Volume 1, Issue 3

V O L . 1 . I S S U E 3 . O C T 3 1 . S H R E V E P O R T . L A

S H R E V E P O R T - B O S S I E R ’ S V O I C E F O R T H E U N D E R G R O U N D

Page 2 | Heliopolis | Volume 1 Issue 3 | Oct. 31, 2013 | heliopolissbc.com | #heliopolissbc

Heliopolis StaffEditor-in-Chief

Karen E. [email protected]

Managing EditorKelly McSwain

[email protected]

Content EditorsSusan Fontaine

[email protected]

Jerry [email protected]

Business ManagersMark Flentge

mfl [email protected]

Spencer [email protected]

Layout EditorsRobyn Bradley

[email protected]

Kelly [email protected]

Photo EditorTaryn Ferro

[email protected]

ContributorsAmjad AzzaweRobyn Bradley Malari Coburn

Dr. Loren DemerathTaryn Ferro

AJ HaynesMatthew Haynes

John JacksonGarrett K. Johnson

Tiana KennelLindsay Johnson Nations

Landon MillerRobert E. TrudeauJerry Underwood

PHOTOGRAPHERSAw Snap Photography

Robert TrudeauCover: “Jackpot” by Jeormie Journell

Back cover: “King Klaus” by Jeormie JournellArtist profi le on page 9

Heliopolis is published bi-weekly on Thursdays by Front Row Press, LLC, 500 Clyde Fant Parkway, Suite 200, Shreveport, La. 71101. No portion of this publication may

be reproduced by any means without written permission. An endorsement of information, products or services is not constituted by distribution of said publication.

Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily refl ect the views of the publisher. All rights reserved. Copyright 2013.

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#heliopolissbc | heliopolissbc.com | Oct. 31, 2013 | Volume 1 Issue 3 | Heliopolis | Page 3

Aries (21 March - 20 April):Your fiery energy is becoming exhausting. You don’t have to do everything; just let go. Take the night off with a glass of wine and a good book.This week: Take a bubble bath.

Taurus (21 April - 21 May):Your saving skills have paid off this month. Use the extra cash for a night out on the town with friends.This week: Remember to show your gratuity to bartenders and servers.

Gemini (22 May - 21 June):It’s usually easy for you to take center stage; however, the upcoming new moon has you feeling more withdrawn than usual. Try some yoga or meditation to get to the root of what’s bothering you.This week: Use your creativity to refocus your energy on what’s really important.

Cancer (22 June - 22 July):Easing back out of your home can be difficult, sweet Cancer, but try taking small steps like going to a movie or coffee shop to help get your feet wet.This week: Rely on close friends.

Leo (23 July - 22 Aug.):Your head may be spinning, but your feet are definitely still on the ground. Take advantage of the nice weather and go for an afternoon walk. Getting out in the fresh air will help clear your mind and lift your spirits.This week: Have lunch in the park.

Virgo (23 Aug. - 23 Sept.):Your need-to-know mantra may be wearing thin these days. Try opening up about yourself and you may be surprised with the results you receive.This week: Journaling your thoughts may help get the juices flowing.

Libra (24 Sept. - 23 Oct.):The planetary alignment has your fickle nature in full swing, but you haven’t sunk yet. Figure out how you’re really feeling before you make any rash decisions.This week: Think before you speak.

Scorpio (24 Oct. - 22 Nov.):Your emotions may have you feeling upside down, but things are starting to look up. Remember change takes time. Take a few deeps breaths and the storm will soon pass.This week: Brace yourself for landing.

Sagittarius (23 Nov. - 21 Dec.):Now is the perfect opportunity to scratch your wanderlust itch.

With the upcoming new moon offering limitless possibilities and the cool autumn breeze, there’s nothing holding you back. This week: Take a leap of faith.

Capricorn (22 Dec. - 20 Jan.):Your disciplined nature needs a little shaking up; don’t let yourself get so caught up in the little things. Shake your hair out and let loose tonight, you deserve a night off.This week: Don’t be a wallflower.

Aquarius (21 Jan. - 19 Feb.):Your head may be in the clouds, but don’t forget about the people here on Earth. Reach out to friends. You may come off a little more aloof than you intend.This week: Pick up the phone.

Pisces (20 Feb. - 20 March):Wearing your heart on your sleeve is bound to cause a few wounds, but don’t let that deter you. It takes more strength to be honest. This week: Honesty is best.

HeliopolisVolume 1, Issue 3October 31, 2013

Horoscopes By M. Boogie

It has been written in the stars and deciphered by the Boog, but it is up to you to transform your life.

Table of Contents

Rational Middle Energy Series 4

Poem submissions 4

Do it your damn self 5

Highland Jazz & Blues Festival 5

Texas Avenue Makers Fair 6

Strange Laws 7

UNSCENE! wants you! 8

MAV UP! 9

Artist profile: Jeormie Journell 9

The Pour 10

House shows: David Bazan 11

Living Local 11


DROPPING THE NEEDLE ON NEW AND USED VINYL IN SHREVEPORT

NEW LOCATION!437 KINGS HWY • 318.773.3168

DAYOLDBLUES.COMFACEBOOK.COM/DAYOLDBLUESRECORDS

You are fading away faster than I expected.Like that tea stain on my lambswool sweaterwhen I didn’t have the time to hand wash it.

So, I let it sit for a year

at the bottomof the laundry basket.(Not quite forgotten.)

Just the other day I checked on it--

held it up to the light.

The tea stain is gone.

And to thinkthat you’ve faded in just a few weeks,

Pretty Weak Tea.

Malari Coburn graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana in 2011 with a degree in English (minors in German and Environmental Studies). She is currently working on her Paramedic certifi cation and in her spare time can be found wielding a sabre at Fairfi eld Ave. School of Fencing.

Sweet TeaMalari Coburn

I took the Sun for a lover,hemlock and honey ultravioletrapture sweet and sanguine.

Came back to the black on your walls shifting,amber blaze licking aspis-speed, crackling.

I came back for you,

rattling chains and kicking embers,gurgling ire, a siren song de sangre y miel

and it echoed hollow,indifferent.

You took the bottle to your lipslike a teat, hungry red wet mouth

murmuring Lo siento, lo siento.And tapped glass to the table—the clink of conquest and regret.

So I took to the binding ties,

the cool cuffs on my skin.Cast those golden pins

like rolling die to the fl oor.

Hemlock & honeyAJ Haynes

The energy crisis is a heated issue.

Billions of dollars are spent every year on efforts to reduce energy consumption and to reduce the impurities it returns to the atmosphere; much more money is sunk into campaigns and debates revolving around energy.

It has become so polarized and politicized that many of us simply sigh in frustration and change the channel when the subject emerges.

If you’re tired of this behavior and want to step away from stale rhetoric, then I invite you to take a look at the Rational Middle Energy Series – an attempt to reach out to both sides of the issue in hopes of coming to a rational solution of how to solve our growing energy problem.

Gregory Kallenberg, Chris Lyon and Ian Summers make up the core group of the Rational Middle Media Group, and they understand that many in our society have lost sight of the issue concerning the current climate problem.

“There’s a movement of people who are tired of rolling their eyes [at the politicizing] and want to see change,” said Kallenberg. “It’s truly the middle – the compromise – where things get done.”

And that is the goal of the Rational Middle.

So many of us take energy for granted, not realizing exactly how much we depend on it for the simplest of tasks or how much of it we consume on a daily basis.

The Rational Middle has produced an award-winning web series that focuses on educating the public on what energy is, where it comes from, its history, and how much we use for some of the most basic tasks. Alongside experts in energy, environmental science and economics, the Rational Middle has produced two seasons of online videos, each lasting between 5 and 15 minutes in length. Every video builds off the previous, slowly painting a full picture of exactly what it is we are facing and exactly why it’s happening.

These videos cover topics including renewable sources of energy,

shale gas and how much our energy usage has increased in the last century. There is also a video that documents an entire day following a family of four, keeping count of how much energy they use on an average day – I won’t give away spoilers.

“Anyone who thinks that energy isn’t important, or that it isn’t an integral part of everything we have and want, isn’t really looking around and seeing reality,” Kallenberg said. Kallenberg hopes that the series he and his team have worked diligently to produce will be a fresh perspective on something that has become clouded by years of polarizing debate.

There are currently two seasons of the Rational Middle Energy Series available for viewing, and they have met with more success than the team could have dreamed; the team has received invitations to visit locations and institutions across the country, schools have asked to show the documentary series to their students and the series has even been used in congressional hearings.

The Rational Middle Energy Series is an attempt to strip away all of the things that don’t matter and look at the simple facts. It is an invitation for people of all convictions to sit down and discuss things in a logical, reasonable manner and to solve problems through education. They ask that you hear the message and decide through reason what to do for your own future and that of generations to come.

“With the creative heartbeat of this city getting stronger, we couldn’t be doing this anywhere else but here,” said Kallenberg. “I hope that Shreveport is proud of the Rational Middle and of the creative things going on in our city.”

The great compromise: landing in the middle on energy Matthew Haynes [email protected]


DI(d)Y: Do it your damn self!Taryn Ferro [email protected]

Make way for royalty this year at the 10th anniversary of the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival (HJBF) at Columbia Park in Shreveport. Grammy Award-winning blues artist Irma Thomas, “The Soul Queen of New Orleans,” graces one of the two stages this year, along with Buddy Flett, Papa Mali and nine other acts for a full day of music and entertainment.

Over the past ten years, HJBF has grown from 1,000 attendees to over 10,000 at last year’s event. “We’re very proud of our tenth year,” said Cindy Gleason Johnson, volunteer and festival board member. “People know to expect it, and they free their calendars.”

As part of an all-volunteer team of organizers, Gleason works throughout the year to garner sponsorships and fundraisers to make the festival a success. “We still have sponsorships available,” Gleason said, “and our football raffle is ongoing.”

The donations enable HJBF to continually add new features, such as the Dog Area with education and grooming sessions and a Kids Area with face-painting and storytelling.

New for this year, HJBF will showcase young artists from area high schools, including Caddo Magnet and C.E. Byrd. The festival afor the next generation as it brings together an array of amazing artists from the relatively unknown to the legendary.

Headlining this year’s festival is Louisiana’s own Irma Thomas. With a litany of awards, Thomas writes to her fans, “To know you have loyal fans all over the world is a humbling experience to say the least. One can not take for granted, not one of you, and I hope

I never ever do that in this lifetime.”

Coincidentally, Thomas will celebrate her 50th anniversary of performing this year as the HJBF celebrates its 10th. To share in the festivities, the resilient Buddy Flett will return to the stage after battling medical issues. Flett released his new album Rough Edges earlier this year. These two well-known names anchor the festival, but the talent doesn’t stop there.

“The Highland area is a melting pot of a lot of creative people,” Gleason said. “The Blues Fest captures that and showcases the best of what the community has to offer.”

A full list of performers and times is available on the HJBF website: highlandjazzandblues.org, where you can also find more details on the raffle to win tickets to the Saints vs. Cowboys game on Nov. 10. Winner will be drawn Friday, Nov. 1.

HJBF expects a sizable crowd again this year, and in an effort

to be good neighbors, a shuttle service will be offered from Mall St. Vincent to the Columbia Park

venue.

Three things NOT to do: do not forget to bring cash, and do not eat before you come. HJBF estimates around 65-70 vendors (still growing), both artisan and food, and several may not have access to card readers. HJBF itself will be selling commemorative t-shirts for $15 and posters for $5. Best of all, do not pay admission; the festival is free and runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16.

Don’t miss this landmark celebration of jazz and blues that has become a staple of Shreveport-Bossier entertainment.

Highland Jazz and Blues Festival celebrates 10 yearsJerry Underwood [email protected]

We all have that souvenir bottle lying around the house that we just can’t throw away, because we think one day we’ll know what to do with it. Well today we are going to make it into a… drum roll, please… lamp! This is a simple and easy-to-do project.

Step 1: Gather the materials. You will need: A suitable bottle: I am using a growler from one of our local breweries, Great Raft Brewery. (Use any bottle you like, as long as it’s heavy enough to balance your lamp.)Lamp hardware: Find a bottle lamp kit at Lowe’s for $10Lamp harp to support shade (if needed) Lampshade: Maybe from your favorite local thrift shop? Wingnut to secure shade to harp (if needed)

Tools: Pliers Utility knife Small Phillips-head screwdriver

Step 2: Plug your bottleThe kit from Lowe’s comes with multiple sizes. Choose the best

fit for your bottle. (Mine was a little bigger, so I wrapped it in duct tape first). Insert the screw, and then plug the bottle.

Step 3: Wire The LampPlace the harp base and socket cap on the threaded rod, and tighten down the socket cap with your screwdriver. Then thread your electrical wire through the hole in the cap, and tie an “underwriter’s knot” (see right). Wrap the stripped ends of your wire around the terminal screws on the socket and tighten them down. Then slide the paper-lined socket shell down over the whole thing, and clip the socket assembly into the socket cap. There are little teeth that lock in to the cap’s grooves, so just rock it back and forth until it clicks and is steady.

Step 4: Add the Bulb and Shade

And, voilà! You have a lamp that you made your damn self !

Celebrating it’s 10th year, the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival is expecting over 10,000 attendees to pack into Columbia Park. Photo by Robert E. Trudeau.

Photos by Aw, Snap Photography


With each passing season, the landscape of downtown Shreveport expands, thanks to the promise of community and a blossoming arts scene. The northeast end of the area is dominated by casinos, scattered bars and the aptly-designated Festival Plaza, which serves as home to the various festivals such as the Red River Revel and Holiday in Dixie.

The southwest end of downtown, however, is seemingly sparse by comparison. While the Robinson Film Center and Artspace provide some local flavor to the region, the blocks running along Common Street typically lack activity outside a Sunday service.

Beyond the steeple of the First United Methodist Church, Texas Avenue blends in with the historic yet vacant buildings that occupy the west-central area. Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium stands against the concrete spaces along the downtown end. Yet, despite the nineteenth-century buildings that dot the expanse, Texas Avenue houses one of the area’s booming alternative communities. minicine? offered a glimpse of potential attractions to provoke thought through art. More recently, the neighborhood has established the local standard for the application of artistic and DIY principles through the biannual Texas Avenue Makers Fair.

Since 2010, the Makers Fair has operated as the homegrown alternative to a typical arts festival through its openness. The Makers Fair, as evidenced by its name, champions the ethics of the do-it-yourself lifestyle by providing a venue for enthusiasts to turn passions into potential careers. With inexpensive booths, the Fair allows artists to showcase their creations in a competitive space against festival giants such as the Revel, which can prove costly for the homegrown artisan.

Even the coordination of the event is handcrafted in nature, as organizers Kelly McSwain and Garrett Johnson harmonize the festival entirely in their free time; the fair receives no profits and additional money goes toward funding future attractions.

This season, the Makers Fair will house a myriad of over 200 vendors, who will fill the covered breezeway with colors, aromas and tones, ranging from homemade sauces to candles to hand-sewn fashions and jewelry. Local business finds its root at the Makers Fair and enables garage ideas to find promotion on the main street. Even nonprofit groups such as Refuge Meditation Group and the NORLA Preservation Project utilize the communal aspect of the Makers Fair to promote awareness.

Case in point, Sara Hebert will sell homemade gumbo to raise funds for the Renzi Education and Art Center. In addition to the food from various booths, food truck favorites Salsitas and Some Like it Hot will provide additional options to satisfy any prospective visitor’s itch.

The fair will continue to evolve with the city itself through partnership with the Shreveport Regional Art Council’s UNSCENE! Through this collaboration, beer will be sold in the afternoon hours of the fair, and live music from local bands will provide additional entertainment. Ian Quiet opens at 10:30 a.m., followed by The Good News at lunch time. Finally, Vs. the She Beast will play the afternoon hours. Paul King of Index Drums will also return to showcase local percussion from the heart of the Red River.

I am ashamed to admit my only Makers Fair experience is from this past April, but it was a bustling stomping ground for members

of Shreveport’s home-brewed arts scene to intermingle.

“[The Makers Fair is] a cross section of all the people that make Shreveport awesome and [it’s] a great way to discover new artists,” fellow attendee Sam Bonham said.

The atmosphere itself was electric, and I was especially impressed by the sheer variety and quality of homemade goods from the vendors. Over three years, the Makers Fair has grown to rival the more traditional festivals of Shreveport-Bossier. Through its alternative roots, the Texas Avenue Makers Fair occupies a cornerstone of the local arts scene.

The Texas Avenue Makers Fair will take place from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the corner of Texas Avenue and Common Street, and admission is free. Email your questions to [email protected], and find the full list of vendors at texasavemakersfair.com.

If you make it, they will come: Texas Avenue Makers Fair returns Nov. 9Amjad Azzawe [email protected]

Conchita Iglesias-McElwee is one of many returning artists at the Texas Avenue Makers Fair. Photos by Aw, Snap Photography.


Any resident of Louisiana knows that our state is an old friend of the strange and unusual. That being said, you may not find it surprising that there are handfuls of examples showing that the laws that govern us are not exempt from the same odd trend. We too have our fair share of decrees that seem weird, unnecessary and sometimes downright crazy.

Making a false promise, for instance, runs you the risk of a year spent seeing the inside of your local prison. During your stay the law protects you even from yourself. Any prisoner that willingly injures themselves for whatever reason should expect the possibility of an additional two years added to their sentence.

If you are interested in sports, such as wrestling or boxing, then be aware. It is illegal to stage a fake wrestling match anywhere within Louisiana. If you find yourself a spectator at a licensed boxing event, think twice before you decide to vocally air any grievances you might have with the contenders, as it is illegal for spectators to mock one of the contestants; doing so earns you a swift removal from the hosting establishment. A lighter punishment compared to some of these others but one that still exists for such an occasion.

Do you consider yourself to be a prankster? Have you ever called in a surprise pizza delivery for an unsuspecting friend? If so, be careful not to get caught because you are looking at a $500 fine just because your friend did not authorize said pizza order. While you’re making sure to have careful fun with your pals, be wary to ever dare them to go onto railroad tracks. According to our very own law you are not allowed to perform any techniques which may indicate that you are inciting, soliciting, encouraging or even instigating such actions without risking up to at least six months in jail.

Some of the laws seem to be based in a reality not so foreign to our own. In 1977, a statute was created specifically to address the stealing of crawfish, a staple of Louisiana culture. Such a theft, if repeated, will eventually land the thief with a $2,000 fine or imprisonment for two years once caught. Theft of an alligator can lead the perpetrator to not only a $500 fine but the potential to be sentenced to at least 10 years of hard labor.

Keep in mind that many of these laws are old; some are outdated, and others just leave your head swimming as you try to

process the situation that led their creation and the mindset of those who wanted them enforced. There is a certain endearing quality about the thought that quite a few of these spawned from situations in which at least one person felt an emotion so strong that they had to stand up and take action. If these laws show anything it is that justice truly turns a blind eye to no one.

Louisiana legalese John Jackson

Do some of these seem too strange to be believed? You can find and read all of these

under the “Revised Statutes” section of the Louisiana Code of Law:

· RS 14:125 - False swearing· RS 14:404 - Self-mutilation by a prisoner· RS 4:75 - Sham or fake contests or exhibitions· RS 4:81 - Open betting or quoting of odds; insulting or abusive remarks· RS 14:68.6 - Unauthorized ordering of goods or services· RS 14:63.4 - Aiding and abetting others to enter or remain on premises where forbidden· RS 14:67.5 - Theft of crawfish; penalty· RS 14:67.13 - Theft of an alligator· RS 14:37.3 - Unlawful use of a laser on a police officer

Photo submissions by Jerry Underwood: “Bright Tree” (left) and “Fire” (right)


Put your signature mark on Shreveport through a new monthly event series, UNSCENE!

If you attended the debut of UNSCENE! in October you got just a taste of what spectacular talents are in the city. minicine?/Swampland, Inc.’s McNeill Street Pumping Station (MSPS) New Music Festival and UNSCENE! came together to create the MSPS Prelude on Friday, Oct. 11. A new vibe resonated in downtown Shreveport as the city celebrated experimental music, digital art and special lighting effects, local food, local and national talents and more. The people of northwest Louisiana showed up to support and participate in the festivities that took over the 700 block of Common Street. This block is just one of the nine blocks that make up the arts district known as Shreveport Common.

This area was once a bustling, vibrant shopping and residential area, but as decades passed, many buildings and homes fell to the wayside. In an effort to revitalize, restore and reinvigorate downtown’s beauty and charm, UNSCENE! was born.

This “anything goes” monthly event series, funded through several grants to the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC), is designed to show the potential of the area. Imagine new residential housing, new local and national businesses, ongoing entertainment, community gardens, public parks… Possibilities are endless.

One way of showcasing the potential is to showcase what greatness already exists in Shreveport Common. Following the prelude to the MSPS New Music Festival in October, on November 9, UNSCENE! is set to partner with the Texas Avenue Community Association’s Makers Fair.

The upcoming Makers Fair will be unlike anything seen before with spontaneous, live performances in the street, high energy exercising, an expansive variety of local art and food and a drive-in movie theater. That’s just some of what will be seen, and trust that it will be something you’ll have to see to believe.

Excited yet? Well there’s more… UNSCENE! needs you!

UNSCENE! is looking for artists of all art disciplines to add to the events each month. Individual artists and groups can apply to be a part of a multitude of activities, artist teams and even sell work in the monthly artist markets.

Activities include public art installations, fi lms projected in and on downtown buildings, exhibitions in UNexpected spaces, spoken word on stoops, theatre in the air, dance in the garden, giant puppet theatre in the alley, a juried Street Arts Market, innovative scavenger hunts, walking, biking and fl oat parades.

The UNSCENE! Series is for you to customize and make your own. This is your chance to bring out all of your incredible ideas and make your vision real!

The UNSCENE! management team reviews submissions monthly; applications must be received by deadline at least two months ahead of the month you want to join. If approved, they will then work with you to fi nd the perfect way to bond your project with the UNSCENE! theme of the month.

There are paid opportunities for artists, too, as well as volunteer opportunities for the public, allowing anyone in the community the opportunity to be right in the middle of the excitement!

As mentioned, artists must fi rst have an active profi le on the Northwest Louisiana Artists’ Directory to participate in UNSCENE! If you already have a profi le, great! If not, sign up at shrevearts.org/artists/. Eligibility rules and step-by-step instructions are located in the drop-down menu. Next, enter your active email account to start the process. Then add your profi le picture, Artist Statement, bio/resume and portfolio of work. Once your profi le and portfolio are approved and active, you’re ready to become UNSCENE!

Need help creating or updating your profi le? No problem. Contact SRAC’s Arts Resource Center Coordinator Tiana Kennell at (318) 673-6500 or by email at [email protected] to receive one-on-one assistance.

Directory Technical Assistance hours are Tuesdays 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., by appointment only, at Central ARTSTATION, located at 801 Crockett Street.

The Directory is a great way of getting to know the artists in your community and making artists known by the public. It is also the best way of getting direct information about workshops, entrepreneurial classes, artist gatherings and other special events and offers designed just for artists!

So start your planning now and get your Artist Call submission in! To stay up-to-date with UNSCENE!, “Like” the Facebook page at facebook.com/unscenesb, and follow on Twitter at @UNSCENESB.

Show us what you’ve got UNSCENE! calls all artists Tiana Kennell

HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN UNSCENE!:

1. Register on the Northwest Louisiana Artists’ Directory (www.shrevearts.org/artists) It’s a free, public database of Artists in the Region.

2. Visit www.unsceneshreveport.com. Take a look at the calendar for the line-up of the confi rmed national artists coming and decide which month(s) you’d like to participate.

3. Brainstorm how you can relate your artistic talents to the events OR…

4. Propose your own creation, exhibition, performance, or pop-up art experience.

5. Click the “For Artists” tab on the UNSCENE! website to see the list of Artist Calls.

6. Fill out an Artist Call application and submit it online for review by the UNSCENE! Management team.


In a promtional video posted on the Shreveport Bossier Mavericks website, the team is introduced as “Your new neighbors…,” referring to the transition of the American Basketball Association (ABA) team from its original home in Southeast Texas to the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum of Shreveport, La.

Locals, however, will definitely be able to recognize many of the stars on the Maverick roster that grew up right here in Shreveport-Bossier. For those of you who have not been keeping up with the ABA, the Southeast Texas Mavericks, under the direction of head coach Steve S. Tucker, won back-to-back League Championships in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. After sitting out the previous two seasons while negotiating the move to Shreveport-Bossier, this season’s team is ranked number three in the most recent Power Rankings, sitting behind the previous League Champion Jacksonville Giants and the runner-up North Dallas Vandals. With Coach Tucker traveling with the team to SBC, Larry Haygood will join as Assistant Coach with the mission to add local college

basketball standouts to a team stocked with few veteran playmakers.

Local legends from the Shreveport-Bossier area joining the team include Southwood’s Ed Horton, Centenary College’s and LSU Shreveport’s Tyrone Hamilton, LSU Shreveport’s Chris Gatlin and Josh Porter. Some might remember Porter’s miraculous story from 2006 when he broke his neck during an LSU Shreveport Pilots game and beat the odds by escaping full body paralysis. Not only does the idea of a local professional team give fans the ability to enjoy basketball games in their own backyard, the ABA

league also provides future rivalries with neighboring cities. Looking at the schedule, a matchup that will undoubtedly be billed as the “I-20 Showdown,” pits the Mavs against the Monroe Magicians.

Other possible rivalries include neighboring Texarkana Panthers, New Orleans Cougars and the North Dallas Vandals, who are the toughest on the schedule. With over 90 franchises all over the United States and no central website

that posts game scores or team rankings, it can be very confusing to keep track of ABA league leaders and playoff systems.

What I can guarantee: going to a Mavs game at Hirsch Coliseum and cheering on a highly ranked team stocked with local talent, which has a great chance at winning the championship, will be something both new and exciting for SBC residents.

MAV UP! New area basketball team gives locals something to cheer about

[email protected]

Artist Profile: Jeormie Journell

What kind of art do you do? Survey Says!

Where are you from? I was born in Las Vegas Nevada but grew up in a trailer park on a flood plane in Westwego, on the west bank of New Orleans. I went to high school in the small community of Elysian Fields Texas. Afterwards, I decided to go west to Austin Tx in 1995 and lived there until December of 2009.

How long have you lived in Shreveport? Since January 2010

What’s your favorite place/thing to do in Shreveport-Bossier? Downtown Shreveport and all the wonderful people and projects I get to work with/on.

What’s your favorite color? I was told that many of my coloring book characters were colored black with green eyes. So green.

What are your favorite colors to use in your art? Why?I like to use a wide spectrum of colors I’m my paintings, but using colors such as phthalo green and organic orange to excite the eye.

What was the first piece of art you ever completed?

A Paint by number horse 8”x10” oil on board.

If you had unlimited funds, what would you do? I would relax and travel but generally I would be doing the same thing. I would remain in in Shreveport, because that is where I won the lottery!

If you could be any animal what would you be? Human. We are a curious bunch.

What does being an artist mean to you? Never having to say you’re sorry, but I do anyway.

How, if at all, has the Shreveport-Bossier artistic scene changed while you’ve been working within it? I think it has grown and very much in a good way. Being relatively new to Shreveport I could be wrong. The company I keep is productive and continues to expand in a collaborative way.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? I am not quite sure, it just happened.

Did you have any idols/role models that helped facilitate this dream? Yes and the weird thing it is an auditory experience that inspires me. I have paintings titled after lyrics of song and albums. I also have an easel set up next to the tv and will listen to the news while painting. These turn out to be my more satirical works.

What words of advice would you give to young - or old - people pursuing an artistic life..? Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it helps to build your skill and build your style. Make what you enjoy producing because fighting a media or medium can create unnecessary roadblocks to your creativity.

What do you hope people feel from looking at your work? Gain? Experience? I hope they feel something if not it would be a failed attempt and I have had my share of those.

What do you like on your hamburger? Or are you vegan?Cheese

Garrett K. Johnson


Buddy Flett’s “Rough Edges:” a review

A moaner, a shouter, a storyteller, a string slinger: that’s Buddy Flett on his second solo song collection, “Rough Edges.” Not a ser-vile imitator of Delta blues musicians, yet a bluesman by the emotion in his stark singing and playing, singer-songwriter Flett has a distinct personality, a package of skills and traits that we call a voice.

I have a strong feeling that erstwhile blues singer Jack White would respect and dig Flett.

Flett’s voice reminds me of an armadillo twisting and turning in his burrow, trying to get comfortable and get some shuteye. The textures in his singing are being contorted constantly; Flett and his throat box do not fi nd rest easily.

Nothing’s fancy about Flett. Chrome slide on an old Gibson, straight through a small Fender amp. He also pumps a kick drum to mark time and add a simple bottom to his solo show. The sound is raw as a bleeding steak.

If you caught him in the 80’s playing jazzy lines on a red ES-335 in the successful regional rock and blues band called A Train you would have seen a different phase of his life. Today he has dropped self-conscious coolness for evocation of his grief. And your grief, too.

My favorite cuts are “Third house on the left,” “Dance for me” and “Nothing easy.” It should be noted that Flett writes most of his songs and has won success by writing songs with friend David Egan. Their songs have been recorded by John Mayall, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Percy Sledge and Tab Benoit.

Flett closes the album with a Lead Belly tune, “Bring me a li’l wa-ter, Sylvie.” There are a lot of similarities between the two men, both raised in Caddo Parish, La. Huddie Ledbetter, aka Lead Belly, was more than a bluesman. He was a songster. So is the latter day Caddo basher and slasher who’s made “Rough Edges,” Buddy Flett.

Robert E. Trudeau

Over 1,700 people gathered in Festival Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 19 to attend BREW – Shreveport-Bossier’s only beer festival. This premier beer tasting event is a popular attraction for area beer lovers and features over 150 fermented beauties from breweries all over the country, as well as local breweries and homebrewers.

With over 50 breweries represented, this year’s BREW offered an opportunity for people to learn about and try a variety of new styles. Though this festival isn’t specifi cally focused on just craft beers, the ratio of craft vs. non-craft has improved over the last couple of years. In fact, this year featured more homebrew variations than any year prior.

BREW is a big event for the novice and connoisseur alike. It is common for some distributors to introduce new products at the festival in preparation for launch in the Shreveport-Bossier market. Beer geeks come out in droves for local homebrew options and the opportunity of the fi rst taste of new beers in our market.

This year, Eagle Distributing of Shreveport introduced Goose Island’s Matilda, Sofi e, Pepe Nero and Pere Jacques; each of which will soon be available in bottles and on draft at premier retail establishments around town. They also brought a special cask of St. Arnold Brewing’s Icon Gold saison.

Glazer’s Distributing brought new-to-market offerings from NOLA, Samuel Adams and Shiner.

Festival-goers anxiously lined up to try offerings from the area’s two new breweries – Great Raft Brewing and Red River Brewing Company. Great Raft Brewing brought their fl agship black lager Reasonably CorruptTM, their Fest Bier and a special release of Ermagherd HopsTM, a double IPA. Great Raft Brewing sold their debut keg to the public just days prior to BREW and will introduce its beers throughout the market in early December. Along with three other special offerings, Red River Brewing brought their fl agship Louisiana Hayryed, which is now available on draft at Rotolo’s in Shreveport.

Despite this column’s focus, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention some of the phenomenal food featured at the festival. After all, we needed some grub to help balance the consumption of bubbly beverages. The food vendors really stepped up their game this year, and while the jumbo shrimp from Eldorado was

a crowd pleaser, my personal favorite was newcomer TD Express. Hailing from Frierson, TD Express is a mobile food cart with some phenomenal offerings, including fi sh tacos and fried boudin. We can only hope to see their truck somewhere around town again soon.

Each year, the number of available tickets has increased, and the event keeps selling out. I feel confi dent that the BREW festival will continue to grow in future years. With the added craft beer interest in our region and two craft breweries of our own, maybe we can see additional craft beer-focused events emerging in our area.

Lindsay Nations is Founder and Vice President of Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport.

The PourBREW Festival Recap -

A Toast to Shreveport’s Growing Beer Culture

Lindsay Johnson Nations

RHINOEVENTS

11/3 SHREVEPORT GREEN

COMPOST WORKSHOP11/22 THE AMINOS W/ A.J. HAYNES

11/23 INVISIBLE CHILDRENFREE AND ALL AGES.

FIND US : WWW.RHINOCOFFEE.COM

Robert E Trudeau has a city blog called Shreveport.blogspot.com, is a multi-media artist and teaches at Caddo Magnet High School.


Let’s face it. House shows are the best shows.

“Intimacy makes the house show the best setting for performance,” said local comedian Will McGrew. “When you don’t want to go to a bar, but you feel as if you should be social.”

I love sitting cross-legged in a packed room of friendly people while strings, voices and drums take over the conversation. I dig porch parties. I like meeting strangers. I love it when the yard fills up with people you don’t know and the ashtrays overflow.

“There is [no] false separation between performers and audience,” said Nathan Treme of why he enjoys house shows. “You’re not watching someone away from you on a stage; everyone is on the same level.”

It reminds me of The Hobbit when all the dwarves gradually piled up on Bilbo Baggins’ doorstep. Only when the night is done and the air is quiet do you realize how fun it is to enjoy music together in such a private setting. It’s urban, neighborly, punk rock magic.

David Bazan of Pedro the Lion performed one of the best house shows I’ve seen in Shreveport. He has come through our town twice on his Living Room Tours, and both times were awesome. If you don’t know of Bazan, you should. He is an established singer/songwriter from the Northwest, who cut his chops playing with bands like Fleet Foxes, Death Cab For Cutie and mewithoutyou at the turn of the new millennium. He has a storyteller’s approach to lyrics, and the music is catchy and purposeful and mostly medium paced.

After Bazan’s last house show in Shreveport, he sat and talked with a group of us for a while; Paul King of Index Drums gave him an electric singing-saw as a local souvenir. Bazan didn’t just toss it in the trunk with a quick “thank you;” he plugged it up immediately and began experimenting, kneeling on the saw whilst plucking it. The mood itself became electric.

This November, Bazan returns to Shreveport-Bossier for another intimate performance. There are only 60 tickets, so make sure you get one online. That’s right, online only. They won’t be sold at the door, because the location remains a secret until you buy the ticket. Kind of cool, right? See you there!

David Bazan Living Room ShowWhen: Monday, Nov. 11

Where: It’s a secret How: Undertowtickets.com

Living Room Shows:David BazanNodly

Patron is a five year old, eight pound chihuahua looking for a good home. He was pulled from Garland Animal Shelter where he was about to be euthanized. He mixes well with other dogs; is house

trained; is up to date on shots; neutered and is heartworm negative. 2 Girl’s Dog Rescue is a rescue that works out of foster homes in the

Shreveport-Bossier area. If you are interested in adopting Patron, email [email protected], or find the rescue organization on

Facebook at facebook.com/2GirlsDogRescue.

Pet of the Week

One of the joys of living local in a smallish city like ours is the chance to make a difference. And we’ve got a prime opportunity looming. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the City Council’s weekly meeting in the Council Chambers at Government Plaza, us folks from ABetterShreveport and as many allies as we can get will be showing our support for installing more trails and bike paths in our fair city. If you’re with us, come to the meeting that day wearing a white shirt, and if you like, say a few words in support of our effort!

You’d helping us ask the Council to hear our call for a more walkable, bikeable Shreveport; to see the possibilities we’ll be showing them; and to push the idea onto the agenda of the Infrastructure Committee. That committee is chaired by Councilman Jeff Everson, and he too wants more walking trails and bike paths. Dara Sanders is the planner for the city and parish’s Metropolitan Planning Commission, and she’s also on board. But Everson and Sanders can’t act without the Council asking them to, and the Council won’t likely do that unless WE ask them to do so.

But how about making some friends while we’re at it? Join us the night before and help us craft our statements. As usual on Monday nights, ABetterShreveport will be meeting at the Wright Math Building on Centenary’s campus from 6-7 p.m. This time, though, we won’t be talking Dog Park, Downtown Development, or Community Gardening, we’ll be focused on how to communicate the virtues of nature trails and bike paths. We’ll be reviewing what we plan to say, what maps to point to, images to show, etc. (Wait ‘til you see the new stuff that’s out there now!)

Of course, don’t feel you have to go to our meeting on Monday, Nov. 11, to show up at Government Plaza at the next day. And you don’t have to speak either, although each citizen can request up to three minutes. You’ll be saying something just by being in the audience with your white shirt.

So for all of us who know getting out and moving around under our own power is a key to health and happiness, it’s time to show up and be counted, wearing the color of a crosswalk--and maybe more importantly, a color you’re likely to have available and might be wearing anyway that day! Hope to see you there!

Living LocalWear white on Nov. 12 to show you want trails and bike paths!

By Dr. Loren Demerath

Dr. Loren Demerath is Chair of the Sociology Department at Centenary College and Executive Director of ABetterShreveport.


NOVE

MBER

1 / FRIDAY Free Fridays Forever: The Lackadaisies with Engine • Red River Distict, Downtown Shreveport • 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. • FREE

2 / SATURDAY Zumbathon for Adam’s Wish • Christ Fit Gym (1658 Benton Rd., Bossier City) • 1 to 4 p.m. • $10

Movies & Moonbeams: Remember the Titans • North Bossier Park • 6 p.m. • FREE

3 / SUNDAY Sunday in the Park • Oakland Cemetery • 1 to 5 p.m. • $5 suggested donation Adopt-a-Pup Pop-Up Shop • B’nai Zion Congregation (245 Southfield Rd., Shreveport) • 12 to 5 p.m. • FREE

4 / MONDAY Monday Night Blues Jam • Lee’s Lounge (639 E. Kings Hwy., Shreveport) • 8 p.m.

8 / FRIDAY OBJECT Exhibit Opening • Artspace (710 Texas St., Downtown Shreveport) • 6 to 9 p.m. • FREE

9 / SATURDAY Texas Avenue Makers Fair • Corner of Texas Avenue & Common Street • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. • FREE

11 / MONDAY David Bazan Living Room Show • SECRET LOCATION (visit undertowtickets.com) • 8 p.m. • $25 advance purchase only

14 / THURSDAY Dirty Redd Jam • Noble Savage (417 Texas St., Downtown Shreveport) • 8 p.m.

15 / FRIDAY Lions of Tsavo, Cloudbreather & Wartrodden • Fatty Arbuckle’s • 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. • $5

16 / SATURDAY 4th Annual Red River Clean Up • Stoner Boat Launch • All Day Roller Derby: Twin City Knockers vs. Quad State Derby Dames • Hot Wheels South (1902 Alfred Lane, Bossier City) • 6 p.m. • $10-$15

NOVEMBER

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Volume 1, Issue 3

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