Deep Ellum Brewing Company

Deep Ellum Brewery is a micro brewery based in Dallas founded by college friends, John Reardon and Zack Fickey. The two, tired of the status quo of what beer had become, set out to create their own, well-crafted and accessible beer for those that appreciate and care how their beer tastes instead of the usual watered down light beers that plagued bars and parties.

Gabe Zamora and I set out to find out more about these guys that have refreshed the local beer scene of Dallas and found that, aside from their wide range of quality beers, they have made quite the impression with the local community. DEBC has tours of their brewery every Thursday night and Saturday Afternoon. They'll invite a local food truck and hire local music acts to entertain their crowds that can reach numbers of 300 to 400 people on a regular day.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Zach Fickey the "Event Planning Ninja", and learned that they've several charitable donations a wide range of causes including: breast cancer awareness, fresh water in Africa as well as sponsoring several local charities and typically shipping 50 cases of free beer every month to help the causes that they and their community care so much about.

DEBC Brewer and proclaimed "Hop Czar", David Hauptman, schooled us in the craft of brewing. We learned about different methods of aging the the brew in different kinds of barrels and using just the right ingredients to create a certain flavor profile.

DEBC's Head Brewer and "Yeast Whisperer", Jeremy Hunt, explained that their process for each beer is widely collaborative and that no single beer is crafted by one person.

Their tours are on Thursday nights from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. Admission is $10 and cash and credit are acceptable and includes a DEBC pint glass and 3 tokens redeemable for beer samples.

Gabe and I had a great time on the tour, meeting the guys, talking to some of those that enjoyed the tour with us to the sounds of some local musical flavor. I'm definitely going back December 17th for the unveiling of their latest addition at the Four Swords Launch Party.

1919 Hemphill - A Venue for the Community

1919 Hemphill is Fort Worth's volunteer-run punk and hardcore venue. The longest lasting in Texas at over 11 years in operation. An amazing feat, since the the only way they keep the lights on is solely by donations.

Seemingly every inch of wall space is covered in stickers and graffiti. The furniture is well-worn, tattered and torn. Even still, it's easy to see that this is not a place for mindless destruction. There's a presence of positivity and empowerment with countless counter-culture zines and alternative lifestyle pamphlets, a manifesto on the wall declaring 1919 Hemphill "a building of positive change," and of course, the friendly faces that welcome anyone passing through the door. Everyone that frequents 1919 Hemphill all say that the reason they keep coming back is because of the people. They're all swarming with good attitudes and great ideas.

Even in my most recent visits putting together this story, I've met over a dozen wonderful new people spanning different ages, ethnicities, religions and political views that I'm prepared to see there again in the near future. But of course, it's the familiar faces of the volunteers that perpetuate the aura of friendliness and community care. I got to meet and discover a bunch of great bands, including: The Commonwealth of American Natives, The Buzzkills, Blotter, Pinkos, Tolar, KDC and Special Guest.

Nurturing the local music community, the venue is all inclusive, so all shows are all ages. That also means, that no alcohol or cigarettes are permitted within the property (though smoking is allowed outside). Just remember to respect everyone there, respect the venue and respect the neighbors, and 1919 Hemphill will continue to be a staple in the music and arts community for years to come.

For bookings, upcoming shows and events, check the calender at 1919hemphill.org. All shows have a suggested donation of $5, or $6 when there's a touring band. Generosity is what keeps the ship afloat. If not with your money, then with your time. No one is every turned away for lack of funds. There's always a little work that can be done around the venue if you're a little strapped for cash.

THRWD FEST

THRWD FEST held at WARE:WOLF:HAUS in Dallas, Tx

I made my way out to THRWD FEST to check out the latest installment of the quarterly magazine THRWD, a music, art and culture magazine, put out by Dallas’ young artistic professionals. The event celebrated the 4^th issue and first year in publication. Entrance was 10 dollars, a steal considering it included a laundry list of amazing musical acts and free beer provided by Four Corners Brewing Company. There was art for sale, a demonstration promoting flavored electronic cigarette vaporizers, and all kinds of other literature. The people that filled the WARE:WOLF:HAUS gallery space were all highly fashionable and beautiful. D magazine, the Dallas Observer and a few other independent news and entertainment venues were covering the event.

Pierre Burger performing at THRWD FEST

Outside, people were smoking and drinking and conversing excitedly as each performer changed sets and made way for the next act. A lot of attendees enthusiastically told me about Pierre Burger, a noise soloist, and their enthusiasm was quickly met by my own when I saw her take the stage. This was a new sound and I liked it. She didn’t just play typical noise music. It was poppy and melodic and more driven by synths rather than just crazy samples.

Vulgar Fashion performing at THRWD FEST

When Vulgar Fashion took center stage, I was floored by the performance. They played out in the audience and danced along with everyone watching the show. The singer caught me taking pictures and after the show, gave me a record and CD of their latest album.

 

Topic performing at THRWD FEST

Topic closed out the show with a series of songs and stories alongside other rappers that kept up the hype and the party going.

At one point, there was a scare that the cops would close the show early, but that fire was put out quickly and the cops just stuck around to make sure that the event closed on time.

It was an amazing show with an incredible turnout of over 300 people. The booze was good and the people were great. I became a fan of a number of acts that I’d probably never hear of if it weren’t THRWD FEST.

In the audio (above), you can hear some clips from THRWD FEST as well as THRWD Magazine co-founder and editor-in-chief, Lee Escobedo, talk about what the magazine's growth and evolution that led to THRWD FEST.

Visceral Cuts

I just recently got to see the Audio/Visual experimental duo Visceral Cuts. Visceral Cuts is a band composed of Brandon Young on drums and Justin Talley on bass and keyboards. They play their original musical compositions set to old clips of horror movies. They tour their unique work around Texas and plan on doing this annually. This is their 2nd installment. Catch the live tweet recap on my coverage of the event at CD Warehouse Arlington on my Twitter feed @Viktor_Vill with the hashtag #VisceralCuts13.

Texas Style DIY

Stickers plaster the iron-barred doors cataloging bands, preaching anarchy, chaos, disenfranchisement, mistrust, heartbreak and hope for a future built from the ashes, and through them enter the young, the old, the punks, the hardcore, the metal, the trendy, the wallflowers, the beautiful, the ugly and the homeless.

The walls are spray painted in fluorescent green and dinosaur purple illuminating their DIY philosophies, offering answers to those that challenge the status quo and enter. The rules are few and simple: no substances (including booze and cigarettes), no fighting and respect everyone.

The ideologies are reminiscent of ‘60s and ‘70s hippie counterculture filtered through punk sensibilities. Dingy couches are tattered and torn. There’s writing everywhere on the walls, the furniture, the ceiling, and the room contains stacks of literature for radical politics, veganism and cultural activism, and racks of hand-made and self-published ‘zines. The people that come here have something else to say and know that they’ll find people here to listen.

Through many walks of life, they’re united by the love of music and community. The music is the campfire. The fire is primal. They’ve all come here as outsiders and the fire brought them together. Everyone knows each other. Everyone understands each other and if they don’t, they’ll take the time to try. The community surrounds the flames of music and everyone is included. Here everyone is safe from the darkness of reality, judgment, the world and the ordinary.

1919 Hemphill is a non-profit collective run solely by volunteers. Part of a national circuit of DIY venues, 1919 is the longest standing in Texas at 10 years. 1919 perseveres solely on donations to keep the venue up and running, maintaining a radical lending library, a ‘free store’ and free meeting space for community organizations. All shows are for all ages and a $6 cover fee, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. There’s always a way to help out the venue.

Bhutanese Refugees Preserve Community in Community Garden

Bhutanese refugee, Kavya Tsering, waters community garden plots at Altamesa Church of Christ's Bhutan Planting Church ministry.

Bhutanese refugees began to flee their country in 1989 upon having their citizenship revoked by the government. Since they were originally of Nepali descent, they were viewed as a threat the political order.  Among the 60,000 refugees in America, 1,000 have resettled in DFW with many more to join the rest of their families. In addition to fleeing the persecutions in their homeland in search of freedom, they want to be able to provide for their families. As a part of their cultural training, provisioned by the US government, the Bhutanese refugees learn to become self-sufficient through employment. This goal has become increasingly difficult since the national recession. 

Bhutanese refugee, Lhendup Penjo, hauls refuse plants to compost at Altamesa Church of Christ's Bhutan Planting Church ministry.

Many refugees have found solace at the Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth. The church’s food and clothing ministry, Neighborhood Needs, provided a great help, receiving basic household items, clothing and food. The church also has a community garden where families have their own plots to grow their own food to subsidize the groceries. They grow mostly staples of their native Bhutanese diet including green onions, okra, green beans and various herbal flowers.

 

Dawa Tobgay helps her mother water plants in the community garden.

I met some of the refugees while they were working in the Neighborhood Needs community garden. They were harvesting green onions and okra. Some were spraying pesticides for bugs while others were watering and weeding, but everyone was helping each other. I spoke with most of them and despite the language barrier of their native Nepali and Bhutanese and my English; we talked about our families and hopes for the future. After the harvest, they divided the haul between themselves and gathered for a snack of strawberries, blueberries and watermelon. Over snacks, they all shared stories and laughed and hugged. I had a wonderful time hanging out with them and sharing experiences, until finally they all piled into the church’s Astro van, heading back to their apartments.

Bhutanese refugees and their harvested okra.

Capturing the Beauty of Downtown Arlington

So much is possible in Downtown Arlington among the live shows at Levitt Pavilion, top notch retail stores, fully stocked bars and, of course, a smorgasbord of taste bud tickling restaurants. With all of these places to enjoy in the company of friends and family, all you have to do is get there to start having a memorable time. And nothing is greater at capturing these moments than a photograph.

These venues are owned and operated by Arlington’s very own. They’re your neighbors and your friends and they care about their patrons so much that they make it an attractive place to experience. I’ve used Arlington on numerous occasions as the setting for my photography. I’ve done most of the legwork, though it wasn’t very hard in a city rich with culture, to discover Downtown Arlington’s scenery as the stage for your own photographs.

This shot was on the north wall of Babe’s Chicken Dinner House. It’s covered in great textures, mixing nature, stones and brick.

Just two steps away a side entrance opens to this cozy room made up of glossy honey colored wood with just peeks of ivy seeping through.

This one is a gimmie. Everyone’s seen this beautiful retro double decker bus in front of Babe’s Chicken Dinner House. It’s just begging to be a part of your album.

You might recognize this spot. It’s Theatre Arlington from under the lights at the ticket booth.

 

 

These two are easy to spot. Train tracks are always a classic place to photograph, but always be aware of your surroundings and approach this scene with caution.

In the alley between Twisted Root and J. McIntyre Home there’s a great black and white mural with excellent typography. Another easy find for a great shot.

This one was shot just after I thought I had finished. After I called it a day, I decided to stop for a drink at Hooligan’s Pub, and the entrance/waiting area was perfectly lit by the sun approaching the horizon. The space had rustic furniture and paint that coincidentally matched nicely with my subject’s shirt.

I wasn’t out long and had very little planned out, so with just under an hour, the shoot was fairly easy, and I’m pleased with the result.

As long as you’re looking, there’s always someplace or something to photograph. If you want to enjoy all that Arlington has to offer and spend time with those you love to be around, head downtown and you’ll find inspiration at every turn.

These are just a few suggestions, but if you would like to learn about more inspiring spots in Downtown Arlington, have suggestions of your own, or just want to share your experiences photographing downtown, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.