West African Café Opens in Oxford

Transcription

Issue #60 · August 7-21, 2008 · Read at Maximum Volume · www.TheLocalVoice.net · Oxford, Mississippi
West African Café Opens in Oxford
Local musician starts up “Mama Kumba” in University Avenue convenience store.
by Miles Ginn
Mama Kumba
OXFORD, MISS. (TLV) is the newest addition to the culinary landscape
of Oxford. Unlike many Mississippi small
towns, ethnic food is not hard to find in
Oxford. Be it Chinese, Japanese, Mexican,
Indian, or Lebanese, one can savor different
flavors with relative ease. What Mama Kumba
offers is a chance to explore culinary and cultural aspects of West and Central Africa that are
not as easy to find as a margarita on the rocks.
The owner, Guelel Kumba, musician and
member of Afrissippi, is not an easy character
to miss, usually attired in traditional African
dress. Recently, The Boston Globe printed a
review of Afrissippi’s newest recording,
Alliance (Hill Country Records), which foreshadowed Kumba’s ambitions: “A nomad by
tradition and by personal choice, Kumba now
is surprised to find himself putting down
roots… to the extent of considering opening an
African restaurant.” So, in addition to his successful sophomore album, Kumba’s cultural
contributions to Oxford incorporate another
passion—food.
As he explained to me, “I love to cook.
There are a variety of restaurants here and I
wanted to present
Oxford with the cuisine and culture of
the African community that exists all
across the United
States.”
What exactly is
African
cuisine?
African cuisine is as
diverse as the continent from which it
comes. Location and
availability of goods
Guelel’s mother aka “Mama Kumba.”
Local Q& A:
What kind of cuisine
is Oxford missing?
Jake Fussell
“Korean.”
John Garlock
Kumba’s food is yummy. This plate of Yasa
includes chicken, rice, and vegetables.
Guelel Kumba. Photographs by Becky Long.
make regional cuisine varied and discernable.
Mama Kumba features regional cuisine primarily from West but also Central Africa. Western
African cuisine is characterized by dishes prepared with grains like rice or couscous (millet),
and grits and vegetables such as cabbage,
turnips, eggplant, and okra. The dishes include
meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, and also several types of fish.
A Central African favorite of Guelel’s is
saka saka, a dish prepared with yuka leaves,
palm oil, okra, smoked fish, and beef served
with rice. Another of his favorites is Le Mafe
with a sauce d’arachide, or peanut sauce, with
beef, okra, and tomatoes. His shrimp and grits
are hard to beat.
In addition to his varied plats Mama Kumba
serves baobab juice as well as hibiscus and ginger tea, which prove refreshing treats during
the dog days of summer. For dessert, couscous
and chopped fruit in sweetened milk offers a
light treat as well.
The menu changes daily in the restaurant,
Mama Kumba, named in honor of his mother.
Shrimp and grits, saka saka, Le Mafe, and
chicken roasted with parsley, among others are
his daily offerings.
After reading the list one may notice the
similarities in ingredients between West and
Central African cuisine and dishes we
Southerners consider our own. African slaves
who came here longing for home began to
recreate their traditional dishes with ingredients from the American South. Creole cuisine
is a direct descendant so to say of this African
heritage. Our gumbo, a soup, comes from the
African word meaning okra. For me, it was
fascinating to see how the dishes are alike yet
also foreign. Think of Guelel’s dishes as similar
but interestingly different.
Mama Kumba is open everyday except Sunday
from 11:00-3:00 and 5:00-9:00. It is located
across from Kroger in the B.P.
For more on Senegal, Guelel Kumba, and even
a recipe for “Sengalese Shrimp and Grits,” turn to
page 11 of this issue of The Local Voice.
What is Creolization? by Miles Ginn
THE “CREOLIZATION OF SOUTHERN CUISINE,” a topic one year for
the University of Mississippi’s own Southern Foodways Symposium, is
an apt description of the degree of influence Creole culture has exerted
in Southern cuisine. The United States is frequently acknowledged as a
country that is a cultural “melting pot,” however when considering
Creole culture and Southern cuisine the figurative becomes the literal.
We as Southerners owe our culinary heritage to a hodgepodge of countries and cultures that vary widely, and to understand Creole cuisine this
is paramount. In New Orleans, restaurant staples such as Galatoire’s
and Antoine’s still list menu offerings by their French title. One eats a
spicy jambalaya and connotations of Spanish paella float into the realm
of possibility. Sweet corn, a summer must, has roots with the Native
Americans, the first claimants to Dixie. My personal favorite—
gumbo—highlights the African influence that comes our way via the
Caribbean and the West African slave trade.
For background knowledge, slavery established a foothold in the
islands of the Caribbean within decades of Columbus’s Earth-changing
discovery. The shimmering future of the New World tainted quickly and
one man’s hope of a life with prosperity became another man along
with his progeny’s one of hope-ridden despair. While slavery became a
sad fact of life, slaves were continuing on with life, marrying and growing families not only amongst themselves but also with natives of the
islands, too. As I mentioned earlier, recipes were transposed and ingredients changed out of necessity. For example, plantains replaced yuka
leaves, and okra became the common denominator in shared plats. As
the years went by, everything began to simmer together. The roux
became the tie that binds—the be-all and end-all in Creole cooking. In
Louisiana, a prospective bride is met with the Southern version of the
Spanish Inquisition: “Who’s ya people? Are you Catholic? Can you
make a roux?” I say all this to make the point that looking back from
where we eat today, food plays a large role in the culture we share and
it’s evolution. While branching wildly, Southern cuisine can be traced
back to a few key sources. What Mama Kumba offers is a chance to step
back and reflect how the food we eat today has been influenced by these
different sources. Guelel Kumba is a wonderful ambassador of his culture and cuisine, and has been a font of fascinating information for me.
Scrumptious surprises await those with the desire to look for something
off the beaten Square. Bon Appetit!
“Chuck E. Cheese.”
Tyler Keith
“A good German
restaurant.”
Kin Cooter
“Ethiopian.”
Julie-Anna
Murphy
“L&M’s.”
Ron Shapiro
“Thai & Vietnemese.”
Lisa Caradine
“Ruby’s Chinese.”
Ryder Hayden
“Broccoli & turkey to
save the day from bank
robbers.”
Carter Wilkes
“Pizza in a cup.”
Jamo
“Vegetarian
and Vegan.”
COMMUNITY CALENDAR:
August 7-21, 2008
calendar sponsored by
PARRISH BAKER PUB
www.parrishbakerpub.com
submit your event by email: thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
LIVE MUSIC
Thursday 08.07.2008
The Blind Pig: Bie Rottz & Overnight Lows
Parrish’s: Dylan Sneed & Kristy Kruger
Two Stick: The Hemptones
Friday 08.08.2008
Proud Larry’s: The Hold Steady
with The Loved Ones
Monday 08.18.2008
Rib Cage: The RB Band
Tuesday 08.19.2008
Jubilee: Unwed Teenage Mothers
Two Stick: Trivia Night
Wednesday 08.20.2008
Parrish’s: Telefunken U-47
Proud Larry’s: Caroline Herring, 9 pm
Saturday 08.09.2008
Thursday 08.21.2008
Jubilee: The Black & Whites with Los Buddies
Jubilee: Texas Funeral with Maybelle’s Lovers
Parrish’s: The Cooters West Coast Tour
The Lyric: Crossin’ Dixon
Homecoming Show with Megacooter
Parrish’s: Balance
Two Stick: Balance
Proud Larry’s: The Whigs
with John Barrett’s Bass Drum of Death
Monday 08.11.2008
Two Stick: Afrissippi
Rib Cage: Daniel Davis
Tuesday 08.12.2008
Jubilee: Disposable Faces
Parrish’s: Mayhem Breakdown
Two Stick: Trivia Night
Thursday 08.14.2008
Jubilee: Local All-Stars Jam
with Boyscout Knife, St. Andrew of
The Blood & Guts, and John Barrett
The Lyric: Airships
Parrish’s: Balance
Two Stick: Zoogma
Friday 08.15.2008
Parrish’s: Captain Crunch
& The Cereal Killers
Two Stick: The Sleepwalkers (18+)
Saturday 08.16.2008
Parrish’s: Tranebloo
Two Stick: Sleeping Bulls
THE LOCAL VOICE
Coming August 21st: The Local Voice #61
Tuesday, August 19th: Advertising deadline
Sunday, August 17th: Writer’s deadline
phone: 662-232-8900 website: www.TheLocalVoice.net
email: thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE: Newt Rayburn, Nature Keesee, Becky Long,
Sara Beth Hudson, Gara Gillentine, Miles Ginn, Tom Speed, Charles Hale, Daniel
Morrow, Michael Ikeda-Chandler, Travis Malkovich, Jimmy Pitts, Vera P., David
Shirley, and all of our advertisers within.
On the cover
of this issue:
Ryder Hayden
saving Oxford
from bank robbers.
photograph by
Sara Beth Hudson
2 THE LOCAL VOICE #60
www.TheLocal Voice.net
LOCAL EVENTS
08.08.08 WORLD HOOP DAY at The Grove, Friday
6pm-until. Celebrate an international day of peace
with thousands around the world. Free Hoopdance
workshop, music, and play. Bring your hoop or borrow one of ours! Win a professional hoop! For more
information visit worldhoopday.com
08.10.08 FREE SUNDAY MOVIE at Main Squeeze
Juice Bar on University Avenue. This week’s movie
is Some Like It Hot featuring Marilyn Monroe. Starts
after dusk (8:30ish). Bring a lawn chair.
GOVERNMENT
Monday 08.11.2008: Planning Commission, 5 pm, City
Hall Court.
Tuesday 08.12.2008: Oxford Tree Board, 5:15 pm, City
Hall Conference Room; Historic Preservation
Commission, 5:30 pm, City Hall Conference Room
Wednesday 08.13.2008: Oxford-University Transit
Commission, 2:00 pm City Hall Conference Room;
Oxford Park Commission, 4:45 pm, RSVP building next
to City Hall
Monday 08.18.2008: Pathways Commission, 5 pm, City
Hall Conference Room.
Tuesday 08.19.2008: Board of Aldermen, 6 pm, City Hall
Courtroom.
CYCLE OF THE DAYS
Thursday 08.07.2008: Sunrise:
6:13am; Sunset: 7:54pm; Moonrise:
12:39pm; Moonset: 11:12pm
Friday 08.08.2008: Sunrise:
1:38pm; Moonset: 11:46pm;
First Qtr: 2:21pm
Saturday 08.09.2008: Sunrise:
2:37pm; Moonset: none
Sunday 08.10.2008: Sunrise:
3:34pm; Moonset: 12:24am
Monday 08.11.2008: Sunrise:
Tuesday 08.12.2008: Sunrise:
Wednesday 08.13.2008: Sunrise:
Saturday 08.16.2008: Sunrise:
7:42pm; Moonset: 5:59am;
Full Moon: 3:17pm
Sunday 08.17.2008: Sunrise:
Monday 08.18.2008: Sunrise:
Tuesday 08.19.2008: Sunrise:
Wednesday 08.20.2008: Sunrise:
10:47pm; Moonset: 12:29pm
All-Star jams coming to the Jubilee Texas Funeral & Maybelle’s Lovers
Oxford, Miss. (TLV) - So, here’s the
swing for the next two weeks: Starting
August 12th Disposable Faces will heat
up the stage at Jubilee. This trio from
Cleveland, Mississippi, started out
playing for friends after bar hours; they
finally took the plunge into the gig circuit of musicians and bars. Their
Myspace account speaks of their lead
singer/songwriter as “a voice
Disposable Faces
that narrates nightmares. A
heart that says what everyone thinks…Disposable
Faces’ sound has been characterized as schizophrenic sound delirium and facelessness.”
The 14th’s line-up takes me back to last summer. This nice little early August array of music
and entertainment is always somewhat nonchalant, but in the same twist it becomes bigger and
better, nudging into the nostalgia. This is the
exactly why I will be at the
Jubilee for a show titled
Local Allstars, including
Boyscout
Knife,
St.
Andrew of the Blood &
Guts, and John Barrett’s
Bass Drum of Death.
Personally, I think multipleset shows are the way to go.
And, this one in particular
by Sara Beth Hudson
pulls me like a magnetic pole. Living in a
college town, we residents are all but conditioned in waiting. Waiting for “the students” to come back. Waiting for Christmas
break. Waiting for the Rebels football team
to come back. Waiting for ill-timed road
construction to cease. Waiting… I, however, prefer waiting on an excellent show of
music to come round. Wait till August 14th.
Unwed Teenage Mothers is a band that cares.
They care about the “poor” underage ladies without a way to fund their love child. So, in good
taste, they have created a punk/metal band to
soapbox the cause. Vocals and guitar are taken
care of by Colin
Sneed
of
the
Sleepwalkers.
What’s left in this
band is a young but
prophetic drummer
who goes by the
name
of
Tom
Satan, drummer for
the Sleepwalkers as
well. I like the concept of creating new bands with
clippings of present bands. So, come over to the
trough at Jubilee and get a good feeding from the
th
Andy Simms aka “St. Andrew of the Blood & Guts” Unwed Teenage Mothers on August 19 .
live Thursday, August 21, 2008
OXFORD, MISS. (TLV) - The Jubilee is playing host to a unique double bill on
Thursday, August 21st: Texas Funeral with new Oxford band Maybelle's Lovers
as the opening act. Texas Funeral is the brainchild of Blue Pan Grille chef
Grantley Rushing. Rushing writes all the songs and music, plays lead guitar
and harmonica, and sings lead vocals. Rounding out
the three-piece is Jason Pardun on bass and Oxford
music veteran Matt Tamke on drums. Rushing and
Pardon started Texas Funeral in Seattle a few years
back and have been building a dedicated Oxford following over the summer, getting accolades for its mix
of punk style song arrangements, tight musicianship,
clear vocals, and strong songwriting.
Opening up the evening is new Oxford band
Texas Funeral
Maybelle's Lovers. Fronted by Oxford native Gina
Sexton, the new four-piece has been practicing and recording a debut album all
summer and now has a solid eleven-song set to share with the public. Sexton,
who also plays in local band Carroll County Picture Show,
wrote all the songs and also plays rhythm guitar and autoharp.
Wendy Garrison, who just released her own three-song EP
this summer, plays haunting slide guitar. Robbie Etheridge,
who played in Athens, Georgia, bands, including 28 Days
when she was a college student at UGA, plays bass, and David
Frink, also the drummer for the band The Night Lights,
plays drums. Sexton's solo album, entitled Empty Shells, will be
available later this month at local music outlets in Oxford.
Jubilee continues to evolve into a music venue with mustsee shows, and this evening should be no exception. Doors
Gina Sexton
open early and the show starts at ten.
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
3
by Daniel Morrow www.OxfordMusicSnob.com
Looking back on the last two weeks...
The show that stands out in my mind as I think back on
the past couple weeks of music is the Tyler Keith & The
Preacher’s Kids reunion show at Two Stick. It was the first
show in a year from these guys, and the crowd was ready. As
I’ve mentioned before, Tyler is
one of my favorite local musicians, and on this night, he and
the guys were on top of their
game. It was one of those shows
that barely left me enough energy
to walk home.
The Hayes Carll show at
Hayes Carll
Proud Larry’s was also great
one. Hayes reminded me a lot of Todd Snider and Steve
Earle with some really cool songwriting on songs like “She
Left Me For Jesus” and “I Got a Gig.”
Shows from local bands Wiley & the Checkmates,
Balance, Cap’n Crunch & the Cereal Killers, and Aaron
Hall Band made it easy to forget the relatively sparse music
calendar (students, we miss you!). I missed one show that I
heard nothing but rave reviews about, Macon Greyson at
Two Stick. I can’t make it to them all, but I
certainly hate that I missed that one as one
friend even compared them to Son Volt
after the show.
Another highlight of the past couple
weeks was Speakeasy at Proud Larry’s with
opener Super 400. The bassist for Super
400, Lori Friday, could really tear it up, and
Mr. Wiley
she was pretty easy on the eyes as well.
Looking forward to the next two weeks...
As the academic summer comes to an end and the town
gets ready to kick things into gear for a big fall, I recommend escaping the heat and the war zone that is University
Avenue by settling in for these shows. Jubilee has a few
good ones lined up including a local all-star jam featuring
Boy Scout Knife, St. Andrew of the Blood & Guts, and
John Barrett on August 14th. One show that catches my
attention at Parrish’s is Dylan Sneed and Kristy Kruger
on August 7th. They played Larry’s last year, and Kristy really blew me away. Fans of Jolie Holland will like her a lot.
Parrish’s will also host The Cooters’ homecoming show on
August 9th. They are fresh off of a West Coast tour and will
have a new record with them.
There are two must-see shows for me in the next couple
weeks. The first is one of my favorite new local bands, The
Hemptones, at Two Stick on Thursday, August 7th. As I’ve
mentioned here before, fans of great horns and a cool
groove will love this band. Jeff Calloway (trombone),
Justin Hasting (guitar), Matt Harris (drums), and Dave
Woolworth (bass) are a tough combo to beat. They’ve had
some guest horns (K-Max) before, too, so maybe we’ll see
some more of that.
Proud Larry’s is coming through in the clutch with a
great show to close out the summer. The Hold Steady will
The Cooters on California’s Pacific Coast on July 24th.
The Cooters
Live at Parrish Baker Pub
Saturday, August 9, 2008
by Nature Keesee
OXFORD, MISS. (TLV) - A lot of things can happen when a
punk metal band goes on the road to tour: long days
crammed in a van and exhausted nights crashed on floors,
couches, sidewalks—wherever one can find to rest a weary
head, impromptu amateur tattoos, even oatmeal wrasslin’.
All this and more happened in the last three weeks or so to
beloved Oxford rockers The Cooters, who just returned
from ripping up the West Coast along with Eugene, Oregonbased cohorts The Happy Bastards.
Their tour began mid-July when Raw, Kin, Judas, and
Neuter Cooter arrived in Portland where they met up with
original Cooters singer/guitar player (1994-1997) Brad
“Bomber” Boatright. While Brad introduced the boys to
his new band, Lebanon, Raw Cooter began practicing lead
guitar with The Happy Bastards, whose own guitarist would
not be able to make the tour. After a couple shows in
Portland and Seattle, the bands returned to Eugene to play
two more shows hosted by the punk network Pyrate Punx.
The group would meet more Pyrate Punx along the way, in
places like Medford, Oregon, and Oakland, California. The
Pyrate Punx are localized non-profit groups who organize
shows and provide food and shelter for touring bands in
their areas—a community-based operation which serves the
music scene. Yarr!
As they traveled down the West Coast through colossal
Redwoods, dodging hippies along the way, The Cooters’ and
The Happy Bastards’ sets became tighter and more dynamic. By the time I met them in Oakland, Raw had perfected
his role as lead guitarist for both bands, and Neuter’s vocals,
always fierce, had a new energy that I haven’t heard before,
be there Friday, August 8th, for what should be the show of the
summer in Oxford. Craig Finn and his band of rocking men
will pack the place out, so even on this intersession night, it’s
probably not a bad idea to get your tickets early. Their 2008
release, Stay Positive, has been one of my recent favorites, and
I recommend picking it up at Purple Haze this week or at the
show.
It’s also time to mark calendars for the Inaugural Oxford
Music Festival on Saturday, September 6th. The festival will
take place north of town at The Barn off of Hwy 7. See the
Web
site
for
directions
and
details:
www.oxfordmusicfest.com. Local bands will hit the stage
around noon and won’t let up until after midnight. Oxford
staples like Rocket 88 and The Cooters will highlight the
evening, and the legendary Blue Mountain will headline.
There will be a preview show or two in the couple weeks leading up to the festival, so be on the lookout for those. (Note
to Rebel fans: the festival will include the Ole Miss/Wake
Forest game on a big screen.)
For videos, links, and discussion of these and other local shows,
go to OxfordMusicSnob.com.
perhaps due to the fact that he surrendered the bass to fellow
Oxford music legend Max Hipp (of Kill the Ego and
Megacooter) and took on full force the role of front man.
I feel fortunate to have witnessed the Oakland show.
Staged in an old warehouse—a venue with walls completely
covered with graffiti and amazing art—inhabited by the
original Pyrate Punx; the space was filled with Mohawks,
spikes and studs, and high-energy enthusiasm. “I felt like I
was on top of the world,” Neuter said of the show considered the best of the tour by several band members. The
crowd in the warehouse was attentive and energetic, open to
what The Cooters and The Happy Bastards brought to the
stage. Sometimes I wish Oxford shows could generate as
much gusto for the local and visiting musicians who pour
out their hearts for us on a regular basis.
Oxford will get the opportunity to show these guys some
familiar Southern Hospitality this Saturday night at Parrish
Baker Pub. Fresh off the road, The Cooters will again be
joined by Kin as they blast the joint with their kick-ass new
songs. There will be some rad tour shirts available as well as
their split 7” vinyl, featuring two songs from each of the
bands. Show up for this no-cover show ready to get your
face rocked off. And ask one of the Cooters about oatmeal
wrasslin’—I promise I’m not making it up.
COOK OF THE HOUSE
Nominate a cook: thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
Name: Rasita Palawan
Position: Thai cook at Two Stick
Sunday and Monday nights.
Also cook at Big Bad Breakfast
and Pizza Den
Age: 37
Hometown:
Phetchabun, Thailand
Early cooking: cooking Thai
food with my mom when I
was about eight years old.
Favorite Style of cooking:
Stir-fry and soup
What are your specialties? Pad
Thai noodle and spicy curry
Favorite spice or ingredient: Fish sauce and lemongrass
Three items in your fridge: Curry paste, vegetables, and
noodles
What would you have at your last supper?
Pad thai noodles with spicy sauce
What was the last supper you ate?
Chicken curry in coconut milk
Favorite Midnight snack? Chocolate cookies
Favorite Kitchen Music: Any kind of pop music
Who would you most like to cook for? My mom
What would you prepare? Stir-fry spicy meat with Thai soup
Where do you like to dine in Oxford? Two Stick, Hunan
What is your favorite restaurant in the world? MK
Restaurant in Bangkok.
Aspirations: I want to own or manage my own Thai restaurant.
Fried catfish: eat the tail or not? No.
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
5
by Tom Speed
tspeed@honesttune.com
Might Get Rich,
Might Get Busted
Crossin’ Dixon at
The Lyric 8/21
Advertise inThe Local Voice
Fall semester is coming! Reserve your space now in Oxford’s
most talked about newspaper. You’ll get the best deal in town
and you’ll be supporting local culture. Call 662-232-8900.
Crossin’ Dixon is geared toward two things: entertainment and fun.
This is one of those rare groups that love what they do
and nowhere is it more evident than the interaction between
the band members and when they take the stage.
Mississippi based Crossin’ Dixon have made a name for
themselves in only a short time by performing in front of
over 100,000 people in 2006, and playing the college and
club scene. Since their formation in 2004, Crossin’ Dixon has
averaged more than 100 shows a year.
After an introduction from a mutual friend in 2006, the
band met record producer Michael Knox (he also produces
Jason Aldean).
"I haven't heard vocals like theirs since Alabama," Knox
says. "They really have something special."
In
September
2006,
Crossin’ Dixon signed a record
deal with Broken Bow
Records in Nashville with
label mates Jason Aldean and
Craig Morgan. With the
release of their debut single
"Guitar Slinger" in June 2007,
Crossin’ Dixon is on their way to reaching a life-long dream.
Crossin’ Dixon is Jason Miller on lead vocals, Brandon
Hyde on guitar, Charlie Grantham on guitar, and Michael
Bole on drums. All four members of Crossin’ Dixon hail
from the state of Mississippi.
Even if you don’t adhere to dividing time into daily, weekly, or
monthly increments, there are several indications that fall is on the
way, despite the outdoor sauna we’ve all been enjoying.
Fall is when Oxford transforms, as
we all know, from our little ‘ol town
into a bustling epicenter of raging
hormones, Olympic-styled alcohol
consumption, wildly irrational behavior, and high heels dipping in mud.
We’ll be invaded by armies of
teenagers, and young adults who act
like them, armed with SUVs and credit cards and that wild abandon that
somehow seems to dissipate the further you get away from those days.
Yes, we’ll become a college town
The Hold Steady
again.
It’s August now, and the days of this month will mark that
transformation. By the time September rolls around, it will be
complete. You can tell it’s coming because of the construction and
infrastructure projects taking place all around town—gotta get
that all in order before the condo-buying weekenders return you
know. But you can also tell by looking at the posters in the windows of the local music clubs. They announce upcoming shows
that just don’t happen in the summer months when our population of concert-goers dwindles to a proud few.
While the laid-back vibe of summer, with its plentiful barstools
and parking, can be considered Oxford at its best, you can’t argue
with the national acts scheduled to play at our local clubs in the
coming weeks. Neko Case, Alejandro Escovedo, The Whigs,
Stanton Moore, Drive-By Truckers, Conor Oberst—they will
all be visiting Oxford soon.
The Truckers, Case, and Oberst, who has now embarked on a
“solo” career breaking away from his one-man “band” Bright
Eyes, will play at the new Lyric. This refurbished theater quietly
opened last month and has already been drawing big crowds. It’ll
be a nice addition to the live music landscape, as evidenced by
these upcoming shows.
But all that is in September and we have a few weeks to get our
ya-yas out in preparation for the onslaught. And there’s no one
better to prepare you for such an influx than The Hold Steady.
Performing at Proud Larry’s on August 8th, the Brooklyn-based
rockers are touring behind their highly-hyped new release, Stay
Positive, out now on Vagrant Records. They’re indie-rock darlings,
doted on by the hipper-than-thou press. But don’t let that fool
you. They’re a rock ‘n roll band, pure and simple. With a wall of
electric guitar goodness, they conjure the sweeping epicness of the
E Street Band and the rambling insistence of early R.E.M., slap
it with a dab of punk rock urgency and crank it up to eleven.
Bespectacled lead singer Craig Finn spouts densely packed
lyrics that portray a cast of characters down on their luck but
embracing their frustration. They drink too much and get into
trouble but keep on moving. They embrace their demons and give
‘em a hug. “Me and my friends are like the drums on ‘Lust for
Life’,” Finn proclaims in “Constructive Summer,” the lead track
and single from Stay Positive. The guys in “Constructive Summer”
are typical denizens of the word Finn creates—stuck in dead-end
jobs but ditching their desperation and dedicating themselves to
spending the summer climbing the water tower to get hammered.
Finn and company harness the essence of rock ‘n roll—the frustration, angst, and abandon that make live concerts so cathartic. Even
though the show is next week, The Hold Steady’s show should
mark the first of many stellar concerts this upcoming season.
Music Pick>The Hold Steady Proud Larry’s Friday
August 8th
Local Music Equilibrium
at Two Stick this Summer
by Sara Beth Hudson
Yin and yang. Wind and feather. Tomato and mayonnaise.
Coffee and cigarette. An equilibrium of sorts; some might call
a balance, a combinational perfection. A local band called
Balance is on the dock for Two Stick, August 9th, a Saturday
night that I presume will be languidly hot. So, get out of your
house, order up some sushi and drinks. Then, do some summertime grooving.
Trance,
rhythmic
motion, and alluring beats
are offered up freely by
the local band Zoogma.
They have a show lined up
at Two Stick on the 14th.
This band has developed
quite a following, and it is simple to see why. Gravity A
They infuse various genres including Dub, Electronic, Jazz,
and subtle tastes of Hip-Hop. Their new song, “Primary
Colors,” has a very synthesized sound with a tendency to
resemble Nightmares on Wax, an electronic band that
encompasses the mammoth size of expanding beats, notes, or
simply sounds, for that matter. In the same turn, Gravity A, a
native N.O.L.A band will make a pit stop in Oxford on their
summer tour.
A glance at their MySpace page reveals: “Gravity A. Taking
their name from the force responsible for the cohesion and
semblance of all subatomic matter (as opposed to Newton’s
well known gravity b), the band acts as the force responsible
for inciting dance with the rhythms and frequencies of polar
vibrations. Though heavily influenced by the positivity and
progression of electronic stylings, Gravity A chiefly grounds
the sound in live instrumentation to weave their sonic tapestry, with the occasional lucid sample surfacing beneath ambient currents.”
On the 15th, the Sleepwalkers will stop by for what they do
best: Swift-paced songs that make it impossible to stand still.
I was at their last show and was
really upset by the lack of movement. I say, YOU should actively
change this. Wear a mask if it
makes you move better.
If there were ever an appropriate name to sum up a band’s aura,
intent, or overall feeling, I would
say the Sleeping Bulls have it perfectly sculpted. They don’t make
you want to sleep. Instead, they
make you want to dream. As I listen, on the verge of dreams, the
string’s melancholy movement paired with Sleeping Bulls
lead singer Mark Adamec’s cradling voice paint haunting
bulls in my head. Speaking delicately and persuasively, this is
one fine listen. The Sleeping Bulls will be at Two Stick on
August the 15th.
Afrissippi will play Two Stick on the 21st of August. Take a
look at their tour list at myspace.com/afrissippi. Starting in the
South, they will meander their way out West continuing their
traveling show until mid-October.
The World Beat Cultural Arts Center
will be one stop on the list. It is a nonprofit, multi-cultural arts organization
that actively continues the preservation and promotion of “African &
Indigenous” cultures of the world.
Through dance, music, art, education
and technology, they continually
Afrissippi enhance the average knowledge of the world
around them. Located in San Diego, California’s Balboa Park,
I only wish I could join them for this show. But, I suppose
Two Stick is a perfect substitute. Well done, Afrissippi.
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
7
Katrina at Three Years
Long Roads of Progress & Sticky Wickets
by Gara Gillentine
http://katrina-in-mississippi.blogspot.com
At 10:00 am, Hurricane Katrina had made its third landfall near Pearlington, Mississippi, and Slidell, Louisiana,
with sustained winds of 120 mph.
Also at 10:00 am, while at a Medicare event in Arizona,
President Bush said, “I want to thank the governors of
the affected regions for mobilizing assets prior to the
arrival of the storm to help citizens avoid this devastating storm.”
“In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi faces
years of recovery and rebuilding. However, the
Mississippi spirit makes Marsha and me confident that
we will rebuild bigger and better than ever. I hope you
find this website informative and useful. Thank you for
your interest in our great state.” – Governor Haley
Barbour - www.governorbarbour.com
As I thought and thought about an article for the third
anniversary of Katrina, I became more and more discombobulated over what to write about. How to choose topics
seems to have gotten more complicated as time passes
and as issues become more complicated themselves.
February 2nd, 2008, marked my fifth trip to the coast and
I began to see even more that the subject of Katrina is just
so large that I have reached a point of being at a loss for
words. One would expect that to be the case in the early
days after landfall, but maybe not so as one approaches
the three-year mark. However, I am fairly speechless so I
am giving you a very brief update tour. For the real effect
though, you need to go to the coast.
Hancock County: The Hardest Hit
On July 7th, HUD (US Department of Housing and
Urban Development) finally said “OK” for $200 million in
CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) for the
county, which was nearly wiped off of the map by Katrina’s
surge.
MDA (Mississippi Development Authority) will administer the funds, but applications for project proposals must
be submitted for approval by August 8th. The funds are the
The descriptive designator for Katrina’s total destruction
in Waveland was the term “south of the tracks.” This is a
typical Waveland neighborhood “south of the tracks” as
of February 2008. This scene is replicated for miles and
miles in a land that was so thickly populated with lush
green oaks and pines that it was known as “The Emerald
Coast.” Just unbelievable.
Lest we forget, Katrina over Mississippi,
August 29, 2005 at 4:30 pm.
result of the implementation of the “Ground Zero Action
Plan” which was put together by Gov. Barbour, Sen.
Wicker, and Congressman Taylor to provide much needed
assistance for the county’s recovery efforts.
CDBG criteria must be met for projects to be approved
and the overall Katrina recovery effort is at the forefront.
Several factors are used by MDA to see if a proposed project meets CDBG criteria. According to The Sea Coast
Echo (www.seacoastecho.com), one of those very
important factors is that “the money must be used to promote economic development or serve critical needs in lowto-moderate income areas.”
“Wish Lists” include a new Hancock Co. Jail, the fourlaning of MS Hwy 603, volunteer fire departments,
Hancock Co. Library system, the Harbor Project, a small
business center for the county, a juvenile detention center,
a Justice Court facility, a health and human services building and community centers in Lakeshore and Bayou
Phillips, a Boys & Girls Club at Valena C. Jones School,
Depot District revitalization, and purchase and renovation
of Second Street Elementary School for an arts and cultural center.
Waveland’s wishes include water and sewer projects
and a marina near Coleman Ave., which was the “main
street” of old Waveland before surge wiped it clean.
Waveland (www.wavelandcity.com)
Waveland’s little Fort Recovery. This is part of the
Katrina Relief volunteer camp on Tabor Street.
If recovery and rebuilding aren’t enough of a problem in
this ground zero area, people have to deal with copper
thieves. Kathleen Johnson, a case manager and long term
volunteer with Katrina Relief (www.reliefvolunteers
Beach Blvd. runs along the water and in front of gutted
buildings in the old downtown area of Bay St. Louis.
Great improvements have been made on the road considering it was barely passable a few months earlier.
The difference, though, is that this used to be tree-lined
with small local businesses on the beach side.
.com/hancockdailyblog.html), reported that on the night
of July 28th thieves stripped the copper electrical wiring
from a home that they had been working on and which
was finally move-in ready. She said, “There are no more
funds for this home.” Two other homes-in-progress in the
neighborhood were also stripped of their wiring. Kathleen
and her myriad of volunteers have worked tirelessly since
Katrina struck Waveland.
Habitat for Humanity’s Bay-Waveland affiliate has
been hard at work building houses for those in need. At
this point, seventy-seven homes have been built. During
the week of June 25th, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas, Florida,
and Northern Ireland provided around 200 volunteers to
“blitz build” seven homes on Dicks St. in Waveland. The
homes were finished in about three weeks.
Another project that will greatly help development in the
old town area is the beach road project. On my last trip
there, the road was in dire need of help with much of it
being rough and rocky. The Mississippi Department of
Transportation has now begun taking bids for the project
and awards should be made within sixty days.
Lagniappe Church (www.lagniappechurch.com/
Home.aspx) participates with Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat volunteers from around the country utilize the
Lagniappe facilities for housing and meals during their
time with Operation Home Delivery in Bay St. Louis. If
you are interested in helping rebuild homes for people in
need, visit the Lagniappe Web site and click on the Habitat
for Humanity link for information on doing just that.
Bay St. Louis - Main Street September 2005.
Photo by Tommy Davis.
Bay St. Louis – Main Street. February 2008.
Progress is happening but more needs to happen
in order for this once quaint little artsy bohemia
to get itself back.
Bay St. Louis – Christ Episcopal Church on
South Beach Blvd. was built under the Live Oaks in 1971
using an original 1899 cornerstone, which was saved
after Hurricane Camille hit. Katrina’s surge washed
everything away except the steeple, which stands
to the right of the hut.
Pass Christian
(www.ci.pass-christian.ms.us)
“The Pass,” as it’s lovingly known by the locals, was a
town of 6500 before Katrina pushed her 36-38 foot wall of
water over the Live Oak laden landscape. The local
Rotary Club website states that Katrina took twenty-two
lives, 90% of the homes, pets, all city buildings, all city light
and heavy equipment, governmental services, roads, and
utilities. However, Katrina could not take the spirit of dedication to recovery from the local Rotary Club, which won
the Small Club of the Year award in 2007 for all of its work
on nine projects.
According to the Rotary/Pass Christian website, “Since
Katrina, the Rotary Club led by Dwight H. Short, II, M.D.
has taken its plight of his community throughout the United
States, Canada, Jamaica, and even to other countries to
raise money for homes for needy people, the local library,
the community center, vehicles for town’s public works,
sewer system (National Toilet Paper Roll-Out), a public
restroom for the local park, a handicapped playground,
assistance to the local police station, and a literacy program adult education.” Perhaps there’s a way you could
help out. Take a look at the nine projects of “The Little Club
That Can” at www.passchristianrises.org/index.htm.
Another group that has been of utmost importance in
the task of helping people recover and rebuild is the
Mennonite Disaster Service. MDS responded to Katrina
by purchasing property in Pass Christian and setting up a
long-term project with three mobile homes and a storage
shed. With help from the local recovery committee and
readily available funds,” MDS has worked with approximately 2,380 volunteers, begun 138 jobs, and completed
131. Over the summer, Pass Christian will be visited by
youth groups from all over the US and Canada. MDS will
continue its work in Pass Christian this fall. Crew leaders
are needed to work with youth volunteers from August 215. Call 800-241-8111 or check the site at mds.men
nonite.net/projects/pass_christian_ms,
for volunteer
opportunities.
Bay St. Louis
(www.baysaintlouiscity.com)
The city has applied for $15 million in CDBG for “The
Harbor Project.” Funds in the amount of $200 million were
recently approved for projects in Hancock County. The
“harbor” is one of tweve projects being considered for
funding and was influenced by a citizens activist group
know as the Bay Area Recovery Team. They are working
to promote economic growth and development in Hancock
County. The harbor is seen as a huge shot-in-the-arm of
Old Town, which was severely devastated by Katrina’s
surge. Getting people back down into that area to visit,
spend time, and spend money is truly needed.
Gulfport library still waits for restoration after being
declared a Mississippi Landmark.
Gulfport (www.ci.gulfport.ms.us)
Stalled by local government, red tape, favoritism, lack of
common sense, and sticky wickets has created a worsethan-snail’s-pace recovery in the city. The city website contains old information in places. For example, the muchtouted Main Street Association page has information for
joining up, but says, “Join for the Remainder of 2006 at a
Reduced Rate!” That doesn’t sound like much is happening downtown with the facade project. Even worse is the
Urban Development page, which has the “Gulfport
Comprehensive Plan—January 29, 2003.” I’d say that’s a
bit irrelevant. However, the city does have their agendas
posted from development meetings as recent as July 24,
2008.
The Port of Gulfport got a boost into the recovery zone
after Govenor Haley Barbour and MDA decided last year
that $600 million could be diverted from the Home Owners
Grant Program and given to the port to help it double its
size. Barbour defended the move by saying repairs to the
port are part of a comprehensive recovery strategy. So
after being totally devastated all this time, dredging of the
port’s waters just began this week.
Another tangled issue is that of the Gulfport Public
Library which still stands across from the beach with its
interior washed through. A group called “We the People”
has fought to have the library designated as a Mississippi
landmark. On the other end of that scale, there are those
who want it bulldozed and a library built at some other
location. On June 12th the state Dept. of Archives and
History declared the building to be an example of an architectural style not widely found along the coast or even in
the state and thus gave it the landmark status. Almost
immediately members of the county Board of Supervisors
began objecting. Herein is the red-tape-tangle: the county
owned the library building but the city owned the land.
Early this year the city deeded the land to the county so it
could get FEMA funding for the library. However, the city
stipulated that the county tear down the building.
Supervisors agreed. But, officials with Archives and
History have to “approve changes” to public buildings
which includes demolition. FEMA will fund the library but
not on the place it sits now. So the red tape rolls on.
Biloxi (www.biloxi.ms.us)
There seems to be a continuation of efforts to secure
more hi-rise condos and casinos for Biloxi under the guise
that those things will bring more money into the city coffers. There are currently eight casinos in Biloxi.
MississippiCasino.com states that “2008 finds
Biloxi...well on its way to recovery,” and that “2007 was a
great year for Biloxi’s casino industry,” which broke
records. The dichotomy is that, according to the casino
industry, “Out of the disaster of Katrina and the dreams of
the people of the Mississippi Coast, a bright future is on
Henderson Avenue—typical state of the environmental
effects of Katrina on the landscape of Pass Christian.
...continued on page 10
Katrina at Three Years ...continued from page 9
the way. Come see it happen.” To enhance that statement,
some beautiful hi-view photos of certain sections of “casino row” are posted at www.mississippicasinos.com/
discoverPostKatrina.htm. To the unknowing, this is quite
misleading.
According to the Biloxi city newsletter that I subscribe
to, “The Biloxi casino market suffered its worst month in
twenty months in April, with the city’s casinos posting
gross gaming revenue of $71.1 million.
The figure was 24% of the $93.7 million in gross gaming revenue from March.” In addition, the gaming/tourist
“industry now faces a number of challenges, particularly
the need for more visitor amenities.”
On a lighter note, Beauvoir, the 1852 raised Greek
Revival home of Jefferson Davis, is still in process of
restoration but was opened to the public in June. All of the
buildings on the beachfront estate were completely
destroyed except for the main house, which was almost
battered to death. Beauvoir’s restoration is an example of
recovery at its best—when determination and the right
amount of money come together most anything can be
accomplished in a decent amount of time. It’s truly a
shame that this tactic cannot be applied to all who lost
homes and housing along the coast and inland.
Though Beauvoir is once more a jewel on Beach Blvd.,
it is one of very few jewels. Most of the boulevard and former neighborhood streets that lead off of it, such as
Howard Ave., remain devastated landscapes. Most of the
homes that are being rebuilt along the boulevard are large
ones. In contrast, FEMA trailers and small shotgun cottages are sprinkled very thinly on devastated lots from
Biloxi to Pass Christian.
Ocean Springs
(www.oceanspringschamber.com)
Some of the biggest news for Ocean Springs was the
opening of the Ocean Springs-Biloxi Bay Bridge this past
November. This was a great celebratory moment for both
sides of the bay as use of this main connector to Highway
90/Beach Blvd. now saves people numerous hours on the
road.
Housing Issue: Cottages
However, the cottages caused problems almost immediately. Certain communities didn’t want them at all, some
only wanted them temporarily, and discussions to allow
them to become permanent housing solutions took place
in some areas, but then along with that came the idea that
they must be put in one location, like a trailer park. In addition, towns wanted lots and square footage to be bigger
than the cottages were calling for. To me, this is really a
ridiculous situation given that it’s three years down the
road from catastrophe and “officials” and others are dissing the homes and the people who would be living in them.
In May, MEMA announced the end of the cottage program. For people living in their damaged homes or in trailers, this is another red-tape slap.
Katrina at Three Years: Conclusion
As I stated at the beginning, this was to be a mini tour
of recovery and some of its many issues that hold back
progress altogether or slow it down so much that people
give up and leave the area.
To begin to understand the magnitude of this all-encompassing disaster really requires an everyday involvement
with its ongoing aftereffects. Even though I have seen it,
walked within it, touched pieces of it, and breathed the air
of it, I remain stunned and in disbelief.
Gara Gillentine is an artist, photographer, and writer living in Oxford, Mississippi.
MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management
Agency) began a cottage program to provide an alternative to FEMA trailers. They received a $280 million grant
for the experimental housing, which provided for about
3,100 units.
The much talked about Howard Avenue working-class
neighborhood. In the initial days of Katrina this
was a landmark of conversations on the internet
concerning “nothing left.” It still looks pretty much
like that description.
St. Michael’s Catholic Church on Beach Blvd. was built in
1963. It now stands in need of much repair while across
the road Casino Magic stands in its rebuilt “glory.”
Cha-ching! The original Hard Rock Casino was
destroyed by Hurricane Katrina the week it was
scheduled to open as the Coast’s thirteenth gambling
property. It was rebuilt and opened in July 2007.
Katrina’s surge took the lower portions of the 27 floor-toceiling Romanesque style stained glass windows.
The church is a landmark of design along the coast with
its seashell roof and circular form. The colors in the
4,000 sq. feet of stained glass represent the sea at
dawn, noon, and sundown. The windows were designed
by St. Louis artist Francis Deck.
Contrast in landscape. My journey across the bay from
Ocean Springs to Biloxi and beyond, February 2008.
It’s so beautiful and peaceful crossing over that you’d
never imagine what lay ahead if you didn’t already
know about Hurricane Katrina.
A Bay St. Louis “shotgun” home. Given the fact that this
is typical coastal small home architecture, why is there
such a huge issue with communities not wanting
Katrina/Mississippi cottages in their areas? Why do they
not want them integrated into neighborhoods? Why do
they want them placed in “parks” as if they are “trailers?”
Why do communities want larger lots and larger homes
to be built?
Local Artist Gara SENEGALESE
Gillentine to host SHRIMP & GRITS
Hurricane Katrina
themed art show
FEATURED LOCAL CHEF: GUELEL KUMBA
photo by Jane Rule Burdine
This recipe was originally printed in The Local Voice #1.
(makes enough for fifteen people)
Two Mississippi artists are teaming up to bring a show of
Katrina-related work to The Powerhouse in Oxford,
Mississippi. Gara Gillentine will be exhibiting computeraltered photographs, and Lori K. Gordon of Bay St. Louis will
be presenting pieces from The Katrina Collection, her internationally known series of mixed media assemblages, which incorporates storm debris. An opening reception for the artists will
take place at the Powerhouse, 413 S. 14th Street, on Friday,
August 15th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Oxford artist Gara Gillentine made her first post-storm trip
to the coast just two months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged
the area. Shocked and stunned
by the visage before her,
Gillentine was especially
struck by the sight of the devastated live oak trees. The
artist explains that as a child,
she had been intrigued by the
form and structure of trees,
especially what she perceived
as their ethereal and seemingly
magical and mystical qualities.
Seeing the state in which the
storm had left the live oaks,
Gillentine felt a need to photograph them in their states of
change. The result of that first
trip and many since then is a
series of haunting and powerful altered photographs, which capture the spirit of the coast.
Gillentine received her Bachelor of Arts in painting from the
University of Mississippi in
1994, and engaged in postgraduate work at the university from 1996-2000. Her first
Katrina related work, “Katrina
Speaks,” was a series of twelve
mixed media collages. Most of
those pieces found homes on
the coast where she feels like
they truly belong. She has
exhibited at the Oxford Art
Guild Show (2006), and at
the Powerhouse Community
Arts Center Show, The
Bottletree Bakery, and Ravine
in Oxford (2007). Gillentine’s
work can be found on several
of her websites, including
http://www.sarabluesky.com
½ lb. boneless chicken breasts
2 c. Parmesan cheese, 2 c. mozzarella cheese
most of a 40 oz. package of “quick grits”
2-3 lbs. medium shrimp
1 medium onion, diced
1-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 liter milk
12 oz. can of tomato paste
½ a head of cabbage, cut into fourths
bunch of carrots cut into thirds
bunch of turnips cut in chunks
a bunch of okra
hot peppers
sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 eggplant cut into chunks
Yuka
Parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper
Water
Vegetable oil
Lime
Guelel Kumba is a singer/songwriter and chef from Senegal, West
Africa. Tropical Senegal is lauded for beauties both natural and urbane.
With its suave capital, Dakar, and its entourage of internationally
known musicians, Senegal brings in
more visitors than any other country in
the region. Guelel has been making
music and food in Oxford since 2002.
Sauté chicken in oil in skillet on high. Mix diced onion and
tomato paste with 5 cups of water. When the chicken is
brown, add the tomato paste and onion to the skillet.
Chop garlic. Add garlic, salt, black & red pepper, and
paprika to taste. Let it cook for 10 minutes on low to
medium. Add the vegetables and cook for one hour.
Remove vegetables, set aside. Add milk and cheese, then
add the grits and simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sauté shrimp with onion, garlic, parsley, lime, and
a little mustard. Serve grits with shrimp on top and vegetables on the side. Enjoy!
and http://garagillentine.blogspot.com.
Lori K. Gordon had been working as a landscape painter
when Hurricane Katrina obliterated her home and studio
near the town of Bay St. Louis. With her tools and supplies
lost to 140 mile-per-hour winds and a 43’ storm surge,
Gordon returned to work using the only materials available
to her. Within weeks, she was transforming the debris into
works of art. The Katrina Collection now numbers over 600
pieces, most of which have been sold to collectors worldwide.
Gordon states that her work is all about rebirth, rejuvenation, and finding a way to pick up the pieces in a desperate situation and start moving ahead again. “Being able to
go back to work immediately after the storm provided me
with a way to deal with the psychological effects of the
storm,” she explains. Her portrayal of what happened on the
Gulf Coast, measured out in the soulful combination of
varying elements of debris, has struck people nationwide
with its powerful message. Gordon’s work may be seen at
thekatrinacollectionbylorikgordon.blogspot.com.
“Reconciling Katrina: Three years/Two Artists/Two
Views” opens on August 5th, with the reception set for 6:308:30 on Friday, August 15th at the Powerhouse. The show
will remain in place until August 15th. Gallery hours are
from 9-5, Monday through Friday.
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
11
The Road Leaded
to the Coast
by Vera P.
The road leaded to the coast. It seemed like a sea breeze
was there already. Forest by the road was smiling. Large
bright sign said: "Seashells, the last chance to bring
home memories." A mount of the seashells shone like a
white snow. They did not stop-he was driving, and she
didn't want to ask him about anything. The rest of the
way to the coast she dreamed about digging in this
mount and finding beautiful conches.
Years passed. They were again at the same road, going
from the last shared vacation. She was not afraid to
make him angry any more-just indifferent. The same
sign, faded, appeared at the same spot. She asked him
to stop, and he did. Only a little hill of the remnants
was there-broken shells, white dust…While they were
still going through life together, shells were laying
there. People were buying some, the rain washed them,
the sun bleached…
Local Correspondence
thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
Dear Local Voice,
There's only one word to describe Bill Perry's article
“Music and Immortality”, BEAUTIFUL!! I was very
impressed by his use of vocabulary to explain his opinions
about music. I had to read it twice because I was so moved
by his message! I was an English Literature major and his
choice of words are wonderful, and I believe music has
found its new philosophical voice through Mr. Perry!
Continue writing Bill, don't let this be the last time we hear
from you. By the way, he's also an extraordinary pianist too!
Traci Arnold .
Scott Barretta’s
Moustache
by David “Lonesome Skeeter” Shirley
photograph by Deadric Malone,
also pictured with Scott Barretta (right) is blues legend
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (left).
I’ve been grieving now for weeks. He left
a message on my cell to say he’d shaved
the damned thing off. The patch as well. I held
my breath & pictured him above the sink,
razor firmly in his grip, his dark eyes
scanning clinically across the steamy
glass. “How can you improve perfection?” A call
from Willie King or Bobby Rush! He's out
the door with one side still intact. He greets
the world like someone out of Borges
(or De Sade), a single-minded passion
for the (mostly) men whom time & God
forgot. The words they used. The sounds they made.
The lies they told to save the world from sin.
He wonders how the world sees him.
A bowler
hat beneath a boom. His droopy whiskers
dewed with gin. His fleshy fingers tease
staccato bursts from rusty strings. He sings
of love & loss & all the things between.
Beneath the fumes the women moan & swoon.
Beneath the fumes a tall man lifts his arms
& forms a cross against the moon. He’d sell
his soul, he says, to play as well. Inside
Scott’s swarthy features flame against the wall.
MICHAEL IKEDA-CHANDLER
Advertise inThe Local Voice
Fall semester is coming! Reserve your space now in
Oxford’s most talked about newspaper. Call 232-8900.
Those Black Things
on Your Rims
Papa John’s Clip & Save Coupon
LOCAL AUTOMOTIVES
by Travis Malkovich
Meet the tried and true method of highway patrolmen for
giving you a ticket: The penny test. In most states, you can
legally have down to 2/32” of tread on your tires. A way to
check this is to take a penny and place it on your tire’s tread
with Abe’s head facing down. If you can see the top of his
head it is time for new tires.
By this point you should
already notice the built-in
tread wear markers. There
are two different kinds—
either an arrow on the corner of the tread or a raised
bar on the tread itself. If the
corner marking is now
where the tire touches the
road or you see a flat raised spot on your
tread, it’s time to put your old tires out
to pasture. Or to a big ole fire, depending where you grew up. Personally, I
won’t run any tire for longer than
three years no matter how good a
shape it looks. Every bump, shimmy,
and hole you hit wears on the carcass of the tire, not to mention the
effects of the weather and sitting
in the sun can have on the rubber.
That’s also why I say never buy
used tires. Sure, they’re cheap.
But you could be opening a can
of worms if you plan on using
them more than just temporarily.
When you’re ready to buy, do
yourself a favor and do your
research before you walk into the
store. There are a lot of different
choices out there from brands,
price, performance, durability, and
style. Just know what you need and
know how you drive. If you want to
know more about everything tires check
out www.tirerack.com under the tech section. Plus,
this web site is a great shopping tool and has user reviews.
And like always, folks, if you don’t know ask someone who
does before you buy. There is an iron-clad rule in the tire
business. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like ‘em, they don’t
fit, or whatever. If you mount the things on your wheels,
you own them. Period.
OXFORD, MISS (TLV) - Every day you see them. You use
them, abuse them, and neglect them. They are your tires.
Those black spinning carcasses that support your car and
make it possible for you to get where you need to go every
day. So what’s the big freakin deal, you might ask? Well, for
starters, it is a huge deal for
performance and especially for
safety. The four points of control you have on your vehicle
are the throttle, brakes, gears,
and steering. Every one of
those commands end up at the
only part of your car that actually touches the ground, the
tires.
Tire care isn’t that hard or that big of a
deal, really. All you really have to do is
keep your tires inflated where they
should be and keep them rotated. For
the proper inflation you just have to
hunker down and look on the side wall
of your tire. Rotation (moving the front
tires to back for those who don’t know)
should be done around six thousand
miles, but can vary by tire brand and
style. Both of these can drastically
lengthen their life. Plus, keeping your
tires inflated properly can increase
your gas mileage.
Now, getting a nail or whatever
in a tire happens to all of us from
time to time. As long as a reputable
shop does it, tire repair is a perfectly safe practice. The most widely
used repair methods are either plugs
or patches. I prefer patches because
I’ve seen plugs start to rot out of the
surrounding rubber over time. Always
ask when you go to get a repair because
most shops will give you a choice.
Remember, too, that you can only repair a tire so
many times. Most places (for liability reasons) will only
repair a tire three times. Personally, I get two holes in one
tire I buy a new one. Or, if I end up running on two
repaired tires I’ll buy a new set as soon as I can afford it. I
just drive too fast to take chances.
Say you’ve had your tires on your car for a while. Or,
even better, you know you need new ones and just keep putting it off. Well, not only can old or severely worn tires be
dangerous, they can also get you in trouble with the law.
Travis Malkovich is a writer and automobile junkie living in
Oxford, Mississippi.
Oxford Sign Company
North Lamar & Molly Barr. Call 832-8282
Now open! Check out our signs at Suite 10 & Boure.
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
13
LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS
$10 for 50 words. Ad runs for two weeks.
Advertise your upcoming events and classifieds in The Local Voice.
We have the cheapest rates and we distribute more copies than any
other newspaper in Oxford! Mail to The Local Voice, PO Box
443, Oxford, Miss. 38655 or call us directly 662-232-8900.
FOR RENT
RENTER WANTED TO SHARE HOUSE IN OXFORD. A cool girl is
desired to share a house with a yard. $400/month rent includes private
bedroom and bath plus all utilities. Call Eric 229-560-9683.
TAKE A VACATION... CONDO FOR RENT ON PERDIDO KEY,
FLORIDA. Rent a beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo on the beach
owned by Ole Miss alumni. Beachside end unit on the 5th floor completely and beautifully remolded with georgeous views of the Gulf of Mexico,
Old River, and Perdido Bay. Call 601-485-5531.
LOCAL SERVICES
OXFORD SIGN COMPANY. Let us help you get the word out! We make
indoor and outdoor signs, custom vinyl signs, banners, and more. We’ve
got the best deal in town. Check out our work at Boure and Suite 10
Skateboards. Located at the corner of North Lamar Boulevard and Molly
Barr, right next to Three Way Exxon. Call 662-832-8282 for more info.
GARAGE SALE SATURDAYS. Now renting garage sale space at one of
Oxford’s busiest intersections. Traffic count is unbelievable! We’ll even
advertise your sale in the paper. If you want to sell your knick-knacks
and make some easy money, we’ve got the space and the visibility.
662-232-8900 for information.
When I left my house Monday morning and started heading toward town it wasn’t long before I ran into a road closed
due to construction. “No problem,” I said out loud while the
new Old 97’s CD was blaring out of my truck’s stereo. I
took a left turn and after a moment I ran into another closed
road. There was a man in an orange vest standing at the end
of the road and he motioned for me to roll down my window.
“The road’s closed,” he said as if I couldn’t read or that I
couldn’t understand that I couldn’t drive through the large
piece of machinery dumping black shit onto the road in front
of me.
“What’s with all the road closings?” I asked the man in an
orange vest that couldn’t hide his substantial stomach.
“We gots to dig up all the roads, check for landmines, then
pave them back before the debate thing.”
“Well,” I said. “Seems like a lot of trouble for the average
citizen.”
“I think you best be moving on before I have to report
you as a terrorist,” the substantial stomach said to me.
At this point I decided it was best for me to turn around
and find another way to town, but after every couple of
blocks I ran into another closed road. Eventually the only
alternative I had was to put my truck in reverse and back all
the way to my house. I was immensely frustrated when I
arrived home and it wasn’t long until that frustration grew
into unbridled rage. Because of the crazy things Senator
John McCain had been saying lately, I was frightened of
being turned in as a terrorist and I was scared that if, in my
current mood, I went back outside I might actually become
a terrorist. So in a move of self-preservation I locked myself
in my bedroom.
It wasn’t until late Tuesday afternoon that I tried to leave
my bedroom. Slowly I opened the door and walked into the
hall. When I opened the door to the outside I saw the large
piece of machinery was parked just up the street from me and
the substantial stomach was standing by an orange cone at
the end of my driveway. I raced back into my bedroom convinced that Senator John McCain and the Terrorist Patrol
would be banging down my door at any moment.
When I woke Wednesday around noon I was still too terrified to leave my bedroom so I peed in a Burger King cup
and checked my phone to see if anyone had called. No one
had, it had been two and a half days since I spoke to anyone.
Suddenly feeling desperate for some kind of human contact I
checked my email. There was nothing there but promotions
from Canadian pharmacies and Christian dating services.
During the next twelve hours I watched myself slide into the
abyss of paranoia. Every few minutes I checked my phone
then checked my email, but nothing was there. Sometime
around Thursday morning I started alternating my time
between lying in the bed and lying under the bed. The cups
of urine started to encircle me and still no phone calls or
emails. I was convinced that Senator John McCain and the
Terrorist Patrol would be coming for me at any moment and
because all the roads in Oxford were closed due to construction, I had no way to flee even if I could develop the inertia
to do so.
By Friday morning I could hear the bulldozers outside my
bedroom. There was one on each wall and I could see the
paint beginning to chip away. They were rattling my walls at
a slow but menacing pace, almost taunting me with
The Local Voice Crossword Solution from issue #59
www.myspace.com/charleshaleismyname
inevitable imprisonment and eventual waterboarding. When
I checked my email at 3:13 pm on Friday I thought the south
wall was only moments away from crumbling. But this time
there was an email. My friend Belinda Carlisle had sent me
an email. I lay down with my back against the hardwood
floor and spun in my best break dancing move. Jubilation
began to overrun me as I read that Belinda Carlisle was writing from NYC where she was reconnecting with her last virginal boyfriend after fifteen years apart. They recently established communication via MySpace and now she was having
a great time in the city.
The bulldozers were still outside my bedroom but they
seemed to be stalled. I hadn’t eaten in days so I wasn’t sure if
everything I was reading was actually what she wrote.
Belinda Carlisle wrote, “I bought a cute dress to go dancing.
Then I had to find some shoes that matched. I had to walk
into seven stores to find the perfect shoes, but when I did the
girl let me change into the dress in their fitting room.”
What I read was, “I bought a dancing dress and all I can
think about is dancing with you, around you, and for you.
Dancing with you is heaven.”
Later in the email Belinda Carlisle wrote, “I went to
Coney Island where I met a girl with Tourette’s Syndrome.
We rode the Ferris wheel together and when we stopped at
the top she yelled f**k f**k f**k.”
What I read was, “I rode the Ferris wheel at Coney Island
and I wish you had been there so when we stopped at the top
we could f**k f**k f**k.”
She ended the email by saying that we should go out
when she got back to town. I could only pray that she would
get here before the bulldozers and Senator John McCain and
the Terrorist Patrol got here because the walls were still crumbling and I had run out of cups to piss in.
The Local Voice Word Search Secret Message
Solution from issue #59
“Neuter Cooter made this puzzle in a cafe in
Eugene, Oregon called The Wandering Goat
while he was on tour with The Cooters.”
Want to write forThe Local Voice?
Email us at thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
for guidelines and information...
Congratulations to Andrew Buglewicz and Judy
Mitchell who have both solved recent TLV Word Search
Secret Messages and won cool Local Voice T-Shirts!
Solve the Crossword or Word Search puzzles in this
issue, let us know your answers, and you could be the
next winner.
Crossword Puzzle
Puzzle #44 - © 2008
All of the words used in this puzzle can be found in the articles, advertisements, and pages of this magazine.
Fill out this puzzle and email it to thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net or send it to The Local Voice, PO Box 443,
Oxford, Mississippi 38655 and you’ll be entered into a monthly drawing for a FREE Local Voice T-Shirt!
ACROSS
1 town in Thailand where cook Rasita is from
7 this year's summer games in Beijing
9 any of several freshwater turtles especially of the southern and
eastern United States
10 nearby gambling destination
11 a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy products
13 staple of a good Southern breakfast
17 psychosis characterized by systematized delusions of persecution or grandeur usually without hallucinations
19 a length of cord or rope with several hooks used for catching fish
22 a period of time during which the price of drinks (as at a bar) is
reduced or hors d'oeuvres are served free
23 designed to be used once and then thrown away
24 Govenor Haley Barbour's wife
DOWN
2 county in Mississippi hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina
3 earthy and strongly rhythmic rock music conducive to dancing
4 fine dust, smoke, or light vapor causing lack of transparency of the air
5 the state of many roads in Oxford
6 the center of a target
8 this should be done to your tires every 6000 miles
10 Charles Hale is one?
12 a state of intellectual or emotional balance
14 American indie rock band in the 1990s from Stockton, Calif
15 something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure
16 a toy usually made of plastic that is twirled around the waist, limbs,
or neck
18 a Central African dish with okra, yuka leaves, smoked fish, and beef
20 an alcoholic solution of a volatile substance
21 the superhero on the cover of The Local Voice
Word Search Puzzle
Puzzle #31 - © 2008
Can you find the words in this puzzle? Find them all and then
discover the hidden message by reading the unused letters
from left to right, top to bottom. Email the message to
thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net and
we’ll enter you in a monthly drawing for
a free (and cool) Local Voice Tshirt!
Local Businesses mentioned in this issue
Whigs
Hemptones
Boyscout Knife
Crossin Dixon
Tranebloo
Hold Steady
Sleepwalkers
Black and Whites
Balance
Preachers Kids
Airships
Cooters
Texas Funeral
St. Andrew
Macon Greyson
Zoogma
Afrissippi
Hold Steady
Unwed Teenage
Mothers
Disposable Faces
Hayes Carll
Aaron Hall Band
Conor Oberst
Gravity A
Avenue Hearts
Night Lights
KNOW YOUR BARTENDER
Nominate your favorite: thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net
Name: Gary Dobbs
Your Bar: The Blue Pan Grille:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
nights and some Fridays
Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama
In your experience, what is the
most common reason to
have a drink? There’s a reason to celebrate every day.
What do you prefer on the
rocks? Hawaiian Tropic
swimsuit team
What are your specialties? Stress
Reliever
Early alcohol experience: Fifteen
years old—1st mixed drink—vodka, whiskey, and tequila from
the parent’s selection, didn’t want them to notice any was missing; learned that’s not how to make a mixed drink (puked).
Most famous customer you’ve served: Courtney Cox and David
Arquette (past), lately, Robert Plant
Who would you most like to have a drink with? Jose Canseco
What’s your jam, lately? Pearl
Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption
Favorite sport & team: Atlanta Braves Baseball
What are you reading? Waiter Rant “thanks for the tip”
Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by the waiter.
Who’s your favorite Rebel, and do you really go 18 mph, ever?
Chuckie Mullins, he went to high school with my sister.
18mph—only when you are and I am behind you.
Where’s your favorite spot to sip? Murff ’s
What’s the best band you’ve ever seen in Oxford? 311 in 1995
What do you like best about living here? the roads and the hot
beer
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in your bar lately?
Customer playing Karate Kid and putting his hand through
the glass door. Yes, drinks were involved.
Where would you be if you weren’t behind a bar? Poolside
THE LOCAL VOICE #60
15

West African Café Opens in Oxford

Transcription

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