Sun, music and laughter welcomed visitors as they arrived at the Western Regional beach access on Emerald Isle, Thursday during the Emerald Fest Free Summer Concert Series.

More than 100 beach goers gathered to enjoy a live performance by Pure T Mommicked, a local rock band who played a lineup of all-time favorite covers.

I am loving it. The band is really good and they are locals, said David Mitchell, an event participant who has been attending the concert series for several years. They have great acoustics, and this event is a great free concert; it utilizes the newly renovated parking area and beach access for the town of Emerald Isle, putting it to great use. Events like this, inspire music talent and the creation of music through all age groups.

What started nearly two decades ago as a Beach Jive After Five has gained great popularity and according to Frank Rush Jr., Emerald Isle town manager, it draws a regular crowd of a few hundred people each week.

I think everyone enjoys music, and everyone enjoys the beach, said Rush. We combine the two together, and its a good chance to come out, relax and meet new people.

If you are ready to get your musical fix and enjoy a relaxing evening listening to great musical talent, grab your beach chairs and head to Emerald Isle. The next concert in the summer series will take place today at 6:30 p.m. and will feature music by Scearce & Ketner. The concert series will wrap up the season on Aug. 17 with a performance by Naked Knees.

For more information about the Emerald Fest, visit http://www.seasideartscouncil.com.

Go here to read the rest:

Emerald Fest brings fun, live music - Camp Lejeune Globe

Westfield State holds second annual farm-to-table fundraiser dinnerAugust 8, 2017By: Laura Phelon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 8, 2017

CONTACT:Laura Phelon413.572.5201lphelon@westfield.ma.edu

WESTFIELDThe Westfield State University Department of Communication, in partnership with the Division of Institutional Advancement, will hold a farm-to-table dinner in honor of the late Dr. Henry Wefing, professor emeritus of Communication. The event will be held on Sunday, August 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. on the grounds of the Horace Mann Center.

Wefing served as a professor at Westfield State for 30 years. The dinner honors both his commitment to Westfield State students and his passion for organic and locally grown food. The events proceeds will benefit a journalism scholarship established in his honor.

The scholarship supports Westfield State Universitys commitment to graduate future journalists who embrace the values of fairness, accuracy, and good storytelling that were taught by Professor Wefing, said Dr. Tom Gardner, professor of communication. Gardner said that there are plans to increase the number of scholarships awarded as the fund grows.The menu will feature locally-sourced ingredients. Menu options include beet-cured salmon on Westfield seeded bread and miso-ginger meatballs with house-pick vegetables for appetizers; herb-grilled chicken, and grilled corn with feta, herbs, and cream for dinner; and summer berry tart with honey cream for dessert among other selections.Diners can enjoy relaxing music by Westfield State alumnus Tyler Cook 16 while sitting at a long table located next to the garden Wefing planted in 2007. When he cared for the garden, Wefing donated all the gardens bounty to the Westfield Food Pantry. The garden is now tended to by volunteers, including Westfield State faculty, staff, and students, who are committed to keeping Wefings legacy alive.

Wefing began teaching at Westfield State University in 1985. Prior to his passing in 2015, he taught in the Communication Department, specializing in journalism and writing courses. The Henry Wefing Journalism Scholarship has been awarded annually since 2016.

At the Aug. 20 event, food will be prepared by Westfield State University Executive Chef Mary Reilly and Catering Chef Simeon Bittman. A portion of the dinner will be prepared outside at the event and both Reilly and Bittman will be onsite to meet the guests, answer questions, and discuss the food and the importance of using locally sourced ingredients.

The event aligns with the universitys mission to provide local, sustainable food to its campus community. In 2016, Westfield State launched its own self-operated food services program based on a farm-to-fork model. As a result, Westfield State Dining Services now partners with more than 25 local farmers and food producers.

The farm-to-table dinner is sponsored by The Westfield News Group. Tickets are $45 and must be purchased in advance as space is limited and last years dinner sold out quickly. Purchase tickets or view the full menu.

Contact Suzanne Boniface, adjunct professor of communication, at 413-478-2652 or sboniface@westfield.ma.edu for more information or to discuss special dietary needs.

The rest is here:

Westfield State holds second annual farm-to-table fundraiser dinner - Today at Westfield

Mildly repetitive adventure that adopts unique personality-based alignment scale.

Game:Star Story: The Horizon Escape

Developer: EvilCoGames

Publisher: EvilCoGames

Reviewed: PC

Im a sucker for anything to do with space, so EvilCoGames cartoonish adventure about a space archaeologist battling space shrimps sounded too weird to resist.Star Story: The Horizon Escapeisnt spectacularly engrossing by any stretch of the imagination, but does manage to find its rhythm after a sluggish beginning. Its purely mouse-based gameplay that mostly consists ofturn-based battles, slightly too linear exploration, and crafting resources into weapons, bandages and so on. The story itself is a bitclichyour spaceship crash landed on an unknown planet, forcing you (and your AI buddyV3R-DaNA) to survive seemingly insurmountable odds and escape in one piece. Fortunately, a refreshing twist exists within the combat department. Rather than using levelling up to propel progression like the typical RPG or MMO,Star Story: The Horizon Escapeuses a personality alignment scale that affects your characters resolve, insight or goodwill depending on how you handle situations, and that does help break the linearity. Its tied to higher level skill and weapon tiers, which are unlockable if you gather sufficient resources like iron, copper and irridium, so the game loop sits tightly in place.

Combat offers a nice repertoire of weapons includingbare fists, smoke, a Blaster UX-n7 Minor andcorrosion grenades, but tends to betooeasy in the beginning. Since HP regenerates after you nap in your spaceship (accessible after any battle/puzzle solving encounter) its hard to enter a fight wildly unprepared, but beyond that, the aliens I was facing felt consistently underpowered. I was glad to see the difficulty level ramp up with later battles, not just because it better emphasises the importance of crafting and gathering resources, but because ultimately this is what grindy RPGs rely on to keep them interesting increasingly powerful enemies that sometimes give you a run for your money. Visually, the aliens (called shrimps in the game) aregrotesque and awesome-looking, and thats true for the art direction as a whole. The backgrounds burst with colour and detail, and the music is smooth, atmospheric and creates a relaxing aura as you chew through those long passages of text.

There are many opportunities to solve puzzles, too, but like combat, theyre a bit on the easy side. Failing a puzzle three times can result in damage, which creates some tension and excitement initially. However, in my playthrough I encountered one particular puzzle repeated a couple of times with almost identical decoding methods, which made things feel predictable rather than enjoyable.Star Story: The Horizon Escapeis mostly glitch-free, barringan isolated issue usually youre meant to be able to click on items in the environment to unearth hidden resources, but in my first run, clicking on them didnt reveal anything; this problem didnt manifest again but does require you to restart the game, which is no problem since the loading times are lightning-fast.

Despite its more redeeming qualities, Star Story: The Horizon Escape feels too easy. Its a fun game to relax with, especially if you want something thats sci-fi themed and has interesting, often funny dialogue, but it needs greater diversity in puzzle design and more engaging combat to capture player interest over a longer period of time.

Interested players can get stuck intoStar Story: The Horizon Escapetoday for $9.99 USD (PC, Mac).

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Read the original here:

Star Story: The Horizon Escape ImpressionsDecent Spacefaring - Gameranx (blog)

The Dirty Grass Players performing at the 2016 Brokedown Floatdown music festival. (Submitted photo)

BERKELEY SPRINGS Sleepy Creek will host its third Brokedown Floatdown Music Festival at on the Potomac River in Berkeley Springs from July 21-23.

The family friendly event will feature free camping, live music, river floating, movie night, a bonfire and more.

Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday for those looking to arrive early, and on Saturday at 8 a.m. for those holding the Saturday-Sunday passes.

The events on Friday include a movie night under the stars and a bonfire jam session, where those who attend will have the chance to enjoy quality time with family in a relaxing environment.

An important and fun aspect of the festival is the ability to bring an impressive and unique flotation device as the Saturday events kick off with a float on the Potomac and a competition for the best float.

There will also be live music by the river during the afternoon and on the stage on Saturday night. The lineup includes Brokedown Hustlers, Primate Fiasco, Still Hand String Band, The Dirty Grass Players, Black Muddy River Band and Whiskey Stache.

Incorporating the amenities at the campground/venue such as the river was the original inspiration behind the event, but further inspiration came from the desire to create a more slow-paced, laid-back alternative to your standard music festival, something more similar to a weekend camping out with friends, said Danny Moore, director of operations at Sleepy Creek.

Moore said the main goal of the event is to make the festival as memorable as possible for patrons and families.

We believe one aspect that sets us apart from other festivals is that our events really focus on fun for all ages, Moore said. We have found if we focus on keeping the kids happy, we can never lose.

Sleepy Creek focuses on keeping the whole family happy, providing playground areas, parades and workshops for the children.

Brokedown Floatdown is all about inclusivity, according to Moore.

A unique aspect of the festival that demonstrates this theme is the campfire jam session.

As an attendee of festivals myself, playing acoustic instruments around a campfire was always some of the most fun I had, Moore said. We made it a point at Sleepy Creek to encourage this as well.

Attendees are encouraged to bring instruments and play along at the jam session, and all skill levels are welcome.

Local arts and crafts and food vendors will also make an appearance at the festival.

Families that attend will have the chance to camp out through the weekend. RVs are permitted and for a $10 fee. Pets are also allowed for $10.

Tickets for Friday to Sunday are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate. Tickets for Saturday to Sunday are $30 in advance and $40 at the gate. Children 15 and under are free.

According to Moore, Sleepy Creek is determined to make the festival experience as warm and welcoming as possible.

One unique thing I have found with Sleepy Creek, is the large amount of people that consider it home during the festival season, Moore said. It has such a warm and welcoming vibe that has kept people coming back from day one. We certainly intend to keep it that way.

MARTINSBURG A man from Millville, West Virginia was arraigned Sunday by Berkeley County law enforcement after ...

MARTINSBURG The Martinsburg City Council will vote on whether to spend an additional $774,176 on a second ...

Revival opens today, runs until Saturday RANSON The Revival, Come Expecting: Miracles And Blessings From ...

Matthew Tyler Burrell, 27, of Margrets Way in Martinsburg, was arraigned Monday in Berkeley County Magistrate ...

MARTINSBURG A man from Columbia, Maryland was bound over to Berkeley County Circuit Court after Berkeley County ...

By THE JOURNAL news@journal-news.net MARTINSBURG A Berkeley County family appeared before 23rd Circuit Court ...

Follow this link:

Weekend Float: River music festival is July 21-23 - Martinsburg Journal

Working with Iggy Pop changed the life of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who produced the former Stooge's lushly arranged 2016 LP Post Pop Depression. "Iggy is the single greatest example of a frontman that you could have for rock & roll," Homme recently told Rolling Stone. "Working with him just recharged my faith in rock & roll and in trying to blaze your own path at whatever cost that is."

It was such a monumental experience for Homme that he decided to document it with the just-released film, American Valhalla, which he co-directed with Andreas Neumann. It features Anthony Bourdain interviewing Pop and Homme, as well as their band and crew members, as they explain how the Stooges frontman sought out Homme as a collaborator and how two xylophone-and-guitar demos that the latter made became the album's shadowy "American Valhalla" and dramatic "I Want to Break Into Your Heart." In turn, Pop sent Homme detailed notes about his time in the late Seventies with David Bowie in Berlin, and the pair bonded. The doc also follows them on the short run of shows they did supporting the album, playing Post Pop Depression songs, as well as a nice chunk of tunes from Pop's first two solo LPs, 1977's The Idiot and Lust for Life.

It's an interesting film in that, as Pop tells it, Post Pop Depression may well be his final album. But at the time, he didn't think much of making a movie about it. "Josh wanted to do it; I just cooperated," Pop, now 70, tells Rolling Stone with a laugh during a lengthy, wide-ranging interview. "We were doing it and then at some point we were doing it about doing it, which was all right with me. It's a compliment on his part."

Now that he has hindsight and has moved on to other projects, including doing the interviews for American Valhalla, Pop can see the album's larger significance.

When you watch this film and look back on Post Pop Depression, how do you feel it stands out in your discography? I'm singing more and the vocal range is wider. I'm aware I'm not Caruso or ... who's the guy all the moms love? Michael Bubl. I'm not even him. But there's a big range of style on it, and I never expected going into this for it to be a rock record. It has an awfully nice groove. I put a lot into it. We lived it. I haven't really lived a record like that since [1993's] American Caesar, but mostly all my albums in the Sixties and Seventies were more of a communal experience where you're living the whole thing.

Why did you never expect it to be a rock record? Because, look, I've done these things before. I've worked with a lot of different people. Generally, when I collaborate with somebody, I don't expect them to bring what they're already good at, what they already do really well as some sort of free pass for me to, "Oh, I'll sing on it this time." No. So Queens is a hard-rocking group, but, on his last record, I heard this ballad master coming out on stuff like "...Like Clockwork." That was the stuff that really floored me. I was like, "Jeez, he can do that?" So I thought he was gonna keep this rock stuff for himself; he earned that. You earn your rock spurs the hard way. It's a really dirty business [laughs].

So I knew we'd do something just different. I didn't know what it would be. Then once I heard the first two little bits he gave me, I thought, "Oh, it's gonna be kind of like Chelsea Girls or something. It's gonna be like [sings the Velvet Underground] 'Sunday morning ...'" You know? But there was a little more to it than that. He got into this midtempo swagger on this stuff. It all ended up with a really nice groove. I was pleased.

The film makes it seem like you had to pursue Josh to get him to work with you. What is it you look for in a collaborator? Well, it can be different given the occasion and what it is I want to do. I wanted to do something fresh for me, but I wanted it to be something that could and would communicate to the applicable, current music audience. Josh is a valid, current musician that people listen to. So that was important to me. Then, basically, the taste and articulation that I heard from his Desert Sessions [recordings] he's kinda open for anything. If you've ever heard "Shepherd's Pie" by him, it's basically a ragtime comedy track. In advance, I just thought, "Well, this guy's intelligent." I knew he'd listened to what I'd done with some degree of interest, so I thought we'd just give it a whirl. That was it.

I also watched their Wiltern concert from the last record and although I didn't want to go out and tour I wasn't thinking about a tour for [Post Pop Depression] I noticed how well-presented it was live. And I read the comment section and I was shocked by how much the people who went appreciated the quality and the detail. It was refreshing to see there were a lot of people who really respect and appreciate what this guy's doing. I thought it was good myself. I thought it had feeling. That's what was really, really important: the feeling.

Why didn't you want to tour? Because I've been touring a lot, and it's hard, bloody work. I had thought, "Oh, I'll just do this as what it is, then I'll go out and just do it [normal]." What I do is a measured amount of touring anyway, in a way that's sustainable for me at my vintage and that's great for me. I think I do a good job of it. I'm proud of it. But do I want to go out with this ... Josh is a force. He's a handful. So it's like, "Do I want to go out with this maniac and actually put boots on the ground and play theaters and have a production and everything?" And I'm so glad I did. It was a once-in-a-lifetime result for me, to bring the repertoire forward and to get washed-up and dressed nicely and play beautiful places where there's actually a toilet seat on the toilet in the dressing rooms. We played a lot of opera houses on this tour.

We had a kind of a thing between us. I think it came from something he heard in a couple of my vocals. There was a certain way I was singing that he took to be like opera. He would put his hand aloft like a Siegfried in the ring, and he would say, "We've gotta keep it up there. It's opera." I'm actually talking to somebody ... I'm threatening to do some opera in a couple of years [laughs]. Why not? I really like [Wagner's] Tristan and Isolde; that's a big favorite for me.

It seems like you've been doing a little bit of everything lately jazz, electronic music. You worked with Oneohtrix Point Never recently. Part of it is just because people called and asked to work with me. I'm approachable. The Oneohtrix Point Never song I did was probably kickstarted by the theme song I did with Danger Mouse for the Matthew McConaughey vehicle, Gold, which was a last-minute job. They were desperate for a vocal, and I had two days off on the tour break and I said, "Allll right." But Danger Mouse had heard a song I did called "I Wanna Go to the Beach," which is on Prliminaires, which is one of these little, quiet, French-ette albums I was making when I could scrape time away from the original Stooges. So he knew what I could do. He said, "I've got a song, I want you to sing it the way you sang such-and-such." Then when that came out, it got a bit of attention and I started getting calls. I've done three since then, and the Oneohtrix has come out.

I think it's like, if you've got a Disney movie, you can call Elton John, but if you're indie, I'm available [laughs]. And the Oneohtrix was just such a wonderful piece of music.

And it was the same with Jamie [Saft], Steve [Swallow] and Bobby [Previte]. They sent me three tracks through an old friend named Bill Laswell, who's a jazzbo, a really interesting producer and just a general music maverick. I like Bill, so I keep in touch with him, and I've done things over the years, like I did a Buckethead thing for him and I did a Burroughs thing, just because I like him. He sent me word that these guys were looking for me. That's all he said was, "Good musicians and such, not the usual thing. What do you think?" I said, "Well, send it to me, I'll listen to it." I thought, "Oh, wow. I'd really love to try to sing to all three of these." It was late in the year. I wasn't doing anything else. They didn't rush me. So that's why I did it. It was just a chance to try something a little softer in attack and more exacting in approach ... although the vocals aren't very exact, I'm afraid. But I tried. I gave it a shot. There's some feeling in there anyway. I've got something to say.

Do you feel like you're done with rock records? Well, about the time I got halfway through this record, I just said to Josh, "This is gonna be my last LP." I just felt like I'd done a lot of LPs. I'd done 'em indie. I'd done 'em self-released. I'd done 'em where they were bootlegged first and later legitimized. I did 'em for me. I did 'em for the man [laughs]. After a while, OK, I've done 'em lots of 'em. Also, I noticed when the Internet started becoming more important and different outlets for people to hear the music became available, some of the records I'd made weren't quite as reviled and pooh-poohed as they had been when they came out. Some of them that were just considered just kinda OK, people started going, "Well, wait, actually, this is something." That continues. So part of it is, I have this instinct to just get the fuck out of the way of my own stuff, just let it sit in for a while. Do I really need to sit around scratching my head like, "I need to make a statement"? No.

But if I'm going through something personally at the time, and I get one piece of music from Oneohtrix Point Never, and it makes me feel a certain way, and nobody hassles me, and lets me do what I want, and I don't have some horrible weasel who imagines that his investment allows him to pee all over me bothering me, then I can get into a mood and sing something that means something. So I'm just feeling like that sort of thing is a better outlet for me, or maybe the theater or the opera. Even doing the radio show I do, just presenting other people's music. How about that? So for that reason ... what else can I do? A Ramones cover album? I don't know.

I'd listen to that. [Laughs] Hey, OK. Maybe that's an idea.

In the film, you tell Anthony Bourdain that it bothers you when somebody would tell you that you put out stuff that wasn't so good but that you're good. You said you wanted to make something higher quality with this record. Can you explain that a little more? In general, I would say that the American West Coast Rock with a capital R know-it-all ethic tends to be short on ideas, long on execution. My favorite music often tends to be the opposite. It tends to be really long on the ideas and short on the execution. I think it was Bob Dylan who was saying the other day, "Well, Goddamn it, when I made ... " and he named his greatest album, like Blonde on Blonde or whatever it is "I was trying to squeeze 25 songs onto one side, so the song quality is thin, blah blah blah." There is something to that sort of thing. There are people out there who appreciate you more if they feel that you've tried hard to make something fully realized, pristine and ... how do I say this? There are hard-working people in this world who want you to work hard on what you give them, too.

I didn't want people to think I'm just some bum who sits around and bleeds and collects a paycheck all the time [laughs]. So I think some of that desire has been expressed in the approach I've done to my live work for the last 15 to 20 years. I've been doing consistent, good work live. And I've seen people who hold large events started looking for me instead of looking away in horror. So I wanted to bring some of that into the recorded side of things. Try to put my two cents' worth into something that was very, very carefully done, also something in which I was challenged. For the challenge, I needed an outside guy. That's also where Josh came in. You need somebody stubborn and opinionated to tell you, "No, not that. This." And that's a good thing.

Speaking of your concerts, there's a scene in the film where Josh says you complained about the barricade being too far away from the stage in Berlin and that you couldn't jump into the audience. Why do you feel you have to do that?[Laughs] I did finally slowly give it up. I haven't done a stage dive since I played three nights with Metallica at a racetrack in Mexico City [this year]. I did what was a pretty tame one, since there were so many people packed in they had to catch me. I did one each night.

That was in March. I turned 70 in April, and I haven't done a dive since. I think it's OK. I go work the crowd in front and stuff like that; I mix it up. But the reason that came up in the film was, I didn't want to be like, "OK, everybody. Sorry. You don't get to see the real Iggy Pop. You just get to see the guy who put on the suit." It was a very long dive in Berlin. On the actual concert film, you can see just the two little desert boots sticking out of the crowd. I went straight down.

It's good they caught you. I'm sure that hasn't always been the case. Well, no. Not always. But it's usually worked out.

On the tour, in addition to the Post Pop songs, you did a lot of The Idiot and Lust for Life. Did Josh ask for those? I kept sending him balanced lists of songs from different parts of my career. Then Dean [Fertita, guitar] was sending him stuff, too. But in the end, Josh is a big train and he's gonna do what he wants to do. So finally, I just wrote him two days before I was supposed to go out for the rehearsal and I said, "Look, I give up. I know all my songs. Just learn the ones you want to, and I'll sing 'em." That was how that went. He felt closest to that material, which was kinda great, because some of that stuff had never been done live and a lot of it had been done only seldom or not really very well live. So it was really good to give it an airing. As it turned out, it fit really, really well with the stuff from the new record, which he was probably aware of since it was coming through his fingers. He's a very savvy musician.

In the film, Josh shows a package you sent him to encourage him to work on music. It has pages of these incredible details about your Berlin years with Bowie. I know you did an autobiography in '82, but have you thought about updating it for something new? I'll never do that. I said enough in the one I did. I'm not enough of a shit to do one for the money. I'm not clever enough to edit myself and I'm not shitty enough to tell everything. Because most of my life belongs to other people anyway, and who am I to talk? I got a lot out of doing it once, really, really early. It's sort of way there in the distant background, kind of a strange-ass reference work. And that's fine. I'd rather just leave it that way. I could sing about that stuff. Sometimes I think about turning it into fiction. But many novelists are alcoholics, so that's a problem. Writing is a lot of pressure in general.

Did the influence of those Berlin albums come across in Post Pop Depression? I think more just the feeling of ... again, something vaguely operatic that happened during The Idiot, between the musical themes that I was getting handed. What came out of my mouth when I just opened my mouth and my ignorance and my joyful divorce from the booted foot of the American L.A. music scene I was just in another world. I had nothing to lose. I thought I was an artist. I always had. I never thought I was a donkey to shit bread. Some of these themes came out, and I just kinda found myself opening my mouth and making these meandering baritone vocal patterns that had this kind of a feel to it. I think that made an impression on him with that particular record, The Idiot, more than the other one maybe. What he thought about doing with it, I don't know.

Listen, a lot of the themes musically on [Post Pop Depression] are bits and pieces that Josh had had for years and years, but I suspect he didn't have an outlet for them. The choral melody and chord pattern of "Gardenia" was something he'd had. The same with "Chocolate Drops." Those were actually two things that were part of one piece and I asked him to separate them and make two different songs. And he kept telling me, "You're singing it backwards." Apparently, that really bugged him and there was a big discussion that I didn't hear between him and Dean, and Dean was saying, "It's OK that he's singing it backwards. It's the way he hears it." So he was like, "OK, sing it backwards."

In the film, you tell Josh that you feel very overwhelmed sometimes. How do you deal with that? I think, "What are the elements conspiring to bother me here?" If it gets really bad, I'll sit down and write an essay. I'll say, "Here's what I feel I'm involved in and what's bothering me about it or why it looks so insoluble." And I'll just pack that away and refer to it a couple weeks later and go, "Hey, it wasn't really that bad. I got through it." So that's part of it. Qigong helps a lot. I do a set of exercises I learned from a tai chi master. I don't do them as much when I'm working hard, which is unfortunately a lot lately. But I'm lucky to have work. So I do that and that generally makes me feel more fit and calm. So that's pretty much it. I just try to grapple with the details and not expect. The worst is when you expect an instant solution. You're not gonna get one.

From the shots in the film of your home in Miami, it looks like you should be able to chill out easily. Well, the palm trees... I do like 'em. They confer a certain serenity that I don't necessarily possess personally. That's why I like being near water and the palm trees. Where I am right now is that backyard that's in the movie somewhere. It's that little house with the river and the trees and everything. It's actually a slowly gentrifying part of a very basic neighborhood on the edge of Little Haiti. But otherwise, there are other places I reside and it's always near the water with me.

Speaking of relaxing, what music have you been liking lately? There are three girls named Fmina from the Andes in Patagonia that are just terrific. They're just starting their U.S. tour, they actually landed in Miami today and I might call and see if they want to have coffee after I hang up with you. I played them on my radio show the other day and I don't think they're used to being all over the radio in the English-speaking world. But they're really, really good.

There's also a punk band called O.D.I.O., which is an acronym for the word "hate" but they're not nasty from Bogot that I like. I love Sleaford Mods. I think they're just about the most credible new group going that don't rely on the old conventions to make the music feel good. I like Thundercat, but so do lots of people.

How do you discover music these days, like the South American artists? I think I found them because I was looking up Mitski songs I like her on YouTube, then the computer started to figure me out. Because I look for South American stuff and Cuban stuff and Dominican stuff quite a bit, then I was looking at female stuff, then suddenly up popped Fmina. So I listened to it. That was how I found that.

But I also tend to read the reviews sections in daily papers. Not as much music press because each separate music-press entity generally has a slant to it and the coverage is tied into their advertising, as you know. So it's not as efficient for me as if I look in the New York Times gig guide, like who's in town in the next week. Then it'll tell me Chastity Belt. Oh, they have a new album, they're playing Williamsburg? Well, I'll listen to it. Or The Guardian has a very, very good review section for stuff that a lot of people will call obscure. They'll give 200-plus words to some people who've got something new out and you might not hear about otherwise.

Then I have friends who send me stuff. I have five or six sources. There's somebody who runs a record store here, this guy's in a band here called the Jacuzzi Boys. Bill Laswell. A couple of people in France send me stuff from time to time because I'm curious what's going on there. So like that.

Speaking of the Jacuzzi Boys, I dug that "Asshole Blues" song you did for them. Well, thanks. It was just something I was doing at home years ago on my iPad, which is why you can hear me going, "How do I turn this thing off?" And it's really sloppy. I could barely play the riff because I've got gnarledness in my fingers from age and use. But I felt it. Then it was just sitting there, I wasn't gonna do anything with it, but they said, "Hey, if you've got something ... " I said, "Well, yeah." I like playing porch blues. It's nice to play a little acoustic guitar tuned open. It's warm, you can hold it, and in open tuning, you don't have to think too much about it.

There's a scene in the movie where you tell Anthony Bourdain about how a record exec asked you to sing Leonard Cohen's "Ain't No Cure for Love" on one of your records, and you told him no because it wasn't right for you. What became of that? It was an exec at Virgin America. We had a showdown and I finally said, "Just gimme some money and I'll record 'Louie Louie' instead and leave me alone." And they did all right with "Louie Louie." They got some mileage out of that.

Did you have to deal with a lot of that? Well there's a lot of it, and sometimes, you just have to do one. There was a very funny one when I first came to Virgin. There was a song for the film called Black Rain. It was called "Living on the Edge of the Night," and it had been written by the sound engineer, and the director, Ridley Scott, really liked it and they wanted me to do it. Virgin said, "Well, Iggy Pop could record this for you." Then I said, "Well, I don't really feel that song." I didn't think it was right for me.

He gave me a call and said, "Come on, give it a go." I said, "Well, all right, I'll try it." We went into the studio and he attended the session and I did my best, but he already had Gregg Allman on the soundtrack and he kept going to the talk-back button saying, "You must sound more working-class." And I thought to myself, "He's just gonna end up using Gregg Allman. Gregg is working class. That's not me." So I did the song, and it didn't ruin my life. He was looking for something to open the film. He ended up using Gregg because Gregg is great. Gregg is Gregg, man. So that was funny.

At one point, between Fun House and Raw Power, there was some sort of proposal to make me into a teen idol or a boy band, going around. That would have been the weirdest boy band in world history.

I don't even know what teen-idol Iggy Pop would sound like. I don't know. You know, the original Stooges record, I think, if video had existed as a commercial TV outlet at that time, the Stooges probably would have gotten a lot of exposure because we had a nice visual and it wasn't too nuts until later. When we first started, we actually looked pretty spiffy and I could front. The songs were simple, but carefully done. I think there would have been a larger audience for it than what it got. But that's worked out anyway, because of the Internet. So it's OK.

Lastly, in the song "American Valhalla," you sing, "I've nothing but my name." Do you really feel that way? Well, yeah. Uh-huh. Sure. Don't ask me what it means, but I do. That's why it came out. I don't know why I feel that, but that's what I feel. It may have something to do with the game I'm in, or the position that that game confers upon you. I don't know. It's just a feeling. Not a bad feeling.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive breaking news directly in your inbox.

Read more:

Iggy Pop on Josh Homme's Genius, Singing Opera, Why He's Done Making Albums - RollingStone.com

Notorious inmates at Arbour Hill prison were given an uplifting experience when an American gospel choir put on a show for them.

Prisoners at the tough Dublin jail were treated to the sing-song on Saturday by the American HOPE choir who were visiting from Florida.

Ten men and women sang in the performance which was held in the jail church.

Inmates were free to come and go while it was taking place. Evil killer Brian Hennessy, who murdered Sharon Whelan and her two daughters in Kilkenny in December 2008, is believed to have been one of the inmates who enjoyed the performance.

Other notorious prisoners at the jail include wife killer Joe OReilly and paedophile Patrick OBrien.

Read more: Jailbirds tucking into top grub including Thai chicken curries, beef stews and chicken casseroles

A source told the Irish Mirror the music is seen as extremely therapeutic for the prisoners.

The source said: Music has always been seen a great way to relax inmates.

Its extremely relaxing and is good therapy for prisoners.

Inmates loved the uplifting performance and the choir were warmly welcomed.

Performers regularly come into the jail throughout the year.

This particular choir have been visiting and performing for the inmates for a number of years and travel over from the States.

It doesnt cost the taxpayer anything as they pay for their travel and expenses themselves.

The inmates are not forced to sit and watch the performance and can come and go as they wish.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service last night confirmed that a performance by the choir took place.

Read more: Wife killer Joe O'Reilly has become the 'badminton king' behind bars

The spokesman said: I can confirm that the choir were in Arbour Hill on Saturday where they gave a recital in the church. They have come in on an annual basis for the last few years.

They volunteer their own time and there is no cost to the Prison Service for the performance. It is open to all prisoners to attend.

Its not the first time inmates have been treated to a performance by visiting singers or musicians.

Last March, murderers and rapists at the jail got to see a show put on by a 60 strong live orchestra.

Its understood a psychologist, who used to work at the jail but has since retired and joined the band, is helping to put on the concert.

In 2013, a Johnny Cash tribute band, Get Rhythm, played for inmates at the Loughan House open prison in Co Cavan.

The eight-piece played to 150 men for more than an hour and was the first in a series of prison shows for the band over five weeks which also included gigs at Wheatfield and Mountjoy prisons.

View post:

Arbour Hill prison inmates treated to sing-song by American gospel choir - Irish Mirror

Stress and anxiety can strike almost everyone at some time or another and this can be made worse bynot getting enough sleep, having unwanted thoughts, and by having the wrong mindset.

Stress creates a surge of hormones in your body, which then causes your body to produce cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones will help you deal with any pressure or threats and this response is known as theflight or fight response.

The adrenaline that is produced will cause your heart rate to rise, as well as your blood pressure and you will have extra energy.

Cortisol is the stress hormone and will temporarily increase energy by triggering the release of glucose into the bloodstream, which will help you to fight or flight.

As your body responds to stress, it will regulate itself so that your hormone levels fall and with it, your heart and blood pressure will go back to normal.

We actuallyneed some stress on a daily basis, because it is actually what motivates us. However, when there is too much or too little stress, it can become a problem.

If you lack of stress, then your body will be under-stimulated and on the other hand, if you have too much stress then stress hormones will constantly be released. These can cause headaches, high blood pressure, and stomach issues. Having too much stress can also increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.

Not only are therephysical problems caused by stress, it can also cause mental issues like depression, anxiety, anger and more.

What Can Relaxation Do?

There is something called therelaxation response, which is a state of deep rest that has been designed to change our physical and emotional responses to stress.

With relaxation, we are able to reduce the stress that we feel, which will then counteract the effects of stress like anxiety.

The relaxation response will also help to lower your blood pressure, improve blood circulation; lower your heart rate and more. It will also give you a better sense of well-being.

However, triggering therelaxation response is not always that easy, but here are proven ways that you can relax and fight the effects of stress.

Proven Ways to Relax

If you are looking forways to relax, then take a look at these great ideas, which will help to trigger the relaxation response and will also help to lift any stress that you may have.

Buy a Plant

Nature is able to improve our well-being and having a little green around can actually improve our moods. House plants will help to purify the air and also calm you down. Just being around plants can help induce the relaxation response.

Turn Your Screens Off Before You Go to Bed

Your melatonin production is affected by TV and computer screens, which will in turn mess with your sleep. You should thenavoid screens before you go to bed, so that you can get into a better sleep rhythm and getting a good nights sleep will also help you to feel more relaxed and refreshed.

Listen to Classical Music

Any music that you love will automatically make you feel better, but classical music will help to slow your heart rate, decrease your stress levels and lower your blood pressure. So, put on some Mozart or try Weightless by Marconis Union, which is thought to be the most relaxing song.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea contains L-theanine, which reduces stress. And by adding honey, you can counteract free radicals and reduce inflammation.

Make Yourself Laugh

You can watch a funny movie; have a fun time with a friend or anything that makes you laugh. Laughter is a great stress buster and those that chuckles have lower levels of cortisol, which will then increase the response to stress.

Have a Piece of Chocolate

A piece of dark chocolate can help with stress, as it releases the happy chemicals, which are called beta endorphins.

Try Yoga

Yoga is a great stress reliever because it involves controlled breathing, as well as exercise. Also, there are poses that will relax your muscles to help reduce depression, anxiety, and tiredness.

Have a Banana

Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure and some may find it beneficial to eat a banana when they are stressed. It will help you recover from stress more quickly.

Practice Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is still being studied in terms of its benefits, but there are many essential oils that will help you to relax and combat stress. You can diffuse essential oils via a burner or you can create a room mist or body spray. Another great way to use essential oils is in a bath. Of course, soaking in a bath anyway is relaxing.Recommending an oil or two for relaxation is easy as there are so many. You can try rose, lavender, chamomile, vanilla, or geranium.

Chew Gum

Chewing gum can lower cortisol and improve your mood. In times of multi-tasking, it can improve your alertness and reduce your stress.

Exercise

Exercise is agreat stress buster as your body will release mood elevating hormones like endorphins and in return, reduce cortisol and adrenaline.

There are a number of ways that you can relax and relaxation is a must to be able to combat too much stress. You need to be able to reduce your stress and relax for your own physical and mental well-being. What do you do to relieve stress?

Read more here:

You Get Stressed If You Don't Rest: The Science Behind Relaxation and Anxiety - AlterNet

The cartoon taught history, grammar, math, science and politics to youngsters but we "oldsters" will have fun filling in the answers. The show began this past Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Chief Theater in downtown Bemidji for a two-week run. The matinee will be at 2 p.m. today. Tickets are available online or at the box office open Wednesday through Saturday (or Sunday when applicable.)

The Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series will move to back to St. Philip's Church for 30-minute recital by Joe Henry on the organ that will begin at noon Wednesday (July 12) and a freewill donation will be accepted to support the scholarships given by BACM each year. A luncheon will be served at the conclusion of the concert for a nominal cost.

The Bemidji Public Library is hosting a new book club for both adults and teens who enjoy reading young adult books. The group will meet 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 18. The book for July's discussion will be "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. Participants can stop by the Bemidji Public Library to pick up a copy of the book. Just by coincidence, I was reading a book "When Books Went to War" by Molly Manningthe stories that helped us win World War II. The most wanted and appreciated book with the soldiers was "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." The private group that organized the publication of books for soldiers in the trenches was amazing in their efforts to keep the home fires burning. Smith was so appreciative of the soldiers writing letters of thanks to her that she developed some personal relationships with individual soldiers and always answered letters sent to her by the troops. Free and open to the public.

Walker Bay Theater opened its summer series with sold out performances of "North Woods Women, The Odd Couple" based on Neil Simon's play. Directed by Kay Dee Sanders, who also stars as Olive Madison, the play revolves around a group of women playing Trivial Pursuit while they wait for their friend to arrive. The show has a 3 p.m. matinee today and continues with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Walker Bay is located in the lower level of the American National Bank building, 100 Highland Ave. in Walker. (A left turn off the main street of Walker.) A bit of a drive but well worth the effort.

Long Lake Theater in Hubbard, where familiar faces abound; has on stage "A Month of Sundays," which started on Thursday and continues the schedule of Tuesday through Saturday shows. Check out the website at Longlaketheater.com or call (218) 732-0099. Another playhouse well worth the effort to get there.

Marsh Muirhead will be master of ceremony for the Poetry Slam at 8 p.m., Wednesday, July 19, at Fozzie's Smokin' Bar BQ, 114 Third St. Those familiar with the guidelines of up to three original poems spoken by the participants for cash prizes of $100 down to $25 for the best three poems. Call (218) 444-5606 to register or show up early the night of the concert and register. This is usually an adults-only event and sponsored by Headwaters School of Music and the Arts.

Still time to register for the weekend fiddle camp on July 14-6 at the Nary SchoolCounty Road 9with Andrew Green and Renae Carlson. The camp is open to all string players who have been playing for at least a year. The camp will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday with a concert at 4 p.m. Students should bring a bag lunch on Friday and Saturday. Participants will need to register by July 12 and the cost is $60 per player. Call Green to sign up at (218) 766-4920.

Nicholas Jackson will perform at Farm by the Lake Summer Concert Series at 4 p.m., July 16, in Bagley, rain or shine. Jackson is an up-and-coming local entertainer who resides in Bemidji and has performed locally at: Brigid's Pub, Rail River Folk School, Bemidji State Park, Northern Inn, Wild Rose Theater, Bemidji State University, Minnesota State Fair, and area churches. Come out for a relaxing evening at the Farm. Future shows: July 23, Bluebird and July 30, Corey Medina & Brothers.

Northern Light Opera Co.'s summer production will be "South Pacific" on July 28-30 and Aug. 2-5. Because "South Pacific" takes place during WWII, a USO-style show at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at Armory Square in Park Rapids is being created and performed by cast members to recognize/thank all veterans able to attend. As was the usual custom of USO shows, coffee and cookies will be served and Mike Carroll will serve as Bob Hope. The event is free and a donation to the USO will be accepted.

Go here to see the original:

PATT RALL COLUMN: Puttering in the garden and relaxing with books - Bemidji Pioneer

JEN GIBBS

Last updated05:00, July 9 2017

GETTY

Even superstars like Tom Cruise get sweaty - but now they don't have to.

WE WENT TO TheSkin Specialist Centre in Auckland.

WHAT IT'S FOR Stopping or significantly minimising underarm sweating.

PREP FACTOR An initial consultation appointment is required first. Before your laser appointment, you will get the prescription medicine and start taking anti inflammatory pills two days beforehand. You also need to shave your armpits three days before treatment.

READ MORE: *Tested: A course ofImedeensupplements and a skin scan *Tested: Tonic Room's Bespoke Facial *Tested: Brazilian waxing at Off Wax & Laser

OUR EXPERIENCE This procedure is not for the faint hearted.

The MiraDry laser itself wasn't that bad or painful. It took about two hours (take headphones to listen to some relaxing music).

The first part of the treatment was undertaken by a doctor who injected local anaesthetic into my armpits. After this he inserted cannulas to put more local anaesthetic and saline solution into each armpit (this lifts the sweat glands away from the nerves and allows them to use the highest setting on the laser to blast the sweat glands).

The next part of the treatment was undertaken by the nurse, who lasered each armpit. This took about 20-30 minutes for each one.

The next 20 minutes was spent with an ice pack under each arm.

I was fine to drive home after. I had to put ice packs on for 15 minutes every hour for the next 24 to 48 hours, except when sleeping (they provide sleeping pills for seven nights, but I only took them for three). I also had to take prednisone and other anti inflammatory medication post treatment.

PAIN FACTORWhile not really painful, the swelling of the armpits was quite uncomfortable and I also had quite a lot of bruising (I would recommend this as a winter treatment as armpits look pretty horrendous afterwards).

After the treatment, it wasn't that painful but it felt very strange and uncomfortable, and made me a bit grumpy. I had my arms out at 30 degrees for about the first four days.

OUR VERDICT I immediately noticed less sweating. Side effect is apparently reduced hair growth, which should also be a bonus.

I'm looking forward to being able to purchase clothes that are tight under the armpits, which I wouldn't normally. Also looking forward to a reduced dry cleaning bill and not having my lovely silk/cashmere tops ruined by sweat and deodorant

It took three weeks for armpits to return to normal but the sweating had stopped completely by then.

BOOK IT IN IFYou want to save your clothes from sweat and deodorant, you have the money and you can deal with the discomfort afterwards for a a few days.

BUT KEEP IN MINDIt was not for the faint-hearted. I didn't realise how lovely my armpits were (the doctor did mention that) until they became all swollen and bruised. I am looking forward to them returning to normal. They suggest swelling can last for two weeks. It has only been six days so far.

EXPECT TO PAY$2800 per treatment. They suggest two treatments. When compared to Botox at approx $1000 per treatment and it only lasts sixmonths, it is relatively cost effective.If you have a second treatment he advises waiting threemonths to do it.

YOU CAN VISIT:TheSkin Specialist Centrein Auckland

Watch below to learn more about the procedure:

-Sunday Magazine

See original here:

This week we tried: MiraDry laser to stop underarm sweating - Stuff.co.nz

The Yale County Jug Bands performance was enjoyed by those who attended the first Music At The Lakes concert at the Interlakes Service Centre on July 1. Various other bands are scheduled for these free, family-friendly concerts. Alamaz Durand photo.

Who wouldnt enjoy an evening featuring free, live music in the outdoors on a lovely summer evening at Interlakes?

Most folks who have attended Music at the Lakes during previous summers say they enjoy all of these outdoor concert events, according to its organizers.

However, those with specific tastes can pick their favourite genres and even their preferred musicians by perusing the schedule and then attend any Saturday evenings that feature them.

Sponsored by the Interlakes Economic Association (IEA), Music at the Lakes co-ordinator Shelly Durand says the next event features Beyond Brass of Kamloops, an incredible 18-piece orchestra playing Big Band music from the Frank Sinatra and Count Basie styles of the 1930-60s to Diana Kralls own versions today with some Beatles pop and some blues thrown in.

How often do we hear these in 100 Mile? And how does this fit into somebodys summer evening?

Its something the children are going to enjoy, but most adults are going to remember the music [eras, styles and songs].

Also the IEA arts, culture and events co-ordinator, Durand encourages the broader community to turn out as this is not just for Interlakes residents, estimating about half of their audiences are tourists.

We try to involve as many local bands as we can, but also, we want to bring in some of the other ones from out of town, so people have the opportunity to hear different [ones] otherwise, where do our kids start out?

While she gets plenty of rave reviews on the amazing musicians that appear, she says people are often asking her how they can provide this level of musicians at so many concerts for free.

This leads Durand to think others may be missing out, if they dont realize the bands and performers are paid by the IEA, through its Interlakes-based fundraisers and its business supporters, she says, adding the quality of music is as good at these free concerts as plenty of others with entry/ticket fees.

Young, up and coming musicians not only have a chance to hear the various styles but may even be hired to perform once they have further honed their own skills. Many times Music at the Lakes has hired younger bands to perform on the stage, she explains.

Other local performers appearing this summer many residents will be familiar with, most of whom are being brought back by popular request.

Durand adds it is the businesses at various support levels from $50 to larger donations, as well as in-kind contributions, that keep these IEA events going to also help the Interlakes economy to grow and thrive.

This benefits the whole community, beyond a summertime of relaxing evenings of free music, she notes.

We are always looking for volunteers. We are always interested in people coming on board, just to help out.

This summers Music at The Lakes line-up is as follows:

Yale County Jug Band (Kamloops) July 1 (now past)

Beyond Brass (Kamloops) Big Band July 8 (this Saturday)

Class Mates (local), classic rock July 15

New and Used (local), classic rock July 22

Doug Maxwell (local), a mix of everything July 29

Ryan 7 (Kamloops), swing, jazz, country Aug. 5

Marco Bueler (local), various guitar/singing Aug. 12

Thorne and Larson (local), mixed styles Aug. 19

Jason Rusheinsky (local), country/cowboy Aug. 26

Rusheinsky, also the 2016 Cowboy Festival first place music award winner, will be the final concert this summer, so mark these dates on your calendar if you wish to attend then all you will need to do is show up and enjoy the show.

There are some picnic tables and a few chairs, but Durand recommends you bring a lawn chair and your children, parents, grandparents or anybody else you wish, then head out to the Interlakes Service Centre stage on Saturdays, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and enjoy free outdoor concerts this summer.

Be sure to check the 100 Mile Free Press for weekly advertisements, or soon to come will be a flyer ready to pick up at The Country Pedlar store at the same Interlakes Service Centre on Highway 24 at Horse Lake Road. Food, water, and soft drinks are available at adjacent businesses.

Originally posted here:

Summer music at Interlakes a relaxing venue - 100 Mile House Free Press