Gb oct scene

GREEN BAY • DE PERE EDITION | WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM | OCTOBER 2015
SC NE EVOLUNTARY 75¢
Midtown Men...

L2 | SceneNewspaper.com | Green Bay • De Pere | October 2015

October 2015 | Green Bay • De Pere | SceneNewspaper.com | L3
GREEN BAY • DE PERE
EDITION
Advertising deadline for November is October 20 at 5 p.m. Submit ads to
ads@scenenewspaper.com.The SCENE is published monthly by Calumet
Press, Inc.The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics, current
events, arts and entertainment, and daily living.We retain sole ownership
of all non-syndicated editorial work and staff-produced advertisements
contained herein. No duplication is allowed without permission from
Calumet Press,Inc.2015.
PO Box 227 •Chilton,WI
53014 •920-849-4551
Calumet
PRESSINC.
L4
Patrick Mares
Steve Lonsway
Kimberly Fisher
Trisha Derge
Jean Detjen
Dobie Maxwell
Rob Zimmer
Blaine Schultz
Jane Spietz
Rick Berg
James Page
George Halas
CONTENTS
SCENE STAFF
Publisher James Moran • 920.418.1777
jmoran@scenenewspaper.com
Associate Publisher & Ad Sales
Norma Jean Fochs • 715.254.6324
njfochs@scenenewspaper.com
CONTRIBUTORS
L10
L8
COVER STORY
L4 Midtown Men...
FINE ARTS
R6 Foxy Finds
L10 Amy Eliason
FOOD & DRINK
L8 Brewer’s Crown Jewels
R2 Brewmaster
R4 From the Wine Cave
R4 Tricia’s Table
ENTERTAINMENT
R8 Dobie Maxwell
R12 Postcard from Milwaukee
R14 Concert Watch
R18 Live From Japan
R19 Kurt Shipe
R20 CD Review: Boxkar
R22 Jazz at the Trout
R23 Eminance Rocks!
R24 Andy Mertens
SPORTS
R16 Packers @ Play
OUTDOORS
R10 Rob Zimmer
EVENT CALENDARS
R26 Live Music
L12 The Big Events

ENTERTAINMENT // SERIOUSLY FUNNY
Midtown Men...
Ready to take the Weidner
by Storm
BY PATRICK MARES
The Midtown Men have been crooning 60’s hits since they met in Broadway’s hit,
Jersey Boys, a dramatic reenactment of the history of the band The Four Seasons. But
these boys are men now, and in the 10 years they’ve been singing together they’ve grown
as an act, and as a team.
Founding member Daniel Reichard took some time to tell us how they got where they
are today and why it’s worth your time to check them out when they swing by the Green
Bay Weidner Center, October 27.

SCENE: Were you immediately sure
you wanted to continue with the same style
of music after leaving Jersey Boys?
Daniel Reichard: Who knew? It’s so
funny. We all left Jersey Boys at differ-
ent times and we all went on to do other
things. And before we started doing the
tour together we were singing together out-
side the theater when we were in the show,
singing other songs from the 60’s. That’s
how the group started. After we left the
show people kept asking us to sing for
them. So we would go to a big gala or fun-
draiser, or we’d play in Atlantic City. It just
kind of kept going. There’s this desire for
people to hear us sing this kind of music, so
the opportunity kind of chose us.
SCENE: After we were out of the show
for a couple years, you decided to give it
a try?
DR: To see what it’s like to live the
life of a rock and roll band, yes. We
started touring in 2010, and we haven’t
looked back. Jersey Boys had been such a
life-changing experience for all of us, but
I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of a
success that I’ve had as I’ve realized during
this run as The Midtown Men, because
we’ve done it ourselves. We put a lot of
our determination, our ambition, into this
project. And now we’ve done over 450
concerts together. We’ve played with some
29 symphonies. It’s one of those stories
like when a group of people gets together
and they say, what’s our dream? Well our
dream is to tour like a rock and roll band,
and tell our story, and share our friend-
ship with our country. Actually making it
happen it’s such a satisfying feeling.
SCENE: You have to love that era of
music.
DR: The catalog of the 1960’s music
scene is so fascinating, so diverse. We’re
always considering new songs to put in the
show. It’s not about Jersey Boys. It’s about
the four of us, our connection to each other
and to the music.
SCENE: Now that you are your own
bosses have you found you have more time
to work on side projects or spend time with
family?
DR: Our touring season is like a school
year, from September to June, and summer
months off.
And then I do shows on my own, sing-
ing the standards in New York City, and I
also do my own Christmas thing every year
where all the proceeds go to different chari-
ties. The commitment of being on the road
makes it very hard to do anything but small
projects. But those projects are inspiring,
and kind of creative while you’re touring.
SCENE: After your run with the Jersey
Boys, you all went your separate ways.
How did you reconnect?
DR: What was so amazing about
the success and the outreach of the show
was we were still getting asked to come
back together and sing at a Red Cross
Benefit, or we’d sing at a celebrity’s birth-
day party. And after a while, we kind of
accidentally put a show together. We’d tell
all these stories. We’d have all these great
songs by the Beatles and the Drifters, and
the Turtles, the Mama’s and the Papa’s,
Buffalo Springfield, the Zombies. In early
2010 I called everyone and said, “All right,
we’re going to hire an agent, we’re going to
see if we can get this moving.” The second
year I think we doubled the amount of
concerts we booked.
SCENE: How have you developed as a
group over the last decade?
DR: First of all when we’re on stage
together it’s like home. It is such a feeling
of familiarity and comfort for all of us. It’s
just who we are now. Being next to each
other on stage and being a team is some-
thing that feels good to us. I think a lot of
the stress of starting a business has subsided
because we’ve been doing it for a while. We
all decide and agree on what shows to do,
what shows not to do, what we’re going to
wear, what songs we’re going to sing.
SCENE: Do you assume roles not just
on stage, but behind the scenes?
DR: It’s so funny because we choreo-
graph everything together. We do all the
arrangements together. We’re total control
freaks about the show. We have an amazing
arranger named Jessie Bargas. But overall,
we just like to have the true ownership of
everything, so we want to take responsibil-
ity for almost everything we do, even the
artwork and posters.
SCENE: If you had to choose a char-
acter from Scooby Doo for each of the four
of you, who would you choose and why?
DR: Robert would be Shaggy because
he’s super-fast. I would be Fred, because
I’m the most stylish. Michael would be
Velma, that’s what I want to say, because
he’s the short one. And Christian is
Scooby, because that just makes me laugh.
SCENE: At least no one ended up as
Scrappy Doo.
DR: Oh no. That’s who Mike would
be, Scrappy!
SCENE: Give us a pitch. Tell us why
our readers need a little Midtown Men in
their lives.
DR: I look out over our audiences
every day. And I’ve seen them transform
over the course of an evening. I see their
bodies change and their faces change and
their expressions light up. Our show is a
nice escape from the tough world these
days. You’re going to hear a broad range
of songs, so it’s a full course meal as far as
music from the 1960’s. We like to think
of ourselves as striving to be a modern day
Rat Pack. Guys that dress up in nice suits,
goof around a lot, but when it comes time
to sing, we really give it all we’ve got. And
that’s what people can expect. It’s an old-
fashioned show business experience.
SCENE: You tell stories on stage?
DR: Yes, and the stories change. But a
lot of them are memories from Jersey Boy-
things that happened backstage while we
were on Broadway, or things that fans have
said to us when we were signing autographs
after the show. It’s basically little vignettes
about what our experience as showmen
together is like. We like to make fun of
ourselves basically.
Ourselves and one
another.
As original cast
members of Broad-
way’s Jersey Boys,
they took the world
by storm. From the
development of Jersey
Boys, through their
historic Three season
run on Broadway,
THE MIDTOWN
MEN are together
again, doing what
they do best: “Sixties
Hits With A Modern
Twist.” Tony Award
winner Christian Hoff,
Michael Longoria,
Daniel Reichard and
Tony Award nominee
J. Robert Spencer are
taking their sensational
sound on the road,
bringing to life their
favorite “Sixties Hits”
from The Beatles, The
Beach Boys, Motown, The Four Seasons
and more.
THE MIDTOWN MEN are lifting
audiences to their feet in venues across the
continent, realizing the dream they brought
to life as the iconic Four Seasons. THE
MIDTOWN MEN is the next chapter for
these accomplished entertainers, making
them the first vocal group ever formed by
the principal cast of a high-profile Broad-
way show.
Not only have they continued to win
over audiences of all ages in nearly 2,000
live shows, their self-titled debut album,
THE MIDTOWN MEN: Sixties Hits
was met with critical acclaim and garnered
5 star album reviews across iTunes. The
album was recorded in New York City and
features the group performing such iconic
‘60s hits as, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Up On
The Roof,” “Time Of The Season,” “Candy
Girl” and more. They also recorded their
first radio single “All Alone On Christmas”
with producer Steven Van Zandt and mem-
bers of Springsteen’s E Street Band with
appearances on Good Morning America,
Katie, The Chew and Access Hollywood
Live.
COVER STORY // MIDTOWN MEN

COVER STORY // MIDTOWN MEN
Michael Longoria is
proud to be joining his
fellow Broadway col-
leagues as The Midtown
Men. Michael is best
known for his celebrated
turn on Broadway as
Frankie Valli in the Tony
Award Winning musical
“Jersey Boys.” Hollywood
born and Broadway bound, Longoria
trained at the Los Angeles County High
School for the Arts, then headed east to
attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts,
where he earned himself a BFA in Drama.
Michael made his Broadway debut in the
smash hit musical “Hairspray” (2003 Tony
award for Best Musical), later creating the
role of Joey in the original Broadway cast
of “Jersey Boys” (2006 Tony award for
Best Musical) before taking over the role
of Frankie Valli and taking his career to
new heights beginning with performing
solo for hundreds of thousands of fans in
Times Square for Broadway On Broadway.
He went on to numerous performances on
television, including “Broadway Under The
Stars: A Tribute To Harold
Prince”, The US Open and
the “America’s GotTalent”,
season nine finale with
Susan Boyle and Shakira.
His journey recently led
him back to Atlantic City
with feature performance
in “That’s Life! with Joe
Piscopo” at Caesar’s. Other
theatrical credits include Peter Pan in “Peter
Pan & Wendy” at the Prince Music Theater,
for which he earned a Barrymore Award
nomination for Best Actor in a musical;
Chino in “West Side Story” at the Walnut
Street Theatre; Mark in “A Chorus Line” at
Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center; and
Chuck in “Avenue X” at the Abe Burrows
Theater. In Europe, he performed the role
of Paul in the German Tour of “A Chorus
Line”, and Baby John in “West Side Story”
at the famed Teatro alla Scala-Milan. As a
singer-songwriter, Longoria has shared his
one of a kind talent at such venues as New
York City’s CB’s Gallery, Cutting Room,
Joe’s Pub, The Knitting Factory, and Caro-
line’s on Broadway.
Christian Hoff is
thrilled to reunite with
The Midtown Men. He
won a Tony Award for his
performance as Tommy
DeVito in “Jersey Boys”,
as well as Drama Desk
Award, Drama League
Award and Outer Critics
Circle Award nomina-
tions. He was named “The Master of
Mimicry” by Entertainment Weekly when
his voicing of over 200 characters surpassed
the audio book world record and was
named Audio Book of The Year. His voice-
over career was launched as the voice of
Richie Rich in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon
series. Favorite stage roles include King
Herod in the national revival tour of “Jesus
Christ Superstar,” Governor Hugh Dorsey
in the Los Angeles revival of “Parade,” the
Original LA cast of “Evita,” George M.
Cohan in “George M!,” Will Rogers in
“The Will Rogers Follies,” Huck in “Big
River,” and his Broadway debut in the
Tony Award winning “The Who’s Tommy.”
He recorded Grammy winning cast albums
for both “Jersey Boys” and “The Who’s
Tommy” with famed Beatles producer
George Martin. Christian
has appeared on NBC’s
“Law & Order: SVU,”
portrayed D.A. Richard
Blackman on ABC’s “Ugly
Betty,” federal prosecutor
Thomas Grady on NBC’s
“Law and Order: Criminal
Intent” and the recur-
ring role of Marty on
ABC’s “All My Children.” Other credits:
“Encino Man,” “Star Trek IV,” “Honor
Thy Mother,” “In Love and War,” “From
The Dead of Night,” “Rockadoodle,” “21
Jump Street,” “ER,” “JAG,” “Party of Five,”
“Millennium,” “The Commish,” “Beverly
Hills 90210,″ and celebrity guest appear-
ances on “The Tonight Show,” “The Today
Show,” “Regis,” “The Late Show,” “Dick
Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve” and “Jeop-
ardy.” In the acclaimed festival film “Bad
Dog and Superhero,” Christian sings and
performs the entire original film score. He
has enjoyed solo performances in New York
City’s Cutting Room, Joe’s Pub, Metropoli-
tan Room, BB Kings, Town Hall as well as
two appearances at Carnegie Hall. Chris-
tian is a proud husband and father of five.
J. Robert Spencer
is excited to return to
making music with The
Midtown Men. A Tony
Award Nominated Actor,
Independent Film Direc-
tor, Producer, and Writer,
he originated the role of
Nick Massi in the Tony
and Grammy Award
winning “Jersey Boys”. He also originated
the role of Dan Goodman in the Pulitzer
Prize winning Broadway musical “Next To
Normal,” for which he received nomina-
tions for both the Helen Hayes Award for
Outstanding Lead Actor, and Tony Award
for Best Performance by a Leading Actor
in a Musical. He has voiced two animated
features: “Nightmare Campus” and the
critically acclaimed, award winning “Grave
of the Fireflies.” His portrayal as a psycho-
pathic killer named Bob in the independent
feature film “Night of the Dog” earned him
a Best Supporting Actor Nomination at
the SMMASH Film Festival. The film won
Audience Awards for best feature film at
Palm Beach, Santa Barbara, SMMASH and
PBIFF. J. Robert’s independent film com-
pany 7 Spencer Productions, with which
he produced, wrote, starred and directed
the comedy “Farm Girl In
New York”. The film was
featured on The Today
Show with Ann Currey
and Al Roker, and was
the official selection of the
Sacramento International
Film Festival (Nominated
for Best Comedy and
Best Actress,) as well as
Big Apple, Atlanta, Buffalo Niagara, and
Seattle True Independent Film Festivals,
distributed by Maverick Entertainment.
He recently produced and starred in his
second independent feature titled “Het-
erosexuals.” With Wood Media Films,
he executive produced an environmental
documentary titled “On Coal River,” an
official selection of Silverdocs, Camden,
Hamptons, Chesapeake and New Orleans
Film Festivals. Through Sony Masterworks,
he appeared with Keith Lockhart and the
Boston Pops in PBS’s “Handel’s Messiah
Rocks,” for which he was Nominated
for a Midwest Emmy Award for Best On
Camera Performance by a Leading Actor.
J. Robert is the recipient of an Honorary
Doctorate of Fine Arts from Shenandoah
University.
Daniel Reichard is
honored to join musical
forces once again with
The Midtown Men.
Daniel, a native of Cleve-
land, Ohio, is best known
for his portrayal of chief
songwriter and original
Four Seasons member
Bob Gaudio in the box-office smash
“Jersey Boys”, a role he originated both on
Broadway and in the La Jolla Playhouse
premiere along with colleagues Christian
Hoff and J. Robert Spencer. He followed
the success of “Jersey Boys” with a criti-
cally acclaimed performance as Candide in
Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” at the New
York City Opera. After graduating with
a BFA from the University of Michigan,
Daniel made his New York City debut
with the original cast of the world-famous
“Forbidden Broadway: 20th Anniversary
Celebration”. His signature style and talent
paved the way to starring roles in New York
City and across the country, including his
triumphant portrayal of
artist and social activist
Keith Haring in “Radiant
Baby” at Joe Papp’s Public
Theater; Man in “The
Thing About Men,” whose
original cast album he also
appears on; and Emmet in
the world premiere of the
musical version of Jim Henson’s “Emmet
Otter’s Jugband Christmas” at the Good-
speed Opera House. A gifted pianist and
concert singer, Daniel has had sold-out
engagements at New York City’s Joe’s Pub,
Metropolitan Room, Ars Nova and repeat
appearances at 54 Below. Other concert
appearances include Symphony Space, The
Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, BB Kings,
Town Hall, Triad Theater, Firebird and the
Cutting Room, as well as guest appear-
ances with the Arkansas and Grand Rapids
Symphonies. He can be seen as Frankie in
the 20th anniversary film version of the
international hit musical-comedy “Forever
Plaid.”

501 Packerland Drive
Green Bay, Wisconsin
(920) 496-5127

FOOD & DRINK // TITLETOWN BREWERY
BY PATRICK MARES
The former Larsen Cannery at 320
North Broadway is barely recognizable
from how it looked not much more than a
year ago. The building across from the now
revitalized shopping district on Broadway
Street stood empty until Titletown Brew-
ery took an interest in the property, and
last October it opened with a new lease on
life.
These days the building is as busy as it
gets. The old cannery now has a tenant in
every available business space, from chiro-
practors and financial advisers to The Can-
nery, an upscale market and restaurant.
But that’s not to say Titletown is being
outdone. By the time you read this article,
they will have put the finishing touches on
the third of their public-facing facilities
in the building, the rooftop garden, an
indoor/outdoor bar and eatery.
The man behind the design of the
garden, and much of the restoration
project is Pat Ostroth, who is overseeing
the fitting of a sleek new fireplace with an
antique steel fire door. He said the rede-
sign of the cannery is just as intimately
concerned with restoring and salvaging
materials, as the original restaurant in the
old train station.
“All the old wood you see,” Pat
said “that came out of the house that was
built in 1898 in Broadway, De Pere next
to the Lawton’s house. Those are actual
fans we pulled out of the other [cannery
building].”
Brad Weycker, Titletown’s president,
showed us one of many old photos they
found, one with a delivery man in it is the
grandfather of Lea, one of the managers.
“Her grandpa drove for Rahr Brewing
Company,” Brad said “which was the last
brewery in Green Bay.”
Weycker was particularly excited
about a new system that will allow them
to page patrons when there’s a significant
wait. Food will be available in the garden.
They’re still planning the final menu, but it
looks like they will have a limited version
from the restaurant across what he likes to
call the ‘Titletown campus.’
The roof area, and the whole building is
a beautiful combination of old-meets-new.
The industrial concrete and piping pre-
served from the original building clashing
beautifully with the smooth lines and bold
colors of newer construction. Touches like
the steel and aqua portholes in the Tap
Room floor where the cannery cookers
were, and the old chimney now holding
the Titletown letters, and sheathed in a
glass base set the place apart and remind
visitors of what used to be, while lending
ambiance to what is.
Weycker did complain that the plant
was already pretty cleaned out when the
restaurant moved in.
“Actually, they kind of scrapped a lot
of it out,” he said “So even if we’d wanted
Brewer’s Crown Jewels
Rooftop Garden Crowns the Titletown Brewery in the old Larsen Cannery

October 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R1

R2 | SceneNewspaper.com | October 2015
FOOD & DRINK // BREWMASTER
BY STEVE LONSWAY
When it is beer article writing time,
we choose our beer source differently each
month. This month we went to the nearby
beer store and purchased a beer that could
have easily been grabbed from any of our
brew team’s refrigerator.
This month we are focusing on All Day
IPA from Founders Brewing Company of
Grand Rapids Michigan.
We poured our 12 ounce “samples”
into imperial pint glasses. An immediate
rush of fine bubbles rushed to the surface
as it was poured leaving a perfect head of
dense foam. The liquid itself is a beautiful
pale golden color with just a hint of amber
tones. Tiny bubbles hung on tight to the
sides, but continued to release from the
bottom surface of the glass.
The nose of this brew is reminiscent of
a fresh flower garden with tons of emphasis
on citrusy fruits. Orange and grapefruit
are the most common descriptors our
team used with pine being mentioned as
well. All the fine citrus notes and fresh hop
tones works so nicely with a very pleasing
yeast scent and the all-important bready
malt characteristic. This is what hop heads
crave (we know because we are all guilty as
charged)!
The flavor of the All Day IPA is packed
with a gentle yet obvious hop character
that works so well with the fruitiness the
yeast attributes. With a mere 4.7% alco-
hol by volume, it is crucial that any one
component of this beer doesn’t overwhelm
the other senses. The way the malt, hops
and yeast all coexist is the reason this beer
is found in the personal stock of many
brewers, at least on our team.
Great yeast flavor, malt backbone is
evident but certainly not aggressive, and
the hop bill (measuring 42 International
Bitterness Units) is maximized to perfec-
tion to create a great IPA flavor profile
without the common side effects of IPA’s
i.e. extreme dryness, bitter, over hopped.
The finish is soft, and lingers in flavor.
When it’s all said and done, it is a very
refreshing libation that keeps on giving.
On to the makers; Founders Brew-
ing Company started back in 1996 and
was renamed just a year later to Canal
Street Brewing. At the time, their label
proudly boasted breweries of old that once
resided on Canal Street in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. Just above the black and white
picture of the Canal Street breweries was
the word “Founders.” This eventually
caught on, and is now used as the brewing
company’s brand name.
Founders has gone on to win several
national beer awards from prestigious
events like the World Beer Cup and the
Great American Beer Festival. Their brew-
ery and a few of their beers rate near the
top on popular beer sites such as Ratebeer
and BeerAdvocate.
The brewery’s tap room deserves a
visit if in the Grand Rapids area. What
awaits you inside is a large bar room and
an impressively long bar. Seperating you
from the outside, is a series of glass panel
doors that fortunately were open on the
day we visited just a month ago. On the
other side of the opened doors was a very
inviting outdoor patio area that made you
feel as though you’re in your best friends
back yard. Back inside, a large stage sepa-
rates you from the brewery windows that
overlook a beautiful collection of stainless
steel tanks where the magic happens!
With a food menu consisting primarily
of appetizers, soups, salads and sandwiches
made with locally baked bread, we are
confident you will find a beer, or two, that
pairs well with each dish. It certainly helps
that they offer 12 to 14 different brews at
a time including a hand pulled selection
just to entice. A large company store meets
you upon exit and too, deserves a visit.
Cutting edge merchandise for a class act
brewery!
FINAL WORD: Exceptional session
pale ale, and a great brewery worthy of a
beercation!
Founders All Day IPA
Revisit a significant chapter in the life of
our nation, as seen through the eyes of
one of the most popular and beloved
American artists, Norman Rockwell.
Norman
Rockwell:A Portrait of America
now - oct. 25
Admission:
Members – FREE
General - $6, Senior/Student - $4
Child 5-10 - $2
Child 4 and under – FREE
Museum Hours:
Tues-Sat: 10:00am-4:00pm
Extended Thurs: 4:00pm-8:00pm
Sun: Noon-4:00pm
Free parking downtown after 6pm
info@troutmuseum.org
www.troutmuseum.org
111 West College Ave.
Appleton, WI 54911
Thank you to our exhibit sponsors:
Dr. Monroe & Sandra Trout
Bergstrom at Victory Lane

Call us today at 920-849-2222
23 W Main Street, Chilton, WI 53014
www.thielrealestate.com
IntheAuction&
RealEstateBusiness
Full-TimeSince1919!
Jerry Thiel
WI Auctioneer #291
Kendall Thiel
WI Auctioneer #724
Real Estate and Auction Service covering all of Northeast Wisconsin.
Personal property, Real Estate, Charity Auctions. We can help you settle
estates, liquidate business assets, sell your farm. We sell it all!

BY KIMBERLY FISHER
Portugal is a wine region full of oppor-
tunity with a wide variety of landscapes
and growing conditions perfect for viti-
culture. Such diversity allows Portuguese
winegrowers to produce a broad range of
wines. Water and sunshine are the life-
blood of the vine. There is ample rainfall
along the coastal regions, while the interior
of Portugal offers a much drier, hotter
climate.
In the 1960’s and 70’s, inexpensive,
semi-sweet, slightly effervescent roses such
as Lancers and Mateus became popular.
From the 1980’s onward, we find many
producers making still wines. In 1986,
entry into the European Union spurred
research and financial investing towards
building many new state of the art winer-
ies.
The Minho coastal region is home to
the famous white wine known as Vinho
Verde. Vinho Verde is made from the
grapes of Alvarinho (also called Albarino in
Spain), Loureiro, the most planted white
grape variety and Trajaduar. Vinho Verde
thus is not a grape, but rather a name that
means green wine. It can be white, red or
rose. Some notable producers are Twin
Vines, Aveleda and Octave.
Mountains can play a significant role
in viticulture by protecting vineyards from
excessive rainfall and stressful wines. Vine-
yards planted on high elevations, experi-
ence cooler growing conditions, keeping
acidity in check and allowing the grapes
to maintain a balance between sugars and
tannins.
In the Douro region, the Portuguese
have experienced great success with forti-
fied wine. Portugal offers over 300 grape
varieties in the country and they are avail-
able as a pure expression of a single grape
or as a blend.
Some of the best Porto (Port) wines
are made in the traditional manner. Porto
can be made from one harvest or a blend
of years. It is the aging period that deter-
mines the wines style and how it may be
labeled. The two main types are the ruby
or vintage style, which is bottled young,
and the wood or tawny style, which is aged
longer in a cask prior to bottling. Tawny
ports are aged at least six years in the cask
before release.
Primary red varietals included in the
making of Port include:
Touriga Nacional: An early ripening
variety that typically produces lower yields.
Aromas include mulberry, black cherry,
violets, rose petal, strawberry, cardamom,
bergamot and gamy scents reminiscent of
smoked meat.
Tinta Roriz: Also known as Tempra-
nillo in Spain, this grape produces wine
with lots of sugar, body, astringency and
potential for longevity. The nose is often
floral, herbal and spicy while on the palate
are berry and licorice flavors.
Tinta Barroca: This is a thinned
skinned grape growing best in cooler sites
along the Douro where it is a component
of blended dry wines and sweet Porto’s.
It produces wine with softer tannins and
lower acidity and adds good, deep rich
color and a floral fruity nose.
Tinta Cao: This grape takes a long time
to develop and lends longevity and com-
plexity to blended wines. It produces wine
with floral and fruit flavors with a hint of
spiciness.
Touriga Franca: The last of the top
five grapes in the Douro this is the most
aromatic with scents of herbs. The grape
contributes good sugar, acid and fruit
qualities.
Some key producers from the Douro
are Cockburns and Dows. Dows BomFim
is a wonderful expression of still wine com-
prised of the top five red varietals. Whether
you are interested in refreshing whites, still
or fortified wines from Portugal, now is the
time to tap into the undiscovered area that
offers so much adventure.
Kimberly Fisher is Director of Fine Wine
Sales for Badger Liquor & Spirits
From the Wine Cave
FOOD & DRINK // FROM THE WINE CAVE
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 large Egg
2 tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup Milk
3/4 of one 15oz. can of Pumpkin Pie Mix
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredi-
ents and mix.
2. Spray skillet with non-stick vegetable
oil, heat over medium heat
3. Spoon two tablespoons of batter onto
skillet to form each pancake.
4. Cook 2 minutes, or until they begin
to bubble, then flip and cook 2 more
minutes.
Pumpkin!!
INGREDIENTS:
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Olive Oil
1 cup canned Pumpkin Pie Mix
1/4 cup Milk
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (optional, but
why not?!)
1. Preheat over to 350 F
2. Lightly spray muffin pan with veg-
etable oil, or use cupcake liners
3. Combine eggs, oil, pumpkin mix,
milk and sugar in medium bowl and
blend with mixer.
4. Add salt, baking soda, allspice, cinna-
mon, flour and chocolate chips and
mix by hand until all dry ingredients
are moistened.
5. Spoon into muffin pan, filling each
cup 3/4 full.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes.
7. Cool on a wire rack.
October is the month of fall harvest and I want to share Cousin Earl’s Great Pumpkin
Pancake recipe, and Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffin recipe with you!
Another favorite this time of year is Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffins!

Experience the magic of live performance in a cool little historic venue
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR ALL EVENTS!
506 Mill St
Green Lake, WI 54941
920.294.4279
info@thrasheroperahouse.com
www.thrasheroperahouse.com
Visit website for more info!
Friday, October 30 | $25 | 7:30 p.m.
Doo-Wah Riders | Tight musicianship
and powerful arrangements described as
“high energy country with a cajun twist.”
Saturday, November 14 | $26 | 7:30 p.m.
Tom Chapin | With three GRAMMY
awards & 23 albums, Chapin’s also acted
on Broadway, in films and on television.
Saturday, December 19 | $15 | 7:30 p.m.
Switchback: A Midwestern Christmas
Holiday songs interspersed with lively
reels, jigs and originals.
Saturday, November 7 | $12 | 3 p.m.
Dog Loves Books | ArtsPowers newest
family-friendly muscial about the irresist-
ible Dog who loves everything about books.
Thursday, October 1 | $44 | 7:30 p.m.
Los Lonely Boys | Texican Rock n’ Roll.
Debut/Grammy Award winning song,
“Heaven,” reached No. 1 on the charts.
Saturday, October 24 | $18 | 7:30 p.m.
The Ballroom Thieves | An emerging
new band with a mélange of acoustic
styles of folk and pop music.
Friday, November 27 | $20 | 7:30 p.m.
VIVO | Lively & contemporary jazz-pop
bossa-samba music ensemble and 2015
WAMI winner for Jazz Artist of the Year!
Saturday, December 12 | $25 | 7:30 p.m.
Alley Cats: A Harmoniously Hysterical
Holiday Hit | Songs for the holiday with
America’s premiere doo-wop group.
SOLD OUTPresents:
The Historic City Hall Auditorium
All shows and dates subject to change
• 201 E Main St. Waupun, WI 53963 •
October 9, 2015
America’s Favorite Cowboys
Riders In The Sky
Cowboy Music and Comedy
Doors Open at 6:00pm
Show starts at 7:00pm
October 24, 2015
Rock, Roll and Remember
The Avalons
A Memorable Journey through the ‘50s,
‘60s and early ‘70s
Doors Open at 6:30pm
Show starts at 7:30pm
Series
The Culver’s Holiday Series
November 14, 2015
Let Me Be Frank Production presents
Rahr’s Beer and
Prison City USA
16th Season of Original Scripts for Musical Theater
Doors Open at 6:00pm Show Starts at 7:00 pm
All Seats Reserved
December 5, 2015 Boogie and the Yo-Yo’z
December 19, 2015 It’s A Wonderful Life
Waupun Community Players - A Live Radio Play
For More Information: www.CityHallStage.com or call 920-268-8005
Copies of Fond du Lac Scene available at these Waupun locations:
American Hotel and Suites, City Hall, Kwik Trip, The Other Bar,
Bishop’s Car Wash & Polishing, Thirsty Marlins, The Goose Shot,
Jud-Sons Bowling Alley, Our Bar, Mike’s Wild Boar Liquor Store
Tickets available at or AmericInn in Waupun

FINE ARTS // FOXY FINDS
Foxy FindsBY JEAN DETJEN,ARTFUL LIVING
Cheers to living
artFULLY in the
heart of Wisconsin!
Send your sugges-
tions for Jean’s Foxy
Finds to jdetjen@
scenenewspaper.com
One-of-a-kind vintage metal coffee pot with bold
hand-painted flower by Art on Artesia (artist: Lisa
Ritchie) $55. Find this happiness-inspiring piece and
many more artisan offerings at The Plaid Squirrel
Art Gallery and Gift Store on the east shore of Lake
Winnbago, north of Fond du Lac. This delightful
shop is owned by two sisters who seek out unique
items created by local artists, upcycled home decor,
furniture, garden pieces, jewelry and more.
Colorful woven print fit-and-flare shift dress by Everly. Lightweight
polyester fabric makes this an easy, comfortable layering piece. Works
double time as a tunic over leggings or skinny jeans. $47 in women’s
sizes S-M-L. Found at The Revival in Menasha and Waupaca where
you are sure to be delighted by their chic, unique, affordable fashion,
home décor, and art.
Indulge your Wisco state enthusiasm with these
eye-catching tile coasters in a variety of fun patterns
and colors. Found at Market Boutique on Main,
Oshkosh, and made by the shop’s owner/artist Connie
Day. $2.95 each or $10 for a set of four. Market
Boutique on Main specializes in unique handmade
jewelry, soaps, candles, t-shirts, hair accessories,
scarves, kids clothing, baby gifts, blankets, home décor
and more. The store
gladly accepts custom
orders and offers a
Creative Space for
DIY projects, parties
and workshops.
Bring in Autumn in style with this
mock neck brushed cotton pullover by
Jeremiah. Rugged looking yet supersoft
to the touch. Details include contrast
stitching, three-button placket, and
ribbed collar and cuffs. Shown here in
Burgundy. $118. Choose from a range
of Men’s sizes and seasonal colors.
Available at Bill Paul Ltd., a Men’s
& Women’s Specialty Clothing Store
in downtown Neenah.
Elegant Tahitian pearl accent stretch bracelets by GELLNER
(Germany) in a variety of luxe metals. $149 each. These look
fabulous worn singly or layered. Find these and a wide range
of eclectic artisan pieces at Studio 247 Fine Jewelry in
Appleton. Newly opened, the store has something for everyone:
engagement, special occasion, estate, fashion, sterling silver,
luxurious gold, minerals and tasteful display items, custom,
and vintage.
Willows Bend in
Appleton is proud to
display and sell beautiful
velvet pumpkins from Hot
Skwash, all handcrafted
by artisans from Portland
Oregon. Each decorative
pumpkin, available in an
array of sizes, is created us-
ing rich tones of velvet and
are finished with a natural
pumpkin or squash stem.
No two are alike and each
one is perfect for fall décor.
Look to Willows Bend
when looking for a special
gift, a little something to
flourish a well-established
nest, or a team to help you
furnish a new home or
office.
Edgy rocker chic hand-
bags by Miss Me from
Cate and Company,
Waupaca. Studs, fringe,
grommet, and logo de-
tailing make these stand
out. Various vegan faux
leather styles, shown here
in black, pewter and
camel. Prices vary. Cate
and Company offers
one of the most unique
shopping experiences in
the Chain of Lakes area.
This eclectic shop special-
izes in everything from
top of the line fashion, to
stunning jewelry, and a
vast array of home and
garden décor.

FOR YOUR USED GEAR
top dollar paid
creamcitymusic.comTues-Fri 10-7, Sat10-5, NOW OPEN Sundays 10-5, Closed Monday.
12505 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield WI, 53005
262.860.1800 -OR- 800.800.0087
COME & EXPERIENCE A
MUSICIAN'S PARADISE
Crescent Moon
Architectural Salvage
since 1987
Antiques & Salvage
537 N. Main St. Oshkosh
(920) 232-MOON (6666)
www.crescentmoonantiquesandsalvage.com

ENTERTAINMENT // DOBIE MAXWELL
BY DOBIE MAXWELL
If March comes in like a lion and goes
out like a lamb, October is the opposite.
For those of us living anywhere north of
the Mason-Dixon line this is the month
when the first tangible evidence appears
that Old Man Winter is indeed on the way
back to extinguish our summer fun yet
again.
Daylight shrinks and darkness
increases. Leaves fall off trees and green
grass fades to brown. It seemed like an
endless baseball season in April, but now
it comes down to the last few games and
the last two teams. That tradition has been
a big part of the American experience for
generations.
And then there’s Halloween. That was
also an American tradition long before
I ever showed up, but now like America
itself it has gotten completely out of hand.
When I was a kid, every kid in every
neighborhood would put on some cheesy
cheapo half-baked usually discount store
bought “costume,” and then hope to load
up on as much free candy as possible in the
allotted time slot.
That time slot was only a couple of
hours on a single day, and that was it.
The day or night may have been different
depending on what city or suburb one
happened to live in, but other than that
it was a self-contained activity that came
and went without incident every year.
Everybody heard about the apples with the
razor blades in them, but nobody I know
had ever actually gotten one.
Even if I had, there was nothing to
worry about because I wouldn’t have eaten
it anyway. What kid in the history of
Halloween ever went trick or treating for
produce? Ick. Poo. Yuck-o. If there wasn’t
enough raw sugar to rot out each and every
one of our molars we would not consider
it.
Halloween was surely not for health
nuts in my neighborhood. The only nuts
anybody had any time for at all were in our
Snickers bar. Apples were absolutely out
of the question and the only thing close
to a vegetable that was part of the deal
was candy corn – and we didn’t even like
that. This was the one day a year when the
inmates were running the asylum and it
was intoxicating.
After an entire annoying childhood of
being mercilessly reminded to “eat your
vegetables,” and dealing with cruel and
unusual punishments like “no dessert for
you,” nobody was about to put a stop to
a one-day organized orgy of epic edible
proportions – condoned by all our parents
no less. There would be plenty of time for
liver and salads later. Apples would fall into
that category too.
Four out of five dentists may have rec-
ommended Trident for their patients, but
this was the day that fifth guy got to let his
hair down and work his magic. No Trident
today, thank you. I will be too busy trying
to see how many Smarties I can eat while I
have two Tootsie Pops in my mouth.
We got our candy, and that was it for
another year. Mission accomplished. It
didn’t matter that 99.999% of the “cos-
tumes” had ripped, fallen off or were com-
pletely hidden within the first five minutes
of trick or treating by a winter coat because
it was 35 degrees. Dracula was a much
more likely candidate to get frostbite than
to bite anyone’s neck. No harm, no foul. It
was no big deal.
And then, without notice, out of
nowhere...somewhere between whenever
my last year of trick or treating was and
the advent of adulthood, the whole game
changed. Halloween somehow became a
national holiday for adults, and gigantic
megastores opened everywhere that sold
only costumes.
Not only that, every Goodwill and
Salvation Army started hawking complete
costume sections, and it hasn’t stopped. It
happens earlier and earlier every year, and
pretty soon every holiday will overlap. The
Easter Bunny will be dressing up as the
Tooth Fairy,
and Santa’s
sleigh will be
lit by a jack-
o - l a n t e r n
s h o u l d
Ru d o l p h’s
c r i m s o n
schnozz ever
need a year
off, or he
asks for a
raise.
T h i s
disturbs me
to the core
as a regular
haunter of
thrift stores
wherever I go hoping to score an original
copy of The Declaration of Independence
for a quarter and sell it on “Pawn Stars,” for
three million bucks because Chum Lee has
access to the check book. This is cramping
my style.
I’m supposed to be the one doing the
haunting. How am I supposed to be able
to come across a highly valued resalable
bauble or trinket when the first five aisles
of every thrift store I find from the 4th
of July through October are nothing but
witch’s hats and devil’s pitch forks? What
gives?
When did Halloween erupt into such
an enormous event where seemingly func-
tional adults put painstaking effort and
energy into a costume they’ll wear for a
few hours, just one time, and never again?
It kind of reminds me of a bridal gown
actually, but that’s another rant for another
time.
It just seems like such a waste to me
for so many people to go so off the deep
end with costume creation on Halloween
in recent history. How much do they
hate who they are in real life that they’ve
decided to go all out to create a new image
so different that hopefully their friends and
family are not even able to identify them?
And even if they happen to succeed, it’s all
over around midnight.
When I was a kid, I only remember a
handful of adults dressing up. I can’t say
for sure what the exact total was, but it was
under ten. Now that I think about it, it
was probably under five. The only adults
I can ever recall getting into costume for
trick or treat lived in the scary house down
at the corner of the dead end street in the
neighborhood where nobody went any
other time of the year.
For all anybody knew they could have
dressed like tarantulas and werewolves
every other day of the year too. Those were
the kind of people that when the baseball
went into their yard we just left it there.
Nobody had the guts to risk our lives over
a stray baseball. We’d rather use an apple.
I know I sound like my grandpa, but
times they are a changin’ and I’m not sure
I like it. Gramps led a respectable and pro-
ductive life, but never once did I see him
dress up for Halloween – and I saw him
a lot as a child. I was raised by my grand-
parents, and as often is the case, the Hal-
loween costumes of children have a high
amount of influence from their parental
figures. Mine sure did.
It wasn’t fun having to go trick or
treating in back to back years as Ben
Turpin and Rutherford B. Hayes in the
70’s when all my friends got to be cool
people like The Six Million Dollar Man or
Charlie’s Angels. But at least it was all over
in a couple of hours every year. Now it’s
totally out of control, and candy isn’t even
involved. I’m on the wrong planet and I
want to go home.
Dobie Maxwell is a stand up comedian and
writer from Milwaukee. To see him on stage
at his next hell-gig and read more of his
musings, visit dobiemaxwell.com
Trick or Trite

519 W. College Ave., Appleton
www.dejavumartini.com
Friday, October 30th
Bron Sage 9pm
Pop Goes the Evil 10:30pm
Saturday, October 31st
Sly Joe and the Smooth Operators 9pm
Costume contest at midnight
Drink Specials for anyone in costume.
No cover charge on all shows!
Halloween Weekend
LIVE SHOW •TALENTED ARTISTS • OLD & NEW FAVORITES • FREE ADMISSION
Midtown Pub at
Retlaw Plaza Hotel
along with
Holyland Promotions
PROUDLY PRESENT...
Friday November 20th
Deer Widow’s Weekend with Elvis
TONY ROCKER
Thursday December 31st
New Years Eve Gala...Dress for the Event
THE DOWNTOWNERS
Book Room & Dinner Package
Plus 2 Drinks...$160.00
Friday January 15th, 2016
Elvis Birthday Tribute
JOHN “ELVIS” HARDINSKY
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 3RD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT FOND DU LAC’S MIDTOWN PUB AT RETLAW HOTEL
BROUGHT TO YOU THROUGH HOLYLAND PROMOTIONS • Diane Johnson 920.273.9798
Holyland
Promotions
Friday March 18th
St. Patrick’s Celebration
THE RINGS BAND
Friday February 19th, 2016
A Valentine Treat
ERIC DIAMOND
All Shows
7:30-11:30
Friday October 16th

OUTDOORS // ROB ZIMMER
BY ROB ZIMMER
Part one of a two part series
Whether you’re interested in growing
your own backyard chickens for eggs,
meat, or both, there is no better time than
now to get started.
Kylea Dowland of Forest Junction
began this year after learning more about
the topic at NWTC where she is currently
enrolled studying sustainable agriculture
and horticulture.
“When I grow up, I want to be a farmer.
I eventually want to buy farmland and start
a little homestead,” Kylea said. “I’m study-
ing sustainable agriculture and horticulture
at NWTC, and this past semester I took an
organic poultry class. Chickens are prob-
ably the easiest livestock animal to start
with on a farm. You just have to take a leap
and get them; you learn as you go.”
Benefits of backyard chickens.
There are many great benefits to raising
chickens at home in the backyard. Grow-
ing chickens and having them around the
yard and garden goes far beyond just the
obvious benefit of fresh eggs and poultry.
Maintaining a flock of the birds helps
homeowners to be more sustainable and
“go green” in many other ways as well.
Chickens are excellent pest control,
consuming large numbers of slugs, beetles,
grubs and other harmful insect pests.
Chicken manure, or droppings, is one
of the best sources of natural fertilizer for
growing your own food and other garden
plants.
Chickens act as your own living com-
post pile, turning your kitchen scraps and
waste into a valuable garden amendment.
Many families find that the responsi-
bilities of raising chickens are an excellent
way to help teach children and youngsters
the ins and outs of taking care of not only
animals, but themselves as well.
In our society, many families and
children have gradually lost sight of our
connection to our food sources. Raising
chickens in the backyard is a great way
to help reconnect our youngsters back to
the roots of food production
and where healthy foods come
from.
Dowland’s dream is to
take her passion for backyard
chickens to a whole new level,
raising her flock sustainably,
organically and naturally.
“I’m interested in raising
laying hens,” Dowland said.
“My dream is to have a poul-
try farm. I want to raise them
on pasture, and incorporate
a permaculture design with
different shrubs, berries, fruit
FLOCKING TOGETHER
Raising Chickens in the Backyard
All Performances at 7:30pm
Doors open at 6:30pm, featuring musicians
from Lawrence University.
Season VI Series Sponsors:
Oct. 29, 2015
Rod Blumenau (Piano)
Ragtime/Stride
Nov. 19, 2015
Soulful Si (Keyboard)
Blues Vocal
Jan. 21, 2016
Bob Levy Little Big Band
Swing
Sponsored by:
Feb. 18, 2016
Dave Sullivan Quartet
BeBop Guitar
March 17, 2016
Janet Planet feat. John Harmon
Jazz Vocals
April 21, 2016
Dave Bayles
Conventional Piano Jazz Trio
May 19, 2016
Matt Turner and Bill Carrothers
Contemporary/Future
Artistic Director John Harmon
Tickets: $20
Museum Members: $12
Students: $5
Member-Only Season Tickets Available
Advance Tickets Recommended
Tickets available online or
by calling 920-733-4089
THE EVOLUTION OF JAZZ

trees, and perennials to create a sustainable
and permanent landscape for the chickens
to forage through.”
Getting started
There are many great sources to help
you get started raising backyard chickens
at home.
The first is to check legal requirements
or regulations in your specific community.
If unsure, contact your local city hall, town
hall or village hall to determine if any limits
exist on raising chickens.
Decide whether your birds will be free
range throughout your property, or kept in
a coop or pen.
“Advice for people to get started? Just
get the birds,” Dowland said.
Do some general research, but don’t
spend too much time pouring over articles
and websites. The best way to learn is to
simply obtain the birds and begin your
adventure. Once they are at home, the
chickens basically take care of themselves,
as long as you provide their basic needs of
food, water and shelter.
“You can’t know everything and under-
stand everything until you experience it for
yourself at home,” Dowland said. “Chick-
ens are really easy to take care of. You don’t
have to babysit them.”
There are many sources of birds online
and locally. Online swap and sale websites
such as Craigslist offer a great choice, as do
local retailers such as Tractor Supply Com-
pany and Purely Poultry in Fremont. Visit
purelypoultry.com
“We started out with three roosters
from a friend,” Dowland said. “This was
my trial run to see if I could keep them
alive. This was my first experience with
farm animals. I let them live in the barn
and free range through the yard. They slept
on top of a wood pile at night, knowing
exactly when to return to the barn at 6 pm.
And they went out again in the morning to
eat bugs, all on their own.
The flock soon began to grow.
“My uncle gave me one hen to add to
my three roosters. Eventually we found out
she was laying eggs, then sitting on them.
We decided to let her incubate and hatch.
She hatched six babies and taught them
how to search for bugs in the garden.”
As Dowland quickly discovered, preda-
tor control was an issue, especially with free
ranging birds, even within urban limits.
“My biggest problem was with preda-
tors,” she said. “Having a secure coop at
night will solve some of your problems,
such as owls or raccoons. It’s helpful to
have shrubs or brush and shaded areas for
the birds to take cover in. You also have
to think about how you will protect your
birds from stray dogs or cats.”
COMING NEXT MONTH...
More on starting from scratch, predator
control, maintenance and winter protection
of your first flock.
OUTDOORS // ROB ZIMMER
Japanese Restaurant & Lounge
Hibachi • Sushi Bar
4100 W.Pine St • Appleton • 920-739-6057
2200 Holmgren Way • Green Bay • 920-494-4103
Hibachi • Yaki-Niku (Japanese BBQ) • Sushi Bar
511 W.College Ave • Appleton • 920-882-4183
Pleasevisitournewlyexpandedmenuatourwebsite:
www.nakashimas.com
Monday-Saturday5pm-10pm
Sunday4pm-9pm
Check out
our Gluten-Free
menu!
Visit the Valley’s Largest
Sushi Selection!
October Roll of Month:
&
Join us for our Sushi
& Sake Happy Hour!

ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE
What Becomes a Power Pop Legend Most?
BY BLAINE SCHULTZ
As a description, “Power Pop” ranges
from a ‘thumbnail illustration,’ to ‘useless.’
Most listeners can name bands that fall
into said genre, but damned if anyone can
really define it. A genre that began with
the Beatles, it was coined as a term over a
decade after the British Invasion held sway.
Yet some artists who got lumped into the
melting pot were made up of much more
than lazy rock critic jargon.
Tommy Keene, Marshall Crenshaw, the
Cowsills, the dBs and the Bangles all made
wonderful pop music, but to straightjacket
them with the power pop albatross would
be selling them short.
Tommy Keene released his first solo
album in 1982, flirted with major labels
and even retirement, but is still at it. At
times, Keene’s best work picks up Big Star’s
torch before Alex Chilton made a wide
left turn. An early Keene EP included a
killer version of Alex Chilton’s “Hey! Little
Child,” as if to say, “If you don’t want it,
I’ll take it!”
A few years ago he played an off-night
gig at Milwaukee’s Mad Planet to less than
20 fans. But you would not have known
that from the energy Keene projected from
the cramped stage. It was all systems firing
and a real treat to those in attendance.
Under his own name and collabora-
tions with Robert Pollard of Guided by
Voices (Keene also toured as guitarist for
Paul Westerberg), Keene has recorded well
over a dozen albums. Laugh in the Dark
continues with his melodic hit-and-run
style of songwriting coupled with slashing
and brawny guitars. Then again, “All Gone
Away” suggests introspective album cuts
that can only come from time experiment-
ing in the studio.
But Keene relies on his stock in trade:
crunching, melodic rock and roll. “Dear
Heloise,” and “Last of the Twilight Girls,”
are radio hits in an alternative universe.
Detroit-native Marshall Crenshaw
absorbed that city’s myriad influences,
from the MC5 to soul, to jazz, before
making his name portraying John Lennon
in Beatlemania (and later Buddy Holly in
film). His 1982 debut album snapped,
crackled and was brimming with great
songs that still hold up to this day – last
year’s Milwaukee gig at Shank Hall with
the Bottle Rockets as his backing band
featured a healthy dose of those songs.
Crenshaw adapted to the changing
tides of the record industry by taking
matters into his own hands. He offered his
fans a subscription of vinyl EP’s. #392:
The EP Collection assembles some of the
highlights. Often working with co-writers,
Crenshaw’s best songs here grow on the
listener and just seem to go deeper.
A slow driving lament like “Red Wine,”
offers up details like a finely tuned short
story. Likewise, “I Don’t See You
Laughing Now,” offers up a series
of observations on a power broker’s
tumble to the bottom.
Unafraid to make music for
grown-ups, Crenshaw thrives on
challenging himself and trusting
his listeners to follow. Case in
point is his cover of
Burt Bacharach and
Hal David’s “Close
to You”, where
Crenshaw illumi-
nates the slow, thick
arrangement of a
song often brushed
off as mawkish.
This collection
finds Crenshaw
navigating the vaga-
ries of the modern
music business,
determined to keep on evolving. You can’t
ask for any more from an artist.
The Continental Drifters may go
down as the great lost American band.
Originally formed as an ad hoc band play-
ing in a Los Angles club called Raji’s for
door money, the original lineup centered
around Dream Syndicate bassist Mark
Walton, Ray Gancheau, Gary Eaton
and Carlo Nuccio (from whose long ago
band New Orleans group the name was
revived. Not exactly household names but
musicians who could write and play well
enough to build a word of mouth weekly
following. Eventually heavyweights like
Jackson Browne wanted to sit in.
The first disc of Drifted: In the Begin-
ning and Beyond collects the band’s LA
daze. Fresh from
qui t t i n g R EM,
former dB Peter
Holsapple originally
joined to play key-
boards only. But the
key element was the
addition of Susan
Cowsill and Bangle
Vicki Peterson. It is
Peterson’s “Who We
Are, Where We Live”
that kicks off the col-
lection. Nothing less
than a tour
de force,
Pe t e r s o n
conjures a
lyric and
sonic wake.
To see a
later version of the band play this live was
as powerful as an experience gets.
The band recorded a 7” single, and in
2003 a German label released their debut
LP. The next chapter found the band relo-
cating to New Orleans. Following the Los
Angeles riots sparked by the police beating
of Rodney King, Nuccio returned to New
Orleans, followed by Ganchea. The rest of
the band, save Eaton, also eventually made
the trip to NOLA.
The second disc collects eighteen
covers, and if this was all The Drifters
ever released, it would be a treasure.
Radio broadcasts, tribute albums and live
performances reveal a sympathetic group
of musicians paying reverence, balanced
with a devil may
care attitude. On
the live cut of
the Beach Boy’s
“Farmer’s Daugh-
ter,” Peterson asks
Cowsill, “Are you
ready?” and her
reply is, “No. But I’ll do it anyway.”
This was a band that willfully chose
to ignore genres. They covered soul (“You
Don’t Miss Your Water”), bubble gum
(“Tighter and Tighter”) and invited me to
sing Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” with
them when my band opened for them at a
Milwaukee gig.
The final eight cuts on the collection
are Fairport Convention-related tunes.
Deep, heartfelt, and steeped in British
Folk -- these Sandy Denny and Richard
Thompson-penned tunes offer but a single
indication of where this band might have
drifted.
The Continental Drifters – In the
Beginning and Beyond (Omnivore
Recordings)
Marshall Crenshaw – #392: The EP
Collection (Red River)
Tommy Keene – Laugh in the Dark
(Second Motion Records)

LOOKING FOR
Independent Journeys, Inc. is a non-profit organization specializing
in providing high quality residential & community support services
to individuals with mental and developmental disabilities. We are
currently hiring for full and part time support staff members at our
residential locations in Neenah, Menasha, and Oshkosh.
Previous experience as either a CNA, or in working with folks with
disabilities is preferred, however we will train the right person with
the right attitude and energy. A reliable vehicle, insurance, and a valid
drivers license are a must. This organization prides itself in focusing on
ABILITY rather than disability, partnering with support staff members
who believe that CAREand COMPANIONSHIPgo hand in
hand.
Flexible, open minded, dependable individuals with a strong work ethic
are strongly encouraged to apply. This is a unique opportunity for the
right candidate to provide personal care in a fun “family” atmosphere.
If this sounds like you, please email us with a letter of interest or
resume at ijrecruitment@yahoo.com, or call Human Resources
Director Debra Draheim at (715) 526-9558 for further consideration. We
look forward to hearing from you!
**$100 signing bonus offered after 90 days of successful employment**
Flexible, Open-Minded
Dependable Individuals&

ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH
BY JANE SPIETZ
Grammy winning singer-songwriter-
activist Melissa Etheridge is a multifaceted
artist who is as passionate about the causes
she believes in as she is about her music.
She has been a champion for social justice,
gay rights, medical marijuana and the fight
against cancer.
Etheridge’s music is powerful, engaging
rock ‘n’roll with captivating lyrics that cover
the raw emotions associated with love and
heartbreak. She won an Academy Award in
2007 for Best Original Song for “I Need to
Wake Up” from the film An Inconvenient
Truth. Her 12th collection of original
material, This is M.E., is a collaboration
with numerous talented artists. Etheridge
surprised her wife, Linda Wallem, at their
2014 wedding by performing “Who Are
you Waiting For,” a beautiful cut from the
album.
I recently spoke with Etheridge who
was in Nova Scotia on the solo leg of her
current tour.
Jane Spietz: How much are your lyrics a
reflection of your own life?
Melissa Etheridge: Very much so. I’ve
always believed that the singer-songwriter
was one who took their experience in life,
their views, or their lens and then crafted
and presented them in an art form. I cer-
tainly have artistic license. Often I would
say I’m drinking whiskey when the reality
was I was drinking apple juice. When you
write what you know, it’s the most power-
ful.
JS: You were one of the first artists to
come out as gay. How and when did you
realize what your
sexual orienta-
tion was?
ME: Ver y
early on. I grew
up in the ‘60s
and ‘70s so it
wasn’t talked
about, and if it
ever was, it was
sneered at and
was a very scary
thing. When
I first heard of
homosexuality, it was an awful thing. Once
I got into junior high, I realized that my
friends were having crushes on boys. I just
wanted to be with my friends and maybe
there was something different with me.
When I got to high school, I realized that
my physiology and my whole emotional
world was about women, and I realized,
uh-oh, I’m one of those ‘things.’ It’s an
awful feeling for an adolescent to have to
go through that time anyway, but then to
realize you’re somehow wrong – it’s very
difficult. But I was able to go through it.
JS: What was your reaction when the
Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is
now legal in all 50 states?
ME: I have always deeply believed in
my country. I believe in what our forefa-
thers built – the Land of the Free. I believe
in what freedom is and the right to be who
you are. I just believed that my country
was the place where this could be worked
through and happen. When I saw it go to
the Supreme Court, I was very confident
they would rule in our favor. Our highest
court said we, the majority of us, believe
this is a right, and this is a human right.
If you got a problem with it, it’s your
problem. You can’t take the right away
from another person because you have a
problem with it.
JS: You have stated that you were grate-
ful for your diagnosis of breast cancer.
ME: I was on a journey of success
and living life very fully, with a very high
stress job and not really taking care of my
body. When this cancer knocked me out, it
shown a huge light on what health is, and
how much I have a responsibility to my
own health. The key to it all is inflamma-
tion, and about lowering the inflammation
in my body. I realized it’s about diet and
about what I eat. Now my whole focus is
eating foods that are close to the ground.
Whole vegetables, fruits and grains that
are as close from farm to table as I can
get. And exercise, like yoga and walking.
Keeping stress levels low. Stress is a killer.
Next week I’ll be eleven years cancer-free!
They have been very healthy years. I’m very
grateful for my cancer diagnosis. It turned
my life around.
JS: You covered Janis Joplin’s hit “Piece
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Appleton, WI
Friday, October 9, 2015 7:30 PM
www.foxcitiespac.org/
events/melissa-etheridge
www.melissaetheridge.com
Ticket prices start at $49
Pabst Theater - Milwaukee WI
Wednesday, October 14, 2015 8:00 PM
www.pabsttheater.org/show/
melissaetheridge2015
www.melissaetheridge.com
Tickets: $75.50, $59.50, $49.50
Melissa Etheridge

ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH
of my Heart” at the 2005 Grammy Awards
sporting a bald head from chemotherapy.
How did it feel to represent such a powerful
woman singing an incredibly moving song
while you were going thru an extremely
challenging time in your life?
ME: When the opportunity came my
way, it was a very personal moment for
me. I didn’t realize the social impact that
it would have. In that moment, I wanted
to stand up and say, ‘I’m beating this, and
it is not going to get me down. I’m going
to show you that a woman can be tough!’
Janis was singing and representing women
in a time back in a time where it was very
different. This was a perfect chance and
opportunity for me. It was one of my
favorite things I’ve ever done.
JS: You are an advocate of cannabis use
and an entrepreneur with your own line of
cannabis products.
ME: When I went through my cancer
treatment, I was in California, a medicinal
state, so I was able to get medicinal can-
nabis. This plant can do what five medica-
tions can do without the harmful side
effects. It’s so not about getting high at all.
It’s a medicine to relieve nausea, depres-
sion, pain, to stimulate appetite. It kept
me out of the hospital. I felt I needed to
become an advocate for this. I met a lot of
people in the business and ended up seeing
that it’s a business in desperate need of help
and organization because they’ve been out-
laws for so long. I started to become more
involved with it as a business. I believe it’s
the next big business because people are
seeing all of the benefits from it. The main
thing is the social stigma that we have to
get over and the ridiculous laws that are
placed on a harmless plant. The cannabis
infused wine I’m making is a wonderful
meeting place for people to relax with a
glass of wine at the end of the day.
JS: Melissa, we look forward to your
performances in Appleton and Milwaukee,
Wisconsin in October.
ME: You’re going to hear the songs you
know and love, some deep album tracks,
and a couple of new tracks. I hope that
everyone who comes to my show leaves
feeling a little bit better.

SPORTS // PACKERS @ PLAY
BY RICK BERG
They don’t call it Dream Drive for
nothing – that block-long corridor across
the Lambeau Field parking lot from the
Packers locker room to Oneida Street,
where the players ride kids’ bikes on their
way to and from practice during train-
ing camp each summer. It is the stuff of
dreams, especially for undrafted players
like Don Barclay. Don’s dream began to
take shape on May 7, 2012, when the
Green Bay Packers signed him to a con-
tract as an undrafted free agent out of West
Virginia University.
Like all Packers rookies, he took part in
the team’s decades-long tradition of riding
kids’ bikes to practice during training
camp. Like all Packers undrafted rookies,
he knew the numbers were stacked against
him, competing not only against veterans
who had already earned their stripes, but
also against drafted rookies, who at least
had the advantage that the team had a
vested interest in their success.
Here’s the thing though: Don Barclay’s
story is a lot like a lot of other Packer
hopefuls who start off with a dream to
play professional football despite being
undrafted out of college. Two differences
from most other players:
1. Don made it, earning a spot on
the Packers’ 53-man roster after his
rookie training camp in 2012.
2. Every day in training camp since his
rookie year four years ago, he’s ridden
the bicycle of Kaden Appleton – a
young man who has come to think
of Don as his big brother, and whose
family has come to think of Don and
his wife, Brea, and son, Cooper, as
part of their extended family.
That unique relationship started during
Don’s rookie year, when Kaden began to
understand that Don and his teammates
got all their training camp meals at St.
Norbert College, where players are housed
during training camp. The food there is
good, of course, but it’s hardly home cook-
ing. Kaden felt bad for Don, so he asked
his mom, Lori Appleton, if he could invite
Don home for dinner. Lori, who can best
be described as a “training camp mom,”
quickly agreed. Todd and Lori Appleton’s
three daughters and Kaden’s older sisters
– Sydney, Aubrey and Kennedy
– had already established a family
tradition of riding with players to
practice during training camp.
But the relationship with Don
and his family has evolved into
something special. Since then,
Don and Kaden have gone hunt-
ing together and Don attends
Kaden’s hockey and football
games. The Appleton’s and their
daughters babysit Cooper during
training camp and during games
so Brea can watch Don play.
And the Appleton’s, as a family,
traveled more than 700 miles to
Morgantown, West Virginia, for Don and
Brea’s wedding in March 2014.
“Don is like a son to us,” says Lori,
whose daughters are only a few years
younger than Don and his wife.
All you need to know about the
depth of the relation-
ship between Don
and Kaden is to listen
to Kaden talk about
his most memorable
moment with Don.
That occurred in the
summer of 2014,
when Don tore his
anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) in
the first few days
of training camp.
Don, originally a
backup offensive
lineman in his
2012 rookie year,
had filled in with
critical success
throughout the
2013 season when
starter Bryan Bulaga had torn his ACL
during the 2013 training camp. Now Don
was going to miss all of 2014. Kaden was,
if anything, more devastated than Don. It’s
still one of Kaden’s most emotional memo-
ries. His “big brother” was going to miss a
critical year in his NFL dream.
They made up for it. They went shoot-
ing and hunting together. Don attended
Kaden’s games. And when the 2015 season
d a w n e d ,
Don was back in action at training camp.
When Bryan Bulaga went down again with
injury in the 2015 season opener, Don was
back at right tackle for the Packers.
It’s not by chance that the Barclay’s and
Appleton’s have become so close.
“Their family is just like ours,” says
Lori, who says her family has also formed
a strong bond with Don’s parents, Don Sr.
and Dana. “They just have a very strong
sense of family values.”
Don agrees.
“I grew up in a family that was always
doing things together, especially outdoors.
Those are the memories I’ve always had
of growing up. I think that’s why we all
(the Appleton’s and Barclay’s) feel so good
together. We feel comfortable together. We
appreciate the same things.”
That’s also why Don considers himself
lucky to have signed on with the Packers,
in a community much like the one where
he grew up in Cranberry Township, Penn-
sylvania, with hunting, fishing and tailgat-
ing so much a part of the local culture.
The Appleton’s and the Packers “have
always been there for us,” Don says.
A field of dreams? That’s not just Lam-
beau Field for Don Barclay. It’s the whole
experience that began that day in 2012 when
he chose Green Bay as his future home.
Rick Berg is a crusty old business writer and
editor based in Green Bay. His wife, Sherry,
who actually knows how to talk about
“feelings,” participated in the interview and
contributed greatly to this story.
Don Barclay is Living the Dream
And so is Kaden Appleton — the young man whose bike Donhas ridden at Packers training camp for four years
Don Barclay, his wife, Brea, and son, Cooper, often attend Kaden Appleton’s football and hockey
games. (Photo by Lori Appleton)
Sydney and Aubrey Appleton
and their sister Kennedy (not
pictured) often babysit Don’s
son, Cooper. (Photo by Lori
Appleton)

The Bridge Bar & Restaurant
101 W Main St. Fremont, Wisconsin 54940
(920) 446–3300
www.bridgebarfremont.com
Find us on Facebook!
The Bridge Bar & Restaurant is a
popular four-season destination
located in downtown Fremont on the
famous Wolf River. Stop in by car,
boat, motorcycle, or snowmobile
and enjoy our laid back atmosphere
here on the water.
PACKER & BADGER
GAME DAY SPECIALS
$11 Bucket of 5 Dometic Beers
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 17 - Dan Tulsa Band
October 24 - Third Wheel Band
October 31 - Buffalo Stomp
November 7 - Grayling Pingel
November 25 - Boxkar
November 27 - Third Wheel
November 28 - Buffalo Stomp
Where
GOOD TIMES
& GOOD FOOD
come together!
live Music • Food • Great atmosphere
Book Your Private
Parties with Us!
The Wheelhouse Restaurant
E1209 County Road, Waupaca, WI 54981
(715) 258-8289 | www.wheelhouserestaurant.com
Open Mon-Fri - 4 -10 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm | Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Wednesdays with Live Music
by a featured artist hosted by
Tony Wagner
Overlooking the Beautiful Chain O’Lakes
WEDNESDAY WITH WAGS
IS BACK THIS FALL
October, 14
BLUES: Featured Artist: Howard "Guitar" Luedtke on
guitar & vocals. Also featuring Larry "3rd Degree" Byrne
on keyboards & Tony Menzer on bass.
October, 28
ORIGINAL BLUES: Featured Artists: Kevin Stellman on
guitar, Maggie Aliotta on vocals & Charlie Sauter on bass.
November, 11
RHYTHM BLUES & JAZZ: Featured Artists: Jamie
Fletcher on keyboards & vocals, Jay Whitney (Big Mouth) on
guitar & vocals, Steve Cooper (Wifee & The HuzzBand) on sax
and vocals with Eric Hervey from Streetlife on bass.

ENTERTAINMENT // LIVE FROM JAPAN
BY JAMES PAGE
Developer: Atlus
ESRB: Mature
Release Date: 08/18/2015
System: PlayStation Vita
RATING:
Graphics: 3.0 out of 4.0
Game Play: 3.0 out of 4.0
Personal: 1.0 out of 2.0
Total Score: 7.0 out of 10.0Player’s Page:
Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library
& the Monster Seal
In a time long ago mankind was
plagued by hoards of evil monsters which
brought death and destruction to every-
thing in their path. The monsters marched
under the banner of the evil Demon God
and carried out her vile will for genera-
tions. The forces of mankind waged a fruit-
less battle against the Demon God’s evil
legions for countless generations, but they
were unable to gain any ground and fought
a defensive battle.
The monsters had many devastating
powers, but they had a special ability which
was too much for mankind to overcome.
Despite the strength and skill of mankind’s
best warriors the monsters could not be
killed; although they could be defeated, the
monsters would eventually re-spawn and
continue the fight.
Over time, mankind developed specific
classes of warriors to battle the monsters;
fearsome knights, powerful magicians,
crafty thieves, and mysterious maids would
all battle against the endless forces of the
Demon God. Each new class was able to
bring new powers in the fight against the
monsters, but none were able to turn the
tide of the war. That is until the royal
alchemist developed a new power, and
taught it to a special class of warriors. The
new warriors were called Libras, and they
had the power to seal monsters into special
books and permanently remove them from
the battle.
With the new class of warrior, mankind
was able to slowly turn the tide against the
Demon God and her monsters until the
day she too was eventually sealed away, and
peace was brought to the world.
Mankind enjoyed many years of peace
and prosperity, but all good things must
come to an end. An evil wind is blowing
and with it new monster are appearing and
wreaking havoc. In addition to the normal
monsters which were a petty annoyance,
new mutations are appearing and posing
a great risk to everyone. It is now up to a
young group of adventurers to stem this
vile uprising before it leads to a level of evil
mankind has not seen ages.
Dungeon Travelers 2 is an interest-
ing role-playing game from Atlus which
places the player in command of a group
of adventures tasked with investigating
mysterious monster outbreaks. The adven-
turers will travel to different locations via
a world map to unravel the cause of each
monster outbreak and put an end to the
ferocious monsters.
At its core, the game focuses on turn
based combat and dungeon exploration,
but from an outward glance the game can
be subject to some severe scrutiny and
criticism. Some of the criticism is valid,
but if one focuses too much on the quick
negative glances it will prevent one from
playing a surprisingly fun game.
The basic format of Dungeon Travelers
2 bears a resemblance to several titles of
Atlus’s Etrian Odyssey series, but the capa-
bilities of the PlayStation Vita allow for a
graphically superior experience.
The player will form a party of unique
adventurers discovered throughout the
course of the game. Each adventurer has
a specific class and abilities, but they can
eventually switch classes to suit the needs
of the player. The player will take their
adventurers to various themed dungeons
which are explored from a first person per-
spective, and are full of random monster
encounters. Each battle is a turn based first
person experience in which the player and
enemies trade back and forth blows until
one side is defeated. All defeated monsters
are collected by a passive Libra character
and can be turned into ‘sealbooks’ which
can give characters special stat boosts and
passive abilities.
The criticism against Dungeon Travel-
ers 2 comes up when looking at the game’s
subject matter and presentation. Dungeon
Travelers 2 is considered a fan service
game and focuses its marketing primarily
towards a single audience; in this case it is a
male audience. Fan service games often use
sexuality and innuendo as a plot device and
art style. In the case of Dungeon Travelers
2, all the playable characters and monsters
are women, sexual tension is prevalent
between the main characters, and the
player is often “rewarded” with suggestive
images.
Fan service games have become more
prevalent in the United States over the
past handful of years, and as a result it is
even more important that cautious parents
brush up on the type of games their kids
may want to purchase. The flashy outward
appearance of many fan service games is
sometime meant to cover up the shortcom-
ings of the games, yet many are well built
games with a decent storyline.
DungeonTravelers 2: The Royal Library
& the Monster Seal, despite the fan service
nature of the game; offers a solid game play
experience. Although, the mechanics may
be a bit repetitive, the variety of enemies
and dungeon design manage to maintain
interest in the game. If one can look past
the painfully obvious marketing ploys of
the game they will be rewarded with a fun
game which will consume much of one’s
day.
To learn more about the potentially
questionable content of any game, please
visit the official website of the Entertain-
ment Software Rating Board at www.esrb.
org before making any purchase.
Remember, like all games if you play
them just to have fun there will never be
a bad game.
theplayerspage@yahoo.com

ENTERTAINMENT // KURT SHIPE
BY GEORGE HALAS
One of the most interesting recent
developments in the music scene in
Oshkosh has been the formation and rap-
idly growing success of The Water City Jazz
Orchestra.
The group was formed earlier this year
by trumpeter Kurt Shipe and drummer
Mike Malone. In addition to playing
together in high school, Shipe and Malone
attended the University of Wisconsin - Eau
Claire where together they performed in the
GRAMMY-nominated Jazz Ensemble I.
After both relocated back to Oshkosh,
the two made plans to form a youthful
addition to the big band music scene in the
Fox Valley.
“We played together in high school and
college, so it just made sense that we would
put a band together,” Malone said.
The two have complemen-
tary skills that create a unique
synergy. Malone is one of the
best drummers in the area –
“Mike keeps great time,” Janet Planet has
said on many occasions – and provides a
very solid foundation and leads an excel-
lent rhythm section.
Shipe brings multiple talents to the
effort.
“As a musician, Kurt is an amazing and
versatile player,” Malone said. “He is an
outstanding soloist and lead player and yet
he is also humble enough to know when to
stay in the background. His selflessness is a
great asset to the band. As a personality, he
is very natural and really good at commu-
nicating with the audience and keeps a fun
vibe going which is another great strength
for the band.”
“Kurt has a love of big band jazz,” said
drummer Michael Underwood, who has
guested with the WCJO and is also Shipe’s
cousin. “He brings that same enthusiasm
to The Water City Jazz Orchestra.”
Shipe and Malone assembled an
ensemble featuring some of the most tal-
ented jazz musicians in the area – many of
whom are accomplished in other genres as
well - to form the nucleus of the band. The
resulting quality and professionalism of the
players and the playing enables them to
attract stellar special guests. The band cur-
rently has a regular gig the last Monday of
each month at Manila Resto in Oshkosh.
“When the orchestra was looking for a
place to perform, Marlo Cuaresma Ambas,
owner of Manila Resto, jumped at the idea
of a big band play in the Resto,” Shipe said.
“His generosity and patience have paid off
for both the WCJO and Manila. Working
together has created an atmosphere that
provides a packed house, great food, and
great music.”
Shipe has also performed and recorded
with Nachito Herrera and the Cuban All-
Stars, the Stan Kenton 100th Birthday
CD, Alan Baylock, and the Geoff Keezer
Big Band CD as well as Bob Mintzer and
the YellowJackets. His private trumpet
instructors include Dr. Randall Sorensen,
Dr. Marty Robinson, and Mr. Robert Baca.
While these accomplishments are
enough to merit attention, there is much
more to the Shipe story.
“When I was seventeen years old, I
chose to join the Army to help with the
cost of college, not knowing what potential
the service had for my career,” he said. “I
knew there was an Army band and I had
always been very much involved with
music as a young adult. As my path for
life was undetermined, the Army had
always been there as a backup. When I
turned twenty, the position of director for
the Army jazz ensemble opened up and I
jumped at the opportunity. After running
a few rehearsals, I was given the position
of musical director. Over the years the
reputation for the big band had grown and
we started headlining jazz festivals, teach-
ing school clinics and performing in the
public eye. I recruited players that I wanted
to play in the band so it could grow into an
exciting ensemble.”
Shipe continues as the Director of the
Wisconsin Army National Guard Patriot
Jazz Orchestra.
Among other accomplishments, the
band headlined the Woody Herman Jazz
Festival alongside Alan Vizutti in 2013.
His service to his country and his state
extends even further. Shipe is a member
U.S. Army National Guard Honor Guard.
“The primary mission is to provide
military funeral honors to our fallen
comrades, veterans, retirees and current
soldiers,” Shipe explained. “In order to
complete this mission, the Honor Guard
trains for, rehearses, and executes funeral
details in accordance with applicable law
and regulation. Our soldiers and airmen
strive to exceed standards set forth by these
regulations and provide the best possible
service to honor the deceased, and provide
a lasting experience for the family in their
time of grief.”
While his service has been recognized,
his mere presence is his most important
contribution.
“He handled the honors at our grand-
father’s funeral,” Underwood said. “He was
a rock – didn’t crack. He presented the flag
to the family and it was obviously very
special. It provided an extra measure of
closure, and the funeral was very meaning-
ful as a result.”
As a SCENE reader, your mission is to
get out to Manila Resto, have some good
food and hear a great band. While you’re
there, thank Shipe for his service.
KURT SHIPE Serves & Swings

BY GEORGE HALAS
The Boxkar website includes a quote from John Cooper, FOH Engineer who has
worked with Bruce Springsteen and Sheryl Crowe: “Boxkar is what rock’n’roll should be –
straight ahead and hard-driving. I have to be careful listening going down the road or I’m
going 90 miles an hour!”
This reviewer agrees.
Apparently, that opinion is shared by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI)
Awards. Boxkar has won WAMI’s for New Band of The Year, Rock Band of The Year and
Band of The Year; nominated six times, Chris Szebeni won Vocalist of The Year honors
and “Coming Out Swinging,” the band’s third album was named Album of The Year.
“Five’ is the fifth self-produced/self-financed album from Boxkar, the Appleton-based
outfit that has been producing local original music for the last 14 years. Szebeni continues
to lead the band that includes long-time compatriots Matt Hammen playing bass and
guitarist Tom Thiel. While drummer Matt Gieseke still joins the band for bigger gigs,
Szebeni plays drums on the new album.
NUMBER
FIVE IS

This is the band’s second effort with
producer Tony Anders, whom Szebeni
refers to as a “hidden gem.”
“He has a great knack for all kinds of
music and a great knack for pop rock,” he
said. “He has got a great sense of hooks and
modern-style production. He likes to push
the envelope and create new sounds.”
“He knows national quality sound,’
Szebeni added. “He gets it.”
There are sonic hooks and flourishes
throughout the album, but the albums
wins because of the songs.
“This is where I come in as a song-
writer,” Szebeni said. “I was born and raised
on pop music and hooks. I don’t write to
become famous, I write because this is how
I am.”
The album marks the debut of Thiel as
a co-writer.
“We knew that we did not want to
be the old Boxkar, but we also knew
that would happen naturally,” Szebeni
explained. “We knew that putting Tommy
T and me together - it would be different.
Tommy has a feel for alternative sounds
that add a lot of nuance, some darkness.
Tony is also a big part of the sound.”
If hard-rocking bass, kick drums and
power chords are not your thing, you may
want to skip the opening cut, “Ever After,”
which opens the album with a sonic assault
driven by Hammen and Szebeni that
will get you dancing, driving 90 miles an
hour…or both. The Chicago House beat
provides a foot-stomping foundation for
Thiel’s ambient guitar that fits tightly to
the point where the band sounds as though
it is, at times, just one instrument.
The second cut has Szebeni, “on my
own for the first time” dealing with the
complexities of new love and new meaning
in “Hangover Heartbreak.”
Upon first listening, “I’m Over You”
confirms that the band was right in making
it the first single off the record. You’ll
notice later that you’re still singing the
hook. An easy, melodic intro leads to an
increasing tempo and a rock groove pow-
ered by Hammen and Szebeni that fits the
lyric, inducing one to listen to the words
and wonder if it’s true…Thiel’s guitar solo
is one of the highlights of the album. It will
be difficult not dancing to this tune and it
seems a natural for radio play.
Rock and pop traditions are served by
“Live For Today,” a time-honored theme
that gets an updated treatment from
Anders. The instruments, the vocals, the
lyrics and the tempo achieve a simple but
effective synchron-
icity that would
fit perfectly to a
“Sounds of The 60’s”
playlist but retains
the unique Boxkar
sound and feel.
Thiel’s acoustic
guitar sets a nice
frame for the ballad,
“Come Down,”
where “she waits for
you” while Szebeni
wonders “if he could
have had it all” but
resolves that “I will
come around.”
The first few
notes of “On and
On” alert the listener
that the rock power
has been turned
back on, but the
song has its turns, nuances and harmonies
that add layers to the sound and meaning
to the lyric.
“She’s a mess, a beautiful mess,” sets
the tone for the thoughtful and tender
“Beautiful Mess.” The tune features
more stellar guitar work from Thiel and
some ear-grabbing interplay between his
guitar and Szebeni’s vocalese. It’s back to
an increasing tempo and solid rhythm
work on “If U Wanted Me To,” another
hook-laden rocker where it appears that
the drums, bass and guitar are all making
power a priority.
Szebeni’s reflective reminiscences of
misguided loves are the focus of “Times”
where “even in the good times I still see
some new times,” and he’d “rather have a
hard time with you than a good time with
him because I know there will be better
times for us.”
The album concludes with “Moment,”
that sets restrained, thoughtful vocals on
Thiel’s acoustic guitar which he later aug-
ments with poignant yet understated elec-
tric stylings and ends with with Szebeni’s a
cappella, “This is our moment.”
“This is by far our most honest album
yet,” Szebeni said. “This is who we are.
You’re going to hear songs that are radio-
friendly, but were not written to be popu-
lar.”
“We’re three guys who have been friends
forever, and who have played in this band
forever,” he continued. “We are very tight
when we play together. We’re not done.
There is more to come.”
ENTERTAINMENT // BOXKAR CD REVIEW

ENTERTAINMENT // THE SPANISH INQUISITION
No Limit on Catching
Jazz at the TroutBY GEORGE HALAS
Even for The Inquisition, the math is
pretty easy…
Great jazz + great art + an idyllic setting
= one fabulous Thursday night.
As it enters its sixth season, The Jazz at
The Trout series has become a must-see/
hear for a growing number of music fans.
The series was conceived initially by
John and Susan Toussaint.
“The original concept was to create a
jazz series in the Appleton area that would
showcase national jazz talent,” Sue Tous-
saint said. “With John Harmon agreeing to
act as the Artistic Director, we were assured
that we would be able to attract the most
talented musicians to perform in our com-
munity”
“We had a vision to create the type
of jazz club environment that is found in
larger metropolitan areas,” she contin-
ued. “The Trout Museum main gallery has
excellent acoustics. We offer wine and beer
in the intimate gallery space and this helps
to create a nightclub ambience. We have
professional help with expert sound
balancing and superb lighting for each
performance.”
“We asked the Trout Museum of Art
if they would be interested in hosting
such a series. They were excited about the
opportunity to attract an audience that
appreciated musical and visual arts,” she
added. “We put up the seed money to get
the series off the ground, ensuring that
each musician was paid for their perfor-
mance. The Trout has been an excellent
partner, and they have benefitted from
increased memberships and attendance to
their exhibits.”
The series became a perfect comple-
ment to Trout Museum President Pamela
William-Lime’s vision and mission to
“empower all areas of the arts,” in the Fox
Cities.
“This was definitely Sue and John’s
idea,” Pamela said, “but it gave us an
opportunity to bring people interested in
music and introduce them to the visual arts
while surrounded by great jazz.”
“The series started out very strong in
the first year. We were filling seats to the
capacity of the Trout Museum,” Toussaint
said. “In subsequent years we have offered
season ticket opportunities and reduced
ticket prices with Trout Museum member-
ship. This has been a great program for the
Trout for increasing memberships and traf-
fic into the museum. Jazz at the Trout has
evolved into a community asset.”
“We have reduced our financial contri-
bution, and the community has stepped up
to make up the difference,” she added. “We
now have season sponsorships and indi-
vidual concert sponsorships available, and
we are continuing to seek funding sources
to maintain this great programming.”
Consistent with her vision of empower-
ing all the arts, it was Williams-Lime who
suggested “The Evolution of Jazz” as the
theme of this year’s series.
“We are very proud of bringing in
world class talent for the last five years,”
Harmon said. “Pamela thought that people
would like to be more educated about jazz
and that would create even greater interest.
I thought it was a great idea!”
“This won’t be a total overview,” he
continued, “but we will be hitting many of
the high points.”
The series opens on October 29th with
pianist Rod Blumenau playing ragtime and
stride piano.
“I have watched Rod play with jaw-
dropping appreciation,” Harmon said.
Fred “Soulful Si” Savion will travel
from Beaumont, Texas, to Appleton on
November 19th, when the focus will be on
the influence of the blues on jazz.
“Blues is a major spoke in the jazz
wheel,” Harmon noted. “Many of the
concepts and articulations of blues vocals
greatly influenced the development of jazz.
Si was my first choice. He’s a master of the
blues and he has a great personality.”
On January 21st, 2016, the Bob Levy
Little Big Band will shine the Trout lights
on the Swinging 30’s and big band jazz. In
addition to Levy, one of the best trumpet
players in the area who led the Big Band
Reunion for 22 years, the program will fea-
ture saxophonist/flutist Jose Encarnacion.
“This is one of the best bands around,”
Harmon said. “This era was probably the
height of jazz and both Bob and Jose are
very knowledgeable.”
The Dave Sullivan Quintet will show-
case BeBop Guitar on February 18th.
“I’ve known Dave for 40 years and he is
the master of bebop guitar,” Harmon said.
“He takes the standard jazz repertoire and
writes totally new, complex melodies.”
Janet Planet will join Harmon on
March 17th when the emphasis will be on
the development of jazz vocals.
“We’ll be starting with the contribu-
tions of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith,”
Harmon said. “Janet embraces these tradi-
tions through her vocalese.”
“It’s always great to play with John. I
love him very much and his playing is a
perfect example of why people embrace
jazz,” Planet said. “What is so magical
about this series is that it is so up close and
personal. That closeness is part of the tradi-
tion, feeling the vibration and even hearing
the breath of the audience.”
“I can’t wait for the educational side
of the evening. I’m all over it,” she added.
“They won’t be able to shut me up.”
When the economics of jazz changed,
the jazz piano trio became a fixture in clubs
and Dave Bayless brings his to The Trout
on April 21st. The series closes on May
19th with an exploration of contemporary
jazz and what the future may hold through
the playing of pianist Bill Carrothers and
cellist Matt Turner, both of whom teach at
Lawrence University.
“We hope that greater understanding
will help get people more excited about
jazz,” Harmon said. “We truly hope they
are entertained and uplifted.”
Harmon is also the artistic director of
The Fox Jazz Festival. The Toussaints have
created The Fox Jazz Fest Endowment
Fund to benefit the festival and help pro-
mote jazz in the Fox Cities. Contributions
can be made to the fund with cash or check
written to: Community Foundation for
the Fox Valley Region. The address: 4455
W. Lawrence St. Appleton, WI 54912.
Please put “Jazz Fund” in the memo line
of the check.
For those who simply can’t wait until
March to hear Planet and Harmon work
their magic, the duo will be performing a
special show on October 24th at the St.
James Lounge in the Town of Menasha –
also known as Michelle’s – in celebration
of Harmon’s 80th birthday. Starts at 8 p.m.
and there is no cover.

ENTERTAINMENT // EMINENCE ROCKS!
Although 2015 isn’t completely over yet
it turned out to be the year of Eminence.
The previous statement may not hold true
in everyone’s eyes. To those that follow the
new up and coming rock band it surely
seemed that way.
If you don’t yet know who they are, you
will. Here’s a quick description. A rock
band compiled of all teenage females: Alex
(Bass), Caitlin (Drums), Colleen (Lead
vocals), Kenxi (Lead Guitar), and Molly
(Rhythm Guitar). People say, “All female
rock band.” They say, “Yes and no.”
They are a rock band that happens to be
all female. Being female is their niche, but
playing great rock music is what they do.
What makes 2015 their year? Well,
they accomplished some great things this
year. It all started with the idea to enter a
Wisconsin state wide teenage garage band
competition called Launchpad. This com-
petition is not an easy task. You have to
apply, and hope to get chosen just to com-
pete. If you are chosen you then compete
in regionals. If you’re lucky enough to be
top three in regionals then you compete at
the finals in Madison, Wisconsin.
Eminence did just that and they were
fortunate and talented enough to win the
whole thing. This award is a pretty big deal,
come on it’s called the Les Paul Launchpad
Award. Yes, that Les Paul, the “Wizard of
Waukesha!”
This award meant that Eminence
proved they were the best teenage garage
band in the state of Wisconsin. With this
title came great opportunities. They were
able to play Summerfest twice, play at the
Les Paul Birthday celebration, multiple
festivals, open for national acts, be part
of great fund raisers, and probably their
favorite...have a personal meet and greet
with Halestorm. The opportunities just
keep coming for this great band.
And the fan base has just kept growing
and growing. This may not seem like a lot
to some people. Keep this in mind, they
have only been together for less than a year
and they are all still in school.
These accomplishments and opportu-
nities didn’t come without hard work or
a great support system. One of the best
things a young band can have is an unre-
lenting support system. The families of
these lovely ladies are just that. The fami-
lies go to every show, rearrange schedules,
drive everywhere, get no sleep, spend tons
of money and everything else it takes to
support the dream of five young women
wanting to be rock stars. The families do
it because they see the hard work and dedi-
cation put in. They see the toll of school,
extracurriculars, jobs, learning new songs,
and just being a teenager takes on the
young ladies. Don’t think for a second that
these musicians don’t put in the time and
hard work, because they do. It’s because
each one of them loves it, and want to be a
positive influence to other aspiring artists.
Impressing you with their music is
always a goal. For these young women
who, by the way, crush good grades and
participate in extracurricular activities
at school, want to motivate other young
people just as much.
Of course they take pride in being a
great rock band, but they also take pride in
being great role models. After every show
you can see them taking tons of pictures
with fans and signing every autograph with
genuine smiles. They love what they do and
stand for while remaining humble. The
lovely ladies of Eminence realize that every
fan they gain is another reason to work
harder. Fans make great rock bands, period.
And Eminence absolutely knows this.
They always stress the fact that, “You
can accomplish whatever you want to,” and
“don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”
Great music performed by great indi-
viduals, now that is a combination the
industry needs. If you get a chance check
them out live or at pretty much any social
media at EminenceRocks. You won’t be
disappointed!
Eminence Rocks!

Gb oct scene

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (11)

Similar to Gb oct scene

Similar to Gb oct scene (20)

More from CalumetPress

More from CalumetPress (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Gb oct scene