Planet Weekly 463

JULY 10 + JULY 242 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

Adopt-A-School Breakfast Set for July 29

Celebrating the comple-tion of 29 years of supporting area schools, the annual Adopt-A-School Breakfast Seminar is set for 7:30a.m. on Tues., July 29 at Univer-sity Church of Christ to officially kickoff the 2014-15 AAS year.

The focus will be Partnerships...Building the Future Together. Keynote speaker will be Bill Canary, President and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA). BCA is the voice of business and industry representing more than 750,000 working Alabam-ians through its member companies that come from all segments of our economy.

>>> N E W S | t H E c H a m B E R o f c o m m E R c E

NEWSBUSINESS & EDUCATION ALLIANCE

Most recently, BCA has been a driv-ing force to create the Business and Education Alliance in Alabama uniting these two communities for the common purpose of enhancing the education op-portunities for Alabama's school children and future workforce.This event provides a unique opportunity for school person-nel in both the Tuscaloosa County and City Systems to meet and network with community and business leaders. Cost is $20/person. Deadline for registration is July 22. Email [email protected] or call 391.0556 for a form.

Save the Date: State of the Commu-nity

This 12th annual event will be Aug. 27 at noon at Indian Hills Country Club. Scheduled to participate are Probate Judge Hardy McCollum, Chairman of the Tuscaloosa County Commission; Mayor Walt Maddox of the City of Tuscaloosa; and Mayor Bobby Herndon of the City of Northport. Speakers will give a report on the progress of our area and status of our local governments.

Save the Date: Adopt-A-School Golf Tournament

The annual Nucor Tuscaloosa Adopt-A-School Golf Tourney will be held at Ol Colony Golf Course on Sept. 11. Get your teams together! Details to come.

Ribbon Cutting at Alabama Central Credit Union

We celebrated the Tuscaloosa location of Alabama Central Credit Union at 1665 McFarland Blvd. N with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Bank is striving to be more convenient by adding new branch loca-tions, more ATMs and cutting edge tech-

Bill Canary

nologies. Kudos! Visit alabamacentral.org to learn more.

Save the Date: Washington Fly-In As always, our schedule while in the na-tion's capital will allow time for interaction with our members of Congress as well as engagements with other elected officials. It's also an opportunity, unlike any other, to network with fellow Chamber members. This year, the agenda will include some fun time at a Washington Nationals base-ball game. Make plans to join us Sept. 24-26 and watch for more info coming soon.

Register Now for Bama Brew & QueGot the best BBQ around? Here's your chance to prove it! Register for the 2nd Annual Bama Brew & Que in Tuscaloosa, a KCBS Sanctioned Event being held Sept. 12-13. There will be a Professional Division and a Backyard Division. Event is sponsored by Young Professionals of Tuscaloosa or YP(t). Click here for an en-try form. For more info, email [email protected] or call 633.0236.

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STORIES5 AUGUST THROWDOWN // WILLIAM BARSHOPAn essential T-Town experience

7 THE EARTH FUNK TRIBE // JUDAH MARTINAn Alabama artist finds herself

9 BAG 101 // JUDAH MARTINGlitter and glam at a special personal gift shopt

14 EXPEDITION 36 // JEROME ADAMSDigging up history

20 TOP 10 TIDE VICTORIES // STEPHEN SMITHA look at the Crimson Tide's incredible comeback victories

22 WHAT ARE yOU WATCHING? // CARA BRAKESuggestions from our readers

25 THE GENIUS OF "EMPTy GLASS" // KEITH LENNOXTibute to Pete Townsend

ENTERTAINMENT10-12 RESTAURANT GUIDE / WINE & BEER

13 MOVIE REVIEW

16-17 EVENTS CALENDAR

18 ROAD TRIP

19 TUSCALOOSA MUSIC

22 THE FLAT SCREEN

23 HOROSCOPES // SUDOKU

24 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

HIGH TIDE SPORTS21 BLAKE BARNETT SAyS yES // GARy HARRIS

PUBLISHERlinDa W. JoHnson

MANAGING EDITORHERB nEu

ASSISTANT EDITORJuDaH maR tin

COVER DESIGNl au R a l i n E B E R R Y

EVENTSJ u Da H m a R t i n

ROAD TRIPtREY BRooKs

DESIGN/PRODUCTIONH E R B n E u

IMAGEScommon use unless

otherwise credited

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FEATURE

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THE REPUBS GET MEDIEVAL AND BRING BACK THE DORK AGES // ALERIC AT ATHENS

>>> J U S T S AY I N ' | N I C K V A N O C U R

At the end of A news day when Con-gress had done nothing that made sense or benefitted anyone but the plutocrats and oligarchs, the last few people in the PW newsroom had cracked open the bot-tles, rolled one or two spliffs and jumped on the Internet as a thought had spread and they were determined to check it out.

The idea had sprung from a story on climate-change deniers saying there was no science that confirmed global warming.

They said that in an air-conditioned room, it was noted.

And, after a couple “Damn Bible-thumper!” comments, the religion editor, a devout Satanist, pointed out that what the Republicans were doing and saying was a lot like what was said — and got us into — the Dark Ages.

Instantly, drinks were slammed and computers lit up as our group sprang to action.

The first find was a quote by Ralph Hall of Texas (of course!), a former House Science Committee chairman who had proclaimed, “There is growing concern and evidence that scientific data, from which global warming theories emerged, has been manipulated, enhanced or deleted.”

“Much like the revisions of the Bible,” the religion editor noted. “A document that sure has been manipulated. Yet those Southern Republicans have no problem believing in that and forgetting it was the right-wing clergy that did the manipulating!”

“Like Napoleon said,” the unofficial historian of the group muttered, “Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”

“Another strike against it,” proclaimed the Satanist.

“Here’s a second strike against the House Science Committee,” said the crusty old managing editor, joining in.

“This gem’s from the present com-mittee chairman, Lamar Smith, another numb-nut from, where else, Texas.

“Home of the Dark Ages!” the pub-lisher said as she joined the gang.

“More like the Dork Ages!” said a ris-ing young copy girl, thinking of her favorite

Medieval theorist, Louie Gohmert.“Now, tell me this don’t sound like the

Republicans!” proclaimed the economics editor.

“Orthodox Christians strove to recre-ate a pure Christianity, void of these ‘dark’ Catholic ways. Catholics did not view this era as ‘dark,’

“Much like the Republicans,” he quipped before continuing.

“Catholics viewed this period as a har-monious, productive religious era. The Dark Ages were also the years of vast Muslim conquests. Along with other nomads and horse and camel warriors, the Muslims rode through the fallen empire, wreaking havoc and seeding intellectual and social heresy in their wake. Muslim conquests prevailed until the time of the Crusades. This age old con-flict between Christianity and Islam remains until this day.”

“Which explains why those sh^t-wea-sels still want to fight a war in Iraq,” said a reporter from a notoriously Red part of Tuscaloosa.

“And I got more proof of that!” the police reporter proclaimed, glancing at his screen. “Within a few years, the leaders of what was called the Christian church were nothing more than bosses of vicious gangs who murdered their rivals for power and position.”

“Tell that to Eric Cantor!” someone shouted. “Them religious thugs murdered the only Jew they got!”

He paused. “Wait! That sounds familiar!”“As does this,” proclaimed the educa-

tion editor, a well-read dropout. “See if this reminds anyone of the GOP-fostered student debt crisis and the battle against Common Core.”

He began reading: “The ‘Christian’ church had no interest in preserving the Roman Empire; it now had its own empire to build. As the Roman Empire crumbled, career opportunities now lay exclusively within the hierarchy of the church and a Christianized state bureaucracy — for those few bright and privileged enough to be able to seek education. With the ac-tive cooperation of the imperial court the Church had seized complete control over

education and now restricted instruction to potential priests. Initially, rhetoric and grammar remained in the syllabus but knowledge which did not serve the pur-poses of the Church was suppressed.”

“Yep,” it was agreed, “Common Core.“And if you need more proof that the

Republicans have truly brought back the phi-losophy of the Dark Ages,” the religion editor said with a suspicious smile, “There is this…

‘Preoccupied with ceremonial and pro-pagandistic pageants, within a few genera-tions most priests could not even read the Bible. Ritual had replaced reading, iconog-raphy had replaced language. The scientific method — empirical observation and the testing of hypotheses — had no place in an age in which eternal truth was made known to man by the revealed Word of God. In the Christian world-view, “Nature” was known as the domain of evil, not a realm worthy of respect and exploration.’ ”

“Do you think Galileo is turning over in his grave?” the science editor mused aloud.

“If he heard Randy Hulgren of Illinois he would be,” the religion editor declared.

“What did he say?” the publisher asked.

“The greatest impact on our climate clearly is the sun!”

“Yep,” they agreed, “The Dark Ages

are back. Or is it the Dork Ages? I get confused.”

“So do they, my son, so do they.”

Nick Vanocur is a former editor of the Tennessean and blogs on All-len-All.com

EDUCATION ACCORDING TO JEFFERSONby Diane Ravitch:

Thomas Jefferson advocated for a system of public education. He pro-posed "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge."

Whereas it appeareth that however certain forms of government are bet-ter calculated than others to protect individuals in the free exercise of their natural rights, and are at the same time themselves better guarded against degeneracy, yet experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts, which his-tory exhibiteth, that, possessed thereby of the experience of other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes; And whereas it is generally true that that people will be happiest whose laws are best, and are best administered, and that laws will be wisely formed, and honestly administered, in proportion as those who form and administer them are wise and honest; whence it becomes expedient for promoting the publick happi-ness that those person, whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth or other accidental condition or circumstance; but the indigence of the greater number disabling them from so educating, at their own expence, those of their children whom nature hath fitly formed and disposed to become use-ful instruments for the public, it is better that such should be sought for and educated at the common expence of all, than that the happiness of all should be confided to the weak or wicked...

~~Note that one of the chief functions of education was to arm the populace

with knowledge to protect themselves against the potential tyranny of the powerful. Note also that he recognized that most parents would not be able to afford to educate, and that education "should be sought for an educated at the common expense of all..."

5>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JULY 10 + JULY 24

Thursday, August 28

Rounding out the month of August is an entirely different type of band that may appeal to fans of Pink Floyd or the Grateful Dead. Umphrey's McGee can be classified just as well as a jam band or a progressive rock group, featuring odd composition and a lot of improvisa-tion in every show. If you're looking for creative, interesting music like the long suites made by Yes and Genesis, this show will be a refreshing break from short and sweet song structures. The band's new record, Similar Skin is avail-able now through Nothing Too Fancy Music. Tickets on sale now.

Jacob Thompson

Flo Rida

>>> M U S I C | W I L L I A M BA R S H O P

tuscAloosA's bArs And smAll venues are great for seeing local acts and more intimate shows, but when huge tours roll around, the city is thankful for the 15-acre Tuscaloosa Amphiteater. Hosting even more noteworthy headliners in the past few years, visiting the concert hall on the banks of the Black Warrior River has become an essential T-Town experience. With the summer months winding down music fans will be vying for a seat to see one of the three shows coming up at the Amphitheater in August, boasting perfor-mances from Jake Owen, Boyz II Men and Umphrey's McGee. Check out the Planet Weekly's guide to August at the Amphite-ater and get tickets online while they last!

Thursday, August 21

Any Tuscaloosan can appreciate kick-ing back on a summer night listening to country radio, and Jake Owen is just the guy to host an August throw-down at the Amphiteater. Owen's most popular tune, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" sets the mood for summer relaxation like no other, so hearing it in concert will surely make a lasting impression. The Amphitheater asks that patrons keep footwear on at all times, but you can still get the feeling of a laid-back summer night with a few cold beverages while you enjoy the music. Now is a better time than ever to see Owen live, as his newest single "Beachin'" just hit number 1 on the Billboard Country chart. The song has the same, feel good message of fun in the sun, and country fans are loving it.

For a more country-rock edge, Par-malee will also perform songs from their first album on Stoney Creek Records, Feels Like Carolina. The group isn't as well known as Jake Owen, but fans of Eric Church and Jason Aldean will be able to get into their sound, and many radio listen-ers will remember their song, "Carolina," which was number 1 in country airplay in December.

The third act of this country lineup is The Cadillac Three, a new Nashville trio that is making waves with fans of gritty Southern rock. Anyone who calls Alabama home will enjoy "The South," the song this band made with Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley and Mike Eli. The rocking tribute celebrates everything this side of the Mason-Dixon, from beer and whiskey to dive bars and diners. The Cadillac Three will have you shouting out the name of your homestate with pride, and back up the main act with plenty of wild energy. This night of carefree country definitely calls for a cowboy hat and plans to let loose. Tickets on sale now.

Saturday, August 23

Today's teeny boppers may think Pitch Perfect made a Capella cool, but Boyz II Men have been laying down crystal-clear harmonies since 1992's "The End of the Road."The group snatched Billboard records from giants like the Beatles and Elvis Presley on their path to becoming definitive icons of 90s music, and their ballads are still staples to the set lists of

AUGUST THROW-DOWN AT THE AMPHITHEATER // A MONTH OF MUST-SEE SHOWS

every college a Capella group. Ubiquitous hits like "On Bended Knee" and "One Sweet Day" will either give you a rush of nostalgia or have you reaching for your tissues. In any case, the music will make for a romantic night of singing along, sur-prised you still know all the words.

An appearance by Keith Sweat will be a treat to more dedicated lovers of RnB, who will recall the smooth, slow-burning soul he has been making since the 70s. Sweat's discography spans a range of styles, from classic Soul Train ballads to more contemporary jams, including col-laborations with Snoop Dogg and LL Cool J. Check out songs like "Twisted," "Make it Last Forever," and "Why Me Baby" for a slice of what to expect.

While the same crowd will certainly sing along to En Vogue's 90s RnB hits, even casual listeners will remember the electric "Free Your Mind," which crossed over to be nominated for a rock Grammy. The girl group was nominated for 7 Gram-mys total, including one for the vocals on Salt-n-Pepa's "Whatta Man." En Vogue's stage time will give everyone a chance to get their blood flowing, a nice change of pace from the calm, collected headliners. Overall, the night promises to be a tasteful sampling of rhythm and blues for fans young and old. Tickets on sale now.

Jake Owen

Boyz II Men

Umphrey's McGee


KITTy B. HAIVE

country lovers of All sorts see themselves as the lone wanderer who "made it up the coast in 17 hours, pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flow-ers." Whether you first heard Darius Rucker or Ketch Secor plead to be rocked through the wind and the rain, that resonant songwriting is what made "Wagon Wheel" a hit across the genre's fragmented fan base, and Old Crow Medicine Show the herald of a new wave of bluegrass. Now fresh off a tour through heartland America, the band adds a fifth record to their catalog, Remedy.

"Wagon Wheel" started out as a few lines of an unfinished Bob Dylan bootleg that Secor, Old Crow's front man, fleshed out with images of a drifter making his way through Appala-chia. The tune took on the life of an old workers' sing-along, and a pop-country cover took it to the top of the charts.

Apparently the songwriting legend enjoyed what Secor did with "Wagon Wheel," because he reached out to let him toy with another lost bit of music for Old Crow's new album. Dylan sent fragments of a tune he worked on for the soundtrack of 1973's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kidd, and Secor filled in the lyrics and swapped the harmonica for his trusty fiddle. The two passed notes back and forth, Dylan speaking only through his manager's email, like an old cloistered wizard guiding Secor on a winding quest.

The result finds its home on Remedy

as "Sweet Amarillo," a cowboy's tale that waltzes through generations of folk music, bridging the roots of Americana with the modern country scene. Dylan may be alive and well, but the song resurrects the ghost of The Great Bob Dylan and the work that has burned into the hearts of so many songwriters since. Quaint, little rhymes like "tears on my pillow" and "wind in the willow" feel universal in a way only Dylan can foster and Secor has learned to imitate with grace.

Secor likened his relationship with Dylan to a kid throwing messages in bottles out to sea, and that spiritual weight runs through the group's new-est output. Just as 2012's excellent Carry Me Back dug through Southern history for timeless truths, Remedy reaches into the history of the music itself, piecing together a timeline that leads to Old Crow Medicine Show. "Tennessee Bound” was originally sung by Lily May Ledford, a maven of the clawhammer banjo who started one of the first all-female string bands to see success, the Coon Creek Girls. Old Crow pays tribute to the pioneers of "hillbilly" recordings on "Sweet Home" a tune first performed by Georgia's The Skillet Lickers. Even in their time, these acts were notable for circling back to sounds that had gone out of style, find-ing honesty in the old and refashioning it for a new audience. Old Crow has always layered on context to whatever they play, and the artists they choose

>>> A L B U M R E V I E W | W I L L I A M BA R S H O P

to resurrect show a dedication to their personal definition of "roots music."

Elsewhere on Remedy, Old Crow re-flect on their own beginnings to weave themselves into the history. "Doc's Day" calls back to the time they were first discovered busking on the streets of North Carolina. Troubled memories like those in "Firewater," written by Critter Fuqua, show the conquering of demons as fateful steps to where the band is today. There's no denying the band has become a part of the country lineage, and they embrace this by making their tales larger than life.

Of course Old Crow's other great talent is sneaking their politics into lighthearted bluegrass. Even in hokey prison romps like "Brushy Mountain Con-jugal Trailer," we get hints of discontent with the stagger-ing number of incarcerated Americans. These issues get followed up more directly on "The Warden," which reflects on the price of freedom, and who among us deserve to be locked away. For every moun-tain utopia these songs depict,

there is something unsavory standing in the way of Southern bliss.

Secor and Fuqua have been reluc-tant in interviews to name what ills they see in need of a Remedy. One mustn't look hard, however, to find someone mowing over the country roots that Old Crow hold dear. There may be room for Taylor swifts and Blake Sheltons to grow in the always splitting branches of country, but Remedy set out to feed and water the tree that bore them all. The finished product is a consum-mate vision of more than a century of heritage that Old Crow Medicine Show plays with reverence and enthusiasm.

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW'S REMEDY // A VISION OF BLUEGRASS TRADITION

Depitction of a prehistoric wedding ceremony


>>> A N N I V E R S A RY // WILLIAM BARSHOP

vAcAtioning bookworms come in for an armful of romance novels to flip through with their feet in the sand. Old regulars come in for their weekly fix of mystery, same time as always. Whoever happens to come through the door of the Book Rack, they are greeted by Ann Mc-Gee and friends just as they have been for the past 40 years.

This month marks the 40th year in business for the independent book store found in Tuscaloosa's Parkview Center. Since 1974, McGee has been selling paperbacks at low prices and buying them back for store credit, so customers can keep a tab open and explore the shelves as they please.

"I've seen it change over the years,"

BOOK RACK CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN TUSCALOOSA

McGee said. "Years ago there was no such thing as e-readers, so that has been a whirlwind. In a lot of ways it all stays the same."

The Book Rack still sports its bright orange shelves packed with paperbacks, where customers roam, shoot the breeze, and even lie on the floor to thumb through whatever catches their eye.

"We have a wonderful relationship with readers," McGee said. "We try to remem-ber everyone's name. We'll hear about a customer who came in every week who died, and that'll make us tear up."

The warm welcomes tend to make people feel at ease among the shelves, and McGee makes sure no one is embar-rassed to pick out the book they want. Whether it's a highbrow classic or flavor-of-the-month drama, no judgments are made.

"We always say what is said at the Book Rack, stays in the Book Rack," Mc-Gee said. "Sometimes it's fine to turn your brain off and just enjoy some entertain-ment. No, we never judge what people choose to read."

The ladies of the Book Rack are always ready to make suggestions or dig through the piles for a particular title. From Rose's picks to the Beach Reads section, there's plenty to guide anyone to a good selection.

"There's something for everyone if you look hard enough," McGee said. "We'll help you find something as best we can."

Dedicated book lovers have moved in to town, moved out or graduated, but Mc-Gee is always lifted up by the new faces who wander in looking for something to read. She said she sees promise in young book lovers to open up a store like hers, although they should always come back and get something from the Book Rack.

"You sort of need an entrepreneurial spirit," McGee said. "Signing a lease can be terrifying. There are a lot of roadblocks for starting any kind of business."

Stores like the Book Rack are scarce throughout all of Alabama, but McGee believes there will always be people who want a book's physical copy, and those readers keep book stores alive.

“You want to hold a book, feel a book, smell a book,” said McGee. “I don’t think that will ever change.”

With 40 years of the trade behind her, she must know a thing or two that most of us don't.

LORDY, LORDY, WE JUST TURNED 40!

Please join us during the month of July for pink lemonade, cookies, and conversation. Thousands of paperbacks in gently used condition. We're the place to come to for great summertime reading. We are located in the Parkview Shopping Center.

“It is clear that the books owned the shop rather than the other way about. Everywhere they had run wild and taken possession of their habitat, breeding and multiplying, and clearly lacking any strong hand to keep them down.” ~ Agatha Christie, The Clocks ~


a smile. She briefly placed a hand on her daughters arm. She continued, even as Shawna P began violently shaking her head in disagreement, adding that "I taught her everything she knows."

Shawna P indicated the absurdity of her mother's claim with a wave of her hand.

"Don't listen to her," Shawna P said, unable to contain a playful laugh. "This woman will tell you anything."

Mama P, unable to keep up the ruse, finally let out a giggle. A mother can only dream.

The real story of how Shawna P came to be seems much more complicated and, of course, more colorful.

Years ago, before she'd ever dreamed of competing on season four of NBC's The Voice or charting higher than any female singer over 45 on the iTunes Top 200 list, Shawna P made her way onto the south-ern music scene during the heyday of the same Nashville MusikMafia that produced acts like Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson. She sang with the likes of Kid Rock, Don-nie van Zant, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

"I had some really good stuff happen to me," she said of the experiences. "It just always seemed like it was right there and I was kind of in the background with everything."

In those days, she still dressed in the boots and cowboy hats popular among her Nashville contemporaries until one day when she ran into one of their professional stylists who lived just one street over from her.

"Wait a minute, what is this? What. is. this?" asked the awed stylist. Shawna P recalls being puzzled. It was just one of the same caftans and head-wraps she always wore when she was kicking it back around the house, away from the music scene.

"No ma'am," the stylist protested. "You need to wear this on stage. This is you."

"I don't know if people are ready for this yet," Shawna replied. The stylist didn't give in.

"But people need that," she insisted. "They need to see you in your element."

Shawna P mulled over the exchange with the stylist in her head for a few days afterward until, eventually, she started to see things her way. So she packed away all of the boots and cowgirl gear and she never looked back.

"Ever since then it's just been an evo-lution of sorts," she said.

The Nashville producers she worked with didn't know what to do with her after her reinvention. Despite her country music and southern rock and roll roots, Shawna P was just too, well... funky. Her act was drastically different from what people were used to, and marketing her in the same audience as the other performers seemed like a challenge.

Her unique style soon caught the at-tention of Funk Legend George Clinton. Sensing her potential, he invited Shawna P to perform with him, and he must have been very impressed.

"George Clinton crowned me the long

>>> M U S I C | J U DA H M A R T I N

she sings loud, from her gut. Her face twists in a contorted rage and her arms flail wildly toward the audience.

Like the gospel singer in James Baldwin's classic novel "Go Tell it on the Mountain," Shawna P convulses with the rhythm, as if her body is unable to contain the spirit that comes into her as she em-braces the music. It seems that at any mo-ment her very soul might burst from within her, if only she could push it forth.

Her vocals become an incredible blend of guttural cries and skilled melis-ma. Words like “long” “become “laaw-HAAWW-hong!” and “oh” becomes a gritty, mournful eulogy.

She moves across the Bama Theatre stage unpredictably. The gold and silver bracelets decorating her arms shake about without discipline as she shimmies to and fro. The yellow, impossibly intricate patterned caftan she wears bellows freely.

She moves like a woman on a mission. She and her band, The EarthFunk Tribe,

want to earth-funk the world. "It's earthy, it's raw and it's always

funky," she said of her music. "I don't know man, that's just my thing. I'm the queen of the EarthFunk Tribe and we do our thang."

Her dark caftan, the one she wore before taking the stage, fluttered slightly as she burst through the Bama Theatre's backstage exit. She and her mother, Sheryl Pierce, had taken a limousine from their home in near Orange Beach, Alabama, so that Shawna P could preach some Earth-Funk at the Tuscaloosa Music Mafia's June 28 Southern Rock and Roll Blues Show.

Sheryl Pierce (sometimes called Mama P, depending on who you ask) insisted that it was she who should be taking the stage that night, not Shawna P. She fancies herself a Pierce family musi-cal matriarch of sorts. She's the Dionne Warwick to Shawna P's Whitney Houston; the Judy Garland to her Liza Minnelli.

"Oh yes, I've been singing all of my life" Mama P said without even a hint of

WELCOME TO THE EARTH FUNK TRIBE // HOW AN ALABAMA ARTIST FOUND HERSELF

PHOTOS: Judah Martin

lost queen of funk, which was the coolest thing probably ever," Shawna P said.

Around that same time, she became engaged to a local rock musician and, after marrying, the two decided to move to the Gulf Coast.

"After I finished my album we decided we were just going to let people come to us [instead of touring], which worked per-fectly in the summers," she said. "It's great at the beach, you have all these people show up."

She accepted a publishing deal and made her living writing songs and coaching young singers. She spent the next few years playing at small places around town, but she started to fear that she had lost touch with her creativity.

"It had gotten to where I was just in a rut," Shawna P said. "I just needed some-thing extra, some kind of validation."

It sounds like a strange desire for a per-former with a following as loyal as the folks who make up Shawna P’s EarthFunk Tribe fan base. She never wanted to be famous, per se, but she felt that she had a message she wanted more people to hear.

She needed to do something drastic. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of Usher, Shakira and Blake Shelton on The Voice, belting out a gritty, soulful rendition of “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes. She never dreamed that Shakira would swivel around in her chair but, when she did, Shawna P knew she could learn a thing or two from Columbia’s highest selling female artist of all time.

“I picked Shakira because I wanted a worldwide fan base,” Shawna P said.

With Shakira as her mentor, she made it into the show’s top 32 and, though she was eventually eliminated after one of the show’s knockout rounds, she was an instant local celebrity. Best of all, she was able to earth-funk other parts of the world, just as she’d hoped.

“I mean, everything’s changed now,” she said. “People treat me differently. I’ve got fans all over the world that are playing my music.”

Soon, she will embark on a European tour, a goal that had never seemed pos-sible before The Voice. In the meantime, she’ll be busy working on a new album. She’s even writing an autobiography, “I, Queen,” to “teach these young girls how to be a queen.”

Mama P glanced at her watch and signaled to her daughter that it was time to go back inside. It was almost time for Shawna P to go on stage.

"You know, it's never too late to become what you might have been,” she said as Mama P held the backstage door open for her.

Mama P smiled knowingly.


FOR THE NOSTALGIA // THE SOUTHERN ROCK AND ROLL BLUES SHOW

>>> M U S I C | J U D A H M A R T I N

dAvid ivie hunched over a brick ledge outside of the Bama Theatre. His nostrils flared as he gulped in the thick aroma of boiling crab legs drifting from the Steamer's Catering truck parked a few feet away.

He had about a good hour-and a-half to kill before he would pick up his electric guitar and join The Blues Crew on stage for the June 28 Southern Rock and Roll Blues Show, but he wasn't worried about the time just yet.

Sitting to his left on the bench next to him were some friends of his: April Averette and her parents, Arnett and Di-ane Fields. Averette and her father wore blue jeans and faded band t-shirts that suggested what seemed to be a contrast-ing taste in rock and roll sub-genres: Averette wore a Rob Zombie t-shirt while her father rocked The Beatles.

Sitting between the two rock fans, Diane Fields looked out of place in her sophisticated patterned blouse, dark slacks and jewelry. If they didn't know that she was good friends with several of the musicians scheduled to perform that night, one might assume that she had been dragged along kicking and scream-ing to the show by her husband and daughter.

But they are a rock and roll family just the same. None of this recyclable techno-pop foolishness that’s dominating the airwaves now. And, come to think of it, they don't too much care for this Lady Gaga character they hear so much about, either.

That's why they come to the music events hosted by the Tuskaloosa Mu-sic Mafia, like the Southern Rock and Roll Blues Show. Founded in 2001 by Tuscaloosa Native and Blues Crew Front-man Michael B. Reddy and his wife, Katrina, the Tuscaloosa Music Mafia gen-erally hosts music events every 90 days.

If nothing else, fans can relive some of their nostalgia for a time when bands created their own music from scratch and Madonna's attention-grabbing antics still

shocked people. "This is how we had to learn to play

new songs when I was growing up," Ivie said, repeatedly lifting and replacing an invisible needle on an invisible record player atop the ledge.

"Today you can just go to the internet and type in 'I want to learn 'Hotel Califor-nia' tutorial,'' and it'll teach it to you," he added.

He doesn't mean to sound mournful. In fact, he uses the same method to learn new songs now. He just finds it some-what ironic that so much new technology is available to aid in creating new music and, still, so many of today's pop music stars have little involvement in creating their own songs. Averette agrees with him.

"I think more people need to start writing their own songs again," she said. “They let too many people sing that can’t sing now.”

That got Ivie going. "Oh yeah, everybody talked bad about

Simon Cowell [on American Idol], but he wasn't scared to tell the truth," Ivie laughed hoarsely. He added in a mimick-ing voice "'But my momma told me I can sing. Meh meh meh.'"

If it is originality that Averette and her parents are looking for then they certainly came to the right place. The Southern Rock and Roll Blues show boasted an incredible lineup of dedicated, life-long performers.

“In my 52 years, I have never been under the same room with so much talent in one night,” Michael B. Reddy said that night in a break between songs.

Reddy formed The Blues Crew in 2012 and, at the show that night, they premiered songs from their new album, “It’s Time for Crewzin.” They were joined by Ivie and Michael “Razor” Sharp on the guitar, Pianist Don Dendy, and the self-titled “Ragin Cajun” Fiddle Player Thomas Jenkins.

An additional four acts would also take the stage over the course of the

live music," Ivie said. "Every time you perform a song live it's different. And you may make a major mistake."

And he should know. Things went pretty well that night- he backed several of the bands- but he can’t say he hasn’t made his share of mistakes. The fun thing about live music, though, is that sometimes you can make good mistakes. One time, for instance, he was rocking away at his guitar on stage and, well, his hand must of slipped or who knows. Ei-ther way, he ended up playing the wrong chord.

"It's the strangest thing," he said. "At the same time the other guitar player went to the exact same chord and we sort of looked at eachother. We started playing the song that way from then on."

Blaine Duncan & the Lookers

night. Chris Simmons and his Royal Blue Band were the first to perform. Now 40, Chris Simmons started playing guitar when he was 13 years old, after spend-ing a year begging his mother to buy him one. He joined his first band at age 15 and hasn’t stopped playing since. The next performer, Ken Randolph, has been performing in public since he was five years old. He was joined on stage by the band he formed in 1986, Cooter Brown.

Perhaps the most anticipated act of the night was Shawna P, contestant on season four of NBC’s The Voice and the self-proclaimed “Queen of the EarthFunk Tribe.” The audience stood from their seats to dance and sing along to her blend of southern rock, country music and funk.

The show concluded with a perfor-mance by the Toney Boys, led by brothers Glenn and Chad Toney. One song into their performance Glenn, the band’s lead singer, invited the audi-ence to leave their seats and join him at the foot of the stage. Averette joined the audience in the front row. Without missing a beat, Glenn Toney moved down to the audience, grabbed hold of a female audience member’s hand, and twirled her about.

"There's definitely an energy in


>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A

BREAKFAST / DINNERBrown Bag9425 Jones Road | northport // 333.0970its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

City Cafe408 main ave | Downtown northport // 758.9171Established in 1936. Big on food, low on price. open for breakfast and lunch. Historic downtown northport. closed weekends.

CountryPride Restaurant3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215www.ta.travelcenters.comBreakfast 24 hours. lunch and Dinner buffet.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store4800 Doris pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282www.crackerbarrel.com

International House of Pancakes724 skyland Blvd // 366.1130

Jack's1200 Hackberry lane | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Maggie's Diner1307 ty Rogers Jr. ave | tuscaloosa // 366.0302

Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant2715 mcfarland Blvd | tuscaloosa // 333.9312

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd *402 | tuscaloosa // 366.8780

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip | tuscaloosa // 342.0022

Rama Jama’s1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny stadium.

Tuscaloosa Burger & Poboys1014 7th ave. | tusaloosa // 764.1976sports bar, breakfast, seafood, cajun, and of course burgersover 120 craft beers at the lowest prices in tuscaloosaclosed mondays, tue. - thu 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.fri - sat 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. sun 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Kitchen is open all hours including full menu late night

The Waysider1512 Greensboro ave // 345.8239open for breakfast and lunch. smoke free.

MEXICANChipotle Mexican Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0140www.chipotle.com

Don Rafa's2313 4th street | temerson square // 345.9191

El Rincon (2 locations)1225 university Blvd | tuscaloosa, al // 366.08551726 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.1274

Fernando's Mexican Grill824 mcfarland Blvd E | northport // 205.331.4587

Iguana Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 752.5895

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill2001 new Watermelon Rd | northport // 342.3378

LaGran Fiesta9770 Hwy 69 s // 345.8871

Los Calientes Mexican Grill3429 mcfarland Blvd E // 553.1558

Los Tarascos (2 locations)1759 skyland Blvd // 553.88963380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.0919

Margarita's Grill1241 mcfarland Blvd E // 343.0300

Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations)2330 mcfarland Blvd E // 342.14871130 university Blvd // 752.0234moes.com

Pepito’s (2 locations)1203 university Blvd | the strip // 391.90281301 mcfarland Blvd nE // 391.4861

Taco Mama2104 a university Blvd, tuscaloosa409-8173 FINE DININGChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 248.9370steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. open for dinner andsunday brunch. Great atmosphere and excellent service.ladies night on tuesdays. ladies receive ½ off on drinks.uptown Wednesday - $6 uptown shrimp, $8 uptown tacos. Cypress Inn501 Rice mine Rd // 345.6963fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location.steaks, seafood and more with southern flavor. Wine list,full bar. specialities of the house include shrimp cypress innand smoked chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friend-ly. closed saturday lunch. mike spiller is featured the firstthursday of every month. Happy Hour- mon-fri from 4:30

p.m. - 6:30 p.m. featuring 1/2 price appetizers. $2 Domestic Draft Beers and $3 Well cocktails.

Epiphany Cafe19 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 344.5583“new american cuisine” with a strong emphasis on localproduce, organic meats, and sustainable seafood. the menuis always changing and features include an extensive wine list, a large vibrant bar and martini lounge area, as well as patio seating. Reservations are available online at epiph-anyfinedining.com or through open table. Hours: mon–sat 5 p.m. - until

Evangeline’s1653 mcfarland Blvd. north // 752.0830located in the tuscaloosa Galleria. 2004 West alabamatourism award Winning Restaurant. american Eclecticcuisine. lunch: mon–fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: tues–sat 5 p.m. - until... fall: saturday Brunch.

FIVE Bar2324 6th street. // 205.345.6089a restaurant/bar based on simplicity. We offer 5 entrees, 5 red wines, 5 white wines, 5 import beers, 5 domestic, and 5 signature cocktails, to go along with our full liquor bar.Dinner: sunday - thursday 5-10; friday and saturday 5-12lunch: friday and saturday 11-3; sunday Jazz Brunch: 10-3five-bar.com; 205.345.6089

Kozy’s3510 loop Road E | near Va medical center // 556.4112Eclectic menu, extensive wine list. Dinner at Kozy’s is aromantic experience complete with candlelight and a roar-ing fireplace. |killionrestaurants.com/kozys/

Twin3700 6th st, tuscaloosa in tuscaloosa country club | 758-7528 | http://twinpowersactivate.comcertified usDa prime steaks; specialty sushi and cocktails. Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 5 – 10 p.m. JAPANESEBenkei Japanese Steak House1223 mcfarland Blvd // 759-5300Hours: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. | fri–sat 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar1306 university Blvd // 758.7426

Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant607 15th street open sunday through thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and friday and saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi502 15th street // 752.8844

Tokyo Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar6521 Hwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 366.1177offers steak, seafood, tempura, teriyaki and sushi. includingcooking at your table, if you choose. sun–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Kobe Steak House1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 759-1400lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.sat & sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. ITALIANAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue

Broadway Pizzeria2880 Rice mine Road northeast tuscaloosa, // 391.6969

DePalma’s Italian Cafe2300 university Blvd, Downtown // 759.1879menu ranges from sanwiches to finer pasta dishes and pizza.Varied beer and wine selection.Hours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.www.depalmascafe.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd // 758.0112pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more. open dailyfor lunch and dinner. www.mellowmushroom.com

Mr. G’s908 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339-8505

Olive Garden2100 mcfarland Blvd E // 750-0321open daily from 11 a.m.www.olivegarden.com CASUAL DININGAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue // tuscaloosathe pub offers a different menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner. feature foods include pineapple french toast, pork sliders, and a house burger which changes daily. the drink menu features specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday Noon – 11 p.m., Sunday Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

Big Daddy’s Cafe514 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 759.9925

The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner)450 mcfarland Blvd, northport // 462-3626

Buddy’s Ribs & Steaks2701 Bridge ave | northport // 339.4885

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd // 523.0273mon–Wed 11 a.m. - midnight | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

>>> WINE REVIEW | J O N R O G E R S

from the sAn Antonio Valley in Chile, this review is of Emiliana Vineyards Novas Sauvignon Blanc 2012. This clean tasting white wine is composed of 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Grapes for Emiliana Novas are grown in organ-ic vineyards in thin clay and rocky soils. Per the tasting notes, grapes are picked by hand in March.

They are ferment-ed in stainless steel to keep the bright fruit taste. Following fermentation, Novas Sauvignon Blanc is “aged in stainless steel with selected yeasts for 8 months producing clean, focused fruit aromas and flavors.”

Alcohol content of Emiliana Vineyards Novas Sauvignon Blanc is 13.0% by volume, per the bottle.

Price for Emiliana Vineyards Novas Sauvignon Blanc about $13-$15.

In appearance, this wine is very clear. There are minimal bubbles noted and the wine presents a sheeting action on the glass when swirled. The little bit of color that is noticed is that of light gold or straw. The bottle opens with a twist top.

Aromas of Emiliana Vineyards Novas Sauvignon Blanc were noted as clean and natural with some earthy wood. Since the wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel, the earthy wood aroma was a mys-terious surprise to my fellow taster and I.

The wine’s taste was very bright and almost tasted bubbly. I noticed lemon and citrus in the flavor. My friend commented that it was “tart in taste with some grape-fruit zest.” Also, a hint of bitterness was noted, but it wasn’t off-putting.

Emiliana Vineyards Novas Sauvignon Blanc has a smooth mouthfeel. Tannins were noticed all over the mouth, but especially behind the upper lip. And, the tannins were a bit bitter, but also very balanced. Finally, they carried through to the end of the finish.

The wine’s finish was long and the earthiness was again noticed in the finish,

CHILE'S EMILIANA ORGANIC VINEYARDS // TWO TASTY LOW PRICED WINES

on the soft palate.Overall, my friend and I

definitely enjoyed this wine a lot. He thought it would pair well with a white fish. I called it a “nice light bodied sipper, perfect for an early summer picnic.”

Collectively, we said “wholeheartedly recom-mend”, enjoyable on it’s own as a great warm weather sipper.

Natura Cabernet Sauvignon Review

In appearance, this wine is dark plum in color with a dark garnet ring around the edges. Little light shines through.

The wine is very leggy. There were numerous quick falling legs on the sides of the glass.

Natura Cabernet Sauvignon presents an earthy aroma with a hint of cocoa shells. Very little alcohol was noted on the nose.

The wine’s taste was like pure Caber-net Sauvignon and dry as expected. Hints of vanilla and black currant were noted. The wine definitely has some body to it. But, it’s not a heavy Cabernet Sauvignon by any means.

Mouthfeel was like linen and present, yet balanced, tannins were noticed all over the mouth.

Finish of Natura Cabernet Sauvignon was long with a very slight hint of bitter-ness near the end.

The Emiliana Winery recommends pairing this wine with “well-seasoned, strong-flavored dishes such as pasta with Bolognese sauce, stuffed cannel-loni, grilled beef, pork, or poultry.” And they say “it also goes very nicely with ripe cheeses, salami, ham, and pastrami.”

Overall, this wine is an enjoyable, straightforward and long lasting Cabernet Sauvignon. I haven’t always had good ex-periences with Chilean wines but this was definitely an exception and I would gladly drink this again.

More reviews // honestwinereviews.com


Chicken Salad Chickthe shoppes at midtown & Essex square, northport | said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www.chickensaladchick.com

Chili’s1030 skyland Blvd | near mcfarland mall // 750.8881fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com

Dave’s Dogs1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 722.2800

Five Guys Burgers & Fries1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0575www.fiveguys.com

Glory Bound Gyro Company2325 university Blvd // 349-0505Glory Bound Gyro company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.open mon-thu: 11am - 10pm | fri - sat: 11am-10pm |sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Hooligan’s1915 university Blvd // 759.2424from hamburgers to hummus. open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Horny's508 Red Drew ave | tuscaloosa // 345.6869mon 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. | tues-thurs 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.fri 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. | sat 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.new orleans style atmosphere in the heart of tuscaloosa onthe strip. Horny's offerings include a full liquor bar, beer, anda variety of classic american food. Horny's Bar and Grill offers a limited late night menu from 1:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Tacogi500 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 342.3647

Logan's Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd E // 349.3554

Madear’s1735 culver Road // 343.7773mon–fri 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 2nd & 3rd sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 391.0572Great burgers & sandwiches. unique setting, full service bar,veggie entrees, kid friendly, and open latewww.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Newk’s Express Cafe205 university Blvd. East // 758.2455fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.coman express casual dining experience in a refreshing andstylish atmosphere. serving fresh tossed salads, oven bakedsandwiches, california style pizzas and homemade cakes fromnewk’s open kitchen.sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

O’Charley’s3799 mcfarland Blvd // 556.5143open daily for lunch, dinner and sunday brunchwww.ocharleys.com

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 366.8780www.panerabread.com

Piccadilly Cafeteria1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 556.4960www.piccadilly.com

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip // 342.0022www.bamaquickgrill.com

Ruby Tuesday (2 locations)6421 interstate Drive | cottondale // 633.3939Just off i-20/59 at exit 77. near Hampton inn and microtel inn311 merchants Walk | northport // 345.4540www.rubytuesdays.com

Ryan’s4373 courtney Dr // 366.1114near marriott courtyard and fairfield inn Sitar Indian Cuisine500 15th st // 345-1419

Southland Restaurant5388 skyland Blvd E // 556.3070steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetablesmon–fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

The Southern Dining Room Grill (Behind Ryan's)4251 courtney Dr, tuscaloosa331-4043

T-Town Café500 14th street, tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.co mon - fri: 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., sat: 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. sun: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuscaloosa Burger & Poboys1014 7th ave. | tusaloosa // 764.1976sports bar, breakfast, seafood, cajun, and of course burgersover 120 craft beers at the lowest prices in tuscaloosaclosed mondays, tue. - thu 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.fri - sat 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. sun 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Kitchen is open all hours including full menu late night

Zoe’s Kitchen312 merchants Walk // 344.4450a wonderful selection of Greek foods

SPORTS GRILLBaumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa500 Harper lee Drive | catering-pick-up tuscaloosa //556.5858 | always fresh and always fun. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Kid friendly

Buffalo Phil’s1149 university Blvd | the strip // 758.3318sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full bar

Billy's Sports GrillHistoric Downtown northport / 879.2238Good food, beverages and family friendlyMonday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday

through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd. East | tuscaloosa // 523.0273sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wineselection, full bar

Champs Sports Grille320 paul Bryant Drive | inside four points sheraton Hotel // 752.3200Breakfast and lunch buffets. sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hooter’s5025 oscar Baxter Dr | next to Jameson inn // 758.3035Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girlswww.hooters.com

Innisfree Irish Pub1925 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Moe's BBQ101 15th street | Downtown tuscaloosa // 752.3616mon-sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.Bar open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on fridays

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave // 391.0572Great burgers. full service bar. open late.www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Tuscaloosa Burger & Poboys1014 7th ave. // 764.1976sports bar, breakfast, seafood, cajun, and of course burgersover 120 craft beers at the lowest prices in tuscaloosaclosed mondays, tue. - thu 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.fri - sat 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. sun 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Kitchen is open all hours including full menu late night

Wilhagan’s2209 4th st | Downtown tuscaloosa // 366.0913

Wings U 1800 mcfarland Blvd East suite 218 | pick-up tuscaloosa // 561.3984 features the first coal-fired pizza oven in alabama. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. completely open concept! www.wingsu.com

WingZone1241 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 342.2473

BARBEQUEArchibald & Woodrow's BBQ4215 Greensboro ave | tuscaloosa // 331.4858mon-sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | sun lunch

Bama BBQ & Grill3380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.9816

Dickey's BBQ9770 alabama 69; midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 north at Rose Blvd. Great texas Barbecue.344.6500

Dreamland (2 locations)5535 15th ave | tuscaloosa // 758.8135101 Bridge ave | northport // 343.6677the legend. on game day, get there early if you want to makekickoff. seating is limited. Hours: mon–sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. | sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Hick’s BBQ4400 fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // tues–sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Moe's Original BBQ2101 university Blvd.. // 752.3616serving up an award-winning, all things southern BBQand live music experience. come dine-in or sit on thepatio and enjoy some great Que, beers, whiskey, and livemusic on thursday-saturday. Roll tide!mon–sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service mon-sat 2am andfri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm

Pottery Grill (2 locations)Highway 11 cottondale // 554.18153420 alabama 69, northport // 333.5848menu: thepotterygrill.comawesome barbecue. the pottery Grill serves up everything from pork, chicken, ribs and sausage to burgers, hot dogs and salads. take-out and catering available.

Tee’s Ribs and Thangs1702 10th avenue // 366.997411 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

STEAKSLogan’s Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd | next to sams // 349.3554steaks, ribs and spirits

Longhorn Steakhouse1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 345-8244 #412

Nick's In the Sticks4018 culver Rd | tuscaloosa // 758.9316a long-time tuscaloosa tradition.Good steaks at a reasonable pricetry a nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Outback Steakhouse5001 oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

Twin Restaurant3700 6th street |tuscaloosa | 758-7528 a full service restaurant specializing in sushi, prime steaks, made fresh daily pasta, and whiskey oriented cocktails11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. // former tuscaloosa country club SEAFOODChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave // 248.9370

>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A ( C O N T . ) >>> BEER REVIEW | S C O T T F O L E Y

S-S-S-SHIVA // NEEDS A KICK IN THE ARSE

just take my word for it. Try it yourself and let us know what you thought! Cheers!

On a scale of 1 to 10...

Review OverviewSmell - 7Appearance - 8Flavor - 5.5Overall - 7.5

If you are a beer lover, be sure to go to Scott Foley's popular website.

Brewery: Asheville Brewing CompanyBrewery Website: ashevillebrewing.comType of Beer: American IPAAlcohol Content:6.0%Appearance: Pours a clear and bright golden straw with a seriously menacing head, something that would look more at home on top of a meringue pie. The 3 fin-gers of whipped cream head settled down into rocky peaks leaving some decent lacing behind.

Aroma: Big on floral and citrus with notes of orange and lemon rinds with some hints of grass/hay lingering in there some-where. There is a little bit of a biscuit-malt sweetness as well.

Initial Taste: The taste is smooth and sweet up front. Bready, caramel-like malt sweetness hits first preparing the tongue for the rush of citrus and herbal hops. Bitterness is in no short supply here with flavors of grapefruit, and herbal notes that help cut through the sweetness tasted in the beginning. Although it’s not as citrusy as the nose would lead you to believe. The finish is a bit more of the same with an earthy herbal astringency lingering on the tongue.Thoughts: This is an IPA that delivers to the herbal and earthy hop fanatics. They use a combination of Colum-bus and Tradition hops. Both of which are known for their herbal and floral flavors with some grapefruit and citrus notes to be found when used fresh. Those hops become quite apparent once you taste this beer. While there are some citrus notes to be found the flavor is overwhelm-ing earthy and herbal. Which is a nice change of pace from all the citrus bombs that are out there. No doubt this IPA is certainly a hop-centric one but it keeps things tame as all the flavor profiles are a bit muted. Which is the only issue I have with this beer. While it’s a well made beer and I would definitely drink it again there is nothing really special here. The flavor is on the edge of being lackluster. And I imagine this is done intentionally to broaden this beer’s appeal with hop heads and non-hopheads alike. But sadly for this hophead this beer needed a little kick in arse. But don’t


>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E t o E a t i n t u s c a l o o s a ( c o n t . )

Happy Hour 3pm-6pm with $5 house wine, $5 top shelf, $3 well. $1 off bottle beer

Red Lobster2620 mcfarland Blvd // 553.8810mcfarland plaza shopping center

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar 4851 Rice mine Rd nE #460 // 462.3399mcfarland plaza shopping center & temerson square

Wintzell’s Oyster House1 Bridge ave | northport // 247.7772casual riverfront diningsun–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

CHINESEBuffet City1747 skyland Blvd E // 553.3308all you can eat buffet. open 7 days a week.

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant1825 mcfarland Blvd n // 391.9131China Fun2600 university Blvd | alberta city // 553.2435

China GardenHwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 758.0148

Hot Wok Express6751 alabama 69, tuscaloosa // 758.0148

Lee Palace6521 Highway 69 s // 391.9990open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market514 14th st. | in the oz music shopping center //343.6889 // open sun - thu 11am - 9pm,fri & sat 11am - 9:30pm

Pearl Garden2719 lurleen Wallace Blvd | northport // 339.0880

Peking Chinese Restaurant1816 mcfarland | northport // 333.0361open 7 days a week. super lunch and dinner buffet.Hours: sun–thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Swen Chinese Restaurant1130 university Blvd | the strip // 391.9887

Trey Yuen4200 mcfarland Blvd E // 752.0088

ASIAN CUISINERuan Thai1407 university Blvd // 391.9973ruanthaituscaloosa.comExotic thai cuisine. offers vegetarian options, outdoor dining,and a full bar. sushi on thursdays.lunch: mon–sat 11 a.m. -2 p.m. | Dinner: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. -10pm | sun 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Surin of Thailand1402 university Blvd // 752.7970authentic thai restaurant and sushi bar. open daily.lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.www.surinofthailand.com

PIZZA AND SUBSA Taste Of Chicago1700 Greensboro avenue 205-342-DoGsmon. - thurs. 10:00am - 9:00pm; fri. - sat. 10:00am - 10:00pm17th street and Greensboro avenue. authentic chicago style foods with a taste of chi-town in every bite. italian Beef sandwiches, chicago Rib tips, and chicago style pizza.View our menu online and order at cRimson2Go.com. follow us @tasteofchicagottown on instagram.

California Underground13552 Highway 43, northport | 339.8660

Firehouse Subs1130 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 248.0680

Hungry Howie’s (2 locations)1105 southview ln | south tuscaloosa // 345.60001844 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.26331211 university Blvd | tuscaloosa | the strip // 366.15004851 Rice mine Rd | northriver/Holt // 345.3737

Lenny’s Sub Shop220 15th st // 752.7450fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com

Little Caesars Pizza1414 10th ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. // 345.4354

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd | Downtown tuscaloosa // 758.0112

Subs n' You2427 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088

Roly Poly Sandwiches2300 4th street | tuscaloosa // 366.1222

The Pita Pit1207 university Blvd | the strip // 345.9606Hours: mon–sat 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m. | sun 11:30 a.m. - mid-night

Pizza Palace Buffet6521 alabama 69 tuscaloosa, al 35405752.5444Tut’s Place1306 university Blvd | the strip // 759.1004

DELICATESSENHoneybaked Ham Company421 15th st. E // 345.5508www.honeybaked.com

Jason’s Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd // 752.6192fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.comlocated in the meadowbrook shopping center.

Jimmy John’s (3 locations)1400 university Blvd | the strip // 366.36991875 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 752.7714815 lurleen B. Wallace s | tuscaloosa // 722.2268Delivery 7 days a week.www.jimmyjohns.com

Manna Grocery & Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 752.9955

McAlister’s Deli (2 locations)101 15th st | tuscaloosa // 758.00393021 tyler Dr | northport // 330.7940sandwiches, salads and spudswww.mcalistersdeli.com

Momma Goldberg’s Deli409 23rd ave // 345.5501www.mommagoldbergs.com

Newk's205 university Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 758.2455

Schlotsky’s Deli405 15th st. E // 759.1975schlotskys.com

Which Wichuniversity Blvd.// Downtown tuscaloosa // mon – sat 10:30 – 9 // sunday 11 – 7 // fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

COFFEE SHOPBarnes & Noble1800 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa349.6366

Chloe's Cup2117 university Blvd.| tuscaloosa // 764.0218

Crimson Cafe International Coffee House & Gourmet Deli1301 university Blvd | the strip // 750.0203mon–fri 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. | sat & sun 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.thecrimsoncafe.com

Five Javacoffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from mary's cakes. open monday - saturday at 7am; 9am on sundays

Heritage House18 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 758.0042

Krispy Kreme Doughnut1400 mcfarland Blvd // 758.6913www.krispykreme.com

Starbucks (2 locations)1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 343.24681901 13th ave East | inside super target // 462.1064starbucks.com

DESSERTSCelebrations Bakery, Inc.1832 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339.3221fax: 349.1945

Cold Stone Creamery1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa //343.1670specializes in customized ice creamHours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.sun 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Dunkin' Donuts2520 stillman Blvd. |tuscaloosa// 349.3400mccorvey Dr. | tuscaloosa // 348.4041www.dunkindonuts.com

Mary's Cakes & Pastries412 22nd avenue | behind opus | northport // 345.8610www.maryscakesandpastries.common–fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations)415 15th street | tuscaloosa // 349.1721fax: 349.19451403 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 462.3664

Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats2217 university Blvd. | Downtown tuscaloosa // 561.6458a fun and friendly make your own creation,yogurt experience!

TCBY (3 Locations)2304 mcfarland Blbd | meadowbrook shopping center //349.4661 // 2 mcfarland Blvd | northport | Essex shoppingcenter // 758.6855 // 1130 univ. Blvd. | the strip // 345.0804

Yogurt In Lovepatriot center 7402 Highway 69 southphone number: 764.9173 fax number: 764.9228monday-thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.friday & saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm..Yogurt Lab920 paul W. Bryant Dr ste 200 | tuscaloosa // 347.9522

Yogurt Mountain1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 342.1484self-serve frozen yogurt experiencemon–thurs 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - midnight

>>> RESTAURANT REVIEW | C I N D Y H U G G I N S

EL MARIACHI MEXICAN RESTAURANT // A TASTY, FRESH APPROACH

AmericA loves mexicAn food. In fact, 1 out of every 10 restau-rants serves up Mexican food, according to United States Census Bureau. Tuscaloosa is no expecta-tion. Earlier this year, El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant opened for business occupying the space formally known as Ezell’s Catfish. This family-run operation special-izes in the typical Mexican-Ameri-can cuisine with a focus on quality and fresh ingredients. I was truly impressed with the pleasant staff and the tasty food. In my opinion, El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant is Tuscaloosa’s best kept secret.

The outside of the restaurant is painted with a festive mixture of bright green, red, orange, and yellow. It imme-diately brought a smile to my face. Just inside, Crimson tide pride is displayed on the walls with a mural of a Mariachi band of elephants. A well-dressed, pleasant gentlemen welcomed us and showed us to our table immediately. Vibrant colors and décor continued in the main dining area. The ambiance was quiet and calm. Only one other table was occupied with a small group. The space appeared very clean and well-kept, with all tables wiped down and floors swept. After we were shown to our booth, the menus were placed on the table and the nice gentle-men proceeded to take our drink orders. While browsing the menu, we snacked on the complementary chips and salsa. The mild salsa tasted fresh with an over-whelming, yet enjoyable, flavor of cilantro. The menu presents a large variety of entrees and al la cart items. Fajitas tend to be my pick at any Mexican restaurant. There is an excitement that comes over me when I hear the loud sizzle and pop coming towards my table. And then, there is that savory aroma that fills the air. However, out of curiosity, I opted for the fajita quesadilla. My husband ordered the chili relleno and steak quesadilla. Instead of the usual cheese dip, we chose the bean and cheese dip. The words of my husband, “you can’t go wrong with beans and cheese.” Before too long, the waitress delivered a very large bowl of dip, about three times the size of a normal order of dip. One scoop revealed a single layer of cheese on top of an ocean of refried beans. We were only mildly disappointed in the bean-to-cheese ratio.

Our disappointment was quickly diminished when the main courses arrived. Liberal portions of refried beans and rice occupied half of my plate. The presentation was clean with a pop of color from the red and green peppers peeking out of the quesadilla. The tortilla was lightly charred and not saturated with excess oil. The first bite of the quesadilla was juicy and flavor-ful. The strips of grilled chicken were seasoned to perfection with hint of heat.

The texture was surprising. Each bite had a crunch from the fresh, crisp vegetables. More times than not, I am disappointed when the vegetables have been so overcooked they appear on my plate as colorless mush. But, these vegetables had maintained their texture, color, and of course, taste. The steak quesadilla was also packed with crisp onions and peppers. The marinated beef was sliced thin and very tender. With only half of our meals consumed, we called it quits and asked for a to-go box. Both of us were very pleased with our meals. It was the simplicity and balance of the ingredients that impressed my taste buds. In every bite, I could taste the saltiness from the melted cheese, the mild pungent flavor of the onion and peppers, and the seasoned grilled chicken.

El Mariachi is a must-try Mexican restaurant. The food quality and freshness is impressive. Service was unremarkable. The bill for the meal just came in under $30. That covered three entrees, dip, and one soda. The restaurant is a little far from our home, however, we decided that the quesadillas are worth the drive. We will be back soon!

El Mariachi is located at 3520 McFar-land Blvd E, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405. Hours of operation are Monday- Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Friday 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Daily lunch specials are offered for only $4.99! Happy hour is extended from 2:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Let us know where you are eating! Tweet us @ThePlanetWeekly.

Cindy Huggins is a registered dietitian nutritionist and local “foodie”! Follow her on twitter @DietitianCindy.


BACKROAD ANTHEM

"22 JUMP STREET" // IT'S A HOWLER // BETTER THAN THE FIRST

>>> F I L M | V A N R O B E R T S

««« 3 out of 4

The shenanigans are far more silly, and the pandemonium far more preposter-ous in the farcical “21 Jump Street” parody sequel “22 Jump Street” co-starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Several actors from the original opus reprise their roles in this side-splitting sequel. Mind you, even Rob Riggle, who played dastardly Mr. Walters, the H.F.S. drug dealer whose penis got shot off, shows up with David Franco as his cell mate in a prison scene. Schmidt’s mother and father turn up, too. Of course, since original TV “Jump Street” headliner Johnny Depp suffered multiple gunshot wounds in “21 Jump Street,” he doesn’t come back. Rarely does a re-make have the nerve to liquidate the leads from the show that spawned the remake. Nevertheless, comedy is a genre that evolves with each generation. Meantime, “21 Jump Street” co-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller do their level best to bring audiences up to speed after a two-year hiatus. They rely on the televi-sion rehash convention where a narrator informs us what ‘previously’ happened. Audiences are treated to a condensed version of “21 Jump Street.” When they aren’t delivering funnier jokes and staging bigger Keystone Cops action set-pieces, Lord and Miller ridicule the formulaic conventions of sequels in general as well as “22 Jump Street” in particular. Lord and Miller also explore the bromantic relationship between the two protago-nists in greater depth. Indeed, while “22 Jump Street” adheres to the blue-print plot of its predecessors, our heroes’ new college-oriented assignment, the beefed-up, $50-million budget, and the clever end credits constitute some of the most imaginative comedy you’ll ever see. One of the most outrageous gags features “Neighbors”comic Seth Rogen in a droll cameo near the end of this crackerjack comedy of errors.

Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) are not actually attending a traditional college when “22 Jump Street” opens. Indeed, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube of “Friday”) told them at the end of “21 Jump Street” that they were going to college because they had

grown too old to pass as teenagers in high school. Instead, they have been assigned to monitor internet communication at an on-line university. Specifically, they must listen for either suspicious keywords or phrases that might serve as code words for potential crimes. Our heroes learn about a meeting time and location at the docks. Remember, Schmidt and Jenko are not brainiacs. The professor states the location in no uncertain terms dur-ing his lecture. Like they did in “21 Jump Street,” Schmidt and Jenko find them-selves outnumbered by the opposition. Schmidt masquerades as a laughable Mexican. The Ghost (Peter Stormare of “Armageddon”) and his henchman have a tractor-trailer load of contraband exotic an-imals. Predictably, Schmidt tangles with a large pink squid. This idiotic moment makes you want to laugh because co-median Jonah Hill is clearly doing all the work with his ersatz squid. If you’ve seen horror icon Bela Lugosi wrestling with an obviously bogus rubber octopus in Ed Wood, Jr.’s “Bride of the Monster” (1956), you can truly appreciate what makes this scene such a howler! Afterward, our heroes struggle to stop The Ghost,” but this wily opponent eludes them with ease. The truck stunts in this scene get “22 Jump Street” off to an adrenaline-laced start. Naturally, Schmidt and Jenko make big buffoons of themselves, while Ghost escapes.

Our heroes wind up in Deputy Chief Hardy’s office to face the music. Hardy (Nick Offerman of “We’re the Millers”) assigns them to 22 Jump Street, and they find themselves reunited with the profane Captain Dickson. The new of-fice is located across the street from a church with a Korean Jesus. Schmidt and Jenko must find the villains behind a new synthetic drug called WhyPhy. Accord-ing to Dickson, WhyPhy is a mixture of Adderall and Ecstasy with something else. You focus for the first couple of hours and then you party like never before and then you die. The only clue that they have is a photo of the student who bought the drug and later died using it. Schmidt and Jenko start hanging out with likely suspects.

Jenko acquaints himself with two football players, Zook (Wyatt Russell of “Cowboys & Aliens”) and Rooster (Jimmy Tatro of “Grown Ups 2”), who belong to a frater-nity. Meantime, the athletically challenged Schmidt attracts the attention of an art major, Maya (Amber Stevens of “The Amazing Spider-Man”), when he performs slam poetry. Gradually, Schmidt and Jen-ko fall out of touch with each other, and this creates friction between them. Jenko has taken up big time with Zook and joins the college football team. These two are literally wired into each other because Jenko is always where he is supposed to be to catch Zook’s passes! Eventually, our frustrated heroes consult Mr. Walters (Rob Ripple) about the best strategy for ferreting out the WhyPhy suppliers.

Happily, “22 Jump Street” never takes itself seriously and never loses sight of its origins as a sequel. “21 Jump Street” should be best remembered as the first buddy cop movie to address the relation-ship dynamics between male partners. “22 Jump Street” pokes fun at Schmidt and Jenko, and our heroes have to endure a droll counseling session with a shrink. The African-American twins Keith & Kenny Yang (The Lucas Brothers) who live across the hall from them in the dorm

will keep you in stitches with their antics. Similarly, Mr. Walters’ prison scenes are hysterical. Our heroes experience some changes themselves, particularly Schmidt. Schmidt loses his virginity, and the real surprise is the identity of the girl’s father. Jenko indulges in malapropisms. He says ‘anals’ when he means ‘annuals.’ Instead of saying carte blanche, he says “Cate Blanchett,” He also uses Parkour to shim-my up any edifice. I didn’t laugh as often at “21 Jump Street” so “22 Jump Street” took me by surprise. Not only does it live up to its predecessor with its goofy “Satur-day Night Live” sketch-type humor, but “22 Jump Street” also surpasses the original.


>>> EXPLORING ALABAMA | J E R O M E A DA M S

EXPEDITION 36 // DIGGING UP HISTORYPhotos: Jerome Adams

eAch summer for 36 years the Mu-seum of Natural History of the Universi-ty Alabama has planned and organized trips into the wildernesses of Alabama to conduct forensic investigations of the lives of historic and prehistoric cultures and once living things that are now fos-sils. One exception was an expedition in Mississippi. This summer's experience took place in Perry County, Ala., at an old plantation site.

In a field, now used as a pasture for horses and cows, once stood a two story plantation house shaped somewhat like an "I" with chimneys on either end and some attached structures. A few very old photos, aerial photos of WWI era, and verbal testimonies of some who were alive before the structure burned in the early 1900's gave clues to the loca-tion. Ground-penetrating radar made the placement more precise. However, excavations gave the best indications of location.

For three weeks, with a new team each week, an archaeological "dig" opened up the ground to find the foun-dation for one chimney, a foundation for one pier that held up the structure and

other evidence of the plantation house. Test holes had been dug in order to localize where to begin "units"(precisely located and measured places to ex-cavate). The first team consisted of a middle school aged group who worked under the direction of professional archaeologists and knowledgeable staff. The second team was high school aged volunteers that took up where the first had stopped. Earth moving us-ing trowels on a scale of centimeters of depth was usually to about 10 cm deep. The third team was a mixture of mostly interested adults from a variety of professions. However, two young men of middle school age participated. One came with his father and the other's uncle was on staff. Additionally, the third team was bolstered by three young men (14-15 years old) from Taiwan!

The third team consisted of several who had previous experience of several expedi-tions and knew how and what to do. Units that had begun were taken to the desired depth and leveled in keeping with charac-teristics of good archaeology method.

One new unit was opened based on findings of another but, unfortunately,

nothing of use was in that particular location. It was a guess and as experiments go, often they yield nothing other than maybe the found evidence needs to be re-examined and try again.

One written account given by someone who had lived when the house was still standing indicated a cemetery was 100 yards from the house site in an eastern direction. An area fitting that description was explored with ground penetrating radar. Later, a trench was dug to 60 cm but no indications of burials from change in soil color were found. Again, somewhat of a failure but more investigations were to be made later. There are no tombstones left standing or yet found except part of one that came by way of one per-son handing down to another. A direct descendent, who contributed financially and in person, showed us the top por-tion of a tombstone with an inscription

and name.In each unit the dirt removed was

sifted using sieves dangling by rope from a support structure. Artifacts found were collected and put into specially marked bags for the particular unit. Later, they would be examined in more detail and used in the final archaeological report.

Excavation was conducted from 8 a.m. to noon, with other activities of educational and entertainment value in the afternoons. One trip was to Selma to see the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Selma Interpre-tive Center,and Live Oak Cemetery. Another after-noon was spent exploring and enjoying Perry County Lake and Barton's Beach on the Cahaba River. Old Cahaba Town, Alabama's first capital, with Dr. Jack Bergstresser,archaeologist, as our very knowledge-able guide, took up another afternoon. On the way back from Wednesday's trip a stop was made at a local

convenience store for "junk food" which was never served in camp. No one was allowed to bring any "junk food" back to camp.

Camp was erected in a partially wooded area and consisted of tents, open kitchen, open dining tables, display tables and tables for personal bags/equipment. A year ago a portable classroom with AC was added to the ar-ray giving brief escapes during instruc-tion in the evening from the Alabama June heat. Port-a- potties were nearby,

cleaned daily and main-tained. Ten passenger vans provided transporta-tion.

Randy Mecredy, Camp Director, also served as cook of excellent meals. Todd Hester, Naturalist, was Expedition Leader. Allie Sorlie was Educa-tion Outreach Coordina-tor. Brandon Thompson, Field Scientist, gave instructions at the field lab. Lindsay Gordon, Field Assistant, operated the ground penetrating radar and survey equipment.

Cortney Wells and Justin Toller were Team Leaders.

All participants learned first hand about Exploring Alabama and most or all enjoyed the experience. No one was forced to work and all were encouraged to drink water often and take breaks. The three Taiwanese young men have taken back to their homeland something never learned in a book by Exploring Alabama. Expedition 37 will be next June.

Sifting for artifacts.

At the mouth of the Cahaba River as it flows into the Alabama River. L>R Cortney, Dinah, Dr. Helen

A chimney foundation being ex-plained by Brandon.

Additional artifacts near the chimney foundation.L>R Brandon, Todd, Perry


next to the cash register. "This is gluten-free, wheat-free,

nut-free," Hamm explained. "It's like an allergy-free candy that's made in Ala-bama by this woman and her father."

"Humph," Theresa said, placing it down on the counter in front of her. "My friend that I got the chocolate cookbook for, this might be a nice little something to put with it. She loves coffee and she loves chocolate."

"Well, she's going to love this," Hamm smiled, placing the bagged merchandise in Theresa's hand. "You'll have to come back and tell me what she thought about those."

"Oh, I will," Theresa assured her.

>>> R E TA I L | J U DA H M A R T I N

BAG 101 // TUSCALOOSA GIFT SHOP FULL OF GLITTER AND GLAM

PeoPle come into gerri Hamm's gift shop to look for trinkets for their loved ones, but seldom can they leave without finding something they abso-lutely must have for their self.

The most peculiar, clever things fill the shop.

Handmade jewelry hangs from pieces of driftwood twisted methodically around each other. Candles imported from Charleston, North Carolina are held in repurposed wine glasses on a display table near the front of the store. Mannequin torsos dressed in patterned blouses rest comfortably next to dis-plays of items like Gracewear spiritual jewelry and cinda b handbags.

"Some people stay in here for a couple of hours, just wandering around," Hamm said. "If you ask me what makes my store unique, it's probably my dis-plays. [Creating displays] is just some-thing that comes to me, it's something I enjoy."

Until about three decades ago, gift shops like hers were well-kept secrets. Now Tuscaloosa has four of them. Though their rise in popularity has been so recent, Hamm said she's always known about them, and she's always been enamored with the uniqueness of each store.

She's always been conscious of trends, and opening Bag 101 two years ago allowed her the chance to cultivate that talent. In addition to finding creative

new ways to update the store's displays and performing the routine duties of a small business owner, Hamm devotes much of her time to going to markets and studying fashion designers.

"The store constantly has to change because people want to see something new," Hamm said. "Right now, in June and July, it's time to get rid of the old stuff and get ready for Fall 2014."

Still, she said the most exciting part of owning the store is that, while helping customers find the perfect gift, she gets the opportunity to hear and learn about the loved one that person is buying a gift for. Return customers can spend afternoons talking with her.

"Every customer is different," Hamm said. "People come in and tell me their stories and I get to hear about their story and I then have the opportunity to pray for that person, and they pray for me."

Bag 101 isn't typically open on Sun-day afternoons but, since she had some work to catch up on last Sunday, she decided to open the front doors. Just before she was getting ready to close down for the day, a return customer who identified herself as Theresa happened to drive by and see that the store's lights were on.

"I came here once before," Theresa said, pointing to her earrings. "You know what's nice about a gift store? It's smaller than a department store. You can see a lot of things without having to

Gerri Hamm

go up to a second floor. Gift shops are a special treat."

She loves gift shops so much that she nearly buckled over laughing as she theorized that, if she were to write a memoir, it would be called "I Love Gift Shops." Like many of Hamm's cus-tomers, she said she rarely shops at the mall. Instead, when birthdays and holidays come around, she calls up one of the gift shop owners she's come to know so well and asks them to pick out something they think she would like, based on the items they've helped her pick out before.

Hamm listened as Theresa inquired about the coffee-flavored chocolates packaged in clear wrapping on a rack


>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T

THURSDAy, JULy 10UA Sculpture: Summer 2014 ExhibitWHEN: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: The University of Alabama GalleryPHONE: 758.5195LINK: cac.tuscarts.orgDESCRIPTION: The UA Gallery is hosting an exhibit of work by Craig Wedderspoon, Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of Alabama, and Virginia Eck-inger, who is currently opening a studio in Northport.

Clay Days with Hayes DobbinsWHEN: 9 a.m. COST: $95WHERE: Kentuck’s Clay PlacePHONE: 758.1257LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: Children 9-12 are invited to learn basic hand building skills. Stu-dents will take home bug mugs, masks, leaf plates and bowls and face mugs.

TPL Monthly Book DiscussionWHEN: 5:30 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: TPL, Weaver Bolden BranchPHONE: 758.8291LINK: tuscaloosa-library.orgDESCRIPTION: The Tuscaloosa Public Li-brary will discuss Maya Angelou’s "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

Estate Planning and Asset Planning WorkshopWHEN: 4 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Red Oak Legal, PCPHONE: 764.1262LINK: redoaklegalpc.comDESCRIPTION: Educational workshop presented by local attorneys Steve Wig-gins and Raley Wiggins. The workshop covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remar-riage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Those who wish to attend can register online or by phone.

FRIDAy, JULy 11Summer Shindig IIWHEN: 6:30 p.m.COST: $5WHERE: Bama TheatrePHONE: 758.5195LINK: bamatheatre.org/DESCRIPTION: Muscle Shoals' rockers Belle Adair and The Bear will join Tusca-loosa's own Looksy and Blaine Duncan & The Lookers. The event is sponsored by Druid City Brewing Co. and The Left Hand Soap Co. The show is for all ages.

SATURDAy, JULy 12Super Saturday at CHOM!WHEN: 10 a.m.COST: Under 1 year: Free-Under 3 years: $6-3-59 years: $9-60 years and above: $7WHERE: Children’s Hands-On MuseumPHONE: 349.4235

LINK: chomonline.orgDESCRIPTION: The event will feature “The Best Dot” dot exhibit and scaven-ger hunt. All activities are included with admission.

Clash at the CapstoneWHEN: 6 p.m.COST: VIP-$35; GA-$25WHERE: Bama TheatrePHONE: 256.390.1087LINK: clashatthecapstone.comDESCRIPTION: Body enthusiasts are invited to watch as competitors from all over the country compete in Bodybuild-ing, Fitness, and Figure Championships. Contestants ranged in ages from their 20’s, all the way to their 60’s. At the end of the night, Mr. and Ms. Tuscaloosa will be crowned to represent Tuscaloosa in the regionals.

MONDAy, JULy 14West Alabama Mountain Biking Asso-ciation Weekly Beginner’s RideWHEN: 5:45 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Monny Sokal ParkPHONE: 562.3220LINK: wambarides.org/ DESCRIPTION: Interested in mountain biking but don't know where to ride in Tuscaloosa? Come out to Sokal Park and join the beginners' group that ride out weekly on Monday evenings.

TUESDAy, JULy 15WII for AllWHEN: 3:30 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Tuscaloosa Public Library, Brown BranchPHONE: 391.9989 LINK: tuscaloosa-library.org DESCRIPTION: Young children as well as teenagers are invited to spend the afternoon playing Wii video games in the Children’s Books section of the Brown Branch of the Tuscaloosa Public Library

Bama Art HouseWHEN: 7:30 p.m.COST: $7, general admission; $6, stu-dents and seniors; $5, Arts Council membersWHERE: Bama TheatrePHONE 758.5195LINK: bamatheatre.orgDESCRIPTION: The Bama Art House will show the film Fading Gigolo, starring John Turturro and Woody Allen.

Taco TuesdayWHEN: All dayCOST: N/AWHERE: Jim N’ Nick’s BBQPHONE: 567. 0256LINK: jimnnicks.comDESCRIPTION: Every Tuesday, local restaurant Jim N Nick’s adds barbecue tacos to their menu, along with queso dip and drink specials.

WEDNESDAy, JULy 17“WASH”WHEN: 5 p.m.WHERE: Dinah Washington Cultural Arts

SILLY GRAPICO // CHARMING NINA // SEEKING FOREVER HOMES

>>> PET PLANET | T H I S M O N T H ' S P E T S

Meet Grapico, a male short-haired three-month-old Tuxedo kitten who’s all dressed up and ready to go! Grapico is part of a litter of kit-tens with soda-inspired names currently avail-able for adoption! He is a fun, silly and loving little guy. He would do well with gentle children but is not recommended for dogs over 20 pounds because of his petite size. Grapico is negative for FIV and FeLK and current on his first round of vaccinations. Due to being underage for a spay/neuter surgery, adoption requires an additional refundable spay/neuter deposit to reinforce state requirements for all adopted pets to be fixed by age of maturity. If you are interested in giving Grapico or any of his brothers or sisters the forever home he wants and deserves, call the Humane Society of West Alabama at 554.0011, or visit us online at: humanesocietyofwa.org.

Nina is an eight-month-old Pit Bull Terrier mix with a smooth fawn coat and white markings on her chest. She currently weighs 31 pounds and should weigh around 50 or 60 pounds in full adulthood. Nina is playful, energetic and gets along with dogs, cats and people, though she can be a little defensive towards other animals during feeding

time. She is sweet, af-fectionate and loves to cuddle after a long day of play. Because of her high activity level, Nina will require a fenced yard, though she would prefer a home that would allow for inside time as well since she enjoys human compan-ionship so much. Nina is up to date on her vet care, spayed, on heartworm and flea/tick prevention and is in the process of crate train-ing. If you are interested

in giving Nina the forever home she wants and deserves, contact the Humane Society of West Alabama at 554.0011, or visit us online at: humanesocietyofwa.org.

NOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

Come to our adoption event Saturday, July 12th

Pet Supplies Plus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

2600 McFarland Blvd East


mr. Pig goes to the Market benefiting the American Cancer Society is Friday, July 11, 2014. The event will be in memory of Jimmy Welborn, co-founder of the Piggly Wiggly stores in Tuscaloosa and Northport, AL. Tuscaloosa’s River Mar-ket at Manderson Landing is the site of the 3rd annual fundraiser. Food from Hoo’s Q, Live Music by Michael and the Memories, and vari-ous entertainment including cornhole with Mr. Pig and a silent auction will occur from 6-9pm. Everyone in the com-munity is invited to Cele-brate, Remember, and Fight Back against the disease that affects so many. Tickets are $25 for individuals and $40 per couple. Children under 5 are admitted FREE and tickets for kids 5-12 are $10. Tickets are available at Piggly Wiggly, Spiller Furniture & Mattress, First National Bank of Central Ala-bama, and Hudson Poole Fine Jewelers.

Jimmy Welborn, Mr. Piggly Wiggly as many in the community knew him, was diagnosed with Cancer in 1979. He fought for 31 years through surgeries, experi-mental treatments, life-altering drugs, and untold amounts of chemotherapy and radiation. When Mr. Pig returns to the Market on July 11th, family, friends, and the Tuscaloosa community will gather to Celebrate his legacy, Remember his spirit, and Fight Back against the disease he battled so val-iantly…all while giving back to the American Cancer Society. Over $100,000 has been raised in the first three years of the event. All proceeds will remain in West Alabama to benefit LOCAL Cancer patients.

Mr. Pig will greet at-tendees and take pictures throughout the night. Food catered by Hoo’s Q will be served including barbecue pork, smoked chicken and chicken tenders for the kids. Cold beverages from Buffalo Rock will be available along with a full cash bar tended by Casual Class Catering. Blue Bell Ice Cream will sponsor a delicious dessert bar. Music and Entertain-ment will be provided by Michael and the Memories, a local band headlined by Mike & Shane Spiller. Silent auction items include

biking but don't know where to ride in Tuscaloosa? Come out to Sokal Park and join the beginners' group that ride out weekly on Monday evenings.

TUESDAy, JULy 22TPL Monthly Book DiscussionWHEN: 10 a.m.COST: FreeWHERE: TPL Main BranchPHONE: 345.5820LINK: tuscaloosa-library.org DESCRIPTION: The Tuscaloosa Public Library will discuss The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman in the TPL main branch’s History Room.

WII for AllWHEN: 3:30 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Tuscaloosa Public Library, Brown BranchPHONE: 205.391.9989 LINK: tuscaloosa-library.org DESCRIPTION: Young children as well as teenagers are invited to spend the afternoon playing Wii video games in the Children’s Books section of the Brown Branch of the Tuscaloosa Public Library

Taco TuesdayWHEN: All dayCOST: N/AWHERE: Jim N’ Nick’s BBQPHONE: 567. 0256LINK: jimnnicks.comDESCRIPTION: Every Tuesday, local restaurant Jim N Nick’s adds barbecue tacos to their menu, along with queso dip and drink specials. THURSDAy, JULy 24Teen Zone: GeoTech Lab (Open Lab)WHEN: 3 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Tuscaloosa Public Library, Main BranchPHONE: 752.8300LINK: tuscaloosa-library.org/DESCRIPTION: Teens and young adults can take advantage of technology like the “Makey-Makey,” a system that turns anything that conducts electricity, whether it’s aluminum foil or a banana peel, into an input device for a computer. Kids can design video games and video game controllers as a part of a month-long part Science Technology, Engineering and Math program.

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T

CenterPHONE: 758.5195LINK: tuscarts.orgDESCRIPTION: The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will present the collabora-tive exhibit “Wash.” This installation will feature large format sculptures, digital imagery and music created by visual artist Jamey Grimes and composer Rick Snow in the Black Box Theatre. The Arts Coun-cil Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays

THURSDAy, JULy 17Hairspray WHEN: 7:30 p.m.COST: $22 Adults; $18 Seniors 60+; $14 Students/ChildrenWHERE: Bean-Brown TheatrePHONE: 391.2277LINK: theatretusc.comDESCRIPTION: Theatre Tuscaloosa presents will present "Hairspray" weekly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday until July 26, 2014.

FRIDAy, JULy 18Acoustic Night Featuring Walter ParksWHEN: 7:30 p.m.COST: $10WHERE: Bama TheatrePHONE: 758.5195LINK: bamatheatre.org/DESCRIPTION: Veteran blues and jazz guitarist Walter Parks has built an interna-tional career as the lead guitarist for the late Woodstock legend Richie Havens, as half of the folk-duo The Nudes and as leader of the neo-southern rock group Swamp Cabbage.

SATURDAy, JULy 19Miss Tuscaloosa Pageant & Miss Tuscaloosa Outstanding Teen PageantWHEN: 6 p.m.COST: N/AWHERE: Bama TheatrePHONE: 242-1560LINK: misstuscaloosa.orgDESCRIPTION: Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAy, JULy 20Hairspray Grandparent’s DayWHEN: 1 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Shelton State Community Col-lege, Wilson Carr Rehearsal HallPHONE: 391.2277LINK: theatretusc.comDESCRIPTION: Grandparents are encouraged to bring their grandchildren to pass the joy of theatre on to the next generation. SSCC cosmetology students will be on hand to give authentic 60's hairdo's to the kids on a first-come-first-served basis.

MONDAy, JULy 21West Alabama Mountain Biking Asso-ciation Weekly Beginner’s RideWHEN: 5:45 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Monny Sokal ParkPHONE: 562.3220LINK: wambarides.org DESCRIPTION: Interested in mountain

MR. PIG GOES TO THE MARKET // BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

>>> E V E N T s ta ff R Ep o R t

jewelry from Hudson Poole, travel pack-ages to all-inclusive resorts in Antigua, Panama and St. Lucia, Suite Tickets to the Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic football home opener, along with several bundled experiences. It’s certain to be an enjoy-able night along the scenic Tuscaloosa River Walk. Join us! Down Home, Down by the River…

Jimmy Welborn, "Mr. Piggly Wiggly"

Streaming Video Now Available From TPL

Watch videos from the Tuscaloosa Pub-lic Library anytime, anywhere! Stream-ing video is now available to enjoy from the library's website. This new service, powered by OverDrive, is free for users with a TPL library card. Visit digitalli-brary.tuscaloosa-library.org to browse for eBooks and digital audiobooks in addition to streaming video. The grow-ing catalog of digital feature films, docu-mentaries, educational, children's favor-ites and more can be viewed on most mobile and desktop devices. No late fees!


Fox Theatre660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

The Hangout251.948.3030thehangout1.com

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St615.891.1781

Minglewood Hall1555 Madison Ave901.312.6058

>>> R OA D T R I P D I R E C T O RY Travel the South's best venues. Visit their website for ticket info and more.

Acoustic Café2758 County Hwy 9205.647.3237

Amphitheater at the Wharf23101 Canal Rd251.224.1020

Bridgestone Arena501 Broadway615.770.2000

Centennial Olympic Park265 Park Ave W NW404.223.4412

Moe’s Original BBQ6423 Park Dr251.625.7427

Montgomery Performing Arts Center201 Tallapoosa St334.481.5100

The Nick2514 10th Ave S205.252.3831

Sloss Furnaces20 32nd St N

205.324.1911Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre2200 Encore Pkwy 404.733.5010

Von Braun Center700 Monroe St SW256.551.2345

WorkPlay500 23rd St S205.380.4082

Zydeco2001 15th Ave S205.933.1032

>>> ROAD TRIP | s o u t H E a s t E R n co n c E R t s a n D E V E n t s

THURSDAY, JULY 10BIRMINGHAMRodney Carrington, Comedy Club Stardomemoe., Avondale Brewing CompanyJohn and Gio, Iron Horse Café

HUNTSVILLEBeach Boys, Von Braun Concert Hall

ATLANTATrapt, Masquerade

NASHVILLEKaren Waldrup, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

FRIDAY, JULY 11 BIRMINGHAMWinston Ramble, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLEKozmic Mama, Lee Ann’sThe 39 Steps, Tom Bevill Lyceum

MONTGOMERYK Michelle, Montgomery Performing Arts CenterWhompus Cats, 1048 Jazz and Blues

NASHVILLERiff-Raff, High Watt

ATLANTAGoo Goo Dolls and Daughtry, Chastain Park Amphitheatre

NEW ORLEANSJamestown Manor, Howlin’ WolfMorbid Angel, One Eyed Jacks

SATURDAY, JULY 12BIRMINGHAMBrad Shirley and Cam Spinks, ZydecoSouth of Eden, Blue Collar Bar and Grill

MONTGOMERYDeRay Davis, Montgomery Performing Arts CenterAlias For Now, Head on the Door

HUNTSVILLEPickin’ and Grinnin’, Tims Ford State ParkJ. Curly Speegle, The Brick Deli and TavernPayton Taylor, The Celtic Cup Coffee House

NEW ORLEANSRonnie Milsap, Delta Downs Event CenterHazy Ray, House of Blues

NASHVILLEBlack Stone Cherry, Exit InI Cry Wolfe, Rocketown

SUNDAY, JULY 13 ATLANTATim McGraw, Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

NASHVILLEFall Out Boy and Paramore, Mansion at FontanelBill Maher, TPAC-Andrew Jackson Hall

MONDAY, JULY 14NEW ORLEANSPanorama Jazz Band, Gasa Gasa

NASHVILLEThe Time Jumpers, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and GrillAvers, High Watt

TUESDAY, JULY 15ATLANTABeyonce and Jay-Z, Georgia DomeThe Neighbourhood, The Masquerade

NASHVILLEBear Hands, High Watt

NEW ORLEANSNew Edition, Saenger Theatre

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16HUNTSVILLEGeoff and Bryan Acoustic Duo, The Station Bar and Grill

BIRMINGHAMAaron Lewis, Iron City

THURSDAY, JULY 17ATLANTAPeter Frampton and the Doobie Brothers, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park

NASHVILLETom Hemby Band, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

BIRMINGHAMGula, Zydeco

NEW ORLEANSPete Wentz, House of Blues

MONTGOMERY

Martina McBride, Montgomery Performing Arts CenterBig Al and the Heavyweights, Capitol Oyster Bar

FRIDAY, JULY 18 ATLANTARay LaMontagne, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore ParkKISS and Def Leppard, Aaron’s Amphitheatre at LakewoodThe Fray, Chastain Park AmphitheatreIndigo Girls, Atlanta Botanical Garden

NASHVILLEDwight Yoakam, Mansion at FontanelSIMO with Jack Pearson, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom

SATURDAY, JULY 19MONTGOMERYCrashing Broadway, War Eagle Supper ClubBryan Jackson, Carl’s CountryJoe Wright, Rock Bottom

BIRMINGHAMRay LaMontagne, BJCCWhitey Morgan and the 78’s, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLETerry McNeal, The Brick House Sports Café

NEW ORLEANSTank and the Bangas, Gasa Gasa

SUNDAY, JULY 20NEW ORLEANSBeyonce and Jay-Z, Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeChevelle, House of Blues

MONDAY, JULY 21NEW ORLEANSNick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Mahalia Jackson Theatre

TUESDAY, JULY 22BIRMINGHAMGov’t Mule, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

ATLANTABeck, Fabulous Fox Theatre

NASHVILLETony Lucca, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

MICHAEL THORNTON // MONTGOMERY // DECEMBER 22

to HaVE YouR VEnuE anD

EVEnts listED HERE

plEasE Email

[email protected]

to BE incluDED in tHE

nEXt issuE.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23BIRMINGHAMPigeons Playing Ping Pong, Zydeco

ATLANTASara Bareilles, Chastain Park AmphitheatreThe Antlers, Masquerade

THURSDAY, JULY 24ATLANTAVan’s Warped Tour, Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood311, Tabernacle

MONTGOMERYTony Brook, Cigar and Fine Spirits Bar

HUNTSVILLEHeather Luttrell, Humphrey’s

BIRMINGHAMLuke Bryan, Oak Mountain Amphitheatre

RONNIE MILSAP // NEW ORLEANS // JULY 12

BILL MAHER // NASHVILLE // JULY 13 MARTINA MCBRIDE // MONTGOMERY // JULY 17

PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG // MONTGOMERY // JULY 23

BECK // ATLANTA // JULY 22

LUKE BRYAN // Oak Mtn // JULY 24


TO HAVE YOUR BAR AND MUSIC EVENT

LISTED HERE PLEASE EMAIL

[email protected]

4th & 23rd

1831 // 331-4632

Alcove // 469-9110

Bear Trap // 345-2766

Big Al's // 759-9180

The Booth // 764-0557

Buffalo Wild Wings // 523-0273

Capones // 248-0255

Carpe Vino // 366-8444

Catch 22 // 344-9347

Copper Top // 343-6867

Downtown Pub // 750-0008

Gallettes // 758-2010

Gnemis Top Shelf Tavern // 343-0020

Grey Lady // 469-9521

Harry's Bar // 331-4151

Houndstooth // 752-8444

Innisfree // 345-1199

Jackie's Lounge // 758-9179

The Jupiter // 248-6611

The Legacy // 345-4848

Mellow Mushroom // 758-0112

Mike's Place // 764-0185

Mugshots // 391-0572

Rhythm & Brews // 750-2992

Rounders // 345-4848

>>> LO C A L B A R S

>>> LOCAL MUSIC | WHo's plaYinG aRounD toWn

THURSDAYJULY 10Ken and Andy, Copper Top

FRIDAY,JULY 11Soul Tide, Copper TopAxe to Grind, RoundersGlen Templeton, Rhythm & BrewsCBDB, Jupiter

SATURDAY,JULY 12Dirt Star, Copper TopThe 17th Floor, Jupiter

TUESDAY, JULY 15Plato Jones, Copper Top

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16Ham Bagby, Open Mic, Green BarCBDB, Copper Top

THURSDAY, JULY 17Sumilan, Green BarLamont Landers and Friends, Copper TopBig Engine, Rhythm & Brews

FRIDAY, JULY 18Big Engine, Rhythm & BrewsAxe to Grind, Copper TopForgotten Grey, Green Barnic Snow Band, Rounders

SATURDAY, JULY 19Aaron Carter, Jupiter90 Proof, Copper Top

Tequila Mockingbird, Rounders

TUESDAY, JULY 22Plato Jones, Copper Top

WEDNESDAYJULY 23Ham Bagby, Open Mic, Green Bar

THURSDAY, JULY 24Buck Wild, Rhythm & BrewsFreshwater Duo, Copper Top

FRIDAY, JULY 25Farmers Daughter, Rhythm & BrewsUri, Copper TopMotherfunk, Rounders

WRITERS WANTEDCONTACT

[email protected]

GLEN TEMPLETON // RHYTHM & BREWS // JULY 11 CBDB // COPPER TOP // JULY 15

TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD // ROUNDERS // JULY 19

AARON CARTER // JUPITER // JULY 19

FORGOTTEN GREY // GREEN BAR // JULY 18


THIS STORY IS OUTDATED - 1000-1400 WORDS NEEDED

FOR A REPLACEMENT

>>> H I G H T I D E | S T E P H E N S M I T H

most PeoPle shy AwAy from it, but adversity is a good thing. It teaches us how to confront our fears and pursue our goals. In sports, adversity instructs teams not to panic when they fall behind.

Resiliency separates good teams from great ones. When a program is able to overcome a deficit and steal victory away from its opponent, it shows the poise, focus and confidence of the team.

Alabama wouldn’t be a force in college football if it didn’t face adversity.

Here is a list of the top 10 comeback victories in Crimson Tide history:

10. #3 Alabama vs. #10 Tennes-see—1972 “Third Saturday in October”Coaches: Paul W. “Bear” Bryant vs. Bill BattleDeficit 7 points: Tennessee 10—Alabama 3 (late fourth quarter)Final Score: Alabama 17—Tennessee 10Summary: Tennessee controlled most of the game. Many fans had filed out of Neyland Stadium believing the contest was over. Alabama trailed Tennessee 10-3 late in the fourth quarter. Terry Davis engineered a drive in three plays. The drive went for 48 yards and ended with a touchdown. After a Volunteers turnover, Alabama scored on an 8-yard run by Davis. The Tide’s defense held its ground and Alabama won 17-10.

9. #13 Alabama vs. Southern Missis-sippi—1995 “Out of the Fire”Coaches: Eugene “Gene” Stallings vs. Jeff BowerDeficit 14 points: Southern Miss 17—Ala-bama 3 (halftime)Final Score: Alabama 24—Southern Mis-sissippi 20Summary: Alabama was known as the “Cardiac Crimson Tide” in 1995. The Tide witnessed a lot of close games, including its matchup against Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles led Alabama 17-3 at half-time. Brian Burgdorf guided the Crimson Tide back into the game. Alabama was balanced offensively in the second half and Burgdorf found Toderick Malone for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Alabama won 24-20.

8. #1 Alabama vs. #10 Arkansas—2010 “Mark Ingram Time”Coaches: Nick Saban vs. Bobby PetrinoDeficit-13 points: Arkansas 20—Alabama

7 (third quarter)Final Score: Alabama 24—Arkansas 20Summary: Despite three losses in 2010, Alabama showed its poise against Arkan-sas in Fayetteville. Ryan Mallet had every-thing clicking in the first half. The Razor-backs led 17-7 at halftime. The Crimson Tide trailed Arkansas 20-7 in the third quarter when Greg McElroy and the of-fense mounted its comeback. Scores from Trent Richardson and Jeremy Shelley cut the deficit to 20-17. Alabama’s defense in-tercepted Mallet three times. Mark Ingram scored the game-winning touchdown with 3:04 remaining in the fourth quarter. He finished with 157 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Alabama won 24-20.

7. Alabama vs. Georgia Tech—1960 “Bryant vs. Bobby Dodd”Coaches: Paul Bryant vs. Bobby DoddDeficit-15 points: Georgia Tech 15—Ala-bama 0 (halftime)Final Score: Alabama 16—Georgia Tech 15Summary: Alabama took on Georgia Tech after handling Furman 51-0 in the previous week. Scores from Jimmy Nail, Thomas Wells (field goal) and Stanley Gann gave the Yellow Jackets a 15-0 lead at halftime. The Crimson Tide answered in the second half with 16 points. Leon Fuller scored on a one-yard touchdown run (missed extra point) and Bobby Skel-ton hooked up with Norbie Ronsonet on a three-yard touchdown pass. Alabama cut the deficit to 15-13 late in the fourth quarter. Digger O’Dell made a 24-yard field goal on the Tide’s final drive to win the game 16-15.

6. #6 Alabama vs. #20 Mississippi State—1994 “Battle for Highway 82”Coaches: Gene Stallings vs. Jackie SherrillDeficit-10 points: Mississippi St. 25—Ala-bama 15 (halftime)Final Score: Alabama 29—Mississippi State 25Summary: Alabama had to fend off more than Georgia in the 1994 season. After beating Georgia at home, the Crimson Tide faced Mississippi State at Scott Field in Starkville. The Bull-dogs took a 25-15 lead into the fourth quarter. Alabama’s offense responded with 14 unanswered points and Jay Barker passed for 325 yards. The Tide’s defense held Mississippi State

scoreless for the rest of the game. Alabama won 29-25.

5. #11 Alabama vs. Georgia—1994 “Showdown in T-Town”Coaches: Gene Stallings vs. Ray GoffDeficit-11 points: Georgia 21—Alabama 10 (halftime)Final Score: Alabama 29—Georgia 28Summary: Bryant-Denny Stadium was the venue for the showdown between Eric Zeier and Jay Barker. Zeier and wide receiver Hason Graham carved up Alabama’s secondary in the first half. Zeier passed for three touchdowns and Georgia led 21-10 at halftime. Barker returned in the second half with his best Joe Namath impression. Barker sprayed the ball to a variety of receivers, including Toderick Malone. Alabama narrowed the deficit to 28-26 late in the fourth quarter. Michael Proctor made the game-winning field goal for the Crimson Tide. Alabama won 29-28 and notched an SEC West Division title.

4. #13 Alabama vs. Mississippi—1989 “Rebels Without Applause”Coaches: William “Bill” Curry vs. Billy BrewerDeficit-21 points: Mississippi 21—Ala-bama 0 (first quarter)Final Score: Alabama 62—Mississippi 27Summary: Alabama’s quest for an SEC title in 1989 was tested against Missis-sippi. The Crimson Tide fell behind 21-0 on the road in the first quarter. After Gary Hollingsworth found Kevin Turner for a touchdown, Alabama seized momentum and poured it on. The Tide scored 62 points in the game and recovered four Mississippi fumbles. Alabama won 62-27 and achieved a share of the SEC crown in 1989.3. #3 Alabama vs. Tennessee—1969 “Stabler Takes Over”Coaches: Paul Bryant vs. Doug DickeyDeficit-10 points: Tennessee 10—Ala-bama 0 (fourth quarter)Final Score: Alabama 11—Tennessee 10Summary: After defeating Clemson, No. 3 Alabama took on Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee controlled the momentum for much of the game. Dewey Warren and Gary Wright guided the Volunteers to 10 points. Both teams went scoreless in the second and third quarter before Kenny Stabler erupted. In the fourth quarter, Stabler scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. His pass to Wayne Cook gave Alabama a successful two-point conversion. With 3:00 remain-ing in the fourth quarter, Alabama trailed Tennessee 10-8. Steve Davis nailed a 17-yard field goal. The kick became the game-winner as the Tide defeated the Volunteers 11-10. 2. #1 Alabama vs. #18 Tennes-see—1979 “Bryant’s Final National Title Run”Coaches: Paul Bryant vs. Johnny MajorsDeficit-17 points: Tennessee 17—Alabama 0 (second quarter)Final Score: Alabama 27—Tennessee 17

Cory Whitsett

Summary: Bryant’s quest for a sixth national title didn’t come easy. The No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide struggled against the Volunteers early. Tennessee led 17-0 in the second quarter, but it wasn’t enough to prevent an Alabama comeback. Stead-man Shealy and Major Ogilvie guided the Crimson to 27 unanswered points. Alabama’s defense held Tennessee scoreless for the remainder of the contest. Alabama won 27-17 and finished the season as SEC champions, Sugar Bowl champions and national champions.

1B. Alabama vs. LSU—1998 “Stunner in Baton Rouge”Coaches: Mike DuBose vs. Gerry DiNardoDeficit: 9 points: LSU 16—Alabama 7 (third quarter)Final Score: Alabama 22—LSU 16Summary: A game is never over un-til the clock expires. LSU and its fans learned the hard way in 1998. Both teams failed to score in the first quarter, but LSU struck gold first before halftime. Kevin Faulk put the Tigers ahead with a one-yard touchdown run. LSU started to pull away in the third quarter. Herb Tyler connected with Kyle Kipps on a seven-yard touchdown pass and Chris Chauvin nailed a 20-yard field goal. Qunicy Jackson put Alabama on the scoreboard with a 53-yard touchdown reception from Andrew Zow. The Tide’s defense stifled the Tigers in the fourth quarter. LSU was held scoreless and Shaun Alexander scored on a 21-yard touchdown recep-tion. Trailing 16-14, Zow led Alabama on a huge final drive. It went four plays, 48 yards and ended on a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass to Jackson. Alabama won 22-16.

1. Alabama vs. #7 Auburn—1985 Iron Bowl “The Kick”Coaches: Ray Perkins vs. Pat DyeDeficit: 1 point: Auburn 23—Alabama 22 (late fourth quarter)Final Score: Alabama 25—Auburn 23Summary: The 1985 Iron Bowl was one of the most dramatic games in the rivalry’s history. Despite Alabama leading 16-10 after three quarters, the game had four lead changes in the fourth quarter. In the final minute, Mike Shula guided Alabama downfield with pin-point passes. Al Bell and others made huge plays to set up a 52-yard field goal for Van Tiffin. Tiffin nailed the kick and Alabama defeated Auburn 25-23.

Honorable Mentions: #2 Alabama vs #3 Georgia—2012 SEC Championship GameCoaches: Nick Saban vs. Mark RichtDeficit: 11 points: Georgia 21—Alabama 10 (third quarter)Final Score: Alabama 32—Georgia 28Summary: Alabama was down 28-25 with 5:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Tide went on a four-play, 55-yard drive. Alabama ended the drive on 45-yard touchdown pass from AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper. The Crimson Tide won 32-28 and notched its 23rd SEC title.

CRIMSON TIDE'S TOP 10 COMEBACK VICTORIES

Photo: Birmingham NewsCourtesy Paul W. Bryant Museum

"The Kick" – 1985 Iron Bowl


>>> HIGH TIDE | G A R Y H A R R I S / W V U A S P O R T S D I R E C T O R

BLAKE BARNETT // A VISIT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

this story is Proof that a visit can change everything.

The 6-4, 200-pound Barnett, a star quarterback at Santiago HS in Corona, CA who committed to UA last month, was thought to be a lock for Oregon until he and his parents took an unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa. By the time the three-day visit ended, the Barnett's were sold on the Tide.

"Coach Saban just did a great job of showing Blake and his parents that they had a plan for him," says Santiago head coach Jeff Steinberg. "It wasn't just about football or about facilities. Everybody on that level has impressive facilities. Coach Saban showed Blake that they had a plan for him in every area, from player develop-ment and academics to personal develop-ment. They emphasized the whole person and they have programs in place with a plan for each student-athlete to help develop him to his fullest potential in all of those areas."

"His parents were sold," Steinberg says. "They planned to visit Alabama for a day or so and then go visit LSU and Geor-gia. Then they were coming back home and taking a visit to Oregon this week and

then making a decision next week. But they canceled the visits to LSU and Geor-gia while they were at Alabama. Then they decided not to visit Oregon. They just felt like there was really no need to take the visits. It was nothing against those schools. It was more about Alabama and what they showed them. Alabama offered everything that Blake was looking for."

Barnett originally committed to Notre Dame. When he backed off that commit-ment, speculation was rampant that he was headed for Oregon.

"That was really kind of neat to watch," Steinberg says. "It just goes to show you you how little people really know. Nobody knew. Not even Blake knew. That's why he decided to take his visits. He wanted to think everything through."

Steinberg says that the second time around, Barnett thought everything through, and that his commitment to Ala-bama is solid.

"After he committed to Notre Dame, Blake felt like he rushed into the decision," Steinberg says. "It was nothing about Notre Dame. They have so many great things to offer. But Blake didn't feel as though he'd thought everything through. I admire him for having the courage to call the coaches at Notre Dame and explain to them that he needed to re-evaluate things. After that, he was wide open to giving the other schools a chance, and now he's completely sold on Alabama."

So what's Alabama getting in Barnett?The first thing people notice on his

junior highlight tape is that he can run."He brings another dimension with his

feet," Steinberg says. "I think in Alabama's offense what he'll be able to do is extend plays with his feet. Let's be honest, it's the SEC. It's the best of the best. So when the pocket breaks down, he's going to be able to extend plays and buy time to make throws."

Some have wondered if Barnett, who directs a spread offense in high school,

can make the transition to being a pro-style passer in Alabama's system. Stein-berg has no doubts that he can. And word is that offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin was very impressed with Barnett's ability to make every throw.

"He has a very strong arm," Steinberg says. "He can make every throw that they need made in their offense, and he's very, very accurate. He works every day on the five and seven step drops they make in their offense. That shouldn't be any prob-lem for him. He's also a very intelligent guy. He picks up on things very quickly. I don't think he'll have any problem making the adjustments."

Steinberg believes that Barnett also has the intangibles that Nick Saban looks for.

"Blake is a very mature kid," Steinberg says. "As talented as he is, he's got an even greater desire to work and to suc-ceed. He does whatever it takes. He lives in the weightroom and the film room. He's constantly working to improve. That's the kind of person he is. I think he's a great fit for how they do things at Alabama. They're very structured and demanding. Blake likes that. He believes in how they do things."

As a junior, Barnett completed 165 of 295 attempts for 2,332 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He car-ried the ball 92 times for 695 yards and 13 touchdowns.

RONNIE HARRISONTop UA target close to decision

One of Alabama's prime prospects is closing in on his final decision. Safety Ronnie Harrison of University HS in Tal-lahassee, FL, who has been committed to North Carolina for over a year, had a stellar performance at UA's camp last month and landed an Alabama offer. Now the 6-2, 205-pound star is reconsidering his decision.

"I'm pretty interested. I mean, it's Alabama," Harrison says. "I'm a defensive back and they put defensive backs in the league, so I like them."

Back in late spring, Tide assistant Lance Thompson convinced Harrison

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to come to Tuscaloosa for UA's camp. Harrison came to the camp and put on a show that turned Nick Saban's head. The experience also opened Harrison's eyes.

"It was very helpful," Harrison says of the camp. "I learned some new man-to-man techniques from Coach Smart that will be very helpful to me."

"Coach Smart and Coach Saban both are great guys," Harrison says. "They've coached some great DBs. They develop DBs. All of the DBs they coach get draft-ed. They're well known as great coaches."

Following the Alabama camp, Harrison returned to Chapel Hill for a visit to UNC.

"North Carolina has great academics," Harrison says. "I have a great relationship with the coaching staff. I like the players there. I get along with all of the players. I like the campus.

"I just like the vibe at North Carolina. It's kind of like my high school, so I could see myself fitting in there. I think I could play early there."

Before making his final choice, Har-rison will make another trip to Tuscaloosa. Harrison and his parents will be in town to tour the campus and meet with Alabama coaches on July 18.

Harrison says that he'll pick between Alabama and North Carolina by the end of the summer.

"I feel like Coach Smart and Coach Saban can give me the tools that I need to get to the next level," Harrison says. "Alabama competes for championships every year. Who doesn't want to win a championship? It's one of the top schools in the nation. Who wouldn't want to play for them?"

Cyrus Kouandjio's knee problems are cleared up and he'll be given the chance to win a starting job with the Buffalo Bills as right tackle.Coach Saban and Blake Barnett

Santiago head coach Jeff Steinberg


>>> T H E F L AT S C R E E N | C A R A B R A K E

WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING?when you’re in A television slump, the most viable option is to ask a friend what

they’re watching, whether the show is currently updating or has already aired and is available online. Recommendations are the best way to perk up your media life, whether it be books, movies or television. To get you started, here are a few suggestions from

our readers.John Stabler, a sophomore at the

University of Alabama, recommends "Battlestar Galactica". The science fiction show, created by Ronald D. Moore, follows the crew of the Galac-tica as they protect the twelve colonies and travel to the 13th colony, Earth. Battlestar ran from 2004 to 2009 with a total of four seasons. “To me, the riveting plot and constant trials help to flesh out the characters and provide an entertaining viewing experience,” said John. “The setting of the show, combined with the social aspects the writers chose to put into it provide you with what it takes to be a person and where belief in the otherworldly springs from.” John’s favorite charac-ter? “Starbuck, because throughout

the entire series, she has the most character development, the best backstory, and changes people’s lives in a positive way.”

Jacob Wells, a junior at the Univer-sity of Alabama, pulls from a different genre of television to recommend "Na-ruto: Shippûden", created by Masashi Kisimoto. The anime is about Naruto Uzumaki, a boisterous and over-eager ninja who journeys to become Hokage, the strongest ninja in the village. “It’s a very interesting way to look at the “turn the other cheek” aspect of fighting,” comments Jacob, “and it has the best storytelling of any show I’ve watched. It has very good character development, and the animation style is very artistic.” Jacob’s favorite character? The title character, Naruto Uzumaki. “He starts out as the underdog in the beginning, and ends up being a hero that every-one looks up to.”

Sydney Mealey recommends "Criminal Minds", a crime show about the BAU, or Behavioral Analysis Unit, of the FBI and the dangerous and complicated cases they undertake. “It is your classic "good guy chases bad guy, bad guy loses" show, but I also enjoy the entire plot that goes into every episode,” says Sydney about the cop drama.”I love the attention to detail that I have noticed. I have always really been into crime in-vestigation shows, and when I first heard about this one, I had to find out if the pace was what I like. While it has it's slow points, it always picks up.” Sydney’s favorite character? Dr. Spencer Reid. “Out of all of the characters, Reid would have to be my favorite. His intellect is very attractive, and he handles each case as best as he can without letting his emotions control him.”

"Battlestar Galactica" is available to watch on Netflix and through Syfy’s website. "Naruto: Shippûden" is available to watch on Hulu. "Criminal Minds" is available to watch on CBS’ website, and on various streaming sites.

John Stabler

Jacob Wells

Photos: Cara Brake

Sydney Mealey


it's a good week to put your energy into work and financial planning, especially if you need to shop for big-ticket items. an intuitive hunch may let you know where that special bargain is hiding out. plus, this can be a good week for collaboration on a project that could be quite demanding but worth your while. When the full moon comes calling, you may want to pack up and travel, or at least consider going on an adventure. later, an attraction at work may set your heart fluttering.

an invitation or fun social event could set the pace for the rest of the week, encouraging plenty of mixing and mingling. along with this, you may hear news of a pay raise or contract that could earn you some extra income. things are looking up in this regard if you're willing to take on extra work. Romantic options look set to sparkle as a special aspect heats up a budding liaison. You may have stars in your eyes by the time the weekend comes around.

You may be taking your leisure very seriously as a positive connection encourages you to explore a new hobby or pastime or dive into a luscious romance. in this regard, the full moon heightens feelings, enticing you to go with the flow and say it like it is. You may feel vulnerable doing so, but your connection with the special person could deepen as a result. plus, as mercury shimmies into your sign, you'll find it easier to sync with your gut instincts and turn them into action.

career matters show a positive face, especially when you're willing to explore new ideas with a futuristic twist. at the same time, moving in circles with folks who share your interests and ambitions could also help you get ahead. one connection may be particularly useful this week. as mercury glides into cancer, networking and other social events can also be an aid to moving ahead and finding success. finally, the full moon on saturday could be the catalyst to help a romance take off.

You seem to be forging ahead in your career, with chances to make special connections and encourage profitable partnerships. networking and other social opportunities are encouraged, as your connections may be a key to a better career and income. partnerships also flourish, and over this week the full moon in your sign may send your feelings into overdrive. if you've been backward about coming forward, you may let it all out into the open over the weekend. perhaps this is all to the good!

this is a good time to explore learning options or think about increasing your skill set, especially as doing so could improve your chances for a better job and income. plus, you may want to take travel plans to a new stage by committing to purchasing tickets and booking rooms. Regarding a relationship, your sex life sizzles, and for now things seem upbeat in this department. take it easy around the full moon on saturday, as hasty words could upset a friendship.

a focus on a more sensitive part of your chart suggests that secrets come to light and intimacy tinged with romance can deepen. there's also fun to be had on the home front, with opportunities for entertaining with family or friends. Romantic options continue to shine. With the full moon in your social sector, it could be party time or at least a chance for a great occasion or celebration. mercury's move into cancer spotlights creative opportunities and enjoying cultural entertainment.

Romantic options look good as a promising transit brings a chance for an unexpected meeting. though in its early stages, an attraction could quickly develop as a result. However, thoughts turn to financial management as the focus shifts to your zone of shared resources. a chance to get back on solid footing regarding loans or debts shouldn't be ignored. at the very least, this is a time when planning for the future can not only help ease anxiety but also give you a sound structure for present plans.

You may be taking your leisure very seriously as a positive connection encourages you to explore a new hobby or pastime or dive into a luscious romance. in this regard, the full moon heightens feelings, enticing you to go with the flow and say it like it is. You may feel vulnerable doing so, but your connection with the special person could deepen as a result. plus, as mercury shimmies into your sign, you'll find it easier to sync with your gut instincts and turn them into action.

>>> HOROSCOPES | W E E K L Y O V E R V I E W

as mars continues in your sign it's time to assert yourself and push your own interests forward. However, the call of adventure and the thrill of romance might also tempt you away from your plans and goals. make time for each this week and you can win on both counts. later, the full moon brings feelings to a head on the domestic front. However, the chance to clear the air may help resolve key issues and leave peace in its wake.

the week ahead seems positive and upbeat, when good feelings and fresh opportunities are all you need to be happy. long-term relationships can lighten up, especially if you're willing to allow private feelings out into the open. However, someone may not be upfront about issues they're having, which might require some dedicated conversation. along with this, romance is sweet and playful as someone seems to really care. the weekend may be an opportunity for a very special date night.

It's easy to play Sudoku! simply fill every column, row and 3x3 box so they contain every number between 1 and 9. the game is easy to play but difficult to master! solution page 27

although you may be on the ball regarding business, commerce, and related plans and projects, you're also eager to enjoy some quiet time. a focus on your home and family sector encourages opportunities for reflection, particularly regarding your future path. Yet the full moon at the weekend also stirs up energies, bringing certain issues to your attention. You may be thinking about what you really want to do in life - and what might move you deep down — not what you think you should do.

>>> PUZZLEMANIA | s u D o K u


Across

1. Slush ___ (collection of unsolicited manuscripts)5. Conductor Zubin10. "You do the ___!"14. Irritate.15. Works at16. Resound17. Fertilizer's purpose19. When said three times, a film about Pearl Harbor20. Reeves of 'The Matrix'21. Wizard23. Stew26. Decreased27. Pungent cheese32. Nasser's dream: Abbr.33. Director Kurosawa34. Fogs38. Give the performers a hand40. "___ be sorry!"42. Sneeze syllable43. Earlier spelling of Hebei45. It may follow the first intermission47. Prominent grocery chain48. Reason for a duel51. Rende54. Niche55. Occur earlier58. Announcer Don62. Winter toy63. Like some old bikes66. Neighbor of Ecuador67. Grain bane68. "To Live and Die ___" ('85 film)69. Octagonal road sign70. Flushed71. Uses a pew

Down1. Like very early education, for short

2. "The Last Days of Pompeii" girl3. Coin of Italia4. English romance novelist Glyn5. Speed stat6. Fungus-ravaged tree type7. Makes haste, a la Shakespeare8. Sinew: Comb. form9. Norwegian girl's name10. Like some rises11. Future oak12. Babe Ruth's number13. Stockpile18. "Mea ___"22. Study strenuously24. Like squashed insects25. Clevelander, e.g.27. Similar28. Sign of saintliness29. Amount not to care30. Belch31. Bond portrayer35. 'A device for finding furniture in the dark,' according to Steven Wright36. How some fast food is ordered37. Go up, up, up39. Enlivened41. Accounting principle, for short44. Did some gardening46. Places for stacks49. More put out50. Giraffes' relatives51. Workbench files52. Mooring place53. Dactyl opening56. "Comin'___the rye"57. 10 million of them equal a joule59. "Aurora" painter60. Shoulder muscle, in gym lingo61. Subjects for Matisse and Ingres64. Abbr. in a help wanted ad indicating a fair hirer65. Takeoff guesstimate: Abbr.

>>> PUZZLEMANIA | C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E >>>THE FLAT SCREEN | R E G G I E A L L E N

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 27

"house of cArds", steP Aside, it is time for your sister to shine again.

There is something about the ladies of Litchfield that temporarily turns the general population into couch potatoes. "Orange is the New Black", one of Netf-lix's original series, is now in it's second season and is slowly inducing anyone who watches it into a 24 to 48 hour binge blackout.

But why not? As usual, the season, uploaded in it's entirety earlier this June, enabled fans to soak up all of the drama and chaos of scripted prison that has not been seen since HBO's "O.Z."

The show is based off the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by for-mer convict Piper Kerman and " Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan. Fans are brought back into the world that is Litchfield—a melting-pot of women of different creeds, needs, nationalities, crimes and even biological gender.

Much of the storyline for the show’s first season revolves around Piper Chap-man (Taylor Schilling), a former Mary Sue type forced to confront her past as a bisexual accomplice to her ex-girlfriend's drug ring and ultimately pay the price—prison. However, the latest season takes a well-needed detour into the lives and happenings of everyone that does not have the last name Chapman.

After Chapman's thrilling confrontation at the close of the previous season, she is gradually blended into some of the many ongoing subplots. Instead, more time is spent on bolstering the minor recurring characters introduced last summer.

Background characters like Poussey( Samira Wiley), Taystee( Danielle Brooks) and Crazy Eyes( Uzo Aduba) have easily risen to the status of breakout stars and dominate a majority of the story arc in a very compelling way. Fans can expect to see recurring faces, but in a new light that gives all the inmates a new sense of depth.

A show usually without a specific antagonist, this season, Litchfield is taken by storm with the introduction of Vee (Lor-raine Toussaint), a not so-new inmate that not only has a past with the prison, but with some of the inmates. A cunning, smooth criminal, she recruits many of the African American inmates into her under-ground drug ring that sets the path for the

rest of the season.As said in an interview with Kohan,

season two becomes less playful and much darker while still maintaining its ad-dictive roots. Characters introduced in the series' freshman season are expanded upon. The backgrounds of seemingly well-known characters are finally exposed and viewers are in for a few twists and turns.

Additionally Kohan was able to master-fully widen the scope of storylines outside of the prison by focusing on the outer struggles of the prison overseers. Even Chapman's fiancé, played by Jason Biggs, gets his own little subplot.

The second season of "Orange is the New Black" enables the show to intensify elements that had viewers on the edge of their seats (or hovering over their laptops) giving them the closure they desired. At the same time, in the famous style of Kohan, there is only enough information revealed to keep viewers wanting more.

Condensed to a mere thirteen packed episodes, "Orange is the New Black" is a testament to "less is more" and "great things come in small packages." With complex characters and point-on story-telling, this season holds up to the hype. Like a palindrome, season 2 begins with a bang and closes with one. That, and a poignant note of closure. Fans are finding themselves right where they were last season. Waiting for more.

"Orange is the New Black" is currently in production for it's third season.

"ORANGE" IS THE NEW BINGE


PETE TOWNSEND // THE GENIUS THAT IS "EMPTY GLASS"

>>> R O C K T R I B U T E | K E I T H L E N N O X

bAck in the lAte 1970s and very ear-ly 80s when rock music still breathed life, there came an album from a very familiar source that so fulfilled my need for supe-rior music that I play it to this day and still garner as much joy from it now as I did all of those 35 years ago. The album was called "Empty Glass" and the man behind this masterpiece was Pete Townsend of The Who fame. The breadth and beauty of this rock gem cannot be overstated. It is an opus of such brilliance that, to this day, there are moments on it that still brings goose bumps to my skin.

1980 was about to be the last great yelp for rock music for a while. Disco was finally put out of ‘our’ misery and bur-ied in a shallow grave in an abandoned field of memories but techno-pop was about to take over the reins (not that all techno-pop was bad, just suffice it to say that most of it was mind-numbing in its simplicity and mostly unlistenable). While bands such as The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Clash and, to a degree, U2 staked a claim for British rock and kept it on life support, Townsend’s Empty Glass was the last of its kind for a while, a true clas-sic rock album that spanned a range of emotions that has rarely been achieved since.

Townsend worked on the album dur-ing a two-year period while at the same time he fervently penned "The Who’s Face Dances" and has been quoted as saying that "Empty Glass" saved him from spiraling to an early grave due to his ever-growing alcohol and heroin

use and the breakdown of his marriage — and indeed at times you can hear it — the abject pain in the lyrics and the forlorn notes that effortlessly accompany them throughout.

The album opens with a song as terse and as cutting edge as The Who had ever done, "Rough Boys," and lets it be immediately known that Pete had definitely staked his claim as a great solo artist. He had arrived in a morphed form, a leaner, angrier man. “Tough boy, I’m gonna carry you home, You got pretty pissed, dear.”

From that to "I Am an Animal," in which he sings the chorus in falsetto to a point that as a listener you can only believe it is a plea needed by the singer to be heard — a man who is so pained that his only recourse is to beg for an audience who un-derstands pain and is willing to take some of his agony away so he can have at least a short respite from it.

The homoerotic "And I Moved" is fol-lowed by the FM radio mainstay "Let My Love Open the Door." The staccato, Jools and Jim, rams down your throat the hy-pocrisy of the fourth estate, the specious-ness of those among us who try to make the news rather than report it. And then Townsend dials it back and favors us with a ditty that would please a listener the age of six as much as it would his adult counter-part… “I was digging in the yard today, When a letter came from Southampton way”

The album wraps up with three songs that drive home the fact of just what a talent Pete Townsend was and is… a true

The finale, "Gonna Get Ya," brings the album full circle, a splintered, driv-ing, angry, and pulsating end to what is a genius composition; an album so diverse in its musical stylings, so layered in emotion and angst, so perfectly strung together that seldom has such a work of genius been bestowed upon a listener.

This album alone, even without the scores of brilliant Who songs penned by Townsend, lets us all know that we should be humbled that we were witness to a musical legend, a man who made our lives better for knowing him, a man whose tal-ent is so deep and universal that we should consider ourselves blessed if we ever see his likes again.

All in all, Pete, a job bloody well done. Keith Lennox presides over www.

All-len-All.com. If you enjoy edgy, this is a good spot.

rock and roll star who had hit his ultimate stride. We only wish he had graced us with a couple of more tunes; wish that the al-bum was 50 minutes long, not 39; wish that it would never end. "A Little is Enough" is, arguably, one of the most poignant rock love songs ever written. It isn’t a pop love song which is so much easier to pen, it is a true rock song — no soft edges — no spot-on rhythmic melodies…. just a ragged tune with full-throated cries of a love that is so profound, so utterly deep that no other emotion has even near rivaled it. It is a song that is played for only that person in one’s life that fills them with a sense of profound, unfathomable, and unending adoration.

"Empty Glass," the title song, drives home a rock song and again spatters in it Pete’s falsetto voice at just the right time and for just long enough.


STALKING THE CENTURY-OLD WILDS OF THE CRACKING PLASTER CAVES

>>> RED CLAY DIARY | J I M R E E D

©2014 by Jim Reed

the old home is missing its people this evening. As I open the creaking door to enter, I become its sole inhabitant, since my wife is away at a meeting.

The ancient Persian rug in the foyer deadens the sound of my shoes, but the high plaster ceil-ing still echoes their presence. My breathing comes back at me, as does the sound of a wobbling plas-tic toy on a bookcase shelf, reacting to the ever-shifting foundation of this house atop limestone caves near Red Mountain. The foyer is airy, darker than the adjacent living room, where outside light beams in from three directions.

I hear the perpetual bark of a dog some two houses away, the beep-beep-beep of an alarm system waiting to be silenced, the click-clickety-click of several solar-powered figurines lining the window sills. An air conditioner creates its own ambience. Entering the kitchen, I ritualistically PLOP my bags onto counter chairs, flick and re-flick the overhead light till resident fluorescence decides to awaken, go to the sink and rinse my hands, the sound of a misty rain for-est spray taking me back to another time, another clime. I pull the grumbling refrigerator door open, am embraced by the cranking ice maker and the mumbling motor, look long and hard into the incandescently lighted interior in hopes of finding something remark-able to eat. I settle on a sealed Diet Coke can which clanks against its buddies in the cardboard case in fond farewell to the closed quarters from which it is being liberated.

The metallic CLICK frees a certain amount of carbonated mist and the friendly fizz sound amplifies as I hold the container to my ear in remembrance of long-ago sea shells on sparkling white childhood beaches. I hold the drink high for a moment in a toast to the disregarding world and take my first noisy and quite satisfying sip.

The rest of the evening is spent traversing the caves of cracked plaster, each cave opening into another cave. The stairwell noisily welcomes my ascent, the first-landing double window splays images of the next-door house, the grassy alley below, the green and brown tree limbs, the ever-present phone lines and cable lines and electricity lines serving to feed the ancient hovels on this Birmingham street. Liz’s paintings adorn the walls and I find myself smiling at nothing in particular.

The upstairs hallway has a different humidity, a different temperature, a separate feeling. It is the gateway to a small bedroom that has served through the decades as kids’ room, art studio, ironing room, meditation room, guest room, catch-all room. The largest room, complete with unique colors and textures and soundings and fragrances has served as master bedroom, kids’ room, bookroom, closet room, video and audio room. The original servants’ room has shifted purpose over the years, once a small child’s rainbow-bedecked bedroom, now a combined clothes closet and makeup-appli-cation and hair-do room.

Each cave is a special solitude, each worthy of notice, each deserving observation and contemplation in its own unique way.

In the deadened hours of the night, walking from cave to cave, I am overwhelmed by the variety of stories these special spaces have absorbed over the past century or so. As I tread each floorboard, special occurrences shout their memories at me, each inch weaves a tale I am likely to miss if I don’t stop to reflect.

There is so much to learn and remember in this cave of caves, so much exploring to do, so many artifacts to examine and appreciate.

It is an exploration that will never really end


THE CELEBRATION OF BEER & MUSIC // 20TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN BREWERS FESTIVAL

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMAINIACROSSWORD PAGE 24

>>> MUSIC | T R E Y B R O O K S

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMAINIASUDOKO PAGE 23

the brewing industry hAs seen a major surge in craft breweries since the turn of the millennium. Ever the Carter Administration signed home brewing bills and deregulation became commonplace throughout the 1990’s, the number of small, in-dependent and locally focused breweries has grown exponentially. This growth has created an entire culture surrounding brewing in America, and many brewers openly promote what should be considered competition by traditional business standards. One of the features of this culture includes the rising number of beer festivals, and the southeast has been a haven for such events. At these festivals, brewers and other enthusiasts can sample product from all over the country while participating in a growing community.

On August 22 and 23, the city of Chattanooga, TN will play host to the 20th an-nual Southern Brewers Festival. More than 100 brewers from across the United States will meet at one of the largest beer festivals in the region. Some brewers are well-known nationally, including Sam Adams, Blue Moon and New Belgium. Oth-ers include Alabama-based brewers Back Forty Brewing and Straight to Ale. The festival supports good causes as well, with 100% of the profit going to support Chat-tanooga’s Kids on the Block and the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. Celebrating with the brewers will be a lineup of artists that could pass for a music festival all on their own.

Headlining the festival’s music lineup is Gov’t Mule. The brainchild of guitar virtuoso Warren Haynes, Gov’t Mule is one of the premier southern rock groups still active. Hanyes is well respected as a guitarist, and has played with a wide range of artists including David Allan Coe, The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band. Mule has been a favorite of the jamband scene since the mid 1990’s when they began recording and touring. To this day, they are regulars at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Wannee and Gathering of the Vibes. While they come from the Allman Brothers’ line of jazz-influenced blues-rock, Mule is also heavily influ-enced by early hard-rock bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.

The other headliner for the festival is the jamband Moe (stylized as moe.). Hail-ing from Buffalo, NY, Moe was part of the early 90’s rise in jambands, along with Phish, Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler among others. Though they never had major success, they have maintained complete control over their music through their Fat Boy label and have built a loyal fanbase known as “moe.rons” that travel with the band from show-to-show.

The other artists at the festival include Greensky Bluegrass, Soulive, Randal Bramblett and Friends, Cabinet and AJ Ghent. Like the headliners, these are all artists who have experience playing at some of the major music festivals across the nation. Soulive brings funk and jazz sounds to the lineup. Meanwhile, Greensky Bluegrass adapts rock n’ roll aspects into traditional bluegrass sounds. Randall Bramblett has been a session musician for many great artists, but his solo live shows are must-see for festival veterans.

The craft beer market doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. New breweries pop up constantly across the map in America. Festivals such as the Southern Brewers Festival help to foster a community among those involved in this growing portion of a traditional industry. While many people will go to Chattanooga for the music, the brewers are sure to be the main attraction. So beer lovers, if you have a free weekend in August, might I suggest giving this festival a look. 20 years in, and it still draws national crowds. And be sure to look for other local festivals that will be coming up soon.

@tREYBRo

oKs88


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