January Issue B 2011

vergeAUGUSTA & THE CSRA

F R E E | JA N UA R Y 19 2 011 | VO L 3 I S S U E 14 | YO U R S O U RC E F O R C O M M U N I T Y D R I V E N N E W S

LOCAL WORDS Novelist Uses Local Inspiration for Works + MUSIC Adlers AppetiteFOOD New Life for The Blue Horse + LOCAL JAVA Moonbeams Coffee Roasters

vergelive.com | community driven news | January 19, 2011 3

4 January 19, 2011 | community driven news| vergelive.com


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vergestaffyeah, we made this

publisher Matt Plochaeditor Lara Plocha

contributors Chris Selmek, Alison Richter, PM Rogers, John Cannon, Dino Lull, Ben Casella, Skyler Andrews, Charlotte Okie, Elizabeth Benson, Abby Spasser, Holly Birdsong, Katie McGuire, Jennifer Maslyn, Mariah Gardner

vergeconnectwe want to hear from you

call us: 706.951.0579mail us: PO Box 38 Augusta GA 30903email us: advertising and general stuff [email protected]

story tips, ideas and letters [email protected]

free event listings [email protected] us online: vergelive.com

vergepoliciesthe boring part

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2011 by verge. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Editorial content of verge is the opinion of each contributing writer and is not necessarily the opinion of verge, its staff or its advertisers.

DISTRIBUTION: verge is published twice a month and is available free of charge at distribution locations throughout the CSRA, including Publix and Earth Fare.

RECYCLE: verge is printed on 50% recycled stock.

SMATTERINGSCommunity Driven and Hyperlocal since 2008The term hyperlocal has been used in journalism circles since the late 1980’s. It’s finally beginning to creep into more mainstream use. It basically means “local - more than the usual.” This style of journalism carries a great responsibility, and verge has embraced this concept since our first issue in March 2008.

We discovered a gaping hole in media; they were missing that deeper connection to our community and their interests and concerns. We all have a certain amount of responsibility with the growth, support and nurturing of our local community. That responsibility comes in many forms: monetarily, volunteerism, activism or outreach. No matter how large or small our roles may be, each piece of the community puzzle must fit together to create a cohesive and unified picture. Without these pieces, the potential for our community to be disorganized and divided is great.

In our opinion, there are some media companies in the market that prefer it that way. It provides fodder for their pages; more controversy in the market is better for them. verge looks at the market differently. You might say we are the “alternatives’ alternative.” verge sees a community with a great amount of talent, resource and community pride, so much so, that we stepped out of “the norm” to promote those good things – those “hyperlocal” things. There is a tremendous amount of positive energy in the hyperlocal market. What it needs are more people, like you, to start sounding out against those that want to see our community divided for the sake of corporate profit being shipped out of our community.

Many of you have said “enough is enough” and we concur. This hyperlocal approach – this sense of deeper connection to community – is what drives us. This is where we live, where we work and where we play; it has been taken for granted, by some, for too long.

verge is committed to promoting a healthy and inclusive environment in a non-divisive manner and we will continue to stay this course. It is our goal to support, encourage and uplift one another by helping to build a unified community. Community building is not accomplished with constant reminders of the mistakes of our past but, rather, the hope and vision of a better tomorrow.

So, where do we go from here? We continue to hone our product to offer you more hyperlocal news. In this issue, we launch a column reporting on the business community – Buzz on Biz with Neil Gordon. With each issue, Neil will report on what’s moving and shaking in business throughout the CSRA. His coverage will include business openings, changes, and it will also highlight corporate community involvement. We’re also adding a section called Viewpoint, a place to sound off on community issues and concerns. In this issue, we hear from our Riverkeeper Tonya Bonitatibus on why we should protect the Savannah River. What’s on your mind? What needs attention in our community? What are you passionate about? Send your “viewpoint” to us (maximum of 600 words, please). Your viewpoint is part of our community - it’s hyperlocal at its essence.

This is what verge is, what we strive for, what inspires us to serve our community – we are part of it. verge is locally owned and locally operated. A true hyperlocal grassroots effort. Take part in OUR community by sharing this publication with your family, your neighbor, your friends and your co-workers. Be a part of the hyperlocal team!

If you would like to explore how you can become a deeper part our community and part of the verge team, I am sure we can find a way for you to get connected. Reach us at: [email protected] or [email protected].

Community Driven. Locally Owned. Locally Operated. Hyperlocal since 2008.

Matt

ON THE COVER GINGKOS III by LILLIE MORRIS“Throughout my life the desire to express myself artistically has been unrelenting. My serious pursuit of art began at Augusta College in the early ‘70’s with Nathan Bindler, Freeman Schoolcraft and Richard Frank. Out of a sense of practicality, however, I turned my academic energies towards a degree in nursing. But, the passion for the arts never abated. Over the years it seems that art has continued to pursue me; it is something I feel I have to do! I see creativity as a God-given gift which we have a responsibility to cultivate.” Lillie Morris’ works can be seen in two exhibits this month: Women on Paper at the Etherredge Center, USC-Aiken (see page 21) and In her solo exhibition: Aimsíodh (Found) Series at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art (see page 16). LILLIEMORRISFINEART.COM.

vergeadvertiserscheck out our partners

1102 Bar & Grill8th Street TobaccoAficionadosBar On BroadCasella Eye CenterCongregation Beth ShalomEdge Salon and SpaElduets TreasuresFort GordonManuel’s Bread CafeMetro a coffeehouse and pubModishNew Moon CafeOddfellowsRock Bottom MusicSanford, Bruker & BanksStellaThe Book TavernThe LoftWindsor Jewelers

WHAT’S INSIDEyou won’t want to miss a page

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Viewpoint from the RiverkeeperSaving the Savannah Makes Dollars and Sense

Waldek Dynerman New exhibit at ASU’s Mary S. Byrd Gallery

From Bean to Cup: Local JavaAiken’s Moonbeams Coffee Roasters keep it fresh

The Blue HorseNew tapas style restaurant moves into the D.Timm’s building

The Aluminum ShowBe prepared to be dazzled during this unique stage experience

Adler’s Appetite: An Intimate InterviewRock Bottom Music continues its Arena Rock Series

Art on the WallOur favorite views from the Art Factory’s public art project

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the main feature

music | theatre | art | filmPrinted Matter: Susan P. MuchaMusic: The Augusta SymphonyArt: Women on PaperFilm: The Film ReelMusic: The Profiler’s Top Local ‘10 Albums

experience moreGet This: Art For Your BodyAll Around TownBuzz on BizExplore More with These EventsFresh Food BitesThe Monuments of Greene StreetAsk Dr. KarpSound Bites: Lokal Music MusingsThe Last WordParting Shot: Whiskey Gentry

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vergequoteshere’s what inspires us

“We can never get a re-creation of community and heal our society

without giving our citizens a sense of belonging.”

- PATCH ADAMS

“Love does not put everything at rest; it puts everything in motion.

Love does not resolve every conflict; it accepts conflict as the arena in which

the work of love is to be done.” - DANIEL DAY WILLIAMS


Earth Wear Silver BraceletMetalsmith Katrina Gray intricately bends silver, copper and bronze to her own whim, creating exquisite one-of-a-kind works of wearable art. ($46)Art on Broad1028 Broad Street, downtown Augusta

Asian Inspired DesginInfluenced by Asian culture and the beauty of stones gathered from around the world, Shirley Price creates artful jewelry, “to reflect a woman’s innate individuality, beauty and mystery.” (pendants start at $190; earrings from $88; chains sold separately)Zimmerman Gallery1006 Broad Street, downtown Augusta

Guinea Feather PinE.J. Ham handcarves, wood-burns, and paints these feather pins, each painstakingly accurate to the beautiful waterfowl that abound in his home of Camden, SC. ($12.95)North Augusta Arts & Heritage Center100 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta

Geraniums & PearlsMichael Michaud infuses his handcrafted jewelry with his love of nature, using the lost wax-casting method of creating models from natural elements. Remarkable craftsmanship and beauty. ($74)Re-Fresh137 Laurens Street SW, Aiken

THE BEE’S KNEES OFFERS BRUNCH HOURS The popular downtown Augusta tapas restaurant, The Bee’s Knees, announced that it will begin offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The brunch menu offers a selection of traditional tapas from their dinner menu. What’s got our taste-buds salivating most are the new plates — from the Veggie Breakfast Burrito, a tofu bowl complete with basmati rice, Garlicky Shrimp with Parmesan Grits, and Hotcakes with agave nectar. The brunch menu also includes special cocktails, including a variety of Mimosas. Entrees start at $5. For details: 706.828.3600 or BEESKNEESTAPAS.COM.

LEARN ABOUT RARE COINS During the Friends of the Library Annual meeting on January 24th, Wayne Damron, owner of Clein’s Rare Coins on Telfair Street, will speak about rare coins, specifically those mentioned in the Bible. Damron has been specializing in ancient coins since becoming a dealer in 1941.He will also take general questions regarding coin collecting. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Augusta Public Library, 823 Telfair Street. Interested in becoming a coin collector? Check out the Augusta Coin Club at AUGUSTACOINCLUB.ORG. For details on the Friends of the Library, 706.821.2600.

ELECTRIFIED NANO FILTER PROMISES TO CUT COSTS FOR CLEAN DRINKING WATER According to the local chapter of the American Chemical Society, scientists are reporting successful initial tests of an inexpensive new filtering technology that kills up to 98 percent of disease-causing bacteria in water in seconds without clogging. A report on the technology appears in Nano Letters, a monthly American Chemical Society journal.

Almost one billion people in the world lack access to clean, safe drinking water – Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease, typically diarrhea. (2006 United Nations Human Development Report) To develop an inexpensive, bacteria-killing system, Yi Cui and his colleagues turned to nanotechnology for answers.

Yi Cui explains that most water purifiers work by trapping bacteria in tiny pores of filter material. Pushing water through those filters requires electric pumps and consumes a lot of energy. In addition, the filters can get clogged and must be changed periodically. The new material, in contrast, has relatively huge pores, which allow water to flow through easily. And it kills bacteria outright, rather than just trapping them.

The scientists knew that contact with silver and electricity can destroy bacteria, and decided to combine both approaches. They spread sub-microscopic silver nanowires onto cotton, and then added a coating of carbon nanotubes, which give the filter extra electrical conductivity. Tests of the material on E. coli-tainted water showed that the silver/electrified cotton killed up to 98 percent of the bacteria. The filter material never clogged, and the water flowed through it very quickly without any need for a pump.

“Such technology could dramatically lower the cost of a wide array of filtration technologies for water as well as food, air, and pharmaceuticals where the need to frequently replace filters is a large cost and difficult challenge,” their report states. ACS.ORG

MID-CENTRUY MODERN FURNITURE AUCTION The bidding has already begun, but there’s still time to get in on the action. The Augusta Library started its online auction of several mid-century modern treasures. Yes, it’s all office furniture. But, it’s really cool, original office furniture from Bertoia, Eames, Knoll, George Nelson, Herman Miller and Jens Risom. Notable treasures include a pair of Jens Risom Danish modern “floating” teakwood upholstered benches and Italian designer Harry Bertoia’s Diamond Chairs. Winner of the American Certificate of Merit, 1955, the Bertoia Diamond Lounge chair is considered the top of the line in modern, art-centric furniture. The auction runs through January 31st and is online only at WWW.ECGRL.ORG

ALL AROUND TOWN

discovered by SUSAN HUTCHISON photos by GABI HUTCHISON

GET THIS: ART FOR YOUR BODYor maybe the perfect gift for your Valentine


DRIVING BACK IN AT THE SNO-CAP

VIEWPOINTSaving the Savannah Makes Dollars & Sense

LOCAL BUSINESSAn Insider’s Look at

Today’s Movers & Shakers

HOLIDAY BUSINESS CHEER FROM AUGUSTA TO AFGHANISTAN

“Very Vera” Stewart and Jeff Annis of Advanced Services in Columbia County are known for their tireless efforts in the community and recently teamed up to help out about 60 soldiers currently stationed out of the country.

Vera has always made pound cakes around the holidays as corporate gifts and Annis has always bought plenty in holiday tins to give out to clients, employees, and vendors.

When Stewart introduced the concept “Troops for Treats,” Annis knew that he could combine both sentiments of holiday thank-yous and giving back. “Instead of [our clients] getting a cake for themselves, they got a card from Very Vera stating that a cake, in their name, will be sent to our troops overseas. Our idea is that it is better to have a warm feeling in your heart than to have a mouthful of cake,” Annis wrote to the Georgia Pest Control Association.

Bravo Troop 1-113 Cavalry of the Iowa National Guard in Afghanistan received the pound cakes. Sgt. Lucas Emmert sent a note back to Augusta.

“Not only would I like to thank you for the pound cake I would also like to thank you for your support of us troops deployed here in Afghanistan. It is a wonderful feeling to know that businesses like yours take time to think of us and send delicious treats.”

Neil Gordon owns Buzz on Biz, LLC, a company dedicated to highlighting business growth through Newspaper, Television, Radio, and Web content.

Story idea? Email [email protected]

Rachel Franklin and her husband Kenny are back in the “Happy Days” business after a two plus year “vacation” running a Bed and Breakfast on Carolina Avenue, a few blocks away from their beloved Sno Cap Drive-In in North Augusta.

It just wasn’t the same at the famous eatery since a different husband and wife team owner-financed the business from the Franklins in September of 2008. Their restaurant background included helping manage the Damon’s and Burger King restaurants on Washington Road. They changed the burger and onion ring recipe at Sno Cap. Rachel kept offering up ideas to bring in new business – all centered on community events. The new owners opted instead to focus on social media and, to their credit, gained 3,000 fans on Facebook.

The two sides parted amicably and the Franklins have taken back over the South Carolina landmark. Rachel will combine the new Facebook technology and re-ignite some old passions in the coming months.

In celebration of Sno Cap’s 47th year, she’s posted a 47-cent sweet tea offer.

Also, bike night returns the last Tuesday in February and the popular car shows return the last Saturday in March.

“We want to bring back all the specials that made Sno-Cap a must-visit for so many years,” she said.

That includes the Drive-In. A local television engineer and his friend are volunteering to fix the speakers, which have been broken for many years.

Once the Drive-In part is fixed and Rachel follows through on plans to write a souvenir book, South Carolina Educational TV producers will follow through with a 50th Anniversary Documentary on the Sno-Cap.

For now, Rachel will juggle her B&B on Carolina Avenue and her other baby on West Avenue. She’s installed a Point of Sale System for the first time to better track sales and expenses. Also brand-new this time around, she is accepting applications for a management position at the restaurant. Interested applicants must have five years minimum of experience.

Every Monday and Wednesday night, she’ll have a different civic and church group greeting customers and cleaning off tables.

“We want the Sno-Cap to be part of the community again,” said Franklin.

There is no doubt about it — the Savannah River is the lifeblood of our communities. She stretches over 400 miles, forms the state boundary between Georgia and South Carolina, and drains more than 10,000 square miles of land. Her reach is almost evenly cut in two, the top half largely lakes, including Thurmond, the largest lake east of the Mississippi. Her bottom half is free flowing, largely industrial, and, where she meets the ocean, lays the fourth biggest port in the United States. The Savannah River binds those of us relying on her waters, making us reliant on those upstream to care for the water before it reaches our houses, and those downstream are just as reliant on us to make sure we are being equally as responsible. Our economies are inseparably tied to the river; our drinking water comes from her, and, for many, her water supplies us with our recreational activities.

Without the Savannah River, Augusta wouldn’t exist, and making sure she stays healthy and clean is not only the right thing to do, it is unquestionably something we must do. Our health and our economies rely on it.

In just one day, the Savannah supplies over 1.4 million people with fresh drinking water, receives and dilutes over 18,000 tons of waste from industries and municipalities, and carries over 7,000 containers through her port. Her health is directly tied to our economies. When we produce products, we dump pollutants; when we dump too much, the river and fish become polluted, which then requires the dumping to decrease. That scenario played out over the last few months with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for a 70-90% reduction in pollutant loads into the Savannah which resulted in local chlorine manufacturer Olin’s announcement that the company will cease mercury use by 2012. Unfortunately, we have over-polluted the river with mercury, the fish aren’t safe to eat, and we have dumped so many pollutants into the water that oxygen in the harbor is becoming hard to come by.

One of the greatest things about a river is its innate ability to clean itself. A river’s wetlands and swamps serve as filters, its ground water recharges push in clean water, and the bugs, plants and fish eat and filter out pollutants. The longer a river flows, the cleaner it can become, and clean water is cheaper for all of us to use. Our industries rely on the river to dilute and clean their waste, and we rely on the river to supply us with healthy and safe drinking water. Much of the pollutant load into the river does come from “point sources” such as the industries, but a large percentage of the pollutants that enter our waterways come from “non-point” sources, such as runoff from our roadways, storm drains or backyards.

The Savannah is a public resource; she belongs to all of us and, with ownership, comes responsibility. Many of us work at the industries or support businesses that rely on the Savannah for their water and waste dilution; all of us rely on her water for our homes. She is the fourth most toxic river in the

United States because of overuse and the use of outdated technology. It is vital to our economy that we ensure the health of the Savannah. A dirty river is one that can’t be used to its fullest potential and taking steps to ensure her health has to be something we all require. It’s not just Augusta relying on the Savannah for its health, well-being, and economy; it’s the other one million people that reside along her banks as well.

Growing up near the banks of the Savannah, Tonya Bonitatibus developed an abiding passion for water conservation, leading her to become the executive

director of the Savannah Riverkeeper. SAVANNAHRIVERKEEPER.ORG


VERGE: You call Pittsburgh home, having lived there since childhood, then relocating twice and returning. What brought you to Augusta?MUCHA: MCG and a fellowship in cardiology for my husband, Edgardo.

VERGE: When did you develop an interest in writing? MUCHA: In 1984, at the request of then principal, the late Sister Mary Moore, I wrote a piece about St. Mary on the Hill School for The Southern Cross, the newspaper for the Diocese of Savannah. When I saw my byline, I was hooked.

VERGE: How did you know you had the talent and skills? MUCHA: I remember as a senior in high school, I realized I liked to write. But I didn’t pursue it. In fact, I went into nursing. VERGE: Was it innate? MUCHA: I think all talent, all gifts are innate. Hereditary? Probably. My father, Harold A. Polonus, was a professional writer.

VERGE: Did someone encourage or inspire you? MUCHA: Encourage? Everybody! My husband, of course, and my children, my mother, my six sisters and two brothers, my friends. Here’s a lesson: Never hesitate to offer a word of encouragement. You may never know what it might mean to someone. Inspire? Definitely my dad.

VERGE: What were the steps that led to your writing career, taking you from The Southern Cross to Morris Communications?

MUCHA: I’m a graduate of a hospital nursing school, so I had no college credits. I started at ASU (Augusta College, at the time) as a freshman, and graduated with a double major in English and Spanish. Even while in school, I wrote for The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta Magazine and various other publications, and later served as editor of Healthscope Magazine. I then went on to earn my master’s in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa.

VERGE: Did the degree change things in terms of opening more doors for writing opportunities? ASHBURN: Actually, when people learned I could write, there were lots of requests to do stories; I don’t think it mattered about the degree. What did open doors for me for speaking engagements was the publication of my first book.

VERGE: When did you begin working on your first novel, Deadly Deception, and how did you get it published? MUCHA: While at Seton Hill, I learned how to write a novel. But that’s not all; some of the classes entailed how to write query letters to find an agent and publisher and how to market the novel once it’s in print. My advice regarding publishing: Write a good story — and revise, revise, revise. Publishers are so careful about who and what they publish today that I suggest to many writers to look into e-publishing. Besides being in print, both of my books are on Kindle and E-Pub.

VERGE: Did you intend to create characters that would carry over into Die Before Your

Time, or was that the result of the success of Deadly Deception? MUCHA: It wasn’t intentional until I got into my story. I liked that I had a lot of time to develop my characters from the beginning of Deadly Deception to the end of Die Before Your Time.

VERGE: You are now at work on a third novel. Is it connected to the other two? MUCHA: I have a new protagonist, but Elia, Luis, and Raf have “roles” in the story.

VERGE: You also teach composition at ASU. Have you seen changes in enrollment as a result of the decline of print and the shift to electronic media and 140-character methods of communication?

MUCHA: Enrollment at ASU has actually increased. But, with regard to the second part of your question, it is true that some people don’t read. It’s not just students. People actually brag that they don’t read books. Who would admit that?

VERGE: What are your feelings and observations about the future of print, physical books and language as a fine art? MUCHA: More people are buying e-books instead of print. That’s OK. But I prefer holding a book in my hand. I don’t care how people read my books; I just want them to read them. In fact, as an English teacher, I just want them to read anything!

by ALISON RICHTER

PRINTED MATTER: AUTHOR SUSAN P. MUCHACrafting Suspense Thrillers from Life Experiences and Surroundings

Susan Mucha has lived the kind of life that makes for best-selling nonfiction. One of nine children, she graduated from nursing school, became an emergency room nurse, and then married. After becoming a mother to four children, she also added the titles of author, magazine columnist, mom-turned-college-student, elementary school mentor and English teacher. Rather than tell her own story, however, she writes novels and is working on her third, following the success of Deadly Deception and her latest, Die Before Your Time. Although her works are available electronically, as well as in print, Mucha remains true to the old-school ways: physical books and a passion for reading and writing that she shares with her students and readers. Irony not lost that verge interviewed Mucha electronically, but the subject quickly turned to love of the written word in its old-fashioned medium.

DEADLY DECEPTIONHardback | 288 pages | $24.95Harbor House | 2005A murder at the Augusta National Golf Club during the Masters casts a pall over the prestigious tournament. The victim is mistakenly identified from the number on his Masters badge as Luis Echevarria, a Peruvian doctor now working in Augusta. A note is found with the body that alludes to a soccer tragedy in Lima in which 300 people suffocated. The note baffles police, but not the very much alive Luis Echevarria and magazine writer and Peruvian American Elia Christie. Deadly Deception points out the importance of the cocaine trade to the impoverished Peruvian Indians, wakes up the reader to world-wide lucrative archaeological looting, and demonstrates how to use the lifesaving pacemaker to snuff out a life. The majority of the action in this thriller takes place in Perú, and the culture, history and politics of the area are woven throughout the story.

DIE BEFORE YOUR TIMEHardback | 300 pages | $24.95Mason Dixon House | 2010Elia Christie and Luis Echevarria are again caught up in intrigue. Their wedding in Bermuda turns deadly when a wedding guest, Dr. Vicente Pereda, is murdered. Pereda had noticed dangerous side effects of a drug prescribed to treat spasticity, which was being given to soldiers with neurological impairments returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. At the time of his death, Pereda was lobbying to have the drug removed from the market. Luis’ research shows that the same drug had been on the market during the Vietnam War, and the same problems had surfaced. Is this a conspiracy against American soldiers, or sloppy production methods, or lazy executives? Elia’s brother, Father Rafael Christie, arrives to help his sister and Luis finish the detective business so they all can get on with their lives.

MORE | SUSANPMUCHA.COM

Read The Books

Susan Mucha’s writing is at its best when the action takes off, and that does not take long.

- JAN MERRITT, Charleston MerCury


JOIE DE VIVRE BY WALDEK DYNERMAN

“It is up to you to decide what my work is saying. It is up to you to create a content that is relevant to you.”

I am struck by this brief statement (above) from Waldek Dynerman. Many modern artists attempt extend some sort of personal justification for their art to the viewer – “This is why I did such and such, and that is why I chose this and that,” so on and so forth. But Dynerman’s statement captures what art truly can be. Art is not always a narrative; it is not always a straightforward story that we can pick apart and analyze. Art is an invitation to create one’s own story. Art is meant to engage the eye in a way that provokes thought and imagination.

For the past four decades, Dynerman has been exploring art through a variety of mediums – painting, drawing, printmaking, video, sound and photography. A majority of his work is focused on the human figure, whether in a realistic, figural manner or in a more abstract distortion. More recently, Dynerman has produced more mixed media pieces, combining paint with his own prints and found or recycled papers. There is an adept blend of texture – thick, smooth paint juxtaposed with the bare graininess of canvas and the sleek sheen of a magazine print. Shapes and color extend in and through one another to create a constant flow of movement. The composite effect that is left on the canvas or page is something surreal but familiar. Browsing through his virtual portfolio, I feel as if I am trying to recall a dream. Patching together bits and pieces of what you remember, you deceive your mind into believing that it is a coherent thought; while upon closer analysis, it’s really a large work of disjointed memories and images that somehow make a whole.

One of Dynerman’s most interesting facets as an artist is his constant recycling and revitalization of his past works. Sometimes he will combine past paintings to create a diptych, or rework a certain element of one piece in to another. His constant cycle of work shows growth yet also an impressive sense of unity.

When Augusta State University professor Tom Nakashima met Dynerman at a conference, he brought it to the attention of the college’s gallery. This month, the Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art is proud to present “Tra-La,” an exhibit of Dynerman’s mixed media work and large-scale prints. Curator and gallery director Jackson Cheatham aptly summarizes what attendees should anticipate. “Dynerman’s work will challenge the viewer that expects work of a traditional style,” he says. “In using conventional materials unconventionally, Dynerman demands the viewer to abandon expectations and consider a different way of working.”

I extend Dynerman’s challenge to his viewers to whoever is reading this: create your own connections, your own story, and most importantly, your own experience.

The Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art is open and free to the public. The gallery is located at Augusta State University (2500 Walton Way) on the first floor of Washington Hall. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | AUG.EDU/ART/NEWSPACE

by ASHLEY PLOCHA photo left DYNERMAN IN STUDIO

ART: DYNEK WALDERMANThis Artist Recycles, Reinvents and Re-imagines Boundaries


Your Pipeline to Upcoming Events

Aimsíodh (Found) Series by Lillie MorrisThrough March 4, 2011Gertrude Herbert Institute of ArtTuesday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm | Free

An exhibition of mixed media collage work by Appling, Georgia resident Lillie Morris opens the New Year in the Creel-Harison Community Art Gallery. Originally a watercolorist, Morris later moved on to work in oils, acrylics and other media. Her explorations into collage with this series reflect her diverse artistic background as both a painter and a traditional Irish music fiddler, and were inspired specifically by visits to Ireland. The Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art is located at 506 Telfair Street in historic downtown Augusta. 706.722.5495 GHIA.ORG

JAN

20

Martina Filjak, PianoFriday, January 21 | Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre | 7:30 pm | $25

The Harry Jacobs Chamber Music Society presents pianist Martina Filjak. Anthony Tomassini of the New York Times said of Ms. Filjak: “Brilliant, sensitive, and imaginative playing with resourcefulness of technique and naturalness of musicality … a striking individuality … a pianist to watch.” One of the brightest instrumental talents to emerge from Croatia today, Martina Filjak is garnering international praise not only for her poetic passion and galvanizing strength at the keyboard, but also for her charismatic personality and magnetic stage presence. Since making her orchestral debut at the age of 12 with Croatia’s renowned Zagreb Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ms. Filjak has achieved a graceful transition from a child prodigy to a mature artist of both technical prowess and elegant artistry. Ms. Filjak has performed with esteemed orchestras across the world, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Belgrade Philharmonic, the Moscow Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. She is also the winner of the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition. Tickets are available at the Maxwell Theatre Box Office: 706.667.4100. The Maxwell Theatre is located at Augusta State University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta. MARTINAFILJAK.COM | HJCMS.COM

JAN

21

Peter & The Wolf + Pictures at an ExhibitionFriday, January 21 | Davidson Fine Arts 7 pm | $10 to $12

Davidson Fine Arts presents a double feature of dance and drama with Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf in ballet form and an original piece, Pictures at an Exhibition. Peter and the Wolf tells the tale of Peter, a brave young boy, who captures a ferocious wolf with the help of his animal friends, despite the warnings of danger by his Grandfather. Designed to introduce various musical instruments to children, each instrument portrays a different character (for instance, Peter is the strings, the Wolf is the French horn, the Bird is the flute). Pictures at an Exhibition follows a cast of comedic characters as they visit the “Davidson Museum of Fine Art” to view the new exhibits. After each scene, the featured painting comes to life in dance. The story culminates in a theft at the museum followed by a frenetic finale, where all of the painting characters come alive.

The ticket price includes a dessert and a beverage during an extended intermission. Seating is reserved. Additional shows on Saturday, January 22nd at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Davidson Fine Arts is located at 615 Twelfth Street in downtown Augusta. 706.823.6924 | DAVIDSON.RCBOE.ORG

JAN

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Rabbit HoleSaturday, January 22 | Aiken Community Playhouse | 8 pm | $17

Fall down the Rabbit Hole in this Pulitzer Prize winning drama by David Lindsay-Abaire. Under the direction of Dustin Turner, the Aiken Community Playhouse artfully portrays the story of Becca and Howie Corbett. The couple appears to have everything a family could want, until a life-shattering accident turns their world upside down and leaves them drifting perilously apart. Rabbit Hole charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. Variety Magazine considered the play “- an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion and searing honesty.” Other show dates: January 21st, 28th and 29th at 8 p.m., January 23rd at 3 p.m. The URS Center for the Performing Arts is located at 126 Newberry Street, Aiken, SC. 803.648.1438 | ACP1011.COM

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BY ROGER MASTROIANNI

LILLIE MORRIS, off the Grid, 2010, ACRYLIC ON PAPER


edgewood: stage of southern historySunday, January 23 | The Morris Museum of Art | 2 pm | Free

The locally-produced docudrama Edgewood: Stage of Southern History focuses on the history of one house – Edgewood – built in Edgefield in 1829. The film focuses on several women who passed through the home, most notably Lucy Pickens and Eulalie Salley. Filmaker Chris Koelker frames the film in the context of the home as a “stage upon which colorful dramas of important Southern history have occurred” – from slavery to the Civil War to the Women’s Rights Movement. After viewing the film, there will be a question-and-answer session with Judith Goodwin, the film’s narrator, and Dr. Maggi Morehouse, Assistant Director. The Morris Museum of Art is located at One Tenth Street in downtown Augusta. THEMORRIS.ORG

Art | Dance | Music | Film | More

Moscow Nights at NoonTuesday, January 25 | Saint Paul’s Church | Noon | Free

Tuesday just got a little livelier. The award-winning Russian trio, Moscow Nights, bring their dazzling, toe-tapping folk music to Tuesdays Music Live. Representing their home country, Russia, these classically trained artists focus on masterpieces of Russian folklore from gently humorous songs, to elaborate lyrical suites, to pulsating dance numbers. Russian folk music expresses the national character – outwardly reserved and cool but brimming with vigor, mischievousness and vibrancy inside. Lilting Balalaikas, dynamic Bayan Accordion, unique Trashotky & Loshky and humorous dances combine for an exhilarating performance. The concert is free, but the catered lunch following the concert costs $10 and needs to be reserved in advance online or by calling 706.722.3463. Saint Paul’s is located at 605 Reynolds Street. RUSSIANFOLK.COM | TUESDAYSMUSICLIVE.COM

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We Came As RomansFriday, January 28 | Sector 7G | 5 pm | $17

Pictures may tell a 1,000 words, but the one of We Came As Romans that flew across my desk doesn’t begin to relay the story of this up-and-coming hardcore metal band from Detroit, Michigan. Boyish smiles aside, this sextet rocks in every sense of the word – laying down tracks that are epic in scale and crafting a tight sound, death vocals notwithstanding. The Vans Warped Tour noticed – We Came As Romans is one of the first bands to be announced for this year’s annual summer tour. But the most intriguing aspect to the band is their lyrics – refreshingly positive. Guitarist and key lyricist Joshua Moore said, “Everyone wants to love and be loved. We decided if we’re going to have a band, we need to have a meaning behind it. I don’t think there is any greater meaning than to keep on spreading the idea and concept of love.” The band’s first full-length album came out of this outlook. “To Plant A Seed embodies a really strong message we’ve always held as a band and that’s the simple fact to just love other people and to love in general,” explained Moore. “Hopefully this album will plant a seed, or idea, of love into people’s minds. The whole concept is that hopefully the practice of loving other people will only grow.” We Came As Romans will be joined onstage by For Today, The Word Alive, Woe Is Me, and Texas in July. Sector 7G is located at 631 Ellis Street, downtown Augusta. WECAMEASROMANS.COM | SECTOR7GAUGUSTA.COM

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The Emperor’s Nightingale Saturday, January 29Imperial Theatre | 3 pm | $5

Storyland Theatre breathes new life into Hans Christian Anderson’s famous 150-year-old tale. In director Barbara Feldman’s adaptation, the Emperor of France (Krys Bailey of Le Chat Noir) receives a gift of a gold mechanical nightingale – like a large, bejeweled music box. Everyone in the kingdom is impressed by the mechanical bird because of its glittering beauty and they forget the beauty of the real live nightingale – the beauty that is in her voice and in her heart. As the tale unwinds, the emperor learns the true value of friendship, and that true beauty is on the inside as well as the outside. No reservations are needed. All active duty military personnel and their families are always admitted free to Storyland Family Matinees with valid military ID. Children will be able to meet the actors after the show. STORYLANDTHEATRE.ORG

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THE EMPEROR’S NIGHTINGALE 2006, BRANCH CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY


beans, including InterContinental Coffee Trading, Royal Coffee New York, and Organic Products Trading Co. (OPTCO). These companies, in turn, get their beans and blends from all over the world, including Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

OPTCO has its own pedigree called Cafe Femenino, a project to improve the lives of women farmers in Peru. In the rural communities where the project is flourishing, there is a high rate of misogyny (over 41%). Cafe Femenino plants coffee fields and supports the efforts of the women who run them to increase their self esteem and to raise their social value within their communities. According to Casey, MoonBeans can participate in this project because all of its upper management is women. “I’m probably the first man who has laid hands on this coffee. And those are some heavy bags!” It’s another way that MoonBeans does its best to be kind to all the people connected to its coffee, from those who harvest the beans to those who drink their blends.

In their retirement, Machulis and his wife have lattes every morning, and a mocha most afternoons, using the finest custom-made fresh espresso blend available: MoonBeans. Looking closely at his beans, he explains that this particular blend has taken about two years to develop, and it’s always changing. On Bob’s order form, a MoonBeans employee has written in large letters, “NO OILY BEANS.” Oily beans, Bob explains, diminish flavor and inhibit the production of the espresso’s crema. He’s always doing experiments to determine the best way to maximize flavor. Casey acts as a sort of accomplice in Bob’s obsession, and in return, Bob has given eight years as a customer. Only at a small, customer-centered roaster like MoonBeans is that kind of loyalty a common thing.

by CHARLOTTE OKIE photos by GABI HUTCHISON

Owned by Christine Allewelt, MoonBeans was founded in 1999 to provide the coffee for New Moon Cafe in Aiken and Augusta. Now, MoonBeans also supplies coffee for Metro Coffeehouse, University Hospital, and Coffee Break in Augusta as well as What’s Cookin’ and Magnolia Natural Market in Aiken. Kickersnoodle is the best-selling flavor out of MoonBeans, and it’s the only coffee What’s Cookin’ sells. Magnolia Natural Market only sells certified organic beans. Casey hopes one day this customer base will expand and that each vendor will have their own customized blend made by MoonBeans, much like Machulis’. And it will all start out on Laurens Street in Aiken.

When I first arrive, Casey is about to start a round of roasting. He carefully chooses some raw beans, which look like peanuts but are tooth-breaking hard and taste like grass. The roaster itself is about the size of a wood stove, free standing in the corner of the shop. He pours about 10 pounds of the beans through a large metal funnel at the top into a 15-kilo capacity drum which is heated by gas jets to temperature of 350°F. Inside this drum, they are in constant motion so they don’t get scorched, similar to popping popcorn.

After a little over nine minutes of heating, the beans begin what is called “first crack.” They release smoke and the room fills with a slight popcorn smell. This is the smell of nitrogen, which the beans give off during roasting and for two days afterwards. After about twenty seconds, first crack ends. Another minute passes. The beans are still heating in the drum. Suddenly, new cracking sounds are coming from the roaster. This is the beginning of “second crack,” when the beans are dropped into the hopper below the heated drum and allowed to cool. Depending on when they are dropped during the minute-long second crack, the beans are light, medium, or dark roast. It’s a very precise process; if the beans are dropped too early, the chemicals in the beans don’t fully change; if too late, the beans just get burnt.

Later, we go out to the sidewalk. Casey gently sets the rubber chest full of warm, smoking coffee beans on a picnic table. He uses a wooden spoon to acquaint the beans with the alcohol-based Kickersnoodle flavoring he just poured in. The beans are porous, and soak in the flavor while the alcohol burns off into the wind. Casey smiles drolly. “We get a lot of customers when we flavor coffee outside.” The whole street smells like cookies.

I drink a lot of New Moon’s coffee (unflavored), and I had a sense as I walked through the roasting process with Casey that I was discovering the source of my habit, finding the fountainhead of a stream I’ve been drinking from for years. Yet there is more to it than that. This wasn’t the elemental experience I imagined. Casey tells me about the companies that supply Moonbeans with raw coffee

“Bob, here, has his own signature blend,” says Casey Wilson, bending over the counter with several pounds of freshly roasted beans. Bob Machulis, a friendly and enthusiastic local retiree, turns to me, smiling broadly, and nods his agreement. “You don’t have coffee shops like this – even where I used to live in DC. There’s no custom roasting.”

I’ve been with Casey for about an hour. He’s the Lead Roaster at MoonBeans Coffee Roasters on Laurens

Street in downtown Aiken, S.C. Casey’s been showing me just how MoonBeans makes their coffee so addictive. The shop is small; there’s just enough space for the roaster, about 20 canisters of raw coffee beans designated by location of origin or particular blend, a cash register, a couple of grinders, and bags of coffee beans for retail. Every now and then, a customer walks in and interrupts Casey at his roasting. He hails them each heartily and seems to know some, like Machulis, very well. I see both sides: the careful, meticulous work at the roaster and the almost reckless, individual attention shown each person. And it’s clear why people love MoonBeans.

ACROSS THE RIVER: MOONBEAMS COFFEE ROASTERSFrom Raw Bean to Roasted Finish, This Local Roaster Knows Coffee

CASEY WILSON ADDS FLAVOR TO THE BEANS AND AROMA TO THE SIDEWALKS OF DOWNTOWN AIKEN


Tapas-style restaurants have been catching on like wildfire nation-wide. This very European ideal of making a meal out of several smaller, shareable portions is a favorite of mine. What better way to enjoy an intimate meal with friends, family or a date than ordering a table-full of options for everyone to enjoy? Enter downtown’s newest tapas restaurant and jazz bar, The Blue Horse. Two close friends and I ventured down to the corner of Sixth and Ellis on New Years Eve to enjoy our last meal of the year together.

Cozied up in a comfortable booth, we shed our winter coats and embraced the warm, jazzy atmosphere of the restaurant. The Blue Horse’s menu selection is something like a fusion of traditional tapas and good old Southern recipes. After much debate, we settled on a handful of dishes to share.

From the “cold” menu, we settled on chilled deviled eggs with balsamic mixed greens. These met all standards of a deviled egg: the filling had that fluffy texture that perfectly juxtaposes the stiffer hard-boiled whites. Next up was a basket of homemade potato chips with lemon garlic aioli; another light, refreshing preview for the heartier dishes to come.

Our “hot” dishes came out in quick succession, giving us barely enough time to savor each one individually. We were delighted by the southern egg rolls, an awesome twist on the traditional Chinese side-dish. Smoked turkey, seasoned collards and asiago cheese, together in one crispy, fried piece of goodness dipped in a peach “ketchup,” created the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Being adventurous, we ordered the panko-crusted chicken livers. Having never had liver before, I was surprised by how non-revolting they were! Fried in blue cheese and hot sauce and served on top of buttery sweet potato fries, this dish was a pleaser to the taste buds. If you aren’t one for exploring different tastes and textures (or if you just don’t like chicken liver) then I’d suggest steering clear of this dish. Maybe The Blue Horse will start serving their sweet potato fries a la carte (hint, hint!).

Recommended by the chef, we gave the lobster, shrimp and crab cheesy grits a chance to impress us – and impress us it did! If heaven was made out of grits, it would be these. Creamy and thick, with just the right amount of cheese, and topped with seafood cooked to perfection, this quickly became a favorite. Our final dish gives the grits a run for its moneyas the night’s favorite tapa. Two empanadas filled with duck confit, marinated cranberries, asiago and goat cheeses, perched perfectly on a small plate looked almost too good to eat. As soon as the scent hit our sniffers, we abandoned all formalities and dug in. It’s rare to find an empanada that balances the delicate, flaky pastry crust with fantastic flavor. Unable to resist, we had another order out in no time.

We took a brief respite from the feasting to enjoy coffee (and for one friend, a White Russian) before moving on to dessert. The Blue Horse has a lovely atmosphere for conversation and the enjoyment of others’ company. A beautiful grand piano sits patiently on a small stage, and my friends and I agreed that we would have to return for one of the Horse’s jazz nights (great music and great food? Yes, please!). Once our bellies had settled, we decided to indulge on a slice peanut-butter pie and an order of bread pudding. The pie had the perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate with a heavy consistency, close to that of cheesecake. I particularly approve of the chocolate chunks in the filling and the awesome cookie-crumb crust. It is definitely a dessert that should be shared. The bread pudding, a very traditional recipe, was tough to split between the three of us – we all wanted it for ourselves!

Whether you’re looking for a delicious meal, an intimate setting for a date or meeting, or simply a good time, swing downtown to meet The Blue Horse, located on the corner of 6th and Ellis. The Blue Horse is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Jazz nights are every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Hot and cold tapas, full lunch and dinner menus are available. For more information: 706.955.9875.

by ASHLEY PLOCHA photos GABI HUTCHISON

Winter has to be one of my favorite times of the year. Sure, the holidays and all that family stuff is cool, but cold weather is perfect guy weather. Seriously, it’s the best time of the year to eat spicy food, drink hot loaded coffee, brag about all the moving objects you bagged in the woods, and celebrate the greatness of the most incredible man-holiday of all – The Superbowl. Winter time would be incomplete without one heck of a raging Superbowl party. Hanging out with the buds, drinking some “cold ones,” and, of course, scarfing down some hot and spicy, deep-fried, greasy, artery-clogging man food! There is just one problem, though. As much as you wield the almighty wrench in your family, it’s your better half whom holds the keys to your household, your heart, and your happiness. And she’s not about to have you drop anything, especially poultry, into a deep vat of boiling animal fat. Not a chance.

Slim & Tasty Superbowl Strips 1 lb boneless/skinless chicken tenders 1/2 cup bread crumbs ¼ cup Parmesan cheese ½ to 1 cup of water 1 cup Louisiana style hot sauce Minced garlic to taste

1. Bring water to a boil in a wide flat pan then lower temperature to medium. 2. Add chicken tenders turning until cooked. 3. Put bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a sandwich bag then add wet chicken tenders directly from pan4. Toss and place on baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 5. Place hot sauce and garlic in sealable container. Add chicken tenders and toss. 6. Place tenders back on baking sheet and under oven broiler for 2 minutes carefully keeping an eye on them.

Tenders will smell and look great. If you’re picky, this works just as well for wings. Put these out with some low fat ranch and bleu cheese and chances are, your buds will never know the difference! So don’t miss out on all of this year’s fun Superbowl stuff. Pick up a “healthier” brew such as MGD 64, or Michelob Ultra, soak some turkey brats for the grill, and of course, toss back a few of these spicy chicken tenders. Your better half will thank you for it later.

fresh food bitesTrimming DownThe Super Bowl

by JOHN “STONEY” CANNONJohn believes that anyone can learn to eat

healthier - in small steps - taking one bite at a time.

GOOD CHOW: THE BLUE HORSENew Owners Create Flavor-Packed Tapas

DEVILED EGGS WITH BALSAMIC MIXED GREENS

DUCK EMPANADAS

LOBSTER, SHRIMP & CRAB CHEESY GRITS

PEANUT BUTTER PIE


The artists in this group can’t stop talking about each other. They are effusive. Praise for fellow members and their art flows out; amplified by affirmations that Women on Paper is a “precious gift,” in the words of participating artist Lauren Kerbelis. A body of work from Women on Paper is on exhibit at the Etherredge Center, USC Aiken, until January 28th.

Women on Paper meets every week to work on art collectively and encourage individual artistic and professional growth. The members are Kerbelis, Karen Banker, Ingrid Hofer, Lillie Morris, Nancy Schultz, Gail Smith, and Carolyn Swanson, though other artists join them weekly. Most weeks, artists bring their travel watercolor kits to some predetermined outdoor haunt to paint for three hours. At other times, weather keeps the artists indoors with a still-life.

Schultz founded Women on Paper 23 years ago after taking a

watercolor class from Bea Kuhlke at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. At the end of the term, Schultz wanted more opportunity to hone her craft.. She invited some fellow members of the class to join her every Wednesday morning to paint. The group grew to seven members and broadened into other media. Since those humble beginnings, Women on Paper has had 45 shows in Augusta, Atlanta, Columbia, and surrounding areas.

Kerbelis keeps track of the years the group has been alive by the age of her 23-year-old son. He had just been born when she joined the group. For her, Women on Paper has meant the difference between putting her art on the back-burner until her sons were raised and getting to take concentrated time away for her art each week. Morris has a similar story. She graduated from Augusta State with an art degree, but pushed off pursuing art until after her nursing career. Ten years ago she discovered Women on Paper at an exhibition, and picked up her art again with a professional drive she had not had before.

“What I love about the group is the age range,” glows Morris. The older members, who are in their 80s, have experienced much artistically and historically. The younger members learn from them and support them. This give-and-take represents the symbiotic relationship that occurs between humans in such a focused community. Yet it seems very clear that Schultz is the heartbeat of the group. The founder and chief encourager, she

has even argued with members before about why they need to keep meeting regularly. Kerbelis attributes her professional success to Schultz.

Women on Paper is thus an intimate, concentrated community, but there is quite a spectrum of artistic styles within the group. The artists work together and yet very individually, “We’ll all sit in the same garden and have seven very different paintings in the end,” says Kerbelis. Some of the art on the walls at the Etherredge Center is very representational, some is more abstract. Some of the artists play with all kinds of media, including mixed media collage and oils; others stick with pastels or watercolor. They have recently begun to encourage each other to experiment with new ideas that break some art rules.

“No one understands the need to make art, and the frustrations of making art, and the need to be encouraged in the creative arts, like a fellow artist does,” Morris says. Banker and Kerbelis nod their heads in agreement. Women on Paper artists challenge each other to achieve their professional standards and to produce better and better art.

Women on Paper runs through January 28th at The Etherredge Center Arts Gallery, USC-Aiken. For gallery hours, call 803.648.6851. USCA.EDU/ETHERREDGE-CENTER

by CHARLOTTE OKIE photo COURTESY OF LILLIE MORRIS

“What does it mean to have Faith, and how can one see or feel what one believes? Perhaps it is difficult to understand or explain in words, but perhaps there are clues to these questions in sound.” — Shizuo Z Kuwahara

As part of Symphony Series III, Symphony Orchestra Augusta presents Job, Satan & God, a multi-part work featuring three English composers: Percy Grainger, Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams. This season’s concerts have presented programs dealing with various aspects of human life, according to symphony musical director Shizuo Z Kuwahara. Job, Satan & God, of course, deals with religion. The included works are Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20, Williams’ Job, A Masque for Dancing, and Grainger’s Shepherd’s Hey.

In an interview with verge, Shizuo Z Kuwahara provided some details about the performance.

MUSIC: SYMPHONY A Look at Faith: Job, satan & God

VERGE: Please tell us about the selection of Job, Satan & God for this season’s performances. Have you directed this collection of works before?KUWAHARA: Actually, this is the first time I am conducting the pieces programmed in this concert. I have always admired some of the English work (some may argue that Grainger is not “English” because he is from Australia, but he spent substantial time in U.K.), and these are some of my favorite works.

VERGE: What made it appealing for Symphony Orchestra Augusta?KUWAHARA: The orchestra has not had an opportunity to perform English work, and there are lots of things that we can relate to with their compositions. For the orchestra, it is a musical language that we are not quite familiar with, and to execute this kind of challenging work, we need to look deeply into the English composers’ point of view. Many things are subtle and colorful construction, and the beauty of the sound is hidden within the way these composers use instruments to portray the characters they are imagining. In this concert in particular, lots of these characters are in a religious setting, so they are something that you cannot see in real eyes,

but one can only feel and hear by the sound coming out from the stage. This is something new to work on for this orchestra.

VERGE: Of the components, Britten’s Requiem caused a stir between governments. Does anyone know the story behind this? It was written for his parents. Why the “uncomfortable exchange?”KUWAHARA: The piece was originally commissioned by the Japanese government, but because of Christian liturgy, the government was offended and the piece was rejected. This is why the piece was premiered by the New York Philharmonic on March 29, 1941, rather than the Japanese orchestra. It was also during World War II, and Japan was at war from 1937 to 1945. The first performance of the work in Japan was after World War II by NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo in 1956.

VERGE: When we last spoke, you were in your ninth month as symphony director and your goal was “to bring new and challenging music to the CSRA.” How do you feel that you have achieved this goal, how are audiences responding, and what are your plans for 2011?KUWAHARA: In almost every concert, we

present a work written by composers who are still alive, and many are American composers. This concert is a very rare concert, where we are not performing a work by composers of our time, but these are still new works for Augusta. I believe they are all Augusta premieres. It turns out that bringing new music to this city was not such a challenge, but the challenge is in the ways we present the work. In every concert, there are reasons why each piece is there, and those reasons are how each piece is connected to the city and people of Augusta.

I frequently talk between pieces and prepare musical examples so that the audience has an easier time connecting themselves to the works being presented. Now the challenge is how can we create an opportunity for more people to be exposed to the kind of art we are creating onstage. We are working hard to bring people together to experience great artistic performances in the CSRA.

by ALISON RICHTER art WILLIAM BLAKE, satan smiting Job with sore Boils, 1826

ART: WOMEN ON PAPERCollective Exhibit Spurs Creativity

WHAT SYMPONY ORCHESTRA AUGUSTA:

JOB, SATAN & GOD

WHERE First Baptist Church, Walton Way

Extension

WHEN Saturday, January 22 at 7:30 pm

TICKETS $15 to $45 | 706.826.4705

MORE | SOAUGUSTA.ORG

Plan to Go


VERGE: What is the history of the Aluminum Show? When did Mr. Azriel first come up with the concept, and what inspired him to create the production?AZULAY: Ten years ago, Ilan Azriel was invited to Las Vegas with a small show that he had at the time. While in Vegas, he went to see some of the big shows and that definitely had an influence on him. The influence was mainly on his desire to try to create a show in that caliber, a show that will give people the opportunity to leave their day-to-day life behind them and sail, for an hour and half, to a different world, a world that is all imagination, fun and ecstasy.

Right after that, when Ilan got back to Israel, he started putting the show together by looking for the right industrial materials, auditions for dancers, music and props and the show was born. The show’s debut was at the Israel Festival in Jerusalem, and soon after the show gained a lot of momentum and started to perform in festivals and performing arts centers all over the world.

VERGE: How long did it take from inception of the idea to the first performance, and how did you bring to life the characters, costumes and choreography?AZRIEL: It took about two years to create the first version of the show. Because aluminum is light and flexible, we chose it as the main material for the show. We helped it change its character and become alive by using movements and different special effects like air, robotics and mechanical instruments that were developed especially for this show, and of course the virtuoso body movements of the dancers themselves. From the start I wanted to develop a different show with its own language and create a unique and unknown experience. The dancers’ movements are adapted to the show and serving the show’s needs. In the process of creating the choreography, we were influenced also by the dancers and the fact that each one of them came from a different dance background. This difference between each dancer was the guideline for us as we were casting the show; we wanted each dancer to bring something of his own unique style to the show and therefore help make this show special.

VERGE: What types of materials are used to create the costumes and objects? Are they all made of aluminum? How often do they have to be replaced and what goes into the upkeep and maintenance?AZRIEL: We use aluminum tubes, pillows, sheets and aluminum tape to create all of our props. Our props all come from daily life use of the average home. We work to maintain our show but keep in mind that we keep evolving and renewing. Throughout the years, the show did some renewals and makeovers and got adapted to the new technical advancements and new and specific audiences we were trying to reach. In 2010, ahead of the 2011 USA tour, the show went through the most massive and important upgrade to date. We teamed up with the producer, David Azulay, who had vast experience with American audiences, and we hired as co-director Dodd Loomis, who is also the associate director of the new Broadway hit show, Spiderman. Together we created a story for the show and cast a team of international dancers from the USA. We believe that the show is now more international while also appealing to American audiences.

VERGE: How many people are involved in each production, both onstage and offstage?AZRIEL: The Aluminum Show consists of eight dancers onstage supported by six stage crewmembers,

sound and lighting technicians and management team. The total production team on tour is 20. But the total creating team is about 50.

VERGE: Does the size of the production vary according to the venues where you perform?AZRIEL: The Aluminum Show can adjust to every venue type, indoor or outdoor, from arena to auditorium. Obviously, we prefer to have all the conditions that we need, but we can be modular.

VERGE: The Aluminum Show has performed all over the world. From where were your dancers recruited? How long have they been with you?AZRIEL: The current Aluminum Show cast is a combination of Israeli crewmembers and management and American dancers. The new dancers joined our company in August 2010, after we conducted auditions in New York City. We picked them out of hundreds that came to audition. Immediately following the audition, we brought all of them to Israel to almost three months of “Aluminum Boot Camp.” Toward the end of the “camp” we did a few runs in front of audiences in Israel. Our U.S. tour is actually the debut of the new show with the new dancers.

VERGE: What can you tell us about the performance that we will see in Augusta?AZRIEL: The audience will experience a journey into a different world, “The Aluminum World,” and each member of the audience can use his imagination to translate what he sees onstage into his own story. There is a more defined story, the story of one of the Aluminum characters that is traveling in this strange world and develops a relationship with one of the human characters. Together, they go through many unique experiences. At the end of the day, you will always have those who will not look for the story; they will mainly enjoy the musical and visual sides of the show, and we are okay with it. We believe that the Aluminum Show is a very special event. It’s an amazing and original stage production with obviously a never-before-seen view of usually inanimate objects. The audience becomes part of the show as the space becomes one big aluminum planet. We can guarantee that the crowd will enjoy both the musical and the visual sides of the show. This is a show everyone will remember!

by ALISON RICHTER photos EYAL LANDESMAN

DANCE: THE ALUMINUM SHOWA Dazzling Escapade of High Energy and Sensory Overload

“I wanted to develop a different show with

its own language and create a unique and

unknown experience.”- ILAN AZRIEL, CREATOR & DIRECTOR

ALUMINUM SHOW CREATOR ILAN AZRIEL

The Aluminum Show is a unique stage experience that combines dance, visuals and special effects into a 90-minute sensory experience. The performance made its debut in 2003 and has since toured the world, fascinating audiences with its rapid pace, illuminated aluminum costumes and dazzling choreography. Verge interviewed David Azulay, executive producer and CEO of the Aluminum Show, and its creator, Ilan Azriel, a former dancer with the Inbal Dance Theater in Tel Aviv and Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company.

WHAT The Aluminum Show

WHERE The Maxwell Performing Ats

Theatre, Augusta State University

WHEN Thursday, January 20 at 7 pm

TICKETS $20 | 706.667.4100

or AUG.EDU/PAT/TICKETS

MORE | ALUMINUM-SHOW.COM

Plan to Go


If the evolution of the romantic comedy is a barometer for society’s views on male-female relationships, we should all be blushing. The “meet cute” moments essential to romantic comedies of the past are being replaced with booty-calls, as Hollywood chooses to bypass longing gazes and other flirtations to head straight for the sack. In 1989, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan debated whether men and women could be friends without sex getting in the way of their relationships in When Harry Met Sally. Just over two decades later, Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher star as busy young professionals trying to have a purely sexual relationship without romantic obligations interfering with their adult fun in NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Portman stars as Emma, a busy doctor who shies away from romance, and Kutcher plays Adam, a production assistant who becomes seriously distraught after finding out his egotistical TV star dad (Kevin Kline) is dating his ex-girlfriend. Emma and Adam are old friends, but they wind up sleeping together and make a pact to continue to have casual sex without the confines and responsibilities of a serious monogamous relationship. As per Hollywood’s usual formula though, romantic feelings inevitably develop. Ivan Reitman (Dave,

Ghostbusters) directs from the screenplay by Liz Meriwether, who originally gave the story a much more controversial title (one that’s not fit for print because of a certain four-letter word).

Portman’s Black Swan co-star Mila Kunis has a nearly identical rom-com set for release in July. Kunis, who also worked with Kutcher on That ‘70s Show, will act out the casual-sex-with-a-friend scenario in FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS alongside singer-actor Justin Timberlake. That film comes from Easy A director Will Gluck.

THE COMPANY MEN opens in wide release on January 21st after a very limited engagement in 2010 for awards consideration – which, so far, has been a fruitless attempt. The film features Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper as victims of corporate down-sizing in an unforgiving economy. The story has a familiar sting for many Americans affected by recent economic woes. It marks the feature film directorial debut of ER series creator John Wells. Kevin Costner also stars.

Also opening January 21st is a film based on actual events which inspired Slavomir Rawicz’s novel The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom. THE WAY BACK features Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe), Colin Farrell (In Bruges) and Ed Harris, who reunites with The Truman Show director Peter Weir for this film. Sturgess, Farrell and Harris are among a group of prisoners who escape from a Soviet Gulag in 1940, during Stalin’s Reign of Terror. They begin a long journey to freedom across more than 4,000 miles of harsh Siberian landscape, in which extreme weather situations and lack of food and resources test their will to survive. The group also picks up a young female runaway, played by Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones).

January 28th brings a remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson action vehicle. In THE MECHANIC, Jason Statham takes on Bronson’s role as Arthur Bishop and falls back into the sort of role in which he’s frequently typecast: vengeance-seeking hit man. The remake also features Donald Sutherland as Bishop’s trusted associate, Harry. When Harry is murdered, his son (Ben Foster) approaches Bishop about learning the hit man trade and the duo sets out to avenge Harry’s untimely death. Simon West (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) directs.

Also opening on January 28th, Oscar Winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) stars in THE RITE, a religious thriller that focuses on a disillusioned young priest who encounters demonic presences at an exorcism school supported by The Vatican.

by MARIAH GARDNER, MOVIE GURU

THE FILM REELRom-Coms to Exorcism

NO STRINGS. JUST A BUNCH OF CARROTS.

ANTHONY HOPKINS IN THE RITE

THE WAY BACK


VERGE: Your publicity bio is from 2009. Can you begin with an update? ADLER: I started turning my life around in 2008. I was doing the same old routine: the drugs and not taking care of myself. I started working with Dr. Drew and it was a major change in my way of living, a change for the better and not letting people take advantage of me. It takes time, at least nine to twelve months, for the body to heal. Basically, for 30 years I was like a boxer — going in the ring and beating myself up. My brain cells have started growing back and I’m focusing on what I want to do. I was unsuccessful at killing myself — and trust me, I tried — but I was also very lucky. A lot of people I grew up with didn’t make it past their 20s, and I got to grow up and work with wonderful people. I wish I could turn back time and do the opposite of what I did, but I’ve finally been able to apologize to Slash and the other guys, because for 20 years I blamed them for my downfall. I’ve been able to move on.

VERGE: How has the current lineup of this band changed the sound and direction of the project?ADLER: I’ve worked with Chip on and off for seven or eight years. The direction of the band has always been straight-ahead, in-your-face rock and roll, but it’s much tighter and better now. We put on a great show, and we’ve finally done enough shows that we know what each of us is going to do. You have to be able to live together when you’re touring; you live in a small space and it’s important that you get along with each other. I finally have a group of guys who get along and who have the want and desire for the same goal, which is to play music and make people happy doing that.

VERGE: Do you have a “no substances” rule?ADLER: I can never tell anybody what to do. As long as they don’t [screw up] the process, it’s OK. But no one does drugs, and if they drink, they respect me enough not to push it or do it in my face. A couple of the guys like to have a few beers and that’s fine. As long as they’re on top of their game, I’m okay with it.

VERGE: How much do you remember about the years with Guns N’ Roses, due to the amount of drugs and alcohol that were being consumed on a daily basis? Do you ever ask yourself, “Why did I do those things?” BERRY: I did it because I wanted to be a part of my band and do what my friends were doing. When I first saw it, I said, “No way.” They’d be in one room getting high and I’d be in another room watching TV. Then I tried it … and what it came down to was that I liked it. I was so naïve. I thought you just stuck the needle in your arm. I didn’t know you had to find a vein and draw up blood and then shoot it. I didn’t know! Then I started doing it, and when you’re using, you’re not in control. How I came out alive and healthy, I have no idea. When I was growing up, we’d read rock magazines and you thought it was a party all the time. But they’re telling you about the fun stuff and not about throwing up blood and [losing control of bodily functions] and being unable to get onstage. There are many times that I don’t remember, but as the days go on, things come back.

VERGE: You’ve taken so many steps to come back up and reach this place. Are you at peace with yourself?ADLER: No. I don’t think I’ll ever be. I don’t think it’s possible. I’m happy, but I’m not at peace yet. You know, people always ask themselves, “Why am I here? What’s the meaning of life?” I don’t know the answers; I only know what goes on in my world. I’m happy sitting in my backyard, looking out and talking to you now. I’m happy to be with my wife, play with our dogs, sit quietly and drink coffee, go to the studio, play drums, laugh and hang around good people. I love making music. That’s the meaning of my life.

Adler’s Appetite performs at Sky City on January 21, 2011, as part of Rock Bottom Music’s Arena Rock Series.

by ALISON RICHTER

Even if you weren’t around in the 1980s, if you love rock and roll, you know the life story of Steven Adler: good, bad and ugly. Regardless of what you’ve seen or heard, however, what Adler is best known for — and what has forever cemented his name in rock history — are the years he spent as the original drummer for Guns N’ Roses. GNR’s landmark debut, the presciently titled Appetite For Destruction, immediately volleyed the band to superstardom, selling millions of albums and concert tickets. It was also the beginning of a musical supernova that exploded not only in its success but also within the ranks. Members dropped out or were let go, and the band eventually fragmented, never regaining its original footing without that magic lineup. In 2002, Adler — on the heels of several other projects — formed the first incarnation of Adler’s Appetite. He was still fighting personal demons, carried over from the GNR days until three years ago, which are detailed in his autobiography. In 2009, Adler’s Appetite lineup solidified with guitarists Alex Grossi and Michael Thomas, bassist Chip Z’Nuff and vocalist Rick Stitch. Steven Adler spoke candidly to verge about his dark past, the steps he has taken while trying to heal body and mind, and the joy of making music with his bandmates.

LIVE MUSIC: ADLER’S APPETITE ON 1/21An Intimate Interview with GNR drummer Steven Adler

WHAT Steven Adler’s Birthday Bash featuring Adler’s Appetite + False Flag + Lucky 13WHERE Sky City | 21+WHEN Friday, January 21 | 8 pmTICKETS $15 ADV & $20 DOS ROCKBOTTOMMUSIC.COM

MEET & GREET with Steven Adler at Rock Bottom Music at 5 pm, 1/21, free, all ages

LISTEN | New songs “Stardog” and “Fading” are now available on APPLE.COM/ITUNES

MORE | MYSPACE.COM/STEVENADLERSITE

ADLERSAPPETITEONLINE.COM

See The Show


Blurring the Line: A Givin Rise to BeautalityThe new eight-song EP by Blurring the Line gives fans a chance to hear some of the hottest tracks by these Augusta metal natives. The metronomic beat of “Caustic Boy” starts the EP out with a slow, haunting buildup. This leads right into the title track’s wailing guitars that herald back to the glory days of 80’s metal. There is some great background growling and the lead vocals are clear, tough and very retro, yet very modern. It’s time to put the “Screamo” genre to bed, kiddies, real metal is back. “Tridon” hits next with a more melodic sound. The next track, “Amalgam,” starts with awesome slamming guitar and a Misfits-esque “whoa, whoa.” Again, this song takes old school fans back to their halcyon days, yet there is enough crunchy, progressive metal to please those who love it. Mixing melodic and harder metal, “Souls Adrift” shows a more versatile side to Blurring the Line. The melodic metal continues with “Bounded,” but the insane guitar work is back full force on the intro to “The Duality of Man.” This is definitely one of the hardest songs on the EP but also contains some of its best melodic vocals. The heavy-hitting full bass and powerful singing create a masterpiece metal song that is straight-up hard-as-nails metal. The EP ends with a gear-shifting bonus track. More melodic than many of the other songs, “Fallen” has a more early-90’s Grunge sound than many of the other songs, yet there is still a powerful underlying riff to the whole. Blurring the Line’s new EP A Givin Rise to Beautality takes everything we’ve learned about metal and brought it back, but stepped up the game with a progressive, melodic sound; very professional, very entertaining, but best of all, straight-to-the-bone nasty metal. MYSPACE.COM/BLURRINGTHELINE

L.I.E. Missing sock: Part one of twoAugusta’s very own who’s-who of Metal, L.I.E. has released a tight, well-produced chunk of progressive metal with their newest EP Missing Sock: Part One of Two. This five-song album starts with the sing-along prog/nu-metal track “Cross your Arms and go Outside.” The heavy sound continues with the electronic Terminator style “Draw the Sunshine,” a song that displays what L.I.E. is truly capable of as musicians. In this song, the listener can pick out multiple converging styles, culminating in a rocking ballad-style track that is reminiscent of System of a Down. There is the excellent, accomplished backdrop of music as well as the singing

melodies and growling, angry traditionally metal vocals. A very impressive song. Next, fan favorite “Did not mean to inject you with AIDS” graces the album with one heckuva blistering attack. This song blasts open with a super fast, aggressive crust punk assault yet it doesn’t lack the sing-song chorus that L.I.E. are known for. And check out the guitar solo halfway through – sheerly amazing. The last truly metal track on the album, “Normal Rockswell” blends together an interesting spoken lyrical quality with heavy growling and ripping guitar. The final song, “Boring Movement in D Melodic Minor” is an instrumental piece that puts a metal twist on classical music. For fans who want a little more from their music, L.I.E.’s Missing Sock: Part One of Two takes what we’ve learned about metal in the last 40 years and turns it on its head. A wild mix of multiple styles, this EP shows just how far this band has developed in the last few years and it is truly something to behold. MYSPACE.COM/LIEMUSICGROUP

Carey Murdock & NoStar: Baby, Don’t Look DownBaby, Don’t Look Down contains some of Carey Murdock’s newest and most musically inspired songs to date, including the slow-tempo and emotionally moving opening track “Gambler,” and some great guitar work on “Don’t Look Down.” Several songs provide Murdock’s signature up-tempo country-rock feel, including “Baby My Heart,” “Silvergirl,” “These Things Will Drag You Down,” “Young Love,” and the incredible track “Nobody Like My Girl” that has some spectacular horn work. The closing track “Augusta” obviously stirs something deep within anyone who has spent considerable time in this town and grown to love all the intricacies of southern city life. With Murdock singing, playing guitar, and harmonica, Pat Blanchard on guitar and drums, and “Sparky” Sleister on saxophone, NoStar really outdoes itself this time around

with a well-crafted and truly beautiful piece of blues rock. Baby, Don’t Look Down is sultry, southern-fried blues interpreted through one of the finest musicians this town has ever known, everything coming together as a truly unique, innovative masterpiece. Anyone who doesn’t have this in their record collection will be missing something vital in their lives. And for a real treat, catch Murdock and the boys live, a performance that encompasses blues, rock, funk, and a little bit of everything else, too. Truly spectacular. NOSTARBAND.COM

Eat Lightning: I Saw the LightNot all that long ago, Augusta band Eat Lightning released a superb nine-song demo titled The Walls Have Mice and the Mice Have Ears. Now, this talented retro-indie rock ensemble has come out with a new EP I Saw the Light. The EP begins with the poppy hit “Blue Friday,” much in the same sing-along vein as Eat Lighting’s other tracks. But, this is not a bad thing ... it is actually great! Here is a band that writes catchy pop songs that people can relate to, that people can sing along to, and that people can feel good about listening to in their bedroom really loud while dancing around in footie pajamas. Fans of Franz Ferdinand or the Pixies be warned, you just might have a new favorite band. The EP continues with a great 60’s style rock song called “Down and Out” that people might remember from the demo earlier this year. Very much Everly Brothers meets the Breeders with Buddy Holly thrown in for good measure. “Gloria!” is the next track and it begins with a haunting drum beat that fills the listener with anticipation before diving into fuzzed-out guitar and more sing-along lyrics. A moody, slow paced song with a great vocal harmony R & B breakdown about a minute and a half into

the track, “Gloria!” sets the pace for “Honey Ryder,” a song one can guess was named for the infamous Bond girl. “Honey Ryder” is moody but a little more upbeat, very poppy bubblegum indie college rock goodness. The last half of the EP is composed of a more post-punk vibe, with “Lost,” garagey Ramones-esque “Runnin’ Around,” and what has probably become the band’s anthem, “You Want It.” I Saw the Light reintroduces us to our new favorite local band Eat Lightning, a set of talented musicians who know their oldies, who know their college rock and who know how to play one heck of a good show live. Find the EP on their Facebook page now or regret it forever. MYSPACE.COM/EATLIGHTNINGGA

Albums aren’t dead. Sure, the way people listen – and purchase – music has changed dramatically over the last few years but, for many musicians, the album still means a cohesive collection of songs that represent a certain place in their life. While 2009 produced some excellent albums by a number of local groups, including Tara Scheyer, 2010 was not short on talent either. New albums by Carey Murdock and John Kolbeck touched upon acoustic and blues-based rock while Blurring the Line and L.I.E. showed the direction of Metal. Other groups like Eat Lightning have also been making a name for themselves during 2010, playing a lot of shows and getting their sound out there for public consumption. Here’s a taste:

THE PROFILER: TOP 5 LOCAL ALBUMS OF 2010NoStar | Blurring the Line | Eat Lightning | L.i.E. | John Kolbeck

John Kolbeck: replace the MemoryJohn Kolbeck’s second album, Replace the Memory has a more cohesive sound, sticking to more rock and alternative music. “It sounds like it came from the same place,” Kolbeck says. Keeping this in mind, the new album opens with “Come and Gone My Dear,” a rocking country-flavored alternative rock hit that shows Kolbeck’s roots in early-‘90’s rock yet demonstrates an updated alt-country pervasiveness. Some of the tracks on the new album hold more of a singer-songwriter feel, such as “Anyone,” while “Less and You Want More” rocks harder than some of the others. There is a definite overall personality to the album with his signature country-folk/alt-rock leanings, but the versatility of the tracks brings to light the different sides of Kolbeck’s soul. Other great songs on Replace the Memory include the moody “Less Now,” the rocking “A Stone’s Throw,” the radio-friendly hit “Beside You” and the country ballad “Take it Away.” MYSPACE.COM/JOHNKOLBECKMUSIC


by JOHN CANNON rendering ALEX McCAIN, III

editor’s note: This is the 19th installment of the history of the monuments that line Greene Street.

Just on the edge of the Sacred Heart front parking lot stands a gorgeous monument dedicated to and depicting the likeness of teacher, poet, editor, and news correspondent James Ryan Randall. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Randall’s final newspaper post would be with the Augusta Chronicle before passing away in Augusta in 1908. As a literature teacher at Poydras College in Pointe-Coupee, Louisiana, Randall penned his best known poem Maryland, My Maryland expressing his outrage at the Union army marching through his beloved hometown. Refered to in many circles as “American’s Most Martial Poem,” Maryland, My Maryland was eventually set to music and became one of the most popular songs of the Civil War. The song went on to be named the state song of Maryland in 1939. In 1865, after the end of the war, Randall would hold posts with several newspapers before his final one at the Augusta Chronicle.

James Ryan Randall monumentlocation / 1300 Block of Greene Street

date dedicated / 1936erected By / the randall MeMorial coMMittee of chapter “a”

United daUGhterS of the confederacy aUGUSta GeorGia

PAST TIMESThe Monuments of Greene / 19

You know, Luke, this is the time of year I get asked this question a lot, especially if you made a New Year’s resolution, just a couple of weeks ago, about losing weight. Here you are. It’s the middle of January and you’re wondering why you haven’t lost those 10 pounds yet. Do you feel that are you are starting to “fall off the wagon” or, maybe, you think the wagon has come to a grinding halt? Even worse, maybe you feel that your wagon hasn’t even left the depot. Here are a few suggestions to help you out:

Forget about all those TV weight loss programs. They’re about advertising and entertainment, not about weight loss. As a contestant on a national or local TV program, you are under a lot of social pressure to succeed and be a winner in front of the entire nation or your local community. However, normal people, like you and me, do not have this external type of “super-motivation” in our lives. Instead, for us “plain folk,” the best motivation is our own self-approval or internal motivation. The simple truth is that many studies have shown that the SLOWER the weight loss, the more likely you are to keep the weight off PERMANENTLY. You might say, then, that the BIGGEST WINNER is the SLOWEST LOSER. Be a big winner, not a big loser. It may be that you only lose half a pound to a pound of real weight a week – but, in one year, that can be 25 to 50 pounds.

When you lose weight slowly, it most likely means you are making important everyday lifestyle changes. It means you are changing your habits and changing your life, not just losing weight. So, if you have resolved to walk a half-an-hour a day, everyday for the rest of your life, rain or shine, and you have figured out how to fit this into your busy life – fantastic! After a few months of doing this everyday, you will start to see changes in your body and your mind. You will feel healthier, you will breathe more easily as you are walking and you will feel more of a “bounce” in your steps. Now, what about that guy who joined a gym as a New Year’s resolution and is pumping iron five times a week for an hour each time? Yup, his muscles are starting to bulge. Yup, his waistline is starting to shrink. But, let me tell you, in a few weeks, he will either 1) run out of money for the gym, 2) run out of motivation, 3) have his life become more complicated (their baby has finally arrived) or 4) has had to go out-of-town on a business trip. One great thing about walking, you can do that anywhere, anytime, and it is cheap.

One VERY IMPORTANT tip for losing weight is to weigh yourself on your own scale in you own bathroom. This is the only way to tell if you are heading in the right direction. Weighing yourself every day, or every hour, or, worse yet, weighing yourself after every meal (or even every bite) is foolish and accomplishes nothing. Your body has a normal variation in weight, hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and the only way of seeing whether you are making headway toward a long-range goal, is to weigh yourself once a week, the same day of the week, the same time of day, on the same scale, with the same amount of clothes on (no clothes is the most accurate way). This is accomplished by weighing yourself at home, every Tuesday morning, before you take a shower, buck-naked.

So, remember Luke, aim to be a BIG WINNER, not the biggest loser. Slow and steady wins! The answer to your question is simply, “Do not speed up your weight loss.”

Luke N. of East Boundary asks…

“How do I speedup my weight loss?”

by DR. WARREN KARPAsk Dr. Karp focuses on food, diet and nutrition. Dr. Warren Karp is Professor Emeritus at

The Medical College of Georgia. If you have a question you would like answered in this column, email him at [email protected] or visit either his Facebook page:

FACEBOOK.COM/ASKDRKARPor website at SITES.GOOGLE.COM/SITE/DRKARPVERGE/.

ASK DR. KARPKeeping the

Weight Off


Before we get into current events, let us all bow our heads and remember the one and only JAMES BROWN enshrinement into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years ago this month. On January 23, 1986, several years before there was even an actual ROCK AND

ROLL HALL OF FAME building, the Godfather, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lewis, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley made up the inaugural class of inductees. Talk about a “Super Bad” class! In the last issue, I mentioned that Mr. Brown would be honored by the Grammy Foundation in February, but, before then, another Augusta-related act will get a piece of Grammy action when LADY

ANTEBELLUM gets included on the 2011 Grammy Nominees compilation album. The release, due January 25th on Jive Records, will include Lady Antebellum’s hit single NEED TO KNOW as well as appearances by John Mayer, Taylor Swift, and Miranda Lambert.

I’d like to give a shout out to NICK LAWS, co-founder of the popular all-ages venue Sector 7G. By now, just about everyone on the Augusta music scene surely knows that Laws will be passing the torch in February to 7G soundman BRYAN LEVY. In the short few years that the venue has been in operation, Laws has nurtured it into a regular stop for bands touring across the southeast. Along the way, this has not only helped open up interest from touring bands to play for the area’s all-ages crowd, but for over 21 audiences as well. My only hope is that Mr. Levy is able to continue and expand the great musical legacy that Laws has helped create. After a year of posting a tune a week via videos and audio clips, Augusta native turned New York City artist WILL MCCRANIE

is set to celebrate the completion of his ambitious 52/52 Project. McCranie had a special project wrap-up on January 8th at Googie’s Lounge in NYC. To check out the project and listen, watch, and download tracks, visit 5252project.com.

by JOHN “STONEY” CANNONTo keep up with what’s going down in Augusta music, check out Stoney’s

long-running website LOKALLOUDNESS.COM.

TO BATHE OR NOT TO BATHE, IS THAT TRULY THE QUESTION | While the rest of the world ponders and plans how to make 2011 “their best year yet,” my afternoon is spent deliberating the value of taking a bath. Trivial as it may seem, one could argue that at least my daydream will honestly consider - perhaps even resolve - a question that has puzzled me for years. For the “resolutioners” who rip out their pads and pencils to “give it another go” in 2011… well, let’s say that their conversation is just the same old tired one they had last year – and will likely have again next year and the next.

Having freed my brain space of the folly of (re)writing New Year Resolutions (after all, haven’t I lost and then found the same ten pounds for decades now?), I have bared it down to the essentials in life. Today’s “essential” is the bath. Simply put, how can one actually come out clean after sitting in one’s own dirt? Is this just another ritual in life to be accepted because our mothers practiced it on us? Or is it a paradox to be celebrated – like “eating more food to lose weight,” “drinking more fluids when you are bloated,” or “nursing a hangover with alcohol?”

In my experience, bathing is a rather basic process that goes somethin like this: dirty person seeks to get clean. She takes her dirty body and approaches the clean tub into which she dips her dirty hand to draw a clean bath replete with clean water. She then enters her filthy body into the unsoiled bath and sits there as long as she pleases. In her quest to become clean, however, dirt particles from her body are released into the (newly contaminated) basin of bathwater in which she “bathes.” The result: the (once) dirty bather has now become cleaner from having encountered the (once pristine) bathwater, while the (once

unsullied) bathwater has now become spoiled from having shared space with the dirty body.

So who wins? And how strong is that soap anyway? Does good conquer evil – does light capture darkness – and does the truth prevail? Or are we just as dirty getting out of the bath as we were going in? And who cares anyway?

Perhaps the answer to “who wins in the battle of the bath” is, in all likelihood, like most things in life: it all depends, and it varies from time to time. That is to say that, well, the answer is neither black nor white – neither dirty nor clean – but somewhere in between. And so it might be said with New Year’s Resolutions as well: in the pursuit to be perfect, we’ll at least wind up better than we are now. And being “less bad” isn’t half bad after all.

by KRIS COOKKris Cook is a freelance writer who speaks from the heart and

shoots from the hip. Clearly, she spends way too much time pondering the peculiarities of everyday life.

SOUND BITESLokal Music Musings

THE LAST WORDOn the Quest for Perfection

Look out for the next issue of VERGE

hitting the newstands on

FEBRUARY 2 Find Your Copy At

Publix | EarthFareMellow Mushroom

New Moon CafeSunrise Grill

And Over 150 Locations Throughout the CSRA

Parting ShotWhiskey Gentry at Stillwater Taproom

This motley crew of Atlanta misfits creates an amalgamation of sound – combining punk rock with

outlaw country, gospel with rock & roll. Recently chosen

as Atlanta’s Critics’ Pick for Best Local Country Act,

Whiskey Gentry rolls all these elements into bluegrass

that defies categorization – while putting on

high-energy stage shows.

WHAT Whiskey GentryWHERE Stillwater Taproom

at 974 Broad Street | 21+WHEN Friday, January 28 | 10 pm

TICKETS $4 at the door

LISTEN | MYSPACE.COM/

THEWHISKEYGENTRY


With snow blowing across Augusta, our intrepid photographer was arrested – visually, not literally – by the brilliant colors popping off the walls surrounding the Augusta Utilities Department on the corner of Wrightsboro Road and Highland Avenue. Most folks who drive by have the same reaction. Art on the Wall is massive, impressive and eye-catching. The public art project began in 2009 and included three phases: 1) a panorama of the Savannah River as it flows from above Lake Thurmond Dam, through Augusta, and on to Savannah and the Atlantic Ocean created by local artists Richard Worth, Russ Bonin, and Raoul Pacheco; 2) a juried competition of original design based on the theme of “Water;” chosen artists were Cyndy Epps, Brian Stewart, Steve Krecksay, Stephen Snyder, Joey Hart, and Leonard Zimmerman 3) original designs created by local teenagers chosen from three sites of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Augusta and one group of juvenile first offenders through a partnership with the Juvenile Justice Department. Here are a few of our photographer’s favorite scenes.

photos by CLARK FOX

PUBLIC ART: ART ON THE WALLA Brilliant Landscape of Color Brightens the City’s Waterworks Walls

January Issue B 2011

Documents

Transcript of January Issue B 2011