http://www.offbeatauburn.com Who says that nothing ever happens in Auburn? Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:35:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 There is a rich arts and cultural life in Opelika and Auburn, but sometimes the people behind it are so busy doing the things that enrich our community that they don’t have the time or the resources to let us know what they’re doing. That’s where OffbeatAuburn.com comes in. Our hope is to provide a quick, convenient, and entertaining resource to find the events and destinations in our community that make Opelika and Auburn an enriching place to live. Who says that nothing ever happens in Auburn? Offbeat Auburn http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/710635915/OffbeatAuburn_bigger.jpghttp://www.offbeatauburn.com Offbeat, Auburn, Opelika, Alabama, arts, culture, theatre, music no Kelly Walker kellylwalker@gmail.com http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/09/03/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lonnie-glass-at-the-gnus-room/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/09/03/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lonnie-glass-at-the-gnus-room/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:00:35 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=1026 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/09/03/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lonnie-glass-at-the-gnus-room/feed/ 0 Musician Lonnie Glass visits with us in advance of his appearance at The Gnu’s Room. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Lonnie Glass and my wife turn out to have something unusual in common. My father-in-law is a professor of Southern History. Family vacations for my wife involved a lot of trips to visit a lot of Civil War battlefields. When Lonnie was touring with rock bands, he used to rise early while his bandmates slept off the previous night’s gig (and everything that comes with it), and tour Civil War battlefields, museums, and libraries. These trips were the genesis of Lonnie’s latest album, Chapter of Night, and it was that CD that really caught my attention when Tina told me about his upcoming visit to The Gnu’s Room. When she told me that she was bringing an artist whose latest project was Civil War songs, I assumed vintage music, not originals. But, there’s strong precedent for such a project. Lonnie’s fellow Canadian Robbie Robertson drew on the Civil War for The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Those years continue to capture our collective imagination, inspire art of all kinds, and even draw a touring musician to the site of battlefield early in the morning for quiet contemplation. The Gnu’s Room (414 S. Gay St.) presents Lonnie Glass on Wednesday, September 8th at 7 p.m. Musician Lonnie Glass visits with us in advance of his appearance at The Gnu’s Room. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Lonnie Glass and my wife turn out to have something unusual in common. My father-in-law is a [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/25/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-first-bbq-brewfest/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/25/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-first-bbq-brewfest/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:00:31 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=1014 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/25/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-first-bbq-brewfest/feed/ 1 Lisa from the Event Center Downtown and Gus from Fine Wine and Beer by Gus give us a preview of this weekend’s BBQ & Brewfest. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Since I last sat down with Lisa from the Event Center Downtown, the space has opened and played host to a variety of public and private events. Gus from Fine Wine and Beer by Gus has taken several wine tasting over there and turnout has been good. Good enough, in fact, that they’re upping the scale considerably. On Saturday, August 28th, downtown Opelika will be the scene for the first BBQ & Brewfest. A typical beer tasting at Gus’s place includes ive beers. On Saturday, he’s bringing 30, which is a pretty good deal for $25, especially when you add BBQ to the mix. But, there’s music too; two stages worth of music including The Good Doctor, Cheaper Than Therapy, Cedar Hill, Glow, and Packway Handle Band. Here’s a taste: The First BBQ & Brewfest comes to the Event Center Downtown (614 N. Railroad Ave.) on Saturday, August 28th. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. with live music. BBQ and beer tasting from Fine Wine and Beer by Gus is from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Live music continues until 1:00 a.m. Tickets are $25 and are available from the Event Center Downtown (334-705-5466), Fine Wine and Beer by Gus (1550 Opelika Rd. #5), and at the door. – Kelly Walker Lisa from the Event Center Downtown and Gus from Fine Wine and Beer by Gus give us a preview of this weekend’s BBQ & Brewfest. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Since I last sat down with Lisa from the Event [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/23/offbeat-auburn-podcast-sundilla-acoustic-concert-series-presents-randall-bramblett/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/23/offbeat-auburn-podcast-sundilla-acoustic-concert-series-presents-randall-bramblett/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:00:38 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=1001 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/23/offbeat-auburn-podcast-sundilla-acoustic-concert-series-presents-randall-bramblett/feed/ 3 We visit with the next artist in the Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series, Randall Bramblett. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Growing up in St. Louis in the late 70′s, album rock and classic rock was a part of my daily musical landscape. It was a soundtrack provided largely by the near legendary FM rocker KSHE 95. It was also a soundtrack that leaned heavily on Southern Rock, which was at its height in those years led in no small part by Macon, Georgia’s Capricorn Records. Capricorn Records was also a musical home for Jesup, Georgia native Randall Bramblett in those years. He provided keyboards and sax for artists including Gregg Allman and Elvin Bishop. From there, Randall went on to record and tour with the likes of Robbie Robertson, Steve Winwood, and Widespread Panic. Big artists and big tours, but Randall’s own music is often more intimate both in style and subject. Today, he fronts the Randall Bramblett Band, but when he comes to Auburn on Friday, August 27th at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series, it will be as a solo artist. You can see how well his current work will lend itself to that setting. The Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series presents Randall Bramblett at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (450 E. Thatch Ave.) on Friday, August 27th at 7:30 p.m. – Kelly Walker We visit with the next artist in the Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series, Randall Bramblett. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Growing up in St. Louis in the late 70′s, album rock and classic rock was a part of my [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/20/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-back-to-school-special-special-comedy-show/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/20/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-back-to-school-special-special-comedy-show/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:00:19 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=986 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/20/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-back-to-school-special-special-comedy-show/feed/ 0 Comedian Martin Morrow gives us a preview of The Back to School Special, Special Comedy Show. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Interviews with performing artists sometimes ask for a willing suspension of disbelief from the audience. Take musicians, for example. When I sit down with a singer/songwriter in the studio I might say, “So, I can’t help but notice you brought your guitar. Would you mind playing a tune for us?” I’m pretty sure that most of my listeners know that I asked the artist in advance if they’d be willing to play a song or two, that we set mics so as to make them sound good, etc. But, it just sounds better if we pretend it’s spontaneous. From my perspective, this is even harder when I interview a comedian. There’s an arc to a good stand-up routine, so it’s not as simple as saying, “You look like you have a funny story to tell, a wry observation to share.” With that in mind, here’s a clip of Martin Morrow being funny (and a bit NSFW) to supplement the podcast interview where he tells us all about The Back to School Special, Special Comedy Show at The Gnu’s Room. The Back to School Special, Special Comedy Show hosted by The Tiger 93.9′s Ant from the Antishow Show and featuring Martin Morrow, Mario Carreras, John Brasseale, Joshua Mays, and Reid Luccasen comes to The Gnu’s Room (414 S. Gay St.) on Friday, August 20th at 9:00 p.m. Admission is free! – Kelly Walker Comedian Martin Morrow gives us a preview of The Back to School Special, Special Comedy Show. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Interviews with performing artists sometimes ask for a willing suspension of disbelief [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/16/offbeat-auburn-podcast-no-excuse-music-festival/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/16/offbeat-auburn-podcast-no-excuse-music-festival/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=974 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/16/offbeat-auburn-podcast-no-excuse-music-festival/feed/ 1 We preview the No Excuse Music Festival with Lisa Stephens and Tom O’Brien. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Auburn is starting to get busy again. Students and faculty are returning or, in some cases, arriving for the first time. The local arts and cultural community didn’t exactly close their doors over the summer. There is always a lot to do in our community, but the start of the academic year always means activity picks up. One of the first big events waiting for our new and returning arrivals is the No Excuse Music Festival. This weekend, Kiesel Park will be the scene of two days of music and crafts. A lot of Saturday’s names are well known to the readers of Offbeat Auburn including Martha’s Trouble, Dooley’s Blue Revue, Ernest Goes to Jazz, Left Hand Groove, Red House Revival, and My Brother’s Van. But, Sunday’s line-up offers something a little different, a full day of gospel music headlined by The Anointed Hinds Sisters. Both days will be family-friendly affairs and guests are encouraged to bring chairs and a picnic lunch or dinner. One quick note about the beneficiary of the No Excuse Music Festival. The Domestic Violence Intervention Center is based in Lee County, but serves a five county region. It provides a 24-hour crisis line, confidential emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, referrals to agencies and organizations that assist victims, support group, and a school based violence prevention program. The needs that the DVIC meets aren’t pleasant to consider and for the safety of those it serves, much of its work is done quietly and out of sight. A visit to the No Excuse Music Festival is an opportunity to no only support, but celebrate the organization and its service to our community. The No Excuse Music Festival happens at Kiesel Park on Saturday, August 21 from Noon to sundown and Sunday, August 22 from 2 p.m. to sundown. Admission is $8 in advance, $10 at the gate, and $5 for students. Proceeds benefit the Domestic Violence Intervention Center. – Kelly Walker We preview the No Excuse Music Festival with Lisa Stephens and Tom O’Brien. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Auburn is starting to get busy again. Students and faculty are returning or, in some cases, arriving [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/13/offbeat-auburn-podcast-mama-mochas-coffee-roasterys-barista-throwdown/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/13/offbeat-auburn-podcast-mama-mochas-coffee-roasterys-barista-throwdown/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:00:05 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=958 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/13/offbeat-auburn-podcast-mama-mochas-coffee-roasterys-barista-throwdown/feed/ 0 A return visit with Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery as we preview Auburn’s first ever Barista Throwdown. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! You don’t have to spend much time with Sarah Barnett of Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery to come to the conclusion that she’s competitive. It’s hardly surprising, that’s a common quality in many entrepreneurs. Sarah’s competitiveness, though, isn’t the win at any cost variety. Rather, Sarah carries around an attitude of, “Let’s race to the top of the hill. One of us will get there first, but we’ll both enjoy the view!” With that in mind, it’s also not surprising that Auburn’s first ever Barista Throwdown, sponsored by Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery, is not only all about who is best, but about raising the level of craft for coffee shops throughout the area. On August 19th, the local folks who make your lattes and cappuccinos will gather at The Gnu’s Room in the Shops @ Southside to test their skill against one another. Baristas will be judged on the quality of their drinks and their presentation. Also, in a uniquely Sarah twist, they will be further judged on a music playlist of their own choosing to accompany them as they work. In addition to the Throwdown, there will be a wine tasting courtesy of Fine Wine and Beer by Gus and books and bags of coffee will be on sale. It promises to be a great event to send summer out with a bang and begin to usher in the fall and the return of students, faculty, and staff from the long break. In fact, when I was in Bloomington, Indiana this past week and mentioned to several friends this was happening, the response was universal. “That sounds so cool. Why don’t we have that?” Well, probably because you don’t have Sarah Barnett and Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery. Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery’s Barista Throwdown happens in The Gnu’s Room (414 S. Gay St.) in the Shops @ Southside on Thursday, August 19th beginning at 6 p.m. Admission is free. – Kelly Walker A return visit with Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery as we preview Auburn’s first ever Barista Throwdown. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! You don’t have to spend much time with Sarah Barnett of Mama Mocha’s [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/01/offbeat-auburn-podcast-auburn-area-community-theatres-sceneworks/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/01/offbeat-auburn-podcast-auburn-area-community-theatres-sceneworks/#comments Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:00:10 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=944 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/08/01/offbeat-auburn-podcast-auburn-area-community-theatres-sceneworks/feed/ 1 Some of the many volunteers who power the Auburn Area Community Theatre fill us in on their upcoming Sceneworks. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! When I arrived at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center to talk to some of the folks from the Auburn Area Community Theatre, they were already rehearsing a number for their annual Sceneworks. Quietly, I unpacked my recording gear and starting capturing a bit of their work. When they wrapped up, I asked the AACT’s Andrea Holmes who I would be interviewing. I should probably have asked who I wouldn’t be interviewing, because I was delighted to find that pretty much every one of the group’s volunteers on hand was eager to step up. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Mounting a theatrical production is a huge undertaking for any company and to take on that kind of work with volunteers calls for a special kind of passion. The AACT presents several full productions throughout the year and even when they claim to slow down in the summer for their annual collection of short scenes, they still aim high. This year’s Sceneworks has a theme of musical theatre, so there’s choreography to consider for a number like “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” from Hairspray. Their choices are ambitious, too, like “A Little Priest” from Sweeney Todd and “What Is This Feeling?” from Wicked. And, in the case of “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret, the song is framed in an original scene authored by one of the actors. As one of the actors said to me, “Why would you want to sit at home and watch TV when you could be out enjoying the theatre.” The point is well taken whether you’re onstage, backstage, or enjoying the show from the audience. Auburn Area Community Theatre presents Musical Theatre Sceneworks on Tuesday, August 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center (222 E. Drave Ave.). The event is free and open to the public and will also feature the AACT annual membership meeting. – Kelly Walker Some of the many volunteers who power the Auburn Area Community Theatre fill us in on their upcoming Sceneworks. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! When I arrived at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center to talk to [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/26/offbeat-auburn-podcast-india-garden/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/26/offbeat-auburn-podcast-india-garden/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:00:33 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=898 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/26/offbeat-auburn-podcast-india-garden/feed/ 1 Inder Pannu takes advantage of a short post-lunch lull to sit down with us for a chat. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! To understand how happy (overjoyed is probably more accurate) my wife and I were when news that the restaurant India Garden was coming to Auburn, a little bit of personal background is probably in order. When we moved to the South from the Midwest nearly three years ago, we moved into a region with one of America’s most beloved culinary traditions. Sadly, it’s a cuisine we appreciate largely from a distance because we are long-time vegetarians. It’s humble roots and tradition of making a lot out of a little means that a host of rice and veggie dishes owe a portion of their flavor to the addition of a nice piece of pork. Southern cooking shares a lot with one of our favorite cuisines, and one of the most vegetarian-friendly, Indian cuisine. Both feature relatively simple base ingredients and both put a premium on slow cooking. What really distinguishes them, though, is the use of spices…lots and lots of spices. When you walk into Auburn’s India Garden, there’s definitely something in the air. Indian cuisine is first a feast for the nose. The spice trade literally put India on the map, for Europeans anyway, and Indians have had centuries upon centuries to devise ways to combine those spices with spinach, potatoes, and vegetable of all kinds into a seemingly endless array of dishes. All that being said, don’t think that a trip to India Garden isn’t a delight for omnivores as well. One of the key elements of Indian cuisine is the clay oven called a tandoor. Tandoors cook hot, they cook long, and they’re most often used to cook meats to succulence. Well, so I’ve heard, but clearly it’s a hit locally based on the way people load up their plates with tandoori chicken at India Garden’s lunch buffet. India Garden is located at 1251 Opelika Rd. and opens for lunch featuring a buffet at 11:00 a.m. Full dinner menu begins at 5:00 p.m. – Kelly Walker Inder Pannu takes advantage of a short post-lunch lull to sit down with us for a chat. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! To understand how happy (overjoyed is probably more accurate) my wife and I were when news [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/19/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lee-county-humane-societys-best-friends-calendar-contest/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/19/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lee-county-humane-societys-best-friends-calendar-contest/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:00:43 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=865 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/19/offbeat-auburn-podcast-lee-county-humane-societys-best-friends-calendar-contest/feed/ 0 We talk with Stacee Peer of the Lee County Humane Society about their 2011 Best Friends Calendar Contest and Woofstock. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! C'mon, Henry has self-esteem issues! First, let’s get one thing straight. I needed a photo to illustrate this story and Scout and Henry are as worthy as any of the other 50+ entrants in this year’s Lee County Humane Society 2011 Best Friends Calendar Contest, right? I mean the fact that I’m friends with their people, Allyson and Bailey of Sundilla, has nothing to do with it. Awww…who am I kidding? Of course I’m biased. But, seriously, just look at them! The LCHS’s annual Calendar Contest has got to be one of the truly great fund-raisers around town. Not only does it bring in good money for a great cause, but how often does participating in a contest include looking at dozen of pictures of highly photogenic pets? So, drop a dollar and cast a vote. You have until the 10th annual LCHS fundraiser Woofstock on September 11th. The Lee County Human Society is accepting votes for the 2011 Best Friends Calendar Contest at leecountyhumane.org until the Woofstock annual fundraiser, which is Saturday, September 11th at Kiesel Park. – Kelly Walker We talk with Stacee Peer of the Lee County Humane Society about their 2011 Best Friends Calendar Contest and Woofstock. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! First, let’s get one thing straight. I needed a photo to [...] http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/06/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-southeastern-raptor-center-owl-release/ http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/06/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-southeastern-raptor-center-owl-release/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 05:00:26 +0000 KellyWalker http://www.offbeatauburn.com/?p=847 http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/07/06/offbeat-auburn-podcast-the-southeastern-raptor-center-owl-release/feed/ 0 Liz Crandall takes us an unforgettable visit with the residents of the Southeaster Raptor Center in advance of their next owl release. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! Photo by Heather May When I was in grade school, the Wolf Sanctuary outside St. Louis brought a wolf to visit. They were relatively new then and doing a lot of outreach, so they brought their star resident, Rocky, out and about in the community as they raised funds. For me, it was an formative experience and my interest in wildlife conservation probably began with that visit. When we were in Bloomington, we were close to Indiana’s Exotic Feline Rescue Center, which offered us up close visits with an amazing array of big cats. Unlike the wolves in St. Louis, the residents of that acreage outside Terre Haute will live out their lives there, unable to be returned to the wild. Not so with many of the birds who come to Auburn’s own Southeastern Raptor Center. Members of the Auburn family are, of course, very familiar with raptors. The flight of the War Eagle before home games is one of the great traditions in college football. Those birds call the Southeastern Raptor Center home and its mission extends well beyond stirring the Auburn faithful on game day. Wounded and orphaned raptors from all over the region are brought to the center for evaluation and, hopefully, return to the wild. The latter portion of their mission happens again this week when Barred and Eastern Screech Owls who have been fostered at the Center are returned to the wild in an event at Kiesel Park. As it turns out, several of the owls were brought to the center as orphans by well-meaning people who did not realize they were healthy fledglings, so the Center will provide an educational session before the release as well. The Southeastern Raptor Center, in collaboration with the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department, will release owls into the wild at Kiesel Park on July 8. An educational program at 6:30 p.m. is followed by the owls release at 7 p.m. People are encouraged to bring a picnic and to enjoy the park at Kiesel while watching the unique event. – Kelly Walker Liz Crandall takes us an unforgettable visit with the residents of the Southeaster Raptor Center in advance of their next owl release. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes! When I was in grade school, the Wolf [...]