Flipside

July 10-JULY 16, 2014 www.thesouthern.com

THINGS TO DO • BOOKS • DANCE • THEATER • ART • MUSIC • MOVIES

Fire away!

Unwind with wineVenues offer drinks, music and more during the summer

Gone bananas‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ opens in theaters

Pat Benatar continues to hit the music world with her best shots

Page 2 Thursday, July 10, 2014 FliPside

Movies Art Wineries Books Cover story theAter things to do MusiC

ContACt us: [email protected]

Adam Testa, Lifestyles writer [email protected] / ext. 5031

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Brandon Byars, online [email protected] / ext. 5018

Cara , Lifestyles and special projects editor [email protected] / ext. 5075

The southern illinoisan (USPS 258-908) is published daily at a yearly subscription rate of $219.96. It is published at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901. It is owned by Lee Enterprises of Davenport, Iowa.

Art events Thursday Night live: Art, food, music,

5-8 p.m. Thursdays, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, 2600 Richview Road, Mount Vernon; through Aug. 28; 618-242-1236; www.cedarhurst.org

Contemporary indian Art show: Features Native American artists, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, July 12-13, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville; preview recep-tion, 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, July 11; 618-344-7316; www.cahokiamounds.org

exhibits Historical structures: Little Egypt Arts

Association Art Competition, Arts Centre, Tower Square, Marion; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; closing reception, 5 p.m. Aug. 15; 618-998-8530

eldon Benz: Varsity Center for the Arts, Carbondale; nature photographs and prints of Lee Benz serigraphs, watercolors and woodcuts; eldonbenz.com

lori Helfrich: North window artist, Little Egypt Arts Centre, 601 Tower Square, Marion; through July; 618-998-8530 or www.lit-tleegyptarts.com

Revived, Reclaimed Redeemed: Prints and jewelry by Ashley Greer, Du Quoin Library of Arts, 6 S. Washington St.; through July 20; 618-790-4036; [email protected]

Paint on the Wall: By Shawn Vincelette, Pavilion of the City of Marion, 1602 Sioux Drive; through July; also the Marion Landmarks Series; 618-993-2657

Anna Centennial celebration of 1954 exhibit: 60th anniversary, Union County Museum, Cobden; through July 27; 1-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Joan skiver-levy: 24 paintings, Corner Dance Hall, Whittington; through July;

618-303-5266landscapes of southern illinois:

Carbondale Civic Center Corridor Gallery; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; through July 31; 618-457-5100; [email protected]; carbondalearts.org

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts: Playing with Scissors, Polly Winkler-Mitchell; Waves in Black and White, Sandra Gottlieb; Dreaming Out Loud, recent works by Paul Aho; Pastoral America, The Morrissey Family Collections; 2600 Richview Road, Mount Vernon; through Aug. 3; 618-242-1236; www.cedarhurst.org

Old & New: Paintings by Carol Good, Longbranch Café & Bakery, 100 E. Jackson St., Carbondale; through Aug. 10; 618-201-6252

Playful Notions — experiments in Mixed Media: Clay sculpture, painted furniture, wire sculpture, mixed media vessels, mixed media painting, Southern Illinois Art and Artisan Center, 14967 Gun Creek Trail, Whittington; through Aug. 23; 618-629-2220 or [email protected]

staycation: Missy Carstens, local scenes, Latta Java coffee shop, 412 N. Market St., Marion; 8 a.m-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; through August; 618-998-8530

The Art of description: Southern Illinois Art & Artisans Center, 14967 Gun Creek Trail, Whittington; through Oct. 17, 2015; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; no admission charge; 618-629-2220

Receptions light Up the Night: Exhibit by Scott

Morris, Harrisburg District Library; street scenes of Paducah; closing reception, 2-4 p.m. Sunday, July 13

COLLINSVILLE — Two dozen Native American artists from across the nation and from 15 tribal affiliations will sell a wide variety of fine art Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13, at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Col-linsville.

The site’s 19th Annual Contemporary Indian Art Show features paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor and other media, pen-and-ink drawings, metal work, sculptures in antler, wood and clay, pottery in tradi-tional and contemporary forms, jewelry and hand-made items from medicine bags to dolls to flutes.

The show takes place inside the site’s Interpre-tive Center, is free. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

A preview reception will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 11. Guests can meet the artists, be the first to see and purchase artwork and vote for the People’s Choice Award.

Preview Party tickets are $20 each or $17 for Cahokia Mounds Museum Society members and may be ordered by calling 618-344-7316.

For more information, call 618-346-5160 or visit www.cahokiamounds.org.

— The Southern

Cahokia Mounds holds Contemporary Indian Art Show

Attention All

For more information,Call 618-233-0052 today

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Flipside Thursday, July 10, 2014 page 3

Movies Art Wineries Books Cover story theAter things to do MusiC Authors, Books

Book signing and discus-sion: By R.A. “Cowboy” Jones, 2 p.m. Friday, July 18, Herrin City Library; Jones will discuss his career as a jockey and his memories of growing up in Herrin; he will also sign copies of a new book, “The Legendary RA “Cowboy Jones — Over 50 Years as a Jockey” written by Angie Karcher

Comedy The Carbondale

Comedians: 9 p.m. Mondays, Hangar 9, Carbondale; 10 p.m. Wednesdays, Station 13, Carbondale; see The Carbondale Comedians on Facebook

RiffTrax live — sharknado: 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, AMC Showplace Carbondale 8 Theater, 1263 E. Main St.; RiffTrax crew, Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett will present a live broadcast from the State Theater in Minneapolis to cinemas nationwide; www.FathomEvents.com

events Cruise Night: 6-9 p.m.

Friday July 11, Rend Lake College MarketPlace, Mount Vernon; classic cars; 618-244-7711 or 618-242-6279

Coach Kill Cancer Fund

poker Ride: Registration, 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday, July 12, Southern Illinois Center, Du Quoin State Fairgrounds; card draws at Riverside Park in Murphysboro, John A. Logan College in Carterville, West Frankfort City Park, Harbor Oaks picnic area at Rend Lake and ending back at the Du Quoin fairgrounds with an after-ride rally around 3:30 p.m.; www.coachkill-cancerfund.org or call 618-457-5200 ext. 67013

Coal Miners Memorial park Fun: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, July 12, Coal Miners Memorial Park, downtown West Frankfort; car cruise, food, raffles; music; craft fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; car cruise, 6-8 p.m.; 618-218-7889; 618-923-0797

Bikes on Broadway: A portion of Broadway Street in Paducah will be closed to vehicles from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, July 13; traffic allowed on the street includes bicycles, skates, skateboards, scooters, tricycles, strollers or walking; vehicular traffic will not be permitted on Broadway between 4th and 17th streets; www.paducahky.gov or 270-444-8508

lions Fest: 5 p.m. to mid-night, Friday-Saturday, July 18-19, Central City Lions Park, Centralia; games, barbecue, cakewalk, food, bands; 618-532-7767; seecentralia.com

Films Free outdoor movie:

Muppets Most Wanted, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, Saluki Stadium, SIU; gates open 6 p.m.; movie shown on video board; seating is available in the stands of the stadium or on the field; bring blankets or chairs for field seating; popcorn, $2, soda, $1; movie stars Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey

They Will endure: Documentary on the his-tory of Pope County, 4 p.m. Sunday, July 20, 3 p.m. Monday, July 21, 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 22 and 8 p.m. Thursday, July 24, WSIU-TV Channel 8; video documents Pope County from the late 1700s through 1937; 618-771-2348

History Tour pAsT Heritage

House: 1:30-3:30 every Sunday through Oct. 26; 1847 home at 102 S. Main St., Jonesboro; free but dona-tions welcome; also conduct research on local history or genealogy; Lincoln Museum Room features information on Lincoln-Douglas Debate

in 1858 in Jonesboro; 618-833-8745, 618-697-1870 or 618-833-3228

Historical bus tours: Featuring information on the Herrin Massacre, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturdays, July 19 and 26; massacre of miners and guards at the Lester strip mine in 1922 became known as Bloody Williamson; tour busses load, 9 a.m. Williamson County Historical Museum, 105 S. Van Buren St., Marion; $35 per person; includes lunch; www.herrinmassacretour.com; 618-751-2924

Harrison Bruce Historical Village tours: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, John A. Logan College, Carterville; private tours, call Emily Henson at 618-985-3741 ext. 8015

Theater/performance Mother Hicks: Friday-

Sunday, July 11-13 and 18-20, Varsity Center for the Arts, 418 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale; 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; Mother Hicks is based in the Southern Illinois town of Ware during the Great Depression;

$10/$5; tickets at the Varsity box office, 5-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and one hour prior to each performance; 618-549-5466; purchase tickets online at any time by visiting www.stagecompany.org

Monty Jackson: America — A Tribute to Our Veterans, 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, The Gathering Place Dinner Theatre, 290 S. Burns St., Sparta; $35, show and dinner; www.thegatheringplaceoff-broadway.com; 618-965-3726

Mcleod summer playhouse: Spamalot, Friday-Sunday, July 11-13 and 18-20; 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; Anything Goes, July 30-Aug. 3; individual tickets to Spamalot, $25 for adults and $10 for students; Anything Goes, $16 for adults and $8 for students; plays presented at McLeod Theater, SIU; $12/$8; playhouse.siu.edu; 618-453-6000

Kilroy Was Here: Musical tribute to veterans and Americans, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 12 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 13, Artstarts House, 104 S. Van Buren

St., Marion; World War II era USO Club format; Artstarts’ Summer Workshop program; dessert and beverage; veterans, free but should call to reserve a seat; $10; www.artstarts.biz; 618-645-2787

Thoroughly Modern Murder: 6 p.m. Saturday, July 19, SIC Foundation Center, 540 N. Commercial St., Harrisburg; murder mystery dinner theater hosted by Court Appointed Special Advocates of Saline County; dress in 1920s attire; $30; 618-253-3355; [email protected]; casaofsalinecounty.org

All Tooned Up: Diverse range of music by teen band, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 19, The Gathering Place Dinner Theatre, 290 S. Burns St., Sparta; $30, show and dinner; www.thegatheringplaceoff-broadway.com; 618-965-3726

Wade Benson: Cajun, traditional country, Western swing, gospel, 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 25, The Gathering Place Dinner Theatre, 290 S. Burns St., Sparta; $35, show and dinner; www.thegather-ingplaceoffbroadway.com; 618-965-3726

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MARION — “Kilroy was Here,” a rousing musi-cal tribute to veterans and Americans, will be presented at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 12, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 13.

The semi-interactive show will be presented in a World War II era USO Club format at the Art-starts House, 104 S. Van Buren St.

Dessert and beverages will be served at the event.

Space is limited so res-ervations are suggested.

Veterans are invited to see the show free but should call to reserve a seat. For others, seating is $10 per ticket or $75 for a table of eight.

Order tickets at www.artstarts.biz. Call 618 645-2787 for more infor-mation.

— The Southern

Musical tribute ‘Kilroy was Here’ comes to Marion

CARBONDALE – “Mother Hicks,” a play set in the Southern Illi-nois town of Ware during the Great Depression, will be presented Friday to Sunday, July 11-13 and July 18-20 in the Varsity Center for the Arts, 418 S. Illinois Ave.

Performances will be 7 p.m. Friday and Satur-day and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The play is described as a family drama and is written by Suzan Zeder and directed by Kevin Purcell.

“Mother Hicks” is based on real interviews by the Federal Writ-ers Project in Southern Illinois during the 1930s. The play chronicles the lives of three outsid-ers: a foundling girl known only as Girl; a deaf boy called Tuc; and an eccentric recluse, Mother Hicks, who is suspected of being a witch.

Set in the late spring

of 1935, times are hard for everyone but espe-cially for Girl, who, with no family to call her own, gets passed around from household to household, until, fol-lowing clues and whis-perings of her heart, she encounters the eccentric Mother Hicks.

The play is a haunting tale told through sign-language and poetry.

A unique feature of the production is that the character of Tuc, the

narrator, is played by local hard-of-hearing actor, Sam Butler.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for stu-dents and may be pur-chased at the box office at Varsity Center for the Arts. Hours are from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and one hour prior to each perfor-mance.

Tickets may also be purchased online at www.stagecompany.org.

— The Southern

‘Mother Hicks’ set in Ware during Great Depression

Provided by The STage Co. Melissa Olsen, Virginia Parkinson and Sam Butler star in The Stage Co.’s production of ‘Mother Hicks,’ opening July 11 at the Varsity Center for the Arts.

A one-hour documen-tary on the history of Pope County, “They Will Endure,” will be broadcast on WSIU-TV Channel 8 in late July.

The documentary is comprised of historic photos and government records, local residents recounting both personal memories and oral his-tory passed down through generations of family, plus interviews with historians and archeologists and current landowners of the Cherokee Trail of Tears segments recounting Pope County’s role in that his-toric event.

The Pope County Historical Society com-missioned the video documenting the history of Pope County from the late 1700s through 1937 to honor the late historian, Mildred B. McCormick, for her dedication to the preservation of the coun-ty’s history.

The film will point out some interesting facts including that the popula-tion of Pope County was once 14,000, and that land sold for 12.5 cents per

acre. The 2010 census put Pope County’s popula-tion at 4,470, the second smallest county in Illinois when it comes to popula-tion.

The county’s economic history is explored in the film through information gathered on its bustling railroad traffic, commer-cial river port activities, and the abundance of thriving locally owned businesses. The story closes with the devastat-ing flood of 1937 with first-hand accounts and stunning photos.

“They Will Endure” broadcast schedule is 4 p.m. Sunday, July 20; 3 p.m. Monday, July 21; 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 22; and 8 p.m. Thursday, July 24.

DVDs of the documen-tary may be purchased for $25 at various locations in Golconda.

For further information on the film, contact His-torical Society president, Tim Trovillion at 618-771-2348 or executive producer of the film, Gail Lannom, at 618-969-8800.

— The Southern

PADUCAH — A stretch of Broadway will be closed to vehicles from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 13, as the community celebrates Bikes on Broadway.

No cars or trucks are allowed, but other modes of transportation are encouraged including bicycles, skates, skate-boards, scooters, tricycles, strollers or even run-ning shoes.

Vehicular traffic will not be permitted on Broadway between 4th and 17th streets allowing for a safe riding environment for

people and people-pow-ered vehicles.

BikeWorld will also be set up at 17th Street to provide mechanical help and other assistance.

Motorists can cross Broadway with the assis-tance of volunteers at the intersections of 9th Street and 13th Street.

Bikes on Broadway will be the second Sunday of each month through October. For more infor-mation, go to www.paducahky.gov or call 270-444-8508.

— The Southern

Pope County documentary to be aired

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HERRIN — R.A. “Cow-boy “Jones will discuss his career as a jockey and his memories of growing up in Herrin at 2 p.m. Friday, July 18, in Herrin City Library.

Jones will also sign copies of a new book, “The Legendary R.A. ‘Cowboy’ Jones — Over Fifty Years as a Jockey” written by Angie Karcher. The book is a biography of the Ellis Park, Kentucky, rider who has been win-ning races for six decades.

Jones says all he ever wanted to do was ride horses. He saved up enough money from a newspaper route to buy his first horse, Luigi, when he was 15 years old.

He plays up the cowboy nickname with boots and 10-gallon hats, but his first nickname was “Scratchy” which was a complement to his older brother Richard,

who took the nick-name “Itchy.”

Itchy Jones is a former college baseball coach at SIU and the University of Illinois.

Cowboy Jones is a 1960 graduate of Herrin High School.

The book signing and discussion set for July 18 is part of the Herrin Area Historical Society’s Guest Lecture Series.

— The Southern

Cowboy Jones to discuss racing career

PROVIDED BY COWBOY JONES

WEST FRANKFORT — The Coal Miners Memo-rial Park Fun Fest Satur-day, July 12, will include a craft fair, car cruise, food, raffles and live music at the Coal Miners Memo-rial Park in downtown West Frankfort.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; pro-ceeds go toward building a stage for commu-nity events.

A preliminary estimate to build a stage totals at least $30,000 to complete the first phase of the stage to be built behind Strand Park, directly across from Coal Miners Park in the downtown area.

The Fun Fest Satur-day will kick off with a craft fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SI Customs will host a Car Cruise from 6 to 8 p.m. The first 75 regis-tering for the car cruise will receive dash plaques. For more information on the Car Cruise call James at 618-218-7889.

Southern Illinois band Third Story will be live in concert from 7 to 10 p.m.

The committee will be serving barbecue dinners beginning at 11 a.m., and in-town delivery is avail-able to businesses.

Raffle drawings will take place throughout the day with a 50-50 drawing set for 9 p.m.

For more information or to donate to the Coal Miners Memorial park, call Sharon Ossig at 618-923-0797.

— The Southern

Fun Fest includes car cruise, music

If you ever wanted to know more about the Her-rin Massacre and see the sites associated with it, two historical bus tours will give you that chance.

The massacre of miners and guards at the Lester strip mine in 1922 made national news and was known as Bloody Wil-liamson.

Residents and tourists will have the opportunity to see the location of the ambush and the mine location as part of two bus tours scheduled for Satur-day, July 19 and 26.

Carbondale school board member Amy Erickson is the organizer of the tours. She said she worked just down the road from the mine site for years without knowing. After a recent trip to Rwanda and Burundi in Africa, where both nations had experienced hardships and massacres, she realized the importance of history and past events.

“It’s a small world,” she said. “I found it uncanny that in each of these situ-ations, regardless of size or amount of people who lost their lives, rich natural resources were at its root, fueled by fear of your neighbor, fear of loss and the big one — lack of inter-vention of law and order, where no one was willing

HARRISBURG — Guests are encouraged to dress in 1920s attire while attend-ing the murder mystery dinner “Thoroughly Modern Murder” set for Saturday, July 19.

Court Appointed Spe-cial Advocates of Saline County will host the din-ner theater at 6 p.m. in the Southeastern Illinois College Foundation Center, 540 N. Commer-cial St.

Random Acts: The Mur-der Mystery Company will present the event. Tickets are $30 per person or $200 for a table of eight.

All proceeds will benefit CASA of Saline County.

For tickets or informa-tion, call 618-253-3355.

— The Southern

‘Thoroughly Modern Murder’ at Harrisburgto stop the violence and

bring justice.”While Erickson will

serve as the tour’s host, area historian and author Jon Musgrave will cover the history as lead guide. The tours will include stops at Station Carbon-dale, the former Illinois Central Railroad station in Carbondale, the Her-rin City Cemetery and the Williamson County Jail Museum.

The tour will follow as much of the original route as possible highlighting the events of the two-day outbreak of violence that took place June 21 and 22, 1922.

“Days are different now, people handled things differently back then. People didn’t talk about their grief, and it

took a long time to have things surface. It’s good for our communities to get past the uncomfort-able feelings and celebrate the great things we have today. And never forget the great things we want to keep,” Erickson said.

Tour busses load at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Williamson County Historical Museum, 105 S. Van Buren St., Marion.

The tour will include a sit down lunch, giveaways and souvenirs.

Families are welcome and tickets cost $35 per person.

Persons interested should visit www.herrin-massacretour.com or call 618-751-2924 to purchase seats or request informa-tion.

— The Southern

Herrin Massacre bus tours feature local history

Mother hicksMother hicks



SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — Registration for the Coach Kill Cancer Fund Poker Ride is set from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday, July 12 in the Southern Illinois Center at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.

An after-ride rally will be around 3:30 p.m. Sat-urday at the fairgrounds.

The ride will be in memory of Andrew McKinney, a young and upcoming Huck’s employee who passed away from cancer last August at the age of 24. Huck’s is sponsoring the ride in honor of McKin-ney’s life and love of rid-ing his motorcycle.

Registration the day of the event will be $30 for one rider and $50 for two riders on the same bike. The registration fee includes the ride, drinks, snacks and the meal and entertainment at the after ride Rally.

Family and friends may purchase tickets for the after ride rally for $15.

The Coach Kill Cancer Fund provides financial assistance to cancer patients. For more information go to www.coachkillcancerfund.org or call 618-457-5200 ext. 67013.

— The Southern

Coach Kill Cancer Fund Poker Ride set Saturday

AdAM TesTATHE SOUTHERN

When Pat Benatar and Neil “Spyder” Giraldo first met at the her rehearsal studio in 1979, they were just two young musicians with modest expectations.

Benatar had separated from her first husband, although the divorce hadn’t been finalized yet, and found an instant attraction to Giraldo, both musically and romantically. The two began dating in earnest after the finalization of her divorce later that year.

“We were so young. Every single day, we were trying to get through that day. We weren’t looking ahead a year at a time,” Benatar said. “We were hoping for five years. We’d

make some records, make some money and move on.”

The couple made records. They made money. But they never quite moved on.

Thirty-five years later, Benatar and Giraldo still tour the country, perform-ing at venues large and small, sharing songs and smiles with audiences that have followed them for a generation.

While their children were in school, the couple limited their travel sched-ule, as it was difficult for both parents to be out of town. But now that the youngest has graduated high school, the full tour-ing schedules of about 125 dates a year have started backed up again.

“It’s insane, but it’s kind of fun and normal,” Bena-tar said. “The seduction of it all is still there.”

Benatar and Giraldo have been performing all year, but the last few weeks have marked the beginning of their 35th Anniversary Tour. They’ll bring the show to Southern Illi-nois this weekend, as the couple takes the stage at Walker’s Bluff at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 13.

Mixing smaller venues,

like Walker’s Bluff, with those that hold upward of 15,000 people helps keep things exciting and fresh for the performers.

“Sometimes, the inti-mate ones are really, really fun,” Benatar said. “You can fine tune how you set things up and really engage with the audience.”

Tickets to the Walker’s Bluff concert are $45 for general admission and $140 for VIP and can be purchased at the venue’s general store, by calling

618-956-9900 or online at www.walkersbluff.com.

Fans can expect to hear the classic songs they know and love and to experience firsthand the chemistry that’s devel-oped between Benatar and Giraldo through the past 35 years of lyrical love.

“It’s the glue that holds us together. We were play-ers before we were lovers,” she said. “I’m playing with my best friend and my muse.”

The couple continues

to explore their creativity outside of music, as well. Giraldo is in the process of writing an autobiography, while Benatar works on a novel about the second coming of Christ and a cookbook.

She said she’s always loved words, whether they’re in the form of a book or song lyrics.

“This is just another outlet for me,” she said.

[email protected] 618-351-5031

Pat Benatar continues to hit the music world with her best shots

PROvidEd By PaT BENaTaR Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are celebrating 35 years together as a couple and as musicians. Their anniversary tour rolls into Walker’s Bluff in Carterville on Sunday, July 13.

PAT BenATAr And neil GirAldo

WhAT: 35th anniversary TourWhen: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 13Where: Walker’s Bluff, 326 vermont Road,

CartervilleTickeTs: $45 for general admission, $140 for

viP; purchase at Walker’s Bluff general store, by calling 618-956-9900 or online at www.walkersbluff.com

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Jon Pardi took the high road into Nashville.

Some aspiring vocalists are able to con-vince a wealthy individual or group of hope-ful investors to finance their attack on the country music industry. This ill-fated plan usually ends in failure, because there is always a tank of sharks more than will-ing to gobble up the seemingly endless stream of money.

After graduating high school, Pardi spent three years honing his vocal skills with a band in the fertile musical soil of central California. With a sound somewhere between Dwight Yoakam and Alan Jack-son, he matured on the same circuit Buck Owens and Merle Haggard used to perfect the legendary Bakersfield sound.

In 2008, with his mother literally seen crying from his rear-view mirror, Pardi packed everything he owned into a car, took his $7,000 life sav-ings and confidently migrated to Nashville, the undisputed epicenter of country music. Pardi immediately focused on songwriting, and within 18 months had a publishing deal and music executives quickly noticed his powerhouse vocals on his demo recordings.

“We started doing show-cases, and, after the third one we did with a full band, Mike Dungan gave me a handshake and said, ‘Lets do it.’”

Dungan is president of Capitol Records Nashville, the recording home of Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Lady Ante-bellum, Dierks Bentley and Little Big Town.

Pardi released his debut single “Missin’ You Crazy” in March 2012, and it peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard singles chart. He put his name on the lips of program directors nationwide with follow-up “Up All Night,” which cracked the elusive Top 10 last year and earned gold status for sales exceeding 500,000 units. He received his gold record last month before taking the stage for a performance dur-ing the final day of the CMA Music Fest.

“I still can’t believe we sold that many records,” Pardi said, admitting that physically hold-ing the trophy made it seem “more real.”

He is back in the Top 40 with current single “What I Can’t Put Down.”

Riding a streak of three consecutive hits, Pardi will be appearing at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the Benton Civic Center. Tickets are $21 for premium reserved seating and $17 for general admission. For more information, call the civic cen-ter between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 618-435-5700.

All three singles are included on his first major label album “Write You a Song,” which was released Jan. 14 and climbed all the way to No. 3 on the Bill-board albums chart.

Pardi co-wrote nearly every tune on the 11-song project with the top songwriters in Music City, including Casey Beathard and Brett Beavers, who has helped pen nearly every Dierks Bentley hit. Pardi and Beavers collaborated with Bart Butler to create the lyrics for “Up All Night.”

During the tough times Pardi spent learning the songwrit-ing craft, he took a job as a lifeguard just to keep food on the table. When he received his

big break with Capitol, he used several of his early contacts on the project, which includes both fiddle and steel guitar and several highly regarded instru-mentalists.

Fiddler Jenee Fleenor added a definite country flavor. She is an amazing vocalist who has toured with Blake Shelton and Martina McBride. Guitarist Keith Gattis is a songwriter who has had tunes cut by Ashley Monroe, Randy Houser, the late George Jones and Kid Rock. Keyboardist Dan Dug-more played on the road with

Linda Ronstadt for 14 years and on several James Taylor albums, before becoming a high demand session player.

“All I ever wanted to do coming to Nashville was to write rowdy, in-your-face, straight country music, and that’s what this album is,” Pardi said.

While other kids spend their early childhood playing little league sports or obsessively playing video games, Pardi was incredibly focused and drawn to music. He dropped out of a children’s music class because it wasn’t challenging enough and started taking guitar les-sons. He starting writing songs when he was 12 and had his own band at 14.

After high school, he started playing acoustic gigs around Dixon, California, with good friend Chase McGrew. The duo took the act with them to Butte Junior College, where it evolved into the full band Northern Comfort.

“We played together three years, and those were some fun times,” Pardi said. “I learned slow songs don’t go over when you’re trying to sell beer, so I learned a lot of really up, fast songs that I still like doing today.”

Pardi has a busy summer schedule playing individual shows and hitting major ven-ues like the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis on July 20 as part of a Dierks Bentley tour that also includes Chris Young and Chase Rice. He is appearing at the Gulf Coast Jame in Panama City on Aug. 29 and is part of the Austin City Limits Festival on Oct. 3.

ViNCe HOFFARd can be reached at 618-658-9095 or vince [email protected].

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The Natives: 7-10 p.m., Walker’s Bluff

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Blue Sky Vineyardlow dog & stringz: 2-5 p.m.,

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3-6 p.m., Walker’s BluffBlue Confusion: 3:30-6:30 p.m.,

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Vineyards; open houseKing Juba: 6-9 p.m., Rustle Hilllaid Back duo: 7-10 p.m., Walker’s

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sUNdAY Ray Martin: 1-4 p.m., Rustle HillBill Harper: 2-5 p.m., Blue SkyAdam Williams: 2-6 p.m., StarViewRecoil Band: 2:30-5:30 p.m., Bella

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Von Jakob Winery & BreweryBoys from the Old Broken Home:

5-9 p.m., Rustle Hill Winerypat Benatar and Neil Giraldo:

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Valley Road, Cobdenlincoln Heritage Winery: 772

Kaolin Road, Cobdenpheasant Hollow Winery: 14931

Illinois 37, WhittingtonRustle Hill Winery: U.S. 51, CobdenstarView Vineyards: 5100 Wing

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Singer-songwriter Jon Pardi took the

high road to NaShville

JON pARdi

6:30 p.m. tonight, July 10, Benton Civic Center;$21 for premium reserved seating, $17 for general admission; call the civic center at 618-435-5700 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

COURTESY JONPARDI.COM Jon Pardi performs tonight at 6:30 in Benton Civic Center.

Country SCenevince hoffard



Bars & Clubs THURsdAY

Benton: Gwyn Wynn Senior Center, The Swing N’ Country Dance Band with Fiddlin’ Dennis Stroughmatt, 7-9:30 p.m.

Carbondale: Hangar 9, Town Mountain; Tres Hombres, Wild Murphy and the New Year

FRidAYCarbondale: Tres Hombres,

The Well, Well Wells/Janis Esch, 6-9 p.m., patio

ina: Community Building, Friday Night Jam Band, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Marion: Youth Center, Craig’s Country Band, 6-9 p.m.

Whittington: Corner Dance Hall, Rebel Country Band, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

sATURdAYCarbondale: PKs, Well,

Well, Wells; Tres Hombres, Mr. Swamp Fox

Marion: Eagles, Salty Dog, 7-10 p.m.; Hideout Restaurant, Bob Pina, piano 5:30-9:30 p.m.; Egyptian Hills Resort, The Whistle Pigs, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Whittington: Corner Dance Hall, As Time Goes By Band, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

sUNdAYMarion: Eagles, Salty Dog,

6-9 p.m.

MONdAYdu Quoin: Derby’s

Community Hall, Jerry’s Jammers, 7-9 p.m.

Marion: Youth Center, Craig’s Country Band, 6-9 p.m.

TUesdAYBenton: Gwyn Wynn Senior

Center, Jeanita Spillman with Encore Band, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Herrin: Teen Town, Country Ramrods, 7-10 p.m.

Marion: Hideout Restaurant, Bob Pina, piano 5:30-8:30 p.m.

FiNd THeM HeReBarb’s Place: 206 E. Market

St., Christopher 618-724-5562Carbondale eagles: 1206

W. Linden St. 618-529-9345Corner dance Hall: 200

Franklin St., Whittington 618-303-5266

Curbside: 227 W. Main St., Carbondale 618-490-1539

derby’s Community Hall: 214 High St., Du Quoin 618-201-1753

Gwen Wynn senior Center: 104 N. 10th St., Benton 618-967-4635

Hangar 9: 511 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale 618-549-0511

Herrin Teen Town: 105 N. 13th St., Herrin 618-889-3651

Hideout Restaurant: 2602 Wanda Drive, Marion 618-997-8325

italian Club: 9038 Main Street, Coello 618-724-4610

John Brown’s On The square: 1000 Tower Square, Marion 618-997-2909

Just elsie’s: 302 Jackson St., Orient, 618-932-3401

la Fogata Mexican Bar and Grill: 519 S. Illinois Ave. Carbondale; 618-457-2092

Marion American legion:

Longstreet Road, Marion 618-997-6168

Marion eagles: Russell and Longstreet Roads, Marion 618-993-6300

Marion Youth Center: 211 E. Boulevard Ave., Marion 618-922-7853

Midtown Pub: Public Square, Jonesboro 618-614-7777

Murphysboro Moose lodge: 9663 Old Illinois 13, Murphysboro 618-684-3232

N-Kahootz Night Club: 115 W. Cherry St., Herrin 618-942-9345

Old Country store dance Barn: Main Street, Thompsonville 618-218-4676

PK’s: 308 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale 618-529-1124

Pinch Penny Pub: 700 E. Grand Ave., Carbondale 618-549-3348

steeleville American legion: 303 S. Chester St., Steeleville 618-965-3362

Tres Hombres: 119 N. Washington St., Carbondale 618-457-3308

The Mansion: 1602 Heartland Drive, Marion 618-579-4145

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Cafés Coulter, Goot and Wall:

7 p.m. Thursday, Grotto Lounge/Newell House, 201 E. Main St., Carbondale; 618-549-6400

Tim Crosby: 9-11 p.m.

Thursday, Fat Patties’ Red Corner: 611 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale; 618-529-3287

Hey Honey: 8-11 p.m. Friday, Fat Patties’ Red Corner: 611 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale; 618-529-3287

ConcertssOUTHeRN illiNOis

sunset Concert series: Dinner and a Suit, 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, lot 89A, SIU; pop rock; bring cool-ers; free; 618-536-3393; www.studentcenter.siu.edu; www.dinnerandasuit.com

stone in love: Tribute to Journey, 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 11, Egyptian Hills Resort, Lake of Egypt, 75 Egyptian Parkway, Creal Springs; $20; benefits the Williamson County Family Crisis Center Homeless Shelter; www.egyptianhill-sresort.com; 618-364-8088 or 618-996-3449

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo: 7 p.m. Sunday, July 13, Legend’s Amphitheater, Walker’s Bluff, 326 Vermont Road, Carterville; VIP tickets, $140 include buffet; lawn seating, $45; doors open 5:30 p.m.; 618-956-9900; www.walkersbluff.com

Broadway Favorites: Classics and modern Broadway songs,7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, Anna Arts Center, 125 W. Davie St.; $15; bring a new toy for $5 discount; proceeds to Toys for Tots; 618-697-4396; [email protected]

Fixx for Hunger: Will Rock for Food benefit concert, 7 p.m., Saturday, July 26, Marion Cultural and Civic Center; proceeds

to the Marion Food Pantry; headliners, The Fixx with guests, The Jeff Pritchett Project; $50/$35/$25; www.marionccc.org, 618-997-4030

du Quoin state Fair: Foreigner Aug. 23 , Kenny Rogers Aug. 24, Travis Tritt Aug. 25, The Jon Henninger Band Aug. 26, .38 Special Aug. 28, Rodney Atkins Aug. 29; KC and the Sunshine Band Aug. 30; shows start 7:30 p.m., grandstand; The Jon Henninger Band, $10; remaining shows, $25/$30; 618-542-1535; www.duquoinstatefair.net

Carbondale Rocks Revival: Sept. 4-6 concerts at various venues throughout downtown Carbondale; car-bondalemusiccoalition.com

KeNTUCKYParker Millsap: Plus

The Drunken Poets, 6 p.m., Thursday, July 10, Wilson Stage, riverfront, downtown Paducah; Millsap’s song, “Truck Stop Gospel” recently made the list of NPR Music’s 50 Favorite Songs of 2014; free; 270-444-8508; visit www.paducahky.gov

stars of Tomorrow show: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 11, Kentucky Opry, 88 Chilton Lane, Benton, Ky.; $16/$15/$10/$7.50; www.kentuckyopry.com; 888-459-8704

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When I first heard Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows

perform at Hangar 9 in downtown Carbondale in the late 1970s, I was simply blown away. I was used to straight rock ’n’ roll — the Bea-tles, Buddy Holly, the Rolling Stones and others. But Big Twist was my first experience with rhythm and blues.

The group was led by Big Twist (aka Larry Nolen) with his deep baritone voice and he was backed up by an assortment of very talented musicians. The musicians included Terry Ogolini, tenor sax; Pete Special, guitar; Bob Pina, keyboard; Tim Caron, bass and Melvin Crisp, drums. Others with the group over time also included Denny Best, Larry Williams, Ronnie West Sr. and Ronnie “Tango” West.

Ogolini and Special had previously been in a band called Pontiac Jones before forming the Mel-low Fellows.

There is no question that back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows dominated the music scene in Car-bondale. Many times, they were the opening act for the annual Sunset Concert Series at SIU.

They were a much-sought-after band and had a huge following. The band later relocated to Chicago where they achieved even greater fame and toured the United States.

That is why it was sad for me to hear that Pete Special recently passed

away of a heart attack at 62.

Pete could play the gui-tar, as Chuck Berry would say “like a ring of the bell.” I always appreciated the guitar work of the likes of Eric Chapton, George Harrison and Jimi Hendrix. But they had nothing on Pete — he was right up there with them. It may have been a different style but it was very effective nonetheless.

At the time Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows were in Carbondale, they released their signature album on Flying Fish Records and it includes such classic songs as “(It Would Be) You And Me,” “Who’s Cheating Who” and “Turn Back the Hands of Time.” The album also included two originals — “‘Til The Morning Comes” and “The Sweet Sound of Rhythm & Blues.”

The group would go on to record another album on Flying Fish and three albums on the prestigious Chicago-based blues label, Alligator Records.

Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows continued their successful musical career until 1990, when Big Twist became ill with kidney failure. A large, portly man, he had lost a tremen-dous amount of weight and died a few days after his last performance.

After that, Pete Special continued with the Mel-low Fellows and Terry Ogolini formed the Chi-cago Rhythm and Blues Kings. After parting with the Mellow Fellows, Pete toured with The Band, sharing stages nightly with legends Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson.

Mellow Fellow band member Terry Ogolini and I actually went to high school together and

grew up in the same town, Dowell, just south of Du Quoin on U.S. 51. I used to joke when Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows were going strong that I played in a band with Terry — the Elverado High School band.

But Terry had a tremen-dous amount of talent and I didn’t. He and his older brother, Leo, had been playing music for years.

Back to Pete Special who passed away on May 11.

His obituary says he was born Jan. 5, 1952, in Chi-cago and spent his school years in Wheaton. His first position as a guitarist was in his older brother Phil’s band, which included the young John Belushi. After high school, Pete spent a year at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

He later relocated to Carbondale, where there was a fertile music scene. It was in Carbondale that he became dedicated to his life’s work in music, going on to touch thou-sands of lives with his musical gift.

A memorial celebra-tion of Pete’s life is being planned from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at the House of the Blues in Chicago.

And I’m sure that if there is a Rhythm and Blues Heaven, Pete Special is there, sitting right next to his fellow band mate, Big Twist.

JiM kirkpAtriCk is the author of “Before He Was Fab — George Harrison’s First American Visit,” which chronicles the young Beatles visit to southern Illinois in 1963. He pres-ently works as State Rep. John Bradley’s district manager and at one time was a reporter for The Southern Illinoisan.

Music loses a Special Fellow

AP | THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley in a scene from ‘Begin Again.’ Movie reviews start on page 10.

Film Review — ‘Begin Again ’

Guest viewJim Kirkpatrick

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RiCK BeNTleYMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS

Advertising for “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” suggests it is another summer film in which abundant action scenes obliterate any serious story or character development.

First impressions can be deceiving.

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” — the updated tale of how apes surpass man as the dominate species — has plenty of big battle sequences. But it also gives equal time to personal issues like respect, loyalty and family. The combination makes “Dawn” a solid pick.

“Dawn” takes place 10 years after events of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” While the apes have been hiding in the wooded areas near San Francisco, an epidemic has wiped out all but small pockets of humans. One such pocket exists on the streets of San Francisco.

The humans are run-ning low on resources, and their only hope is to revive a power source at a nearby dam. But to get to the structure, they have to deal with the apes.

‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ stands above other summer action

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ***½

Rated PG-13 for language, vio-lence; starring Jason Clarke, Andy Serkis, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, Karin Konoval; directed by Matt Reeves; opens Friday at Carbondale AMC 8, University Place 8 in Carbondale and Illinois Centre AMC 8 in Marion; in 2D and 3D.

Movies Art Wineries Books Cover story theAter things to Do MusiC

Begin AgainRated R; starring Keira

Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levin, Catherine Keener, James Corden, Ceelo Greene, Mos Def; directed by John Carney; opening Friday at University Place 8 in Carbondale.

CONNie OGleMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS

While he was filming his latest movie “Begin Again” around Manhat-tan, Irish director John Carney couldn’t help but notice the cabs flitting past. Many of them were outfitted with ads touting the Broadway version of “Once,” a stage musical based on Carney’s last film, the beloved indie pic-ture about two songwrit-ers in Dublin who come

together to make beauti-ful music.

“Here we were, try-ing to make a film about underdogs fighting the good fight for music, and we’re being reminded that ‘Once’ is now a big Broad-way show,” Carney says, marveling at the irony. “That was very odd.”

The impossibly roman-tic “Once” — which starred Glen Hansard of the Irish band The Frames and Marketa Irglova, nei-ther of whom had acted professionally before — was shot without much fanfare over 17 days for the equivalent of around $160,000. Carney, a bass-ist for The Frames in the early 1990s, famously shot street scenes with a long lens because he didn’t

have permits. But despite its humble beginnings, the movie struck a chord with American audiences and earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly.”

“Begin Again” shares DNA with “Once,” but they’re different films, starting with the fact that the new movie comes with a bigger budget, professional actors — and bigger expectations.

The movie stars Keira Knightley as Gretta, a songwriter trying to find her voice in the wake of a bad breakup with her

pop-star boyfriend (Adam Levine). She’s discovered at an open mic night by Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a down-on-his-luck music industry executive. With-out the financial means to make a demo, the tradi-tional path to courting a record company, the two embark on a plan to record an album on the streets of New York that will incor-porate the ambient sounds of the city.

“These are the people who don’t fit in,” says Carney, who wrote the script and then wrote the songs to fit the sort of

music Gretta would write. “They’re the people who aren’t Michael Buble or Judy Garland. They don’t have all that in-your-face talent, but they’re valid songwriters, and they still have something to express. ... ‘Once’ was about the guy and the girl, and their talent is clear. ‘Falling Slowing’ is going to be a beautiful collabo-ration that moves people. But I didn’t want to do that again. This is about the compromises musi-cians and businessmen have to make to create something, the changes and adaptations you have to work with as opposed to the American dream of ‘never compromise.’”

This time around, Car-ney employed two pro-fessional actors as leads — but he did need one of them to sing. Knightley’s wispy voice is in tune with the movie’s demands: Gretta, who expresses herself eloquently through lyrics, isn’t a confident performer, especially at first. (Later in the film, she delivers a steely yet heartbreaking “drop dead” song into her ex’s voicemail.)

‘Begin Again’ director returns to the screen with a fresh take on the magic of music

AP | THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley in a scene from ‘Begin Again.’

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Director Matt Reeves (“Let Me In”) gives “Dawn” a very human touch, both through the emotional complexities of the humans and the social structure of the apes.

The humans are a mix of the cautiously hopeful main ape contact, Mal-colm (Jason Clarke); the deeply determined care-giver, Ellie (Keri Russell); and the emotionally bro-ken leader, Dreyfus (Gary Oldman). They represent the best and worst that mankind still has to offer.

They’re counterparts are good-hearted leader

AP | TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM Jason Clarke as Malcolm (foreground) and (background from left) Andy Serkis as Caesar, Toby Kebbell as Koba and Karin Konova as Maurice in a scene from ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.’

Caesar (Andy Serkis), inquisitive scholar Mau-rice (Karin Konoval) and ambitious adviser Koba (Toby Kebbell). They show that while the apes strive to rise above the foibles that make mankind so flawed, they are developing into a society with equally as many problems.

Reeves blends these well-developed charac-ters with some extremely impressive battle sequences, especially the showdown for control of the city. The computer-generated apes are nearly

flawless, especially in how much emotion they show. It’s a light year beyond the ground-breaking makeup used in the original “Planet of the Apes” film series.

The only technical blemish in “Dawn” is a lackluster 3-D element that looks flat. Bad 3-D has become a recurring theme in movies.

When Reeves cranks up the action, “Dawn” packs a pretty powerful punch. But it’s all of the atten-tion to character that ele-vates “Dawn” above the typical summer fodder.

America: Imagine the World Without Her *½Rated PG-13 for violent images; starring featuring Dinesh D’Souza, John Koopman, Ted Cruz; written and directed by Dinesh D’Souza and John Sullivan; opening Friday at University Place 8 in Carbondale.

ROGeR MOOReMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS

It takes 90 minutes for Dinesh D’Souza’s ram-bling, mistitled “America: Imagine the World With-out Her” to get to its real point. There’s D’Souza, arch-conservative Ivy League immigrant, creator of the popular anti-Obama screed “2016: Obama’s America,” in handcuffs.

“I made a mistake,” he says to the conservative choir he’s preaching to. We’re supposed to know he pleaded guilty to felony federal campaign finance law violations back in May, and that he faces prison time when he’s sentenced later this year.

Snippets of assorted Fox TV commentators link that conviction to his ear-lier film criticizing Barack

Obama. The implication is that he’s a martyr to the cause. And for those in his choir a little slower to catch on, he cuts to an actor playing Abe Lincoln, giving his “fare-well address,” a speech freighted with symbolism.

“I now leave, not know-ing when, or whether ever, I may return.”

Cut to John Wilkes Booth, an assassination, and a great Republican lost to history.

What doesn’t matter is that Lincoln actually gave that address as he left Illinois for Washington in 1861, four years before his assassination.

What does is D’Souza’s almost comical gall at daring to make the com-parison.

“America” sets itself up as a piece of documentary counter-history, opening with George Washington not surviving the 1777 defeat at the Battle of Brandywine, which causes Mount Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty to dissolve. Where would the world be if America wasn’t here?

But D’Souza abandons that as he posits his main thesis — that a conspiracy

by academics and activists has created a culture of “shame” about Ameri-can history. He lists five “indictments” that Native American activists, Mexi-can-American academics, African-American leaders, leftist historians and the Occupy Movement have sold the American pub-lic — that we stole Indian land, Mexican land, Afri-can slaves, global colonies (and oil) and that capital-ists are stealing from each and every one of us, even today. Then he sets out to dismiss each of those indictments.

He’s on his safest ground going after his-torian Howard Zinn, whose “People’s History of the United States” is a de-mythologized look at assorted American wrongs, dating from European settlement of the New World, to slavery, Indian “genocide” and through Vietnam and today’s “Oil Wars.”

Zinn is darling of the left — Hollywood liberals embraced him — which makes him a good conser-vative whipping boy. Yes, his book is taught in a lot

‘America’: Dinesh D’Souza’s revisionist history

SEE ‘AMeRiCA’ / PAGE 12

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‘AMERICA’: Dinesh D’Souza’s revisionist historyFROM PAGe 11

of America’s colleges and universities. No, D’Souza doesn’t mention that it’s typically taught as an added text to counter the standard narrative of American history. Using the shrill Zinn along with more conventional texts teaches students criti-cal thinking.

D’Souza takes issue with the notion that keeping “conquered lands” was something we invented, punctures the use of “genocide” to describe the impact of disease on Native American popula-tions in the early years after European settlement, and counters the idea that the Sioux Nation, for instance, should refuse compensation for lands

taken from them in viola-tion of treaty because they expect the lands to be given back to them. The Sioux themselves seized those lands from other tribes, so maybe they should cash Uncle Sam’s check and shut up.

D’Souza whines that “capitalists are under fire” and flings the usual hero entrepreneurs up on screen (Steve Jobs, et al) while avoiding mentioning rapacious corporate com-pensation culture, Wall Street chicanery or high finance gambling.

He dismisses the notion of any lingering impact of slavery on African Americans, 150 years after the fact, with a couple of up-by-their-bootstraps anecdotes, and sidesteps the fiasco of Vietnam by

interviewing a pilot who was shot down, held pris-oner and tortured by the Vietnamese.

His reenactments include that one French-man conservatives love, Alexis de Tocqueville, who wrote so admiringly about our “character” — 180 years ago. D’Souza could probably have found bet-ter credentialed historians to weigh in on his side of these topics, making for a serious and civil debate, but is generally content to aim lower in that regard. Canadian-born Sen. Ted Cruz is tossed up as an expert on Texas history, one of the few laughs in “America.”

What he’s doing, it turns out, is lowering the viewer’s standards of proof for a vigorous return

to “2016” territory, a hatchet job on Obama and Obamacare that tries to tie everything to a 1960s “radical” organizer who might have influenced the president and, of course, Hillary Clinton.

D’Souza cannot help himself. He’s discovered a way to get rich hurling Obama-baiting red meat to an audience that cannot get enough of that, so he abandons any pretense of making a movie about how

this country should have a more vigorous debate about its image, its prin-ciples and just what the truth is about its history. Well, don’t begrudge him that. He will need a nest egg if he goes to prison.

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