Boulder Weekly 04.13.2023

BoCo bike hub celebrates spring on two wheels P.10

GET IN GEAR

10 COVER: Ahead of upcoming spring event, The Pro’s Closet takes Boulder Weekly behind the scenes at its expanded HQ BY

WILL MATUSKA

15 MUSIC: Hannah Frances still hasn’t found what she’s looking for

BY JEZY J. GRAY

25 NIBBLES: Pasta therapists counsel local food critic after viewing viral spaghetti video BY JOHN

LEHNDORFF

30 WEED: The first dispensary run entirely by formerly incarcerated people BY WILL BRENDZA

DEPARTMENTS

5 THE ANDERSON FILES: Phil Anschutz, powerful but shy Colorado right-wing multibillionaire

7 LETTERS: Signed, sealed delivered: your views

9 NOW YOU KNOW: The week’s news in Boulder County and beyond

13 MUSIC: Rachel Sliker finds a home in The River Arkansas

16 THEATER: Apollo 15 moon landing launches a contemporary political conversation in BETC world premiere

17 SIGHTLINES: Boulder County arts and culture news, at a glance

18 EVENTS: What to do this week on the Front Range

21 FILM: Front Range festivals spark cinematic dialogue

22 ASTROLOGY: The true symbol of a Gemini

23 SAVAGE LOVE: Quickies

29 GOOD TASTE: The Rio keeps fun front and center amid updates

The Pro’s Closet. Photo by Will Matuska

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COMMENTARY

APRIL 13, 2023

Volume XXX, Number 34

Cover illustration by Josh Cochran

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caitlin Rockett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER:

Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Dave Anderson, Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Adam Perry, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca, Colin Wrenn

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER:

Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE:

Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Chris Allred

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER:

Mark Goodman

CIRCULATION TEAM:

Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER: Emily Weinberg

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-holdsbarred 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.

690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO 80305 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. © 2023 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.

THE ANDERSON FILES

Phil Anschutz, powerful but shy Colorado right-wing multibillionaire

BY DAVE ANDERSON

Phil Anschutz is one of the richest people in Colorado. But he has considerable national clout. He is notoriously publicity shy and reclusive. Business Insider reports that he is “one of only two people who’ve made the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans every year since the first version was published in 1982.”

An heir to a western oil-drilling fortune, Anschutz diversified into railroads, ranches and media markets. In 2002, Fortune said he was America’s “greediest executive” when he topped a list of corporate bigshots who sold off shares as their firms collapsed, while other shareholders suffered huge losses. He likes to avoid paying taxes

and has sued the IRS many times.

In 2009, Media Matters and Forbes speculated that Anschutz was stealthily trying to become a right-wing media mogul like Rupert Murdoch. He launched free tabloid newspapers in various cities. He acquired The Weekly Standard (from Murdoch) and the Washington Examiner, two money-losing conservative publications in Washington, D.C.

Anschutz owns AEG Live, the world’s second largest presenter of live music, sports and entertainment. He owns several movie theater chains and many athletic teams.

Anschutz’s Walden Media has aspired to create films with right-wing

ideological content using a gentle touch. Two films were a bit too obvious: the documentary Waiting for Superman and the fictional Won’t Back Down, which attacked public education, scapegoated teachers’ unions and promoted private charter schools.

Anschutz got some unwanted publicity in 2017 after he acquired the popular Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival outside Los Angeles. Socially liberal entertainment industry folk were concerned that he funded anti-LGBTQ, anti-abortion, anti-gun control, anti-marijuana and climatechange denial efforts, all to which Anschutz made the Trumpian claim of “fake news.” Under pressure, he said

he had been careless and then contributed $1 million to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He did quit funding a number of anti-LGBTQ groups at that point. Anschutz now insists he supports LGBTQ rights and reproductive freedom.

Open Secrets reports that Anschutz, his wife and his corporation have contributed a great deal to many Republican politicians, Super PACs and committees. Anschutz participates in the Koch tycoon network’s clandestine summits.

Anschutz lives in Denver, but a 2012 profile of him in The New Yorker entitled “The Man Who Owns L.A.” emphasized his “entertainment kingdom.”

The University of Colorado medical campus in Aurora bears his name because of his contributions to the school. Anschutz was a big supporter of Neil Gorsuch for U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1992, Anschutz donated $10,000 to Colorado for Family Values, which backed Amendment 2, a measure that prohibited anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people before the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional.

Anschutz’s family foundation gave

James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, an award for his “contributions to the American Family.” Dobson’s Colorado Springs-based “global Christian ministry” is antiLGBTQ and anti-abortion. It offers advice on parenting, marriage and financial management. It has several podcasts and a 1-800 help line.

For years, Anschutz has had an interest in Colorado journalism. He bought the Colorado Springs Gazette, the city’s longtime daily newspaper, which was editorially conservative. He purchased the name and assets of the Rocky Mountain

In 2009, Media Matters and Forbes speculated that Anschutz was stealthily trying to become a right-wing media mogul like Rupert Murdoch.”

ANDERSON

News, which closed in February 2009.

In 2017, Anschutz took over The Colorado Statesman, which was a weekly newspaper founded in 1899 covering state government, public policy issues, campaigns, elections and political parties. It merged with Anschutz’s online coloradopolitics. com and The Statesman disappeared.

Instead of re-launching the Rocky Mountain News, he created the online Denver Gazette. Lately, there have been online ads urging people to “leave” the Denver Post “in the past” and turn to the Denver Gazette for “news you can trust.” This is sort of like the Fox News’ claim to be “fair and balanced” in comparison with the supposedly leftist “mainstream.”

Will this work? The Colorado Springs Gazette seems too MAGA loony for the Denver metro area. Shortly after the 2020 election, the Gazette editorialized about election fraud. Wayne Laugesen, the editorial page editor (and former Boulder Weekly reporter and editor in the ’90s), attended the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and quickly concluded the rioters were “probably Antifa.”

The Gazette endorsed Lauren Boebert in both the 2020 and 2022 elections as well as in the GOP primary against the more moderate Don Coram. The 2020 editorial said: “In addition to movie star looks, she exudes passion for freedom, capitalism, and the United States that makes the socialist, anti-America sentiment of AOC + three look gloomy and sad.”

This opinion column does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

CORRECTION

Last week’s news story “Ease the harm” (News, April 6, 2023) conflated Safe Zones 4 Kids’ chang. org petition, which has more than 1,800 signatures, with its Boulder Direct Democracy Online petition, which has 230 as of press on Wednesday, April 12.

PROTECT ANIMALS FROM WILDFIRE

The wildfire burning in Park County, near Florissant, is a reminder that it is not just humans’ lives and homes that are threatened by wildfires. Deer, bears, birds, fish, reptiles and other animals are killed or displaced, too. The impacts are also immediate, debilitating and often life-threatening:

Thick smoke disorients them, irritates their eyes and makes breathing difficult. Larger animals may try to outrun the flames, while small animals may try to shelter under rocks and in burrows. Those with babies or who are trapped by fences or other structures may not escape.

Report unattended fires, extinguish campfires and fire pits, keep vehicles

off dry grass, don’t throw lit or smoldering cigarettes from your car or truck and check the weather conditions before burning trash or leaves.

While most naturally occurring wildfires are sparked by lightning, thousands are triggered every year by fireworks. The precaution we can take cannot be clearer.

— Craig Shapiro/Norfolk, VA

“...ethereal, otherworldly and deeply wise. I was truly awestruck.”

Alexia Mancun

NOW YOU KNOW

This week’s news in Boulder County and beyond

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

STATE-FED PLAN FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Several neighborhoods in Boulder County could benefit from a state-federal initiative aimed at advancing environmental justice.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) released a final workplan last month explaining how the agencies will collaborate through enforcement and compliance to reduce pollution in “disproportionately impacted communities.”

According to Joel Minor, environmental justice program manager for CDPHE, the State defines a disproportionately impacted community via three demographic factors — race, income and housing-cost burden — as well as cumulative impacts, which refers to exposure to a variety of pollutants. Communities became disproportionately polluted because of a discriminatory mortgage apprasail practice called redlining that isolated communities of color and drove land-use decisions that placed hazardous industries in these areas.

Of a total of 200 census block groups in Boulder County, Minor says 70 of those meet the definition of a disproportionately impacted community, including neighborhoods in Lafayette, parts of Longmont and parts of Boulder.

“Even within more affluent communities are often pockets of inequality or lower-income communities with more affordable housing mixed in with the more affluent areas,” Minor says. “One example in Boulder County are mobile home parks, which tend to be one of the most affordable sources of housing.” Both Arbordale and Boulder Ridge mobile home parks in Lafayette are disproportionately impacted communities.

The workplan focuses on three actions, all related to compliance and

enforcement of regulations: targeting inspections in impacted communities; collaboration between state, local and federal partners on enforcement and compliance assurance; and creating equitable opportunities for communities across the state to learn and engage with agencies about enforcement and compliance issues.

“It’s about holding regulated entities accountable and ensuring that they’re complying with the terms of their permits,” Minor says.

The public is invited to a virtual community engagement session on May 1 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the workplan in more detail. Register for the meeting and find information on CDPHE’s upcoming community opportunities: bit.ly/COEnvironmentalJustice

BOULDERITE SEEKS HELP HEADING TO MISS WHEELCHAIR AMERICA

After being crowned Miss Wheelchair Colorado this February, Jenn Ochs hopes to head to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in late August to win the title of Miss Wheelchair America.

Unlike the aesthetic focus of traditional pageants, Miss Wheelchair America judges a contestant’s ability to advocate for those in wheelchairs.

The week-long competition will require Ochs to write an essay, give a speech, show her advocacy accomplishments and complete two interviews with competition judges.

But Ochs needs some help getting there. She recently launched a GoFundMe to raise $4,000 to cover the $2,000 pageant entrance fee and travel expenses for Ochs and her mother.

Ochs hopes to take her message nationwide, advocating for independent living for people with disabilities.

“I live independently in the community and want more people with disabilities to know that they can too,” Ochs told BW via email. However, Ochs says, “independent living is only possible with reliable home health. Low pay and little to no benefits has [caused] many direct care workers to leave the industry, causing a nationwide shortage of direct care workers.”

To support Och’s GoFundMe, visit bit.ly/MissWheelchairAmerica

Boulder County (3340 Mitchell Lane, Boulder), but it will make more trips to Boulder and Broomfield before May 11.

Learn more and book an appointment at covid19.colorado.gov

STUDY LINKS ENCAMPMENT ‘SWEEPS’ WITH DRUGRELATED DEATHS

At least 500,000 people are experiencing homelessness on a given night in the U.S. Around 30% of those people also have a substance use disorder.

One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association aims to understand how “involuntary displacement” (also known as “sweeps” or “cleanups”), a common measure used by cities across the country, impacts people experiencing homelessness who inject drugs.

FREE COVID-19 VACCINES AVAILABLE

Buses loaded with COVID-19 vaccines are touring around the state, including Boulder, to provide low-barrier care to communities.

The state is making a final push to distribute COVID vaccines before May 11, when the federal government will end its public health emergency declaration. After that date, Coloradans can still keep up with their vaccinations through hundreds of vaccine providers across the state.

Coloradans ages 6 months and older are eligible to receive the vaccine for free — no insurance, identification or medical history is required. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ups are accepted.

So far, the state’s vaccine buses have made more than 6,000 stops in 62 counties in the state.

The bus will be in Boulder on Friday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Out

Through simulation modeling of 23 cities, including Denver, researchers found that involuntary displacement can lead to “substantial increases in morbidity and mortality over a 10-year period,” and it is estimated to worsen factors like overdoses and hospitalizations. According to lead author Joshua Barocas, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus specializing in infectious disease and substance use disorder, there’s a lack of evidence guiding decision making.

“People on the front lines have been telling leaders that these sweeps are detrimental, but anecdotes only go so far,” he wrote in an email to Boulder Weekly. “Policymakers should incorporate evidence into their decision making, and we hope to add to that evidence base.”

In its 2023 budget, the City of Boulder allocated nearly $1.3 million to expanding its Safe and Managed Spaces program, which included adding an “encampment management” team to enforce the citywide camping ban. The City also shortened the amount of time it gives people participating in unsanctioned camping to clean up and leave under some circumstances.

Got news tips? Email wmatuska@ boulderweekly.com

GET IN GEAR

Ahead of spring event, The Pro’s Closet takes Boulder Weekly behind the scenes at its expanded headquarters

BY WILL MATUSKA

“Speed is king for us,” says Paul Calandrella, general manager at The Pro’s Closet (TPC) in Louisville.

He’s an avid biker — much like the rest of TPC’s staff — but he’s not talking about how fast he can spin gears on two wheels.

Calandrella is standing in TPC’s 130,000-square-foot space that quadruples as a bike retail outlet, refurbishment factory, vintage bike museum and digital retailer headquarters.

“If we have anything, we have space,” he says.

Roughly the size of your average Costco, there are scooters available for staff to ride from one end of the building to the other, saving time moving between hundreds of brands and thousands of models on site.

In one week, Calandrella oversees a staff of more than 100 who help move 1,000 bikes through a robust

141-point inspection refurbishment process.

“When we’re at a brisk run, we can move a bike from the bay door to being listed on our website in under two hours,” he says as someone whizzes by on a bike test-ride, the last step before it’s ready to sell.

In those two hours, staff completes all the refurbishment, photography, cataloging and boxing steps until the bike is ready for a consumer.

Calandrella says 80% of TPC’s total bike volume is purchased from consumers around the country in exchange for cash, in-store credit or dealer trade. Of those bikes, nearly all are completely refurbished inhouse.

Internally, Calandrella says staff joke they’ve built the “Ferrari engine of refurbishment.”

“The faster we can do this, the less cost we put into refurbishing the bike and the better value to the customer on the other end,” he says, adding the present operation is a result of more than a decade of work.

Maria Uspenski bought her first bike from TPC in 2012 after her car broke down. Since then, she says she’s bought at least half a dozen bikes from them.

“Once you become a client there, you probably become a client several times,” she says.

A few days ago she traded in her road bike for a gravel bike.

She says the customer service, cycling advice and how easy it’s been to buy and trade bikes has kept her going back.

After perfecting the refurbishment process, TPC is now focused on the inperson customer experience and has been pilot testing its retail space for the last nine months.

Since moving to its facility in Louisville (1900 Taylor Ave.) just before the pandemic, the company hasn’t

Paul Calandrella walks through rows of bikes ready for refurbishment. Photo by Will Matuska.

TPC is opening its retail space to the community. Photo courtesy TCP.

been able to flex its operation muscle to its full capacity.

Now, Calandrella is ready for TPC to become a gathering place for the cycling community.

On April 29 and 30, TPC’s Great Spring Breakaway event will offer a peek at TPC’s process and new retail space, in addition to prizes, food trucks and more.

“[We] want to welcome the Front Range riding community to come see what we do,” Calandrella says.

MORE THAN A BIKE SHOP

TPC was founded in Boulder by Nick Martin in 2006. At the time, Martin was living out of his van and posting refurbished bikes on eBay.

A pro cyclist himself, he brought his philosophy of keeping bikes in motion longer to TPC.

“Bikes are meant to be used,” the company motto goes.

For years, TPC was only an e-commerce company. Moving to a new space in Louisville three-and-a-half years ago not only let TPC expand its refurbishment operation, but also the Vintage Bicycle Museum.

The museum has more than 200

bikes on display, including bikes like John Tomac’s 1990 World Championship Yeti C-26, David Phinney’s 1984 Olympic Bike and Otis Guy’s 1978 Series I Breezer, one of the first mountain bike models.

“The historic museum sort of represents our ethos — we put a lot of value in customization,” says Calandrella. “The industry does well at scale to sell a lot of the same bike, and we try to celebrate the upgraded, the customized, the modified. We place the value on the rarities.”

Primarily Martin’s collection, bikes get sent to the facility from cyclists all over the country — and it’s still growing.

Martin collects other parts of cycling history too, as shown by the wall dedicated to the Coors International Bicycle Classic — an iconic race started by a Boulder-based company in 1975 that helped put cycling on the map in the U.S.

“It’s regularly surprising to me the distances people travel to get into our building,” Calandrella says, adding that people have flown in from across the

country and driven from Oklahoma and Texas to pick up a bike from the shop. “It sort of demonstrates the curiosity and, to a degree, love for the brand.”

The company has been a beneficiary of the “bike boom” that brought a surge of new cyclists mid-pandemic and left consumers struggling to find new bikes. While those numbers have tapered off since, bicycle spending still remains above pre-pandemic levels nationally.

“More people on bikes is good in so many ways,” Calandrella says. “If we can help be a part of that, I’ll call that a win.”

GREAT SPRING BREAKAWAY EVENT: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30, The Pro’s Closet, 1900 Taylor Ave., Louisville. Free

Photos courtesy TPC

TPC can warehouse 3,500 bikes, ready for online or in-store purchase. Photo by Will Matuska.

BY A STRING

Rachel Sliker finds a home in The River Arkansas

BY ADAM PERRY

Violinist Rachel Sliker grew up in Colorado Springs but has spent the last two decades in Boulder, where she branched out from the classical music of her youth and found a community.

That’s where Sliker met local musician Tyler Ludwick of the band Princess Music, which she joined in 2004. “I was just starved for non-classical stuff at the time,” she remembers.

From there, Sliker quickly blossomed in the Colorado indie-rock scene — thanks in no small part to her buoyant musicianship and joyful stage presence. In addition to her work with Princess Music, she also played with Clouds and Mountains, helmed by Front Range mainstay Macon Terry, before joining Terry in the indie-Americana band The River Arkansas in 2015.

Led by singer-songwriter Mike Clark, formerly of the beloved Pueblo band The Haunted Windchimes, The River Arkansas mixes the longmissed playfulness of high-energy Colorado favorites like Dovekins with the rootsy authenticity of The Band. With the addition of Sliker, who has a deep understanding of classical music and theory, The River Arkansas is

now able to craft songs like the title track from last year’s Waiting on the Rain EP: a layered, dynamic and moving blend of folk, rock and pop that gels Clark’s gritty and whimsical personality with complex and soaring Americana.

Sliker’s journey from classical music to The River Arkansas is similarly complex. She started playing violin at age 5 under the Suzuki method, an intensive music curriculum and teaching philosophy drawing from the tenants of language acquisition. This came at the urging of her veterinarian parents, who weren’t musicians themselves but decided Sliker and her brother, who played the flute growing up, should be.

“I don’t recall having a passion for [music] but I also don’t recall feeling like I was being forced to do something against my will,” she says. “Eventually I got so good at it that it became part of my identity and I kinda got an ego about being good at the violin — so that was something I had to wrestle with and try to let go of and just be purely in love with music later in life.”

Sliker’s breakout from the confines of classical music began with what she calls “embarrassing stuff” like

NSYNC and the pop-rock radio hits of bands like Blink-182 and Weezer. But after arriving on campus in Boulder, a whole new world began to open up.

“I feel like I didn’t necessarily love music when I was younger. Nobody had turned me on to stuff where I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is it,’” she says. “It wasn’t until college, when I was getting introduced to Radiohead and Björk because my friends listened to it, that my mind kinda got blown a little bit.”

JOYFUL NOISE

That eventual combination of a true love of music and formal education led Sliker, who earned a bachelor’s in music theory from CU Boulder, to long-term gigs with local indie bands. It also led to limited stints with huge artists like Gregory Alan Isakov (who included Sliker in his touring Ghost Orchestra) and Nathaniel Rateliff, with whom Sliker has performed at Red Rocks, the Newport Folk Festival and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

But even playing on live television at the Ed Sullivan Theater wasn’t as nerve-wracking for Sliker as the classical tradition she came from.

“I’ve done auditions for symphonies and stuff, and that’s the highest pressure situation and nothing will compare,” she says. “You can put me on national television and I guess I’m not as nervous.”

Despite her many accomplishments as a musician, there’s another milestone Sliker wants to achieve: leading her own band, with her own songs,

on vocals and guitar. She played a few shows as a bandleader before the pandemic halted her momentum, and she hopes to continue that journey soon.

In the meantime, Sliker is happy to belong to a local community of side players with whom she feels a camaraderie, from Jeb Bows of Isakov’s band to Stelth Ulvang of the Lumineers and the musicians in Nathaniel Rateliff’s horn section.

“There’s something about the instrumentalists [who] hang out together,” she says. “There’s a nerdiness — not that I’m calling those guys nerds … we’re a little bit different, and I like that vibe.”

When it comes to her collaborators in The River Arkansas, whose recently completed Green Bridge EP is on the horizon, Sliker also feels a deep kinship. Her path here may have been long and winding, with more turns yet to come, but for now she’s just happy to be making music and memories with her bandmates.

“I love those guys so much … they’re just a joy to hang out with,” she says. “I think the music comes off as being so much fun because we have so much fun together.”

ON THE BILL: Foxfeather with The River Arkansas and Sara Farmer. 8 p.m. Friday, April 14, The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $20

Rachel Sliker performs with The River Arkansas. Photo by George Blosser.

Rachel Sliker has been a fixture in the Boulder music scene since 2004. Photo courtesy the artist.

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the record: ‘Where am I going? Where do I belong?’”

SEARCH AND RESCUE

BY JEZY J. GRAY

It was the release day of her new album, and Hannah Frances couldn’t stop crying. After a turbulent year of traveling and recording, the 26-year-old songwriter’s fifth fulllength collection of music was finally out in the world — a milestone worth celebrating for any artist. Why, then, did it feel like someone had died?

“I think the grief that happens when you actually let go of something is even more painful than holding on to it,” she says. “Once I actually released the album, it felt like I had nothing to hold on to, and I think that brought up more grief.”

As it turns out, Frances was holding on to a lot more than a record. The time spent making her latest self-released LP Bedrock also marked the rupture of a relationship that had offered something like stability for the self-described “nomadic” DIY musician. While the journey of her new album was just beginning, Frances couldn’t shake the sense that something big was over.

“It felt like releasing a chapter of my life. It had a lot to do with that partnership, but I also just felt like I needed to close something and continue on my path,” she says. “I think holding on

was inhibiting me from feeling the deeper loss of all that. But once you let something go, you’re not necessarily freed of it.”

The result of that letting go is a dizzyingly beautiful collection of songs about longing and belonging that represent a high watermark for the multi-

Bedrock underscores Frances’ virtuosic guitar playing and opera-trained vocal prowess in pursuit of a sense of place.

“I’m roaming, you know / looking for a home amongst the willows,” she sings on “Pilgrim,” the album’s sparkling and sprawling centerpiece that slips sweetly into birdsong. “To be alone / anywhere but here.”

ROAM (IF YOU WANT TO)

While Frances welcomes life’s serendipity, it’s no accident that she spent much of 2020 making a record about movement. There are places that feel something like home to the young musician, who was raised in Philadelphia and lived most recently in Chicago, but a sense of searching colors the empty space in Bedrock — recorded over a period of restless wandering from rural Maine to the Midwest and points in between.

The answer to that question is a knot Frances is still untwisting. But while her odyssey of belonging may not unfold along a straight line, her path to the stage followed a more linear tack. Raised by a professional pianist and educator, Frances’ creative drive is partly the result of being steeped in music from a young age — including a post-senior year tour with the international after-school music education program School of Rock, whose stop at Lollapalooza served her first real taste of the limelight.

“I was constantly on stage,” she says. “My upbringing was deeply creative, and I’m really grateful for that.”

The stage is still a welcoming place for Frances, who has since sharpened her own voice in her own songs — like the 11 tracks on Bedrock, and those populating the new unreleased full length she’s currently shopping to labels. She may not have a fixed address, but Frances has found a home in her music, and in the act of bringing it to towns like Boulder. When it comes to the prospect of one day putting solid ground beneath her feet, she draws energy from a timehonored maxim: The destination is the journey.

“I feel belonging in a lot of different landscapes … I love being on the road,” she says. “There are so many different aspects that are challenging, but I think overall it feels really directional and alive for me right now. I think this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

disciplinary artist, herbalist and astrologer. Moving like a river through turns of aching folk tenderness, ambient blooms and field recordings of nature,

“I felt very uprooted, and a lot of that has to do with place. I was really seeking a feeling of home and a sense of stability in myself, and stability with another person,” she says. “I felt like I was on a pilgrimage of some kind. That was a huge part of

ON THE BILL: Damien Jurado with Hannah Frances. 7 p.m. Friday, April 14, eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $28

Hannah Frances performs with Damien Jurado at eTown Hall in Boulder on Friday, April 14. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Hannah

Frances

still hasn’t found what she’s looking for

Hannah Frances’ latest album Bedrock was recorded over a restless period of wandering from rural Maine to the midwest.

ONE SMALL STEP

Apollo 15 moon landing launches a contemporary political conversation in BETC world premiere

BY TONI TRESCA

Playwright and traveler Mat Smart has been to all 50 states, and there’s one thing he’s noticed: We don’t talk to each other anymore.

“Frankly, how divided we are concerns me,” Smart says. “I was interested in writing a play that explored a time when there was similar divisiveness to understand how we worked through it. I’m interested in using 1971 as a flashpoint to engage with that moment in history, but also as a lens for us to view today.”

Smart’s desire to spark contemporary political conversations in a historical setting was channeled into his Vietnam War-era play Eden Prairie, 1971, which is currently being produced at the Dairy Arts Center by the Butterfly Effect Theatre Company of Colorado (BETC) through April 29.

“People living in our political moment feel like our nation has never

been more divided, but they should look at this period,” says director and BETC Associate Artistic Director Heather Beasley. “Mat places us on a historic day and uses the Vietnam War as a backdrop for the piece. History is most accessible when we view it through people’s stories, and we care about the people who lived through it. This story is a beautiful, detailed look at how it impacted three people’s lives.”

The play is set at midnight in rural Minnesota on the night of the Apollo 15 moon landing, as a “draft dodger” returns to visit a woman from his past. But rather than present an overly moralistic love story, Smart set out to create a play with characters who had vastly different values.

“It was important to give everyone’s viewpoint a fair representation,” Smart says. “Theater can fall into the trap of preaching to the choir, so I like to shake things up and bring in different ideas. We have Pete [James Giordano], who is against the war and going to fight,

with the National New Play Network. BETC is the last of three theater companies co-debuting the work in the United States, after Riverside Theatre of Iowa and the New Jersey Repertory Company.

“I had seen Mat’s play Midwinter at the Colorado New Play Summit, and I loved it, so I requested to read his new script because I liked his work,” Beasley says. “There are some plays that I have to share immediately; Eden Prairie, 1971, was one of the plays we all agreed quickly was a wonderful fit for [BETC].”

The play’s script arrives in Boulder with new edits from Smart, who — having seen it performed by two other companies — incorporated feedback from previous production teams, casts and audiences.

and Rachel [Kate Hebert] on the other end of the spectrum. … And her mom [Adrian Egolf] presents a third way of being that doesn’t fit neatly into liberal or conservative categories.”

Eden Prairie gives audiences the chance to watch these old friends go toe-to-toe in heated debates as the single-setting play’s 90-minute duration unfolds in real time.

“At one point, they argue about the 1968 presidential election and about how Richard Nixon beat Hubert Humphrey by less than .7 points,” says Smart. “Close elections resonate today because we are used to these razor-thin margins; it is nothing new that elections are so close, but it is fun to have that argument through the lens of history.”

‘A FITTING CAPSTONE’

The play’s Boulder debut is a history-making event itself as the final production of Eden Prairie’s rolling world premiere

“The structure hasn’t changed, so it has really been like going down the elevator deeper into the mine shaft,” Smart says. “I am always trying to find great depth in the play. I feel like [after the two other premieres], the characters are more complicated and the moments cut more.”

In addition to being the play’s final premiere, the Boulder run of Eden Prairie also serves as the last production for BETC co-founders Stephen Weitz and Rebecca Remaly before the husband-and-wife team departs from their leadership positions at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

“Eden Prairie, 1971, is a fitting capstone to what’s been an exciting and diverse season,” Weitz says. “I couldn’t be more delighted that we’re finishing with the world premiere of a new American play that will touch audience members’ hearts and souls and brains in equal measure. That’s the definition of a BETC play.”

ON STAGE: Eden Prairie, 1971 by Mat Smart.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through April 29, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $40

“I’m interested in using 1971 as a flashpoint to engage with that moment in history, but also as a lens for us to view today,” says Eden Prairie, 1971 playwright Mat Smart.

James Giordano and Kate Hebert in the ongoing BETC production of Eden Prairie, 1971 Photo by Michael Ensminger.

SIGHTLINES

Boulder County arts and culture news, at a glance

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

We love our local arts scene here in Boulder County — but with so much going on, it can be hard to keep up. That’s why Boulder Weekly is bringing you our regular round-up of goings-on in the world of performing and visual arts, film, music and more. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening locally, so you don’t have to miss a beat.

COLORFUL COLORADO

R Gallery seeks artists for new state show

Boulder’s R Gallery + Wine Bar (2027 Broadway) is looking for artists to participate in its upcoming Colorful Colorado exhibition to “celebrate the diverse and vibrant culture of the state by showcasing art that depicts scenes or activities related to Colorado.”

The gallery space welcomes all artists living and working in the Centennial State, regardless of medium — from landscapes and cityscapes to portraits, abstract works and points in between. Artists may submit up to 12 work samples with a $30 entry fee. Colorful Colorado will be on display at the downtown art gallery from June 7 through July 16. Deadline for entry is Sunday, May 14. Submit your application through the QR code above.

CASH FLOW

Venue and artist hiring funds available once again

It’s no secret that the pandemic marked a major challenge for the roughly 10% of the local workforce employed in the creative industries. That’s why the Boulder Arts Commission is adding more money to arts-related funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The commission recently dedicated an extra $21,000 to its Venue and Online Event Affordability Funds during a meeting on March 22. This money is available to provide venue rental assistance for local arts orgs along with coverage for expenses related to personal protection equipment, COVID-19 testing and online programming.

Other ARPA funding opportunities include Artist Hiring Incentive Grants for nonprofits to employ local visual, performing and literary artists to perform or create new work. Learn more about available funds at boulderarts.org

ROCK THE BLOCK

City grants support connection through art

The City of Boulder’s Neighborhood Services has opened its Neighborhood Connection Grants for 2023, including its Healing Together initiative to “provide resources to help communities heal together through art, music, and dance.”

The program brings a slate of interactive arts programming to local neighborhoods and community groups, designed to strengthen resolve and connection after the collective traumas of recent years. This year’s performing and visual arts programs include Seen by Creativity Alive, Healing Together with Luna Cultura and The Cultural Hip-Hop ‘n’ Art Experience by Mi Chantli

Scan the QR code above to apply by Friday, April 21.

PURSE STRINGS

Help Longmont Symphony Orchestra meet fundraising goal

Want to support classical music in Boulder County? The Longmont Symphony Orchestra is halfway to

the goal of its March Forth to 50K fund drive, and your support can help push them over the finish line before the end of the ongoing concert season.

“Your donation will go directly to the effort of getting our musicians to a compensation level which is competitive with other similar orchestras in our area,” a representative wrote in an April 8 email regarding the fundraising campaign.

Make your tax-deductible donation today by calling 303-772-5796 or scanning the accompanying QR code.

SLOW BURN

Creative opportunities for Marshall Fire survivors

As our community continues to reel from the most destructive wildfire in state history, Lafayette’s pARTicular Art Gallery and Teaching Studio (401 S. Public Road) is continuing the long recovery process by providing free art-making opportunities for survivors in 2023.

From art classes and drop-in studio time to free participation in the gallery’s biannual 6x5 Community Show and a year-long community quilting project, there are plenty of opportunities for Marshall Fire survivors to explore creative paths to healing.

For more details, visit bit.ly/ MarshallFireArts.

Got local art news? Email BW culture editor Jezy J. Gray at jgray@boulderweekly.com

LONGMONT PUBLIC MEDIA — SHORTS FORUM

7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 13, Longmont Public Media, 457 Fourth Ave. $5

Good things come in small packages — just ask local filmmaker John Williams, who invites you to Longmont Public Media for a screening of locally submitted short films. Whether you want to submit your own movie or just grab a seat and enjoy the show, you won’t want to miss this BoCo cinematic celebration.

THE MIKE STANLEY COMEDY SHOW

8-11 p.m. Friday, April 14, The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St. $15

Before landing on the Front Range, Denver comedian Mike Stanley cut his stand-up teeth in the Great Lakes region, where his straightforward style gained him recognition as an honest, quick-witted storyteller. He’ll be taking over The Louisville Underground on Friday for a show that’ll have you in stitches.

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COMMUNITY YARD SALE

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 15, Hope Boulder, 4705 Baseline Road, Boulder.

Hope Boulder hosts a multi-family yard sale including sports equipment, TVs, clothes, furniture, decor, art and more. Head down on Saturday to find that item you didn’t know you needed, but have to have — and keep it out of the landfill.

5000 EYES: MAPPING THE UNIVERSE WITH DESI

7-8 p.m. Thursday, April 13, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder. $12

Using 5,000 independently operated robots, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is creating perhaps “the most detailed map of our nearby universe.” Fiske Planetarium invites you to come learn more about this scientific triumph and the people who created it during this jaw-dropping show on the CU Boulder campus.

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OPEN GAIT ART PARADE

1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 15, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Free

Dress in black, wear white gloves, and let your creations shine at this year’s Open Gait Art Parade, a roaming local art showcase taking place all around downtown Boulder on Saturday. Got more than one piece you’d like to showcase on the walk? Bring a friend along.

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BOULDER CHILDREN’S CHORALE CONCERT

11 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 15, Longmont Public Library, 409 Fourth Ave. Free

Celebrate the role of literature in our lives with a bookish performance from the Boulder Children’s Chorale at the Longmont Public Library. This interactive music and storytelling event is open to all ages, but is best suited for preschool through early elementary school-aged kids. No registration required.

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BOULDER IRISH SESSION

2-4:30 p.m. East Simpson Coffee Company, 201 E. Simpson St., Lafayette. Free

Sunday afternoon will bring more than just a cup of Joe at East Simpson Coffee Company, as Lynn Stewart hosts an Irish jam session at the cozy Lafayette shop. And if you want to get in on the fun, bring your instrument; the group welcomes players of all skill levels.

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TEEN BLACKSMITHING

Noon-3 p.m. Boulder Jewish Community Center, 6007 Oreg Ave. $75

Know a young person who wants to pick up a new skill? Boulder JCC invites local teens to join master blacksmith and instructor Erik Stevenson for an afternoon of hands-on fun. Teens will work with traditional blacksmith tools to create their own spoon or leaf key ring in a safe and supervised environment.

LIVE

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AFRICAN SINGING FIESTA

3 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1419 Pine St., Boulder. $15

Looking for a fun-filled afternoon of music? Head to St. John’s Episcopal Church on Sunday afternoon for a dazzling performance by Nii Armah and the 1000 Voices. You’ll get swept up in calland-response songs, chants and choreography during the return of the church’s African Singing Fiesta series.

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TAKÁCS QUARTET

4 p.m. (Sunday) and 7:30 p.m. (Monday) Grusin Music Hall, CU Boulder, 1020 18th St. $47

Called “matchless [in] their supreme artistry” by The Guardian, the Grammywinning Takács Quartet has been a CU Boulder institution for more than 30 years. Don’t miss the stirring chamber ensemble as they’re joined by classical accordion and bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro during two in-person performances as part of the CU Presents series.

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TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA SERIES

4-4:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, Heart-Centered Yoga Studio, 1455 Dixon Ave., Suite 210, Lafayette. $25

Janine D’Anniballe, director of trauma services at Mental Health Partners and Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA), continues a four-week, trauma-informed yoga series designed to explore the science behind the benefits of yoga on traumatic stress. Yoga mats and props will be provided for in-person participants.

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GUIDED GROUP ENERGY HEALINGS

11-11:45 a.m., The Healing Studio, 18 Garden Center, Broomfield. $20

Who couldn’t use a bit more balance in their lives? This group meditation session at The Healing Studio in Broomfield will “guide you through a visualization and bring in a flow of energy to facilitate the intended balancing,” with a focus on reaching your full potential.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Dorothea Germiller Whiting aka Dorothea Whiting, Dorothea G. Whiting, Dottie Whiting, Deceased Case No.: 2022PR30719

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Boulder County, Colorado on or before August 13, 2023, or said claims may be forever barred.

Laura Lass, Personal Representative 9300 N. County Line Rd. Longmont, Colorado 80503

LIVE MUSIC

THE DAWN HUNTERS 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

WESLEY

ON THE BILL: Denver indie-pop darlings Tennis return for a homecoming show at Mission Ballroom on the heels of the band’s latest full-length, Pollen, with support from Canadian trio LOVING. See listing for details.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

WESLEY SCHULTZ (OF THE LUMINEERS) WITH YOLA 7:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $75

DOGS IN A PILE WITH MR. MOTA.

8:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $11

100 GECS WITH MACHINE GIRL

8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $40

JAKE LEG DUO 9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

CLAY ROSE OF GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS WITH MIKE CLARK

7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl Street, Suite V3A, Boulder. $25. Story at boulderweekly.com

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR 8 p.m. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Denver. $30

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

AN EVENING WITH BOB MOSES

8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $40

BONEY JAMES 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $40

TENNIS WITH LOVING

8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $30. Story at boulderweekly.com

FOXFEATHER WITH THE RIVER ARKANSAS AND SARA FARMER

8 p.m. The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $20 Story on p. 13

AUDIEN WITH CODEKO AND DANNY

QUEST 9 p.m. Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $25

DAMIEN JURADO WITH HANNAH FRANCES 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $28. Story on p. 15

MILQUETOAST & CO., TOMATO SOUP AND ELLSWORTH. 8 p.m. Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St., Denver. $10

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

SO TUFF SO CUTE WITH BALEK AND 1OF1 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $10

MADDY O’NEAL WITH K+LAB AND TWOSCOOPS 9 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave., Fort Collins. $15

THE BASEMENT BLUES PROJECT 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

NATTALI RIZE 9 p.m. Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St., Denver. $18

SCREAMING FEMALES 7:30 p.m. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. $18

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ WITH JARON MARSHALL (OF BLACK PUMAS) 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $25

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $25

POP EVIL. 8 p.m. Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. $35

DJ GOODIE 7 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

MONDAY, APRIL 17

NIKKI LANE WITH LEROY FROM THE NORTH 8 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $27

TUESDAY, APRIL 18

THE NUDE PARTY WITH BREANNA BARBARA AND HEATED BONES. 8 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $20

LOCAL BUZZ

Front Range film events spark cinematic dialogue

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

There are some months when life in Colorado is an embarrassment of riches. April is one such month. And those craving moving images and good conversation will have two exceptional choices this weekend.

Let’s start in Boulder with the Ebert Interruptus film series during the 75th Conference on World Affairs at CU, April 13-14. This year’s conference is devoted to one topic — the climate crisis — which every panel, event and discussion will address from a bevy of viewpoints. And at the conference’s annual cinematic showcase, the subject will be explored through a screening and discussion of Honeyland, a 2019 nonfiction film from Macedonia about beekeeper Hatidže Muratova.

Fiftysomething Muratova is a wild beekeeper, possibly the last in Europe, living high in the Lozovo hills with no running water and her 85-year-old mother. It’s like the land time forgot — until neighbors move in next door, bringing domesticated livestock with them. And despite Muratova’s coaching on how to live in this remote land and farm honey, the neighbors alter the precarious balance needed to survive.

“Honeyland may sadly chart a fall, both local and existential, but it eventually finds its way to restoration of a sort,” Ebert Interruptus host Josh Larsen writes. “Hatidže’s rhythms have undoubtedly changed, in painful ways, but she’s also regained her equilibrium in the film’s final moments.”

Down in Denver, the 14th Women+Film Festival takes over the Sie Film Center on Colfax Avenue, April 13-16, with this festival marking the retirement of festival founder Barbara Bridges.

Women+Film’s opening night movie, Judy Blume Forever, is a by-the-numbers documentary exploring Blume’s biography, books and legacy through interviews with the author and the many she inspired. What makes Judy Blume Forever compelling is the plethora of archival materials directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok weave in about Blume’s fight against censorship and the efforts to have her books banned.

That was back in the 1970s. And here we are, hot on the heels of 2022, a hellish year for books being banned, challenged and restricted in public institutions. Sex, then and now, is the trigger that seems to rile up the censors. Thankfully, there are few better to walk you through all that noise than Blume. She was a guide through the tough stuff for children, teens and adults alike. And at 85, she’s still got it.

ON SCREEN: Ebert Interruptus at the Conference on World Affairs, April 13-14, UMC East Ballroom, CU Boulder | Women+Film Festival, April 13-16, Sie Film Center, 2510 E. Colfax Ave., Denver.

Hatidže Muratova in Honeyland Photo courtesy Neon.

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): I hope that in the coming weeks, you will keep your mind bubbling with zesty mysteries. I hope you’ll exult in the thrill of riddles that are beyond your current power to solve. If you cultivate an appreciation of uncanny uncertainties, life will soon begin bringing you uncanny certainties. Do you understand the connection between open-hearted curiosity and fertile rewards? Don’t merely tolerate the enigmas you are immersed in — love them!

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): An old sadness is ripening into practical wisdom. A confusing loss is about to yield a clear revelation you can use to improve your life. In mysterious ways, a broken heart you suffered in the past may become a wild card that inspires you to deepen and expand your love. Wow and hallelujah, Taurus! I’m amazed at the turnarounds that are in the works for you. Sometime in the coming weeks, what wounded you once upon a time will lead to a vibrant healing. Wonderful surprise!

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): What is the true and proper symbol for your sign, Gemini? Twins standing shoulder to shoulder as they gaze out on the world with curiosity? Or two lovers embracing each other with mischievous adoration in their eyes? Both scenarios can accurately represent your energy, depending on your mood and the phase you’re in. In the coming weeks, I advise you to draw on the potency of both. You will be wise to coordinate the different sides of your personality in pursuit of a goal that interests them all. And you will also place yourself in harmonious alignment with cosmic rhythms as you harness your passionate urge to merge in a good cause.

Go Out Local

Green

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Visionary philosopher Buckminster Fuller referred to pollution as a potential resource we have not yet figured out how to harvest. A company called Algae Systems does exactly that. It uses wastewater to grow algae that scrub carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and yield carbon-negative biofuels. Can we invoke this approach as a metaphor that’s useful to you? Let’s dream up examples. Suppose you’re a creative artist. You could be inspired by your difficult emotions to compose a great song, story, painting, or dance. Or if you’re a lover who is in pain, you could harness your suffering to free yourself of a bad old habit or ensure that an unpleasant history doesn’t repeat itself. Your homework, Libra, is to figure out how to take advantage of a “pollutant” or two in your world.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Soon you will graduate from your bumpy lessons and enter a smoother, silkier phase. You will find refuge from the naysayers as you create a liberated new power spot for yourself. In anticipation of this welcome transition, I offer this motivational exhortation from poet Gwendolyn Brooks: “Say to them, say to the down-keepers, the sunslappers, the self-soilers, the harmony-hushers, ‘Even if you are not ready for day, it cannot always be night.’” I believe you are finished with your worthwhile but ponderous struggles, Scorpio. Get ready for an excursion toward luminous grace.

Other green options include body composting (natural reduction) and water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis). We also offer flame cremation.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Some scientists speculate that more people suffer from allergies than ever before because civilization has over-sanitized the world. The fetish for scouring away germs and dirt means that our immune systems don’t get enough practice in fending off interlopers. In a sense, they are “bored” because they have too little to do. That’s why they fight stuff that’s not a threat, like tree pollens and animal dander. Hence, we develop allergies to harmless substances. I hope you will apply this lesson as a metaphor in the coming weeks, fellow Cancerian. Be sure the psychological component of your immune system isn’t warding off the wrong people and things. It’s healthy for you to be protective, but not hyper-over-protective in ways that shut out useful influences.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): One night in 1989, Leo evolutionary biologist Margie Profet went to sleep and had a dream that revealed to her new information about the nature of menstruation. The dream scene was a cartoon of a woman’s reproductive system. It showed little triangles being carried away by the shed menstrual blood. Eureka! As Profet lay in bed in the dark, she intuited a theory that no scientist had ever guessed: that the sloughed-off uterine lining had the key function of eliminating pathogens, represented by the triangles. In subsequent years, she did research to test her idea, supported by studies with electron microscopes. Now her theory is regarded as fact. I predict that many of you Leos will soon receive comparable benefits. Practical guidance will be available in your dreams and twilight awareness and altered states. Pay close attention!

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): You don’t know what is invisible to you. The truths that are out of your reach may as well be hiding. The secret agendas you are not aware of are indeed secret. That’s the not-so-good news, Virgo. The excellent news is that you now have the power to uncover the rest of the story, at least some of it. You will be able to penetrate below the surface and find buried riches. You will dig up missing information whose absence has prevented you from understanding what has been transpiring. There may be a surprise or two ahead, but they will ultimately be agents of healing.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): I periodically seek the counsel of a Sagittarian psychic. She’s half-feral and sometimes speaks in riddles. She tells me she occasionally converses by phone with a person she calls “the ex-Prime Minister of Narnia.” I confided in her that lately it has been a challenge for me to keep up with you Sagittarians because you have been expanding beyond the reach of my concepts. She gave me a pronouncement that felt vaguely helpful, though it was also a bit over my head: “The Archer may be quite luxuriously curious and furiously hilarious; studiously lascivious and victoriously delirious; salubriously industrious but never lugubriously laborious.” Here’s how I interpret that: Right now, pretty much anything is possible if you embrace unpredictability.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): “I’m not insane,” says Capricorn actor Jared Leto. “I’m voluntarily indifferent to conventional rationality.” That attitude might serve you well in the coming weeks. You could wield it to break open opportunities that were previously closed due to excess caution. I suspect you’re beginning a fun phase of self-discovery when you will learn a lot about yourself. As you do, I hope you will experiment with being at least somewhat indifferent to conventional rationality. Be willing to be surprised. Be receptive to changing your mind about yourself.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): People of all genders feel urges to embellish their native beauty with cosmetic enhancements. I myself haven’t done so, but I cheer on those who use their flesh for artistic experiments. At the same time, I am also a big fan of us loving ourselves exactly as we are. And I’m hoping that in the coming weeks, you will emphasize the latter over the former. I urge you to indulge in an intense period of maximum self-appreciation. Tell yourself daily how gorgeous and brilliant you are. Tell others, too! Cultivate a glowing pride in the gifts you offer the world. If anyone complains, tell them you’re doing the homework your astrologer gave you.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): I encourage you to amplify the message you have been trying to deliver. If there has been any shyness or timidity in your demeanor, purge it. If you have been less than forthright in speaking the whole truth and nothing but the truth, boost your clarity and frankness. Is there anything you could do to help your audience be more receptive? Any tenderness you could express to stimulate their willingness and ability to see you truly?

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

Q: My partner wants me to give him a ruined orgasm. Where do I go to learn that?

A: Ruined orgasms are pretty easy — they’re so simple, in fact, that people sometimes give them to (or inflict them on) their male partners by accident. Here’s how you do it: Bring your partner to the point of orgasmic inevitability — get him to that point where there’s no stopping his orgasm; even if Marjorie Taylor Greene were to burst into the room, he’s going to come — and then cease all stimulation. Take your hand off his dick, take his dick out of your mouth, lift your pussy or ass off his dick — whatever you were doing to get him close, stop. He’ll come, but it won’t be anywhere near as pleasurable or intense as his usual orgasms, i.e., the orgasms he has when his cock is stimulated to and through the point of orgasm.

Q: How can I be more fuckable? I put myself out there, but no one bites. I’m done being a 31-year-old gay virgin. I am a clean person, shower every day, wear clean clothes, and was voted “most likely to brighten up a day” in school.

A: Maybe you’re doing something wrong — but I couldn’t tell you what that might be without meeting you, getting to know you, and making polite inquiries about your voting history. But I can tell you what I would do if I were in your shoes: I would hire a brutally honest “life coach,” a personal trainer, and a hooker, but in reverse order.

Q: What’s your #1 tip for someone who has never been to a sex party before? It includes a wide range of ages, genders, orientations & proclivities, and many nervous newbies on the invite list.

A: Bathe.

Q: Why is anonymous sex in places like bathhouses and gloryholes — so enticing to queer people like me?

A: Lesbians aren’t exactly crowding into bathhouses or around glory holes — nor are asexuals, demisexuals, sapiosexuals, etc., etc., etc. So, I’m gonna assume you’re a gay man. Before I write another word: Not all gay men find anonymous sex and/or public sex environments enticing. But the ones who do… they’re not doing it because they’re gay. They’re doing it because they’re men. I mean, if you told straight men there were places where walls had holes in them and women were kneeling on the other side of those walls waiting to suck them off, straight men would go to those places There’s nothing gay men do that straight men wouldn’t if straight men could, but straight men can’t because women won’t. As for why women won’t… the answer is equal parts disinterest (on the part of most women) and an entirely reasonable fear of male sexual violence (on the part of all women).

Q: What do you do when you’re bored with the sexual smorgasbord and just want a few quiet nights in?

A: You spit the dick out and go home.

European Cafe in Louisville

Whether the sun is shining or snow is falling, our little corner of Pearl Street is the perfect place to soak up winter in beautiful Boulder! Feast alongside the jellyfish, sink into a lounge or take a seat at one of our lively bars.

Prefer the great outdoors? Our fireside patios are the coziest place to savor those mild winter days.

When your own couch is calling, all of your favorites are available for curbside pickup too.

No matter how you choose to dine don’t miss our ever-evolving specials, delicious seasonal cocktails, and latest rare whiskey!

TIK TAUGHT NOT

Pasta therapists counsel local food critic after viral spaghetti video

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN LEHNDOROFF

As an unabashed pasta lover, friends told me I had to watch a TikTok cooking video. I don’t want to spoil the plot, but it opens with an oxymoron and goes off the rails technique-wise. It’s downhill from there.

“We’re making fresh pasta out of pasta,” says the TikTok influencer with the username @foodsfuns3.

The cheery host proceeds to break up a box of dry spaghetti into a blender and pulverizes it.

The pasta tutorial continues as she pours the powdered pasta on a counter, cracks an egg on top and works it into a dough ball she pounds and flattens with a rolling pin.

Cutting the sheet into rough strips, @foodsfuns3 boils them and dishes them topped with heated, jarred tomato sauce, dried oregano and shredded mozzarella.

Not unexpectedly, those of the Italian persuasion reacted to this abomination as if their ancestors had been insulted. I was wide-eyed, gasping, laughing and slightly revolted as I watched the

silliness. It was like a pasta parody.

However, since I suffer from agerelated TikTok intolerance, I wondered: Was I missing something great about @foodsfuns3’s noodle creativity?

The only recourse was to force two Boulder professionals to sit through the video and offer me in-person counseling.

Stefano and Rachel Demartin recently opened Pasta Press. The sunny shop in downtown Boulder offers scratch-made fresh pasta from Italian ingredients. They sell it by the pound and as prepared noodle entrées with classic sauces.

For instance, their memorable fettuccine carbonara features freshly made noodles lightly boiled and coated with a spot-on sauce of eggs, imported pancetta, and black pepper with aged Parmesan on top. The kitchen also prepares authentic focaccia, panna cotta and tiramisu, all mainly for takeout.

The couple — he’s an engineer, she’s a web designer — decided to

open shop in Boulder because they didn’t find anyone locally making pasta like they enjoyed when they lived with their kids in Italy.

Italian-born Stefano watched the TikTok and was initially bemused and polite.

“It’s kind of ingenious and creative,” he says with a grin.

“But really, I don’t see why you would do it. The spaghetti is just hard durum wheat and water. In Italy, they definitely wouldn’t call that ‘fresh’ pasta,” he says.

The basic problem, says Rachel, is that it is easier, cheaper and faster to make fresh pasta from scratch at home.

“I watched the video and wondered why she doesn’t just use pasta flour,” she says. “It’s not that hard to find in stores and online. The way she made it, the noodles will be very grainy.”

Sefano shows me how Pasta Press noodles are made. He mixes semolina and water in an Italian-made machine which extrudes it through a brass die. The pasta dough is pressed into sheets and sliced into various widths.

“It’s simple and only takes a few minutes, even if you do everything by hand,” he says.

When it comes to cooking pasta, the couple strongly objected to the way @ foodsfuns3 composed the meal. For starters, she under-salts the boiling

water and adds oil under the mistaken belief that it prevents noodles from sticking together.

“We always finish the boiled pasta in sauce on the stove so it absorbs the flavor. You would never add a dried herb at that point. Maybe some fresh basil or oregano as a garnish. I did not like the mozzarella,” Rachel says — this is pasta, not a pizza.

For Stefano, the bottom line is that it is faster, cheaper and results in a better taste to make pasta from scratch rather than reverse engineering it in this bizarre way.

I’m not that much of a snob. Jarred spaghetti sauce can be easily tweaked and dry pasta upgraded into a fine meal. The TikTok cooking influencer insists “there are no rules for making pasta this way.”

She is wrong. There is one rule: It has to taste good.

I would allow @foodsfuns3 more leeway except for one inescapable truth: What she cooked looked like long, grainy, chewy dumplings that were likely to taste yucky.

If you want to learn how to make fresh pasta, there are plenty of accurate YouTube videos to watch and classes to attend. Both major Boulder home-cooking venues, Food Lab and Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, host fresh pasta workshops on April 16. Sur La Table has a class on May 14.

Stefano Demartin cuts noodles at Pasta Press.

Stefano and Rachel Demartin, owners of Boulder’s Pasta Press.

NIBBLES

THE NUT MILK MUSTACHE CONNECTION

Back in the 1990s and 2000s, “Got Milk?” ads for dairy milk featuring celebrities with milk mustaches were everywhere in print and on TV. A new, next-gen ad series from Silk, maker of plant-based milks, is starring the offspring of David Beckham, Christie Brinkley, Shaquille O’Neal and John Travolta. Silk — now owned by the French food conglomerate Danone — was introduced as soy milk by Boulder-based New Wave Foods in 1978. (Image credit: Danone)

LOCAL FOOD NEWS

● Colorado brews took home seven medals at the 2023 Best of Craft Beer Awards, including Czech Yourself, a pilsener from Niwot’s Fritz Family Brewers, and Cerveza Mecanica from Liquid Mechanics in Lafayette.

● There were 13 Colorado semi-finalists for the 2023 James Beard Foundation Awards, but only one finalist survived. Chef Michael Diaz de Leon, of Denver’s BRUTØ, made the finals in the Best Chef: Mountain Region category. BRUTØ is a sister eatery to Boulder’s Basta

● Marrocco’s Family Dining, an Italian-American eatery, is open for the season in Ward. A few hills over, the Gold Hill Inn opens for its 61st season on May 5.

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS: FINDING PAPA BURGER

The next time you’re in Berthoud, be sure to visit one of the few surviving Burger Family statues in Colorado at the A&W Restaurant. In 1963, Burger Family fiberglass statues first appeared at A&W Root Beer stands when the iconic Papa Burger, Mama Burger and Baby Burger were introduced. The Teen Burger arrived in 1964. By 1974, A&W swapped the family for the Great Root Bear mascot. While the statues are no longer revered, A&W still serves the bestselling, Big Mac-like Papa Burger: two beef patties, two melted American cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Papa Sauce on a toasted bun.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: SPAGHETTI SUCTION

“Spaghetti can be eaten most successfully if you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner.”

– Entrepreneurial actor Sophia Loren

John Lehndorff is the former dining critic of the Rocky Mountain News. He hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU.

THE SANCTUARY

The Rio keeps fun front and center amid updates

BY COLIN WRENN

When Pat McGaughran opened The Rio in Fort Collins in 1986, it was just 19 tables and a small closet where he and a couple buddies made margaritas for a small but vibrant crowd of musicians and hippies. McGaughran and his then-partners, Andre and Steven Mouton, had moved up from Houston hoping to escape the summer heat and enjoy the leisurely pace of a Colorado college town. The Moutons played in a reggae and ska band and were chasing the dream, while McGaughran worked in HVAC and was looking to sink his teeth into something where he could call the shots.

None of the three had any restaurant experience, though all of them grew up in large Catholic families.

McGaughran was the seventh of eight children while the Moutons were two of a whopping 15.

“With big families like that you never went out to eat but you were always cooking for lots of people,” says McGaughran, noting that he lent a hand in both his own home kitchen and over at the Mouton’s place while still a kid. Fresh out of high school, the trio would routinely dip down to Mexico to set up hammocks and enjoy the beaches of anywhere the scene popped.

“We’d knock around Mexico and discover that the culture and the food is just so warm,” says McGaughran. So when a friend moved to Fort Collins in the early ’80s, McGaughran says they took the opportunity to set up a new crash pad.

There are now five locations of The Rio, with the entire company employing nearly 500 people. Boulder was the second to open, with the original space on east Pearl debuting in 1989. It’s been in its current digs (1101 Walnut St.) since 1997.

In 2019, the massive three-story restaurant on the corner of 11th and Walnut received a full-scale makeover. The main bar was relocated to the center of the restaurant and the lounge area was assembled on the second floor. The rooftop was the least altered, though the springtime staple was rearranged for greater efficiency.

The renovation has certainly helped situate The Rio among Pearl Street’s continued trend into chicness. “They referred to us as the tired old party animal,” says McGaughran with a laugh.

“It was just kinda a call to action. As far as I’m concerned we’ve got the best corner in Boulder. What you need to do is own the space you’ve built.”

McGaughran says that the changes

are largely cosmetic. The bulk of Rio’s menu has gone largely unaltered since its debut. The fajitas are still the star of the show and the beans, rice and tortillas are still prepared from scratch each morning. Culinary Director Erich Whisenhut, who has held the position for 22 years, spices things up with rotating taco specials, salads and tostadas. The margaritas are still a big draw, though the food has become more of a main attraction. Don’t leave without getting the diabla shrimp empanadas.

McGaughran insists that the prodigious durability across nearly four decades is based in the restaurant’s culture.

“One of our main motivations from the start was to create a decent place to work. Can we do something where we feel good about what we’re doing? That’s really been a compass for us,” he says. “The focus is creating an atmosphere and experience that’s welcoming. And that changes a bit over time.”

While The Rio’s claim to fame was once that it served more Jose Cuervo

than any restaurant group in the country, McGaughran says “that distinction has become a little bit more irrelevant.” These days, servers are equipped to recommend specific varieties from a large selection of tequilas, mezcals and sotols with aplomb. As diners have become more sophisticated, so too has The Rio.

McGaughran says the demographic is still the revelry-seekers. “We provide sanctuary from the troubles of the world while serving the best dang Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande,” he says with a grin. “I think that the notion of sanctuary has always been fundamental to our longevity.”

While The Rio is anything but subtle, it has remained an institution by implementing subtle changes with finesse. McGaughran seems to have a supernatural sense for knowing when the iron is hot and having the vision to keep joy as the place’s foundation.

“They celebrate life here, they celebrate death here, they meet their future ex here,” he says.

Courtesy The Rio Grande

OUT OF PRISON, INTO THE BIZ

the skills and the charisma to make that happen.”

When a friend in Massachusetts who owned a dispensary reached out and offered him a job, Marte was excited by the prospect — only to discover that anyone with a record like his couldn’t legally work in Massachusetts’ cannabis industry.

BY WILL BRENDZA

When Coss Marte first got into New York City’s cannabis industry in the ’90s he was just 11 years old. But he was a natural entrepreneur. He started his own delivery business and hustled street corners, turning and burning a lot of product and making good money along the way.

At 13, Marte was arrested for the first time. He was at a park in his Lower East Side neighborhood — a part of the city NYPD has historically overpoliced. They found weed and took him into custody.

That was the beginning of a long period in Marte’s life. He was in and out of prison for various drug offenses, living on couches in between, unable to get steady work because of his record and eventually getting sucked into selling harder drugs, getting arrested again and starting all over.

It’s a common story for New Yorkers like Marte. His neighborhood was one of seven in New York City that made up 75% of the state’s prison population. Most were incarcerated for drug-related charges. According to Human Rights

Watch, there are currently 22,386 people in New York prisons for drug offenses.

Despite the obstacles, Marte has launched a successful international fitness program known as CONBODY, and is now preparing to open the world’s first cannabis dispensary run entirely by formerly incarcerated people: CONBUD.

“I want to change people’s perceptions of … formerly incarcerated people,” Marte says. “I want to make a statement and show that we have untapped talent, we have the intelligence to run a business, that we have

Most states have a similar law — New York and Colorado included. People with felonies on their records are prohibited from participating in the cannabis industry at any level. In this state, Gov. Jared Polis has instituted a cannabis-crimes pardon program that also has a record expungement element. Those who complete the application process and are granted a pardon can get a job in Colorado’s cannabis industry.

However, New York State took that a step further. Its Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Action Act of 2021 stipulat-

ed that five “social and economic equity” classes should get 50% of the employment opportunities in the state’s cannabis industry. And one of those five classes was formerly incarcerated individuals.

“I was like, ‘They wrote this for me,’” Marte says.

He got all the paperwork in order and when state dispensary applications opened in February of 2022, he and his business partners, Alredo Angueira and Junior Martinez, were waiting at midnight, refreshing the page, poised to be the first to submit their application. They would later learn it wasn’t on a firstcome-first-served basis — but they were first nevertheless.

“We are committed to leveraging New York’s recreational cannabis industry to bring much-needed employment stability to those who have been affected by it,” Angueira, who is also a lawyer and community advocate, said in a press release

“CONBUD will be a dispensary, an interactive experience, and an opportunity for millions of cannabis consumers to confront New York’s history while playing an active role in rewriting it,” Martinez said.

CONBUD is currently scouting locations in Manhattan and hoping to open in fall 2023.

When it does, Marte will have come full circle. He will have gone from selling weed on the streets to owning a first-of-its-kind dispensary that’s taking a massive swing at the cultural stigmas of cannabis and cannabis crime.

“It’s been a crazy journey,” Marte says. “I feel like I’m living in the Twilight Zone.”

After years in the system, one New York man is launching the world’s first dispensary run entirely by formerly incarcerated people

Coss Marte (center) with partners Junior Martinez (left) and Alfredo Anguiera (right).