Boulder Weekly 05.25.2023

NEW HOME FOR ADAPTIVE SPORTS P. 13

Community pressure builds as Rayback Collective continues to host church with misogynist and anti-LGBTQ views P. 9

COLORADO FLAVOR TRIPPING P. 19

COUNTRY MUSIC, BEYOND THE BINARY P. 15

BDT STAGE SAYS ‘SO LONG, FAREWELL’ P. 18

9 NEWS: Community pressure builds as Rayback Collective continues to host church with misogynist and antiLGBTQ views BY SHAY CASTLE

13 ADVENTURE: After 48 years, Ignite Adaptive Sports breaks ground for a permanent home at Eldora Mountain Resort BY

WILL MATUSKA

5 THE ANDERSON FILES: Who is George Soros, the right-wing’s boogeyman?

18 THEATER: BDT Stage presents ‘The Sound of Music’ as part of its final season BY TONI TRESCA

30 WEED: Bill would protect Colorado professionals from discipline over cannabis offenses

BY WILL BRENDZA

•

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

27 NIBBLES: Colorado flavor tripping

Credit: The Creative Agency

COMMENTARY

MAY 25, 2023

Volume 30, Number 40

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

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, Aaron Irons, Shay Castle, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca,

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

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

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.

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THE ANDERSON FILES

Who is George Soros, the right wing’s boogeyman?

BY DAVE ANDERSON

Many people heard about George Soros for the first time when he denounced George W. Bush’s “war on terror,” lies about Saddam Hussein being behind the 9/11 attacks and the monumentally disastrous invasion of Iraq. Soros ran full-page ads in major U.S. newspapers with the title “When the nation goes to war, the people deserve the truth,” which debunked a dozen statements justifying the war made by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

This was a fearful time when the mainstream media and politicians were

afraid to be seen as traitors sympathizing with the 9/11 terrorists.

Soros is a Jewish, HungarianAmerican multi-billionaire who founded a network of philanthropic groups active in more than 50 countries that focus on education, public health, human rights and economic reform. He is also a big funder for Democratic Party candidates and many progressive causes in the U.S.

He announced he was spending many millions to defeat Bush in 2004 (education campaigns with America Coming Together, voter mobilization drives with MoveOn.org and research by the Center for American Progress).

Soros authored a book called The

Bubble of American Supremacy, which said the Bush administration suffered from a “bubble” psychology similar to the delusions which afflicted capitalist markets in the late 1990s. Since the U.S. has overwhelming military superiority, Bush pushed a dangerous Social Darwinist “might makes right” stance.

The right wing went crazy. A writer on the conservative website GOPUSA.com said Soros was a “descendant of Shylock.”

Today, Soros’ support for immigrant rights has made him the villain of the anti-Semitic ‘Great Replacement’ theory. Soros is portrayed as a “puppet master” who controls the world and economy behind the scenes. His sup-

ANDERSON FILES

port for criminal justice reform and progressive prosecutors in the U.S. also enrages right-wingers.

It’s true that Soros is a highly influential world figure who advises governments and uses his money for media and social activism. He promotes philosopher Karl Popper’s idea of an “open society” as a bulwark against the closed societies of fascism and Stalinism.

Nevertheless, his good works are problematic because philanthropy represents the privatization of social policy.

Soros himself has noted that “the connection between capitalism and democracy is tenuous at best.” In 1998, he authored a book called The Crisis of Global Capitalism in which he harshly criticized those who promote unregulated free markets, an ideology he calls “market fundamentalism.”

During a speech at Harvard, he said, “Market values express what one participant is willing to pay another in a free exchange. They do not reflect social values, nor do they express many of the intrinsic values that people hold dear.”

“Market fundamentalists... [claim] that the common interest is best served by everybody looking out for his own interests” he said. “This claim is false. ... There are many political and social objectives which are not properly served by the market mechanism. ... These include the preservation of competition and of stability in financial markets, not

LETTERS

SOLUTION TO HOMELESS = CHILD TAX CREDIT

Great news that programs for the homeless are receiving funding in Boulder County (News, “Boulder County receives funding for homeless solutions,” May 18, 2023). At the same time, we need national solutions to end the crisis of the unhoused. A renter tax credit is being considered by Congress that would end the people trapped in poverty from paying more than 30% of their income for rent. Millions currently pay 50% and more. At the same time, renewing the expanded Child Tax Credit would benefit families across the country — it

to mention issues like the environment and social justice.”

He argued that free-market ideology undermines political democracy:

“By promoting market values into a governing principle, market fundamentalism has undermined our society. Representative democracy presupposes moral values, such as honesty and integrity, particularly in our representatives. When success takes precedence over integrity, and politics is dominated by money, the political process deteriorates.”

This speech may seem somewhat unremarkable. But at that time, Soros was talking to many Democrats as well as the Republicans about their romance with free market ideology. This was before the Great Recession of 2007-2008. In response to that crisis, Soros proposed bank nationalization as a solution but he was told that idea amounted to socialism.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Soros spent hundreds of millions in the former Soviet-bloc countries to promote civil society and liberal democracy. In 1992, he recalls proposing that the International Monetary Fund aid given to post-Soviet governments “be earmarked for the payment of pensions and unemployment benefits and its distribution closely super-

vised” for a stable transition to capitalism. Instead, Western officials promoted a rapid “shock therapy” that produced widespread misery, a vicious kleptocracy and the rise of Putin in Russian and Viktor Orban in Soro’s native Hungary.

Now Putin and Orban are in the vanguard of promoting far right authoritarianism in the U.S. and around the world.

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

already cut child poverty by 46% in its initial form. These and other initiatives can help create a better future, stem the flow to hunger and homelessness, and finally create the ladders out of poverty that the road to equity demands.

— Willie Dickerson/Snohomish, Washington

SUPPORT DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS

In recent years, domestic violence incidents and deaths have risen in Colorado, and abusers continue to find new ways to maintain power and control over their partners. At the same time, Denver’s housing costs

have continued to rise while wage growth remains stagnant, resulting in a volatile housing market. This has sparked important conversations about barriers faced by survivors of domestic violence when they try to leave an abusive relationship. Finding safe, affordable housing is among the biggest of these barriers. Since 2018, SafeHouse Denver has offered an Extended Stay Program (ESP), which provides survivors with rent-free, fully furnished apartments in a safe environment. The program offers independent living and gives survivors extra time to find long-term housing and other necessary resources for stabili-

ty. As a student at DU Law seeking to engage with the community, I was drawn to SafeHouse’s mission, so I’ve been volunteering with them ever since. SafeHouse holds an annual food tasting fundraiser, Sampling for Hope, to support the ESP and raise awareness. As a member of the planning committee since 2019, I’m looking forward to this year’s event, which will be held on June 8 at Mile High Station. Please join us for delicious food, a silent auction and a missionbased program — all to support survivors. Tickets can be purchased at bit. ly/SamplingforHope

— Misty Schlabaugh/Denver

RISKY BUSINESS

Community pressure builds as Rayback Collective continues to host church with misogynist and anti-LGBTQ views

BY SHAY CASTLE, BOULDER BEAT

It didn’t take long for the Rayback, a food truck park, bar and event space, to become a beloved Boulder institution. People gather around the fire pit and picnic tables outside, or the couches and chairs inside. Often, both: Its indoor/outdoor space is packed any night of the week with good weather. The business hours and offerings were extended in 2017 to include liquor and coffee.

Sunday mornings, the scene at Rayback is a bit different. That’s when The Well, a Boulder-based evangelical church, holds its services.

The Well’s teachings stand in stark contrast to the casual settings, and Boulder’s liberal reputation. From the pulpit and on social media, The Well’s pastors have preached subservience of women, the sinfulness of homosexuality and gender nonconformity, and the desire to meld Christian values with politics and government — beliefs that have led some Boulderties to label the church as homophobic, misogynistic and Christian nationalist, and question why Rayback would host them.

Representatives from both organizations characterize their relationship as purely business. Church leaders say they are following their faith, not trying to foment a forceful takeover of Boulder.

JUST BUSINESS?

The Well has been operating out of Rayback since summer of 2020. One of their pastors, Matt Patrick, was a part-owner and co-founder of Rayback, though he sold his shares in 2018. A statement on Rayback’s website, posted in response to public scrutiny and amended at least once, said Patrick “ceased all involvement” when the business opened in 2016.

“I didn’t have a role of any substance,” Patrick told Boulder Weekly. He participated in media interviews to promote the business because “my job is I talk for a living.”

Rayback co-founders Justin Riley and Hank Grant are not members of The Well, they clarified in the online statement. Leasing space to the church was a business decision, the statement emphasized.

“The Rayback is a business, not a charitable organization,” the original version of the statement read. “We rent space to people and organizations for agreed-upon sums in signed contracts.”

Patrick said Rayback was chosen because it offered the chance to follow COVID-era protocols and was large enough to accommodate the roughly 250 people who attend on Sundays.

but Patrick said they were not talking about ending the church’s lease early.

“They are concerned and so are we” about the recent negative attention, Patrick said. “I can’t speak to what they do and want to do. Currently we are still there.”

The Well is set to move into its own building. The church purchased 300 S. Broadway for $2.15 million in 2021; 95% of the funds were raised from members, Patrick said. They hope to move in late fall, but “that’s a Lordwilling statement.”

Through a spokesperson, Riley and Grant declined requests for an interview. They also declined to respond to questions sent via email. Their statement online did not explicitly condemn The Well’s teachings, but it did say the establishment was one where “all people are welcome.”

“We do not tolerate or condone disrespectful language in any form,” the original version read, “be it public or private.”

community. If we were talking about them renting to a neo-Nazi party, a Proud Boy, they would not use that kind of excuse.

“I hope the Rayback will get clear about their values and make decisions that don’t cause the rest of us to feel that going there is supporting people who don’t think we deserve to exist.”

JUST RELIGION?

Criticism of the church’s teachings and meeting place were mostly limited to social media posts. But when the Daily Camera published an op-ed by Doug McKenna in early April, some of The Well’s teachings were telegraphed to a broad audience for the first time.

It included direct quotes declaring “homosexuality is a sin,” the yearning for a Christian nation (“I’m not so convinced that a Christian nation is the worst thing in the world”), and a plea for women to “obey [their] husbands” if they “want to save America.”

“It was honestly more practical than anything else,” he said. “And it could be a financial blessing to whatever place we ended up at” given the near-total shutdown of bars and restaurants during the pandemic.

Rayback’s online response hinted at “ongoing discussions” with The Well,

Bruce Parker, deputy director of Out Boulder County, called Rayback’s response “a cop-out,” and said the business should “do better” to support LGBTQ customers and employees.

“Absolutely Rayback is a private business; they have to make a profit,” Parker said. “You can do that without doing things that are harmful to your

(Note: The hyperlinks in McKenna’s piece no longer work, though they were verified by the Camera’s editorial director. The Well’s sermons were taken down from its website the week the op-ed published; they are being restored to the website, but at different locations. Patrick said the website redesign was planned and that the timing was a coincidence.)

Following publication of McKenna’s piece, community members rushed to

Photos by Will Matuska

share other tidbits they found disturbing: criticism of racial justice on a podcast; sermons that encourage the forceful spread of Christianity; desire for more Christian representation in local government; and a tweet with an antitrans slur that both The Well’s lead pastors liked.

Residents are disturbed by the increased infusion of religion into law, and shocked to see such rhetoric emanating from, as Rayback puts it, “Boulder’s backyard.”

“People respect freedom of religion,” said Rebecca Zimmerman, a PhD student at the University of Denver who is studying intimate partner violence. “It’s when you talk about changing society so that everybody has to believe the same thing that you do that I get concerned.”

Those beliefs are directly from the Bible, Patrick said, and The Well stands behind them. He sees the criticism as part and parcel of being a Christian.

“If you’re going to faithfully preach through the Bible, you’re going to butt up against things culture and society don’t like,” Patrick said. “When you’re resolved to hold fast to your faith and convictions and principles, I think history will tell you that people will hate that.”

Patrick said he did not recall liking or replying to a tweet with a common slur for transgender individuals, nor did his co-pastor, J. Chase Davis.

“If I did, I did,” Patrick said. “I don’t remember every tweet I participated in.”

‘ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS’

As for spreading the faith, including into facets of government, that’s part of Christianity, too, Patrick said. The Well are not Christian Nationalists; he prefers the term Orthodox Christians.

The evangelical magazine Christianity Today distinguishes between Christian Nationalism and “normal Christian political engagement.”

The latter, they write, “rejects the idea that Christians are entitled to primacy of place in the public square or that Christians have a presumptive right to continue their historical predominance in American culture. Today, Christians should seek to love their neighbors by pursuing justice in the public square, including by working against abortion, promoting religious liberty, fostering racial justice, protecting the rule of law, and honoring constitutional processes. That agenda is different from promoting Christian culture, Western heritage, or Anglo-Protestant values.”

Patrick said The Well does not believe church should be elevated over state, nor that state should be elevated over church. The state and church should both have roles in governing, he said, not be “stacked in a vertical hierarchy.”

“I would say locally, it’s out of balance. I don’t necessarily feel represented in Boulder often.”

Concerned Boulderites argue that The Well shows their hand by echoing

and amplifying common conservative flashpoints, like critical race theory or trans rights, rather than focusing on other parts of the Bible, like Jesus’ instruction to care for the poor and downtrodden.

“Defending Tucker Carlson, it’s not like defending the Pope or something,” Zimmerman said.

Moreover, these beliefs are being codified into law. Hundreds of bills have been introduced across the country this year that criminalize providing genderaffirming care, ban books that discuss gender and sexuality and prevent people younger than 26 from transitioning — all while queer and trans kids and adults suffer from higher rates of suicide and violent crime than the general population.

“At a time when LGBTQ people are the target of insistent and incessant political bullying,” said Parker, “it is irresponsible and deeply harmful for people who consider themselves moral leaders to spread messages that make LGBTQ people less-than and give power over everyone else to a small group of men.”

‘LIVING IN COMMUNITY’

Not all Christians denounce homosexuality or non-confirming genders. Out Boulder County partners with numerous Christian organizations who welcome LGBTQ members.

As the many different denominations of Christianity show, there are hundreds of ways to interpret the Bible, said Nicole Garcia, a transgender woman and ordained Lutheran minister. Garcia is also the faith work director for the National LGBTQ Task Force.

“If I have the privilege and ability to desire and interpret (scripture), the pastor at The Well has that same ability,” Garcia said. “He should be able to teach and preach and interpret the way he wants to.”

Like Parker and Zimmerman, what Garcia objects to is the infusion of The Well’s brand of Christianity into American law, which elevates one denomination’s views over others in violation of the separation of church and state enshrined in the Constitution.

“They have to realize that their ancestors, who came over to make this a ‘Christian nation,’ left Europe because the European kings and princes could dictate how they could express their faith,” she said.

In seminary, Garcia studied the early history of the church, learning how the Protestant Bible — Catholics use a different one, with seven additional books — came to be put together. Key aspects of the Christian faith that many followers today accept as doctrine, such as whether Jesus was a god or a human, were debated and decided by men, and influenced by the social, political and cultural forces of the day.

“It’s hard to know if this little Bible — copied from copies that were written 1,000 years ago, which were copies of things written 1,000 years before — is the exact word of God, or is it a place where we start, where we begin our relationship with God, by living it and reading into it and trying to live out the message?” Garcia said.

“One of the big teachings God gave us is to love God, love ourselves and love our neighbor. That’s living in community.”

Part 2 of this story will explore how churches like The Well establish themselves by leasing cheaper public spaces at Boulder Valley School District.

NOW YOU KNOW

This week’s news in Boulder County and beyond

BY WILL MATUSKA

NEW LAW AIMS TO REDUCE COMPOSTING CONFUSION

Gov. Polis signed a bill (SB23-253) on May 17 that sets standards on products represented as compostable to address contamination concerns.

The bill, effective in 2024, sets requirements for products labeled compostable to receive a “certified compostable” verification and adhere to labeling standards. If products are not certified compostable, they cannot be marketed like compostable products that could be “reasonably anticipated to mislead consumers into believing that the product is compostable.”

Dan Matsch, compost director at Eco-Cycle and co-author of the bill, said in a press release that non-compostable materials are difficult to sort out and reduce the value of finished compost.

“This bill sets a standard for compostable labeling that will increase trust in compostable products and increase demand for composting services in Colorado,” he said.

FOOD PANTRY EXPANDS HOURS TO MEET DEMAND

Harvest of Hope Pantry (4830 Pearl St.) is providing more opportunities to access free food.

Starting June 5, the pantry will be open to all shoppers Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in addition to its hours on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

It will also be expanding its mobile pantry to High Mar and Lee Hill neighborhoods in Boulder.

“[More hours] gives people more options to get here, especially for those clients who don’t have a place of residence,” says Liam McClure, client programs manager.

The increased hours are in response to growing need in the community as pandemic-era social support programs dry up. This year, Harvest of Hope has distributed more than 15,000 pounds

more food than the same time last year. Harvest of Hope isn’t alone — other food banks and pantries across the county are trying to keep up with demand (News, “‘A delicate time,’” May 11, 2023).

A DEAL TO MANAGE THE COLORADO RIVER

Representatives from Arizona, California and Nevada have reached an agreement to conserve at least an additional 3 million acre-feet of the Colorado River Lower Basin by the end of 2026.

The deal, announced Monday, May 22, was agreed upon by all seven of the Colorado River Basin states. More than 75% of the conservation savings will be compensated through funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (amounting to $1.2 billion, according to The New York Times)

The deal could keep the federal government from establishing mandated cuts, which was possible after the Colorado River Basin states missed a deadline earlier this year to cut water usage (News, “Colorado River ‘cuts,’” Feb. 9, 2023).

Although water levels in the country’s largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Meade, are projected to rise this year due to an unusually large snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin, experts remain cautious that a long-term solution is still needed.

Mark Squillace, natural resources law professor at CU Boulder, isn’t excited about the agreement, saying it’s too much money to be spent on a shortterm solution.

“We have to figure out a way to cut back on consumption, not just for one year or a three year period, but permanently,” he says.

The Department of the Interior is analyzing the environmental impacts of the proposal, and will release an updated draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for public comment.

RIDE WITH PURPOSE

After 48 years, Ignite Adaptive Sports breaks ground for a permanent home at Eldora Mountain Resort

BY WILL MATUSKA

Kevin Sheehan has taken his ski bike down the same run at Eldora Mountain Resort countless times, but this time was different.

Riding the lift on the way up, Sheehan was surprised when a volunteer with Ignite Adaptive Sports sitting next to him turned and said, “It’s just you and me buddy.”

Normally four to five volunteers help guide and balance him to the base, but on that day Sheehan rode with just one person on the brakes behind him.

“God, it was huge,” says Sheehan, who is paralyzed on the left side of his body.

Ignite Adaptive Sports works in partnership with Eldora to help people living with disabilities experience outdoor winter sports.

The two organizations broke ground on May 17 for a new 12,000-squarefoot facility designed to increase Ignite’s capacity to work with adaptive athletes by creating more accessible learning experiences.

The project was partially funded through Ignite raising $1.9 million from 600 individual and private donors for the project.

The community support has “been amazing,” says Carol Nickell, Ignite’s executive director. “Not surprising, but amazing.”

Nickell isn’t surprised because community support is woven into the fabric of Ignite’s volunteer-driven work, with clients like Sheehan at the center of their mission.

Sheehan’s paralysis came after he suffered a stroke on Christmas Day nine years ago, when he was 49 years old. “My big brother says, ‘Kev, get all the nieces and nephews ready for dinner. Turkey is coming

out.’ I took a step on my left leg,” he says, “and that was it.”

Since recovery doesn’t happen when you sit around, Sheehan says, he started visiting Eldora in 2019 with no prior skiing experience.

Sheehan says the first time skiing with only one instructor earlier this year was “terrifying,” but he’ll remember the moment forever.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams after having that stroke that I’d ever have that kind of freedom.”

After getting down the slope, he did it four more times.

BORN IN BOULDER

Ten students out of CU Boulder started Ignite in 1975, instructing 10 athletes with disabilities in the beginning, to more than 300 today.

The organization has two full-time paid staff, but is mostly powered by more than 250 volunteers who provide lessons for adaptive athletes interested in alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski biking and snowshoeing opportunities, regardless of skill level.

Sheehan has become friends with many volunteers.

“They are what I call hope givers,” he says. “When you’re disabled, anybody that will give you the opportunity to get better, that gives hope and hope buys us time.”

He says the bad times — “the depression, the lying around and thinking, ‘God, I’m a worthless piece of shit’” — go away when he is skiing. It helps him see possibilities; a future.

“[The volunteers] treat me like a human. They don’t treat me like I’m a leper and can’t be touched,” he says. “And that’s important because people walk right past you when you’re disabled.”

Sheehan’s wife Cheryl says her husband’s enthusiasm for trying new things inspires other stroke survivors to keep going.

“To me that means the world that he’s still an inspiration for other people,” she says.

Prior to the new facility opening in 2024, the organization was based out of two temporary trailers in Eldora’s southeast parking area by the Nordic Center.

“Now we know as long as there’s snow on the mountain, we’ll be able to run adaptive ski programs,” says Nickell, adding she had some concerns about the current space reaching its “shelf life.”

The first floor of the facility will be Ignite’s new permanent home, with the

second floor designated for Eldora’s Ski and Ride School. Other additions include a deck, public restrooms and food and beverage options, which are all new to the resort’s lower-mountain area.

“If you’re disabled, [that location is] important,” Sheehan says.

According to Hunter Wright, Eldora’s director of sustainability and project development, the building is also energy efficient and will feature rooftop solar panels. While Ignite raised nearly $2 million for the project, Wright wasn’t specific about how much funding came from Eldora, but says “it’s a lot.”

There will also be an elevator to a third level that will help athletes start at a higher point on the slope rather than walking up, or having volunteers push them up.

For athletes like Sheehan, experiencing snow sports in the mountains is nothing short of life changing. Now he can feel the snow vibrating underneath his left foot, something he thought he’d never feel again after his stroke.

The independence he feels when on his ski bike, especially recently, is helping him and Cheryl get back their lives together. Next year, his goal is to ski twice a week and eventually get to a place where he can ski alone with Cheryl.

“Maybe I won’t just be a patient anymore,” Sheehan says, “I’ll be a husband again.”

Courtesy Ignite Adapative Sports

A rendering of the new 12,000 square-foot facility at Eldora, scheduled to open in 2024. Courtesy Ignite Adapative Sports.

FALSE BINARY

Adeem the Artist flips southern stereotypes upside down

BY AARON IRONS

Peppered with autobiography and unapologetic discourse, White Trash Revelry by Adeem the Artist is a treatise that confronts a broken heart and a dirty-window view of a polarizing South.

Their previous effort, Cast Iron Pansexual, found the native North Carolinian exploring the discovery of their nonbinary identity — the comfort of finally knowing, the fear of rejection and the uncertainty of being branded “other” in often-tribalist Appalachia. If that sounds niche, it is; but it’s also compelling to any outsider, full of sharp wit and storytelling.

Adeem’s seventh and latest studio album wields the same craft, perhaps with even greater savvy, widening the aperture for Adeem to address the marginalized as well as the 21st century Southerner sick of romanticized stars ‘n’ bars waving and selective denial.

Following a successful crowdsourcing campaign dubbed “Redneck Fundraising” and armed with a batch of tunes addressing poverty, addiction and the muck of American culture wars, Adeem — whose birth name is Kyle Bingham — enlisted fellow singer-songwriter and Tyler Childers’ tour manager Kyle Crownover to produce.

At Crownover’s suggestion, Adeem reached out to a deep roster of talent to join the effort. That included guitarist Joy Clark, banjo player Jake Blount, drummer Giovanni Carnuccio, bassist Craig Burletic and guitarist Jason Hanna

“I flew everybody in,” Adeem says. “I got an Airbnb in Knoxville, everybody

met on the first day, and in three days we banged the record out. I’d play a song, we’d talk about the song, and then we’d run it as a band, and then we’d track it.”

Much of White Trash Revelry addresses the misconceptions and stereotypes of the South, especially in relation to racism and Adeem’s personal journey of understanding. In the song “Heritage of Arrogance,” Adeem declares “I’ve been learnin’ our true history and I hate it.”

“I think the impetus when you first get privy to these layers of injustice is to validate yourself as one of the ‘good whites,’ you know what I mean? Like, ‘I’m a feminist and I’m an anti-racist,’ and all that,” Adeem says. “And I think that’s good. … it’s shame for having believed wrong things and learning about it. But … I want to be really clear that the way I talk about misogyny and racism is not as one of the ‘good’ higher-minded feminist anti-racists. I am approaching it as somebody who is still actively working to dismantle my implicit biases, still working to uproot my misogyny and my racism.”

‘GOOD COUNTRY PEOPLE’

As a queer artist witnessing a conservative push to undo years of progress through civil rights-crushing legislation delivered under the banner of “Christian values,” Adeem sees such

attacks as the politics of self-interest.

“The narrative being forced by Republicans [is] that Christians and queer people are at war with each other — which is largely false,” Adeem says. “Actually, the war that’s happening is Republicans against seats they can’t win unless they come up with some ridiculous red herring to throw into the conversation. There are so many queeraffirming churches now. There are so many people in the queer community who are Christians.” But when it comes to their religion and values, Adeem keeps their own counsel.

“I don’t believe there’s nothing, so I guess I’m pretty definitively not an atheist,” they say. “Culturally, I consider myself Christian. I mean, I was promised to God before I was born; I grew up memorizing the scriptures. Those were the metaphors that I projected myself onto and the mythos through which I explored my own development and self growth for decades of my life, so I think I’m probably somewhat of a non-believing mystic. I think that’s probably the pocket I’m most closely falling into right now.”

ON THE BILL: Ben

with Adeem the Artist. 7 p.m. Thursday, June 1, eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $30-$45

Sollee

“I am … still actively working to dismantle my implicit biases, still working to uproot my misogyny and my racism,” says Adeem the Artist.

Photo by Shawn Poynter.

BY TONI TRESCA

When the news broke last June that Boulder Dinner Theatre (BDT Stage) owners Gene and Judy Bolles had sold their building on 5501 Arapahoe Ave. for $5.5 million to Quad Capital Partners, the writing was on the wall for the longrunning theater company.

“There was a lot of outrage when we announced this was the final season,” says producing artistic director Seamus McDonough. “People were devastated, and they have continued to ask what the possibilities are of moving to a new location. The community is really sad that BDT is closing because the theater has meant so much to them for the last 46 years.”

McDonough had just finalized plans for the theater’s 45th season when he received word that the building had been sold.

“Originally, it was only three shows: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Something Rotten and The Sound of Music,” McDonough says. “However, when we found out it was going to be our final season in the space, we wanted to expand to honor the legacy of BDT.”

A provision in the purchase agreement allowed the theater to use the site for one final season of performances. Along with the aforementioned titles,

BDT’s final season also included A Church Basement Ladies Christmas, which featured many actors who had been with the company for more than 40 years, and the recently announced encore production of Fiddler on the Roof, which will run from Sept. 9 to Jan. 13 of next year, starring BDT staple Wayne Kennedy.

As a part of its farewell season, BDT Stage is currently producing its most requested title of the last decade: The Sound of Music. “It’s a classic and something the whole family can enjoy,” McDonough says. The musical was the last project for the writing team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and it is based on Maria von Trapp’s autobiography, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.

The story — set in Salzburg, Austria, just before the outbreak of World War II — centers on Maria, a rebellious nun who is sent from the abbey to look after the seven children of the recently widowed Captain Georg von Trapp. The Sound of Music opened on Broadway in 1959, where it won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was adapted into a widely successful Academy Award-winning film adaptation starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in 1965.

“I play the role a little younger and

more rural than Julie did in the film,” says McKayla Marso-McDonough, who plays Maria. “I’m a mom, so the nurturing aspect of the character comes naturally to me. It’s been a childhood dream of mine to play Maria, so when I found out I’d been cast in the role in 2020, I was devastated to learn the theater had closed.”

‘THIS PLACE HAS BEEN A GIFT’

Despite initial plans to stage the musical in the summer of 2020, the pandemic forced BDT Stage to postpone its production. “When COVID hit, I thought it was done, but it turns out Seamus just had it on hold,” says director Alicia K. Meyers. It was initially delayed until the summer of 2021, but due to pandemic-related concerns, it was again postponed.

“The Sound of Music is already an expensive show, and we didn’t want to put it on the books and then have all these extra production costs because of Boulder County’s pandemic regulations,” McDonough says. “It wasn’t looking financially feasible for us to do it in 2022 at the level our patrons have come to expect from a BDT stage production, so we scheduled the show for 2023 and made it part of our final season celebration.”

Once Meyers got the go-ahead to proceed with the production, she took a novel approach to the rehearsal schedule. “We started with McKayla and the kids two weeks before everyone else,” Meyers says. “There are two casts of incredibly gifted kids in the show; I wanted to make sure they were solid so we could build the show around them. After the kids were comfortable, we slowly added in the adult characters.”

This strategy meant the play’s youngest performers had more time to strengthen their relationships and get their feet beneath them before the adult actors arrived on set. “They had this bond before we walked in that we were thrown into,” says Scott Severtson, who plays Captain von Trapp. “It was an interesting dynamic because the kids all knew what they were doing, but I was just learning what I was doing. My favorite part was finding an individual moment with each kid through the show, so we felt connected as a family.”

The show opened on April 29 and runs throughout the summer. “Generations of families have been coming to watch this show together,” Marso-McDonough says. “Grandparents bring their children, who bring their children, and they all sing the songs together. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, which has helped make the final season of BDT a huge success.”

But as the cast and crew behind The Sound of Music continue the work of making the company’s final season one to remember, there’s more than a little reflection on what BDT Stage has meant to performers and audiences alike.

“How many people can say they worked in musical theater for 28 years? It’s been incredible to watch BDT grow, and even though the end is going to be heartbreaking, I wouldn’t change anything,” Meyers says. “This place has been a gift.”

ON STAGE:

The Sound of

Music Various times through Aug. 19, BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. $70

‘SO LONG, FAREWELL’

BDT Stage presents ‘The Sound of Music’ as part of its 45th and final season

McKayla Marso-McDonough in The Sound of Music

Photo by The Creative Agency.

BOOKS

MEET THE DEADHEAD CYCLIST

In new book, Boulder Weekly founder shares ‘life lessons on two wheels’ set to the music of the quintessential jam band

BY WILL BRENDZA

In 2017, Stewart Sallo was riding his bike through the calico sandstone Nevada wilderness when his alter ego was born. His feet pedaled to the pulse of a Grateful Dead concert, one of an incalculable number of recordings made over the band’s estimated 2,300 live shows. A scenic wasteland extended all around Sallo as he cycled, truckin’, until he reached the lookout point at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

“The words ‘Deadhead cyclist’ came to me and it was one of those powerful moments when you knew that you were being guided,” says Sallo, CEO/founder of local alternative newspaper Boulder Weekly. He had enough signal on his phone to check if the domain name “Deadhead Cyclist” was available “Sure enough, it was.”

Sallo says that’s when spiritual counsel and modern technology collided to put him on the right track. He’d known that he wanted to write a book. In fact, at that point, he already had a few disparate chapters written about life principles that had stuck with him over the years. He bought the domain.

In 2020, in the crush of the pandemic, Sallo set a goal to write one blog post a week, each spotlighting a different concert in Grateful Dead history, set against the backdrop of one Sallo’s more than 200 mountain bike rides a year. He developed a system for picking the best Grateful Dead concert from any given week, then honing in on a lyric that inspired him and riffing off of it, extracting a nugget of truth or a life lesson.

Fifty-two weeks later, Sallo had a catalog of Grateful Dead-inspired wis-

dom and personal parables that would become his book, The Deadhead Cyclist: Life Lessons on Two Wheels to the Tunes of the Grateful Dead. We connected with Sallo to talk about his 185-page translation of The Dead’s deepest lyrics. (This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.)

How would you describe this book?

This is not a book just about the Grateful Dead. And it’s not a book just about cycling. It’s a book about life principles inspired by the various passions we engage in. In my case, those passions are the Grateful Dead, cycling and baseball. The main thing I want to get across is that if you live a life of passion and be clear about what your passions are, allow them to guide you, thoughts and words come to you with a certain clarity that should be taken note of. But any passion will do. You don’t have to be a Deadhead and you don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy this book.

What are some of the things that the Grateful Dead and cycling share in common?

One of the things I love about the Grateful Dead is that there’s such a focus on nature in their lyrics. One lyric that comes to mind is from the song “Sugar Magnolia”: “We can discover the wonders of nature rolling in the rushes down by the riverside.” It’s when you’re in nature that you really have great access to the wisdom and the deeper meaning of life that can

help guide you through troubled times. One of the things I love most about cycling [is being outside].

Do you always listen to live Grateful Dead concerts while you’re riding?

Almost always. Using a certain comprehensive process, I would review all the shows that had been played during that week. And then I would pick the show that I thought was one of the best, if not the best show from that week. Luckily for me, I attended some 200 of those shows. I tried to not pick shows just because I had attended them, but there were a few shows that I had attended that I couldn’t resist naming as [the pick for] “This Week in Grateful Dead History.”

Do you feel like you were cracking the Grateful Dead code through the cipher of their lyrics, or were you cracking the Stewart Sallo code and using their lyrics as a key?

That’s a very interesting question because art is highly subjective. And the Grateful Dead’s lyricist, Robert Hunter, was very reluctant to identify the meaning of his lyrics. Instead, he wanted the listener to develop their own meaning. Which is truly being an artist. Most artists have an idea of what their art means, but understand that their art means something different to everybody. And they don’t want to take that away because art is in the eye of the beholder — or the ear of the beholder in this case. This is one of the things I loved the most about the Grateful Dead’s music: It doesn’t try to answer questions. Instead, it poses questions and provokes the listener to give deep thought to concepts.

Stewart Sallo founded Boulder Weekly in 1993. He served as publisher for more than 20 years, and today acts as CEO.

ON THE SHELF: The Deadhead Cyclist is available on deadheadcyclist.com or you can swing by Boulder Weekly (690 S. Lashley Lane) to pick up a copy. Sallo will sign books at the Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St., on June 29.

PEEK 2023: A SPACE ODYSSEY

5:30-10 p.m. Thursday, May 25, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $150

PEEK wants to take you on a “journey to the future.” Their immersive 2023: A Space Odyssey is a cosmic blend of music, dance, comedy, theater and visual art, all in one night at the Dairy Arts Center — including Boulder Ballet and Afro-fusion dance by Donna Mejia and Khadijah, plus “jazz-hop” band Many Colors, cocktails, wine, small plates and more.

26

TEEN MOVIE NIGHT

6-8:30 p.m. Friday, May 26, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Free

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?

6 p.m. Friday, May 26, CU South Dog Park, 4886 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder. Free

Want to enjoy a sunset hike with your four-legged friend, off-leash or not?

Latino Outdoors Colorado hosts this furforward nature event on Friday for a free community trek around the CU South Boulder dog park.

26-29

BOULDER CREEK FESTIVAL

Know a teen who loves the warm and whimsical worlds of Studio Ghibli movies like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away? Head to the Erie Community Library for a special after-hours screening event designed specifically for their age group. The regular event includes Japanese snacks and popcorn, and all films are presented with English subtitles.

26-28

SUGARLOAF FIRE DEPARTMENT

ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 26-28, Sugarloaf Fire Station 2, 1360 Sugarloaf Road, Boulder. Free

Once a year, Sugarloaf Fire Department opens their doors at Fire Station 2, located just up Boulder Canyon, for a sale that has a little something for everyone. Indoor and outdoor furniture, clothing, sporting goods, paintings and prints, books, electronics, plants, collectibles — the list goes on and on.

HAPPY HOUR AT THE MUSEUM

5-7 p.m. Friday, May 26, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder. $15

Beer and history converge this Friday at the Museum of Boulder. Oskar Blues rolls into the ongoing Beer HERE!: Brewing the New West exhibition for a night of beer flights, food pairings and a presentation on the brewery’s history as a local mainstay.

27

WILDFLOWERS ON MARSHALL MESA

9 a.m.-noon. Saturday, May 27, Marshall Mesa Trailhead, 5258 Eldorado Springs Drive, Boulder. Free (RSVP required)

The landscape is blooming in the wake of the most destructive wildfire in state history, and a guided wildflower tour with the Boulder County Audubon Society is a great way to experience it up close. Join trip leader Dave Sutherland at the Marshall Mesa Trailhead for a 2.5-mile hike to see the recovery of the landscape in all its colorful glory. RSVP at boulderaudubon.org.

Various times. Friday-Monday, May 27-28, Boulder Creek area. $30

The city’s favorite summertime kickoff is back for another round of live music, art, comedy, kids’ activities and more. This annual Memorial Day Weekend event also includes the Creekside Beer Festival, featuring the local breweries you love — Avery, Upslope, Busey Brews, Stem and others — for a holiday weekend filled with suds and sun by the creek.

26-28

LONGMONT

HOME SHOW

Various times. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. Free

Looking to spruce up your digs? The Longmont Home Show is the place to get started. Head to the Boulder County fairgrounds this Memorial Day Weekend to meet face-to-face with local contractors, remodeling experts and vendors who will help you “save big on all your home improvement projects.”

27

BIRD WALKS WITH WILD BEAR

7:30-9 a.m., Saturday, May 27, Wild Bear Nature Center, 20 Lakeview Drive, Nederland. Free (registration required)

Enjoy the great outdoors with fellow bird lovers during this guided nature walk at Wild Bear Nature Center in Nederland. Bring binoculars if you’ve got ‘em — there will be a few available to borrow — along with water and weather-appropriate clothing. Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a curious newcomer, you won’t want to miss it. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP at wildbear.org

27

GOLD HILL HISTORY MUSEUM2023 OPENING DAY

Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, May 27, Gold Hill History Museum, 661 Pine St., Gold Hill. Free

When it comes to local history, the former mining town of Gold Hill has it in strides. Celebrate opening day of the Gold Hill History Museum, dedicated to telling the story of this Boulder County community. Exhibitions span from historical displays on the industries and people who built the town, to contemporary looks at the rich culture in Gold Hill today.

28

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS IN TANZANIA

4-6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 28, Maji Safi Group Office, 455 Marine St., Boulder. $75

Enjoy an afternoon of live music in a comfy backyard setting during this fundraiser for Maji Safi Group, a local nonprofit dedicated to disease prevention in rural Tanzania. This community-building afternoon will feature live music from award-winning local musicians Rebecca Folsom, Tom Wasinger and Sandra Wong.

28-29

MEMORIAL DAY PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

8:30 a.m. Sunday-Monday, May 28-29, Marquardt-Miles Outdoor Pickleball Courts, 11706 W. 82nd Ave., Arvada. $25-$50

Pickleball has taken the Front Range, and the world, by storm. If you’re an avid pickleballer, or you just want to see what all the fuss is about, don’t miss the upcoming weekend of competition in Arvada. It’s part tennis, part ping-pong, and should be on your docket for the weekend.

28

PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH BALLET PRESENTS ‘CINDERELLA’

2 p.m. Sunday, May 28, CU Boulder - Baker Hall, 2005 Baker Drive. $55-$63

If you’re looking to enjoy an afternoon of culture with the little ones, you’ll find it this Sunday during the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s presentation of the classic Cinderella. This family-friendly, three-act ballet brings the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev to life with stunning choreography by Karen Kroninger Knerr.

28

BOULDER COMEDY SHOW

6 p.m. Sunday, May 28, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder. $20

Need a laugh? Bust a gut at the Boulder Comedy Show, a laugh-out-loud institution in the backyard of the People’s Republic since 2013. Seating is first-come, firstserved at Boulder’s only weekly stand-up showcase featuring comics from around the country — so get there early to snag the best spot.

29

BOLDERBOULDER

6:50 a.m., Monday, May 29, 30th and Walnut (start area). $69-$94

Lace up your athletic shoes and get ready to experience the 43rd running of Colorado’s largest road race. Runners, joggers and walkers from around the country will come together for this annual event named “America’s Best All-Time 10k” by Runner’s World. Online registration is open through 9 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available on the Pearl Street Mall all weekend long.

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, MAY 25

EMO NITE WITH TRAVIS CLARK OF WE THE KINGS 9 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S College Ave., Fort Collins. $15

FRUTA BRUTAL, PHOEBE NIX AND POOL SHARKS 9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 16th St., Boulder. $15

ALI GRAYSON & FRIENDS 5 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

KENNY LEE YOUNG 5 p.m. Omni Interlocken, 500 Interlocken Blvd., Broomfield. Free

CLAY ROSE WITH PHOEBE HUNT

7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

CHAIN STATION WITH NATIVE SPACE

8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $14

STEPHAN BODZIN WITH LUNA SEMARA AND BLACK WANDS.

8:30 p.m. Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, 2635 Welton St., Denver. $33

FRIDAY, MAY 26

THE RIVER ARKANSAS WITH HUNTER BURNETTE AND GOLDEN BROWN 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $15. STORY AT BOULDERWEEKLY.COM

THE COMMONHEART 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $25

GENEVIEVE & THE GLIMPSE WITH MR KNOBS 7 p.m. The End Lafayette, 525 Courtney Way. $15

DONNA THE BUFFALO 7 p.m.

The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $22

BACKYARD TIRE FIRE WITH DAVE TAMKIN 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

CHROMEO WITH HOT CHIP 6 p.m. Friday, May 26, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $50

GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS WITH MAMA MAGNOLIA AND PHOEBE HUNT 8 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Ave., Denver. $20

ON THE BILL

Dance yourself clean this Memorial Day with LCD Soundsystem, the larger-than-life electronic music project of frontman James Murphy that has been an indie staple for more than two decades. The Grammywinning dance floor visionary and his band travel to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater for a two-night stint alongside millennial mainstays M.I.A. and Peaches. See listing below for further details.

MAREUX. 7 p.m. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. $17

COCO & BREEZY WITH MILKY.WAV AND MISS FLOWERS 9 p.m. Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St., Denver. $20

BLURREDRADIO WITH KREW, ROSEBAY AND BRUHA 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $15

SATURDAY, MAY 27

KING LIL G WITH EL CACHO 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $40

KENNY FEIDLER AND THE COWBOY KILLERS. 8 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S College Ave., Fort Collins. $15

LAST CALL ROMANCE. 6 p.m. Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids 1555 S. Hover St., Longmont. Free

AMELIA RANSOM WITH BOB BAKER AND TAYLOR TUKE 7 p.m. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $20

OLD DOMINION WITH FRANK RAY, GREYLAN JAMES AND KASSI ASHTON. 7:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $150

TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS. 8 p.m. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Denver. $25

NERVER WITH ALMANAC MAN AND EDITH PIKE 9 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $12

KAINALU WITH PINK SKIES AND BARBARA 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $15

SUNDAY, MAY 28

DARKER BY FAR. 4 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

THE REGULARS WITH JUSTIN GARBER AND ANDREW MCCONATHY 6 p.m. Avery Brewing Company, 4910 Nautilus Court N., Boulder. Free

THE ELABORATE OWL 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $15

YOB WITH CAVE IN AND DREADNOUGHT 7:45 p.m. Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Denver. $30

OLD DOMINION WITH FRANK RAY, GREYLAN JAMES AND KASSI ASHTON 7:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $150

MONDAY, MAY 29

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM WITH M.I.A. AND PEACHES (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Monday, May 29, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $60.

BW PICK OF THE WEEK

TUESDAY, MAY 30

DEAD POET SOCIETY WITH PUBLIC THEATRE AND SCUFFED 8 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave., Fort Collins. $16

THE WILD CIRCUS 6 p.m. Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

PAUL SODERMAN AND THE OGS WITH DFK AND THE LAB RATS 6:30 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. Free

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM WITH M.I.A. AND PEACHES (NIGHT 2) 7 p.m. Tuesday, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $60

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31

PROF WITH JUICE LORD, BAYO AND WILLIE WONKA 8 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave., Fort Collins. $27

HAKEN WITH ARCH ECHO 8 p.m. Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Denver. $30

LORD HURON 7:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $50

CHRIS KING & THE GUTTERBALLS WITH CHELLA & THE CHARM AND SILVER TRIPLETS OF THE RIO HONDO 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $12

THURSDAY, JUNE 1

BEN SOLLEE WITH ADEEM THE ARTIST. 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $30-45. STORY ON P. 15

RIVER SPELL 7 p.m. Jamestown Mercantile, 108 Main St. Free

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US

Two lives and one beautiful story in ‘The Eight Mountains’

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

Located high in the Italian Alps, Grana is home to 183 residents, two shops, one bar and a school. It’s a charming mountain village surrounded by breathtaking beauty, and it’s where Pietro and his mother have come for the summer. Dad stayed in Turin, busy with work, but soon this place will grab hold of him. It’ll grab ahold of Pietro, too, who’ll return to these mountains year after year, decade after decade.

Based on Paolo Cognetti’s 2016 novel, The Eight Mountains is a sweeping story covering four decades in the lives of Pietro (played over years by Lupo Barbiero, Andrea Palma and Luca Marinelli) and his friend Bruno (Cristiano Sassella, Francesco Palombelli and Alessandro Borghi, respectively). Bruno is a resident of Grana, a descendant of the mountain people. He and Pietro strike up an immediate friendship, but a crucial factor separates them: Bruno cannot leave the mountains. He does not fit in modern society.

Written and directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, The Eight Mountains follows the form of a novel more than the propulsion of a film. That’s not to say The Eight Mountains isn’t one of the more visually striking and engaging watches you’ll see (it is) but to point out that the narrative feels looser than the average movie, less focused on the destination.

That’s because van Groeningen and Vandermeersch treat Pietro and Bruno as two threads intertwined.

Bruno is the product of an abusive household, one that drove him from his drunken father into the arms of Pietro’s parents (Filippo Timi and Elena Lietti) around the same time Pietro decided to leave and strike out on his own. That makes Bruno and Pietro more like brothers than old friends. Then the father dies, and Bruno takes Pietro up the mountain and shows him where the old man wanted to build a home. Bruno is still going to build it, and Pietro will help.

They do, and life goes on. The men return to the house and track the passage of time. Pietro begins to understand his father, and the paths Bruno and Pietro walk begin to diverge. Yet, the cabin calls them back.

There’s a story Black Elk of the Ogalala Lakota people once told. It was a prophetic vision where he saw the future from atop the sacred central mountain, which, for him, was Harney Peak in South Dakota (recently renamed Black Elk Peak in his honor). But, Black Elk says, “The central mountain is everywhere.”

That seems to be the connective tissue holding Pietro and Bruno together. The Eight Mountains — which won the Jury Prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival — is a memoir of two friends, an elegy for something lost but was beautiful while it existed.

ON SCREEN: The Eight Mountains opens in limited releases May 26.

W A N N A P L A Y ?

W E ' R E O P E N

Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi in The Eight Mountains Photo courtesy Janus Films.

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): My reading of the astrological omens inspires me to make a series of paradoxical predictions for you. Here are five scenarios I foresee as being quite possible in the coming weeks. 1. An epic journey to a sanctuary close to home. 2. A boundary that doesn’t keep people apart but brings them closer. 3. A rambunctious intervention that calms you down and helps you feel more at peace. 4. A complex process that leads to simple clarity. 5. A visit to the past that empowers you to redesign the future.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Do you want a seed to fulfill its destiny? You must bury it in the ground. There, if it’s able to draw on water and the proper nutrients, it will break open and sprout. Its life as a seed will be over. The plant it eventually grows into will look nothing like its source. We take this process for granted, but it’s always a miracle. Now let’s invoke this story as a metaphor for what you are hopefully on the verge of, Taurus. I invite you to do all that’s helpful and necessary to ensure your seed germinates!

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Your meandering trek through the Unpromised Land wasn’t as demoralizing as you feared. The skirmish with the metaphorical dragon was a bit disruptive, but hey, you are still breathing and walking around — and even seem to have been energized by the weird thrill of the adventure. The only other possible downside was the new dent in your sweet dream. But I suspect that in the long run, that imperfection will inspire you to work even harder on behalf of your sweet dream — and this will be a blessing. Here’s another perk: The ordeal you endured effectively cleaned out stale old karma, freeing up space for a slew of fresh help and resources.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Testing time is ahead, but don’t get your nerves in an uproar with fantasy-spawned stress. For the most part, your challenges and trials will be interesting, not unsettling. There will be few if any trick questions. There will be straightforward prods to stretch your capacities and expand your understanding. Bonus! I bet you’ll get the brilliant impulse to shed the ball and chain you’ve been absent-mindedly carrying around with you.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Biologist Edward O. Wilson said that the most social animals are ants, termites, and honeybees. He used the following criteria to define that description: “altruism, instincts devoted to social life, and the tightness of the bonds that turn colonies into virtual superorganisms.” I’m going to advocate that you regard ants, termites, and honeybees as teachers and role models for you. The coming weeks will be a great time to boost your skill at socializing and networking. You will be wise to ruminate about how you could improve your life by enhancing your ability to cooperate with others. And remember to boost your altruism!

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Jack Sarfatti is an authentic but maverick physicist born under the sign of Virgo. He suggests that if we make ourselves receptive and alert, we may get help from our future selves. They are trying to communicate good ideas to us back through time. Alas, most of us don’t believe such a thing is feasible, so we aren’t attuned to the potential help. I will encourage you to transcend any natural skepticism you might have about Sarfatti’s theory. As a fun experiment, imagine that the Future You has an important transmission for you — maybe several transmissions. For best results, formulate three specific questions to pose to the Future You.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): I have five points for your consideration. 1. You are alive in your mysterious, endlessly interesting life, and you are imbued with the fantastically potent power of awareness. How could you not feel thrilled? 2. You’re on a planet that’s always surprising, and you’re in an era when so many things are chang-

ing that you can’t help being fascinated. How could you not feel thrilled? 3. You have some intriguing project to look forward to, or some challenging but engaging work you’re doing, or some mind-bending riddle you’re trying to solve. How could you not feel thrilled? 4. You’re playing the most enigmatic game in the universe, also known as your destiny on Earth, and you love ruminating on questions about what it all means. How could you not feel thrilled? 5. You never know what’s going to happen next. You’re like a hero in an epic movie that is endlessly entertaining. How could you not feel thrilled?

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): “Trust those that you have helped to help you in their turn,” advises Scorpio author Neil Gaiman. Let’s make that one of your mantras for the coming weeks. In my astrological understanding, you are due to cash in on favors you have bestowed on others. The generosity you have expressed should be streaming back your way in abundance. Be bold about welcoming the bounty. In fact, I hope you will nudge and prompt people, if necessary, to reward you for your past support and blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): So many of us are starved to be listened to with full attention. So many of us yearn to be seen and heard and felt by people who are skilled at receptive empathy. How many of us? I’d say the figure is about 99.9%. That’s the bad news, Sagittarius. The good news is that in the coming weeks, you will have an exceptional ability to win the attention of good listeners. To boost the potential healing effects of this opportunity, here’s what I recommend: Refine and deepen your own listening skills. Express them with panache.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Because you’re a Capricorn, earthiness is probably one of your strengths. It’s your birthright to be practical and sensible and well-grounded. Now and then, however, your earthiness devolves into muddiness. You get too sober and earnest. You’re bogged down in excess pragmatism. I suspect you may be susceptible to such a state these days. What to do? It may help if you add elements of air and fire to your constitution, just to balance things out. Give yourself a secret nickname with a fiery feel, like Blaze, or a crispy briskness, like Breezy. What else could you do to rouse fresh, glowing vigor, Breezy Blaze—even a touch of wildness?

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): I love to use metaphors in my writing, but I hate to mix unrelated metaphors. I thrive on referring to poetry, sometimes even surrealistic poetry, but I try to avoid sounding like a lunatic. However, at this juncture in your hero’s journey, Aquarius, I frankly feel that the most effective way to communicate with you is to offer you mixed metaphors and surrealist poetry that border on sounding lunatic. Why? Because you seem primed to wander around on the edges of reality. I’m guessing you’ll respond best to a message that’s aligned with your unruly mood. So here goes: Get ready to surf the spiritual undertow all the way to the teeming wilderness on the other side of the cracked mirror. Ignore the provocative wasteland on your left and the intriguing chaos on your right. Stay focused on the stars in your eyes and devote yourself to wild joy.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): “The gift of patience opens when our body, heart and mind slow enough to move in unison.” So says Piscean poet Mark Nepo. I feel confident you are about to glide into such a grand harmony, dear Pisces. Through a blend of grace and your relaxed efforts to be true to your deepest desires, your body, heart and mind will synchronize and synergize. Patience will be just one of the gifts you will receive. Others include: a clear vision of your most beautiful future; a lucid understanding of what will be most meaningful to you in the next three years; and a profound sense of feeling at home in the world wherever you go.

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

DEAR READERS: One more from the deep archives! This column is from August 1997 and features the birth of one of my readers’ favorite Savage Love-isms: “How’d That Happen?!” I’ll have a new column for you next week!

HEY, DAN: My girlfriend and I only see each other on weekends. To overcome the overwhelming desire to jerk off during the week, I have discovered that I get great pleasure urinating on myself. I don’t know how this happened — one morning I just did it.

About an hour after drinking a lot of water, I lay down in the bathtub. When I can’t hold it anymore, I direct a clear stream of urine all over my body. Then I pull my briefs back up and soak them. I keep my eyes closed — but do I need to worry about any long-term effects on my hair or skin? Is there anything wrong with me? I don’t want to be urinated on by anyone else.

— Wet

DEAR WET: We get a lot of letters here at Savage Labs. While every letter is unique, patterns do emerge, and Wet’s letter is a good example of a certain type of letter. The kids in the mailroom call them “HTH,” short for “How’d That Happen?!” letters. You see, Wet is doing this whack thing — pissing on himself in the bathtub as a substitute for masturbation (?) — and like a lot of folks doing whack things, Wet has some whack concerns. He has questions about the advisability of

this whack behavior: Will urine damage my skin? Is there something wrong with me? So, he writes a letter. Something that he thinks, no doubt, took some courage. But in composing his letter, Wet chickens out: He fails to take responsibility for his actions, casting himself as a passive player in this bathtub drama. He may be peeing on himself, but it wasn’t really his idea, he writes: “I don’t know how this happened — one morning I just did it.” How’d That Happen?!

I’ve been taking unsupervised baths for 27 years, and in all that time I never just “happened” to pee all over myself. The times I have pissed in the tub or shower, it was on purpose — I was too lazy to get out of the shower, or I was fulfilling a special request. But it never just “happened.” I did it.

So, Wet, while I’m happy to answer your questions — no, it won’t hurt you; yes, there is something terribly, terribly wrong with you — your unwillingness to take responsibility for your actions disturbs me. Admit it: You’re into piss — you like it for its own sake, not as a substitute for masturbation. Repeat after me: “I like piss.” This is not something that just happened to you, like cancer or Candid Camera

It’s something you did. You’re a perv, Wet. Own it.

Case No.: 2023PR030229

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 September 11, 2023, or said claims may be forever barred. Rachel Fraenkel, Personal Representative c/o Howard O. Bernstein, P.C. at 1111 Pearl Street, Suite 203 Boulder, Colorado 80302

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!

COLORADO FLAVOR TRIPPING

Immerse yourself in one-of-a-kind dining, wine, chiles and chocolate experiences this summer

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

Have you been immersed? We are not talking about baptism, but it can be a sort of religious experience. Immersive experiences are all the buzz now in Colorado, ranging from Van Gogh and Monet exhibits to Disney Animation and Denver’s wacky Meow Wolf.

Colorado is also home to some deeply escapist food experiences including the legendary Casa Bonita, an old-school immersive restaurant/ dinner theater/amusement park about to reopen.

Now is the time to escape the culinary doldrums and hit the road for a smorgasbord of food and beverage events this summer.

The following out-of-the-ordinary stops on Colorado’s taste trail are guaranteed to expand your culinary consciousness — or at least produce some memorable meals.

A FRENCH-KISSED FEST

As brasseries and patisseries are making a major local comeback, immerse yourself in all things French at the Bastille Day French Fest, July 14-15 in Denver’s Cherry Creek North, with lots of bloomy soft cheese, food, butter, baked goods

and wine. Info: rmfacc.org

Afterwards, laisez le bon temps rouler for dinner at Denver’s La Merise, French 75, Bistro Vendome, Chez Maggy, Le French, Le Bilboquet or Bistro LeRoux

CHOW DOWN ON THE FARM

Field and barn feasts truly immerse you in the setting and offer a wider taste of the state’s agricultural wonders than just hitting the farmers markets. One of the coolest venues is the Lyons Farmette, which hosts a series of always-sold-out meals featuring local chefs and farms that benefit local nonprofits. Upcoming events include: Rosetta Hall Chefs (July 19), Chef Daniel Asher (Aug. 30), Whistling Boar (Sept. 13), Butcher & The Blonde (Sept. 20), and Marigold (Sept. 26). Info: lyonsfarmette.com

WHERE THE CHILE WINDS BLOW

The 28th Annual Chile & Frijole Festival is Sept. 23-25, featuring clouds of tear-jerking roasted chile perfume, tables of sweat-inducing chile dishes plus music, a chile & salsa “showdown,” the Chihuahua

and Friends Parade and a jalapeño eating contest. Info: pueblochilefestival.com

FOOD WITH A VIEW

Almost every eatery and bar in Colorado can claim to have a “great view,” but some views far outshine others in the sunset and rainbows department. For a spectacular panoramic urban dining moment, nothing beats Denver’s highest alfresco spot, 54thirty. The patio on the 20th floor of Le Méridien hotel dishes high-end small bites, chilled cocktails and chocolate peanut butter pie with a pretzel crust. Info: 54thirty.com

EXPAND YOUR DINING CONSCIOUSNESS

There is no shortage of Colorado food festivals, but some destinations are really worth the drive, the money and the time. The open-air Big Eat lives up to its name with unlimited bites and sips on July 20 at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The event eschews chains and instead features 60-plus independent eateries including Coperta, Fruition, Mercantile, Pho King Rapidos, Restaurant Olivia, Rewild at Nurture, Rooted Craft Kitchen, Sunday Vinyl and Sushi-Rama. Drinks provided by such local stars as Carboy Winery, Cerveceria Colorado,

Courtesy Pueblo Chile Growers Association

Istanbul Bakery. Credit: Istanbul Bakery

Wellness Sushi, Denver. Credit: Wellness Sushi

Stem Ciders and The Family Jones distillery. Tickets: eatdenver.com/ the-big-eat

SHORT TRIP TO THE SOUTHWEST’S BEST EATS

To visit a bunch of Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the Southwest in 2023, you don’t have to drive very far. The locals offer an amazing collection of international cuisines including Istanbul Cafe and Bakery and Tokyo Premium Bakery in Denver, Urban Burma and Jasmine

Syrian Food in Aurora, Asian Cookery (Malaysian) and Hafa Adai Fiesta Food (Guamanian) in Colorado Springs.

To taste the only Colorado eatery to make Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S., make a beeline to Denver’s completely vegan Wellness Sushi

A DAY OF ARTISAN CHOCOLATE IMMERSION

There are local salt spas, honeybee spas and beer spas, but for artisan chocoholics, a total cacao day is in order. Start at Cultura Craft Chocolate, a maker of extraordinary bars, offering a colorful, fragrant cafe and shop in Denver worth a visit just for a cup of stellar drinking chocolate. Just walking into the Chocolate Therapist in Littleton makes your neuroses feel better relieved as you are immersed in the aroma of a roomful of hand-crafted chocolate candies. The caramels here are quite

wonderful. To double your fun, take the shop’s wine and chocolate pairing class.

Then, make reservations for dinner at Denver’s Chocolate Lab, the state’s only chocolate-focused eatery, bar and dessert spot. The menu includes dishes like seared scallops with white chocolate carrot bourbon polenta.

TAKE ME OUT NEAR THE BALLGAME

To enjoy a ballpark-like experience without the expense and potential heartache of attending a Rockies

NIBBLES

game, visit the next-door public McGregor Square complex. Rockies games are shown on a 66-by-20-foot LED screen, and instead of Rocky Dogs, choose from food stalls inside the Milepost Zero food hall. We sampled warm empanadas filled with birria and chorizo and potato alongside Japanese fried chicken and pork belly buns with black bean sauce and spicy roasted cauliflower street tacos. A tap wall allows you to refill beverages as needed. An added plus: You can hear the roar when a home run gets hit at Coors Field about 500 yards away.

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: CREEK FEST FOOD FUN

The Boulder Creek Festival is back Friday through Monday, May 26 through 29, with food stands offering everything from bratwurst, burgers, tacos, shaved ice, baked goods, barbecue, ice cream, lobster rolls, Cajun food and sushi. The Creekside Beer Festival features unlimited sips from 20-plus breweries for two-hour sessions Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and 28.

Denver International Airport made Food & Wine’s list of top 10 U.S. airports with the best food options. It does have some good local eateries: You have to wonder if most travelers discovered them while stuck in Denver because of Southwest Airlines’ snafus.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: BARBECUE GUILT

“Grilling is like sunbathing. Everyone knows it is bad for you but no one stops doing it.”

— From “Home Cooking” by Laurie

Colwin

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles at 8:20 a.m. Thursdays on KGNU. Today’s guest: Boulder chef Dakota Soifer. Listen to podcasts at: bit.ly/RadioNibbles

Fare from Milepost Zero in Denver’s McGregor Square. Credit: John Lehndorff

Cultura Chocolate, Denver. Credit: John Lehndorff

WEED BETWEEN THE LINES

POT PROTECTIONS

A bill on Gov. Polis’ desk would protect working professionals from discipline over cannabis offenses

BY WILL BRENDZA

The Colorado legislative session ended on May 8, and with it, numerous cannabis and psychedelic bills went to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk, with several of them being signed into law the same week.

So far Boulder Weekly has covered SB23-290, the Natural Medicine Regulation and Legalization bill, which provides specifics for how Colorado will enable the personal and therapeutic use of five natural psychedelic substances (Weed Between the Lines, “Laying down the law,” May 11, 2023). There was also HB23-1279, the Allow Retail Marijuana Online Sales bill, that permits dispensaries to start making online cannabis sales for pickup or delivery (Weed Between the Lines, “Weed web 2.0,” May 18, 2023).

One of several bills that was passed by the House and Senate but has yet to be signed is SB23-265, the Prohibit Professional Discipline For Marijuana bill. As the name implies, it would bar state regulators from denying or revoking professional certifications, registrations or licenses based solely on prior cannabis offenses or legal use.

Similar to HB23-1279, this bill would essentially codify an executive order

signed by Gov. Polis in 2022. That directive provided broad licensing protection for professionals and prevented state agencies from helping outof-state investigations into lawful cannabis conduct that could have employment repercussions.

“The exclusion of people from the workforce because of marijuana-related activities that are lawful in Colorado, but still criminally penalized in other states, hinders our residents, economy and our State,” Polis said at the time he signed the executive order. “No one who lawfully consumes, possesses, cultivates or processes marijuana pursuant to Colorado law should be subject to professional sanctions or denied a professional license in Colorado.”

Polis made sure to clarify also that those protections extended to anyone who consumes, possesses, cultivates or processes marijuana in another state in a manner that would be legal in Colorado today.

Occupations in Colorado’s cannabis industry, gambling, legal services, education and more depend on employees

having specific licenses or certifications from the state. However, prior criminal cannabis offenses can sometimes block people from being able to get the licenses or certifications they need to do their jobs. And current cannabis use, even in perfectly legal situations, often risks having those licenses or certifications revoked. Which could cost someone their livelihood.

Polis’ 2022 executive order was, in part, an effort to address workforce shortages at the time.

was “lawful” according to current Colorado statutes, and consistent with professional conduct and standards of care, they are safe from penalty. That extends to teachers, lawyers, engineers, cannabis professionals and anyone else who’s career depends on a license or certification.

The bill also protects working professionals from disciplinary action based on their consumption, possession, cultivation, or processing of cannabis as long as they did not otherwise violate Colorado law.

The prime sponsors of SB23165 are Sen. Kevin Van Winkle (R-Douglas County), Rep. Marc Snyder (D-El Paso and Teller counties), and Rep. Matt Soper (R-Delat and Mesa counties).

In 2022, a Colorado House committee shot down a bill that would have provided similar protections for employees who use cannabis while off the job. Despite that bill’s failure to pass, HB23-265 sailed through both the House and Senate. And it would similarly protect workers who use cannabis off the clock, as long as other laws aren’t being broken and it is not impeding their work.

SB23-265 would cement those protections into law today if the governor were to sign it. Anyone applying for a license, certification, or registration in the state of Colorado would be protected from being denied, and from being disciplined due to any previous civil or criminal cannabis offense. If the offense

For now, workers are still protected by Polis’ executive order, even though this bill has not yet been signed into law. It is unclear whether it will be sent back to the Capitol for amendments, but Polis has been a long-time supporter of the cannabis legalization movement.