The People,s Diva The People,s Diva
Superstar soprano
Renée Fleming makes Boulder debut P.11
NED SAYS NO TO SHROOM CENTERS
P.9
PLATING RAP AND CUISINE
P.10
NÜ METAL AND NUDE MEN
P.12
An eclectic mix of regionally sourced food
Our h O memade gluten-free bread makes all the difference
(720) 487-2571 • 11809 N 75th Street, Longmont
ABO’S PIZZA NIWOT
Fresh comes first at Abo’s. Everything is prepared daily, so whichever pie you choose is going to be tasty. Order off the menu or customize your pizza to your heart’s and stomach’s content. Why is Abo’s better?
“Definitely, it’s the ingredients!” The dough is fresher, and the sauce is some of the best I’ve tasted. And I’m from New York, I know the difference.”
FOUR PAWS & CO
Since opening in 2003, Four Paws & Co. has specialized in premium natural foods and treats, including frozen diets and raw bones. Along with the excellent choices in food for cats and dogs, we carry supplements, grooming supplies, leashes & collars, toys, beds, and cat condos. It’s safe to say there is something for every pet in the store. There is also the Friends of Four Paws Frequent Buyer Program. You receive a punch card and once that is filled, you will receive a $10 Four Paws gift card. Last, but certainly not least, Four Paws
The ovens start up at around 10 am and before lunchtime, hungry Abo-ites start coming in for a four-dollar slice (a meal in itself) or just give in and order a whole pie.”
Locally Owned & Operated
Abo’s Niwot 7960 Niwot Rd. Unit B5 303-652-0830 Abosniwot.com
offers two special services. We can deliver the food you need to your door, and we have a pet sitting service. Stop in soon and see how Four Paws & Co. can help you care for your best friend.
1225 Ken Pratt Blvd. #108 Longmont, CO 303-485-1565 www.fourpawsandco.com
MOUNTAIN FOUNTAIN COUNTRY STORE
At The Mountain Fountain, there’s a little something for everyone. Located smack dab in the center of Hygiene, our eclectic market and deli sources meats from local pastures, and homemade gluten-free bread to die for — combine the two, and you’ve got one of Boulder County’s best gluten-free sandwiches. As a matter of fact, everything at our bakery is homemade — and it makes all the difference — resulting in an airy, light bite across all
products: banana bread, brownies, pies, countryloafs, and so much more. Our butcher shop is many local’s little secret, but the word is out — you will walk out with the best, locally-sourced meat in the area. Grab a coffee, a sandwich and and a seat at The Mountain Fountain— we’ve got what you need.
11809 N. 75th Street, Longmont, CO 80503 (720) 487-2571 mtnftnmarket@gmail.com
BRICKS ON MAIN
Shop from hundreds of Colorado brands, listen to local music, join community events. From cool t-shirts and
souvenirs to food products, home goods, and everything in between...
471 Main Street, Longmont 720-600-2350
Www.bricksretail.com
BROWN’S SHOE FIT COMPANY
At Brown’s, we know feet. Our expert staff will measure your feet to ensure a proper comfortable fit. With a broad range of widths and sizes, we can serve even hard-to-fit customers. We also understand most common foot ailments,
such as plantar fasciitis, neuropathy, bunions, diabetic feet, over pronation, and just plain tired feet! We’ll help find the right shoes to make you happy.
373 Main Street, Longmont 303-776-2920 Www.brownslongmont.com
WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED
Locally woman-owned and operated, Wild Birds Unlimited Specializes in bringing people and nature together through the hobby of backyard bird feeding. We offer a wide variety of nature-related products and expert, local advice. Our store stocks the highest quality items made in the the USA with
OZO COFFEE
Oemphasis on eco-friendly products and recycled plastics. We source our unique gifts from Fair Trade companies and local artisans. We also have gift cards and last-minute gift ideas. Stop in and let us explain our mission to Save the Songbirds one backyard at a time!
1520 S. Hover Street, Suite D Longmont, CO 720-680-0551
www.wbu.com/longmont
ZO Coffee Company is a coffee roaster & retail operator based in Boulder, Colorado with Espresso Cafe locations in Boulder and Longmont, Colorado, Founded in 2007, OZO Coffee has based its
growth on core principles of service, quality, community, and sustainability. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our passion for coffee with you.
JUSTIN HARTMAN, OZO FOUNDER
1232-A S. Hover St. www.ozocoffee.com
1520 S. Hover St, Suite D, Longmont, CO (720) 680-0551 • www.wbu.com/longmont
$ 1 0 B U R G E R
Longmont needs a leader who believes in change. bit.ly/ CouncilOpinionBW
30th Street improvements proceed north. bit.ly/30thStBW
Credit: Hunter McNeeley
OPINION
A FOND FAREWELL
Boulder Weekly’s longtime publisher moves
on
BY FRANCIS ZANKOWSKI
It’s hard to believe, but the time has come to say goodbye.
As some of you may know, I’ve taken a job as publisher of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and Colorado Springs Independent, a paper I worked tirelessly to save last year.
When I gathered with everyone to celebrate the holidays, it was bittersweet, knowing it would be my last chance to see so many familiar faces before this farewell. As I looked around the room, a flood of memories came rushing back — moments shared, challenges overcome and everything we’ve built together since
those long, uncertain days of COVID.
So much has changed in the past few years. Only a handful of us remain from before, while many others joined during this transformative time. And what a transformation it has been.
This summer, I realized it was time to move on. After eight years at Boulder Weekly, I felt my chapter here was complete. It’s time for a new generation to bring their vision, energy and focus to take this paper to even greater heights.
Leaving a place I’ve come to love isn’t easy. But as I go, I want to take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned and, most importantly, express my gratitude to everyone who has been part of this journey.
First, let’s be honest: COVID was brutal. It hit local businesses and communities hard, and recovery has been anything but easy. To everyone who has persevered through it all, holding onto hope and working tirelessly for a brighter tomorrow — thank you. You’ve kept the faith, and in doing so, you’ve made our community stronger, more resilient and more vibrant.
Through my work with SCFD and Create Boulder, I’ve had the privilege of
helping support the arts in this town — whether it was finding much-needed funding, securing grants or creating opportunities through advertising. It’s work I’ve been proud to do, knowing how critical the arts are to the quality of life we enjoy here.
I’m especially proud of our efforts to pass 2A and the steps we’ve taken to hold Boulder’s city council accountable to fund the arts. That work must continue; our creative community deserves sustained support.
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with some incredible people. A heartfelt thank-you to Jan Burton, Nick Forster and Deborah Malden for welcoming me into the amazing team at Create Boulder. Your passion and leadership have been inspiring, and I’m grateful to have been part of it.
To the Boulder Weekly staff — you’ve been nothing short of amazing. From brilliant editors to talented graphic designers, dedicated ad staff and rock-solid business managers, you’ve left a lasting impression on me. Special thanks to Circulation Manager Cal Winn and Director of Advertising Kellie Robinson for sticking with me through the highs and lows — you’re the backbone of this operation.
To Stewart Sallo: I owe you the biggest thank-you of all. Thank you for taking a chance on me and trusting me with this incredible paper. It has been an honor to work alongside you and call you a friend. Your faith in me means more than I can say.
Finally, to the readers of Boulder Weekly — thank you. It has been a privilege to serve this community. I’ll always be grateful for the trust and support you’ve given me.
Here’s to the next chapter — for all of us. Cheers!
JANUARY 23, 2025
Volume 32, Number 23
PUBLISHER: Stewart Sallo
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle
ARTS EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray
REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Tyler Hickman
FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Kelly Dean Hansen, Dan Savage, Francis Zankowski
SALES AND MARKETING
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Kellie Robinson
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Tony Camarda, Austen Lopp
SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman
MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar
PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Chris Sawyer
CIRCULATION
CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn
CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer
BUSINESS OFFICE
BOOKKEEPER: Austen Lopp
FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo
As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holds-barred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@ boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper. 1495 Canyon Boulevard, Suite CO 1, Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 303.494.5511, FAX: 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com
Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. ©2025 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved.
Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly.com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.
Special projects manager Carter Ferryman with ex-publisher Francis Zankowski. Credit: Jezy J. Gray
Credit: Sean Cayton
NEWS
LONGMONT APPOINTS NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Planning and Zoning
Commissioner Matthew Popkin selected to fill vacant seat
BY TYLER HICKMAN
After interviewing a field of 14 applicants, Longmont City Council voted to appoint Matthew Popkin to its vacant Ward 2 seat on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The new council member will fill the chair formerly held by Marcia Martin, who resigned Dec. 31 due to her inability to return to in-person participation in council meetings. Martin’s resignation came with less than one year left in her term, triggering an appointment process rather than an election to select a replacement to serve out the remainder of her term.
Popkin is a program manager for the clean energy transition nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute. He has served as commissioner of the Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission since 2023, and will now need to be replaced. He also sits on Longmont’s little-known Brownfields Advisory Committee, which works to revitalize sites potentially contaminated with hazardous material.
The city received a total of 22 applications from residents seeking the Ward 2 appointment, including former city council members Sarah Levison and Pauline Christensen.
Each applicant was given five minutes to address city council to make a case for their abilities to represent the residents of Ward 2. As they spoke, a common theme emerged across their statements: Longmont’s growing housing affordability crisis.
The median sale price of a Longmont home in December was $575,000, well out of the purchasing range for the average two-person household making 80% of the Area Median Income — roughly $82,700 combined annually.
“That does not seem to me to be affordable or attainable for most folks,” Popkin said during his public interview, explaining the difficulties for both young families trying to purchase their first home and older residents looking to downsize. “When we’re thinking about inclusionary, affordable and attainable housing, we need to think about it at all ends of the spectrum.”
Former council member Martin was a staunch advocate for affordable housing and increasing density to help make homes more attainable for Longmont residents.
After hearing these statements, council marked their ballots for no more than four candidates to proceed to the public interviews. Among those receiving the minimum of three votes were Longmont Housing and Human Services board member Crystal Prieto, former Longmont communications specialist Teresa Simpkins and marketing professional Riegan Sage.
Each council member asked every applicant the same, single question with three minutes allotted for each response.
Some of council’s main concerns were the applicants’ understanding of Envision Longmont, the city’s comprehensive strategic plan for the future, their conflict resolution and leadership styles, and plans to meet the city’s lofty housing and sustainability goals.
Ultimately, council decided by a majority of four votes that Popkin would best serve the interests of Ward 2 residents. Both Prieto and Simpkins received one vote each from council members.
For Popkin, affordable housing was a main talking point, saying the city needs to be intentional about what, where and for whom the city builds. He cited downtown, Main Street and the Longmont Sugar Mill as target areas for development.
When asked how he plans to start his tenure as a representative for Ward 2 residents, Popkin said he wants to meet people face to face.
“This is unusual because through an appointment process you’re not going door to door,” Popkin said, “but I would actually want to go door to door. I do that with cities I work with professionally, and I would certainly be doing that with neighborhoods that I would be actively representing.”
Popkin will be sworn in during the Jan. 28 city council meeting and begin serving his roughly 10-month term immediately.
WINTER CLEARANCE
NEWS
GOV’T WATCH
What your local officials are up to
BY SHAY CASTLE
BOULDER CITY COUNCIL
On Jan. 16, council voted to approve St Julien’s addition of a 55-foot tall building on the unused civic pad next door, housing additional rooms and meeting space. The expansion was opposed by homeowners in neighboring condos.
On Feb. 6, council will:
• Take a preliminary vote on changing Boulder’s occupancy limits to align with state law. Last year, lawmakers prohibited local municipalities from regulating how many unrelated adults can live together.
• Review a development proposal for 170 dwellings, plus office and restaurant space, at 5450 Airport Blvd. Council will not meet the week of Jan. 30.
LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL
On Jan. 21, council:
• Approved a $407,304 contract with Alfred Benesch & Company to conduct an assessment of city-owned properties, policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The contract also includes creation of a transition plan for necessary improvements.
• Held executive sessions to discuss:
• Personnel matters related to the appointment of a presiding judge for the Lafayette Municipal Court. Lafayette’s current judge, Amanda Bailhache, was initially appointed in February 2021 and reappointed to a two-year term in February 2023.
• The hiring of the city’s in-house attorney.
• Undisclosed legal matters regarding the Sundar multi-family development on 36.14 acres at the northwest corner of Hwy 287 and Dillon Road. The two-phase project calls for 684 rental units across 19 buildings.
• Legal advice regarding annexation and the development review process for property located at the southwest corner of Hwy 287 and Arapahoe. This property is part of an Intergovernmental Agreement with Erie that included 50/50 revenuesharing of sales taxes if the land is developed.
TOWN OF ERIE
On Jan. 21, the town council held a study session to discuss the city’s roughly $230 million budget, long-term financial plan and upcoming capital projects. Major projects include an expansion and renovation of town hall, expected to be completed this year; a new water treatment facility; and a $38.6 million expansion of police department facilities. Council determined future needs include enlarging the rec center or adding satellite locations elsewhere in town and a refresh of the airport terminal building alongside adding emergency access to the runway. Based on community survey results, the town may also explore options for a performing arts center.
NEDERLAND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
On Jan. 21, the board:
• Voted to enact a moratorium on natural medicine healing centers within town limits until Dec. 31. That will give town staff time to come up with zoning and land use regulations for such businesses as part of Nederland’s larger comprehensive plan update, according to notes shared with trustees.
• Received an update on the Colorado CarShare Program, which will end in Nederland this month due to low usage and the cost to continue a pilot program. A CarShare electric vehicle was used just six times in November and December 2024, according to notes shared with trustees, for a total of 328 miles.
The vehicle will be removed from town by the end of the month, according to town staff.
All agenda items are subject to change. Mark Cathcart and Karen Norback contributed reporting.
NEWS
ORGANIZERS EYE COMMISSIONERS
Ballot measure would add two officials to Boulder County’s governing body
BY KAYLEE HARTER
Boulder County’s governing body could be getting bigger — that is, if a group of organizers from across the county have anything to say about it.
The group is hoping to get a measure on the ballot this November that would increase the number of commissioners from three to five in a move they hope will increase diversity and effectiveness.
For Masyn Moyer, one of the organizers who lives in Ward, increasing the number of commissioners could bring much needed representation to smaller mountain communities, which she feels commissioners often overlook when campaigning for office and making policy.
“We are the front line up here,” she said. “We are the ones that deal with the traffic because of the leisure folks. We are the ones that have less housing because they come up and use the Airbnbs that used to be full-time housing. Folks here are the ones that are being displaced because of the pressures of housing on the Front Range.”
Commissioners, who serve four-year terms and manage a $700 million annual budget, govern unincorporated Boulder County, manage and set policy for things like public health and the county jail and run federal programs such as SNAP.
Currently, each commissioner must live in a specific district, but is elected by voters countywide. Organizers are still discussing whether this measure would stick to the same system or if some commissioners would be elected only by voters in a given district.
Upping the number would also lead to more balanced decision making, said former Boulder City Council member Bob Yates, one of the organizers.
“If you only have three people who are making decisions, one person is always the swing vote,” Yates said. “If they don’t hand all that power to one single person, you have given the
opportunity for people to hear out the community and hear each other out without one person holding all that power.”
This isn’t the first time there’s been an effort to up the number of commissioners — similar initiatives fell short in 2018 and 2019. A bill also failed in the house last year that would have required any county in the state with a population over 70,000 to have five commissioners, and a draft bill is underway for this session with the same requirement for counties with more than 150,000 people.
Increasing the number of commissioners would represent a budget increase — each commissioner makes over $150,000 — but that’s a drop in the bucket of a sizable county budget, said Rachel Friend, another organizer and former Boulder City Council member.
“It’s just so small, and the benefits are so large,” Friend said.
A measure can end up on the ballot either through current commissioners referring it to voters or through a citizen petition. The group hopes current commissioners will be on board, but if not they say they’ll gather signatures for a citizen petition.
“One way or the other, this will be on the ballot in 2025,” Yates said. “We can do it the hard way or the easy way.”
Current commissioner Ashley Stolzmann said she’s in favor of increasing the number of commissioners and would be open to referring it to the ballot.
“I think it would be really positive for the flow of work, for representation, for democracy, for inclusion and just for constituent services,” Stolzmann said.
By the time of publication, commissioner Marta Loachamin had not responded and commissioner Claire Levy wrote via email that she hadn’t heard about this specific effort yet and didn’t say whether or not she would support it.
Boulder Weekly Market
MUSIC
LET HIM COOK
Blvck
Svm plates rap with cuisine at Denver’s Michelin-starred BRUTØ
BY CARTER FERRYMAN
Ben Glover remembers the first time he rapped for a crowd. It was 11 years ago during a hiphop slam at the University of Chicago, and he was terrified.
“I didn’t know I was supposed to memorize the lyrics,” Glover says. “I was up on stage with this crumpled piece of computer paper I had printed them out on. It was all messed up because it had been in my pocket, and I was shaking super hard because I was nervous.”
All it took was a punchline — the proverbial payoff by which many rap legends established their pen — for the vibe to shift. He didn’t just hear his peer’s reaction, he felt it. That’s when Glover saw the ball go through the hoop for the very first time.
“In that very moment, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this is what I need to be doing with my life,’” Glover says.
It wasn’t until six years later in March of 2020, fresh off serious considerations to give up music altogether, that he would release “bleach,” his debut single under the moniker Blvck Svm.
It stuck, and so did the other singles Glover released in the 18 months that followed. In December of 2021, he dropped everything and took up music full-time.
MAXIMIZE THE PRODUCT
How the hell did we get here, to a burgeoning wordsmith with an appetite for the art of fine dining?
“I went to a restaurant called Momotaro, in West Loop [Chicago]. I went with my homie Terrell, we got a bunch of sushi, and it was the first time that I ever had sushi that wasn’t a part of an ‘all-you-can-eat’ buffet type thing where you just put spicy mayo and soy sauce on everything,” Glover says. “I had never experienced sushi like that before. It was one of those dinners — maybe the first dinner — that I’ll never forget, like, specifically for the food itself.”
That was in 2022. By then, Glover had started turning enough profit from his music that he could indulge in the fashion and food he’d been rapping about. But that visit to Momotaro shaped his relationship with food, and he wove it into his music.
Fast forward three years. Glover released his debut album, michelinman, in November of last year. Now the 28-year-old emcee is rapidly approaching a million monthly listeners on Spotify, tapping in across nearly 200 countries. He’s waxing poetic over buttery-smooth instrumentation about hamachi collars in mezcal and miso marinades, winter truffles and sneaky flights to Osaka, and he’s doing it alongside legendary storytellers like Curren$y and Boldy James.
Since then, he’s embraced both the studio and the kitchen with a deeper level of focus, bridging a gap between the two with his words.
“Everything you could possibly rap about has been rapped about,” Glover says. “In the same way, there are only so many things you can make in a kitchen. There are only so many proteins available. There are only so many different versions of produce.”
That’s no excuse to not maximize the product, whether it’s an experimental release or a classic dish turned unforgettable. According to Glover, there are two ideal results when it comes to cooking in the studio and the kitchen: extraordinary things made ordinary, and ordinary things made extraordinary.
Both will be on display when Glover’s new album fills the air Jan. 26-27 during an immersive listening party at BRUTØ,
than just guest chef dinners,” Whitaker wrote in an email to Boulder Weekly. “He shared his listening party vision, and we couldn’t say no.”
‘WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET’
The music of Blvck Svm and the aura of BRUTØ is a match on par with caviar and champagne. The space is much like an arena, with seats wrapping a counter, all facing BRUTØ’s beating heart, the hearth oven. It’s inherently intimate, and conversation between the team and guests is easy.
“This experience will be like a personal, salon-style event coupled with an intentional dinner inspired by Ben’s lyrics,” Whitaker says.
Both BRUTØ and Glover share an ethos when it comes to artistic approach. When Byron Gomez, known in Boulder for his since-closed Costa Rican chicken joint Pollo Tico, took over as executive chef, he helped mold BRUTØ into its current iteration: crude, raw, technical, unique. During their upcoming collaboration, Glover will run through michelinman, playing each song in full. At the conclusion of each track, Gomez and the kitchen at BRUTØ will present a dish inspired by the track that preceded it.
Denver’s Michelin-starred, wood-hearth homage to brutalism, tucked into one of LoDo’s back-alley markets. This partnership came to fruition from a music video, inside a kitchen 680 miles southeast of Denver.
“Nonesuch in Oklahoma City was maybe the second restaurant I got a ‘yes’ from for the ‘BVCK OF HOUSE’ videos,” says Glover. “I didn’t know who Chef Kelly was; I only knew Chef Garrett and the team at Nonesuch, but the shoot was really good. Everything was super clean. It ended up being one of my favorite videos of the series.”
The “Kelly” Glover refers to is Kelly Whitaker, revered for his Id Est Hospitality restaurants, including Nonesuch, Denver’s Wolf’s Tailor and BRUTØ, among others. When Whittaker saw the “acorndiet” video, shot in the OKC kitchen, he had to reach out.
“Music and food are both art forms, and we’re always looking to do more
This stop in Denver is the first in an intimate series Glover will be taking all across North America — exploring the space between speakers and plates, forks and microphones. The eardrum and the taste bud, conduits of our two most powerful senses, have been obsessed over by great musicians and chefs for centuries. In one sitting, Glover and BRUTØ aim to satisfy both.
“It’s unadorned, straightforward, ‘what you see is what you get’ cooking at the highest possible level,” Glover says. “That’s how I approach music.”
ON THE PLATE: Blvck Svm michelinman listening party. 6 p.m. Sun.-Mon., Jan. 26-27, BRUTØ, 1801 Blake St., Denver. $300 (Sunday still available, Monday sold out)
Blvck Svm, a 28-year-old Chicago artist by way of South Florida, is bringing his music to BRUTØ on Jan. 26-27. Credit: Michael Tinley
Chef Byron Gomez at BRUTØ, a collaboration between Kelly Whitaker and Raan Parton, co-founder of Free Market, the restaurant’s home. Credit: Jeff Fierberg
‘THE PEOPLE’S DIVA’
Superstar soprano Renée Fleming makes Boulder debut with recital based on Grammy-winning album
BY KELLY DEAN HANSEN
By most standards, Renée Fleming has done it all and more. Arguably the most famous classical singer of our time, the soprano has won five Grammy awards and a U.S. National Medal of Arts. The 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree has sung at such occasions as the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony and the Diamond Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II. In 2008, she was the first woman to solo headline the opening night gala at the Metropolitan Opera. Perhaps most famously, she was the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in 2014.
But the 65-year-old artist’s performances continue to evolve as she explores new avenues. Remaining the “people’s diva,” she is always looking for new ways to connect to audiences.
This brings Fleming to Boulder for her first performance at Macky Auditorium on Jan. 31, the marquee event of the current CU Presents Artist Series season. The recital program is based on her 2023 Grammy-winning album Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene
“I love the art of the recital, and I keep looking for ways to make it more personal,” Fleming tells Boulder Weekly. “I used to leave the stage after short groupings of pieces, as is standard, but now I prefer to stay on and talk about what I’m going to sing next.”
While Fleming continues to deliver traditional classical concerts, she enjoys creating more eclectic set lists, mixing art songs with more esoteric material, as she will in her Macky appearance.
“I’m always excited to put together programs with a theme where I can tell a whole story with different types of music,” she says, noting that pieces by classical composers are juxtaposed with a Björk song (“All Is Full of Love”) and material from the Lord of the Rings film scores, for which she sang.
THE ERA OF HUMANITY
Our current geological era is commonly described as “the Anthropocene” — though not the technical term for the ongoing epoch, it continues to be used widely to reflect the impact of human activity on Earth. Fleming’s recording and recital are based on this idea.
“We haven’t had the best influence on the planet, and the program reflects that,” she says. “But most of it celebrates the beauty and wonder of nature through the lens of music.”
“It always interested me that the poetry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whose settings are what I mostly sing, mixed the human condition with nature,” Fleming continues. “The connection was always there.”
The concert also includes brand new American songs and other commissions, reflective of where we are now. The most innovative aspect is the inclusion of a film provided by National Geographic. It was created to run continuously behind Fleming’s performance in the first half of the concert.
“I met the CEO of the National Geographic Society at a dinner party, and a two-minute conversation resulted in the film,” she says. “I told them what I was thinking and they said I was an influencer, so we should do it.”
MIXING IT UP
The second half is slightly more conventional, including pairs of songs by Richard Strauss and Gabriel Fauré, a couple of traditional American offerings, and ending with “The Diva,” a piece written for Fleming by composer Andrew Lippa.
“It was originally composed as a duet for me and Vanessa Williams,” Fleming says. “And [it] is a lot of fun to do solo, too.”
Regarding the mixture of genres, Fleming says audiences and critics have become more open in recent years. The
inclusion of the unexpected brings a delighted response from audiences. “My biggest hit these days is Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,’ which I usually do as an encore,” she says.
The pianist on the original Anthropocene recording is Metropolitan Opera music director Yannick NézetSéguin, but Fleming’s partner on the Macky program is Howard Watkins, the Met’s assistant conductor.
“Howard is an elegant and excellent player,” Fleming says. Watkins always plays the extremely difficult piano part in the orchestration of The Hours, the opera by Kevin Puts that premiered at the Met in 2022 with Fleming in the lead role.
Fleming’s many current roles include directing the opera program at the Aspen Music Festival and advising the Kennedy Center. She also serves as both a global ambassador for the World Economic Forum and a goodwill ambassador to the
World Health Organization for the intersection of arts and health. That intersection underlies Fleming’s Music and the Mind program, which she presents at the CU Anschutz Medical Center on Jan. 30 at noon.
She will also give a free masterclass with CU Boulder graduate voice students at Grusin Music Hall at 6 p.m. Jan. 30, a rare opportunity for these young artists to work with an internationally renowned performer and for the public to observe her mentorship.
ON THE BILL: Soprano Renée Fleming presents Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene for the CU Presents Artist Series. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31. Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. $33-$138
In addition to winning five Grammy awards and a U.S. National Medal of Arts, celebrated soprano Renée Fleming sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLVIII and is featured on the film score to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Credit:
25
7-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, Longmont Museum,
Quail Road.
BoCo history comes to life during this transportive history talk and film screening at Longmont Museum. The star of the show is Longmont on Parade, a 35mm film shot in the ’40s and ’50s to promote local businesses. The event is part of the Thursday Nights @ The Museum series, featuring a rotating slate of concerts, screenings, lectures and more.
BOB KERR THROWDOWN VII
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, The Corner Boxing Club, 2901 55th St., Suite 1, Boulder. $20 adults / $10 kids
If you’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’, come out to the Corner Boxing Club in Boulder this Saturday for a heavy-hitting day of amateur matches. Showcasing youth and adult competitors from around the state, this family-friendly showdown is sure to be an ass-whoopin’ good time in the typically demure People’s Republic.
COMEDY IN THE BOE
8:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Dairy Arts CenterBoedecker Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $15
Get ready for a side-splitting night at the Dairy when Front Range comics take the stage for a stand-up showcase at the Boedecker Theater. Kevin Fitzgerald headlines this evening of comedy hosted and curated by local funny person Zoe Rogers. Additional performers include Gabby Gutierrez-Reed, Sam Shay and Heather Gray.
25
RETROMANIA
COLLECTIBLES SHOW
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Boulder County Fairgrounds - Exhibit Hall Building, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. $10 (free for ages 10 and under)
From Star Wars and Superman to Pokémon and Power Rangers, this comic-con features collectible treasures galore for fans of all ages. Whether you’re looking for comic books, VHS tapes, video games or toys, this event at the Boulder County Fair Grounds has it.
25
YOGA WORKSHOP SERIES
1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Bob L. Burger Rec Center, 111 W. Baseline Road, Lafayette. $20-$24
Sitting for long periods — like eight-hour workdays in an office — can tighten your hips and hamstrings and wreak havoc on your posture. Loosen up with this class focused on alignment and flexibility. Register: bit.ly/YogaWorkshopBW.
25
LEFTAPALOOZA TRYOUT SERIES: INCUBUS + 311
7-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Left Hand Brewing Tasting Room, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free
Haven’t you heard? Nü metal is back, baby! Gel your hair and throw on your baggiest jeans and snuggest longsleeve + shortsleeve tee combo for this tryout series to see which tribute band (covering the songs of 311 and Incubus) will earn a coveted spot at Leftapalooza 2025 this summer. Come original, and don’t forget the wallet chain.
JAZZ SUPPER CLUB
25 –26
VINTAGE VALENTINES
Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26, Museum of Boulder Tebo Center, 2205 Broadway. $12
Nothing says “I love you” like a handmade Valentine. Craft the perfect love letter for that old souled special someone at this annual event using materials provided by the museum to let your sweetheart know you’re goin’ steady. Can’t make it in person? Pick up a takehome kit through Feb. 14 or until supplies last.
26
WINTER HERITAGE DAY
1-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, Walker Ranch Homestead, 7701 Flagstaff Mountain Road, Boulder. Free
Travel back in time and immerse yourself in the daily life of early European settlers at Walker Ranch. As you walk through the wintry landscape, stop and ask the costumed guides about the hardships of high country ranching in the late 1800s, or roll up your sleeves and join in for a truly hands-on experience.
28
BARDSTOWN WHISKEY TASTING CLASS
6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, William Oliver’s, 201 N. Public Road 1C, Lafayette. $27 (bring a friend for free)
Join tasting guide Kaitlyn Lowman at Lafayette’s local watering hole, and wet your whistle with an array of Bardstown’s wheats, ryes and bourbons. Whether you’re a barrel aged expert or just brown liquor curious, this tasting is sure to refine your fire water palette.
29
MINI WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP: FLATIRONS
2:30-5 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, pARTiculars Gallery and Teaching Studio, 401 S. Public Road, Suite 1, Lafayette. $45
Craft a miniature homage to Boulder’s iconic mountain range during this handson workshop with instructor Laurie Adams. Adults and teens are welcome at this class where you’ll sharpen your existing techniques and pick up a few new ones. Some experience required.
29
THE MORNING GRIND UPHILL RACE SERIES
7-9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, Eldora Mountain Resort, 2861 Eldora Ski Road, Nederland. $25
Skip I-70 traffic and get your pre-work runs in with this three-week uphill race series at Eldora. Start on the west side of Indian Peaks Lodge and climb about 1,000 feet to the summit of Challenge Mountain. A portion of entry fees support local nonprofits. Register: bit.ly/ MorningGrindBW.
29
MAGIC HUNKS LIVE
8-10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, Dickens Opera House, 302 Main St., Longmont. $18+
This traveling male revue bills itself as a “mantastic, sexy God ab party” perfect for celebrating ladies night, divorce, Dirty Thirty, bachelorette parties or “your own sheer awesomeness.” Will the dancers look like the six-pack sporting models used in promotional images? For $18 and a full bar, who cares?
FRIDAY • 01/24
DAVE CORBUS
HUES OF BLUES
DAVE HUES OF BLUES
SATURDAY • 01/25
ESPRESSO GYPSY JAZZ
ATURDAY SPRESSO
LIVE MUSIC
THURSDAY, JAN. 23
WANDERING ROAD 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
JAY STOTT TRIO 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free
MIKE COHEN & THE SHAKTI GROOVE. 6:30 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $25
KYLE CERVANTES QUINTET 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
HEAVY DIAMOND RING WITH CAROLINE COTTER. 7 p.m. The Times Collaborative, 338 Main St., Longmont. $18 BW PICK OF THE WEEK
GHOSTS OF GLACIERS WITH PALEHORSE/PALERIDER AND CLARION VOID 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $12
MAX MCNOWN WITH JONATHAN HUTCHERSON 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $28
BOB BARRICK WITH THE LITTLE CICERO BAND. 9 p.m. Mountain Sun Pub, 1535 Pearl St., Boulder. Free
SATURDAY,
JAN. 25
JOE KUCKLA & IRONS IN THE FIRE. 5 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free
JAMES BUFFALOE 5:30 p.m. 300 Suns Brewing, 335 1st Ave., Unit C, Longmont. Free
HOWLIN’ GOATZ WITH WENDY WOO AND THE MAYDAYS 7 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20
THE HEELING VET FUN-RAISER WITH SILAS HERMAN AND FRIENDS. 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $30
FRIDAY, JAN. 24
THE RHYTHM ALLSTARS 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free
SCOTT FOWLER MUSIC. 6 p.m. The Bluegrass, 18068 W. 92nd Lane, #400, Arvada. Free
ELENA CAMERIN YOUNG WITH EVAN MAZUNIK 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
THE ENION PELTA QUINTET. 7:30 p.m. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $23
KINGS OF PRUSSIA WITH IN PLAIN AIR 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20
DESERT FURS. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $16
JOHN MCKAY 6 p.m. Spirit Hound, 4196 Ute Hwy., Lyons. Free
SKANKIN’ NATION. 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
JUDY NIEMACK 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
CHANSON DU SOIR. 7 p.m. First Congregational United Church of Christ of Longmont, 1500 9th Ave., Longmont. $13
AOXOMOXOA 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $15
LOUD LUXURY. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $43
DIG DEEP WITH DUNCAN COKER BAND 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $20
HIGH ROAD HOME. 8 p.m. Longs Peak Pub, 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont. Free
TRIPTIDES WITH HONEY BLAZER AND SAME DUDE 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $19
LIVE MUSIC
ON THE BILL
BoCo folk-rock favorites Heavy Diamond Ring head to The Times Collaborative in Longmont with fellow local singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter on Jan. 23. The outfit performs on the heels of their latest album, All Out of Angels, featuring a guest spot from Colorado royalty Nathaniel Rateliff. Scan the QR code for a BW feature on the band before you go. See listing for details
TOM THE MAIL MAN WITH TAHJ KEETON 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $27
THE LYONS SHAKEUP WITH WELL CHUNED 9 p.m. MainStage Brewing Company, 450 Main St., Lyons. $10
BOB BARRICK WITH THE LITTLE CICERO BAND. 9 p.m. Mountain Sun Pub, 1535 Pearl St., Boulder. Free
ALAN SPARHAWK WITH CIRCUIT DES YEUX. 9 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $38
SKANKIN’ NATION 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
SUNDAY, JAN. 26
LOCO UKULELE JAM 2 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
SPICES PECULIAR 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
THE EVERLY BROTHERS EXPERIENCE WITH THE ZMED BROTHERS 7 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $30
FACE VOCAL BAND 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $70
MONDAY, JAN. 27
YOUR STAGE 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
TUESDAY, JAN. 28
KARAOKE WITH NIC! 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free
TURNTABLE TUESDAY. 7 p.m. VisionQuest Brewery, 2510 47th St., Suite A2, Boulder. Free
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29
4TELL & THE ACES. 6 p.m. Rosalee’s Pizzeria, 461 Main St., Longmont. Free
STEEP CANYON RANGERS WITH PETER ROWAN 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $38
Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.
‘RUNNING
IN THE RAIN’
RaMell Ross on making ‘Nickel Boys’ a first-person masterpiece
BY MICHAEL J. CASEY
When we talk about movies, we talk about what they’re about. But when we talk about Boys, we have to talk about what it’s about.
“The intention is to be inside the per spective — inside the worldview of these folks,” says RaMell Ross, director and coscreenwriter of Nickel Boys about iterating the world and more about how you see it.”
Adapted from Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, employs a distinct style you’re not likely to find in other movies: shot from the char acters’ point of view.
“It was the first idea I had right after reading the book,” Ross says. “Plan B [the production company], fortunately, gave me open imagination space.”
The how is what makes Nickel Boys sing. Starring Ethan Herisse as Elwood and
“They’ve never known what it’s like to look through another person’s eyes, let alone be looked at like they were a person of color.” And for audiences of color, Nickel Boys can dredge up “old trauma from their past.” Or, as two women told Ross: “This is the Black mother’s worst nightmare.”
But Nickel Boys also captures a national nightmare, which Ross underlines by incorporating “authentic and reality-based” source material. “Having the film sort of fluctuate between traditional drama and modes of documentary — or modes of our relating to truth.”
For Ross, Nickel Boys is neither nonfiction or fiction, in the traditional sense, but a chance to wonder: “Can you truly scale real-life and fantasy in a way that human beings do in their brains?”
‘AN ENCOUNTER WITH BLACK LIFE’
And it’s working. I caught up with Ross in November at the Denver Film Festival (where he received the fest’s Excellence in Directing Award) in the middle of a
classics from Goonies to Fight Club
“I think that’s why, while making art, I’m always insistent on trying to cross the line into it being palatable for a large amount of people,” he continues. “I’m not content with just making an art film and having it go out to the art world. I want it to feel as grand in scope as some of those classics that can hold people’s attention and are markers in their lives.”
Ross hopes that by tapping into that same space, the mental real estate so many beloved movies live in, Nickel Boys could accomplish something remarkable.
“I think if you can do that in the context of Black life — if you can create an experience of an encounter with Black life — then I think it could change the world,” Ross says. “Because it’s equally as powerful as running in the rain.”
ON SCREEN: Nickel Boys is now playing in wide release.
RaMell Ross talks Nickel Boys with Denver Film Festival Artistic Director Matthew Campbell. Credit: Jason DeWitt / Denver Film.
Ethan Herisse as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in Nickel Boys. Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studios
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Author Anais Nin wrote, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” I bring this to your attention because you Aries folks now have a mandate to expand your life through courageous acts, thoughts and feelings. I suggest we make the Arctic fox your power symbol. This intrepid creature undertakes epic migrations, journeying over 2,000 miles across sea ice, using starlight and magnetic fields to navigate. Let’s dare to speculate that you have something in common with it; let’s propose that you are equipped with an inner guidance system that gives you a keen intuitive sense of how to maneuver in unfamiliar territory. P.S. Nin has another tip: “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Taurus archeologist Howard Carter made a spectacular discovery in 1922: the intact tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, more than 3,300 years after his death. It was filled with over 5,000 artifacts, became a global sensation and to this day remains the most famous find from ancient Egypt. A short time before he succeeded at his five-year quest, Carter nearly gave up. But then his sponsor agreed to provide funds for a few more months, and he continued. In this spirit, Taurus, I urge you to keep pushing to fulfill your own dream. Renew your faith. Boost your devotion. Remember why you feel so strongly.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest telescope in space. Recently, it discovered hundreds of galaxies no humans had ever before beheld. They are very old, too — far more ancient than our own Milky Way. I propose we make this marvelous perception-enhancing tool a symbol of power for you. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you now have a robust potential to see things that have always been invisible, secret or off-limits to you. Some of these wonders could motivate you to reinterpret your life story and reshape your future plans.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): One theory says humans evolved to be afraid of reptiles because our early ancestors were frequently threatened by them. Among the most commonly feared creatures in modern culture are snakes. And yet, as anyone knows if they’ve studied mythology, snakes have also been symbols of fertility and healing in many cultures. Because they periodically shed their skin, they also represent regeneration and rebirth. I’m hoping you don’t harbor an instinctual aversion to snakes, Cancerian. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to call on and benefit from their iconic powers.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In the coming months, be extra creative as you enhance your network of connections and support. Encourage your allies to provide you with tips about opportunities and possibilities you would not otherwise know about. Ask them to serve as links to novel resources that will nurture your long-term dreams. Here’s an idea to energize your efforts: Get a vivid sense of how trees use vast underground fungal webs to communicate with each other. (Learn more here: bit.ly/ TheWoodWideWeb.) Knowing about this natural magic may impregnate your subconscious mind with evocative suggestions about how to be ingenious in weaving the kind of community you want.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I love my job as a horoscope writer. What could be more fun than analyzing cosmic signs to generate inspirational counsel for my readers? It’s a big responsibility, though. I am intensely aware of how crucial it is that I craft my messages with utmost care and compassion. Having been scarred as a young adult by reckless, fear-mongering fortunetellers, I’m rigorous about nurturing your free will, not undermining it. I want you to be uplifted, not confused or demoralized as I was. With these thoughts in mind, I invite you to take a vigorous inventory of the effects that your work and play have on the world. Are they aligned with your intentions? Are your ambitions moored in impeccable integrity?
ASTROLOGY
BY ROB BREZSNY
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Why are diamonds considered so valuable? I’m skeptical. High-grade diamonds are not as rare as public perception would lead us to believe. Yes, they are extraordinarily hard and scratch-resistant, but is that a reason to regard them as a sublime treasure? I acknowledge they are pretty in a bland way. But other gems are more intriguingly beautiful. Maybe the most important reason they are so prized is that diamond sellers have done effective marketing campaigns to promote them as symbols of love and luxury. All this is a prelude to my main message: Now is an excellent time to think and feel deeply about what is truly beautiful to you — and take steps to bring more of it into your life. For you Libras, beauty is an essential ingredient in your life’s purpose.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): The way ancient Romans made concrete was more ingenious than modern methods. Their manufacturing materials included “lime clasts,” which gave the concrete self-healing qualities. When cracks arose, they fixed themselves. That’s why Roman aqueducts built 2,000 years ago can still convey water today. Metaphorically speaking, I hope you will work on building similar structures in the coming weeks. It’s time to create strong foundations that will last for a very long time.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Do you harbor a yearning to learn a new language, new skill or new trick? The coming weeks will be a favorable phase to get serious about doing it. Have you fantasized about embarking on an adventure that would expand your understanding of how the world works? The time is right. Have you wished you could attract an inspirational prod to unleash more creativity and experiment freely? The astrological omens suggest that inspirational prod is imminent. Have you wondered whether you could enhance and fine-tune your receptivity and thereby open up surprising sources of fresh teaching? Do it now!
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Bristlecone pine trees grow very slowly, but they are hardy and long-lived. Their wood is so dense and strong it’s virtually immune to disease, insects and erosion. They grow in places that are inhospitable for many other trees, flourishing in cold, windy environments where the soil is not particularly rich in nutrients. For the bristlecone pine, apparent obstacles stimulate their resilience. I don’t want to exaggerate the ways they remind me of you Capricorns, but you and they certainly have affinities. I believe these shared qualities will be especially useful for you in the coming weeks.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): In old Hawaii, it was forbidden for ordinary people to touch objects that belonged to the chiefs or to anyone with spiritual powers. Other taboos: Never walk across the shadow of an important person and never wear red and yellow feathers. Our modern taboos are different, but often equally rigid. For example, you are probably hesitant to ask people how much money they make or what their relationship status is. What are other taboos you observe? I won’t outrightly advise you to brazenly break them, but now is a good time to re-evaluate them — and consider changing your relationship with them.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): As winter progresses, each day is longer and each night shorter. Most humans feel an undercurrent of joy that the amount of light in the world is growing. But as an astrologer who appreciates cycles, I like to honor the beauty and powers of darkness. That’s where everything new gets born! It’s where the future comes from! In ancient Hawaiian religion, the word kumulipo meant “beginning-in-deep-darkness.” It was also the name of a prayer describing the creation of the world. In the coming weeks, I believe you will be wise to tap into the rich offerings of darkness.
BY DAN SAVAGE
My wife and I are proud moms to our wonderful, dynamic 17-year-old trans son. He is a great kid, and we have always enjoyed a close relationship.
It has recently come to light that he is engaging in penetrative sex with men he meets on a gay hookup app. We discovered this because of bloody laundry which we thought was breakthrough bleeding, a trip to his gender doc and a subsequent chlamydia diagnosis.
Since this revelation — and after a lecture about safe-sex practices — I am now living in a state of terror. My instincts are telling me to take a leave from work, and whisk him away from the city and talk and talk until he sees the danger of this behavior. Is that an overreaction?
— Manic Over My Son
Instead of locking your son in the basement for the next year, get him on PrEP, keep communicating, and let him know his moms are ready, willing and able to swoop in an emergency. Lecture him about regular STI testing, ask him where he’s going and who he’s seeing, and tell him — from me — that adult men who fuck teenagers can’t be trusted. Then go find him a therapist, if you haven’t already, who specializes in working with trans teens, and identify one or two adults in his life — people you know and trust — that your son can turn to for confidential advice.
In addition to getting your son on PrEP right now and off the apps until he’s 18 (he agrees to phone spot checks or he loses his phone), you should encourage your son to recognize his own sexual worth. Some people jump at — or jump on — anyone who shows interest. I’ve personally watched trans friends go from a scarcity mindset (“No one will want me, I have to take what I
can get”) to an abundance mindset (“Lots of people want me, I can afford to be choosey”) and it transformed their lives.
I’m a 37-year-old man with a 35-yearold partner. We are both cisgender gay men. Whatever physical/sexual intimacy we shared in the beginning of our nearly three-year relationship is long gone. He now tells me that he was “never really into” sex with a partner, but he felt compelled “to do it” because gay men are supposed to be sexual. I never really thought of myself as a “sexual person” but this absence of it is so deeply felt that it feels like a major thing is missing. As a Scorpio, the idea of my partner not wanting sex with me makes me feel like, “If you can’t fuck me, then you don’t love me,” and that’s a whole spiral. Can you help?
— Sexual Needs Aren’t Getting Satisfied
Your boyfriend isn’t who you thought he was when you met him and — gonna be charitable here — your boyfriend isn’t who he thought he was either. So, whatever else might be working, you didn’t sign up for a sexless relationship. Your sexual orientation (gay and allo) is every bit as valid as his sexual orientation (gay and ace), SNAGS, so you have every right to end things because he doesn’t fuck you the way Scorpios need to be fucked. (My official position: astrology is bullshit, SNAGS, but if blaming the stars makes it easier for you to end this relationship, blame the stars.)
Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan. Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
ONE FOR THE ROAD
A legendary cinnamon roll sanctuary fades into history as mega-chains take over the interstate
BY JOHN LEHNDORFF
The bright neon sign in blocky red letters still glows above Johnson’s Corner Restaurant and Bakery south of Loveland on I-25, but the space inside is gutted. It will be filled by a California chain eatery.
As I stand outside looking in, only the memory of those famous sweetly glazed cinnamon rolls remains. While restaurants come and go, this shuttering is a sad end for a nationally known Colorado destination that achieved mythic status the moment it opened.
When Joe Johnson launched the humble diner in Johnstown in 1952, the front door keys were reportedly buried in the freshly poured concrete outside. The truck stop would not close for decades to come, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
(Service was interrupted briefly in 1996 when Larger than Life, starring Bill Murray and Matthew McConaughey, was filmed there.)
In 1952, I-25 hadn’t even been built yet. That year, the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series, the U.S. detonated its first hydrogen bomb, actor Jeff “Wicked” Goldblum was born and Coloradans saw their first TV broadcasts.
In the years to come, perhaps a million or more locals and visitors sat in those burgundy leatherette booths in Johnstown, sipping coffee and ordering platters of chicken fried steak.
In the mid-1970s, I “discovered” Johnson’s Corner as a Colorado newcomer. When I drove my stick-shift Chevy Malibu home to Boulder after a Bonnie
Raitt show in Fort Collins, the interstate down to Longmont was surrounded by darkness, not suburbs.
But, long before I got to Johnson’s Corner, its bright lights were a warm beacon on the horizon. Back then, clean, well-lighted roadside oases were few and far between. Before cell phones and GPS, this was a place with pay phones and gas where you could buy a paper roadmap.
I remember the sound of the Kenworths purring, the highway whine behind me and the diesel perfume wafting as I walked in the front door.
It was like a portal into an alternate reality of chrome, linoleum and formica
Americana. It came complete with a revolving glass display case full of pie and cake slices.
Cigarette haze hung over the booth I chose near the truckers-only counter where I overheard the road cowboys talk of avoiding speed traps and weigh stations and idiot drivers. They eyed me — a long-haired hippie type — with suspicion. My table came with a tiny jukebox full of old country hits, chrome-topped sugar, salt and pepper shakers and plastic squares of grape jelly.
The vinyl-covered menu with an illustration of a Vermont covered bridge on the back offered middle-of-theAmerican-road grub: no croissants, few salads and no garnishes on the plates. While far from farm-to-table, some nearby tables were filled by families from nearby farms.
A veteran waitress approached in a blue and
doors into the kitchen. I listened to “She Got the Goldmine, I Got the Shaft” with the first of many cups of hot coffee with whitener in a white china mug.
My meal of eggs over easy with hash browns and bacon arrived quickly as a weary family sat down in the next booth on a drive between New Mexico and Wyoming. The beauty of a highway diner like Johnson’s Corner is you can order breakfast anytime and start your day (and life) over again.
The culinary coup de grace was one of the famous yeasted cinnamon rolls, a towering treat sided with a small pitcher of sweet white glaze.
I would return to this truck stop periodically over the years, if only to gaze at a framed copy of a column I wrote about the place. It was hung up near the restrooms along with articles from Gourmet and the New York Times
About 10 months ago, a 74,000-square-foot Texas-born monstrosity called Buc-ees opened three miles south of Johnson’s Corner with 116 fuel pump positions.
Truthfully, the Johnson’s Corner I remember was already dying a slow death a decade ago with reduced hours, poorly made food and disinterested service. Even the cinnamon rolls lost their allure once they were produced offsite in a commercial bakery.
white uniform with her hair up. She touched my shoulder, looked me in the eyes, smiled and said in a time-worn way: “What’cha need, Hon?”
She hand-wrote the order on a pad and literally ran it through the swinging
The closing was almost inevitable given the dominance of national chains on our highways and shopping centers. Local independent eateries can’t hope to compete.
Back in the 1950s, Joe Johnson opened several Northern Colorado locations of Johnson’s Corner, including one on Main Street in Longmont. That spot was eventually saved and moved to Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood. It is open now as a restaurant with artifacts where you can get a small taste of what the Johnson’s Corner glory days were all about.
Credit: John Lehndorff
Images courtesy: Johnson’s Corner Restaurant and Bakery
FIND A CSA FROM 14 LOCAL FARMS
Fans of local fresh produce are often disappointed in the spring when they find that CSAs — pre-paid subscription plans for their favorite farms — have been sold out for months. Since no central source of information about local farm CSAs exists, Slow Food Boulder County is debuting its first CSA Fair from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2 at Fritz Family Brewers (6778 N 79th St.) in Niwot. The free event is a rare opportunity to talk to farmers about what they will grow in the coming season and the practices they follow. Participants include MASA Seed Foundation, Switch Gears Farm, Boulder Valley Honey, Growing Gardens, Sunflower Farm, Slupik MiniFarm, Stalk Market, Grama Grass, Friends Farm, Cure Organic Farm, Ollin Farms and Benevolence Orchard slowfoodboulder.org
LOCAL FOOD NEWS: TEMPEH MAKER CLOSES
Boulder plant-based meat company Project Umami has closed. Courtesy: Project Umami
Boulder’s Project Umami — a top-notch producer of tempeh and plant-based meats — has closed. The company’s remaining frozen products including burgers are available through the Boulder County Farmers Market. bcfm.org.
Asia Bazaar, an Asian supermarket featuring fresh produce, is open at 700 Ken Pratt Blvd. in Longmont. Get sweet, local and sustainable applesauce made from locally harvested backyard apples through Boulder’s Community Fruit Rescue. fruitrescue.org/ store
WORDS TO CHEW ON: A SLICE OF LIFE
“Bye, bye Miss American Pie / Drove my Chevy to the levy / but the levy was dry / and good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye / singin’ This’ll be the day that I die / this’ll be the day that I die.” – From the song “American Pie” by Don McLean
John Lehndorff is the former spokesperson for a Boulder-birthed food holiday National Pie Day, Jan. 23. Comments: nibbles@boulderweekly.com
Courtesy: Benevolence Orchard
DRUGS IN SESSION
A rundown of Colorado’s substance related legislation to watch for in 2025
BY SHAY CASTLE
The world is watching drugs evolve along two major but converging fronts: the approval and mainstream acceptance of psychedelics as medicine, and the ongoing addiction and overdose crisis.
Or at least Coloradans are. State lawmakers have introduced drug-related legislation to address these simultaneous phenomena.
At a recent meeting of Boulder County’s Substance Use Advisory Group, or SUAG, experts shared three bills they’re keeping eyes on this session — along with a constrained budget advocates worry will impact funding for substance use prevention, treatment and harm reduction.
“There’s likely to be a priority to preserve mental health funding, but not substance abuse,” said Jose Esquibel, associate director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, of the proposed legislation. “We are in defensive mode.”
HB-1063: FDA-Approved Crystalline Polymorph Psilocybin Use
Sponsored by: Rep. Kyle Brown, D12; Rep. Anthony Hartsook, D44; Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D21
Status: Referred to the House floor; hearing TBD.
Perhaps the most widely covered bill, HB-1063 would legalize a form of synthetic psilocybin as a prescription medicine in Colorado if and when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves it for medical use.
The synthetic is patented by U.K. pharmaceutical company Compass Pathways, who spoke in support of HB-1063 at the Colorado Legislature, according to CPR
But, as CPR reported, “no one’s quite sure how far along the FDA is in approving synthetic psilocybin.”
The bill was passed to the House floor by a 12-1 vote of the Health and Human Services Committee.
SB-044: Synthetic Opiates Criminal Penalty
Sponsored by: Sen. Byron Pelton, D1; Rep. Ryan Armagost, D64
Upcoming action: Senate Judiciary Hearing, 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10
In 2022, Colorado enacted harsher criminal penalties for the sale, distribution or possession of fentanyl, a move decried by advocates and health officials for criminalizing addiction.
The 2022 law made it a felony to have or sell four grams or more of fentanyl, about 10 pills. SB-044 goes further by removing that threshold, meaning possessing any amount of fentanyl or “any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains fentanyl” would be an automatic felony.
Crucially, it would also repeal judicial leniency if the accused did not know their
drugs contained fentanyl — a provision included because of the proliferation of drugs laced with fentanyl.
It’s unclear what chance SB-044, sponsored by two Republican lawmakers, has of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate and House; similar efforts were unsuccessful in 2022 and 2024.
A group is trying to place a similar measure on the ballot for a public vote, Esquibel said. Regardless of whether that or SB-044 pass or fail, Esquibel is troubled by the rhetoric around criminalization.
“I’ve seen testimony of parents begging for their kids to be arrested because they think that’s the only way to get them help,” he said. “We have to show folks that treatment can work, that there’s other ways to serve people and not do it through fear and punishment.”
HB-1002: Medical Necessity Determination Insurance Coverage
Sponsored by: Rep. Brown, Sen. Pelton; Sen. Judy Amabile, D18; Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D8 Upcoming action: Senate Health &
Human Services hearing, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29
Amabile addressed this bill in her legislative preview for Boulder Weekly. The bill “mandates that private health insurers provide coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders based on a determination of medical necessity by a qualified medical professional, not by the insurer,” she wrote.
It specifically calls out benefits and treatment for substance use disorder, for which insurance plans coverage must be “no less extensive than the coverage provided for any physical illness.”
SB-042: Behavioral Health Crisis Response Recommendations
Sponsored by: Sen. Amabile; Rep. Mary Bradfield, D21; Sen. Lisa Cutter, D20
Upcoming action: Senate Health & Human Services hearing, Wednesday, Feb. 5; hearing will begin once the legislature has adjourned for the day.
Another Amabile bill, SB-042 requires the Department of Public Safety and Behavioral Health administration to analyze and present information on behavioral health models and resources throughout the state, including co-responder, alternative and mobile response programs that do not require police response to mental health emergencies.
The information will be collected throughout 2025 and made publicly available online. An analysis of gaps and funding options will be presented to lawmakers by 2027.
The bill also includes stipulations for the evaluation and release of individuals detained for mental health emergencies.
