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IN CONCERT: Robert Plant at Hill Auditorium 4 FILM: Series showcases local musicians 6 LOCAL MUSIC: Calen Savidge breaks boundaries 7 GIRL VS. FOOD: Mikolajczyk on juice cleansing 8 WANDERING ROOTS: Jurich on queer love 9 THE PULSE: Events calendar 12 ACT: Richardson on Joan Russell 14 POP GOES THE CULTURE: McGinnis on ‘The Quote’ 18
ROBERT PLANT IN ANN ARBOR • FINN’s film series • CALEN SAVIDGE’s unique hip-hop • BEVERLY WILLS on BET • ‘Enslaved’ JAN. 5, 2011 • Episode 2 Chapter 1 • Toledo Free Press Star, Toledo, OH: “Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.” — Ansel Adams
The Chariot to screech into Headliners By Vicki L. Kroll Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer vkroll@toledofreepress.com
They scream. They play hard, heavy punk metal. They really care about their fans. That’s The Chariot, a Georgia band fired up about its fourth disc, “Long Live,” released in November. “It’s kind of a thank-you album to everyone,” said vocalist Josh Scogin. “It’s for all the people that come to shows and all the people that like our band that show support that helps us to keep going and ‘long live.’ “That’s why all the artwork is live shots, and the song titles — there’s five people’s names on there and those are actual people who like our band.” The Chariot held a contest and a few lucky fans have tracks named for them. There’s “Calvin Makenzie,” for example. On the track, Scogin screams, “We cannot distinguish all of the world/ So celebrate and sing along/It is a gift where I belong ... /To the sweet by and by I come.” “I started [‘Calvin Makenzie’] out as ‘thanks Atlanta,’ and it sort of evolved into ‘thanks everywhere’ — anywhere we’ve ever played. As long as one person came out, that’s awesome,” Scogin said. “Every city that we go to, that’s our home for that night and they welcome us in.”
Toledo will host The Chariot Jan. 11 for a show at Headliners with Silverstein, Miss May I, Pierce the Veil and A Bullet for Pretty Boy. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 the night of the concert. Scogin, drummer David Kennedy, bassist Jon Kindler, and guitarists Jon Terrey and Stephen Harrison are known for their aggressive music and hardrocking shows. “The live shows — it’s the energy, it’s the community, it’s the camaraderie of people being there for the love of music,” Scogin said during a call from his Atlanta home. “We love everything about it — the lights, the sweat, the heat, the energy that we feel from [the audience] and they feel from us.” While the band’s music has been described as metalcore, Christian metal and hardcore, Scogin prefers punk rock. “There are some differences between the punk rock that came from the ’70s, but the lifestyle is still the same. We’re completely DIY; even though we have a label, we still do everything ourselves. We may have a CD at Best Buy, but that doesn’t mean it’s selling,” he said. “So we tour in a van, we load in our own equipment, we load out, we sleep in the van, we promote ourselves, so it’s very roughneck sort of living, and we don’t have money for certain things, so we look pretty haggard at the end of the tour.” O
Stars of the Week
Josh Scogin and The Chariot play Headliners on Jan. 11. PHOTO BY Brian Hall
Used Toy Drive The Town Center at Levis Commons and Toledo Free Press are working together to collect outgrown plastic toys. Donate yours and help a less fortunate child.
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“When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before.” — MAE WEST
Band of joy Robert Plant to play Ann Arbor on Jan. 21. By Alan Sculley Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
Any Robert Plant interview these days almost has to include an inquiry about his interest in a Led Zeppelin reunion. But one really doesn’t need his words to know Plant’s thinking about the issue. His musical projects during the past three years — the period since Led Zeppelin reunited for a one-off concert as part of a memorial event for the late head of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun — pretty much make Plant’s intentions clear. First came the 2008 CD, “Raising Sand,” which paired the former Zeppelin frontman with Alison Krauss performing a mostly lowkey collection of rootsy bluegrass/country influenced covers. The CD went on to win the 2009 Grammy award for album of the year. Plant’s latest CD, “Band Of Joy,” takes his exploration of American roots music in new directions, with the help of such stellar band members as guitarist Buddy Miller, mandolin player/ multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott and singer Patty Griffin. “I’m doing an interview with you because I am very proud of what I’m doing now in the present tense,” Plant said, once again shooting down any prospect of a Zeppelin reunion. “That really is my entire raison d’etre ... I’m on a journey here.”
Robert Plant will tour in 2011 in support of his latest CD, “Band of Joy.” ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Plant thought it was understood that the 2007 reunion show would be a one-off event. “I don’t think we’ve ever thought of it going any farther, to be honest,” Plant said. “I think the great thing about it was that we could do it, and we did it really well with dignity and with excitement. The idea of traveling around the sports facilities of the world is something that would have to be thought about really, really carefully.” That opinion, however, may have changed in the aftermath of the reunion gig. There have been reports online and in print media that Plant’s former band mates, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, are both interested in a reunion tour, and may have auditioned different singers (including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler) to fill Plant’s role as frontman.
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The other musician involved in the reunion, Jason Bonham (son of the late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham) has also expressed enthusiasm in press reports for a Zeppelin reunion and said that he, Page and Jones spent time in 2008 working on material and rehearsing. The fact that those rehearsals never panned out and that Jones recently has been gigging as part of the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures (which also includes Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age) and that Page has a solo album in the works haven’t silenced the rumors of a future for Led Zeppelin. For Plant, though, playing the December 2007 reunion accomplished the goals he had for Zeppelin, essentially bringing closure to a band
career that ended with the 1980 death of John Bonham. He noted that Bonham’s widow and mother attended the concert. “The Bonham family went away from there going ‘Yeah, OK, that’s good,’” Plant said. “That made my heart sing.” The quality of the show also allowed Zeppelin to go out on a good note, Plant said. “That night was a spectacular night,” he said. “It was really something special. For me now, I can’t see any way of it carrying on. I just don’t know how, mechanically, it could happen. It (a tour) is such a huge deal. And I’ve seen people do huge deals. I’ve seen Genesis on tour, U2, people like that, and it becomes a military operation rather than just enjoying the time.” n PLANT CONTINUES ON 5
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“I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.” — ANONYMOUS n PLANT CONTINUED FROM 4 Being in the moment creatively and as a performer — and moving forward artistically — are clearly top priorities for Plant. And while the “Band Of Joy” CD is not a part two of “Raising Sand” by any means, Plant sees it as a next step in his musical journey — one in which he is gaining musical knowledge and learning to sing in different styles and intensities than during his Led Zeppelin years and on the eight rock-oriented solo albums he has released since Zeppelin. “Obviously there’s a continuum because I went back to Buddy (Miller) and back to Nashville, where I knew I could get all of the jobs done in one place, and I knew there was a fund of people and a great understanding of music,” Plant said. “Now bear in mind, I’m the student here. And when we sit on the bus together, everybody else is in one place and I’m kind of playing catch-up on a lot of other American music that I didn’t know about. “It’s a great learning curve for me, but it (the music on “Band Of Joy”) is a lot tougher and it’s much more tricky than ‘Raising Sand,’” he said. “It really does growl and clunk and it comes out of the church. It’s Sunday morning and definitely Saturday night.” The album project (which is named after Plant’s pre-Led Zeppelin group, Band Of Joy) began with Plant recruiting Miller, a key band member on the “Raising Sand” tour, to produce, choose songs, recruit musicians and coordinate recording sessions for the new CD. In December 2009 a first recording session was held, and after initially being excited with the results, Plant realized the direction of the
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 5
music was a bit off. That’s when the “Band Of Joy” CD took on a whole different facet. “Initially we created a very pastoral sound,” Plant said. “We were making a very pretty record. And over Christmas I realized I’ve got to have some sinew in there. I called Buddy and I said we need to pump this thing up a bit and get even more dynamic interplay between the kind of mood of the songs. He suggested would I think about Patty (Griffin), and I said ‘Of course.’ Patty’s got just the right voice to bring the edge onto the record, to create a bit more of a cutting edge. And also, [there was] a change of material, with a lot more kind of spook, so the second session became much tougher and much more psychedelic, if you like.” The entire core lineup of Band Of Joy is on tour with Plant now — Miller, Scott, Griffin, drummer Marco Giovino and bassist Byron House — and the singer expects the new material to evolve further as the group performs its concerts. With Plant, Griffin, Scott, Miller and House all being accomplished singers, Plant said the shows have become a “massive vocal experience.” The musical format and musicians involved are also allowing Plant to reinterpret some songs from the Zeppelin catalog, with Griffin playing a key role. He noted she takes the song “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” down a notably different path. “I can’t tell you how impressed I am with Patty,” Plant said. “The way that she connects with me onstage is both humorous and incredibly, the voices together, because when we both let rip, when we let it go, man, with a couple of raised eyebrows, we take things up a notch.” O Robert Plant will play Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor at 8 p.m. on Jan. 21.
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Megan Bremer and Tim Ide from Justajunkie Films. PHOTO COURTESY JUSTAJUNKIE FILMS.
Series celebrates local music and films The Glass City is alive with the sound of music, and for the patrons of Mickey Finn’s Pub, the party is just getting started. The popular night spot will soon play host to a monthlong series of local music and films presented by Culture Clash Records and Justajunkie Films. It is set to kick off at 8 p.m. every Thursday beginning Jan. 6. The free arts extravaganza is the brainchild of Justajunkie filmmakers Tim Ide and Megan Bremer. “This whole thing started because we were looking for somewhere to show many of the 400 or so concert films of local musicians that we had shot and produced over the last four years,” Ide said. “Mickey Finn’s was very generous with time, offering us 25 or 26 hours, so we went to Pat O’Connor at Culture Clash to see if they would sponsor the event and then we decided to share the wealth by opening things up to other local artists.” The series at Mickey Finn’s is just one of many developments for Justajunkie Films. The team also recently won the Rulemaking Matters! Video Contest sponsored by the eRulemaking Program and the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection. More information can be found at www. regulations.gov. Additionally, Justajunkie Films had a clip selected for potential inclusion in the Ridley Scott/Kevin Macdonald “Life in a Day” project. The feature-length documentary will showcase content generated by users of YouTube on the subject of what it was like to be alive on July 24, 2010. The top 20 filmmakers will be named co-directors and will have their work premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. “We have shot a number of different things, but with bands, I really feel like we’re helping them,” Ide said. “Say we shoot an art opening, it’s great, but with a band we may capture their last show and that really means something. Plus, music is just a lot of fun. The programming at
Mickey Finn’s will be pretty fast and loose, with no set schedule. We want the people included in the films to be able to wander in at any point in the evening and see themselves onscreen.” Series highlights will also include screen tests shot in Mickey Finn’s and submitted to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, in conjunction with the renowned museum’s “Andy Warhol: Motion Pictures” exhibition on display through March 21. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/MoMaonfilm and www.moma.org. Jan. 20 will feature “The Henchman,” while the show on Jan. 27 will serve as the premiere of the Pretend Records compilation “Nowhere at All.” The album showcases the work of 12 local bands. There will be a free CD giveaway. Those in attendance will also have the opportunity to win a “Nowhere at all” tattoo from Monk at Infinite Art Tattoo. “If this month goes well, Mickey Finn’s has already expressed an interest in continuing things in the future,” Ide said. “While I don’t see it happening once a week because of all the work involved, something every other week or maybe once a month would be great. We still have at least 100 other films in the can that we haven’t been able to get out yet and I think that some of these films may really become important over time.” Participating photographers and filmmakers will include Bob Sadowy, Debrah Rose, Michael Rys, Dave Picciuto, Reva May, Jeff Beach, Nicholas Wiczynski, Nathan Elias, Brian “Monk” Taylor, Shystie Films, Hannah Fritch, Carrie Theuring, Erica Vance Hartmann, Bremer, Ide and a host of others. Mickey Finn’s Pub is located at 602 Lagrange St. at Huron Street. For information, call (419) 246-3466 or visit www.mickeyfinnspub.com. O — John Dorsey
“All generalizations are bad.” — R.H. Grenier
Hip-Hop dreams Calen Savidge brings new sound to Hip-Hop music. By Jeff McGinnis Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer PopGoesJeff@gmail.com
Calen Savidge stood on stage at Martini and Nuzzi’s in Maumee. This was a solo performance, without the backup of his regular band. He only had his trusty guitar to accompany him. The house of late-December revelers sang along with glee, anyway. He’s a regular at Martini and Nuzzi’s, where he sings modern favorites, takes requests and occasionally gets to perform his original work. “What I’m most proud of is the writing of my original stuff,” Savidge said during a break in his performance. “Unfortunately, when you play out in bars, to make money — I can go out, I can sell my album, all that stuff — but when I go out to play in bars, people wanna have a good time.” Not that he was complaining. It’s all just part of the business. The more he plays, the more people know his name. And the more they know, the more they’ll be interested in the kind of music which really moves the young singer/songwriter. “I grew up on Hip-Hop, strictly Hip-Hop,”
he said. “Underground groups that nobody heard of until a few years ago, that will never get played on the radio, unless its college radio, way underground. That’s the stuff I love to this day.” Savidge’s lyrical sophistication and style are reminiscent of many of the great Hip-Hop groups he idolizes, backed by instrumentation that feels more folky. The result is a surprisingly winning amalgamation of genres. “Because Hip-Hop is my influence, when I started writing, I still like to incorporate that in everything I write and everything that I do,” Savidge said. “I play what I like to play, and it just so happens that there’s a large group of people that seem to like it as well.” Savidge said his unusual style and sound rose organically. He was about 13 when he first started writing. “It started off as just free-writing, and it kinda turned into a Hip-Hop thing where a buddy of mine from Sylvania, we started doing the Hip-Hop thing where we were flowing over other people’s beats. Whatever we could find, we were just writing songs to.” He didn’t consider playing an instrument until late in his high school days.
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 7
“I didn’t know anything about the guitar, I didn’t know how to play. I picked up what little I knew at first from my brother-in-law, who was my best friend in high school,” Savidge said. “He would play guitar, I would sing, and it got to the point where it was like, ‘I need to do this, too’.” That same brother-in-law, Drew White, is now bass player in Savidge’s band — which, like his music, also evolved over time. “It started off with just me, and then we added Drew. And then we added Jason [Goss] to play the drums. And now that we have Scott [Ballard], we’ve never heard our music played this well before!” The band is firing on all cylinders at the right time, as this past year has seen a remarkable rise in prominence for Savidge and his music. It began with a call from the 92.5 KISS-FM morning show for a performer needed to play a live bit on local television. Savidge volunteered, and the gig proved a success — so much so, he was invited back and took a half-day off of his factory job to do the show. In the months since, Savidge has become a regular guest on 92.5, and devoted himself full time to the pursuit of his music. It all culminated in the release of his first album, “Bombs and Alarms,” on Oct. 22. Savidge said as he worked on the album, he marveled at how much the unique sound he performs has changed. “When I chose the songs for the album, I said to myself, ‘I don’t know how this sound came about’,” he said. “Because if you were to ask me what sound I was going for, I would have told you something totally different.” O
Calen Savidge
Gloria Avina Photography
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Welcome in the new year with fresh juices.
W
e bid farewell to the year by toasting several cocktails with friends and eating enough food to feed a small country. Then, we remedy this problem by welcoming the new year with promises of healthier eating and perhaps trying your hand at one of those “cleanses.” We have to do something to rid our body of the 200Monica plus frosted sugar cookies, truck loads of chocolate peppermint bark, holiday ham, and eggnog (before we look in the mirror and don’t recognize the Santa-shaped cut-out cookie with frosting and sprinkles that we have shamefully become). What to do? Many of us have heard of the Master or Lemonade Cleanse (basically water with lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper), and maybe some of us have even given it a shot. I sure gave it a shot, and another and another. I lost a few pounds, but fought a mental battle at least five times a day so that I wouldn’t eat my own arm. There has to be a better, healthier way, to cleanse my body and give my digestive system a rest (it hates me after the sugar and alcohol diet I took up for a month). As always, this inspired me to research this latest “cleansing” fad. First topic to figure out: Why cleanse? Think of a computer’s hard drive. The more cluttered it becomes the more slowly it operates. We download countless programs and games, surf the Web and save what we find, and occasionally end up with a virus. Sometimes, we have to have the hard drive wiped clean, or buy a new computer. Now, imagine the cells in your body are all little hard drives that operate this magnificent computer — which is you. Our cells want to be clean, speedy, and healthy but unfortunately we consume too many empty calories (sugar) and a large amount of toxins (preservatives). Unfortunately, all of that holiday cheer gets lodged in our cells and slows everything down (and contributes to the winter blues). So, we must cleanse in order to rid our precious little cells of this toxic build-up and bring us back up to speed. Now, what type of cleanse to embark upon (preferably one that doesn’t make us feel as though we are ready to, literally, bite our friends’ heads off)? Liquids are naturally easier on our digestive system, which is why during most cleanses you don’t eat solid
foods. So, how to clean up my cells and maintain a liquid-based diet for a few days without feeling like I’m losing my mind? Drumroll, please … A juice cleanse! And no, I am not talking about drowning yourself in the sugary, syrupy orange juice from the closest grocery store chain. I mean delicious, fresh, natural juices made in the comfort our your very own home with your very own juicer. Juices created from fresh produce (think local, a farmers market or Claudia’s on Secor Road) are full of all kinds of enzymes. Enzyme? An enzyme is a protein molecule that works in our body to increase the rate of different chemical reactions. For instance, enzymes speed up our digestion, give us energy, break down carbs and turn them into glucose, and proteins into amino acids. Trust me, they are important. However, the enzymes in several of the foods we eat have been killed through processes like pasteurization. So, normal bodily functions move slowly, or worse, don’t happen at all. The juice combinations you create will taste delicious, give you energy and clean you out (even incorporating one juice into your daily routine will work wonders). Your cells are holding all of this excess waste, and the juices with their miracle-working enzymes will flush all of this waste away (waste = toxins, weight, bacteria that cause illness, etc.). It is true, you can cleanse and heal your body (and even shed a few of those holiday pounds) simply and naturally. A juicer that will do the trick can be found almost anywhere. Brevilles and Champion juicers are said to be top of the line, but I personally have an Oster that is a real champion (ha). Venture into any book store and you will see several informative books on juicing and juice cleanses that are designed for the novice juicer to the professional one. So, raise up your glass (of juice) and toast to the new year, the new (healthier and informed) you, and the soon-to-be-new, clean cells that will be zipping around in your happy body. O
Mikolajczyk
GIRL vs.
FOOD
Monica Mikolajczyk is a yoga instructor, firm believer in always choosing local, and a holistic health advocate who believes we all have the potential to grow and change if we simply allow ourselves the space to do so. E-mail her at star@ toledofreepress.com.
“Few things are harder to put up with than a good example.” — Mark Twain
Queer is love A
re you turned off by the word “queer?” Does it turn you on? What does “queer” mean to you ... eccentric, unconventional? I bet you know a couple, or many, people who are gay — those jovial, happy, good-spirited folk. I am usually not as active in gay rights as I am with other disgustingly existent issues like corporate corruption, war, degradation of the environment, etc., because such amazing local and national organizations as Toledo PRIDE, the Human Rights Campaign and The Trevor Project are already working tirelessly toward equal rights and eliminating hate crimes. However, I am going to take this time in the hope that our amazing hometown of Toledo, Ohio can be a community of safety, tolerance, respect and love. At 5 a.m. in the Detroit Airport, I was waiting for a flight to Guatemala City. The televisions at the gate showed a news program about the death of Seth Walsh, a 13-year old who, in September, hung himself in his family’s backyard after enduring years of harassment because he was gay. Three months after his death, the ACLU released a video of Seth’s mother speaking the words written by Seth in his goodbye note to his family. The news program also interviewed Clint McCance of Midland School Board in Arkansas
who had been writing antigay posts on Facebook. Seth is not the only one who has taken his own life because of the hatred dealt his way. There are also some who have been killed because of their sexual orientation. Thousands of homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders are taunted, harassed, bullied, verbally and physically abused, and disowned by their families every STACY day. Dead for loving. Sounds contradictory to me. As silly as dead for the color of your skin. As ridiculous as dead for faith, belief or prayer. “Love is too big for just one nation and God is too big for just one religion,” sings Michael Franti. Love is the greatest common denominator of all creation. Some may say that we are born of love, divinity and the purity of creation. Many humans are conceived in the act of love. We are born giving and receiving
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 9
Toledo can be a community of safety and respect. unconditional love. What happens between birth and an age when we begin to judge and decide what is or isn’t appropriate for another individual’s life? Is it when we become aware of society and its set of rules about love? Is it because of that same society that validates wars in the name of freedom? That tells us we need money to buy things to make us happy? This viewpoint is limiting and creates an unnecessary struggle for ideals that are actually quite simple and ever-present. Why does it matter who loves whom? Is it because of one’s interpretation of what “God says”? Is it because of one’s interpretation of the Bible? Is it because one may find it gross? Whatever the reason, it is your own, and it is not your responsibility to “save” homosexuals from damnation. If you are offended by homosexual love, look away. If you
JURICH WANDERING
ROOTS
make hateful remarks, hateful actions use “gay” as a word to describe something “uncool,” ask yourself if you’d really want to see that person dead. The majority of the people I know are not signed up for society’s set of rules on love. Love is too big for rules, too powerful for restraint, too real to deny, too important to suppress. As I sat on the plane that morning with tearfilled eyes, everyone slept as I watched the sun rise above the clouds. It began with a band of red lining the horizon under a crisp night sky. Then it was red and orange. After more time passed, the band grew thicker and a yellow band grew on top of the orange. Yellow eventually blended into a band of light green, on top of which grew a bright blue band, which led into the expanse of the still midnight blue sky with a few distinguishable stars. Yes, a rainbow sunrise. A rainbow preparing the sky for the sun, our source of life and light. I saw this as a good sign, a sign that everything is going to be OK. Maybe that is why a rainbow is the iconic symbol for gay rights. It’s a pure and naturally occurring symbol of beauty from the Creator, just as we are. All of us. O E-mail Stacy Jurich at star@toledofreepress.com.
10 n JAN. 5, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“View life as a continuous learning experience.” — Denis Waitley
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“SHE WAS WHAT WE USED TO CALL A SUICIDE BLOND — DYED BY HER OWN HAND.” — SAUL BELLOW
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 11
Louvre Pyramid Paris, France
olly Corfman photography exhibit owcases history and mystery
ah Ottney
asks people if she can photograph them , but other times just snaps a shot. “I like to get the subject involved with the photo. It is about them. It is their story,” Corfman en Toledo photographer Molly Corf said. man Corfman had her share of misadven cked through Europe for a mon tures on th, she the trip as well. light and let the journey take her, docuOne of her two cameras was stolen by g her trip through five countries. a subway pickpocket in Rome on the way to w the places that had fascinated me Vatican City, since where she was blessed by the Pope. child,” Corfman said, including Pom peii, “It was just gone,” Corfman said. “But nge and the catacombs in Paris. “The I didn’t re’s want to let it ruin my trip. I had my h mystery and excitement and fasci moment, got nation over it and kept going.” ory. I wanted to learn more about the world Later that day her second camera me, how big or small it really is, and fell off a about table, breaking the screen. She also outside of myself.” experienced a transit strike in Italy and got stuck eece, she connected with a man at overnight on a bus a docked ferry boat in Greece, miss pite not sharing a language. ing her flight back to the U.S. had this kind of silent communicati on,” Corfman also recalled what felt said. “Even though we couldn’t unde rlike a close call during a gondola ride h other, I felt an interconnectedness with in Venice. and the world around me.” “The driver probably had conman’s photographic journey, “Tra vels trol, but it felt like I was going to Europe,” will be on display and for sale at capsize,” Corfman said. “I screamed town Latté, 44. S. St. Clair St., from Jan. and the driver asked ‘Can you swim?’ opening reception is set for noon to 3 p.m. which didn’t reassure me any more. But urs are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thro ugh then it settled. Venice is all islands, and d 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. you realize that, but then when you’ -year-old Perrysburg grad visited Engl re and, there, you realize there’s no cars. And ly, France and Switzerland, spending it’s sevjust surreal.” n every major city. Downtown Latté co-owner Ron her favorite experiences was riding a Novak said the coffeehouse rotates ntorini Island in Greece. artwork each month. He said he likes Cor e most beautiful place I’ve ever been f,” man’s photos because they are fami aid. “It’s all whitewashed. The sea is clear liar images that people can relate to, but u can see straight down through.” from a unique perspective, such as Paris n, whose work has been published from nathe point of view of a Notre Dame garg d internationally, has worked locally oyle. for “I want people to have their own expe nd Bowling Green’s Sentinel-Tribune. She rience and reflect upon their own as a Web designer. travels through my photographs,” Corfman n said she captures whatever catches her said. “I eye. hope they can better understand their osition just happ ens naturally for own me; jour neys. In the end we are our experien nt it’s not something I thin k abou ces. t,” That’s ultimately what we have in life. aid. ” For more information, visit www.pho n’t manipulate her images or change to. the mollycorfman.com. O way. u see in my photographs is what I saw; ked or doctored,” Corfman said. r years of experience as a photoget a feel for a situation, d she s
ree Press Star Staff Writer dofreepress.com
Gargoyle, Notre Dame Cathed ral Paris, France
Mule Santorini, Greece
Roman Co Rome, Italy losseum
12 n JAN. 5, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by fighting back.” — Paul Erdos
((((((((((((( THE PULSE
JAN. 5-12, 2011
What’s what, where and when in NW Ohio
Compiled by Whitney Meschke Events are subject to change.
MUSIC The Ark This small venue offers a showcase for lesser-known acts, as well as folk, bluegrass and acoustic acts. 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www.theark.org. O Michael Smith: 8 p.m. Jan. 6, $15. O Mountain Heart: 8 p.m. Jan. 7, $25. O Jill Jack: 8 p.m. Jan. 8, $15. O David Francey, Craig Werth, Amelia Curran: 8 p.m. Jan. 12, $15. O The Red Sea Pedestrians: 8 p.m. Jan. 13, $15. O The Yellow Room Gang: 8 p.m. Jan. 14, $15.
Basin St. Grille This Toledo standby has been revived with more than 20 different flavors of martinis and live, local music. 5201 Monroe St. (419) 843-5660. O Scott Fish, Bob Stevens: Jan. 5. O Open jam with Tom Goss: Jan. 6. O Tom Turner & Slowburn: Jan. 7. O Stephen Woolley, Suburban Soul: Jan. 8. O Jeff Stewart: Jan. 12. O Open jam with Jason Hudson Project: Jan. 13. O Distant Cousinz: Jan. 14.
The Blarney Irish Pub Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www. theblarneyirishpub.com. O Rick Whited: Jan. 6. O Pilot Radio: Jan. 7. O Kentucky Chrome: Jan. 8. O The Lebowskis: Jan. 13. O Toast & Jam: Jan. 14.
Blind Pig A variety of rock, soul, pop and alternative acts perform at
Headliners
this bar. 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor, Mich. $3-$20 unless noted. (734) 996-8555 or blindpigmusic.com. O Baron Knoxburry, JDSY, Thrill Train, Gina & the Eastern Block: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 5. O The Deep End, Derby Mama, Bloomill, Elliot St. Lunatic: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 6. O Ann Arbor Soul Club, Robert Wells, Brad Hales: Jan. 7. O Secret Twins, Tyvek, Child Bite, Radiator Hospital: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 8. O One Love, DJ El Sabor: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 11. O The Juliets, Ornery Little Darlings, Silverghost, Hallway: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 14.
0062 or www.toledoclubsoda.com. O East River Drive: Jan. 7-8. O Rodney Parker: Jan. 14-15.
Bronze Boar
Fat Fish Blue
Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www.bronzeboar.com. O Jerod: Wednesdays and Thursdays. O Open mic night with Chris Knopp: Mondays. O Karaoke: Tuesdays. O Allen Smith Blues All Stars: Jan. 7. O Stonehouse: Jan. 8. O Crucial 420: Jan. 14.
Serving blues and similar sounds, as well as bayoustyle grub. Levis Commons, 6140 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg. (419) 931-3474 or fatfishfunnybonetoledo.com. O DJ Drew Z: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 7 and 9 p.m. Jan. 8, $12.
Caesars Windsor If you have your passport, consider hopping the Detroit River for this casino’s entertainment offerings. Ticket prices, in Canadian dollars, are for the cheapest seats; attendees must be 19 or older. Caesars Windsor Colosseum, 377 Riverside Dr. East, Windsor, Ontario. (800) 991-7777 or www. caesarswindsor.com. O Sarah McLachlan: 9 p.m. Jan. 7, $55. O B.B. King: 9 p.m. Jan. 14, $30.
Cheetah’s Den A different band performs each week. 702 E. Broadway St. (419) 754-1903. O DJ Lamont: Tuesdays. O Devious: Thursdays (also open mic night)-Saturdays.
Club Soda This university hot spot from back in the day hosts entertainment Fridays and Saturdays. 3922 Secor Road. (419) 473-
The Distillery Karaoke is offered Tuesdays, but paid entertainers rock out Wednesdays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www.thedistilleryonline.com. O Nathan Cogan: Jan. 5. O 56 Daze: Jan. 6-8. O Kyle White: Jan. 12. O The Bridges: Jan. 13-15.
Frankie’s Toledo’s venue for rock. 308 Main St. Tickets vary between $5 and $15, unless noted. (419) 693-5300 or www. FrankiesInnerCity.com. O Auto Tune karaoke: 9 p.m. Mondays. O Open mic nights, hosted by Larry Love: 9 p.m. Tuesdays in January. O Destruction of a King, In Reverence of Chaos, Eloise, Sandstorm: 6 p.m. Jan. 6. O Mark Ballas, Jason LaPorte, Steel Vines: 8 p.m. Jan. 7. O Static Rituals, Space Gypsies, SROS Lords, Regal: 9 p.m. Jan. 8. O Marcy Playground, Tranquil, Foxtail Method, Fierce on Friday, Hobo Stew: 7 p.m. Jan. 9. O I See Stars; Abandon All Ships; Close Your Eyes; Us, From Outside; Let’s Get It; Kid Icarus: 5 p.m. Jan. 14. O Grindline: 10 p.m. Jan. 14.
French Quarter J. Pat’s Pub Live entertainment after 9:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg. (419) 874-3111 or www.hifq.com. O The Late Show: Jan. 7-8. O Green Eyed Soul: Jan. 14-15.
All ages, all genres are welcome. 4500 N. Detroit Ave. Ticket prices vary between $5 and $15, unless noted otherwise. (419) 269-4500 or www.headlinerstoledo.com. O Silverstein, Miss May I, Pierce the Veil, the Chariot, a Bullet for Pretty Boy: 6 p.m. Jan. 11.
Ice Restaurant & Bar This local, family-owned enterprise offers food, drinks and music in a sleek atmosphere. 405 Madison Ave. (419) 2463339 or icerestaurantandbar.com. O Brent Stanley: 5 p.m. Jan. 6. O Ronn Daniels: 8 p.m. Jan. 7. O Jeff McDonald Quartet: 5 p.m. Jan. 13. O Dan and Don: 8 p.m. Jan. 14.
Kerrytown Concert House This venue focuses on classical, jazz and opera artists and music. 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor, Mich. $5-$30, unless noted. (734) 769-2999 or www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com. O Evans/Halvorson/Walter Trio: 8 p.m. Jan. 6. O Detroit Legacy Ensemble: 8 p.m. Jan. 8. O Eric Glick Rieman, Daniel Godston, Dark Sounds Ensemble: 8 p.m. Jan. 10. O Pete Siers Quartet: 8 p.m. Jan. 13.
Manhattan’s This “slice of the Big Apple” in the Glass City provides entertainment most weekends. 1516 Adams St. (419) 243-6675 or www.manhattanstoledo.com. O Quick Trio: 6 p.m. Jan. 6. O Frostbite: Jan. 7. O Tom Turner: 8 p.m. Jan. 11. O Daniel Burris Trio: 6 p.m. Jan. 13. O Skip Turner: Jan. 14.
Mickey Finn’s A variety of genres to wash your drinks down with. Open mic nights, 9 p.m. Wednesdays, no cover; $5-$7 cover other nights. 602 Lagrange St. (419) 246-3466 or www. mickeyfinnspub.com. O Local music and film nights: 8 p.m. Thursdays in January, no cover.
Famo us White PERCH DINNER Chicken Chili & PERCH LUNCH New England Clam Chow der EXICAN ONDA Ho mema de YS So ups $2.00 d ille Gr i MARGARIT Panin AS SOFT & HARD SHELL MONDAY–S Sandwiches ATURD
M
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EVERYDAY!
:
75¢ TACOS
7723 Airport Highway • Holland 419.491.0098
www.chowdersnmoor.com
AY 312 South Street • Waterville 419.878.9105
“Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” — John C. Maxwell Mickey Finn’s (cont.) O Lucian Townes, leles band: 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7. O Marco Polio and the New Vaccines: 8:30 p.m. Jan. 8. O El Blanco Diablo, Infernal Names: 8:30 p.m. Jan. 14.
Murphy’s Place Jazz — straight, smooth, bebop or traditional — all kinds are played here. 151 Water St. (419) 241-7732 or www. murphysplacejazz.com. O Stanley and Sunny Cowell: 7 p.m. Jan. 8, $15.
Omni
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 13
O Old West End Records: Wednesdays. O Mark Mikel: Friday afternoons and Tuesday nights. O Bob Rex: Sunday afternoons. O Frankie May, Ben Barefoot: Mondays. O Polka Floyd: Jan. 7. O The Homewreckers: Jan. 8 O Bobby May Drybone Revival: Jan. 14.
Rave Cinema Classics – Levis Commons Jan. 10: “Heartbreak”
a 1931 film with Madge Evans and Charles Farrell.
Jeff McDonald’s Big-Band Revival Party
Tickets are $2 for the Cinema Classics series, which runs Mondays at 1 p.m. The lobby opens half an hour before the show. The Rave Motion Pictures Cinema Classics series is sponsored by Toledo Free Press Star and the Area Office on Aging. JB’s Sarnie Shoppe at Levis Commons will join Toledo Free Press Star in a social networking promotion that will award a weekly winner with free lunch for two. For more information, call (419) 874-2154 and watch www. facebook.com/toledofreepress for contest and weekly promotion details. O
8 p.m. Thursdays, South Briar Restaurant, 5147 S. Main St., Sylvania. (419) 517-1111 or (419) 708-0265.
This club is a venue for music (and music lovers) of all types. 2567 W. Bancroft St. (419) 535-6664 or omnimidwest.com. O Stranglehold, Puppetshow: 8 p.m. Jan. 14.
Jeff McDonald’s Big-Band All Stars
Ottawa Tavern
Hepcat Revival
Casual meals with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. O Flotation Walls, Violent Stars: 10 p.m. Jan. 7. O Pomegranates, the Faux Paus: 10 p.m. Jan. 14.
This seven-piece swing/jump/blues band performs the music of B.B. King, Cab Calloway, Louis Prima and Louis Jordan, as well as their own compositions, and promises a “toe-tapping, finger-poppin’” show. 8 p.m. Jan. 7, Franciscan Theatre & Conference Center, Lourdes College, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania. $10-$12. (419) 824-3999 or www.franciscancenter.org.
$50. (419) 246-8000, (800) 348-1253 or www.toledosymphony.com.
Club Friday: Tapestry
Friday Night Live
Some of the city’s most talented performers entertain museum-goers during TMA’s It’s Friday events. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Jan. 7, Cloister, 2445 Monroe St. (419) 255-8000 or toledomuseum.org.
Regional entertainers will perform in an intimate setting. This month’s singers are Lukas Frey, Sarah Goslee Reed and Will Cheshier. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7, Ritz Theatre, 20 S. Washington St., Tiffin. $10. (419) 448-8544 or www.ritztheatre.org.
Carnegie Hall Kickoff
“All Hands on Deck”
Mayor Mike Bell will narrate this show, geared toward psyching up for the Toledo Symphony’s debut at Carnegie Hall in the spring. The program will feature a performance by Toledo native pianist Stanley Cowell and works by Gershwin, Ellington, Copland, Bernstein and Dvorak. 8 p.m. Jan. 7, Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle, 2445 Monroe St. $20-
This 1940s-style musical revue will feature more than 40 big-band tunes with dancing to match. 7 p.m. Jan. 7 and 2 p.m. Jan. 8, Beck Auditorium, Perrysburg Commodore Building, 140 E. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg. $12-$15. (419) 343-9528 or www.perrysburgmusicaltheatre.com.
Pizza Papalis Get slices with a topping of entertainment. 519 Monroe St. (419) 244-7722 or www.pizzapapalis.com. O Don and Rachel Coats: 7 p.m. Jan. 7-8. O Chris Knopp: 7 p.m. Jan. 14-15.
Toledo’s Mainstreet Bar and Grill Ronn Daniels performs weekly at this pub. 8-11 p.m. Thursdays, 141 Main St. (419) 697-6297 or www.toledomainstreet.com. O MoonDogs: 10 p.m. Jan. 8.
The Village Idiot Tunes combined with pizza and booze, some would say it’s a perfect combination. 309 Conant St., Maumee. (419) 8937281, (419) 740-2395 or www.villageidiotmaumee.com.
Dancing is encouraged. 8-10:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Trotter’s Tavern, 5131 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 381-2079 or (419) 708-0265.
mexico
BRINGING THE FLAVORS OF
to northwest ohio
experience the
Northwest Ohioans have always enjoyed the hot flavors of Mexico, and our warm hospitality. Come to one of our restaurants and experience a delicious dining adventure tonight!
Loma-Linda’s
“BIEN VENIDOS AMIGOS”
Specializing in Mexican Food since 1955
419-865-5455
10400 Airport Hwy.(1.2 Mi. East of the Aiport) Lunch & Dinner, 11 a.m. to Midnight Closed Sundays & Holidays
BARRON’S CAFE
Everything Mexican From Tacos to Enchiladas to Delicious Burritos
419-825-3474
13625 Airport Hwy., Swanton (across from Valleywood Country Club) Mon. - Thurs. 11-11 p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11-12 a.m. Closed Sundays and Holidays
• 20TH ANNIVERSARY •
THE ORIGINAL MEXICAN RESTAURANTE & CANTINA IN TOLEDO
419-841-7523
Sunday Night Dances Night Session will provide big-band music for dancers and listeners alike. A 30-minute dance lesson will precede the show. 5 p.m. Jan. 9, Paulette’s Studio of Dance, 4853 Monroe St., Building B. $10. (419) 654-3262 or www.dancetoledo.com.
L.A. Philharmonic Live The West Coast orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, “Slonimsky’s Earbox” by John Adams and Leonard Bernstein’s first symphony, “Jeremiah,” will be broadcast live. 5 p.m. Jan. 9, Rave Motion Pictures Fallen Timbers 14, 2300 Village Dr. West, Maumee. $16-$20. (419) 878-3898 or www.ravemotionpictures.com.
$1.00 DRAFTS $2.00 MARGARITAS All day every day, except during entertainment
WE L VE KENO PLAYERS!
EVERY FRI & SAT NIGHTS
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6648 Lewis Ave., Temperance, e MI
7742 W. Bancroft (1 Mi. West of McCord) Mon. - Sat. from 11 a.m. Closed Sundays & Holidays
734-847-7222 734-84 • www.mtloonies.net
LIVE MUSIC: THIS WEEK AT THE BLARNEY Friday, y, Januaryy 7th
Saturday, January 8th
PPILOT ILOT RADIO RADIO
KENTUCKY CHROME
ARTURO’S
FRITZ & ALFREDO’S Original Recipes from Both Mexico and Germany
419-729-9775
3025 N. Summit Street (near Point Place) Mon. - Thurs. 11-10 p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11-11 p.m., Sun. 3-9 p.m. Closed Holidays
Casual Dining • ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
Go Walleye!
NOW ! OPEN Blarney Bullpen
www.theblarneybullpen.com
6601 01 M Monroe nrroooee SSt.
RRight Rig Ri ight Ac Across crooss ffrom room FiFFift Fifth iftf h Th Thi Third i Field
Happy Hour Live Entertainment Mon-Fri 4-7 pm Thurs - Fri - Sat
For Fo or m music usic listin listings, ngs, gs drink d k spe specials, & weekly dining specials, go to:
theblarneyirishpub.com m
Voted BEST Irish Pu & Downtownb Ba in Toledo! r
14 n JAN. 5, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“A PUN IS THE LOWEST FORM OF HUMOR, UNLESS YOU THOUGHT OF IT YOURSELF.” — DOUG LARSON
Levis Commons toy drive set for Jan. 7-8 The Town Center at Levis Commons in Perrysburg will collect gently used plastic toys for local families in need Jan. 7 and 8 during its “Play it Forward” toy drive. Donations can be dropped off in front of the movie theater at Levis Commons from noon to 6 p.m. Donated toys should be plastic, in working order, clean and have fresh batteries if possible. “When functioning and useable toys are thrown out, they become waste in a landfill, take up a lot of space and do not biodegrade,” said Casey Pogan, marketing director at The Town Center at Levis Commons, in a news release. “Adding to this is the fact that many children in our area go without toys, which are instrumental in creativity and imagination development.” The toys will be distributed in mid-January to
the Aurora House and Mom’s House, both local charities serving women and children in Northwest Ohio. The Aurora House is a transitional housing shelter for homeless women and children, specifically women who were dealing with addictions. Mom’s House works to empower single parents through education and child care. Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup will clean and sanitize the toys. “That is a huge thing, so if people are feeling hesitant about donating because something has been sitting in the attic, they don’t need to because it’s going to be cleaned and sanitized,” Pogan said. Toledo Free Press and the website ToledosNight Out.com are the media sponsors for the event. Contact The Town Center at Levis Commons at (419) 931-8888. — Sarah Ottney
Dance Club to host open dance event Jan. 8 The Northwest Ohio Dance Club (NWODC) will host its first lesson and open dance event of the new year on Jan. 8. Individuals will learn a west coast swing flash mob dance from instructors Mark and Lois Ferris. The dance lesson is the first of a two part session, with the second lesson Jan.22. Flash mobs are very popular right now and some NWODC members participated in a flash mob at the Dec. 5 Detroit Pistons’ game, said Janet Frederick, NWODC promotions chair. Many members thought the dance was fun, so NWODC decided to host lessons, she said. The lesson is from 7 to 8 p.m. with opening dancing following from 8 to 11 p.m.
at the Toledo Yacht Club, 3900 N. Summit St. Open dancing features DJ Carol Ann Howell playing various music genres. “I think what makes our club different from most is we play music for a huge variety of dancing — swing, hustle, Latin, country western, ballroom,” Frederick said. “It’s great for people who love variety.” Lessons are free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Opening dancing is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information about NWODC, visit northwestohiodanceclub. shutterfly.com. — Kristen Criswell
Grace notes
Passing of Joan Russell is blow to local jazz scene.
H
appy New Year! As I write this on and the club. My own fantasy about death is that New Year’s Day, I can say, not sur- it finally brings ultimate understanding to all of prisingly, that all of my scenarios look the hypotheses we form and struggle to grasp and similar today to the way they looked solve during life. Joan has a lot of those, I think. I hope I’m right and that everyyesterday. Not much has thing will become very clear changed. The arrival of to her soon. January 2011 did not From my view, the future wipe clean or undo of Murphy’s Place is uncerany of the real work or tain. Family and friends at progress that this commuthe hospital and in the jazz nity made in 2010. On the community are rallying to contrary, in my experience, help make sure the place runs it has only reinforced it. from day to day. Clifford is Which means that I woke doing his very best but his up today still dreaming and girl is lying in a hospital bed. scheming of ways to tell the I suspect that all he wants world that Toledo is ripe for is to hold her but will settle the picking of cultural expefor his bass. Calls for help riences and opportunities go out to show up and to be involved in changing Rachel tend bar or bus tables, but the world. Good thing, too, I can’t bring myself to do it. because amid all of this poBesides events that will celtential, something very sad is ebrate her life where I may going on. And I have to tell be required to sing, I can’t you about it. But, as always, say I’ll step foot in the club there will be a way to do again. But, that is my way something positive and of dealing, or not dealing as impactful in its wake. the case may be. The club and I promise. During the last week of December, my dear Joan are one and the same. Counterintuitive, friend and mentor, Joan Russell, endured a I know. I’m a musician. I should need to hear stroke that left her unconscious, receiving Hos- the music. For me, though, jazz is melancholy pice Care. Many of you know that Joan is the enough without incorporating this current, drawn-out loss. owner/doer of everyWhew ... hard to bething except play the lieve I intend to spin this to music at Murphy’s She’s leaving and the positive. But, it is very Place Jazz Club. Persimple. The music is rich sonally, she is the I can’t stop her. I so and thick with beauty and woman who gave me a realness. Please go and chance to sing jazz as if I hope she is deep in experience it. Murphy’s were the real deal when I there being proud of Place needs the support was just a little 22-year-old right now more than it baby in her club. what she made and ever has. And it will give She is also one of was able to keep going you something that a handful of incredyou cannot find anyible women around as long as she did. where else in the city. here whose orders I Claude Black, take without argument Clifford Murphy and (others include Carol Dunn, Pam Weirauch, and Mary Sawers. And other local jazz musicians will be there on the stage. They need to make the music and want to they feed me, too). I sat with Joan in the hospital several times share it with you. The place is also a Downtown in the past few days and have repeatedly asked institution and a good old-fashioned locally her what the hell she was thinking. I prodded owned business. The reasons for you to pay it a her about fights we had a decade ago (before I visit are countless. I know that Joan would really learned to just listen to her), hoping she’d get appreciate it. O mad at me again and open her eyes to tell me EDITOR’S NOTE: Joan Russell died on Jan. 2. why I’m still wrong. No such luck. She’s leaving and I can’t stop her. I so hope that she is deep in there being proud of Rachel Richardson is an activist, musician, cowhat she made and was able to keep going as long founder and co-director of Independent Advoas she did. I hope she fully comprehends how cates, and a product of Toledo, Ohio. E-mail her at much the community loves and appreciates her star@toledofreepress.com.
RICHARDSON
ACT
‘‘
’’
“IT’S KIND OF FUN TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.” — WALT DISNEY
Beverly Wills
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JAN. 5, 2011 n 15
‘Enslaved’ offers colorful graphics, story By Michael Siebenaler Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
Wild out
I
f it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to raise an artist to a national platform. Finally, Toledo was on national television for something other than a group of racists in white sheets, a shootout at a club or kidnapping. Toledo was on national television because a native proudly announced his hometown in front of a live studio audience on the highest-rated show on BET. The week that led up to rapper Beverly Wills’ performance on “106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday” proved that this community is capable LIL of uniting and supporting a fellow Toledoan. Facebook and Twitter profile pictures all across the 419 were changed to a flier urging others to vote for Beverly Wills. I lost count of the number of times I texted “B” to 79922. So the day came. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010. 6 p.m. “BET’s 106 & Park” has started. Many Toledoans’ Facebook status mentions Beverly Wills, instructing everyone to watch and get ready to vote. We’re ready to see if all our support will pay off. This edition of “Wild Out Wednesday” was all male rappers. Great; Wills might have competition. The first act was introduced, and upon first glimpse, he showed promise. Equipped with fashionably coordinated dancers and a charming southern slang, he might just be good. Then his music started. Ten seconds of his performance was enough for every Toledoan watching to know he wasn’t going to be a problem. After a few more music videos and mindless banter from the hosts of the show, it was time for Act 2, Beverly Wills, all the way from Toledo,
Wills makes history.
Ohio. Facebookers and Tweeters went frantic, making sure everyone was ready to vote. Wills performed solo. No dancers to distract the crowd, no hypeman to overshadow him. And by himself, he had the crowd repeating his chants, and voluntarily cheering him. After he was done performing his allotted segment of his song “Everybody Wanna Be Me,” he rapped without music for a moment. Wills had a special message for everyone back home in Toledo, glued to the television, ready to vote for him: Forget the chicks and fame; I do this to make Toledo proud. How proud were the people of Toledo? Proud enough to keep Beverly Wills in the lead through the duration of the show, and make him victorious at the show’s conclusion. Beverly Wills is the first artist from Toledo to win “Wild Out Wednesday.” And he won because his city stood behind him. Wills said that performance “felt like a job; the city did everything to get everybody watching, so I had to make sure they watched something good.” Beverly Wills has been invited back to BET for Blaze the Stage, a competition where the best “Wild Out Wednesday” performers are showcased in front of label executives and the biggest urban radio station in the country, Hot 97 in New York. People have gotten record deals from Blaze the Stage. Wills summed up the experience by saying “not often do you do in reality the things you picture in your brain.” Congratulations. Dreams do come true. O
d T HE
WORD I HEARD
Looking for a great post-Christmas video game deal with a solid story? The tactical action-adventure game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West offers great graphics, memorable characters and entertaining combat moves plus a 3-D bonus. Originally sold at $59.99, many outlets now sell this compelling one-player game at $39.99 and even $19.99! Game developers use the original ancient Chinese story “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng’en to adapt their post-apocalyptic story set 150 years in the future of the United States. “Journey to the West” is one of Four Great Classical Novels of China, so possible game sequels could be in the future. The colorful graphics amaze as players traverse through different dynamic scenarios beginning on a slave ship. The great cut scenes provide a fun, epic feel that immerses players in the intuitive gameplay where bright spots and shiny highlights prompt the next movements for easy progression. Players can also complete amazing aerial maneuvers “on the rails” as game developers eliminated those frustrating falls and accidental control miscues. These challenging moves rarely dilute
the thrilling jumps and special maneuvers — often presented in extreme situations. Occasional odd jumps from point A to point B are noticeable, but do not really diminish the entertainment value and players still progress through the game. The lead characters are the fearless Monkey, voiced and motioncaptured by Andy Serkis from the “Lord of the Rings” film series, and tech-savvy Tripitaka (a.k.a. Trip), voiced by Lindsey Shaw. Trip’s actions form a unique partnership between the two. Monkey contributes with his strength, shield abilities and “cloud” board that transports over land or water while Trip can scan for nearby dangers, produce holograms and access certain areas in the occasional puzzle-like challenges throughout the game. Downloadable content includes “Pigsy’s Perfect 10” ($9.99 on PlayStation Network) where players can play Monkey and Trip’s comical ally Pigsy and receive a TriOviz® for Games Technology update which allows 3-D views for this content and the original game. Players with 2-D players can use the TriOviz Inficolor 3-D glasses while 3-D-enabled television can use 3-D utilizing stereo 3-D active shutter glasses (***1/2, rated T for blood, language, violence and suggestive themes). O
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“The truth is more important than the facts.” — Frank Lloyd Wright
Writing resolutions for 2011 W
here does the time go? 2010 may be last year’s news, but if you’re anything like me, you’re still trying to catch up. So let’s make a few belated resolutions. I’m not talking about being a better friend or losing 40 pounds or finding true love. All of those things sound great, but I’m talking about writing. This isn’t about your dreams or finding inspiration, but setting goals for your literary aspirations and sticking with them. Ask yourself, what do I want to accomplish over the next year? How do I plan to get there? During Thanksgiving, my father and I had our annual family blowout. The topic is always the same — my complete and utter lack of discipline. As much as I hate to say it, my dad has always been spot on. So I’ll get us started. I want to find more time to write. Who among us hasn’t let the day slip away from them? The No. 1 issue for most writers I know is managing their time, or more to the point, mismanaging it. So what can we do to make sure 2011 is time well spent? Write every day. I’ll admit this is something I’ve never been good at, but it has to be done.
You may be thinking, “That’s easy for you to say; you’re single and write for a living, I have three kids and work nights, or I’m unemployed, my seasonal depression is killing me, and I have bigger things to worry about than writing or not writing.” What can I say — you’re right. There are plenty of reasons not to write and only one good reason to keep going JOHN — you have to. We tend to let things overwhelm us, but keep in mind I’m not talking about finishing the great American novel in one sitting or the next book of sonnets to rival Shakespeare. I’m just talking about sitting down and writing a few lines. Facing that blank page on a daily basis, until you really are giving the bard a run for his money.
a larger world out there, and if you want to read about Keith Richards’ lifetime of misadventures, who am I to stop you? Just take something from the experience and put it into your own work however you can. For me, all of this means getting off the road and spending more time at home. Seeking out inspiration right here. Writing what I know, what I see out my window every day. As someone who has spent years thinking about poetry and writing in general in a larger sense, I’ll admit this won’t be easy, but then maybe that’s why we have to make resolutions, to help tackle the hard stuff. So what are your writing resolutions for the New Year? To make the grade? To publish? To win an award? To simply keep writing? Whatever they are, just set your eyes on the prize and get ready for a bumpy road and remember that I’m pulling for you. Writing may feel isolating, but it’s all of us together, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. Until next time … keep your pencil sharp. O
My next few resolutions go hand in hand. I want to read more and become even more involved in my local literary community. Think back; why did you start writing to begin with? Hopefully it wasn’t a love of ramen noodles and a hatred of financial stability, but a true connection with the written word. In my opinion, nothing keeps that original creative spark flowing more than reading, and nothing is more exciting than finding new creative talent in your own backyard. Now I really don’t care what you’re reading, as long as you’re reading something, but I do think that reading or listening to local authors makes our own goals feel more within reach. That said, there is
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“Dogs have Owners, Cats have Staff.” — ANONYMOUS
‘The right people will get this’ How and why one quote has inspired so many people.
O A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol. 2, No. 1. Established 2010. Thomas F. Pounds, President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller, Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com EDITORIAL
Mary Ann Stearns, Design Editor mastearns@toledofreepress.com James A. Molnar, Lead Designer jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Brandi Barhite, Associate Editor bbarhite@toledofreepress.com Kristen Rapin-Criswell, Special Sections Editor krapin@toledofreepress.com Chris Schmidbauer, Sports Editor cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com Andrew Farr, Bowling Green Editor afarr@toledofreepress.com Lisa Renee Ward, Social Networking Manager star@toledofreepress.com ADMINISTRATION
Pam Burson, Business Manager pburson@toledofreepress.com CONTRIBUTORS star@toledofreepress.com
Jim Beard • John Dorsey • Matt Feher • Jerry Gray Dustin Hostetler • Stacy Jurich • Vicki L. Kroll lilD • Martini • Jeff McGinnis • Whitney Meschke Rachel Richardson • Julie Webster • Don Zellers Chris Kozak, Staff Writer Emeritus Lisa Renee Ward, Darcy Irons Sarah Ottney, Proofreaders ADVERTISING SALES
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ne of the best parts of writing for Toledo Free Press is the opportunity to converse with a lot of creative people. During the past year and a half, I’ve had the chance to talk with many artists in a wide variety of fields. It’s always fascinating to learn what makes them tick, what inspires them and how JEFF people working in completely different fields can have quite a lot in common. One of the most striking parallels I’ve found between creative people is not just a common philosophy, but a philosophy inspired by a common source. I’ve heard the same quote recited to me no less than four times during the past year, from individuals as diverse as author and actor Wil Wheaton and CHIKARA founder and wrestler Mike Quackenbush. They each paraphrase it slightly, but know its sentiment by heart: “When we write a joke, we never ask, ‘Who’s gonna get this?’ We always say, ‘The right people will get this’.” The quote comes from Joel Hodgson, comedian and creator of cult television classic “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” He said it in a Comedy Central documentary in 1991 about the making of the show. And in doing so, he apparently inspired more artists to follow their bliss than he probably ever realized. For a generation of television fans, “MST3K” was a revelation. The basic concept was fairly simple: Play an old, cheesy movie and make fun of it the whole time. But the project was infused with lightning-quick wit and remarkable creativity from its writers and performers. What could have been groaningly bad television became a milestone for fans the world over. And it all stems from the philosophy Hodgson stated on the documentary. The writers were never afraid to throw out the most obscure or bizarre references they could think of. Sometimes, jokes were told that went over the heads of 90 percent of the audience. But for the other 10 percent, it would hit them dead in the face and make them roar with laughter. But Hodgson’s quote isn’t just about a single joke or two. The spirit of it runs throughout the entire enterprise. “MST3K” was never made to appeal to a mass audience. It was made for a very specific kind of fan, one who would appreciate the intelligently silly humor the show would present. They never tried to dumb things down or make it a little more palatable, just to garner more viewers. Either they get us or they don’t, “MST3K’s” staff seemed to say.
Fast-forward about 20 years. Now, many who watched “MST3K” when they were young have grown into adulthood. They, too, have begun to leave their own marks on pop culture. And they have never forgotten the lessons of that little, low-budget comedy show — lessons that all stem from that one, simple quote. For the artists who cite it, the concept is incredibly liberating. So much of the creative process is constrained by compromise. Creators are often pressured to change their work in order to make it more “mainstream.” They need to think of John Q. Public, they’re told. This is a great, original idea you have, but it obviously needs some work if it’s ever gonna be accepted by a large audience.
mCGINNIS
POP GOES THE
CULTURE
The neutering of genuine imagination is the greatest crime modern media has committed. But in Hodgson’s quote, there is hope — the belief and promise that sometimes, if you stay true to your vision, it will find an audience that appreciates it. You can’t make everyone happy, and it’s foolish to ever try. The best you can do is to make work that you think is great. If you’re right, you’ll find others who will support it — fervently. The proof? “Mystery Science Theater 3000” left the air in 1999. Hundreds of other shows have aired in the intervening years. Most of them were made for the masses. Most of them had a goal of being as popular as possible. And most of them withered, died and were quickly forgotten. But for many, the memory of “MST3K” remains, as strong as ever. “…we never ask, ‘Who’s gonna get this?’ We always say, ‘The right people will get this.’” Think about it. It’s about so much more than just art. O E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com. Jeff appears each Tuesday on The 92.5 KISS-FM “Morning Show.”
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“YOU CAN’T HAVE EVERYTHING ... WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT?” — STEVEN WRIGHT