Arts & Culture

The 61st Columbus International Film & Video Festival opens tonight (November 7) with a French film shot in the Congo at the Gateway Film Center, at 1550 North High Street Columbus, Ohio, with a reception at 7 pm and film at 8:00 pm. Admission to both the reception and film is just $5. This screening is one night only and it is the Midwest premiere of the film. The film follows the story of an orphan bonobo, rescued by Claudine André, a conservationist who has dedicated her life to bonobos, our closest primate cousins. The event is co-sponsored by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, who are bringing some animal friends to the opening reception. A percentage of ticket sales will be donated to Lola ya Bonobo (Bonobo Paradise), the bonobo sanctuary featured in the film. In addition, Congolese biologist Suzy Kwetuenda (who appears in the film) will be on hand to present the film and talk about Lola ya Bonobo and the bonobos featured in the film. The documentary was created to raise awareness for our endangered primate cousins. Bonobos (pronounced “buh-NO-bos”) are often confused with chimpanzees, and until 1933 they were not considered a different species.

Sue Harshe is a founding member of the post-punk band Scrawl, who released seven albums between 1986 and 1998 on such labels as Rough Trade, Simple Machines, and Elektra. Last year they were invited to perform at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festivals held in New York City and Camber Sands, England. She also performs in the rock band Fort Shame, who released a full-length CD in the fall of 2012. Since 2003 she has composed music for nine films in the Wexner Center’s silent film series, the latest installments being The Farmer’s Wife and Champagne, part of the Hitchcock 9 series shown this fall. Last year she scored and performed music for the 1920 movie The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which was commissioned by Shock Around the Clock, Columbus’ annual 24-hour horror-film marathon.

Nostalgia. The word itself has the power to transform our thoughts for a moment. It's pleasant and familiar, which is also a good way to describe Wing's Restaurant, 2801 E. Main St in Columbus. For those who grew up in Bexley or on Columbus's east side, as owners Ken and Kim Yee did, a trip to Wing's will certainly be nostalgic. Both Eastmoor High School graduates, the Yees continue a family tradition that's gone on now for 44 years. If you have ever been to Wing's during that time span, rest assured it has not changed. It will be exactly as you remember it. Wing's has many regular customers and the Yees know most of them by name. And Ken, who mans the bar, remembers what they drink. And if what you like to drink is scotch, well, Ken has a surprise for you. Wing's maintains what is surely the widest selection of scotch in central Ohio. Any label you can think of and about twice that number in brands you've never heard of dot his extensive list. Back in the day, this reporter favored Pinch from Haig and Haig and was delighted to see it on Ken's menu, as it has not been available locally for years. Sure enough Mr. Yee was able to produce the distinctively shaped bottle.

DJ Pos 2 and I sat down to talk about his monthly gig at the Rehab Tavern Vibes N Stuff which has its 4 installment Friday. “We wanted to do something different than Buggin' Out.” said the Hip Hop veteran comparing it to the successful bi-monthly Hip Hop showcase at Carabar that Pos and Zerostar have been promoting for two and a half years. “We just want to do something for the older crowd. It was just, 'let's do jazz fusion. Ohio funk.’ Just something different from Hip Hop.” In addition to Pos spinning jazz fusion staples such as Miles Davis and Donald Byrd, Vibes N Stuff also incorporates down-tempo music such as Flying Lotus and Diabese, which Columbus instrumental Hip Hop producer Maggz will be playing. Envelope will also be doing a guest deejay set of rock and soul classics. If Vibez N Stuff is different than Buggin’ Out, a beloved Hip Hop showcase that has had performances by some of Columbus’s finest such as Illogic, P.Black, Path, J.

On November 8th and 9th, video game goliath Activision Blizzard is hosting BlizzCon 2013, a not-quite-annual gathering dedicated to Blizzard's wildly popular Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo series. The event brings together gamers from all over the world to compete in World of Warcraft raids, massive Starcraft PvP tournaments (which are so dominated by South Korean players that even on Californian soil anyone competing from anywhere else is considered a “foreigner”), and...whatever it is Diablo players do competitively. Gold farming? But let me wax personal for a bit, because, for me, BlizzCon evokes a certain nostalgia for a time long past for myself and many others. A time when we actually cared about World of Warcraft. I was an addict. No, seriously. At one time, I spent more time playing WoW in a week than I did at my full-time office job. I got cranky if I was kept away for too long. I logged on when I came home from work and didn't log off until I went to bed – and for much longer on weekends.

It could be very easy for Chase Longwell to get discouraged. In the Hilliard Darby High School graduate’s first eight games as quarterback for the Capital University football team, the Crusaders have lost as many games as the Panthers did in the last three years of Longwell’s career there. As Capital (1-7 overall, 1-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference) gets ready to take on Muskingum University on Saturday, the freshman refuses to give up. “Things are starting to turn around here,” says Longwell, who completed five of 10 passes for 32 yards and rushed nine times for six yards in a 19-14 loss to rival Otterbein on Nov. 2. “(Coach Craig) Candeto keeps talking about ‘Changing Momentum.’ We need to take all the bad stuff that has happened in the past and just really change it around for the better.

For me one of the best things about going vegan was discovering Indian food. I had no idea what an amazing spectrum of satiety I was really missing for the first score of my life. Banana Leaf has been a most generous supporter of the Columbus vegan community, and they strive at empowering others. This month, they started a new program designed to help people eat vegan easily, simply, deliciously, healthfully and affordably. Monday through Friday after 4 pm, you can pick up some rice, lentils and curried vegetables (vegetable changes daily) for only $5. If you would like to know how to prepare Indian style food, they also offer cooking classes; their next one is Nov 24th. They are aware that socially just diners are concerned about making sure they get organic foods produced locally and are in the process of making those priorities part of their operations model. They do provide a variety of gluten free options in their breads and desserts as well. All food is made from scratch, fresh daily, and their regular customers know nothing goes to waste; any left overs are sent home with customers at the end of the day to share with their friends and family.

Last Wednesday I visited the Basement to watch Los Angeles Hip Hop producer/rapper Jonwayne and British electronic critical darlings Mount Kimbie. Jonwayne came to Columbus just as his album “Rap Album One” is being released on Stones Throw Records. Things I knew about Jonwayne: He came up in the L.A.

I was born in Camden, Alabama, raised in Marion, Ohio where I attended school. Ran away from home with a friend to New York City at age 16 because the Beatles Let It Be was opening at a movie house on Broadway...we went to see it. Dropped out of school to go on the road with Ted Nugent as an opening act in Canada, moved there for about 3 years. Came back to the states to take my physical for the draft to see if I qualified for ‘nam. Failed…only weighed 97 lbs. I played in a bunch of bands, put out a truck load of records. Got signed to a major label, made no money, got happy, started more bands, made more records. My current band is Blues Hippy and the Soul Underground with Myke Rock on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums and Dan Ro James on rhythm guitar. And rock ‘n' roll, along with love, still pumps oxygen in to everything that I do. #1 Put together your fantasy band - it can contain any musicians dead or alive: My fantasy band would run a line up something like this…Jim Morrison on lead vocals and slam wordist. John Coltrane shootin' up some space saxophone in to the arm of the studios' vein.

What’s in a name? I decided to ask 22-Year-Old Columbus Hip Hop artist P. Blackk aka Pro Blackk what it means to be Pro Black in 2013. His response? “The actual definition of being Pro-Blackk in 2013 or 2014 is being for your people. Having knowledge of your past. Being aware of who your oppressor or oppressors are. Honestly, my definition of being Pro-Blackk has always been me. I’m P. Blackk. Striving to get my ideas out there without being too influenced by the world around me.” P.Blackk’s aka Pro Blackk’s October 2013 has been pretty productive in terms of getting his ideas out there. Blackk released a self-produced EP “Two” on Sunday via http://pblackk.bandcamp.com.