhattan, right in New York City, made up of small buildings, not skyscrapers, a place where people really lived. With 4 or 5 story apartment houses, it was really like a village. Some of my friends in do wop started calling me to come over and see the beatniks. I had no idea what a beatnik was! My friends and I wrote poetry so we were weirdos in our neighborhood. In Greenwich Village everybody did that–so we really went to ﬁnd out who we really were! There were artists and poets and singer-songwriters and folk singers and dancers. All of them were being labeled beatniks. So we found ourselves in a community of deep thinkers. Jack Kerouac was there. We got to read our poetry with those people! It was truly incredible! It saved my life, being there at that time! PG: Who did you see singing there? Richie: There were some real traditional people like Josh White, Sr., Pete Seegar, Bob Gibson, Hamilton Camp. Bob Dylan was there for a while. PG: Were you friends? Richie: Oh yes, we all came up together. We were all friends. Noel Stookey, before he became Paul of Peter Paul and Mary, Stephen Stills, Tim Hardin. We were the young people who were inspired by the great performers who were already there. Dino Valenti, who later was with Quicksilver Messenger Service. Believe it or not I even found myself on stage with Joan Rivers, who was one of the up and coming comediennes back then! PG: Did you get to see Nina Simone ? Richie: Wow I love her! We didn’t have the money in those days to go to someone else’s show. We were passing the plate around at our own. But I did end up playing with her in 1963. There was a show called The Ford Motorama Hootenanny. It had several bands- Mongo Santamaria, Herbie Mann and Willie Bobo and Nina’s band. I got to play for the emcee and sing a few songs in between the bands. I just did it because Nina was on there. It was at the Howard Theater in Washington DC and 10 days on the road going to colleges. The real memory from that show was that before the last three days President Ken-

PG: How in the world did you end up playing the first Woodstock and playing for almost 3 hours! Richie: Two hours and 45 minutes to be exact! Everyone was supposed to play 25-30 minutes! When we got there they found a farmer with a glass-bottomed helicopter to fly us over to the stage. We had the fewest band members and the fewest instruments (just me and two guys) so they wanted to take us first. We were supposed to be number five on the bill so I figured someone was already playing, but no one else was there yet. The show was already five hours late starting so I figured the crowd would kill me if I went on. They didn’t, they were just glad to finally have something happen! The rest is history! I did my 20 minutes and left the stage. They said nobody else was there yet so to sing more. They did that to me seven times! I finally ran out of songs–if you’ve seen the movie. You see me come back still playing the end of the last song--and then I sit down to tune my guitar. That big intro you hear on the record of “Freedom” is really me trying to figure out what else I am going to sing! The first thing that popped into my head was that the freedom my generation was looking for was right there at Woodstock! I thought the freedom all of us from the 50’s were looking for -the freedom to be together without any labels thrown on us- as human beings and Americans! The song Motherless Child showed up and I hadn’t seen that song in 13 years --since my church music days. That song and the word freedom just popped up and I let it. It created itself right on that stage! I didn’t get to see what happened until the movie came out! This is the end of Part I of this fascinating interview. In Part II--Richie talks about what it looked like at Woodstock and how hard it was to leave, working with Richard Pryor, being on Johnny Carson, and Ed Sullivan, how he started a museum to teach city kids about whales, and why he likes Bob Dylan songs so much. You’ll love every minute of it!

Burt’s Place 2932 Warm Springs Rd

653-0677 Good Food at Good Prices & Plenty of it! Tuesday-Saturday Restaurant 7-4 (breakfast & lunch) Butcher Shoppe 9-7

MARCH 2005

a conversation with

Tripwire by Vickie Carson All of you have been out of the music business for a while... why did you decide to get back in it? Jackie: I just couldn’t stand not being in it. I had that itch. I went cold turkey for a long time and I didn’t like it. Before, it was to get rich and famous but now it’s just to have something fun to do. Randy: I was in kind of semi-retirement. I was on call. If somebody needed a fill-in I was there. But this past spring a good friend called and kind of got me going again and wanting to play. Most of us have been doing it too long not to keep doing it. Mark: I just weanted to find a band with no drama and I think I’ve found it so I just want to have fun. How did this group get together? Mark: Me and Randy were kind of trying to do something and at the same time he (Randy) was kind of doing something with Jackie... Randy: I was two-timing Mark: He just kind of snatched Jackie from somebody else and then we put this together and got Ted. Randy: I just couldn’t live the lie anymore. I know you guys (Randy & Mark) have worked together. Have you ever worked with Jackie before? Randy: We’ve tried several times to do original things. I’m a big admirer of Jackie’s writing. Through the years we’ve gotten together and bounced ideas off of each other. How is this band different from the other projects you’ve been involved with? enter Ted Jackie: For one thing, we thought we had a bass player that would be on time. laughing We’ll just back up for Ted... How did you get involved wih these guys? Ted: Well, I know Jackie and Randy from the old days and I know Mark from high Name: Mark Daffin Born & raised: Columbus Musical contributions to Tripwire: Lead guitar Non-musical contributions: Practice space Other bands you were in: Solar Grinn How long playing/singing? 10 years Early influences: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Metallica In your CD player now: Mix, mostly country When someone offers to buy you a drink? Miller Lite Favorite song to play: Alive (Pearl Jam)

Tripwire is (l to r) Mark Dafﬁn, Randy May, Jackie Wilson, Ted Burzynski with? Was Baby X your last big project? Jackie: Baby X was a fun thing around here but some of the band members were having trouble on the road. It just got too crazy and kind of fell apart. I kept looking for other stuff. I went to Atlanta and got in a band for a while. Then I got into this band called Slammer that turned into Shotgun Alley, out of Birmingham and we toured the Southeast. We were out for months at a time. Being married, it was just a real strain and I ﬁnally had to say, “This isn’t going anywhere.” That’s when I kind of burned out and gave it all up for years and years. When can we expect original material? Mark: It’s going to be a little while. We’re not going to do anything until it’s ready to be done. Randy: We don’t really want to go back in our personal archives. It’s more of what we are writing right now. Mark: Until we get writer’s block. Randy: The beauty of this band is that every one of us has been down the road of playing originals, playing covers, playing gigs, playing for family, playing for friends, playing for strangers, playing for nobody and we’re all bringing those experiences in to the point that there’s no pressure. We haven’t set any goals that are out

school. We’ve known each other forever but we’ve never played in a band. The last band we saw you in was Takoda. What made you decide to get back in the music business? Ted: The last couple of years I started working on originals, recording them at my house, but I just kind of put it on the shelf. I never had any intentions of playing seriously again. But the honest answer is the lineup. When Mark said, “Jackie Wilson’s singing and playing guitar, Randy May on drums, me on guitar and singing...” I said, “Okay.” If it had been any other group of guys I would have turned them down. I assume y’all are taking this as a serious project. Do you do any originals? Ted: We’ve got some in the works. Jackie: We’re real young. The band is only 3 or 4 months old. Our intention was, we’ve all got this itch, let’s get out and play and the way to do that was just, “Hey, let’s learn some cover tunes,” with the intention of having a lot of fun with that. But I think we’re all serious enough that we want to do some original material too. If you notice, even when we got out of bands that’s kind of where we all migrated to is, “well, I’ll just sit at home and write some originals.” Why did y’all all get out of it to begin

Name: Randy May Born & raised: Here Musical contributions to Tripwire: Drums, bkg vox Non-musical contributions: Creative thoughts Other bands you were in: Sixty Nine (89-91), 1st Attraction (9193), Seed–Stone Soup–Solar Grinn (96-01), Haywire (00-01) How long playing/singing? Two decades Early inﬂuences: KISS, Willie Nelson, Steely Dan, Prince In your CD player now: Elvis When someone offers to buy you a drink? Their phone number Favorite song to play: All of ‘em

Name: Jackie Wilson Born & raised: Stuttgart, Arkansas. Military brat- lived everywhere, ended up in Columbus Musical contributions to Tripwire: Singer, guitar player Non-musical contributions: Veto power Other bands you were in: Baby X (8789), Slammer/Shotgun Alley (90-91), 10 Cent Cigar (00-05) How long playing/singing? Since 16 years old... ‘nuff said Early inﬂuences: KISS, AC/DC, Van Halen In your CD player now: Audioslave When someone offers to buy you a drink? Red Bull... yes... red bull... Favorite song to play: Any Scott Weiland stuff! Bush – Machine Head

of reach. We’re just taking our time. When a good idea comes in to somebody’s head they verbalize it and then let everybody else see if they want to do something with it. That’s with everything. That’s the beauty of this. There’s not a “leader”. We throw all the responsibility on Jackie... if you’ve got complaints call him, but other than that we’re all equally level in contribution. Mark: We’re not chasing a record deal like we have in the past. Ted: We’re not trying to be rock stars. There’s a lot of bands out there whose whole purpose is to get a record deal. I think you can put too much energy in that direction. I think we’re all in this for the same thing. It’s just fun. There’s no reason Solar Grinn shouldn’t have made it. The CD you did was killer from start to ﬁnish. Mark: We made poor decisions. When we started out we had thirteen originals and that’s all we played. We did that for a year or two and then we decided we needed to make a little money so we started learning covers. If we had made better decisions there’s no telling where we could have gone. Bands who do original music are appreciative of a place to play. They just want to get their music out there. Mark: That’s how we were when we started. We used to play any chance we could get... any time we could open for somebody. We spent a lot of time at the Loft. Every open mic night, we were there. Then once we learned the covers we had such a good following that clubs were happy to pay us whatever we wanted. What are the immediate goals for Tripwire? Randy: New fans. Just to turn people on with the fun that we have and the energy we put into it. What observations do you have about the music scene over the years? Mark: The number one thing is there’s too many dance clubs in this town. That’s just the way music is right now. When Rockmyer’s was open, there were four or ﬁve places you could play. That’s when it was booming pretty good. Now everybody’s turning into dance clubs because

Name: Ted Burzynski Born & raised: Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, grew up in Columbus Musical contributions to Tripwire: Bass player. Energy–a creative original style Non-musical contributions: Promotions – marketing Other bands you were in: D.D.T., Takoda How long playing/singing? 23 years Early inﬂuences: Jimi Hendrix, Stanley Clarke, Ace Frehley, David Gilmore In your CD player now: Audioslave When someone offers to buy you a drink? Crown & Coke or Cuervo Favorite song to play: Everlong

MARCH 2005

that’s all you hear. That’s because that’s where people are going. They’ll pay $20 to see ﬂashing lights. Mark: If you listen to all the new music that’s coming out, it’s boy bands or it’s just pop stuff. It’s stuff you could listen to in a dance club. Jackie: I can’t ﬁgure out if it’s the chicken or the egg thing. There’s not really a radio station that stands out that says we’re going to play new stuff, we’re going to get into the local scene. You don’t have that. The culture kind of shows that. Or is it the other way around? Is it because the culture is that way... “we don’t want to hear new music, we’re comfortable with the old stuff, we just want radio stations to play the same old thing over and over again.” Mark: In this town everybody will do one thing for a while and then they’ll change. Like, they’ll be going to dance clubs for six months and then everything will shift and they’ll start going to see bands. There needs to be more clubs for live music. For that to happen, the live music clubs have to be making the money. If you’re packing the place out, everybody’s going to want you in their place. Jackie: It takes people like you guys that have a club and have a vision that’s bigger than the scene is right now. You see the potential. I see Donnie Lanier that way... Frank Saunders, you know, he wants something more for the whole community. It’s not a personal thing, they see beyond that. It takes people like that and more of them to really get that spark going. It may

just be getting people excited again about going out and seeing bands. I know back when we were playing, everybody I knew would come out. Ted: Two or three years ago heavy music was the thing... Sevendust, Godsmack... Now the thing is Ludacris. Jackie: I think that’s another thing as far as bands, I don’t see it from other bands around here and I know we don’t do it like we should, as far as taking it to the streets, taking it to the people and creating a buzz. Randy: The clubs right now are relying on the bands they hire here to bring the business in and the bands from here are relying on the clubs to supply it. Jackie: Have Stephen at SoHo create a drink called The Tripwire “to blow people’s mind”. Is that y’all’s slogan? Why do you call yourselves Tripwire? Ted: It’s just a name I threw out. Every band I’ve ever played in, that’s the hardest thing to do, to ﬁnd a name. That may not be the perfect name for us but we just said, “Hey, we’ll go ahead and call ourselves that.” Jackie: I like the challenge of it because it’s not anything that reaches out and grabs you but once you see the logo Ted has done and the little mascot he has created and the little cheesy slogans you can throw in here and there, it’s really fun to see how creative you can be with something so basic. What would you say to somebody who hasn’t been to a show? Randy: We love when people get out and

feel comfortable enough to think they can dance. Jackie: When they dance and they sing along, and the people playing pool are nodding their heads, that’s what we want. The way we approach it is, we aren’t just playing these tunes because we want to play them and everybody’s got to listen to them. We’re trying to play stuff that we think people will like. Our goal in a club is to get people to have a good time. It is not “this is what we’re going to play, you’re going to like it or else.” How do you choose which songs you’re going to play? Ted: I listen to a lot of internet radio and radio stations around California, New York, Chicago. The music they’re playing is a lot more diverse than what we’re getting here. Mark: We do a lot of nineties music. A lot of people like to hear it Randy: If you get a reaction from people and you know they’re liking it you’re going to feel better about what you’re doing. Is there anything else? Randy: I feel like we have a real good variety of songs. We have a lot of songs that people can dance to. It’s a good variety and it’s very danceable music. Jackie: It’s not just danceable. If you want to bang your head you can bang your head, if you want to sit back and drink and enjoy it, you can sit back and drink. Ted: When you come out, if you want to party and drink, we’ll do it with you. Tripwire plays at Boneheads March 11 &12

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival Set To Bloom April 8th – 10th in Piedmont Park! The 69th annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is off to a blooming start! As an exciting new twist for 2005, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival has partnered with the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., or The Recording Academy®. This organization is the local arm to the National GRAMMY Awards you see each year on TV. The Recording Academy is supporting this year’s festival by kicking off the festival’s Turner South’s “My South Rocks” main stage on Friday night with a “GRAMMY® Block Party.” The evening’s entertainment will feature Shawn Mullins (Columbia Records), Sugarland (Mercury/Universal Records), Gaelle (Naked/Virgin Records) and The Warm Gunns (Permanent Records). Two outdoor stages will feature more than 50 national, regional and local artists whose genres include: Blues, Jazz, Rock, Americana, acoustic and cultural music. Headliners for 2005 include master fiddler Vassar Clements with Peter Grant and Joe Craven, Ike Stubblefield with special guest Motown artist Martha Reeves and BlueGround UnderGrass. Cultural performance highlights include: drummer Count M’Butu, the Drake School of Irish Dance, the Brazilian Salsa of SASHA, Ballet Mexicano de Lupita Sosa and many more. The Atlanta Dogwood Festival, a professionally juried arts festival, also features more than 200 of the country’s top painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metal craftsmen, glass blowers and more. Recognized and ranked by the 2004 edition of the Sunshine Artist Magazine as 22nd in the “200 Best” shows in the nation. The festival will also welcome back one of the largest Southern Disc Dog Championship events in the nation featuring agile canines in a five-level competition for trophies, cash and other prizes. Also back by popular demand are the Publix & Purina Kid’s Village, a rock-climbing wall for all ages, sponsor booths, Visual Vibes tent for student artists and the Community Corner featuring several Atlanta area charity organizations and Dogwood seedlings available for $2. www.dogwood.org

Playgrounds Magazine

Noted Forensics Author To Teach Online Course For Aspiring Crime/Mystery Writers CSU’s continuing education division will launch “Demystifying Forensic Science: A Writer’s Guide,” an online writing course revealing how forensic scientists unravel the complexities of criminal cases. This course, with a $79 fee, will be taught by Phillip Jones, a former science and medicine instructor who has published more than 100 articles that blend science, law and history. Jones, who holds both a doctorate and a law degree, has written fiction and nonfiction works about the scientific side of criminal investigations. His six-week course surveys the scientific procedures that investigators use to uncover clues — from a pathologist’s traditional autopsy methods to a cyber-sleuth’s tricks for coaxing incriminating data from a computer. Students will explore methods for processing a crime scene, how to glean information from bloodstain patterns, controversies in DNA profiling, analysis of arson evidence and explosive residues, headline-grabbing cases cracked by forensic accountants, fingerprints, ear prints, brain fingerprinting and forensic scrutiny of firearm evidence. “We’ll also discuss some misconceptions about forensic science that you often find in films and novels — the type of errors that all good writers will want to avoid,” said Jones. Throughout the course, students will meet the major players of a criminal investigation: the first responder, the lead investigator, and the crime scene experts — just the sort of people who make great characters. “We’ll also explore the history of forensic science and forensic pioneers who have provided models for detectives in fiction,” Jones said. To register for the course or for more information, contact CSU Continuing Education at 568-2023 or visit the Web site at www.ed2go.com/colstate.

MARCH 2005

Catching up with

7 Sharp 9 Story by Kathy L. Honea After pursuing the popular 7 Sharp 9 for the past few months, I ﬁnally was able to catch them before their performance at Boneheads,recently. Since their last interview over a year ago with Playgrounds, stardom is close on their heels as they continue to woo fans from the Southeast to the Midwest. On weekdays, CJ, Chris, and Nick spend time in the studio recording their second CD while aggressively touring the states on weekends. The tentative release date for their new album, yet to be titled, is early summer 2005. This Atlanta based group performed recently at the Atlanta Peach Drop (one of the most popular New Years Eve bashes in the country) and the 2004 Atlantis Music Conference. 7 Sharp 9’s album, “Gathering,” placed 4th for “Best Hard Rock Album” and their song, “Prove You Wrong,” placed 3rd for “Best Hard Rock Song” at the Just Plain Folks Music Organization 2004 Music Awards, held in Santa Ana, CA, on Sunday, November 7, 2004. Performing with acts such as Sister Hazel and Edwin McCain, these guys take their audiences on an energetic ride that keeps them jumping and screaming all night long. They cover a variety of

Playgrounds Magazine

McCain in Atlanta, how did that go? Chris: It was a great gig. There were a lot of people there. Nick: There were probably about 1500 people there when we played. CJ: It was our second year doing it and it has established a relationship with the people that run it. We will hopefully keep doing it. It was a good opportunity to be in front of a large crowd and play our original stuff. Chris: The Peach Drop is one of the largest New Years’ celebrations in the country, so having your name associated with it is great! What were you hoping to get out of that particular gig? CJ: More opportunities to play. We did a good job and hopefully they will ask us to do it again next year. We actually got more shows out of the Underground Atlanta gig. We are doing regular shows there throughout the year. Nick: Plus we met a lot of new people. The more people you meet, the further you can get down the road. Chris: It is interesting how things work. You need to build a name in order for people to take you seriously, but you can’t build a name unless people take you seriously. Somehow you have to kind of do both in little increments, back and forth and these are the kinds of shows that give a band credibility. It is a big deal and is promoted on a huge level so your name is all over the place and you are sharing the stage with some well-known bands. Your ﬁrst album, Gathering, had two other band members, Brian and Jimmy. What are those two up to now? Chris: Jimmy put his own band together and Brian has started his own thing. They just wanted to do other things and both are doing well. You did have a four man band, but now have only three. Are you looking for another member or are you content with the way things are now? Chris: Brian only did shows where we played all originals, which were pretty rare, so he missed out on 90% of the shows. He really had no interest in doing cover tunes; he just wanted to do the originals part. When we do all originals, we usually bring in a second guy on guitar and backing vocals to help recreate the sound off the CD. But on a night where we do mostly cover tunes, it’s different. It

music including their own original pop tunes that are sure to invade radio stations across the country. Be sure to catch these guys while in town; they are headed to the top! What is in the works right now for 7 Sharp 9? CJ: We’re constantly playing and working on our second CD. We spend a lot of time in the studio in the early part of the week and towards the end of the week (usually Wednesday through Saturday), we are touring. Chris: We are playing full-time all year round, and are in a constant state of busy. Some of our playing through the summer will be geared toward promoting a CD. You opened for Sister Hazel and Edwin

is much easier. CJ: It is easier. It’s less people to pay, so it’s more affordable. When we play a three piece there is nothing missing. We can rely on the three of us and it sounds great. There is also more room on the stage and that’s always nice. Nick: Having just three of us, we grow together as a rhythm section a lot tighter than having another person in there. Nick, what attracted you to join Chris and CJ? Chris: Was it our amazing good looks? (Laughs.) Nick: I love their original music. When I heard their CD, that was it. I was playing in a cover band in Key West and then broke my leg and got out. That band played all cover music. Then when I got with these guys, I wanted to be with them for the long run. So what attracted you guys to Nick? Chris: I didn’t like him. No, I’m just kidding. (Everyone laughs.) Nick: They like my tattoos. CJ: In his first gig, he looked like he was having a good time and enjoying himself. Chris: Wait a minute, the first time he played, he got a standing ovation. CJ: Yea, that’s right. He was fun to watch and played great. Like he said, he liked our original music. And we don’t want somebody that doesn’t like the originals and want to be in it for just the cash. Chris: I enjoy Nick’s enthusiasm. He is never negative and we dealt with a lot of negativity in the past. Negativity destroys everything. There are a lot of bitter people in the business and we feel if you don’t want to do this, then you don’t have to do it. Nick: We are a team. I feel we work together very well. What does it take to be a part of 7 Sharp 9? Nick: Professionalism. Chris: I think for all of us, people who understand the business. When you first start out and have no idea what the business is all about, you get a little older, maybe go to music school, whatever the different circumstances might be, you then decide if you really want to do it or if you want to be serious about it. But even still, when you are young, there is so much you don’t know. You can go to school to learn the music, but as far as learning the life, reality, and business side of things, there is so much that you just have to live it. Out of all the bands that I have played with, many of them aren’t making music anymore. To find people at this point, who are still playing and have figured out a lot and have grown, to me, that is professionalism. CJ: You have to enjoy playing and playing a lot. You also have to enjoy people and like socializing. I notice in between breaks, you guys are bombarded with fans. Chris: We love that. Nick: We get more and more after each gig, which I think is great. If I was someone who has never heard 7 Sharp 9, can you tell me why I should listen to your music?

MARCH 2005

Nick: Cause we rock! Well, what genre do you fit into? CJ: Straight up pop rock. Nick: We have such variety. CJ: We try to cover as many styles as we can and that is something we do with our originals as well. We just really try to please everybody. Chris: When putting out original material, the industry pushes songs that sound a lot alike. When you go out and buy a CD because you heard the single on the radio, chances are a lot of the songs are similar but not as good. When we go out to play cover music, we try to play a lot of different stuff. But it is all fun stuff. With our original music, we don’t hold back on style and we don’t have anyone telling us what to do. So we probably could push ourselves into one niche as far as style goes, but we don’t. We really don’t see any reason to. Describe the music on your upcoming CD. CJ: We have heavy songs to easy pop songs; for us, some real emotional stuff that we have written about in our lives. Chris: A lot of these songs have been written over the last couple of years and they relate to things that have happened in our lives. Do you get intimidated by the competition? CJ: We’re not even aware of it. Chris: We are working all the time and are not worrying about what the band across the street is doing. Nick: I think that if you worry about the competition, that is where your downfall is. There is no competition, because you know everyone is doing it at our level. Chris: I don’t ever think of us as in competition with bands. I am perfectly happy to see five other bands that are really good. If there are five clubs on this street and every band is great, that’s awesome. To me, that means people want to be here. CJ: We all are fans of music. Speaking of Gathering, your latest CD, what song do you feel is the most influential on expressing your music as well as yourselves? CJ: Probably “Words;” that was the most emotional one for me. Wait, I shouldn’t say that cause “Prove You Wrong” was my pissed off song and there was a high level of motivation in that one. “Words” and “Prove You Wrong.” “Words” talks about my desire to be a better man, and in “Prove You Wrong,” I needed to get out some aggression towards the people in my life that have tried to hold me back. I recently read an article that said four of your songs from your latest CD had been licensed for MTV’s “Real World” and “Road Rules.” Which songs were they and how is that working? CJ: The songs were “Prove You Wrong,” “Words,” “Where Ever You Are,” and “Save Me.” Chris: It’s one of those deals where your music is played in the background. We thought it was great for them to just ask to license us. CJ: It was a nice compliment. I noticed in your online journal that

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you mention someone named Justin. Do you substitute players? CJ: My mom suffered from cancer and passed away in December. I went home for two months and Justin, Chris’s brother, was gracious enough to take over singing for me so the band could keep going. Because of him and these two (referring to Chris and Nick), I was able to be home with my mom for two months. We don’t normally do that. Chris: We don’t do that on a regular basis. I would rather the band just not play. People come to see this band and we have an identity as a group. You guys are on the verge of stardom. CJ: I like hearing that. What do you feel is challenging right now? Nick: I don’t think we have anything that is really challenging. We just take everything with the ﬂow. Chris: The rest of 2005 is mapped out for us as far as a schedule goes. We are booked a year in advance and all the plans for the CD are coming along. You make the plans and then you just actually do them. The biggest challenge is living out the plans that we make. We’re not sitting around thinking what we have to do to get a record label to pay attention to us; we are just doing our thing. Tell me about “Jimmy’s Limo” on The Gathering. I love that piece! It is now an actual song called “Shine” that will be on your next CD, right? Chris: Yes, originally that was a musical piece that I had for years. Our drummer at that time, Jimmy, said it needed to go on the CD. I told him that it’s not a song, but he insisted. So we just kind of

put it on there and didn’t know what would happen. That was teasing fans, you know. Chris: Well, that’s kind of how it was put and I felt that maybe by the next CD it will become a song and people would be familiar with it. In the meantime, my daughter was born very sick and we didn’t know if she was going to live. I spent every night in the hospital with her, writing in a journal. That song was me writing to her before I knew she was going to make it. For some reason, that music was sticking in my head at that moment. CJ and I were going to record it for some friends and family who were helping me while I was going through that hard time. He heard it and said we should do this with the band. It sounds different now, so you might not be able to recognize it. Any last thoughts? Nick: I love working with these guys! CJ: And we love Nick. (Everyone laughs.) We are excited about the next CD and hope that everyone likes it. Again, it’s all about the people, meeting new people and making more friends. Chris: We have been playing around here for a few years and Playgrounds has been involved with us a number of times and to say thank you to everybody at Playgrounds and everybody in this community. Nick: We do this from our heart; we don’t do it because we want to make it big and for people to like us. We do it because we want to and that is basically what it comes down to. For more information and schedule dates, visit 7 Sharp 9 at www.sevensharpnine. com.

Country Music Spotlight

by Courtney Owen

Jo Dee Messina

Since her debut in 1996, the red-headed ball of energy that is Jo Dee Messina has had a major wave of success. She has scored eight number one hits, has sold millions of records, and has been on the road with some of the biggest names in country music including Charlie Daniels, George Strait and Rascal Flatts. Her powerful stage presence, high energy level, and matchless voice make her easy to enjoy and hard to forget. Messina’s success has not gone unnoticed. Since her debut, the multi-platinum singer has been nominated for several Grammy and AMA awards and has taken home the title of Top Female Artist of the Year (1999) from the Academy of Country Music as well as the Horizon Award. Nearly two years after the release of her first Greatest Hits album, Curb Records is finally ready to bring her back into the spotlight. Her first single off the currently untitled album, “My Give A Damn’s Busted,” is rising up the Billboard and R&R singles charts giving Messina her 12th Top 20 single. After rocking performances for Pepsi’s Smash Super Bowl Concert

Fried Pickles ain’t barbecue. but, we got’em and they’re Mighty good! A cold jar of something will go good with’em!

On the North End of Broadway In the Old Trailways Bus Station

Series and a CMT special, “Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Super Bowl Saturday Night Special,” Messina traveled to Los Angeles to shoot a video for her current single. Two-time CMA Music Video of the Year award winning director, Peter Zavadil, is taking on the job. Zavadil has had huge success creating stand-out videos. Her upcoming album is set for release sometime this spring on Curb Records. Jo Dee Messina fans have been waiting for new music since the release of Burn in 2000. Though she has been in the studio and working with new tracks since before her Greatest Hits album, label setbacks as well as personal trials have contributed to a relatively slow period in her career. Messina is back in action and preparing for the spotlight once again. If her new single’s success is any indication of her return to the country scene, fans certainly have something to look forward to. Though there is no word yet of an ofﬁcial tour, Messina is scheduled to appear at this year’s CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville in June. She was the opened the festival last year with a performance true to the event’s alias as country music’s biggest party. Commanding the stage and audience attention she knows how to get people on their feet. This is one red-head that knows how to rock the stage. For more information, log on to her website at www.jodeemessina.com.

MARCH 2005

Friday, February 26, 2005 Battle of the Bands Northside High School

Backstage with

When I went to The Battle of the Bands at NHS, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that there were going to be young local bands, but I didn’t know for sure who was going to be there. When I got there at about 7:10 PM, I had already missed most of The Necessaries’ performance. The second band, Turning Point, was good in all aspects of music. They stayed in their range and looked good doing it. They had an impressive stage presence and I thought they did extremely well. Turning Point, stay cool and keep at it. Nice job you guys (and girl). It was finally time for the defending champions of last year’s Battle of the Bands to play. Eden Creek, formerly known as Eden Court, was up and they gave a performance just the way I expected them to. OUTSTANDING!!! No one missed a single note, the stage presence was rockin’ and I wanted to get up there with them right then. Amazing job you guys. You definitely have a career in playing music waiting for you in the future. When all the bands were done playing, the judges had to decide who had won. And the winner was (drumroll) EDEN CREEK!!! Right when Clint and Zac played the first chord together I knew they were going to win. And now, they’re the defending champions of a second title. Incredible job you guys. Way to go. After the show, I had a chance to interview Eden Creek back stage. Dylan Nabors

interview by Dylan Nabors

Playgrounds Magazine

Eden Creek After Battle of the Bands at NHS was over, I got a chance to talk with Eden Creek, the winner. Here’s what they had to say: PG: What are the names of the band members and what do they play? Zac: I’m Zac Young and I play guitar. Jake Greer plays the drums and Keeley Kennedy’s got the vocals. Michael: I’m Michael O’Connor and I play bass. Clint: I’m Clint Poe and I play guitar. PG: How long has Eden Creek been together? Clint: With this particular lineup, I’d say about a year. PG: Is this your ﬁrst competition? Michael: With this lineup yes, but we won the Battle of the Bands last year with a different lineup, and we have two returning members. PG: How long have you guys been involved with music? Zac: I’ve been involved for about three years, give or take a few. Michael: Right around three years, I picked up bass my freshman year. Clint: I started playing drums when I was about ﬁve and I picked up guitar when I was about twelve, and I’ll be seventeen next month.

Eden Creek is front row: Zach Young, Clint Poe; back row: Jacob Greer, Mike O’Conner, Keeley Kennedy Jake: I’ve been playin’ drums since I was about ten. I just turned seventeen February 25th. PG: What kind of music did you listen to while growing up? Jake: Classic rock and Southern rock. Just whatever my parents listened to pretty much. Clint: Southern rock and Country Michael: Classic rock, a little bit of Greenday, stuff like that. Zac: ROCK AND ROLL MAN!!!! PG: Are you coming out with any albums soon? Clint: Right now we’ve got a demo CD out that’s got ﬁve songs on it. And we’re gonna come out with another one as soon as we come up with more originals. Michael: We got a bunch more stuff that we got about half done. Jake: You just talk to old Bradley Q. and he’ll give you a CD. PG: How did you come up with the name Eden Creek? Zac: Well, we practice on Eden Court, which is where Clint lives. And we were like, “Eden Court. That sounds a little Sesame Street like,” so we changed it to Eden Creek. PG: Which band would you say that you look up to the most? Clint: I love Lynard Skynard personally, but it just depends on the sound of the music. Zac: We love Led Zeppelin, Lynard Skynard, Jimi Hendrix, all that good stuff, and

every now and then, a little Spice Girls. Michael: For me it’s a tie between Led Zeppelin and The Who. Jake: Skynard and Rush. Clint: Zac was joking about the Spice Girls. PG: Do you do more cover songs than originals? Zac: Well right now we’re probably doing about the same amount, but we want to do more originals, and we’re workin on that. PG: Does anyone in the band take private lessons? Zac: None of us have ever taken lessons. PG: Where and how often do you practice? Michael: Clint’s house about one to two times a week. Eden Court. PG: What is your favorite song that you do as a group? Zac: Well our favorite song that’s an original, I would probably say is the one called Rain. And our favorite cover song to do is deﬁnitely Freebird because Clint Poe plays the hell out of that. PG: What do you think of the other original bands around here. Zac: Well, regardless of whether we like the genre of music or not, we respect any band that writes their own music. We think that’s awesome. For booking information, contact Clint Poe at (706)-323-9689 or edencreekband@hotmail.com

MARCH 2005

Columbus Jazz Society The Cavaliers Big Band Favorites of the past & present in the big band format will surely kindle fond memories of

interiew with Ryan Wexler lead singer and founder by Missy Pick Founded by brothers Ryan and Raegan Wexler in Atlanta, Georgia, American Devils deliver a rare blend of power, songwriting and performance, They perform throughout the southeast have performed with acts such as Stuck Mojo, Injected, Trust Company, Dog Fashion Disco, Impotent Sea Snakes, Minus-driver, Sick Speed, and more. American Devils is managed by Mark Willis of Willis Entertainment (Stuck Mojo, Fozzy featuring Chris Jericho and Rich Ward). American Devils has released their first full length album titled “Surprise,” produced by Shawn Grove (Sevendust, Collective Soul, Edwin McCain). This full energy, “balls to the wall” heavy rock/metal group is not one to ignore. From the group’s combination of heavy riffs and unique vocals, to their ability to peak the interest of both devoted rock and metal fans, American Devils are building a loyal fan base devoted to a high energy show and product. In my opinion, Raegan is one of the hardest ROCKING drummers in the entire music scene... To me he is LIKE NO OTHER; he has his own style and uniqueness. He is very young, but he has skills of a professional and very well trained percussionist. He gives a really big performance, American Devils as a band are full of energy, hair swinging, guitar ripping bass thumping and Ryan is a vocalist like, well he is himself, he is not ripping off anyone, I love his voice and all of the uniqueness he brings to the band. PG: Explain the name American Devils? Ryan: My brother and I came up with the name. It kind of described us best. Raegan and I, as well as the rest of the band are a bunch of American guys with a hell of a devilish side. PG: How long did it take to get the final line up of musicians whom we now see rocking on stage? Ryan: It took us about 8 months to find the musicians we wanted to work with. First Ben, then Matt and Chris were soon to follow. Raegan and I must have auditioned over 40 different guitarists and bass players before we made our decisions. PG: How did you meet your manager, Mark Willis, who manages Fozzy and Stuck Mojo? Ryan: Raegan and I met Mark Willis years ago. He was promoting local artist showcases in Atlanta. Over the years we continued to work with him to develop the type band we have become today. Frankly, he was the only person that would tell us to our faces that we needed improvement. He did not worry about our little egos. He told us the truth. That is very rare in our business. Because of his honesty, we are proud to say this is what drove us over the edge from garage band to touring/recording artists. PG: Who introduced the Wexler brothers to music? Were you influenced by your family? Ryan: Our parents and grandparents were our earliest influences. Overall though, we probably have cable and MTV to blame. PG: Who writes the lyrics and music? Ryan: We try to write collectively. It just depends on who has something new to contribute that day. For the most part though, I write all of the lyrics while Raegan, Matt, and I write the majority of the music.

Playgrounds Magazine

Woodie Herman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington

Sunday March 13th 6 PM - 9 PM Historic Liberty Theater 821 - 8th Avenue, Columbus, GA. Bring food and drinks of your choice. Members admitted without charge, non-members, $5 one-night fee. 653-7566. www.columbusjazzsociety.com “Keeping Live Music Alive”

ACE of SHADES

TATTOOING is coming soon! PG: Does having your brother in the band have any advantages and disadvantages? Ryan: It is an age old story, brothers in bands. Either they get along or they don’t. Luckily for us, we get along. In fact, we are the best of friends. For us, it is a total advantage. Most of the time we are on the same page. Even when we are not, we can come to a conclusion without throwing musical equipment at each other. PG: What is your favorite song to play live? Ryan: My favorite song to perform live is Listening to Me. PG: What is the name of your CD and how can the readers get turned on to it? Ryan: Our CD is called “SURPRISE” and you can go to www.americandevils.com, to listen or buy a copy, and at our live performances as well.

Featuring the award winning, custom artwork of Scott Schultz. Scott is formerly of Eternal Tattoos Inc. of Michigan.

PG: Tell me some of the bands accomplishments?? Ryan: We have played and supported numerous national artists such as Stuck Mojo, Fozzy, etc. We have also had the privilege of performing at prominent industry events such as the Atlantis Music Conference. PG: To this day what is your number one accomplishment as a band?? Ryan: To have fun playing music. In an industry that is so hard to succeed in, you can forget why you got into it in the first place. PG: What is the future of American Devils? Ryan: Stay tuned! You will find out soon enough. PG: And finally the million dollar question! Are your eye brows naturally shaped devilish? All of your fans wonder and readers, are going to want me to get the scoop. You are truely all 100% american devil. So it all fits into place. Ryan: Believe it or not, THEY ARE REAL! They have been this way since birth. The band name came after. Like I said before, I am a little devil at heart. American Devils play Friday, March 11 at SoHo Bar & grill along with Hybrid-L and The Five L’s. It is Ryan’s Birthday, so it will be an extra-special party. www.americandevils.com

MARCH 2005

places to go... ART

TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Art Faculty Lecture- Metals: Columbus State University Art Professor Trish Ramsey will give a presentation related to metalsCenter for Commerce and Technology Room 237, 6pm. The event is free and open the public and in conjunction with the CSU Faculty Art Exhibition on display through March 18 in the Fine Arts Hall Gallery. For more information, call (706) 568-2047. TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Art Faculty Lecture- Printmaking: CSUArt Professor Erika Adams will give a presentation on printmaking. Center for Commerce and Technology Room 237, 6pm. The event is free and open the public and in conjunction with the CSU Faculty Art Exhibition on display through March 18 in the Fine Arts Hall Gallery. For more information, call (706) 568-2047. TUESDAY, MARCH 22 Art Faculty Lecture- Ceramics: CSU Art Professor Kristen Applegate will give a presentation on ceramics. Center for Commerce and Technology Room 237, 6pm. The event is free and open the public. For more information, call (706) 568-2047.

COMEDY

THURSDAY, MARCH 3 Tim Northern + Herbie Gill: The Loft THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Derek Richards + Kevin Whelan: The Loft THURSDAY, MARCH 17 Joel Lindsey + Eric Myers: The Loft THURSDAY, MARCH 24 Darryl Rhoades + Jarrod Harris: The Loft

SUNDAY, MARCH 6 Trombone Choir/Quartet Performance: CSU’s Schwob School of Music. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 3pm. General admission is $5. For tickets and discount information, contact the RiverCenter Box Ofﬁce at 1888-332-5200. THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Premier Series Concert: Venice Baroque Orchestra: presented by CSU’s Schwob School of Music. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm. Tickets are $30-35. Contact the RiverCenter Box Ofﬁce at 1-888-332-5200. SUNDAY, MARCH 13 CSU Jazz Band: CSU’s Schwob School of Music presentation. RiverCenter’s Studio Theatre, 3pm. General admission is $5. 1888-332-5200. MONDAY, MARCH 14 Organ Recital: CSU’s Schwob School of Music present a concert by faculty organist Joseph Golden. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm. General admission is $10. For tickets 1-888-332-5200. THURSDAY, MARCH 17 The Cavalier Orchestra: Bradley Theatre, 8-11pm, $8 SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Columbus Symphony Orchestra Jolly Good Music, Andres Diaz, Violoncello: RiverCenter’s Bill Heard Theatre, 7:30pm. $16-$28 MONDAY, MARCH 28 Chamber Music Concert: CSU Schwob School of Music presentation featuring faculty pianist Betty Anne Diaz accompanied by her daughter and guest violinist Gabriela Diaz. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm. General admission is $10. 1-888-332-5200. THURSDAY, MARCH 31 University Singers: CSU’s Schwob School of Music presentation. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm. General admission is $5. 1-888-332-5200.

CONCERTS DANCE , THURSDAY, MARCH 3 Orthodox Singers: presented by CSU’s Schwob School of Music. Founded in 1989, Estonia’s Orthodox Singers perform a repertoire of original, diverse compositions of sacred chants in different styles representing the past five centuries. The ensemble is on its third U.S. tour. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm. General admission is $10. For tickets and discount information, contact the RiverCenter Box Office at 1-888-332-5200. SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Jay Coble (trumpet) And Tom Brantley (trombone: CSU’s Schwob School of Music guest artist performance. Coble has recorded for television shows such as the Tracy Ullman Show and The Simpsons, and has played on commercials for Infinity Cars, Alaska Air, Shell Oil, and Pepsi and others. He also has performed with artists such as Natalie Cole, Mel Torme, and Nancy Wilson, and has toured internationally with Buddy Rich and Tom Jones. Brantley has recorded five CDs with the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. RiverCenter’s Legacy Hall, 7:30pm.General admission is $10. For tickets and discount information, contact the RiverCenter Box Office at 1-888-332-5200.

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EVERY MONDAY High Velocity Cloggers. 1210 49th Street, Unit B in Columbus. Instructors: Denise Powers and Haley Watson. Classes start January 10th. Ages 5 through adult. Beginner, intermediate/advanced and performance team. For more information call 706-615-4626 or 706-332-4567 or visit highvelocity.clogdancing.com EVERY TUESDAY Senior Dance: Featuring David Tyler and Mike Skipper performing 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and country music. Central Activity Center, Phenix City Parks and Rec. Free Line Dance Class: Instructor- Ann Clarity. Central Activity Center, free EVERY SATURDAY Latin Dance Lessons: Locos Amigos Cantina, 10pm. Free. 706-320-4520 for info.

FILM

MONDAY, MARCH 7 CSU International Film Festival Series - Bloody Sunday: The ﬁlm recreates the events of January 30, 1972 when British soldiers shot dead 13 unarmed civilians taking part in a civil rights march in Derry,

Northern Ireland. CSU’s Center for International Education, Room 237 in the Center for Commerce and Technology, 7pm. Free. (706) 565-4036 for more information. TUESDAY, APRIL 5 Movies @ the Library: Free movie night on the first Tuesday of each month. Foreign films, film noire, modern classics, topical series, and more will be shown throughout the year. Columbus Public Library, 7pm. For this month’s film title, call Wanda Edwards at 243-2673.

LITERARY Every TUESDAY and THURSDAY Weekly Storytime: Fun and activities centered around a story. This month’s books are The Kiss That Missed by David Melling and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Barnes & Noble, 10am Read Every Book: The Mayor’s Movement: One on one reading with children ages 0-5. The Columbus Public Library, 1011am. Free. 706-243-2669 Every FRIDAY Family Fun Night: Laughter, activities, and stories fror the entire family. Barnes & Noble, 7pm Special Guest-Mouse: fun and crafts for the entire family with Mouse, from the beloved pages of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Barnes and Noble, 11am & 2pm. Workshop; Writing: Monthly group for lovers of the written word. Join other writers and receive tips and ideas to expand your technique. Barnes and Noble, 5:30pm SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Workshop- The New SAT: Sparknote’s power prep seminar for the new SAT. Discussion focuses on strategic skills for taking the test. There will be a special focus on what to do and what not to do on the new writing section. Plus, get help with the new math section, learn to score high on the new critical reading section, beef up your vocabulary and learn some general test-taking MONDAY, MARCH 7 American Girl Club: Samantha Saves the Day. Barnes & Noble Children’s Department, 6:30pm THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Children’s Choice Storytime: Choose your favorite story for us to read. Barnes & Noble children’s department, 10am SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Clifford the Big Red Dog: Storytime, Clifford will sign books and have pictures made. Barnes & Noble, 11am & 2pm PAWS to Read: Columbus Public Library, 11-noon SUNDAY, MARCH 13 A to Z Mysteries Book Group: We are pleased to announce our new series for our young reader’s book club. The ﬁrst book

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Bash Storytime with games, crafts, cake and fun. Thursday, March 3 at 10:00 am Saturday, March 5 at 11:00 am Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 pm

Haunting Moose Manor. Barnes & Noble, 4pm THURSDAY, MARCH 17 Rivertown Poets and Storytellers: Talented group of writers and storytellers. There is no special requirement needed to join. Everyone is welcome. Barnes & Noble, 7pm St. Patty’s Day Storytime: Today we celebrate, leprechauns, pots of gold, four-leaf clovers and the Irish. Join us for a special holiday storytime and learn what St. Patty’s Day is all about. Don’t forget to wear green! Barnes & Noble, 10am THURSDAY & FRIDAY, MARCH 17 & 18 Writing Workshop With Terry Kay: Award winning novelist and screenwriter Terry Kay, a native of Hart County Ga., authored in 1990 “To Dance with the White Dog,” considered his signature novel and adapted to a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie series. Hosted by Continuing Education at CSU. Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, 68pm. Participants can choose either evening. The workshop costs $79. For more information, call (706) 568-2023. FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Reception For Writer Terry Kay At McCullers House: Hosted by CSU’s Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians The McCullers house at 1519 Stark Ave., 8pm. Free. For more information, call 3271911. SATURDAY, MARCH 19 The New SAT Essay Workshop: Barnes & Noble, 11am Writing Workshop: This monthly group is for lovers of the written word. Barnes & Noble, 5:30pm SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Little Quack: Stories, fun counting games plus a special surprise! Barnes & Noble children’s department, 11am & 2pm WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 Brown Bag Book Club: Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Columbus Public Library, noon THURSDAY, MARCH 24 The Country Bunny Storytime: The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes plus, other Easter tales such as Peter Rabbit, crafts and games. Barnes & Noble, 10am SATURDAY, MARCH 26 SAT Algebra Workshop: Barnes & Noble, 11am Egg-citing Easter Hop: A fun-ﬁlled day of stories, games, bunny races and a Easter egg hunt. Hop on down and bring your baskets! Barnes & Noble, 11am & 2pm. MONDAY, MARCH 28 Homeschool Resource Night: Receive answers to curriculum questions, share teaching tips and ideas. Barnes & Noble, 6:30pm TUESDAY, MARCH 29 CSU Hunter Lecture Series- Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: Lecture by Robert Sapolsky, a nationally noted science and nature writer, biologist, neuroscientist and stress expert. The New York Times has hailed Sapolsky as “One of the ﬁnest natural history writers around.” A Harvard graduate and professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, Sapolsky has written several books including “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.” Fine Arts Hall Auditorium, 12:30pm. The lecture is free and open the public. For more information, call (706) 568-2030.

MARCH 2005

people to see MUSIC EVERY SUNDAY Brent Lindley: Fountain City Coffee (noon2pm) EVERY MONDAY Open Mic: SoHo Bar & Grill EVERY TUESDAY Wepomofo: SoHo Bar & Grill EVERY WEDNESDAY Open Mic: The Loft Live Music: SoHo Bar & Grill (10-midnight) EVERY THURSDAY Dave & The Diamondcutters: 4th Quarter The Dillinghams: Del Ranch (9-12) Muff Tones: SoHo Bar & Grill (10-12) EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY Bluegrass Revue: Countrys on Mercury Drive THURSDAY, MARCH 3 Whiskey Bent: Bonehead’s Cass Collins w/ Celebrities: Muldoons FRIDAY, MARCH 4 Fade: Boneheads Junius + A.Armada: The Core Country Mile: 4th Quarter Chicks That Rock featuring Jen Woodhouse, Butterﬂy Stitch, Kelly Buchanan, Betty Rebel: The Loft Rock City: Muldoons Thingamajigg: SoHo Bar & Grill SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Split Decision: Boneheads Country Mile: 4th Quarter Blackeyed Susan: The Loft Rock City: Muldoons E.X. Vortex + Camelspur + Nice Guy: SoHo Bar & Grill TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Rock City: Muldoons THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Whiskey Bent: Boneheads Bruce Brookshire: Muldoons FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Tripwire: Boneheads Forever Changed + Chasing Victory + The Awkward Romance + Spy For Hire: The Core Dirt Road Maﬁa: 4th Quarter Five Star Iris: The Loft Relics: Muldoons American Devils + Hybrid-L + The Five L’s: SoHo Bar & Grill SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Tripwire: Boneheads Mindblender: 4th Quarter Honestly + Time: The Loft Relics: Muldoons FNA: SoHo Bar & Grill TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Relics: Muldoons THURSDAY, MARCH 17 Mindblender: Bonehead’s Damon & The Welfare + Dave & The Diamondcutters: 4th Quarter Alter Ego + Rampage: Muldoons Endless Mike & The Beagle Club: SoHo Bar & Grill FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Mindblender: Boneheads Wake Up the Dogs: 4th Quarter John J Hooker: Muldoons Joey Allcorn & The Hillbilly Band: The

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Loft Whiskey Bent + The Rounders: SoHo Bar & Grill SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Mindblender: Boneheads Wake Up the Dogs: 4th Quarter Shawn Mullins + Mike Willis Project: The Loft John J Hooker: Muldoons Misconduct: SoHo Bar & Grill TUESDAY, MARCH 22 John J Hooker: Muldoons THURSDAY, MARCH 24 Whiskey Bent: Bonehead’s Bruce Brookshire: Muldoons FRIDAY, MARCH 25 Lazy Ate: Boneheads Mindblender: 4th Quarter Mark Lowry Band + Mark Stein: The Loft Rampage: Muldoons Downpour: SoHo Bar & Grill SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Lazy ate: Boneheads Mindblender: 4th Quarter State of Man (formerly known as JAD) + The Cyberkats: The Loft Rampage: Muldoons Tayl + Silo: SoHo Bar & Grill TUESDAY, MARCH 29 Country Mile Band: Muldoons THURSDAY, MARCH 31 Whiskey Bent: Boneheads Bruce Brookshire: Muldoons FRIDAY, APRIL 1 Uncrowned: Boneheads Keni Thomas CD Release Party: The Loft Mindblender: Muldoons Joey Allcorn & The Hillbilly Band: SoHo Bar & Grill SATURDAY, APRIL 2 Uncrowned: Boneheads Mindblender: Muldoons Halfway Gone: SoHo Bar & Grill

NATURE

SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Second Sunday Series- Longleaf Pine Legacy: The program will cover the rare longleaf pine forest and its relationship with ﬁre and its impact on habitat for endangered and threatened species including the redcockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise and indigo snake. Columbus State University’s Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, 2pm. $1 per person, free for kids under 4. Oxbow Meadows is located at 3535 South Lumpkin Rd., Columbus. For more information, call (706) 687-4090.

POETRY

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Open Mic: Poetry Night: Bring your personal poetry to share or read poetry that has signiﬁcance in your life. Barnes & Noble, 7pm

SPORTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Columbus RiverDragons vs Florida Flame: Columbus Civic Center, 7pm. $10-

$25. 706-225-1112 FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Columbus Cottonmouths vs Fayettevilleville Fire Antz: Columbus Civic Center, 7:30pm, $10-$20 SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Harlem Globetrotters: Columbus Civic Center, 3pm. Tickets $12.50-$56.50 TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Columbus Cottonmouths vs Knoxville Icebears: Thirsty Tuesday- 16 oz Bud and Bud Light draft beer $2.25. Columbus Civic Center, 7:30pm, $10-$20 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 Columbus RiverDragons vs Asheville Altitude: Columbus Civic Center, 7pm. $10$25. 706-225-1112 FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Columbus RiverDragons vs Huntsville Flight: NASCAR Night. Columbus Civic Center, 7pm. $10-$25. 706-225-1112 SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Columbus Cottonmouths vs Macon Trax: Thirsty Tuesday- 16 oz Bud and Bud Light draft beer $2.25. Columbus Civic Center, 7:30pm, $10-$20 SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Columbus RiverDragons vs Florida Flame: Faith and Family Night. Columbus Civic Center, 7pm. $10-$25. 706-225-1112

THEATRE

MARCH 3-5, 9-13, 17-19 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: And there’s nothin’ dirty goin’ on! One of Broadway’s all-time biggest Broadway hits is back! This hilarious sattire recaounts the raucous saga of Texas’ legendary Chicken Ranch. It’s a rambunctious country n’ western musical comedy. Springer Opera House. www.springeroperahouse.org, 3273688 MARCH 11-13, 18-19 Sarah Plain and Tall: Set in the early 1900’s, this is the heartwarming story of a widowed farmer in Kansas with two small children. After he places an ad for a “mailorder bride,” the farmer receives a letter from a woman in Maine who writes: “I will come by train, I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall.” This play is ﬁlled with wisdom and gentle humor. It is a tender story about the fragile beginnings of a family relationship on its way to permanence. Springer Children’s Theatre SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Encore The Springer Opera Guild Cookbook Signing: Taste samples of their recipes. All proceeds go to support Georgia’s Historic Theatre. Barnes & Noble MARCH 24-26 Alice in Wonderland: This version of Lewis Caroll’s classic, which was created by the Manhattan Project, is an exuberant, funny and strikingly pertinent instance of how a classic can be made “new”. An ensemble of actors play a vareiety of roles which is produced for adults and children over the age of 12. Spinning House Theatre Production. RiverCenter, general admission $8. 1-888332-5200

ETCETERA

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Teen Time Reunion: Bradley Theatre, 10am-2pm, $5. SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Easter Egg Hunt with Max the Bunny: Columbus Public Library, 11:30am SUNDAY, MARCH 20 Wedding Expo: Bradley Theatre, 2-6pm, Free. TUESDAY, APRIL 12 John Hancock Champions on Ice: Columbus Civic Center, 7pm, $43-$88

GALLERY GUIDE

Britt David Cultural Arts Studio 2700 W Britt David Rd 653-4196 The Columbus Museum 1251 Wynnton Rd 649-0713; M-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5, open until 9 on Thursdays India Unveiled: Photographs by Robert Arnett More than 40 cibachrome photographs that present a compelling portrait of India and its rich and complex cultural legacy. Robert Arnett’s images powerfully document the country’s diverse peoples and religions while capturingits spectacular and dramatically varied landscape. Arnett has had an avid interst in India for over 30 years but it was the mystique and spirit of the land that impelled him to spend almost two years there between 1988 and 2000. The artist is a Columbus native who has lectured widely throughout America at such venues asthe Smithsonian Institute and Harvard and Yale Universities. The exhibition is an outgrowth of Arnett’s book of the same title which was published in 1996 and is currently in its third edition. Through May 8. Modern Prints from the Rothschild Collection: Approximately 100 prints from the collection of Columbus natives Benno and Babette Rothschild. The rothschilds began collecting prints in 1948 focusing on works dating from 1870 to contemporary times by European, American and Mexican artists which include: Henri Matisse, Robert Rauschenberg, Francis Bacon, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Joseph Albers and Erich Heckel. March 13-June 19 Columbus State University Fine Arts Hall Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (706) 568-2047. Fountain City Coffee 1007 Broadway 4946659 Galleria Riverside 11 Ninth St at Dillingham Place 653-1950 Joseph House Gallery 828 Broadway 3218948; Tu-F 11-5, Sa 1-5 Miriam’s Cafe and Gallery 1350 13th St 327-0707 Studio 24 The 11th Street Lofts, 11 11th St 322-1994 Tu-F 1pm-5pm Featuring the original art collection of Helen Lee Taylor’s Rivertown Gallery 1011 Broadway 65-FRAME

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MARCH 2005

pg picks

SLIPKNOT The Subliminal Verses, Vol.3 Roadrunner Records 101X Listeners I read the other review of this album and it was the most inaccurate piece of s%@t I’ve ever read. I’m writing this review for the sole purpose of setting things straight. This CD is incredible and worth every single penny. I’m a huge fan of IOWA too, and I think this album is just as good or better. With Vol.3: (The Subliminal Verses), Slipknot prove they are not just another flavor-of-the-week band that can’t play worth s#@t. The CD starts out with the hypnotically mellow tune Prelude 3.0 which lures you in with its vocal melodies then explodes in your face with the adrenaline-injected track The Blister Exists. The next few songs follow the same vibe as Blister but have a touch more melody until finally they shred right into acoustic!? That’s right, Slipknot doing an acoustic song and they actually pull it off. Vermillion, the next single off the album, is an allaround awesome song featuring relentlessly pounding guitars and dark, morbid lyrics about an infatuation with a girl. The next song Pulse Of The Maggots is an extremely heavy anthem that follows in the footsteps of older songs such as The Heretic Anthem. Slipknot lay down a few more solid, well-rounded heavier tracks and another instance of acoustic guitars before the CD finally winds down with the experimental epic The Virus Of Life which is reminiscent of Scissors on the

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group’s self-titled CD. The album comes to a close with Danger - Keep Away which ends the CD with the same vibe it started with. Overall, this CD is a masterpiece and obviously Slipknot’s most creative step forward yet. If you are a fan of Joey’s drumming skills or Mick’s guitar shredding, you’ll have absolutely no regrets about buying this album. It has all the fundamentals of their previous albums mixed in with a variety of new elements. Last but not least, it serves as a milestone in Slipknot’s career that further cements their place in the spectrum of heavier music. Justin Austin

3 DOORS DOWN Seventeen Days There are some bands when you hear their new music, you love it from the start (bands like Bon Jovi, Creed and Van Halen fall into this category for me). Then there are others that need to grow on you. The new 3 Doors Down CD is the latter. Although I’m not a huge 3 Doors Down fan, I thought their last effort Away From The Sun was phenomenal, and almost 3 years after the release, I still play it a few times a week from start to finish. Their latest, Seventeen Days, however does not have the same flare as its predecessor. The CD starts out with a lot of power, but halfway through it lost me. That’s not to say there aren’t any high points. The first single Let Me Go is one of the best songs on the album. Landing in London features Bob Seger and at times has the feel of a classic Seger song. Live for Today is a great rock song and had me forget that I was getting bored listening to the CD the whole way through. Currently, I’m on my seventh time listening to this CD and it’s slowly growing me. The band released an album that would make any 3 Doors Down fan happy and I’m glad I’ve added it to my collection, even though it wasn’t love at first listen. I always tend to categorize 3 Doors Down as a band that plays it safe, but yet has a sound all of it’s own, mainly due to Brad Arnold’s vocals. I don’t think you can ever accuse them of sounding like another band. Just to add, if this CD is purchased at Best Buy, there is a promotion code inside enabling you to download, through Napster, an interview as well as an exclusive 3DD track. Robyn Weissheier 3 Doors Down is coming to the Columbus Civic Center April 27

RICHIE HAVENS Grace of the Sun Stormy Forest Records This is Richie Havens’ 26th album, and his highly recognizable gruff, sweet vocals and his unique guitar style seems as relevant today as ever. Like all his albums, this one features a few well-chosen covers like Fred Neil’s mystical Red Flowers, A great cover of Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock and a fast-paced version of Dylan’s All Along the Watch Tower. They are great, but his and everyday activities like walking and breathing, like they were supernatural signs of a transcendent world. Richie’s percussive style of guitar strumming lends an urgency to his music, accompanied here by all sorts of world instruments (sitar, tabla, congas, etc.). Richie manages to combine this eclectic melange into a wonderful world groove. The rhythms are infectious and free the body to move! It just reafﬁrms his status as one of rock’s greatest performers. He is on tour for this album and I hope he will come this way! Alice Barkwell

NEVILLE BROTHERS Walkin’ In The Shadow Of Life Back Porch Records www.nevilles.com The world’s funkiest band of brothers is back with their ﬁrst studio album in ﬁve years, and their best since 1989’s Yellow Moon. Art, Charles, Aaron and Cyril are joined on this effort by new-blood Nevilles Ivan (Aaron’s son) and Ian (Art’s son). Ivan’s contributions on keyboards are especially welcome, as Poppa Funk Art has been sidelined with back troubles lately. The record starts off with the title track, a tasty slab of hard-hitting funk, and barrels into the George Clinton-esque burn of Can’t Stop the Funk. (“we were around for the doo-wop/and we’re here for the hip-hop”)

The fourth track is the standout on Walkin’ In the Shadow Of Life, a cover of Ball of Confusion, a song just as relevant today as it was when the Temptations recorded it. Next up is the anthemic Kingdom Come, co-written by U2’s Bono. The second cover is also the album’s final track, Rivers of Babylon. Walkin’ In the Shadow Of Life is a very cohesive record, unlike some other Neville recordings that seemed to be a collection of each writer’s songs. The tracks are all immediately recognizable as classic Neville Brothers, but have been updated with electronic flourishes and even some rap. The social commentary is still there; cautionary tales like Junkie Child warn us about the dangers of the street and society. Walkin’ In the Shadow Of Life proves that there’s still plenty of spunk left in the first family of New Orleans funk and R&B. Curtis Lynch

NORTH MISSISSIPPPI ALL-STARS Hill Country Revue Ato Records www.nmsallstars.com Another group of brothers treated us to a terrific record in the last half of 2004. Luther and Cody Dickinson took their band the North Mississippi All-Stars up to Bonnaroo last summer, and drug along all manner of friends and family to join in the fun. The All-Stars blend of percussion-heavy rural blues and roots-rock has always been better live, and this record proves that again and again, from the opening blast of Shake Em On Down to the final strains of Goin’ Home South, it’s almost impossible to pick just one highlight. Luther’s slide work is often mesmerizing and always entertaining (check him out on “Down In Mississippi,” quoting Dr. John licks). Guests include blues great RL Burnside, JoJo Hermann (Widespread Panic), and the Rising Star Fife & Drum band, whose hypnotic rhythms are integral to the groove of NMAS. Luther and Cody’s dad Jim Dickinson, himself a noted producer and musician makes a rare appearance as well, singing on a swampy, humid Down In Mississippi. Chris Robinson (Black Crowes, New Earth Mud) turns in a fine vocal performance on Ry Cooder’s Boomer’s Story. Listen to this record from beginning to end, you’ll find rock and funk and blues, family and friends, and one hell of a good time. Curtis Lynch

MARCH 2005

Also on this disk is a Quicktime movie with behind the scenes footage of the ladies at Longview Farm Studios. I always found that “home movies” like this can help bring the viewer/listener closer to the artist. It’s like being part of the writing and recording process. It also gives the songs more meaning after seeing what happens in the studio. So, if metal is a man’s world, then it better make room for Kittie or suffer the consequences! Alice Barkwell

THE KILLERS Hot Fuss Island Records What a great title for a record! You’re probably sick of the ﬁrst single Somebody Told Me and loving the second one Mister Brightside about now. The KIllers, from Las Vegas, are the latest in a long line of 80’s revisionists (like Interpol and the Strokes). Almost every track sounds like it might have been in “Pretty in Pink”, driven, romantic, using synth, and ostentatious Big Country drums and guitar. I love the scratchy guitars, thumping bass, and ﬁne lyrics and vocals. These songs could have been hits 20 years ago, and most are embarrassingly catchy! For me this is one of the best albums of last year and it grows on me every time I hear it. A must listen for lovers of new rock that sounds like old rock! A ton of fun! Alice Barkwell

KITTIE Until The End Artemis Records They say that rock ‘n roll is a man’s game. Well, I don’t know who “they” are or what “they” know, but Kittie must be a big exception to that rule. Their latest CD, Until The End, is one of the best metal recordings that I’ve had the pleasure of damaging my hearing just a little more with this year! Formed by sisters Mercedes and Morgan Landers and ﬁlled out with Jennifer Arrayo and Lisa Marx, Kittie is a roundhouse kick to the head. The explosive drumming and bombastic guitars complement Morgan’s deep, growling, voice while it ﬁghts to take control over her other, sweeter, softer alto voice. The two voices engage in what can only be called the evil vs. good twin battle with both voices intertwining neatly with the music.

Playgrounds Magazine

JUDAS PRIEST Angel of Retribution Sony One of the most eagerly awaited reunions in metal history has finally taken place and the recorded results are here. The first Judas Priest album in 15 years to feature Rob Halford! This album may not be the masterpiece many were expecting, but it is a vigorous return to form for one of rock’s most important acts. Angel of Retribution covers all the many stages of Priest’s musical evolution, from the driving Hell Bent For Leather to the anthemic British Steel to the power metal of Pain Killer. With the first song, Judas Rising they reach back to their earliest moments, whose opening passages pay homage to Victim of Changes.More surprising are the slower songs, Angel channels Beyond The Realms of Death, still one of the band’s finest moments! There’s a modern edge to Deal With the Devil, a real headbanger, and the onerous Hellrider which sounds like Slayer! Halford sounds great here, majestic in his full throated screams and war cries, and his exemplary total vocal control. He has clearly returned home. His last album made without the band, Ressurection, was the best Priest album the band never made! Clearly Judas Priest could have slapped together a greatest hits with only one or two new tracks like Motely Crue just did, but this band has never shied away from plunging forward and attempting to recapture their original magic! Alice Barkwell

CD Reviews are welcome! Please send reviews to playgroundsmag @knology.net

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CLASSES registration required

BRITT DAVID CULTURAL ARTS STUDIO 2700 W Britt David Rd, 706-653-4196 CLASSES for CHILDREN Exploring Elements of Art: Ages 7-15. Instructor- Ashley Pierson. Study seven elements of art and create a related piece of artwork. Tuesdays, Mar 1-Apr 12, 4:305:30pm. $90 residents, $112.50 non-residents Photograms: Ages 7-14. Create photographs with everyday objects. Monday, Mar 7, 4-5:30pm. $10 residents, $12.50 non-residents. Pottery 2: For those who have taken Pottery 1. Continue to explore new forms and create bowls, cups and sculptural pieces. Mondays, Mar 7-Apr 11, 4-5:30pm. $25 residents, $31.25 non-residents. Tie-Dye: Ages 7-14. Create color patterns with tie-dye. Bring your own items to dye. Monday, April 4, 4-5:30pm. $10 residents, $12.50 non-residents. CLASSES for ADULTS Glass Bead Making: Learn the methods of glass bead ﬂamework w/ Darlene Balkcum. Tuesdays & Thursdays, Mar 1-10, 6-8:30pm. $30 resident, $37.50 non-residents Puzzle Painting: Learn faux painting techniques while painting pieces of masonite to create a picture. Supplies provided. Tuesdays, March 24 & 31, 6-8pm. $20 residents, $37.50 non-residents. CSU’s RANKIN ARTS CENTER 1004 Broadway, Columbus. 641-4000 www.rankinarts.colstate.edu Registration required. Classes at Rankin Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. CLASSES for ADULTS Beginning Adobe Photoshop: Kenny Gray, March 1st – March 29th, Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:00pm, $110 (Personal laptops and software required) Light and Color the Impressionist Way: Sharon Nelson, March 1st – March 22nd, Tuesdays, 6:00 – 9:00pm, $120 Stained Glass Basics: Penny Wise, March 12th – March 19th, Saturdays,9:00 am – 1:00pm, $140 per section Gentle Yoga for the Mind and Body: Barbara Farr, March 16th – May 4th, Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30pm, $85 per section Put On Your Clogging Shoes: Denise Powers,March 22nd – April 26th, Tuesdays, 6:30 – 7:15pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $45 per section Let’s Dance: Intermediate Ballroom Dance: Lee Briggs, March 22nd – April 19th, Tuesdays, 8:30 – 9:30pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $100 per couple Let’s Dance: Advanced Ballroom Dance: Lee Briggs,March 22nd – April 19th, Tuesdays, 7:30 – 8:30pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $100 per couple American Polka, Wayne Foote: March 23rd – May 11th, Wednesdays, 8:15 – 9:30pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $100 per couple Swing! Swing! Swing: Wayne Foote, March 23rd – May 11th, Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:15pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $65 per individuals or $100 per couple

Let’s Dance: Introduction to Ballroom Dance: Lee Briggs,March 24th – April 21st, Thursdays, 7:30 – 8:30pm, Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, $100 per couple T’ai Chi for Health & Stress: Yang Intro: Philip Chan, M.D., March 28th – May 16th, Mondays, 7:00 – 8:15pm, $89 per section ($20 drop-in fee per class) T’ai Chi for Health & Stress: Yang Continuation: Philip Chan, M.D., March 28th – May 16th, Mondays, 5:30 – 6:45pm, $89 per section ($20 drop-in fee per class) CLASSES for YOUTH Beginning Drawing: Ages 9-12, Sarah Swanson, March 29th – May 26th, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30 – 5:30pm, $119 per section Still Life Drawing: Teen and up, Sarah Swanson, March 29th – May 26th, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:00pm, $119 per section

NORTHSIDE POTTERY STUDIO 2010 American Way 576-4575 Wheel Throwing: Ages 10-14. Must have taken Children’s Pottery 1 & 2. Wednesdays, Mar 2-Apr 6, 4-5:30pm. $25 residents, $31.25 non-residents. Wheel Throwing: Adults. Thursdays, Mar 3-Apr 7, 6-8pm. $45 residents, $56.25 non-residents. PSALMOND ROAD POTTERY STUDIO 7200 Psalmond Rd 565-6060 POTTERY CLASSES Garden Items: Ages 7-14. Learn the basics of handbuilding by making garden art. Thursdays, Mar 3-Apr 7, 4-5:30. $25 residents, $31.25 non-residents. A Clay Chess Set: Adults & children. Saturdays, Mar 5 & 12, 10-noon. $15 residents, $18.75 non-residents. Wheel Throwing: Adults. Learn to throw basic shapes, trim pieces and glaze and ﬁnish the work. Tuesdays, Mar 8-Apr 12, 6-8pm. $45 residents, $56.25 non-residents. Mosaic Garden Art: Adults & children. Saturdays, April 9 & 16, 10-noon. 415 residents, $18.75 non-residents. Handbuilding: Adults. Use basic techniques to create functional pots, vessels or sculpture. Mondays, Mar 21-Apr 25, 10-noon. $45 residents, $56.25 non-residents SHIRLEY WINSTON POTTERY STUDIO 2025 Steam Mill Rd 683-0547 Handbuilding: Adults. Tuesdays, Mar 1Apr 5, 6-8pm. $45 residents, $56.25 nonresidents + $10 for tool kit. Pottery 1 & 2: Ages 7-14. Wednesdays, Mar 2-Apr 6, 6-7:30pm. $25 residents, $31.25 non-residents. Senior Citizens Pottery: Wednesdays, Mar 9-30 or Apr 6-27, 1-2pm. $15 residents, $18.75 non-residents.

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MARCH 2005

Danzig’s Last Tour?

by Alice Barkwell I had always wanted to interview Glenn Danzig, after seeing his pantherlike presence onstage and hearing his amazing voice, but everyone says he is not very friendly and he won’t really talk to you. Was I up to the challenge? Since this is supposed to be Danzig’s last tour I thought I’d better give it a go now! He was very soft-spoken, and could hardly be heard. PG: Tell me about Mother, your most famous song. Is it really about Tipper Gore? Glenn: It’s about the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) and Tipper Gore started it. The ways people were standing up to people at those hearings, I was just trying to deal with them in a different way instead of just telling them to f*** off! PG: How do you stay so buff? You look really built! Glenn: I’m not so built right now! I don’t have much time to work out these days. I try to stay in shape and I try not to eat too much junk. PG: You are built like a wrestler. Glenn: I was a wrestler when I was a teenager. PG: Are you really a Satanist like people say? Glenn: Who cares what people say? My religion is that I believe in myself. I believe in myself and that I am what makes things happen for me! PG: Did you enjoy being in movies? Glenn: It was okay being in movies but it is different being in movies than singing on stage. Singing is much more direct and immediate. There are no retakes, know what I mean? In movies you waste a lot of time waiting around for something to

happen. It was pretty boring. Directing is a lot better. I have been doing that for a long time with videos and documentaries. PG: Tell me about the movie you are about to direct. Glenn: It’s a turn-of-the-century New Orleans Voodoo movie! It will be full of zombies and snake rituals with some of the most gruesome scenes ever filmed! PG: You wrote music with Johnny Cash. What was he like? Glenn: Johnny Cash was real nice. A very humble guy. It was not like talking to Johnny Cash, know what I mean, not like a big star! Sitting there with a guitar, he would start singing and it would just fill up the whole room- - so big and loud! I also wrote a song with Roy Orbison. PG: People have said you’re the son of Elvis or Jim Morrison--so tell me what your real Dad was like. Glenn: My real Dad was an exMarine. There you go! PG: Was he hard on you? Glenn: He was and he wasn’t. PG: You were a big Black Sabbath fan as a kid, and then you got to play on the very first Ozzfest! What was it like when you met him? Glenn: It wasn’t that good. By the time I got to do Ozzfest, Ozzy’s condition had deteriorated, know what I mean? He’s still great on stage and I remembered seeing Black Sabbath, but by the time we worked with him, well-I don’t want to say anything bad about him, so let’s just say it wasn’t that great. PG: What rock bands, if any, do you like these days? Glenn: Not many. I still like Motorhead and Marduk, that kind of stuff. PG: Motorhead won a Grammy for best metal performance. Just the other day! For Whiplash. Glenn: Wow--the Grammies actually know who Motorhead is? That’s surprising! The Grammies are bullshit! PG: Do you and Jerry Only communicate at all? Why did the Misfits break up? Glenn: I don’t talk to Jerry Only. I don’t want to talk about the Misfits at all!

The Columbus Riverdragons will be awarding one month’s free rent to a lucky fan at “Apartment Night with the Riverdragons” on Thursday, March 10 as the Dragons host the Florida Flame at the Columbus Civic Center. The contest is sponsored by Knology and Publix Supermarkets and is for renters only. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.. Fans in attendance who are currently renting an apartment, condominium or house can enter the game-night drawing to win the grand prize of up to $500 for one month’s rent prior to and during the first half of the game. The runner-up will receive a 20-inch, flat screen television compliments of Knology, while the third prize winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Publix Supermarkets. To purchase tickets for “Apartment Night with the Riverdragons”, visit the Columbus Civic Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, including Publix supermarkets, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-4-NBA-TIX, or log onto ticketmaster.com. For additional information, please visit columbusriverdragons.com

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PG: Doyle did go with you on your tour last fall. How was that? Glenn: It went fine but he’s not on the tour now. Didn’t make it to the South with Doyle. PG: Who’s touring with you now? My friend Bevan Davies played drums on your album. Glenn: We got Johnny Kelley back from Type O Negative on drums, Tommy Victor on guitars, and Jerry Montano on bass. PG: You’ve said there is no punk music out there any more. How do you define punk? Glenn: Well, there isn’t any! Punk is an attitude and a sound to the music. I don’t see any aggressive angry music any more. People think Greenday’s punk. That’s not punk! Blink 182 ain’t punk! Real punk has attitude, aggressiveness, a punk vibe to it! That’s just my opinion. PG: All of your albums had a number in the title until Circle of Snakes, why? Glenn: Yeah. I had envisioned a 7 record cycle and the cycle was over with the album before this one. PG: You moved from New Jersey to LA. How did you adjust to California? Glenn: I didn’t like the east coast anymore. I grew up near New York City. There were a lot of yuppies and preppies taking over. No clubs were playing loud rock music any more. I had to fly out to California more and more to work, and there were like 8 different rock clubs every night out there. All the current bands. I was like, I’ll just move! PG: I heard you finished Black Aria II, your classical album. When will it come out? Glenn: I recorded it this December. Hopefully it will be out in early summer. PG: You said in Metal Edge something about wanting to work with Motley Crue. Glenn: Not Motley Crue now. I said I would have loved to have Motley Crue on Blackest of the Black, just at the time of their first two records, with the pentagrams and Looks that Kill and Shout At The Devil.

PG: I know you have a record label Evilive. Are you going to sign other bands? Glenn: I’m going to start putting other bands besides my own on my label. PG: How would you choose the bands? Glenn: I am talking to a couple of bands already. I meet different bands and they give me demos and if I like them I will give them a call. PG: Do you think young bands are better off with a major label or an independent label? Glenn: It’s up to the band, but if they do get involved with a major, and sometimes indies are just as bad as majors, just make sure you know what you are signing and stay true to your music. Don’t let your label try to change your music! PG: What’s the best thing about being a rock star? Glenn: Everything! I don’t know, there are a lot of good things and a lot of bad things. You don’t have any anonymity, everyone knows who you are. There’s paparazzi and touring- -I hate touring! I love being on stage but the other 30 hours of the day you’re bouncing around on a bus or in a hotel. I don’t like that! If I could just magically appear onstage without the touring I would tour forever! PG: So is this really the last Danzig tour? Glenn: It very well could be! If you don’t want to take a chance of missing Danzig’s last tour, they will play The Roxy in Atlanta on March 5th! See you there! Mother Tell your children not to walk my way Tell your children not to hear my words What they mean What they say Mother Mother Can you keep them in the dark for life Can you hide them from the waiting world Oh mother Father Gonna take your daughter out tonight Gonna show her my world Oh father Not about to see your light But if you wanna ﬁnd hell with me I can show you what it’s like Till your bleeding Not about to see your light And if you wanna ﬁnd hell with me I can show you what it’s Blackest of the Black Lyrics: Glenn Danzig

MARCH 2005

Eugene Has A Dream By Randall Byron

Chapter 1 Staring at the carpet-covered cubicle as a dying man in the desert at a mirage, Eugene’s mind played handball with the concept of escape. For the greatest part of his middle-aged life he had dutifully toed the mark of respectability, meeting the expectations of all who bothered to take note of his boring life. His was a seemingly safe life, played within the confines of what was expected of him. And therein lay his problem, for it was a life without ultimate meaning, devoid of any significant encounters or even interesting details. When he was no more, there would be no one to comment on the imagined fact of his existence. In fact, it could be argued, as many had argued over the existence of Socrates, that he had not existed at all. In the over crowded office space little could be heard and only the grid work ceiling could be viewed outside his immediate field of vision of the inside of his cube. Murmurs of existence filtered through the dull brown carpeting of his cell. A cough, a sputter, could be heard beyond the cube. Yes, they were out there, but inconsequential like squirrels in cages. Only the handball game truly mattered. Would he find some meaningful exit from this banal world of plastics and synthetics, of additives and interests, of pointless hypocrisy? Or would he merely become the desert brown covering of a long dead existence? He considered his ergonomically designed black plastic chair. It was a very good example of the ‘art’ of his culture. Rocking slightly he slid his hands down the roughly textured arms like a ski jumper on the high ramp discovering, once again, the slight upturn at the bottom of each arm. The high back of the vinyl chair touched him at the back of his neck, ending an “S” curve up his spine. It was very sexy, in an antiseptic, clinical sort of way. The chair only required connection to high voltage electrodes to be the perfect instrument of the conclusion of his imprisonment. Punctuating the poignant silence, his telephone rang. Like a diver deep below the sea in gloves, boots and pressured suit, Eugene reached for what seemed to be the phone, though in the midst of this tide rippled surreal moment he could not be sure. “Eugene Marsh” he spoke softly into the plastic mouthpiece, in a trained Pavlovian reaction perfected through years of abuse. “Eugene,” a distant voice on the other end of the device called him from his dream, “do you have that Anderson report ready for me?” “Just finishing it up,” he responded without any consideration of truth. “I should have it

for you within the hour, Ned.” He recognized the faceless voice through the haze of his under water moment. “Good, good!” Ned Bundle was a tyrant of the first order and a moron to boot. He had schmoozed his way into the corporate world, licking butts as he went. He had no vision, save the company he served. He was just another neo-roman slave bound to the Emperor’s dream. All the other slaves saw him as a ‘success’, dragging along all the symbols of that success, houses, cars, suits and shoes, as he made his payments to the appetite of the beast he worshipped. Eugene knew him for what he was: like himself, another non-being. “Get it to me as soon as possible,” Ned dribbled on, “I’ve got to speak to Peterson about it this afternoon. Oh, by the way, did your plans for the weekend come together? Weren’t you planning some sort of trip?” “Uh, yes. I’m going for a drive in the mountains, up near Upatoi.” “Well fine, fine. Sounds like a good time. The leaves should be changing soon. Enjoy!” Ned disconnected, abruptly, in a rather mechanical sort of way. Eugene held the receiver as if it were an ancient historic artifact he had discovered while robbing Egyptian tombs. His mind slipped softly back into the soup of his creation. The trip into the mountains began to emerge from his reverie. He really had no idea where he was going or what he would do with this weekend, which was so unlike his normal scheduled routine. Normally, his life was so neat and orderly. But that was the point! His analysis had advised him to alter his course in order to bring some vitality into his existence. “Eliminate something superfluous from your life, Eugene!” The good doctor had become quite animated. “Break a habit! Do something that makes you feel insecure. Carry out an action with complete attention and intensity, as if it were your last!” Eugene had agreed to the plan, though he felt very threatened by its implementation. Still, it might be relaxing. Two hours later, Eugene found himself behind the wheel of his Mark VIII, moving from the confines of his little brown cubicle toward the comforting seclusion of his familiar brown townhouse. Parking the machine in its usual numbered space, he began to walk up the curving cement path trimmed in boxwoods to the sheltered doorway of number thirty-seven. No one was in sight as he turned the large key in the lock of his door, entering his neatly arranged inner world. It was not a large apartment, but a comfortable one, meeting all of Eugene’s needs. Across the small entry/living area was his bookcase of familiar pictures, memorabilia, and a small collection of books and magazines, mostly National Geographic, some Heinlein

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paperbacks and a collection of Shakespeare’s plays. In the corner of the room, across from the large leather sofa was the T.V. Behind the sofa was a bar with three stools from which you could look in upon the galley kitchen. A doorway to the right of the entry, down a short hall, led to the bedroom and bath. Moving to the bedroom, he began to place clothing in the bag on the bed where he had left it this morning. Stripping off the corporate badge of suit and tie, he put on his worn jeans and hush puppies and a loose fitting, open necked shirt. He inspected the contents of the bag. Socks and underwear, two changes of clothes, his toilet kit in its leather zippered bag, and a nylon wind-breaker. He was ready. Without any additional thought, he left the small apartment behind like a sleepwalker making his way back down to the parking lot. Once again sitting behind the wheel of the Mark VIII, he considered the weekend before him. Wouldn’t it be remarkable, he commented to the interior of his mind, if something good should come of this? As the flatlands gave way to gently rolling hills Eugene’s focus shifted to the external world. Pastures with cows and horses began to appear interspersed with large spreading oak trees, dilapidated barns and quaint wooden farm houses, all stolen, it seemed, from an old Currier and Ives calendar. Perhaps his analyst had been right! The change would do him good! Slowly, surely, color began to enter his vision. Green fields rolled randomly off toward the tree-lined horizon. He turned on the radio. Stanley wished the car could fly off the roadway and into the sky. A tune was playing that he had never heard before. It was written in a minor chord and had an ethereal quality. “How do you know you’re not dreaming? Could be just a dream in a dream. Where all that you see is illusion, And the absolute truth is a dream. The pure and the lost and the holy All dance to the same piper’s tune While the dice are tossed smoothly and slowly And the glyphs are transformed into runes. So how do you know you’re not dreaming? How can you be so sure of what is real? When the truth has been written in ashes, On mirrors of polished steel.” What an odd thought, Eugene commented to himself. Certainly life was not a dream! ‘Life was real; life was earnest’ to quote the bard. He turned the radio off. He entered a small town with little shops lining the highway on his left and a rail line on his right. A small storefront advertised ice cream in its large glass front window. On a whim Eugene slowed the massive metal chariot and made a left turn across the highway. He was not on a schedule. Why not enjoy the moment? It had been a popular idea in the early fifties of the twentieth century to turn corner storefronts into ice cream parlors, complete with long Formica counters and round, low back, stainless steel stools. Somehow, this one had survived. In the corner was an old-fashioned jukebox, lights flashing. “What’ll you have, friend?” the old man behind the counter wore a white shirt and black string tie. Eugene felt like he was in a movie. He began to study the signboard above the gleaming white counter. “How about a chocolate shake?” “Sure thing! Would you like some sprinkles of mint in that? It’s one of our house specialties!” “Why not?” Eugene suddenly felt adven-

turous. The graying old man with the moustache beamed his pleasure like a man on a mission who could see the end of the journey just ahead. “Traveling through are you?” “Yes, just out to see the country side.” “You picked a great day for it! Not a cloud in that sky out there! Are you going to take in the Festival?” “What Festival?” With a twisted arthritic finger the old man pointed out a poster on the glass mirror behind him. Swashes of color surrounded large print lettering in a nostalgic style announcing the Appleton Harvest Festival. “Oh, Appleton! Is that the name of this town?” “Well, no, it isn’t. This is Mooresborough. I’m not sure why they call it the Appleton Festival. Just always have. They’ve been holding the thing for thirteen years now. ‘Course I’ve never actually been out there. The shop, here, claims all my time, but I hear it’s quite pleasant. Music, food and a renaissance fair atmosphere is what they say. You’ll see the signs about five miles out on the north side of town.” “Sounds interesting. Say this is a great milk shake! And what a terrific idea to add the mint. Thank you.” “My pleasure, young man! Hope the rest of your vacation goes just as well.” As Eugene settled back into the comfort of his car he considered his options. Possibly the Festival might fit into his trip. He remembered the scene in Dr. Altweiser’s office, the comfortable over-stuffed chair and the good doctor’s persistent demeanor. “Eugene, it’s an old saw, but true just the same, a ‘rut’ is a coffin with both ends kicked out. Again, it seems to me that your current psychological position is a result of your frustration with that well-worn rut. Your spirit seems to be crying out to you to alter that rut. It would be in your best interests, in my opinion, to seek out new experiences in your life. Add some spice! Live a little! Do some things you might not have considered, seriously, before. Do some sky diving, join a Zen group, buy a new wardrobe.” “But Doc, I’m doing my best to make some changes! Last week I bought myself some very fashionable multi-colored socks. Of course, where I’ll wear them is hard to say, but I am trying!” “Well, yes, that’s a start, Eugene, but I was considering something a little more extraverted. You must get in touch with the immediate expression of your feelings. Be consciously more spontaneous in response to your moods. Start listening more acutely to your inner voices.” Eugene felt Doctor Altweiser could not possibly understand the great fear such a suggestion instilled in him. The mere thought of stepping out into the unknown sent chills down his arms as he gripped the wheel more tightly. Slowly the fear passed and his mind returned to the moment. He wondered if the Festival setting would be open air or would there be a theatre? What style of music was involved? The colorful poster in the ice cream shop seemed to suggest a nostalgic theme, but you couldn’t know until you got there, as no real indication was evident. Up ahead a sign was visible. An arrow pointing to the right with the single word “Festival” hand printed on it announced the intended direction. Should he take the turn? Why not? This was exactly the sort of thing he had promised his shrink and himself to respond to in a more spontaneous frame of mind. to be continued

MARCH 2005

Feardevil: A Return by Will Dockery, Lillian Owl & Blackwolf Chapter Six Steve grabbed the stranger roughly by the upper arm. “Let him eat breakfast. He’s my partner, and he hasn’t had a decent meal in two days. No sleep, either. Leave him alone for ten minutes and let him digest something for a change.” “I’m a reporter,” the accosted man snapped, trying to free his bicep from the beefy detective’s grasp. “I’ve got First Amendment rights.” “Yeah, well they don’t include giving a man ulcers. Let him eat in peace.” “He hasn’t returned my calls, and no one else will give me a statement. I just need five minutes of his time.” “Yeah, well, you’ll get it in ten minutes. Don’t get your panties in a gather, Bub, and maybe you’ll get some information.” The reporter still struggled with the detective. “Keep it up, you’ll be writing your headline from a jail cell.” The reporter quit struggling, and Steve walked him to a nearby hallway, where he shoved the unhappy man into a gray plastic chair. “Sit. Stay. Good boy. Don’t move until I tell you to.” Steve walked calmly back to his unofficial post by the door of the vacant staff lounge -- vacant except for Petey Dockery, his eggs, his donut, and his passable decaf coffee. “Sit down on this stump, Bart.” “No,” he wheezed, “We’re almost there.” Coffee, he thought. I need coffee. For Owlyn, the spreading darkness of his aura felt like squid-ink to her psychic senses, or some strange metaphysical mimicry of the black- brown liquid that he craved so fervently. He’s dying, she thought sorrowfully, but was careful not to send. His soft lips were pale, lips she had tasted warm and sweet once, and wanted to taste again. She was afraid that now it would never happen. He’s not thinking straight, she realized. He just has it programmed into his brain to keep walking, but he’s not going to get very much farther. “Bart,” she said softly, sending her voice into his brain at the same instant. “Bart, my feet are killing me. Let’s sit down for a minute.” He panted hoarsely. “OK. Just for a minute. Then we’ve got to keep going. We have to get into town.” “Right, Bart. We’ll make it. But I can’t walk another three feet like this.” “OK... we’ll rest... for your sake....” “Thank you, Bart.” She tried to ease him down to a fallen log, but he sort of half-sat, half-fell on his bottom. She sat carefully next to him, supporting his back with her arm. So hard for him to admit he needs help, she mused. Owlyn fingered the little secret hiding place where she’d tucked the small vial of restorative potion. Her code of honor prevented her from uncapping it and pouring it down his reluctant throat. But she knew, it was now or never. The potion, or the afterlife. He was calling upon all his neglected training to get him this far, but this is as far as it would take him. Isis, she silently prayed, Goddess of Healing, if your Owl-Shaman has found any favor in your kind eyes... spread your wings upon him. Help me get the potion into his mouth. Please let him live. “Bart,” she said softly. “I have to tell you something.” “What is it?” he whispered, gasping. “Bart, if you ever felt any love for me, please

Playgrounds Magazine

take the potion.” She held the vial out to him and carefully pulled the cap off. “No,” he said, flailing at the bottle with one hand, clutching his chest with the other. “No, save it... give it to my golden bird, my Galatea.” “It was meant for you, Bart. You earned the favor of the Great Shaman. It was crafted for you.” “But I don’t want it,” he breathed. “Restore Galatea. Get her out of that coma.” “Take it,” the little buzzy voice called from Owlyn’s hair. “She wants you to take it.” “Shut up, Mr. Stick Bug. I know what Owlyn wants. She ain’t gettin’ it.” He panted and gasped, looking Owlyn in the eye with great effort. “Galatea,” he whispered. “Galatea... sent me to tell you... to drink it,” buzzed the curious little creature. “I offered it to her already, Bart,” Owlyn said gently. “She refused it.” “And I refuse it too,” he whispered. “Mistress Galatea said, ‘Feardevil, take it.’ She sent me to you,” the stick bug loosened its grip on Owlyn’s hair, and leaped down onto the collar of Bart’s damp coat. He flailed at the creature weakly, but the little one deftly dodged the lame blows. “The golden hummingbird, the one that brought you....” Owlyn began to ask the insect. “Was Mistress Galatea,” he crooned. “How she talks and moves now.” “Bart, she’s astrally projecting. She’s totally free now. She’s broken the bonds of her coma.” “Mistress doesn’t need a potion. Mistress Galatea said ‘drink it, Feardevil,’ Owlyn touched the lip of the bottle to Bart’s cold, pale lips. It still had to be his choice. He blinked at her, gasping, clutching his chest so fiercely that his nails pierced his shirt and marked his skin. He opened his eyes and nodded at her. Then he tilted his head back. “Gonna taste like crap, isn’t it?” he wheezed. “It’s sweet,” she smiled. “Tastes... I don’t know, sort of like espresso.” Ah, at last, a little trickle of coffee, he thought, not really meaning to send the thought to Owlyn, but she smiled despite herself. She tilted the bottle and the contents ran slowly, thickly, into his mouth. “Swallow it slowly. I know it hurts to swallow right now, but do it. Don’t hold it in your mouth.” Finally, the last drops of potion had dripped onto his tongue. She crushed the bottle under her boot heel, then tossed the pieces into a puddle. “Oh, damn, I’m dizzy,” he breathed. “I... I need to rest a while longer... is that OK with you?” he asked, breathing much more easily now, but he barely noticed the transformation. “Yes, of course it is. My feet are still tired.” His eyes closed for a moment, then he tried to jar himself awake. She lowered his limp form back onto the log, and unwound one of her shawls to make a pillow for his head. She took off her trench coat and spread it over him for extra warmth. She sat down again, stroking his darkening, lengthening hair, and smoothing the wrinkled skin of his face, which was already tightening and renewing its youthful texture. She was prepared for a long wait.

son, the first time all three of them had agreed on anything, ever. “No, Cups, you stupid bovine, you demanded that I do it by today, but I never said I was going to.” Buddha Devil heaved himself into the driver’s seat. “Frankly, I don’t care if the van says ‘The Masks’ or looks like the weiner-mobile. I’m hungry, and if you stupid females want something to eat, you’re gonna climb inside and quit giving me lip!” He slammed the driver’s door and glared at the three of them. “You’re all dressed like biker sluts, so you might as well ride in a biker van!” he snarled. The women tapped their feet against the muddy ground and flicked the underside of their nails. “Fine. Starve. You’d just scarf it down and puke it up in the john anyway.” He ground the ignition wires together until the van choked into half-life, punched the clutch and threw the vehicle into first gear. He drove like a madman until he reached the main road, then he slowed down in fear of Shadowville cops. “You never know when one of them might decide to enforce the traffic laws.” B.D. managed to find an inconspicuous spot down the street from the restaurant, where he could park the reluctant microbus without too much difficulty. He plopped himself out of the door, slammed it shut, and waddled to the back door, sweating profusely. Once inside, he settled down in a back corner booth to a huge breakfast. “Fit for a king,” he chuckled. “Or what passes for a king at the Georgia-Alabama border.” He crammed his mouth noisily, and winced while syrup trickled down his chin.

“Wands can wash that for me,” he mused. “So, what do you call yourself?” Owlyn asked the bug. “Name? I -- I don’t have name,” it buzzed quizzically. “Would you like one?” she asked, as though offering it a home-made cookie. “Yes, Lady Owlyn, if it pleases.” “So you know who I am already.” The bug bowed or curtseyed. It was hard to tell, since it couldn’t bend at the waist, or rather, at the thorax. “What would you like to be called?” she smiled. The little one shrugged with four limbs. “You know that Feardevil would be gone if you hadn’t come.” The bug actually seemed shy and modest now. “You’re a living, breathing Stick, and you saved Feardevil. Hmmm....” she pursed her lips. “How about... Stickdevil? Because you are a very brave and noble stick bug.” The bug bowed or curtseyed very low. Owlyn laughed, and knighted him with her index ﬁnger. “Rise, little one. I knight you ‘Sir Stickdevil.’” The bug didn’t seem to be able to laugh, but his tiny animal aura glowed beautifully to her second sight. She silently prayed her thanks to Isis, and thanked her stars for sudden and unlikely friendships. “Isn’t he done eating yet?” the reporter sneered. “Sit down, walk away, drop dead, I don’t care, but leave Lieutenant Schmedly alone,” Steve snarled. “This is the last time I’m telling you.” The reporter turned on his heel and stalked off toward the elevator. He patted the revolver hidden under his suit jacket; soon, he told himself. Very soon. Give the Lieutenant a last meal. He’ll be in hell with his precious private eye before lunch. to be continued Copyright © 2005 Will Dockery, Lillian Owl, Blackwolf

“You said you’d get that stupid biker logo off the side of the microbus by today. You didn’t do it. I’m not getting inside!” Cups spat. Her sister-Queens both shook their heads in uni-

MARCH 2005

Go Ask

ally are only asked to do by aging stars, who don’t want cameras to get too close!

Alice story and photos by Alice Barkwell

Happy Spring! My favorite band in the world Dishwalla is releasing a self-titled album March 15th and a single to radio on March 8th called Collide. I know you will love it, so please everyone give it a listen! I hear they may be touring around with 5 Star Iris, who plays here often! I am SO excited! It’s March and festival season will soon be upon us. They have moved Music Midtown (usually in early May) to June 10-12. The first time ever it isn’t the same time as New Orleans Jazz Festival. It is however at the exact same time as Bonnaroo, which makes me mad, because I had so much fun at my 1st Bonnaroo last year and now can’t go back! Club La Vela, where so many of us have spent so many Spring Breaks and summer days, has been sold and will soon be torn down to become a super-luxury condominium, called Aquatica. They will be building a new club called Club LaVela Legacy, ready sometime in 2005. This is the last Spring Break at the old club. They have a Socialburn concert March 17 and you can check the website for hot details of other activities at www.clublavela.com. Playboy Spring break Playmates will be there! MTV and MTV2 will also be there this year and have built a village on the beach near Spinnaker- -and plan shows like Fallout Boy March 9th, Lil Scrappy on March 10th and Fabulous sometime too. Might want to do the old La Vela thing one more time. Columbus’ Riverfest is April 22-24. Phil Vassar will play April 22nd. We are hoping a rock act or two will be added soon! How about Collective Soul, who are from Atlanta and have never even played in Columbus? Details at www.historiccolumbus.com. Atlanta’s Dogwood Festival is April 9-10 in Piedmont Park-- always a beautiful springtime event. There will be great music and flowers everywhere. The big shot festivals all over the South will be coming up soon so mark your calendars for Jubilee Cityfest, May 27-28 in downtown Montgomery. All I know so far is REO Speedwagon will be playing the 27th and Boyz II Men are also scheduled but you can check for updates at www.jubileecityfest.org. Birmingham’s City Stages is 17-19 and so far all I know is Aretha Franklin and Loretta Lynn are scheduled. Check for updates at www.citystages.org. Speaking of big festivals I am trying to get credentials for the Coachella Valley Festival, the foremost music festival in the country to be held in the California desert on April 30 and May 1st. Keep your fingers crossed for me- and check out the unbelievable lineup at www.coachella.com. For those of you, who, like me, want to do something about what happened to

Playgrounds Magazine

Dimebag Darryl, there is a new Dimebag Memorial Bracelet you can buy for only $3. It says ”Getcha pull” one of Dime’s favorite sayings, meaning “Have a drink, enjoy life!” It also says “Dimebag R.I.P.” For details and to order yours, go to www. dimetribute.com. The money aids survivors and families from that awful event! In March you should see Danzig at the Roxy, (last tour?) Maroon 5 at Gwinnett and you’ll have to choose between Slipknot at Hi Fi Buys and Queens of the Stone Age, at the Roxy the very same night! And deﬁnitely don’t miss the Kings of Leon at the Roxy with The Features! There’s a Collective Soul show in Athens at the Georgia Theater the 25th. Yep things are picking up! Lastly, there is a wonderful tribute show for Lance Lisenby, who lost his arm in a wreck with a train on New Year’s Eve. McQueen Street, Derek Welsh’s other band besides The Rat Race, will be playing, at a new club in Prattville, Alabama called The Blue Iguana on March 4th. Details and directions at www.lancelisenby. com.

Kevin, Better Than Ezra Josh Groban Went to Montgomery’s cool rock club Off the Wagon to see Vancouver’s Theory of a Deadman. The opener was none other than Damon Johnson, who played alone, entertaining with all the Brother Cane hits. It was so good to see him! He told me about the ﬁrst total reunion Brother Cane’s original lineup for a show at The Alabama Theater in Birmingham on March 10th. Details at www.rickandbubba.com. The middle band was called No Address, from Tallahassee, Florida. They were really good! Just signed by Atlantic, they have a single called When I’m Gone I loved them! Theory of a Deadman was the ﬁrst band signed by Chad Kroeger for his new label, and they still sound a lot like Chad and his band Nickelback. They have a new album coming out in March. They are very rocking! Very entertaining! I still love this little club–people all seem so into the music!

Rock Reviews Went to Philips Arena for the big Josh Groban show. The opener was very entertaining! It was horn player, Chris Botti, a really cute guy who is dating Katie Couric. I had never really shot a horn player before, so I was having fun trying to capture all the different angles you can look at a horn from. He spotted me and started staring me down–really fun! He’s very good! Josh Groban however isn’t much fun to photograph. He just stands there. He sang operatic songs in Italian, along with the more familiar radio songs. He can deﬁnitely sing–a powerful multi-octave voice that everyone loved. The arena was sold out with die-hard fans who seemed transﬁxed. We had to shoot Josh from the sound board, something we usu-

dio station guys were on the balconies throwing beads and since the whole alley was packed with crazy, celebrating fans I decided I had best take pictures from the balcony myself! I even threw a few beads! There were silly things happening like a furry blue gorilla who was playing the violin, and near naked women dancing around (well it was a Sinner’s Ball). Better Than Ezra was just wonderful. Their new music is great stuff and they sang their hit songs too. They said that they had been at the real Mardi Gras in New Orleans the night before and that Atlanta’s celebration was much crazier than New Orleans! The whole thing was total chaos! Great show, great fun and then I had to go to Masquerade for Take Action Tour–a great tour for the cause of preventing teen suicide. It was headlined by my good friends in Sugarcult! Masquerade was sold out and young kids (some with their parents) were everywhere! I had missed earlier bands but Sugarcult is awesome! They were most excited about going to Japan in March with Greenday and then recording a new album. I went back to see Marko after the show and stood around with him for a long time as he signed and took pictures with absolutely every kid in the joint! Everybody loves Sugarcult, especially Marko!

Theory of a Deadman

Sugarcult’s Marko No Address

Chris Botti

The next night I made it to two shows. Better Than Ezra was playing at 99X’s Sinner’s Ball, their annual Mardi Gras celebration which was held at Kenny’s Alley at Underground Atlanta. The ra-

My next show was the Go Gos at Earthlink Live. I have always loved them but never saw them before. They are all still so cute! Belinda, Jane, Kathy, Charlotte and Gina (wearing this huge white Afro wig) were rocking out with so many recognizable hits! I’d forgotten how much

MARCH 2005

fun they are! They did all the hits Vacation Our Lips Are Sealed, Cool Jerk, We Got the Beat and Head Over Heels! So much fun! The sellout crowd was about half gay and half straight couples, all of who were dancing all over the place with big smiles! It was a wonderful show--and I didn’t leave a minute before it was over like I usually do because I was having so much fun!

Nick, the fabulous guitarist, even jumped down to play in the middle of the crowd! This band is electric on stage–the energy and excitement of their show is indescribable! (but I keep on trying) At the end, the singer Walt grabbed my camera and took some shots of the drummer right between his drums, and gave it back! That was a ﬁrst! The opening band was The Warm Gunns, one of Atlanta’s young rock groups that features the irrepressible Mark Dannells, my favorite guitarist! (Yep last month he was here in Angie Aparo’s Inﬁdels)

Graham Colton

The Go Gos’ Jane The next Friday there was big party at Kenny’s Alley presenting all the new clubs at the new Underground Atlanta. The whole idea is that here are all the possible types of clubs right there together and that you can wander from club to club and take your drinks with you. We were given a preview and got to experience the food and drinks of all the new clubs. Island Oasis was a tropical club with all sorts of yummy frozen drinks. Koco’s was also a bit tropical but is to be a karaoke bar. Jamaica Jamaica was Jamaican themed with Caribbean drinks and food. The Alley Cat was a cool rock club with singing waitresses in cute cat costumes. Irish Bread was an Irish pub. Charlie Brown’s was the craziest place, a famous show of Female Impersonators who pretended to be Aretha and Christina and Tina–all the divas. The same show that used to be at Backstreet before it closed. Latin Sol offers hot Latin dance music and Future was a high energy dance club. We had a great time trying out all the clubs and their drinks and foods!

Then we went to Graham Colton Band at Smiths Olde Bar. A fairly new Texas band, they have an album coming out in May and a big tour coming up opening for Kelly Clarkson. This is a very good, easygoing band and there’s nothing not to like, except the fact that their best known song is called Cigarette! Smiths was packed and people were loving it-- couldn’t get to the front for photos because those women were vicious! Michael Tolcher Band was at the Roxy on Saturday and I was mostly there to see William Duvall, from Madﬂy, who is the band’s guitarist. I didn’t know this until I saw them on Carson Daley a few weeks ago and there was William as big as life! Michael is from Lovejoy, Georgia and has become quite widely known from playing shows with Gavin Degraw. His wonderful songs capture everyone. His fans are rabid– mostly young girls in their teens, who crowd toward the stage trying very hard to sing every word! Songs like Mission Responsible and the wonderful Sooner or Later are just amazing! William is still a sight to see–doing every fun thing you can possibly do with a guitar and rocking every song up to the max! A wonderful band I highly recommend!

Silvertide

Warm Gunns guitarist Mark Dannells

Local Shows Made two local shows this month. One was a really cool band Anthony Z’sler. Couldn’t believe that they played a Coldplay song perfectly, just to start off (no easy feat!). Their own music was beautiful and fun too, but the covers were just unreal (Collective Soul, Dave Matthews) and the crowd had a tendency to get up and dance–even forming a long, snaking conga line through the club! Not

March Calendar 1

Epitaph Tour Matchbook Romance Masquerade 2 Alicia Keys, John Legend Alys Stephens Ctr B’ham 3-4 Marcia Ball ATL History Ctr 3 OTEP, American Head Charge Masquerade 3 Cowboy Mouth Workplay B’ham 4 McQueen Street beneﬁt for Lance Lisenby The Blue Iguana 4-5 Mo Tabernacle 4 Royal 7, Eden Smiths Olde Bar 4 Hed pe Masquerade 5 Danzig Roxy 5 EX Vortex SoHo 6 Elvis Costello Tabernacle 8 Bettie Seveert Smiths Olde Bar 9 Vanessa Carlton Smiths Olde Bar 9 Social Distortion, Backyard Babies Sloss Furnace B’ham 10 Brother Cane reunion beneﬁt Alabama Theater 10 Juliana Theory Masquerade 10 Steve Vai,Eric Sardinas Boutwell B’ham 10 The Eagles Gwinnett Arena 11 Paul Thorn, Charlie Robison Smiths Olde Bar 11 American Devils, The Five L’s, Hybrid L SoHo 12 Ash Vinyl (now The Loft) 12 Paul Thorn Workplay B’ham 12 Jerry Seinfeld BJCC B’ham 13 Hot Hot Heat, Louis XIV Vinyl 13 The Manhattan Transfer Alys Stephens Ctr B’ham 15 Newfound Glory 15 Toots and the Maytals Earthlink Live 18 Kings of Leon, The Features Roxy 18, 19 Trust Company Off the Wagon 19 Slipknot, Shadows Fall Hi Fi Buys 19 Queens of the Stone Age Earthlink Live 19 Steve Vai ,Eric sardines Roxy 19 Buddy Guy Tabernacle 19 Soundtrack of out Lives Smiths Olde Bar 20 One Tree Hill Tour, Michelle Branch, Tyler Hilton Variety Playhouse 21 Maroon 5, The Donnas, Phantom Planet Gwinnett Ctr 21 Interpol Tabernacle 22 Southern Culture on the Skids Smiths Olde Bar 22 Fatboy Slim Eleven 50 23 John Mellencamp Savannah Civic Ctr 23 De La Soul Woodruff Arts Ctr Atl 24-25-26 Widespread Panic Fox Theater 25 Collective Soul GA Theater Athens 26 The Codetalkers Smiths Olde Bar 26 The Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Variety Plhse 26 X Zibit Roxy

Go Ask Alice cont on page 23

Michael Tolcher & William Duvall

Charlie Brown Playgrounds Magazine

The most fun gig of the month was Silvertide at Earthlink Live. They are used to me now and their sweet tour manager Nitebob allowed me free reign--to go all over the stage and shoot the whole show! This makes me happy! A fabulous show–

Anthony Z’sler Band & a conga line MARCH 2005

Ask ISIS How to Attract Love and Money So many people want to know how to attract Love and/or Money that ISIS felt that this column should be a combination of the two. Tips on How to Attract Love You say you want someone to love. You are lonesome and wish for Miss or Mr. Wright to come along and give meaning to your life. Now I have a question for you. What have you done to attract Miss or Mr. Wright to you? The first item to consider is what type of person you wish to attract. They say opposites attract but a person who is happier in blue jeans will have serious problems adjusting to a person who is always elegantly dressed. The tattooed lady will find more happiness with the tattooed man than someone who thinks tattoos are low class. So first find the kind of person you wish to attract and notice what type of places that person frequents. You have now put yourself in the position to be noticed. This though, is only the beginning. Why should Miss or Mr. Wright be attracted to you when there are others also trying to attract them? What do you have to offer? Love is like any other commodity. People are attracted to you for what you make them feel. Ask any person in love and they all say the same thing: “I feel...” Now say that through no fault of yours you still have not found your special person. Does this mean that all the love that you have will wither and die? No! Have you ever thought of the people in nursing homes or the children in long-term hospitals who wait day after day

Pick up a free copy of Playgrounds at the following locations. APARTMENTS Brittwood 2444 W Britt David Rd 3271443 Country Club 2001 Country Club Rd 3270268 Garden Brook 3561 Hilton Ave 596-9111 The Grand Reserve Luxury Apartment Homes 1700 Fountain Ct 653-8111 Greystone Farms 7401 Blackmon Rd 221 9200 Inverness 7175 Moon Rd 571-9200 The Lodge 464 N Oakley 689-4402 Main Street 6400 Main Street 322-8100 Milgen Village 5800 Milgen Rd 563-2550 Sherwood Arms 3909 Baker Plaza Dr 689-1759 The Village on Cherokee 3113 Cherokee Ave 324-2112 Whisperwood 6029 Flat Rock Rd 5630001 Willow Creek Apartments 3700 Buena Vista Rd 687-5672 Windsor Village 3700 Bridgewater Rd 561-5935 Woodlands 6000 River Rd, Green Island Woodville 3940 Macon Rd 563-3320 ART Bare Ware Pottery Studio 2515 Old Whittlesey Rd 571-0507 Britt David Studios 2700 W Britt David Rd 571-5877 M-F10-4:30, Tu & Th 7p-9p Galleria Riverside Dillingham Place 119th St 653-1950 M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4 Rankin Arts Center 1004 Broadway 6414000 AUTOMOTIVE Bob’s Carburetor Shop and Moore’s Auto Electric 3140 Victory Dr 689-8086 Bradley Park Car Wash 1655 Whittlesey Rd 653-8882 Fred’s Tire Center 1600 2nd Ave 3237353 M-F 8-6, Sa 8-1

Playgrounds Magazine

for someone to visit? These people are starved for love and you with so much love to give can brighten their day and bring happiness into their lives. The giving of love unconditionally makes you a more interesting person and that special someone who is right for you will gravitate to you as iron gravitates to a magnet. How to Attract Money You attract money in the same manner you attract love. Sure you want money but what are you doing to attract it? People have a tendency to say that they want money but when money comes to visit, it seems that they can’t wait to spend it. A hole appears in their pocket and the money pours out. Let us think for a moment on how to attract and keep money. First you need to set up a love affair with money the same way you set up a real love affair. When you have money do you immediately take part of it and put it away? Do you have an automatic savings account or some other way to save money? Do you pay money the respect it deserves? For the next two weeks write down everything you spend your money on. That 50-cent candy bar, that soda you couldn’t do without. At the end of the two weeks you will see where you money went. Are your bills so high that there is absolutely no money left over even for that cold drink? Buy the cheapest food you can and put the difference into your piggy bank. You will be surprised how fast 50 cents turns into a dollar and the dollar turns into two. When you have saved $50.00 buy a savings bond. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast your money grows. The next part to attracting money is to learn to give it

Maaco Auto Painting, Bodywork & Collision Repair 148 Challenger Ct 5719500 BEAUTY SALONS Cut Ups Family Haircare Center 1290 Double Churches Rd 327-5557 Hair Cuts Next to Pier 1 324-5744 Head Start Hair Care 5555 Whittlesey Blvd, Suite 1720 324-5744 J. Albert’s Hair Studio Plaza North Shopping Center 6100 Veterans Pkwy 3173887 Styles By Cooper 6298 Hamilton Rd 322 7621 M 9:50-5, Tu & Th 9-7, W & F 9-6, Sa 9-3 BOOKS Barnes & Noble Booksellers 5555 Whittlesey Blvd. 706-653-7880 M-Th 9a-10p, F-Sa 9a-11p, Su 9-9 Books-A-Million 3201 Macon Rd 5620300 Daily 9a-11p Columbus Book Exchange 6440 W Hamilton Rd 324-2559 Judybug’s Books 1033 Broadway 3235588 BOWLING ALLEYS Peachbowl Lanes 1636 Bradley Park Dr 324-4431 BUTCHER SHOPS Burt’s Butcher Shoppe & Eatery 2932 Warm Springs Rd 653-0677 Tu-Sa 9a-7p (butcher shop hours) CATERING Dafﬁn’s Fine Meats and Deli Co. 5156 River Rd 257-9986 Tu-Sa 10am-6:30pm COFFEE SHOPS Columbus Coffee Co. 1660 Whittlesey Rd, Suite 100 321-1675 M-Th 6:30a-9p, Fr 6:30a-11p, Sa 7:30a-11p, Su 10a-5p Jumpin’ Java 5156 River Rd 320-0040 M-Th 7a-10p, F 7a-11p, Sa 8a-11p

away. No you don’t give it away to the local bar or department store. That is throwing money away. If no one gave you money you couldn’t eat or pay your bills. Yes, you worked for that money; you earned it but someone did give it to you. Now you need to give some of it away. Tithing 10% was not just a way of letting the churches get rich. Tithing 10% carried with it the feeling that if you tithed you would get back 10 times what you put out. That is the basis to tithing. Give and it will be returned to you 10 times over. Today you will be given a new way to tithe. The next time you are where a donation box sits pull out some change and with your left hand put that change into the donation box. As you put in the money thank the powers that be for giving you the money that enables you to help those less fortunate than you. This giving from the heart will then start a chain reaction and money will gravitate to you. The last thing you need to know about money is that money does not like being chased. Courted yes; chased no. Money will run when being chased. Just as an animal runs when you chase it and comes when you court it so money acts the same way. When you are hard-pressed money instinctively realizes it and stays just out of reach. It is when you know that you are worthy of attracting money that money will come courting you. Love and money. They act almost the same. Chase either one and they run. Let them know you are worthy of them and they will come courting you. ISIS wishes you all the best in your coming endeavors. Remember The Temple of ISIS meets the Third Sunday of the month at 6:30 PM. 1400 3rd Ave. See you there. Bright Blessings to you.

CONVENIENCE SHOPS The Corner Store 5100 River Rd 6530804 M-Sa 8-8, Su noon-6 Money Back Amoco Williams Rd Texaco Manchester Exwy, River Rd, Veterans Pkwy EDUCATIONAL Valley Language Services 633 1st Ave 221-4129 FITNESS CENTERS Curves for Women Plaza North, 6100 Veterans Parkway, Suite 3 653-2242 North Columbus Athletic Club St. Francis Marketplace 324-3334 M-Th 5a-11p, F 5a-9p, Sa 7-7, Su 11-7 HAMS Honeybaked Hams 1701 Rollins Way 653-1703 10-6 HOTELS Baymont Inn & Suites 2919 Warm Springs Rd 323-4344 Best Western 3443 Macon Rd 568-3300 Colony Inn 4300 Victory Dr 689-1590 Comfort Inn 3460 Macon Rd 256-3093 Country Inns & Suites 1720 Fountain Ct 660-1880 Days Inn 3452 Macon Rd 561-4400 Days Inn S 3170 Victory Dr 689-6181 Econo Lodge 4483 Victory Dr 682-3803 Extended Stay America 1721 Rollins Way 653-9938 Hampton Inn 5585 Whitesville Rd 5765303 Hampton Inn N 7390 Bear Ln 256-2222 Howard Johnson 1011 Veterans Pkwy 322-6641 LaQuinta Inn 3201 Macon Rd 568-1740 Rivertown Inn 1325 Veterans Pkwy 3222522 Sheraton Inn 5351 Sidney Simons Blvd 327-6868 Super 8 2935 Wm Springs Rd 322-6580 Wingate Inn 1711 Rollins Way 225-1100 Wyndham Hotel 800 Front Ave 324-1800

MOTORCYCLES Chattahoochee Harley Davidson 7373 Fortson Rd 324-4294 MUSIC-CDs, TAPES Riff’s 2723 Manchester Expwy 571-9807 M-Sa 11-6:30 MUSIC- INSTRUMENTS AJ Music 1313 13th St 571-0402 M-F 106, Sa 12-5 Baker Music 2 Midtown Loop 563-7924 M-F 10-6, Sa 10-5 Everything Musical 2400 W Britt David Rd 323-1809 M-F 10-7, Sa 10-6 Rucker’s 4535 Woodruff Rd 494-5816 MF 10-7, Sa 10-6 NIGHTCLUBS & PUBS Big City Club 1113 Broadway 320-0630 F-Sa Doors open at 9, Cover at 10 Boneheads 1039 Broadway 571-0204 Th-Sa 4p-3a F & W Control Tower 401 Ford Dr 6893861 M-Sa 8a-2p Glory Days 3846 St. Mary’s Rd 687-6797 M-F 2p-3a, Sa 11a-3a The Loft 1032 Broadway 596-8141 W-Sa 7p-2a Muldoon’s 6499 Veterans Pkwy 3279700 M-F 3p-2a, Sa 11a-2a SoHo Bar & Grill 5751 Milgen Rd 5683316 M-F 3p-3a, Sa noon-3a The Tap 1024 Broadway 653-8277 M-Th 5p-2a, F-Sa 5p-3a The Vibe 5762 Milgen Rd 568-7788 w-Sa 5p-3a OPTOMETRY Columbus Family Eye Care 6501 Veterans Pkwy Suite 1B 576-2900 M 9-7, Tu-F 9-6, Sa 9-1 PARTY SUPPPLIES Cagney’s Party Shop 5751 Milgen Rd 568-1889 M-Sa 10a-11:45p Peachtree North 1435 Double Churches

MARCH 2005

to the magic store

by Will Dockery “A fellow will remember a lot of things you wouldn’t think he’d remember. You take me. One day, back in 1896, I was crossing over to Jersey on the ferry, and as we pulled out, there was another ferry pulling in, and on it there was a girl waiting to get off. A white dress she had on. She was carrying a white parasol. I only saw her for one second. She didn’t see me at all, but I’ll bet a month hasn’t gone by since, that I haven’t thought of that girl.” --Mr. Bernstein (Everett Sloane) “Citizen Kane”

A new blues-poem to debut at the SoHo stage: in this mindless breeze I ripped out that poem, threw it into the creek. I ripped out that poem, threw it into the creek. The words ﬂoated in pieces, through the big rocks bit by bit. I never want to see words like that again, never want to feel that kind of poem again. I never want to see words like that again, never want to feel that kind of pain again Pain and sunshine, spring is on the way, babe.

The site for the live internet broadcast from SoHo, later this month, of Monday Open Mic is up, with a sample digital video recorded at SoHo’s stage with me, Henry, Dorundo and Willie doing the “Zorro Medicine Show” thing: www.ypsiarbor.com/soho.htm Also, Shadowville poet Jocelyn’s poetry reading can be previewed here: www. lulu.com/items/108000/108279/1/preview/44-Roman.mpg Should be a great time, all musicians and poets are invited. Find me on a Monday for more progress updates as to date and time for the broadcast.

Lost away here in Shadowville, we should never have met. Lost away here in Shadowville, we should never have met. Nobody ever saw that poem, the words make me feel teneder and foolish.

Rd324-6311 M-Th 10-10, F-Sa 10-12 Peachtree Package Store 2928 Warm Springs Rd 327-0311 M-Sa 8a-11:45p Wild Bill’s Party Shop 3434 Buena Vista rd 687-0723 M-Th 8:30a-11p, F-Sa 8:30a11:30p

El Zapata 1112 18th Ave 596-8221 M-F 11a-2:30p & 5p-10p, Sa noon-10:30, Su noon-10 El Zapata # 2 6100 Veterans Pkwy, North Plaza Shopping Center 324-7282 Evergreen Cafe 5156 River Rd 596-8090 M-F 10a-8p, Sa 11a-8p Fazoli’s 6160 Bradley Park Dr 323-3551 Firehouse Grill 5251 Sidney Simons Blvd 327-3221 M-Th 11a-12a, F-Sa 11a-1a Fortson Road Bar B Q & Brew 7519 Fortson Rd 507-3840 Gus’s Drive-in 3498 Victory Dr 687-5770 11a-2a daily Great Wall Chinese Kitchen 1290 Double Churches Rd 507-3636, 507-3637 M-Th 11a-10p, F-Sa 11a-10:30p, Su noon-10p Hooters 2650 Adams Farm Dr 596-4668 Johnny’s Hot Dogs 4022 University Ave 568-6368 M-F 10-7, Sa 10-6 Longhorn Steak House 3201 Macon Rd 563-2221 Macon Road Barbecue 2703 Avalon Rd 653-0542 M-Sa 10a-8p Mary’s New York Cafe St Francis Shopping Center 4611 Woodruff Rd 653-6006 M-F 7a-3p, Sa 8a-3p Mellow Mushroom 6100 Veterans Pkwy 322-4602 Newman’s Grill 1011 Veterans Pkwy (in Howard Johnson’s) 322-6641 11a-2p & 5p-10p daily Ok Sun Oriental Restaurant 2929 Victory Circle Tu-Sa 11a-6p Orient Express 4018 Victory Dr 682-4332 M-Sa 11a-5:30p, Su 11a-10p Outback Steak House 5592 Whitesville Rd 324-6700 M-Th 5p-10:30p, F-Sa 4p11:30p, Su 4p-10:30p Panera Bread The Shoppes at Bradley Park 6301 Whitesville Rd The Park Place St. Elmo Shopping Center 323-3989 M-F 7a-9p, Sa 8a-9p Peluso’s Italian Restaurant 5600 Milgen Rd 563-9934 M-Th 11a-10p, F-Sa 11a10:30p Peluso’s Italian Restaurant St Francis Shopping Center 324-5888 M-Th 11:30a-

PHARMACIES River Road Pharmacy 5100 River Rd 317-2583 M-F 9a-6p, Sa 9a-2p RADIO STATIONS 107.3 the Q 1313 13th Ave 327-1217 Kissin 99.3 1313 13th Ave 596-9000 RESTAURANTS 4th Quarter 2955 Warm Springs Rd 3230217 Al’s Schnitzel Gasthouse 5140 Warm Springs Rd 565-0100 Athens Deli & Grille 2717 Warm Springs Rd 324-3354 M-Sa 10:30a-9p, Su 11-6 Ben’s Wings & Things 1208 1st Ave 3245320 M-Sa 11a-2:30a Bully’s Steak and Chicken 6381 Milgen Rd 507-BULL Burt’s Butcher Shoppe & Eatery 2932 Warm Springs Rd 653-0677 Tu-Sa 7a-4p (restaurant hours) Caffe Amici 2301 Airport Thwy 653-6361 M-Sa 11:30a-2p & 4:30p-10p Cannon Brewpub 1041 Broadway 653BEER Captain Tom’s 4261 Macon Rd 568-6618 M-Th 11a-9p, F-Sa 11a-10p, Su 11a-8p CiCi’s Pizza 1660 Whittlesey Rd Country’s Barbecue 3137 Mercury Dr 563-7604 Su-Th 11a-10p, F-Sa 11a-11p Country’s Barbecue North 6298 Veterans Pkwy 650-1415 Country’s Downtown 1329 Broadway 596-8910 11a-11p daily Deorio’s Cross Country Plaza 563-5887 M-F 11:30-3 & 4:30-9:30, Sa noon-10:30 El Carrizo 5935 Veterans Pkwy 6532120 El Vaquero 2976 North Lake Parkway 317-5900 317-0047

Playgrounds Magazine

Weak and loving, I am exposed as weary and beat. Weak and loving, I am exposed as weary and beat. I surrender, I know, I know that it’s impossible. -Will Dockery.

Go ask Alice continued from page 21 as hard-rocking as the usual SoHo band, but very good indeed! The next show was a really cool night also at SoHo. On the way to Uncrowned there were two very cool openers. I loved Psyk Nyne from Hawkinsville. Loved the band and their female drummer particularly. The second band, Atomsplit had one of those guitarists you just have to see! They were great and I sure hope they will come back to SoHo! Uncrowned were fantastic too-- even though the singer was a bit drunk this particular night! The whole place was just so much fun!

Uncrowned’s Stephen Bazzle 10p, F-Sa 11:30a-11p Pizza Roma 2421 S. Lumpkin Rd 6824010 M-F 4p-midnight, Sa-Su 11a-1a Rankin Quarter 21 10th St 322-8151 SuF 11a-2:45p Rosemary’s 19-A 12th St 327-2516 M-F 11a-2:30p Ruth Ann’s 941 Veterans Pkwy 322-2154 M-Sa 6:30a-2:30p, Su 8a-2p The Saloon & Oyster Bar 6005 Macon Rd 568-8400 open daily Schlotzsky’s Deli 1522 Bradley Park Dr 653-7600 Su-Th 11a-9p, F-Sa 11a-10p Scruffy Murphy’s 1037 Broadway 3223460 10:30a-2a daily The Speakeasy 3123 Mercury Dr 5610411 M-Th 11a-10:30p, F-Sa 11a-11p The Sports Page 5736 Veterans Pkwy 641-9966 11a-12a daily Tavern on the Square 14 11th St 3242238 M-F 11a-9p Twelfth Street Deli 117 12th St 576-6939 M-F 7a-3p Willy T’s Chicken Fingers 7325 Fortson Rd 507-2210 M-Th 10:30-9 F & Sa 10:3010 Su 11-8 Willy’s Wings 4405 Armour Rd 322-4020 Tu-Th 11a-12a, F-Sa 11a-2a RETURNED CHECKS Check-Mate 1435 54th St 324-2667 M-F 8:30-5:30 SHOPS Northside Pawn Shop 1648 Manchester Expwy 322-0561 O’Connell’s Coins & Jewelry 2499 Airport Thwy 322-0777 Woody’s World 2723 Manchester Expwy Suite 13 596-1868 TANNING Bermuda Tan 3507 Macon Rd 563-4044 M-Sa 10a-10p, Su noon-5 New Life Tanning Center 3709 Gentian Blvd #8 561-1153 M-F 9-8, Sa 9-2 New Life Tanning Center 1701 Rollins Way #400 596-1153 M-F 9-8, Sa 9-2

Psyk Nyne Atomsplit

If I’m lucky, we will have Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions to tell you about next month (U2 is getting in you know) and all the cool shows I can ﬁnd around here. Please feel free to write something for us if you have anything to say about music! Please call me with your rock news at (706)576-6633 or abarkwell@aol.com New Look Tanning Center 5118 Warm Springs Rd 569-7075 M-F 11-11, Sa 10-8, Su 1-6 TATTOOS & BODY PIERCING Falcon’s 1014 Broadway 653-2007 The Ink Spot Warm Springs Rd 3235689 TEEN CLUBS The Backdoor at Hollywood Connection 571-9350 THEATRE The Springer Opera House The Human Experience 1037 Broadway 323-3689 ETCETERA Advance America Cash Advance Centers 2497 Airport Thruway 660-1998 Columbus Civic Center Columbus State University Col Convention & Visitors Bureau Columbus Technical Institute Georgia Welcome Center Phenix City (area code 334) APARTMENTS Greenleaf 1701 37th St 297-9292 Post Ridge 5016th Ave BOWLING ALLEYS Bama Lanes 701 Park Ave 297-4431 HOTELS Colonial Inn Phenix City Bypass 2989361 Holiday Inn of Phenix City 1700 Hwy 280 Bypass S 298-9321 NIGHTCLUBS The Red Barn 1223 280 Bypass 2989246 M-Sa 10am-2am, Su 1pm-10pm RESTAURANTS Del Ranch Bar & Grill Smiths 297-9177

MARCH 2005

Box OfďŹ ce M-F 10am-6pm (706) 653-4460 Ticketmaster (706) 494-8330 Ticketmaster.com Event Hotline (706) (706) 653-4472 www.columbusciviccenter.org Professional Sports

PUBLIC ICE SKATING Saturday, March 5 11:30am, 2:00pm, 4:30pm, 7:00pm Sunday, March 6 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm $5 per session (1.5 hours) $2 for skate rental

Games start at 7:30pm.

Tuesday, March 1 Columbus Cottonmouths vs. Asheville Aces

Games start at 7:00pm.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12

Thursday, March 10 Columbus Riverdragons vs Florida

Friday, March 11 Columbus Cottonmouths vs. Fayetteville FireAntz

Wednesday, March 16 Columbus Riverdragons vs Asheville

Tuesday, March 15 Columbus Cottonmouths vs. Knoxville Ice Bears

Friday, March 18 Columbus Riverdragons vs Huntsville

Saturday, March 19 Columbus Cottonmouths vs. Macon Trax

Saturday, March 26 Columbus Riverdragons vs Florida Saturday, April 2 Columbus Riverdragons vs Huntsville

Thirsty Tuesdays & Thursdays: 16 ounce Bud & Bud Light draft is $2.25 at every Cottonmouths and Riverdragons home game on Tuesday & Thursday

Allstars of BET

Black Comedy Jam featuring

J. Anthony Brown & Sommore Reserved Seats $28, $30, $33. Doors at 7, Show at 8

SUNDAY MARCH 13 One Show Only! Reserved Seats $56.50, $26.50, $21.50, $19.50, $12.50

coming

Friday April 8

A stage play by Eric Jerome Dickey

April

Reserved Seats $31.50, $27.50

Doors at 2pm Show at 3pm.

Tuesday, April 12 7:00pm Reserved Seats $88, $63, $43 Tickets on sale now!

doors at 7pm show at 8pm

Wed, April 27 7:30pm Tuesday, April 26, 7:30pm General Admission $29.50

General Admission $32.50 & $39.50 Tickets on sale March 5