Boulder Weekly 09.14.2023

FALL ARTS PREVIEW

molly tuttle & golden highway lindsay lou

the infamous stringdusters paul cauthen sierra ferrell the dead south kitchen dwellers andy frasco & the u.n.

daniel donato's cosmic country sam grisman project aj lee & blue summit clay street unit

special thursday show by dan tyminski

mountain grass unit

shadowgrass

winterwonderwomen east nash grass

the fretliners pickin' on the dead the runaway grooms armchair boogie

kind hearted strangers madeline hawthorne the deer creek sharpshooters

riverwondergrass all-star s

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COMMENTARY OPINION

BOULDER COUNTY IS AN ARTS COUNTY

BY ERIK MASON

It’s probably no surprise to most people who live or work in Boulder County that the arts are strong here. From large organizations such as the Colorado Music Festival to small associations like the Longmont Concert Band, dozens of arts groups call Boulder County home. In fact, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) funds 68 operations headquartered in Boulder County, which is 38% more than the other five suburban counties in metro Denver. These cultural treasures not only enrich our lives but also contribute significantly to our local economy and community well-being. While the arts scene in the City of

Boulder is well-known, the arts community in the rest of Boulder County is also vibrant, with a wide variety of disciplines and groups represented. Downtown Louisville, Lafayette and Longmont all host monthly art nights in the summer where galleries are open and activities abound. Bigger festivals like Longmont’s Artwalk draw thousands.

The arts organizations in Longmont, Louisville and Lafayette showcase a wide variety of artistic disciplines and media. In visual art, we have the East Boulder County Studio Tour, Mudslingers Pottery Studio, the Collective Community Arts Center and the Firehouse Art Center, to name just

a few. In performing arts and dance, there’s the Centennial State Ballet, the Arts HUB, the Longmont Symphony Orchestra and Center Stage Theatre, again just to name a few. Boulder has no monopoly on quirky arts organizations, either — the Lafayette Art UnderGround Hustle (LAUGH) holds funky art tours that invite you to “meet your local weirdos.”

Why are the arts so strong in east Boulder County? One factor is that while truly “affordable” housing is rare in Boulder County, housing in east Boulder is more attainable than any-

Boulder County continued on Page 10

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Volume 31, Number 4

COVER: Pulling Tape by Raymundo Muñoz with Anthony Garcia, linocut, monotype, 2022

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caitlin Rockett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

INTERN: Lily Fletcher

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Bart Schaneman, Toni Tresca, Colin Wrenn

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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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LET’S MAKE BOLD INVESTMENTS IN OUR CULTURAL LANDSCAPE

BY BOB CRIFASI

It seems that every generation or two, Boulderites have made significant strides to shape the town’s future, enhance the economy, and improve our collective quality of life. In the 1870s, for example, we put education and cultural improvement front and center when we started building CU. In the 1890s, forward-thinking citizens encouraged Chautauqua to put down roots at the base of the Flatirons, setting the stage for Boulder to become an intellectually progressive community. In the early 1900s, Boulder started acquiring the Flatirons, Flagstaff Mountain, and other lands in the mountain backdrop, laying the groundwork for Boulder to become a world leader in the outdoor industry. And, in the years after World War II, Boulder leaders raised the seed monies that influenced the federal government to site the Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Bureau of Standards in town. This step ensured Boulder would remain at the forefront of the nation’s innovative essence. The federal labs investment was a prominent reason Boulder became a leading hub for our vigorous tech industry. Another giant step forward took place in the late 1960s when Boulder citizens became the first in the nation to pass a sales tax to acquire open space, protect the environment, and shape the urban region for the better. Every time you hike or bike on open space land, you can thank those visionaries that Boulder Valley isn’t a sea of subdivisions extending from the Flatirons to Longmont and Denver.

Each of these advances occurred because our predecessors saw and took chances that would make this a better community. Every one of these steps created exceptional opportunities for the town that, over the years, made Boulder a place to cherish. We find ourselves at a similar crossroads of opportunity today. We’ve

done great things for education, the economy, and the environment. But when I scan the town, I see only a fragmented and scattershot approach toward our town’s cultural vitality. Sure, many remarkable organizations have done truly amazing things, often with shoestring budgets, to improve our cultural life. Just scan through this edition of Boulder Weekly and you will see so many wonderful options for enjoying the arts in this great city. Yet we have done precious little as a community to finance our cultural infrastructure. We certainly have not made the bold investments in our cultural landscape as our forerunners have for education, science, and the environment.

We have an opportunity to rectify how we fund cultural projects in Boulder by extending the existing 0.15% “Arts, Culture and Heritage Tax” measure appearing on this November’s ballot. What is unique about this tax extension is that it will annually distribute roughly $7.5 million in tax revenue equally between city-funded projects and cultural nonprofits within Boulder. As an extension, the tax is a continuance of something we are already used to. However, this money has the potential to dramatically improve how we support the construction and operation of cultural facilities within the City of Boulder. Moreover, it will add to the financial sustainability of our cultural organizations in ways that will benefit every person in town.

Arts organizations contribute to the cultural richness of a community by providing opportunities for people to engage with various art forms, such as the studio and visual arts, music, theater and dance. Cultural organizations enrich the quality of life for our residents and guests. Children in

low-income households who have regular access to arts programs are five times less likely to drop out of school and more than twice as likely to graduate from college. Arts events and institutions attract tourists and visitors to boost local businesses such as restaurants, hotels and shops.

Economists tell us that cultural tourists, on average, spend upwards of 67% more than other types of tourists that visit the city. Cultural organizations stimulate the local economy, enhance diversity and create quality jobs. Arts organizations host events and workshops that unite people, fostering a sense of community. They offer safe, fun spaces for people to connect and share experiences. Every $1 invested in after-school art programs saves $9 in social service, crime, and other public costs for communities. Arts organizations help develop individuals’ creativity, critical thinking and problemsolving skills, which benefit businesses by producing a more innovative and adaptable workforce. And for those of us who are getting older, adults that participate in three or more art activities each week are 63% less likely to develop dementia. Vibrant art and

music scenes make communities more attractive to tourists, contributing to a thriving tourism industry that bolsters local businesses. Moreover, psychologists have demonstrated that engaging with the arts positively improves mental health, improves well-being, lowers stress, and makes for happy residents.

Forward-thinking Boulderites took the steps necessary to make this town great. But the job is far from complete. We have before us a great opportunity to make this town even better.

Please join me in supporting the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Tax extension, as our cultural organizations and infrastructure play a multifaceted role in enhancing the cultural, economic, and social well-being of Boulder.

Bob Crifasi is the president of the board of Studio Arts Boulder. A writer, photographer, and ceramic artist, Crifasi is also the author of a book about Boulder’s history, A Land Made From Water, and also wrote Western Water A to Z, the Nature, History, and Culture of a Vanishing Resource released this past January.

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

OPINION

OUR KIDS DESERVE ART AND MUSIC

BY TRAVIS LABERGE

Fostering music programs in schools has always been difficult. Imagine being a middle school orchestra teacher on the first day of school with 30-50 kids in your class: Some of them brought instruments they’ve been playing for eight years while others don’t know how to open the case on their newly rented trumpet. Some can read music like a book, and others aren’t sure which way is right-side up. If that’s not scary enough, imagine having to get all those kids to play together in a concert a few months away in front of their family and friends — and your colleagues — and have the sound be discernible…or at least tolerable.

Sound daunting? Well, now imagine that you, as the music teacher, have to do that for multiple schools because your full-time job isn’t full time at any one school — it’s full time across multiple schools.

That’s what we’re asking of our music teachers in Boulder Valley School District right now. Yes, some schools are still fortunate enough to have designated instructors that don’t have to travel between different schools but, even so, these teachers are faced with the reality of teaching students who are beginners while keeping advanced students engaged.

If you attend a school with an affluent family base, parent booster groups are likely helping with time and money to bring in extra help — but it’s still a challenge to create a somewhat level playing field for the students. However, if you attend a school that is not wealthy, where parents don’t have time to volunteer nor extra money to contribute, a different type of learning gap and lack of equity becomes apparent.

That’s where nonprofit organizations like the one I founded, Parlando School of Musical Arts, are stepping up. We understand that not all students find their “team” on the field or

court — some find it on the stage. And regardless of whether it’s a football or band uniform, the lifelong lessons of camaraderie, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are the same. We believe kids need as many opportunities to find their “team” as possible.

During the 2022-’23 academic year, Parlando partnered with 29 schools across four school districts to provide more than 3,000 music classes with supplementary support, resulting in over 90,000 student interactions. And we did this all at no charge to the students, schools or districts. Parlando uses fundraised dollars from donors as well as granting agencies like the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and Boulder Arts Commission (an agency of Boulder City Council) to pay our instructors to go into public school music classrooms and provide needed support.

Schools are identified by musicarts coordinators in each district. Parlando listens to the needs of the music teachers within those schools, then provides what they tell us they need for multiple days each week over the course of the entire school year.

Music remains one of those skills for which there is no shortcut: You get out of music exactly what you put into it. And, while that may be frustrating in our instant-gratification, one-click society, it is also a lesson that will benefit students throughout their lives. Through practice comes mastery, and through mastery comes self-esteem. Just like the top scorer on a school’s basketball team is undoubtedly a hard worker, students who excel in music are as well. These are valuable lessons that will last a lifetime.

This all sounds good — but what about the quantitative results? Last year partner schools reported that students involved in their music programs:

• Were 20% more likely to attend school;

• Had a full letter grade higher GPA than their peers (3.0-3.5 versus 2.0-3.0); and

• Were 24% more likely to graduate.

That’s right: If you are involved in your school music program you are more likely to attend school, get better grades while you’re there, and are more likely to graduate. So why are arts programs the first things on the chopping block when money is tight and the last things to get funded when money returns?

This fall, Boulder residents will have the opportunity to vote to extend an existing sales tax that will, in part, provide additional funding for the arts. This sales tax will also provide general funds to the City and, when you combine that with the library district funding that will be available to the City of Boulder, there will still be additional funding to invest in other issues. This is a once-in-ageneration opportunity that is truly win-win.

Some of the arts funding mentioned above will be used to support organizations like Parlando which are, quite frankly, covering the funding gaps created by decades of underfunding for school music programs — despite the fact that involvement in those very programs correlates with higher academic achievement.

Boulder is a wonderful place to experience the arts as an audience member. Let’s make it a little easier to be an arts educator and performer as well. Our kids deserve it.

Travis LaBerge is the founder and executive director of Parlando School of Musical Arts, an outreach and education provider with a faculty of nearly 70 teachers, 600 students and 7,000 monthly outreach recipients.

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

Boulder County continued from Page 8

where else. As property values soar, artists and cultural organizations are finding it increasingly challenging to find affordable spaces to create and showcase their work. Addressing this issue is essential to ensure that Boulder County remains a welcoming home for artists and creatives. The pandemic further highlighted the vulnerability of the arts sector and the urgent need for long-term support mechanisms to safeguard our cultural assets. It is an issue that challenges the future of arts across the Front Range.

This fall, there are initiatives relating to the arts on the ballot in both Longmont and Boulder. In Longmont, voters are being asked to vote on a branch library and a new performing arts center, while in Boulder the vote is to redirect an existing tax to support the arts, heritage and culture. The results of these initiatives may reaffirm residents’ commitment to and passion for the arts, and also shape access to the arts for many future generations to come.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention my own institution, the Longmont Museum, which recently launched an $8.1 million capital campaign. The campaign will fund larger gallery space for art and history, renovate and expand our courtyard to allow for larger outdoor concerts and performances, and open a dedicated children’s gallery to show that museums can be places of wonder for all ages. It’s a great sign of the community’s support for the arts that we have already achieved 81% of our campaign goal.

As a resident or visitor to Boulder County, you can also support culture by visiting local galleries, attending performances and buying art from local artists; it’s a simple yet effective way to sustain the arts in our county and meaningfully contribute to the arts ecosystem.

We are very fortunate to live in an area where there are so many opportunities to enjoy and participate in the arts. The state of the arts in Boulder County is a reflection of our collective commitment to creativity, expression and cultural richness. While we face challenges, we also have the opportunity to build a future where the arts continue to flourish.

Erik Mason is the director of the Longmont Museum. In addition to his nearly 30 years of service at the museum, he is also the author of a comprehensive history book called Longmont: The First 150 years.

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

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FRESH SPACES

From museum expansions to a makerspace for beginners to a performing arts center in a defunct sugar factory, Boulder County will soon have a bevy of new spaces to experience and create art.

STUDIO ARTS’ EXPANDED FACILITY SET TO OPEN EARLY NEXT YEAR

BY KAYLEE HARTER

When executive director Kari Palazzari envisions Studio Arts’ new hub at Diagonal Crossing, she sees studio spaces full of students, a bustling gallery and a place where people from different walks of life can come together in a space that “the entire community really feels is theirs.”

That vision is set to become a reality in early 2024, more than five years after the donation of land for the 12,500-square-foot building. The space will feature five teaching studios for beginner to intermediate classes in five different media: pottery, warm glass, woodworking, blacksmithing and printmaking.

The organization’s goal is to be debt free by the time the facility opens.

So far, the nonprofit has raised $7.5 million, including the value of the land donation; $1.75 million from

Boulder’s 2017 Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety tax; $1.5 million from the state’s Community Revitalization Grant program; $150,000 from Boulder County’s Worthy Cause tax and approximately $2.5 million from individuals and family foundations. The project has also received a $4 million construction loan — but there’s still a $1 million gap in funding. In order to be fully debt free, Studio Arts will still need to raise $5 million. The less debt, the more free and pay-whatcan classes Studio Arts can offer, Palazzari says.

While Studio Arts’ current space in an old fire station on University Hill will remain open, the new location will not only triple the number of people the nonprofit can serve in a year, it will also be more accessible.

”One of the things in the new studio is that we’ll be able to accommodate folks with mobility issues and challenges way easier,” Palazzari says. “We do make accommodations in the fire station, but the building itself is just not accommodating.”

The project’s costs also take aim at an issue that extends beyond the art world: climate change. Palazzari says Studio Arts will save an estimated $30,000 annually with a 64.5 kWh solar system, 15 geothermal wells, ground source heat pumps, and energy recovery ventilation that exchanges heat from kiln rooms with air from colder parts of the building. These green measures also make the structure resilient to disruptions to the power grid.

“Climate change is real, and we need to do our part,” Palazzari says. “This was an opportunity to make decisions right from the beginning about the building’s energy systems and heating and cooling that would be more sustainable in the long run.”

The building’s framing and sheathing are already in place, and community members can take hard hat tours Oct. 6 and Nov. 10.

“There’s not really any other facility like this in the area,” Palazzari says. “There’s only a couple [places] in the country that have these five art forms. So this is a real gem for Boulder, and for the local community.”

ON THE BILL: Chili Bowl Street Party, Noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, 1010 Aurora Ave., Boulder. Free. In addition to live music, chili and forsale pottery, Chili Bowl attendees can expect a booth with details on the new space and a chance to talk with board members about the project.

Pottery Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 16 and 17, Take home a handmade piece of pottery made by students, staff and friends of Studio Arts. All proceeds support free and pay-what-youcan programs, as well as partnerships that provide studio access to marginalized artists.

LONGMONT MUSEUM EXPANDS TO MEET COMMUNITY PRIORITIES

BY WILL MATUSKA

It started in a room. Then it moved to a basement. A few years later, to a converted garage and a renovated warehouse.

The Longmont Museum bounced around for nearly 60 years, from 1940 until 1999, until nearly 80% of city residents approved a $5 million bond to build a new museum.

Now, more than 80 years since its humble beginnings, the museum is launching a new $8.1 million capital campaign to expand its footprint and reach as one of the premiere cultural institutions in Northern Colorado.

Erik Mason, the museum’s director, says this growth exemplifies how Longmont supports the arts.

“It just shows that as the community grows and is able to support more amenities, it really improves the quality of life for everyone in the region, being able to have access to great cultural amenities like an expanded Longmont Museum,” he says.

The project has a laundry list of changes and additions, including expanding the primary gallery, renovating the outdoor courtyard and increasing office and support spaces — all outcomes Mason says are the product of engagement with community members about needs and priorities.

One of the most notable themes from those conversations was a desire for a dedicated children’s space. In the expansion, a hands-on kids’ exhibition will replace the current 2,500-squarefoot changing exhibit gallery and will feature numerous and rotating activities, according to Mason.

The community also wanted to see more exhibitions. To meet that

Continued on page 17

BMOCA AIMS TO BREAK GROUND ON NEW FACILITY IN 2027

BY KAYLEE HARTER

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art’s (BMoCA) 13th street building wasn’t designed to be a museum. Larger pieces can’t fit through the doors and the floors won’t support the weight of heftier works, like marble sculptures.

That’s going to change when BMoCA moves into a new space in north Boulder (NoBo) where it will be part of a “creative campus” set to include housing and retail space.

“The hope with the new campus is that the museum [becomes] even more integrated in the day-to-day life of Boulder citizens than we maybe are now,” says Gwen Burak, BMoCA deputy director. “And certainly, it goes without saying, the lives of Boulder artists. There’s so many artists up in [NoBo].”

But the move is still a few years away. While initial timelines estimated construction would begin in 2025 or ’26, Burak says shovels likely won’t break ground until 2027.

That’s in part because the new museum is set to be part of a larger creative campus conceived by Boulder-based Emerald Development that will include 17,500 square feet of

museum space, 17,500 square feet of commercial space, 67 residential units and 96 parking spaces. Building that will require City Council-approved changes to land use maps and zoning.

It’s hard to know exactly how long that will take — the particular set of processes will be new for the city, says Boulder principal planner Chandler Van Schaack — but City Council and the community have already expressed broad support for the project. While some NoBo residents have concerns about traffic and potential changes to neighborhood character, Van Schaack says the majority of the comments the city received are supportive.

“This project received a lot more community support from the get-go than most projects that we see,” Van Schaack says. “North Boulder has the North Boulder Arts District, and so there are a lot of artists and makers and people who appreciate art. … People really feel like it’ll be, I think, a valuable addition to North Boulder and kind of an iconic development for the North Boulder Arts District.”

It’s still early to say, but Burak says

initial estimates indicate the building will likely cost around $15 million, which BMoCA plans to fundraise through a mix of individual and foundation donations, government grants and tax dollars through Boulder’s 2017 Culture and Safety Tax. The plot for the site will be donated by the landowners, Burak says.

Some community members have already taken part in a values-based engagement process led by the developer and facilitated by consultants from Centro and Ford Momentum. Through approximately 20 interviews and nearly 200 quantitative survey responses, participants expressed a desire to protect artists, the natural setting, affordability and accessibility in the area throughout the course of development.

As the project continues, Burak says there will be more opportunities for engagement. Once an architect is selected, likely in spring 2024, Burak says the museum and developer will work with the architect on plans for discussions and feedback sessions. For now, community members can ask questions at the museum’s First Friday booth and send ideas and feedback on the future of the museum to future@bmoca.org.

“We place a really huge priority on making sure that the end result of the museum is really infused with the community’s needs and wants,” Burak says. “And that’s beyond North Boulder.”

Credit: Jerry Shapins

LONGMONT EYES OLD SUGAR FACTORY AS SITE FOR PERFORMING ARTS VENUE

BY CAITLIN ROCKETT

According to council member Marcia Martin, the concept of turning Longmont’s defunct and dilapidated sugar factory into a performing arts center basically fell into the city’s lap.

The proposal came about a couple of months ago, while Council was still working on language for a ballot measure to ask voters this fall if they’re willing to take on a new property tax to fund such a venture. The venue was originally slated for development downtown at Boston Avenue and Main Street. But Council paused when the current developers of the sugar mill came to the city with a proposal to turn a former beet pulp shed on the property into two backto-back theaters.

So Council went to check out the plat, “two by two,” Martin says, and came to unanimous agreement that this must be the place.

“It’s almost cathedral-like on the inside — if you overlook the graffiti and the bullet holes,” Martin says.

“The acoustics would be magnificent, and it’s structurally sound because it has these arching steel beams and a 6-foot thick concrete pad on the bottom.”

One of the dual theaters would open out onto a postcard-worthy view of the Front Range as a 5,000 standing-capacity amphitheater, while the other would face into town and act as a 1,000-seat formal auditorium. The “Sugar Shed,” as city officials have dubbed the project, will cost city residents $45 million, garnered through a raised sales tax and mill levy increase, about $76 annually for a $500,000 home and a 0.06% bump in sales tax. A private consortium has agreed to run a capital campaign over the next five years to raise $35 million that it will donate to

the city for the project. If voters say yes to the property tax, it will only begin if the donation is made.

“So either there’s never a tax or the city gets this venue for half price — the taxpayers get this venue for half price,” Martin says. “[Taxpayers] won’t pay a dime on this until three years out at the earliest.”

There seems to be broad support for the project, according to both Martin and Longmont Chamber of Commerce board member Chris McGilvray, who also serves as academic dean at Front Range Community College and owns Longmont Liquors on Main Street.

“This has strong support across all demographics, from businesses to our education institutions,” McGilvray says.

In addition to providing Longmont with a venue that can hold more than a few hundred people, McGilvray says the new performing arts center stands to be a robust economic driver.

“Things like this really transform a community,” he says. “Let’s just talk about revenue. Think about the investment that a project like this adds to the community, raising millions of dollars through sales tax, through providing jobs, though generating revenue that gets reinvested locally. This is something we’ve needed for a long time now.”

demand, the expanded primary gallery will be a third larger than it is now, giving curators flexibility to show up to three exhibits at a time.

While Mason says the style of art in the gallery won’t change, aside from possibly larger contemporary pieces, it lets the museum accommodate more exhibits.

“Maybe we have an area that showcases our historic collection, then another area that is bringing in a traveling exhibition, and maybe a third one that is working with a local artist on what they’re doing,” says Mason.

Before his role as director, Mason was the museum’s longtime curator of history. Not surprisingly, he’s excited about the growth of the core history exhibit, which is getting a new gallery.

The campaign has raised 80% of its goal, according to its website. Construction of the museum’s office space started in May. The museum is anticipating the new courtyard to be open in 2024, and all construction completed in fall 2025.

ON THE BILL: Campaign groundbreaking event. Friday, Sept. 15, 10-11 a.m. Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. Free

Renderings courtesy of City of Longmont.

Images courtesy The Longmont Museum.

Longmont Museum continued from page 15

FALL MUSIC PREVIEW

BY BOULDER

Live music is in our blood here on the Front Range. That’s why we’re rounding up the best shows coming to local venues throughout the coming months. From punk to funk and points in between, here’s a rundown on the fall season’s can’tmiss concerts heading to stages in Boulder County and beyond.

SEPTEMBER

GEORGE NELSON. 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Free

THE REVIVALISTS WITH BAND OF HORSES AND THE HEAVY HEAVY 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $70 Story on p. XX

COLORADO BRAZIL FEST PRESENTS: EMICIDA 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $25

MOJOMAMA: 88.5 KGNU LIVE BROADCAST. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. Free

BIG DOPES AND PHOEBE NIX 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $15

DANIEL DONATO’S COSMIC COUNTRY 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20

GEORGE CLANTON WITH FROST CHILDREN AND DEATH’S DYNAMIC SHROUD 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. $26

WILDERADO WITH HUSBANDS. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $25

WAYNE GRAHAM 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $12

THE TONY FURTADO ACOUSTIC TRIO FEAT. MATT FLINNER. 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, Roots Music Project 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $25

JALEN NGONDA 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20

CHRIS COMBS TRIO AND J.J. MURPHY 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $15

OCTOBER

BUFFALO WABS & THE PRICE HILL HUSTLE. 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $12

TGR’S ‘LEGEND HAS IT’ WITH PORTUGAL. THE MAN 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $60

SARAH & SHANNON WITH MAIA SHARP. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

GOOSE (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. Resale: $100+

GOOSE (NIGHT 2). 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. Resale: $130+

THE FRETLINERS 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $14

THE GALENTINES WITH CIRCLING GIRL, BETTER WEATHER 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $15

MOON HOOCH 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $18

SAY SHE SHE WITH NICKY EGAN 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $20

Plan your concert calendar for the rest of the year with these can’t-miss gigs coming to a stage near you

WEEKLY STAFF

Courtesy: Chautauqua Auditorium

ALL HAIL THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

ALL HAIL THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

Oct. 13, Fox Theatre

It’s been more than 20 years since John Darnielle released the lo-fi masterpiece All Hail West Texas under his time-tested moniker The Mountain Goats — a warm and welcoming collection of story-driven acoustic gems that has gained cult status over the ensuing decades. Now the celebrated singer-songwriter dips back into that world on Jenny from Thebes, revisiting the album’s title character in a big and brassy reboot of the beloved 2002 classic.

“I don’t generally bring stuff back once I’ve already put it to bed,” Darnielle told Boulder Weekly in a recent phone call. “So when I got this idea, it felt transgressive to me — breaking my own rule. And by that time, you sort of get the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to do.”

Whether you’re a longtime Mountain Goats devotee or a curious newcomer, you won’t want to miss when Darnielle and company roll into town for a performance with New York-based harpist Mikaela Davis at Boulder Theater on Oct. 13. And keep an eye out for a BW interview with Darnielle ahead of the show. See listing for details

THE ZOMBIES 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $40

JEREMY GARRETT OF THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS. 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $25

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS WITH MIKAELA DAVIS. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $45 BW Pick of the Season

TENNIS WITH SAM EVIAN 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $30

TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS WITH DEANNA BOGART. 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $25

SAMIA WITH VENUS & THE FLYTRAPS 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $20

HAZEL MILLER 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

RATBOYS WITH ANOTHER MICHAEL. 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $20

CASS CLAYTON BAND WITH DECHEN HAWK 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $15

THE MOSS WITH WILDERMISS. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, The Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $20

THUNDERBOOGIE WITH PEOPLE IN BETWEEN AND CELLAR SMELLAR 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, The Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $15

THE GOOD KIND 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $20

THE MOTET 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $35

CHAT PILE DOES DENVER

CHAT PILE DOES DENVER

Nov. 2, Bluebird Theater

Combing through the endless articles about Southern Plains sludgemetal kings Chat Pile since their full-length debut God’s Country crashed into the culture last summer, you’ll notice a throughline in the use of the word “ugly.” It’s a fitting descriptor for the outfit’s menacing sound — which recently landed their LP on Paste Magazine’s list of the 100 best debut albums of the century — but there’s a lot more to the music than ugliness alone.

“It’s supposed to be kind of fun, I think,” says frontman Raygun Busch, whose vocal style oscillates between the desperate ramblings of a dead-eyed derelict and the wounded howl of someone in urgent need of medical attention. “I hate when you look at band pictures, and their whole image down to everything is just so grim and serious. It’s like, ‘Yeah, bro. I also live on earth, you dumb motherfucker.’”

After an unforgettable two-night stint earlier this year with the legendary Lingua Ignota at The Stanley Hotel, the Oklahoma City noise-rock quartet returns to the Front Range with “ecstatic black metal” labelmates Agriculture on Nov. 2. Scan the accompanying QR code for a BW feature on Chat Pile, and get ready for one of the most exciting rock shows of the year. See listing for details

CHRISTIAN LÖFFLER 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, The Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $20

NOVEMBER

BALTHVS 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $12

CHAT PILE WITH AGRICULTURE. 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $25 BW Pick of the Season

THE BROTHERS COMATOSE WITH RAINBOW GIRLS. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $22

COLORADO SOUND MUSIC AWARDS WITH GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS, IZCALLI AND 2MX2 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $35

BELA FLECK, ZAKIR HUSSAIN AND EDGAR MEYER FEAT. RAKESH CHAURASIA: AS WE SPEAK. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $55

AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT WITH TWO RUNNER 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, Fox Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $18

ALLISON RUSSELL: THE RETURNER TOUR. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $25

MAMA MAGNOLIA WITH HEAVY DIAMOND RING 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $15

PAMELA MACHELA: EP RELEASE SHOW. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale St., Denver. $25

BW Pick of the Season

Credit: Juliette Boulay

Credit: Spence Kelly

THE DESERT FURS AND THE JAUNTEE WITH RIVER SPELL

7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $15

LEFTOVER SALMON FEAT. PETER ROWAN WITH BANSHEE TREE

(NIGHT 1). 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $45

LEFTOVER SALMON FEAT. PETER ROWAN WITH SICARD HOLLOW (NIGHT 2) 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $45

PATRICK DETHLEFS WITH BLUEBOOK. 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, Chautauqua Auditorium, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder. $20

DECEMBER

ARMOR FOR SLEEP WITH THE EARLY NOVEMBER AND THE SPILL CANVAS. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. $28

AMERICAN AQUARIUM 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $25

CATTLE DECAPITATION WITH IMMOLATION, SANGUISUGABOGG AND CASTRATOR 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. $25

APOLLO SUNS 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $15

ELEPHANT REVIVAL (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30 Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $50 BW Pick of the Season

GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Fox Theatre, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $30

ELEPHANT REVIVAL (NIGHT 2).

8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30 Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $50

PAMELA MACHALA RINGS IN SCORPIO SEASON

PAMELA MACHALA RINGS IN SCORPIO SEASON

Nov. 16, Swallow Hill

Singer-songwriter Pamela Machala has called Boulder home for nearly a decade. After fine-tuning her craft this summer at the Song School workshop on Planet Bluegrass, the homegrown artist is gearing up to release a four-track EP called Scorpio this November.

“There’s a sex song and a death song and a jealousy song and a song about being sensitive,” Machala says. “It’s these qualities of myself that are stereotypically associated with that particular star sign that are hard to talk about. I’ve done a lot of work in therapy around accepting myself, and the idea behind the EP was [the] normalization of talking about uncomfortable, sort of shadowy things. And perhaps me being honest about this will resonate with someone else and help them feel less shitty.”

Machala celebrates Scorpio with an EP release show on Nov. 16 at

Swallow Hill in Denver, a listening room fit for the artist’s slinky soul and indie-pop sensibilities. Scan the QR code for a BW feature on Machala from this year’s edition of Boulder Insider (on newsstands now). See listing for details

ELEPHANT REVIVAL NEVER FORGETS

ELEPHANT REVIVAL NEVER FORGETS

Dec. 30-31, Boulder Theater

After a four-year hiatus, Boulder County folk favorites Elephant Revival are back and better than ever. With singer and multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Paine handling everything from cello to djembe and washboard, the group’s current formation is rounded out by fellow linchpins Bridget Law (fiddle), Dango Rose (upright bass and mandolin), Charlie Rose (banjo and

pedal steel), Darren Garvey (percussion) and newcomer Daniel Sproul of Boulder rock legends Rose Hill Drive on guitar.

“There’s more space for tenderness in a different way,” Paine says of the current lineup. “Daniel Sproul is an insanely talented rock ’n’ roll guitarist, and [initially] I was like, ‘Well, I don’t know how that’s gonna fit.’ But it turns out he’s very sensitive to the beauty of space. He can just make these incredible textures come out of the songs … I’ve been very encouraged by the rest of the band. We’ve got so much material. It’s fun to get it out there.”

Scan the accompanying QR code for a BW feature on the band ahead of their upcoming two-night stint at Boulder Theater, Dec. 30-31. See listing for details

Courtesy: Pamela Machala

Courtesy: Elephant Revival

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BREAKDOWN

The Revivalists return to Colorado

BY WILL BRENDZA

The Revivalists were supposed to be on the main stage at the 2015 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival in less than an hour, and the band was still driving into town. As lead singer and guitarist David Shaw recalls, they were touring in a Chevy Express — and the mile-high terrain had never been kind to that old bruiser.

“If there’s any weakness in something, the mountains in Colorado will expose it,” Shaw says.

And that day, they did. Car troubles slowed them down and they were screaming into Telluride at the last possible second. The Chevy hooked a right across a bridge to get to the artist’s staging area. But an overzealous volunteer stopped them in their tracks.

“If you guys are unloading for camping I’m going to have to mark your windshield,” Shaw remembers him saying as he brandished a dry-erase marker.

From the back, the frontman’s mane of cork-screw curls popped between the driver and passenger, a polite smile on his face. He could have reacted with anger or frustration. But instead, in Shaw’s characteristic sincerity, he explained: “Look, man, we’re The Revivalists, and we’re really late for our set.”

The band made it in time — despite the car troubles and hold-up on the bridge — but barely. And it was a killer show. The Revivalists were listed ninth on the lineup, fresh on the heels of their third album Men Amongst Mountains, featuring the hit single “Wish I Knew You.” That track went double platinum, topped out at No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart, and set a record in 2017 for the most plays ever recorded during a week’s time for any track on alternative rock radio ever (or at least since 1988, when the Mediabase tracking system was created).

Men Amongst Mountains launched The Revivalists into a new phase of

their career in more ways than one. Not long after its release, they bought a Mercedes Sprinter van and ditched the Chevy Express. Looking back on that near-fiasco the first time the New Orleans-based band played Telluride Blues & Brews, Shaw says Telluride is still one of the most beautiful places he’s ever played. But the 40-year-old Southerner is quick to add that Boulder is probably his favorite.

“Every show we ever played at [The Fox] always just felt like such a special show,” he says. “Those shows stick out in my mind. The crowd was always just ravenous.”

‘NOTHING IS A GIVEN’

The Revivalists played their last Fox Theater show in 2016, making their Red Rocks debut two years later. They’ve returned to the iconic venue each year since, and they’ll do it again on Sept. 14 when the band takes the hallowed stage for the sixth time. That same weekend, they’ll return to the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, this time as headliners. And they’ll be bringing a new album with them.

Released earlier this summer in June, Pour It All into the Night is the band’s fifth studio album and their first in five years. And to say it’s been well received would be an understatement.

The album’s song “The Kid” returned the band to No. 1 on Adult Alternative Radio — the band’s fourth chart-topping track.

Shaw says people have seemed psyched about the new music as they’ve toured across the U.S. this summer.

“I feel like every night the voices from the crowd get a little bit louder. They learn those lyrics just a little bit more,” he says.

“That definitely makes you feel good. It makes you think, ‘All right, this is resonating with the people.’”

Most of Pour It All Out into the Night was written during the COVID lockdowns in 2020. Shaw says he had just finished construction on his home studio, which he describes as a godsend — and not just because it would have been a challenge to get into a commercial studio at that time.

“It would have been tough,” Shaw says. “My wife would have been doing therapy sessions in the same room I was making music in, and I don’t know how it would have worked.”

In a sense, Shaw and co-founder of the band, Zach Feinberg, were out there doing their own therapy in Shaw’s backyard studio. The new album grapples with big topics like newfound fatherhood, marriage, social division and, of course, the personal

hurdles brought on by the pandemic. “[During lockdown] I had a creative boom and was writing a ton, spending a lot of time just by myself with my thoughts. And sometimes that’s good. Sometimes that can be bad,” Shaw says. “But I learned a lot about myself, and I learned that I needed to do a lot of work on myself. And I came out the other side a changed man, a better version of myself.”

The Revivalists have been hustling for almost 16 years. But most of the ground they’ve covered has been in the last eight, in that Mercedes Sprinter that replaced the old Chevy. And if the success of Pour It All Out into the Night is any indication, the band has a long way yet to go.

“I’m just really, really grateful for it all. Honestly, it’s crazy. Nothing is a given,” Shaw says. “I’m just happy to be still doing what I’m doing. And I think I speak for all of us when I say that.”

ON THE BILL: The Revivalists with Band of Horses and The Heavy Heavy. 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $70 | Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Sept. 15-17, 500 E. Colorado Ave. Sunday Pass: $110

The Revivalists play Red Rocks Sept. 14 and the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Sept. 17.

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen.

‘Pour It All into the Night,’ the latest LP from New Orleans-based rock institution The Revivalists, was released June 2023 via Concord Records.

FALL VISUAL ARTS PREVIEW

Autumn brings new life to local galleries

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

When it comes to what’s on view in Boulder County, there’s a lot more to look at than the Flatirons. If you can tear yourself away from the natural splendor outside, there are equally stunning worlds of visual art waiting for you in the temperature-controlled halls of local galleries throughout the area. Here are a few standouts from the upcoming season.

ART OF TRANS LIBERATION.

Through Sept. 29, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (by appointment)

LIGNIN: A HOMECOMING

Through Oct. 8, Firehouse Art Center - Main Gallery, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free

GIGANTES Through Oct. 8, Firehouse Art Center - South Gallery, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free

THE SILHOUETTE PROJECT: NEWCOMERS. Through Oct. 21, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (by appointment)

OPEN STUDIOS PREVIEW

Sept. 15-Oct. 22, Dairy Arts Center - Lobby Galleries, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

FLAT SPACE: WHITMAN LINDSTROM. Sept. 21-Oct. 29, Dairy Arts Center - Caruso Lounge, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

THE JOURNEY Oct. 14-Nov. 4, Firehouse Art Center - Main Gallery, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free

ZIG JACKSON / RISING

BUFFALO Oct. 9-Nov. 5, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (by appointment)

DÍA DE MUERTOS

EXHIBITION. Oct. 14-Nov. 5, Longmont Museum - Swan Atrium, 400 Quail Road. Free

NEURON FOREST: KATIE

CARON Sept. 15-Nov. 11, McMahon Gallery - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

HANNA SMITH: THE LANDSCAPE SERIES Through Oct. 1, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Free

MI CHANTLI ART EXPO. Sept. 18-Oct. 9, Bus Stop Gallery, 4895 Broadway, Boulder. Free

FALL ARTIST SHOWCASE: CHELSEA KIAH Through Nov. 30, BMoCA at Anythink, 495 7th St., Bennett. Free

SOLO EXHIBITIONS: DIEGO FLOREZ ARROYO, GRACE GUTIERREZ AND RAYMUNDO MUÑOZ. Oct. 28-Nov. 11, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

JOHN LAKE: SQUINTING GRIEF. Through Nov. 12, BMoCA at Macky, CU Boulder1595 Pleasant St., Unit 104. Free

KRISTEN ABBOTT: THE LANGUAGE OF LEAVES Tuesdays and Thursdays (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) through Oct. 8, The New Local Annex, 713 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

IRENE DELKA MCCRAY: FROM ME IN HER TO HER IN ME Nov. 17-Jan. 6, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

agriCULTURE: ART INSPIRED BY THE LAND. Through Jan. 7, various locations including Longmont Museum and BMoCA. Prices vary.

MEDIALIVE: TECHNOLOGY AS HEALING. Oct. 12-Jan. 14, BMoCA,1750 13th St., Boulder. $2

Commodities (Food of My People) by Zig Jackson / Rising Buffalo

Cipriano Ortega, Hope Lives in Bernardo, acrylic, 36”x48”, 2023

NEW LEAF

Local artist finds something new under the sun

When visual artist Kristen Abbott sets out to make new work, she doesn’t know what she’ll get until it’s done. That’s because the art practice of the 33-year-old Boulder resident depends on a delicate and unpredictable balance of nature and the Colorado sun.

Her current exhibition The Language of Leaves, on view through Oct. 8 at The New Local Annex on West Pearl Street, showcases the result of Abbott’s methodical and painstaking process. First, she gathers leaves from the trail near her home in South Boulder. Then she arranges her found materials on cyanotype-coated surfaces before covering with cut glass and exposing them to sunlight, modifying the composition with organic compounds, watercolor and pan pastels.

“I consider myself a mixed-media painter. I get to partner with water and leaves and sun to create these paintings,” the Arkansas native says of her wet cyanotype technique used on delicate materials like silk, linen and cotton. “A traditional cyanotype would be more of a crisp image you would see from a film negative. So I’m kind of playing with the experimental nature of the materials and process.”

To help others harness the elements and create their own works, Abbott will host two cyanotype workshops at The New Local Annex in the coming weeks: an experimental course for adults on Sept. 16, followed by a silk scarf workshop on Sept. 24. But just like the weather on the Front Range, when it comes to the end result, you never know how things are going to shake out. For Abbott, it’s all part of the process.

“I left [one] piece outside for like 12 hours. I put it out before it took my kids to school and didn’t pull it in until night,” she says. “And it was so hot, the glass ended up shattering — but the effect was so freakin’ cool, I didn’t even care.”

AT A GLANCE

NEW LEAF AT A GLANCE

Dairy Arts gears up for fall with a focus on community

If you ask visual arts curator Drew Austin what unites the disparate and dazzling works on display this fall at Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, you’ll get an emphatic answer:

“Community, community, community.”

The response should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the city’s largest multidisciplinary arts institution. Since its founding in 1992, the 42,000 square-foot facility has been a fixture of the local creative scene as a home for visual art, dance, film, spoken word and more — all tied together by the idea that local art matters.

Among this fall season’s slated exhibitions are Katie Caron’s mindbending Neuron Forest (Sept. 15-Nov. 11), a preview exhibition of works included in the upcoming countywide Open Studios tour (Sept. 15-Oct. 22) and solo exhibitions from Diego Florez Arroyo, Grace Gutierrez and Raymundo Muñoz (Oct. 28-Nov. 11) spread across the arts center’s four public galleries.

In keeping with the theme of community, the Dairy’s Locals Only gallery will include works by Courtney Griffin (Nov. 2-Dec. 3) and Bill Snider (Dec. 7-Jan. 7) alongside a solo exhibition from Boulder County artist Irene Delka McCray and a large salon-style portrait gallery.

“I wanted [to showcase] the talent we have here. There are so many other people I wanted to invite, and I just stopped myself because I really just wanted to focus on us,” he says of the latter show sourced through an open call to artists in the Centennial State. “When you look at portraits, you’re peering into the community … it’s gonna be massive and beautiful and really exciting.”

Courtesy: Kristen Abbot

Artwork by Irene Delka McCray

Katie Caron, Neuron Forest

Left to right: Whitman Lindstrom, Open Space; Raymundo Muñoz, Surrender; Grace Gutierrez; Allyson McDuffie, Cockadoodle

FALL THEATER PREVIEW

This autumn, local theaters are presenting everything from world premieres to classic musicals

BY TONI TRESCA

Aside from the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Boulder County’s summer theater scene is relatively quiet. Many companies go dormant while the weather’s nice and save their most exciting selections for autumn. Luckily, the fall lineup is set to dazzle locals and visitors alike with an eclectic array of plays and musicals.

Perhaps the biggest story here is that after 46 years, BDT Stage is closing with a four-month run of Fiddler on the Roof. Though that might sound like a long time, tickets for the theater’s encore performance are selling fast. Elsewhere in Boulder, the Dairy Arts Center continues to serve as the home for a variety of nomadic theater companies, including BETC, Local Theater Company, Upstart Crow, Viva Boulder, and a number of other performing arts

groups producing everything from world premieres to Agatha Christie.

Outside of Boulder, companies like Broomfield Community Players, Coal Creek Theatre of Louisville, Theater Company of Lafayette and The Arts HUB are expanding their audiences through a mix of classic and experimental new works. Check out the accompanying listings for theater happenings in Boulder County through the rest of the year.

SEPTEMBER

THE WIZARD OF OZ Aug. 25-Sept. 17, The Unitiive Theatre, 800 S. Hover Road, Suite 30, Longmont

MOON OVER BUFFALO. Sept. 8-23, Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING

EARNEST Sept. 8-Oct. 22, Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Sept. 9, 2023-Jan. 13, 2024, BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder

THE TEMPEST. Sept. 13-17, Upstart Crow - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

PLAYBACK IMPROV THEATER: STORIES OF THE FLOOD Sept. 14, Motus Theater - Longmont Museum & Cultural Arts Center, 400 Quail Road

URINETOWN. Sept. 15-24, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette

OCTOBER

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM BEING A ZOMBIE. Arts in the Open, Sept. 16-Oct. 29, Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road & 9th Street, Boulder

YOU ENJOY MYSELF Sept. 21-Oct. 15, Local Theater Company - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

THE CURIOUS SAVAGE. Sept. 22-Oct. 1, Theater Company of Lafayette - Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson St.

THE MOUSETRAP Sept. 22-Oct. 1, Viva Boulder - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

WELCOMING THE STRANGER: STORIES FROM COLORADANS ON THE FRONTLINES OF IMMIGRATION POLICY Sept. 28, Motus Theater - Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 506 Via Appia Way, Louisville

BETC PRESENTS THE REGIONAL PREMIERE OF ‘COAL COUNTRY’

Last season, the husband-and-wife cofounders of the Boulder-based Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado (BETC), Rebecca Remaly and Stephen Weitz, stepped down from the company they had led for nearly two decades. On July 1 of this year, the couple turned the business over to seasoned artists Mark Ragan and Jessica Robblee.

The duo’s first production will be BETC season opener Coal Country, a suspenseful play by Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank that was inspired by interviews with survivors of a mine explosion in West Virginia and set to the music of country-rock legend Steve Earle.

“It’s the first time it’s being done outside New York City, and we have an amazing cast,” Ragan told Boulder Weekly in August. “No [single] play completely defines us, but Coal Country will define our taste.”

This documentary-style performance piece examines the Upper Big Branch explosion of 2010, which killed 29 miners and destroyed a small West Virginia mining community. Robblee, who was drawn to the play’s language, directs the regional premiere.

“Coal Country lets you meet these miners and understand where they are coming from,” Robblee says. “It’s not just a string of interviews; the play is really well-structured so that you’re taking this journey with them. I especially love the character’s voices. They’re not how most people talk, but it’s powerful to hear these everyday people’s authentic experience of living through extraordinary circumstances.”

Coal Country features a seven-person cast and Joe Jung, the musician and musical director, who understudied Earle in the original NYC production of Coal Country at The Public and Cherry Lane Theater in New York.

“The music is not recorded exactly in the form that it was made, so even though you can purchase sheet music, that’s not what they ended up doing,” Robblee says.

“Joe is this carrier of information about the original process, which will be really special to have in the room ... I always think of theater as a place where you can open yourself up to new experiences, and I think this play is a great invitation to do that.”

SWEENEY TODD. The Unitiive Theatre, Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 800 S. Hover Road, Suite 30, Longmont

PLAYBACK IMPROV THEATER Sept. 30, 2023, Motus Theater - Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY Oct. 6-15, The Spark, 4847 Pearl Street St., Unit B4, Boulder

THE REVOLUTIONISTS. Oct. 6-15, CU Boulder Theatre Department - University Theatre Building, 261 University of Colorado

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE Oct. 13, Stories on Stage - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. Oct. 13-22, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette

NOVEMBER

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (A LIVE RADIO PLAY). Oct. 26-Nov. 5, Upstart Crow - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

COAL COUNTRY Oct. 26-Nov. 19, BETC - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

FALSTAFF. Oct. 27-29, CU Boulder College of Music Eklund Opera ProgramMacky Auditorium Concert Hall, 1595 Pleasant St.

THE LEGACY OF BAKER STREET

Oct. 27-Nov. 11, Coal Creek Theater of Louisville - Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave.

THE LITTLE MERMAID. Oct. 27-29, Centerstage Theatre Company, 901 Front St., Louisville

SPOOKY CABARET Oct. 28, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette

WORKING, A MUSICAL. Nov. 3-12, CU Boulder Theatre Department - University Theatre Building, 261 University of Colorado, Boulder

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS WITH CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Nov. 4-12, Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St.

MOMENT IN TIME. Nov. 9-11, Tobin & Gunst - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL Nov. 9-12, CU Boulder Musical Theatre - Imig Music Building, 1020 18th St., Boulder

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN. Centerstage Theatre Company, Nov. 10-12, 901 Front St., Louisville

THE REDEMPTION OF GERTIE GREEN Nov. 11-12, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette

TRANSFORMATIVE STORIES FROM TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY LEADERS. Nov. 12, Motus Theater - eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder

THE BELLE OF AMHERST. Nov. 22–26, BETC - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

DECEMBER

WE’RE STILL HERE: A NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL. Nov. 24-Dec. 3, Empathy Theater Project - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

SOUND OF MUSIC Nov. 24-Dec. 23, The Unitiive Theatre, 800 S. Hover Road, Suite 30, Longmont

WINTER WONDERETTES. Nov. 24-Dec. 3, Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont

SHREK JR. THE MUSICAL

Dec. 1-3, Centerstage Theatre Company, 901 Front St., Louisville

HOLLY, ALASKA! Dec. 7-31, BETCDairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

PLAYBACK IMPROV THEATER

Dec. 9, Motus Theater - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder

YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS: THE RADIO PLAY. Dec. 14-16, Broomfield Community Players, 3 Community Park Road

HOLIDAZED AND CONFUSED Dec. 15-17, Theater Company of Lafayette, Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson St.

Photo courtesy Butterfly Effect Theater of Colorado (BETC)

MOTUS THEATER CONTINUES TRADITION OF AMPLIFYING MARGINALIZED VOICES

In 2011, Motus Theater was established in response to the history of struggle among marginalized groups in Boulder County and beyond. The group took its cue from Kirsten Wilson’s multimedia project Rocks Karma Arrows, which premiered at Boulder’s sesquicentennial in 2009 and examined the area’s history through an intersectional lens. Motus concentrates on creating original stage productions to foster discussion of important contemporary issues.

“Motus Theater has always been a space where art and activism intertwine,” says artistic director Kirsten Wilson. “Our theater serves as a transformative vehicle for societal change, igniting critical conversations through storytelling.”

Although Motus initially concentrated on issues of race and class, its primary focus has since shifted toward immigration issues. The company’s fall schedule features a mix of improv and scripted events in Lafayette, Louisville, Longmont, Denver, and Washington, D.C.

“This fall, we are thrilled to put center stage people whose stories have been put to the margins as the protagonists in the American drama,” Wilson says. “Whether it’s breaking down barriers for transgender and non-binary people, advocating for the formerly incarcerated, or empowering the undocumented community, our season reflects the tapestry of America’s most pressing issues.”

“Motus is not just about performance; it’s about engagement,” Wilson says. “From Playback Improv Theater nights to special collaborations, we offer a multitude of ways for the community to be part of these important conversations … and it’s designed to capture a broad array of community experiences.”

On Nov. 12 at eTown Hall, Motus will present the world premiere of TRANSformative Stories. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the evening will feature autobiographical monologues that elevate the joy of transgender and non-binary people as they navigate the difficulties of liberation.

“I have been working intimately with the people in the transgender and non-binary performance group, and right now, they are in the early cocoon stage of their stories,” Wilson says. “I have no idea which one they will choose; we are right now in the juicy part where they get to choose what wisdom they will distribute to the community. If you attend a Motus experience, you will be able to see how storytelling and sharing can reveal the complexities of one’s own humanity.”

CU PRESENTS ‘WORKING,’ A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE WORKFORCE

CU Boulder’s Department of Theatre & Dance is gearing up for its upcoming production of the rarely performed musical Working, based on the 1974 nonfiction book by Studs Terkel, which explores the lives and experiences of America’s working class. Professor Bud Coleman, who had previously only known the show through cast recordings, was compelled to direct Working because of its unconventional structure and documentary-style approach.

“It is not a traditional book musical with a story, but it is also not a revue where the scenes do not connect at all; there is a thematic connection,” Coleman says. “Working is also documentary theater [based on recorded conversations], which is unusual for a musical, but hearing real-life interviews set to music is really cool.”

The renovation of the University Theatre into the Roe Green Theatre had a profound impact on Coleman. Alumna Roe Green gave the theater program at CU Boulder a record-breaking $5 million in 2021 to upgrade the University Theatre’s acoustics and establish endowed funds for scholarships, maintenance, and to jumpstart students’ careers in the arts. During the building’s construction process, Coleman realized that, much like the characters in Working, there is an army of people behind the scenes who contribute to making a production come to life.

“The last song in the piece is called ‘Something To Point To,’ and the various characters are singing from their point of view about the pride that they take in seeing their work, even if they only did a small part of it,” Coleman says. “The characters’ pride in knowing that this building exists because they helped make it is a nice parallel to the renovation. I have a list of all the people who worked on the renovation. And, though we aren’t sure whether it will be in the program or projected on stage, we’ll be celebrating the labor that made the Roe Green Theatre.”

Another unique aspect of CU’s production is its usage of the “localized” version of Working. Music Theatre International gives organizations the choice of performing the script used in the 2012 revival or providing directors with a special script and production guide that includes instructions on how to incorporate interviews with current employees in the location where production is taking place.

“Once we found out that option existed, we canceled the original contract and applied for the new contract,” Coleman says. “I don’t have all the folks confirmed, but I know I’ll be speaking with a park ranger from Rocky Mountain National Park and a ski instructor in Winter Park. We’re trying to focus on occupations that are either Colorado- or Boulder-centric.”

Working is a musical that, according to Coleman, will speak to anyone who has ever had a job, good or bad. “This gives people the opportunity to see a different type of musical in a documentary style that I think people will find intriguing,” he says. “And, since we are doing the localized version, they will hear interviews that were done in the seventies and all the way up to the present.”

Photo courtesy Motus Theater

FALL DANCE PREVIEW

SEPTEMBER

DENVER VINTAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL

Sept. 15-18, Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th St., Denver. Tickets: $45 and up

The Denver Vintage Jazz Festival is three nights of music and dancing from the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s with workshops, classes, performances and lectures from internationally renowned choreographers.

INDUSTRIAL DANCE ALLIANCE — ‘TO BE HUMAN’

6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: $20-$25

This production by Denver-based Industrial Dance Alliance explores the complexities of human emotion. Through film and live dance, this showcase captures how joy, sadness, fear and anger impact us, and the ripple effect those emotions have on our community.

CLEO PARKER ROBINSON — ‘FIREBIRD’

7:30 and 2 p.m. Sept. 16 and 17, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th St., Denver. Tickets: $20 and up

Unlike traditional versions of this magical ballet which are usually staged in Slavic settings, Cleo Parker Robinson’s lush and innovative interpretation is set in the Hawaiian Islands, with the Firebird being an incarnation of Pele, the Goddess of the Volcano.

BOULDER BALLET — ‘CONNECTION’

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder.

Tickets: $25-$63

Boulder Ballet opens its season with a special program celebrating the power of personal connection to amplify the spirit, featuring work by nationally acclaimed choreographers Caili Quan and Amy Seiwert, as well as local dance maker Sarah Tallman (Wonderbound) and Boulder Ballet’s Ben Needham-Wood.

[UN]WRAP — QUEER LOVE IN TIMES OF CRISIS

7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30, University Theatre Building, 261 University of Colorado, Boulder.

Tickets: $24

This is a week-long experimental sympo-

sium that celebrates queer existence and futurity through dance in response to antitrans and anti-queer legislation. It includes workshops, critical conversations, community building practices, a rave and culminating performances.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE CONTEMPORARY BALLET — ‘VIENNA VIENNA’

7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: $25-$28

Enjoy highly skilled contemporary dance from choreographer Robert Sher-Machherndl in collaboration with Makaila Wallace.

CENTENNIAL STATE BALLET’S FALL SHOWCASE

7 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. Tickets: $18-$25

The first half of the program will feature “Vespers” performed by Centennial State Ballet youth members followed by “Mobile” performed by Zikr Dance Ensemble. The second half of the program will feature CSB’s youth ballet dancers performing Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals.” The performance will feature narration by Alex Sedrowski as well as the work of the poet Ogden Nash.

OCTOBER

BOCO FLAMENCO FALL ’23

Oct. 10-13, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: $45-$65

BOCO International Flamenco Fall Festival will feature the virtuosity of 2021 Grammy-nominated guitarist Rafael Riqueni.

DEREK HOUGH — ‘SYMPHONY OF DANCE’

7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Bellco Theater, 1100 Stout St., Denver. Tickets: $39.50 and up Fans will delight in this fusion of dance and music as Emmy-winning dynamo Derek Hough (Dancing With the Stars) explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hip-hop.

WONDERBOUND

— WICKED

BAYOU’ WITH THE WIDOW’S BANE

2 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19-29, Wonderbound, 3824 Dahlia St., Denver. Tickets: $65

Young lovers fight for their lives against a hurricane, a zombie puppeteer, and a gator who feeds on the hearts of children.

BOULDER BURLESQUE — ‘THE DARK FOREST’

Oct. 20-22, The Spark, 4847 Pearl St., Unit B4, Boulder. Tickets: TBA

Get lost in the haunted woods as Boulder Burlesque beckons you into a mythic realm

of fear and seduction, challenge, fear and the unknown.

NOVEMBER

ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE — ‘INITIATION’

7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: $25-$25

Zikr Dance Ensemble will present a reprise of Tomm Ruud’s miniature masterpiece and audience favorite “Mobile”, along with two new premieres by artistic director David Taylor: “Icarus After” and “Ripples in the Sand,” an abstract multi-media work set to the haunting music of Hans Zimmer.

T2 DANCE COMPANY — ‘LOST & FOUND’

7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder.

Tickets: $15-$25

A collaboration between T2 Dance Company and local poet Joe Howard, exploring loss and what can be found in its aftermath. Featuring vocalist Anne Martinez and film work by Hassan Keivan.

BOULDER BALLET —

‘THE NUTCRACKER’

Nov. 24–26 and Dec. 2-3, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder.

Tickets: $25 and up

This is a beloved holiday treat for the whole family. Clara takes a wondrous journey through the Land of the Sweets, set to a sweeping score by Tchaikovsky.

CENTENNIAL STATE BALLET — ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ TEA PARTY

1 and 4 p.m. Nov. 25 and 26, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont.

Tickets: $55-$60

The Sugar Plum Tea Party is a shorter, narrated performance of selected scenes from The Nutcracker, perfect for younger patrons, complete with a selection of teas, scones, finger sandwiches and bite-sized desserts. You can even have your photo made with performers.

DECEMBER

BOULDER BALLET —

’THE NUTCRACKER’

Dec. 2 and 3, Vance Brand Auditorium, 600 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont.

Tickets: TBA

This is a beloved holiday treat for the whole family. Clara takes a wondrous journey through the Land of the Sweets, set to a sweeping score by Tchaikovsky.

WONDERBOUND — ‘ICY HAUGHT’

Dec. 7-17, Wonderbound, 3824 Dahlia St., Denver. Tickets: TBA

This saucy new show by Garrett Ammon and Sarah Tallman will take you to climes warmer and cooler than you may expect.

CENTENNIAL STATE BALLET — ‘THE NUTCRACKER’

2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 17, Niwot High School, 8989 Niwot Road. Tickets: $24-$29

Join Clara as she journeys into her dreams to visit the Nutcracker, Mouse King, Sugar Plum Fairy and a cast of characters in the Land of Sweets.

JANUARY

T2 DANCE COMPANY — VERSATILITY

DANCE FESTIVAL

7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590

Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: TBA

Now in its sixth year, Versatility Dance Festival presents two nights of great dance on stage and screen, showcasing the best in emerging and established dance companies and dance filmmakers from around the country and beyond.

BOOK REPORT

Six new titles by Colorado authors to pick up this season

BY BART SCHANEMAN

As usual, Colorado readers are blessed with an abundance of literary riches. This fall, the state’s homegrown writing community brings the following offerings: A comics series that travels back in time in an attempt to kill Christopher Columbus, a poignant novel about family secrets, two bookish murder mysteries, an investigation into if aliens are real, and more. Here are six books to look for this season.

‘IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?: THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE, FROM AMOEBAS TO ALIENS’ BY

LAURA KRANTZ

Out Oct. 3 via Abrams Books for Young Readers | $20

Take me to your leader, please. Drawing on the popularity of her Wild Thing podcast about science and society, Denver author Laura Krantz uses her investigative journalism chops to see if we’re really alone in the universe. Krantz cites research from astrobiologists, astronomers and astrophysicists to determine the likelihood of life on other planets. Maybe aliens have already visited. If they did, how did they get here? And is there any room on the ship back to their planet? This one’s a disaster.

‘LONG PAST DUES’ BY JAMES J. BUTCHER

Out Oct. 10 via Ace | $27

In the newest installment of the Unorthodox Chronicles, Denver author James J. Butcher presents a character with the unforgettable name of Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby. Bored with the grind of his daily duties as an auditor enforcing laws about magic for Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs, Grimsby gets his hands on a file that’s about to make his job a whole lot more interesting. He teams up with huntsman Leslie Mayflower to crack the case of a strange ritual, encountering werewolves, cursed artifacts and an underground city along the way.

‘THE WIND WILL CATCH YOU’ BY MICHELLE THEALL

Out Sept. 19 via Alcove Press | $20

Boulder author Michelle Theall is back with a novel about a college student who is a product of the foster system and lives in a halfway house. As protagonist Sky juggles the stresses of university life, she’s blindsided by a phone call asking her to make medical decisions for a brother who died more than 10 years ago. Sky’s caseworker helps her figure out what’s going on with the mystery man in the hospital as long-kept family secrets unravel.

‘LAST WORD TO THE WISE: A CHRISTIE BOOKSHOP MYSTERY’ BY ANN CLAIRE

Out Oct. 3 via Bantam | $17

In a new mystery by Colorado author Ann Clair, bookworm sisters Ellie and Meg Christie have recently started new jobs taking care of their family’s bookshop on a Colorado mountain. But they’re not great at relationships. So when their cousin signs them up for her new matchmaking business that pairs people based on their tastes in books, the sisters aren’t exactly overly excited. Despite that, Meg’s first date goes great. The man’s a charmer, wellread, and romantic. Then he ends up dead. Meg was the last one to see him alive, so naturally she’s the police’s prime suspect. To get to the truth, the sisters take matters into their own hands and start their own investigation.

‘EARTHDIVERS, VOL. 1: KILL COLUMBUS’ BY STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES

Out Sept. 19 via IDW Publishing | $18

This guy doesn’t sleep, probably because much of what he writes about is nightmare-inducing. Uber-prolific Boulder-based author Stephen Graham Jones makes his foray into comics with a time travel tale about Indigenous outcasts on a mission to kill Christopher Columbus. Set in 2112, the world is devastated by climate change. Looking for a way to save the world, the group of misfits stumble upon a time travel portal in a cave in the desert and send a linguist named Tad back to 1492 to murder Columbus before he reaches the “New World.” Of course, anyone who’s read a time-travel story knows it won’t be that simple, and Tad’s actions could have unintended consequences for the future planet he’s trying to save.

‘JANE AND THE FINAL MYSTERY’ BY STEPHANIE BARRON

Out Oct. 24 via Soho Crime | $28

For the conclusion of the long-running Being a Jane Austen Mystery series, Denver writer Stephanie Barron sets the story in 1817 as Austen’s health is waning. The celebrated author is having trouble writing, but when her nephew tells her of a death at his former school, even her poor condition can’t keep her from investigating. Can she clear the name of the wrongly accused before her sickness puts her down for the count? Over the past 14 novels, Barron has mastered writing in Austen’s voice as well as crafting page-turning mystery plots. Pick up a copy to find out if she sticks the landing.

For 38 years Ars Nova Singers has been enrapturing adventurous listeners with music beyond words. Put yourself in the picture this season as we expand our horizons and grow in new directions, uncovering hidden treasures in music that only the human voice can reveal.

Our 2023–24 season features lyrical, soaring works for voices performed with professional polish, stylish versatility, and a joyous spirit.

Avenir Foundation

Tom Morgan, ArtisticDirector

LIT UP

Indie book fair unites Front Range literary scene

BY BART SCHANEMAN

Independent authors on small presses often lack marketing dollars to promote their books, and many aren’t natural promoters. To help these local writers and presses find readers and get the word out, Denver author Hillary Leftwich has organized an all-day literary reading and book fair right here on the Front Range.

More than 30 indie authors and at least eight small presses from Colorado will be reading and tabling books during the Sept. 30 event at bookstoreevent space Counterpath in Denver. Featuring a keynote presentation from Aurora Poet Laureate Ahja Fox and local presses like Fonograf, Dzanc and Trident, the Indie Author and Press Book Fair is free, all ages, and open to the public.

According to Leftwich, the book fair was born out of a desire to bring the literary community together.

“It’s not an innovative idea by any means,” she says. “We’ve had book fairs and zine markets before. But I really want to support the local authors who are not on big presses or don’t have agents.”

Leftwich recognizes that getting a book noticed in today’s attention economy is no easy task. Writers are a noto-

BOOKS

her, it’s an opportunity to reframe the cultural conversation away from the traditional coastal hubs.

“So much of the publishing industry has always been centered in New York, and it’s easy for people to overlook how many terrific writers and presses are right here in their local communities,” she says. “Events like this one help shine a spotlight on authors and presses who might get overlooked in the mad, money-forward scramble that is book publicity.”

Dotter says whenever she goes to a local conference or event, she’s “astonished” by the authors in Colorado. “People whose books I’ve admired from afar, never knowing they’re close enough to grab a coffee together,” she says. “I’ve made a lot of great friends that way, and I’m looking forward to making more.”

ON THE PAGE: Indie Author and Press Book Fair. 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Counterpath, 7935 East 14th Ave., Denver. Free

riously introverted set. “I wanted to bring an event where this is an opportunity to talk about your book,” she says. “This is your opportunity to brag.”

Writers are encouraged to show up with their books and zines to sell or swap during the book fair, designed to bring authors from a number of disparate genres together under one roof with a common purpose. In addition to networking and audience-building opportunities, writers are encouraged to approach press representatives with questions about what they publish and what they’re looking for at the moment.

“It’s a great way to meet other authors who maybe you’ve only seen on social media,” Leftwich says. “And also meet the independent presses here in our communities.”

SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT

Author Jay Halsey is one of the dozens of writers who will be reading at the event. Halsey found his first writing community in Boulder after moving here from Ohio about two decades ago. He says events like these can be

just as valuable to those getting started in writing as to those who have been in the game for a long time.

“Indie presses and authors are traditionally overlooked and underrepresented in the writing world at large,” Halsey says. “Connecting with other authors and presses and exploring what works and doesn’t work … is going to be a huge help for many of us.”

To that point, Halsey says the Colorado literary scene can feel intimidating for the younger writer on the outside looking in.

“That said, I’m fortunate enough to have seen, read with, and interacted with writers from all pockets of the lit scene,” he says. “Some of these writers have become my very best friends through readings and other literary events that involve a broad scope of talent from all over the Front Range.”

Michelle Dotter, publisher and editor in chief of Boulder-based Dzanc Books, says attending events like these is a way to support authors in your own community. According to

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

● 10:30 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. Giveaways, drawings, prizes and an open mic

● NOON – 1 P.M. Featured author panelists

● 2-3 P.M. Featured press panelists

● 3:30 – 4:30 P.M. Gesture

Press reading:

● 5-6 P.M. Keynote: Ahja Fox, poet laureate of Aurora, reading and Q&A

● 6:30 – 7:30 P.M. Closing night featured readers:

● 7:30 P.M. Dance party

As of press time, the indie presses with books for sale at the event include Fonograf Press, Dzanc Books, Gesture Press, Fulcrum Press, Trident Press, Bombay Gin Press, New Feathers Anthology and Twenty Bellows.

Left to right: Hillary Leftwich, Ahja Fox, Jay Halsey

‘HOW IS THIS PERFECT?’

Colorado’s new poet laureate on queer representation and the ‘gift’ of mortality

BY JEZY J. GRAY

When poet and performer Andrea Gibson was growing up as a closeted queer kid in the days before the internet, there was no roadmap from their hometown in rural Maine to the person they needed to become.

“I’m nonbinary, but I never had that word when I was young. I used ‘tomboy,’ because it was all that fit me,” says the longtime Boulder resident who moved to their new home on the Front Range in 1999. “I didn’t have artists I could look to as role models — not just for having a voice, but for being thrilled about their lives.”

Now Gibson is that model for others, having recently been appointed Colorado Poet Laureate by Gov. Jared Polis during a Sept. 6 ceremony in the shadow of the Flatirons at Chautauqua Park. The honor is typically bestowed at the State Capitol, but with Gibson’s immune system weakened by treatment for ovarian cancer after a lifechanging diagnosis two years ago, the celebration was held outdoors.

“It was this small circle of many of the artists a generation older than myself who raised me up, who taught me about the intersection of art and activism 20 years ago, sitting in the front row beside me. I just felt so indebted to them,” says the 48-year-old author of celebrated poetry collections like You Better Be Lightning, Pansy and Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns. “I’m not supposed to hug right now, so it was so hard to not just hug everybody.”

Gibson’s prestigious new role essentially functions as a statesanctioned poetry ambassador, attending a gauntlet of public readings, talks and other cultural

events to help promote the artform across Colorado. (“My partner just keeps calling me the president of poetry,” they say with a laugh.)

It’s a daunting task on its face, especially for a person with serious health complications. Looking at the shoes left behind by previous state poet laureate Bobby LeFebre, the youngest and first person of color to hold the position in Colorado, Gibson didn’t know if it was the right move at such a vulnerable moment in their life.

“I could see how much he was giving to the state — how much energy and heart he was putting into it. He was everywhere, all the time. And I thought, ‘How am I going to do that?’ I had an initial hesitation,” they recall.

“[But] I know so many poets who are

disabled or chronically ill, or navigating a serious disease … so I had a ‘yes’ to the moment when I got over my own ableism. I want these things to be possible for everyone.”

MEMENTO MORI

But there was a grimmer question at the heart of Gibson’s hesitation: Would they live long enough to complete the four-year term? Hanging over the poet’s head like a swinging ax, the thought spun even more doubt around the lingering uncertainty regarding what was perhaps the most monumental decision of their professional life.

“Then I realized that nobody can promise that. I’ve shared so much about my diagnosis, not so people understand that I am mortal, but because I want other people to know that they are,” Gibson says. “Because knowing that I’m mortal, that I could die any day, has gifted me so much gratitude and awe and joy. It has just transformed my life. Like I said at the ceremony: I wish that for everyone, minus the cancer.”

So Gibson wrapped their arms around the moment. Back home for treatment after so much time on the

road, often spending more than half the year on tour performing heartstopping works from the dozen-plus critically acclaimed books and albums under their belt, the new poet laureate designation has offered a chance to reconnect with the community that helped shape them.

“This is bringing back all these memories about when I started writing and creating in Boulder, [like] my first open mics at Penny Lane. Seeing people I haven’t seen in 20 years has just been really beautiful,” they say. “I can feel this nourishing my spirit, my health, and my excitement for life.”

This rooted sense of connection should serve Gibson as they embark on a new chapter in an already accomplished career. And if that haunting thought behind the swinging ax begins to rattle its chains, there’s another question that resonates for the former closeted queer kid who needed someone like themself to answer with joy.

“Every day since my diagnosis, I ask myself: ‘How is this perfect?’ and every day I get an answer as to why,” they say. “This was another reason.”

Longtime Boulder resident Andrea Gibson was announced as Colorado Poet Laureate by Gov. Jared Polis in a ceremony at Chautauqua Auditorium on Sept. 6. Photo by Megan Falley.

SEASON’S SCREENINGS

Fill out your fall calendar with these festivals and films

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

BEST OF THE FESTS

DENVER SILENT FILM FESTIVAL

Sept. 22-24, Denver Film Center

2510 E. Colfax Ave. $15 (GA) / $75 (festival pass)

Naturally, we’ll start in the past. Why? Because there’s just something magical about silent films. Unhindered by language, untethered by national borders, silent films are like mathematics: universal in every way. And back for its 10th anniversary, the Denver Silent Film Festival rediscovers those eternal messages. Helmed by film critic, historian and professor extraordinaire Howie Movshovitz, DSFF screens 16 comedies, dramas and works of historical fiction from Austria, Germany and the U.S. with live musical accompaniment and plenty of contextual introductions. There’ll even be a series of shorts from CU Denver’s Department of Film and Television students that’ll play nicely alongside the films of 1923.

Not since the pandemic of 2020 (and 2021, 2022...) has the film calendar looked this uncertain. A dual strike from the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild has barred many creatives from promoting their movies, causing some studios to pull their slate from festival competitions and the 2023 awards season. They’ll pause for another day while so many others wait in limbo. But if the titles that graced the film festivals of Telluride, Toronto and Venice these past few weeks are any indication, then there are many fine films to look forward to this fall season.

BOULDER JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Nov. 2-12, Dairy Arts Center

2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $18-$25

Also celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Boulder Jewish Film Festival (BJFF) brings the best in Jewish cinematic storytelling to the Dairy Arts Center for 10 days of screenings and discussions. Curated by Kathryn Bernheimer, BJFF will screen 18 features and shorts, narratives and docs, like the Colorado premiere of Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, The Song, the Journey on opening night.

46TH DENVER FILM FESTIVAL

Nov. 3-12, Denver Film Center

2510 E. Colfax Ave. $80+

Though the program won’t be released for another month, you can bet the Denver Film Festival will be your first chance to see some of the biggest movies closing out the year and your only chance to see a great many international and independent flicks on the big screen. Spanning multiple venues and screening hundreds of titles across 10 days, the Denver Film Festival is a must for Front Range moviegoers.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14

BLP KOSHER

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15

TERROR REID

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16

CASPA

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17

TWO GIRLS ONE GHOST

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21

SHIFT FT. SPOONBILL

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22

DANIEL DONATO’S

COSMIC COUNTRY

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23

KURSA

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26

VICTORIA MONET

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30 EGGY

TUESDAY OCTOBER 3

OHGEESY

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4

SATSANG

FRIDAY OCTOBER 6

SLOWDIVE

SATURDAY OCTOBER 7

DUFFREY

THURSDAY OCTOBER 12 BIA

FRIDAY OCTOBER 13

ARTIFAKTS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 14

SUNGAZER

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18

TOBI LOU

THURSDAY OCTOBER 19

SHIFT FT. OAKK

FRIDAY OCTOBER 20

SHAWN JAMES

SATURDAY OCTOBER 21

MOLLY TUTTLE & GOLDEN HIGHWAY

SUNDAY OCTOBER 22

DEPTHS OF WIKIPEDIA

TUESDAY OCTOBER 24

LONG BEACH DUB ALLSTARS & PASSAFIRE

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25 FLO MILLI

THURSDAY OCTOBER 26

SHIFT FT. CHEE

FRIDAY & SATURDAY OCTOBER 27-28 DUAL VENUE

DOPAPOD & TAUK

SUNDAY OCTOBER 29

JACQUEES

TUESDAY OCTOBER 31

SPOOKY RAVE

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 2

PARRA FOR CUVA & CHRISTIAN LOFFLER

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3

DEVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4

THE BROTHERS COMATOSE

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14 SHIFT FT. AUSTERIA

FRIDAY & SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15-16 CYCLES & EMINENCE ENSEMBLE

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17

FRAMEWORKS

PATIO BRUNCH PARTY

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20

AMENDOLA VS BLADES

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21

SHIFT FT. MASS RELAY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22

XAVIER OMAR

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23 MAPACHE

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25

SAMMY RASH

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 03 GREEDO

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28 DUAL VENUE SHIFT FT. MINDEX & SYMBOLICO

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29 DUAL VENUE APPALACHIA ON THE ROCKS IV

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30

THE FRETLINERS

THURSDAY OCTOBER 5 BOMBINO

FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 BABYJAKE

SATURDAY OCTOBER 7

DRAGONDEER

SUNDAY OCTOBER 8

TROPIDELIC

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 11

ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ

FRIDAY OCTOBER 13

BUFFALO COMMONS & JEREMY GARRETT BAND

SATURDAY OCTOBER 14

THE LAST REVEL

MONDAY OCTOBER 16

DEVON GILFILLIAN

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18

MARC E. BASSY

FRIDAY OCTOBER 20

THE DENVER POP PUNK ALL-STARS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 21

BAG RAIDERS

SUNDAY OCTOBER 22 IDK

TUESDAY OCTOBER 24 EST GEE

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25

MIKE DIMES & DRO KENJI

THURSDAY OCTOBER 26

ZACH NUGENT’S DEAD SET

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FALL FILM PREVIEW

THE CREATOR

Opens Sept. 29

English-born director Gareth Edwards made a name for himself with the low-budget Monsters in 2010. Four years later, he helmed the reboot of the Godzilla franchise and made one of the best installments since the series began. Big-budget spectacles with heart and an international cast are his hallmark, and that’ll continue with The Creator, a futuristic thriller set during the war between humanity and artificial intelligence. We’ve seen this story before, but like Godzilla, Edwards promises more than the same old same old.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Opens Oct. 20

For years, the teaming of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio was only eclipsed by the legendary movies Scorsese and Robert de Niro made together. Now, all three join forces for the cinematic adaptation of David Grann’s nonfiction book, which chronicles a series of suspicious murders of Osage people after oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma. Lily Gladstone co-stars, as does BW’s own arts and culture editor, Jezy J. Gray, in a small principal cast role.

FINGERNAILS

Opens Nov. 3

Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou’s debut feature, Apples, had the dubious distinction of premiering in the thick of a global pandemic. Naturally, his followup is sure to garner a bit more attention. Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed play clerks at a compatibility clinic where couples can test their romantic match by having their fingernails removed. It’s lo-fi sci-fi with a too-narrow focus, but the performances, which also include Luke Wilson and Jeremy Allen White, are outstanding.

ANATOMY OF A FALL

Opens Oct. 13

French filmmaker Justine Triet has been making narrative features for a decade. But it wasn’t until her latest, Anatomy of a Fall, won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May that she achieved international recognition. Anchored by Sandra Hüller (who excelled in 2016’s Toni Erdmann), Anatomy of a Fall blends family drama with a whodunit plot and is sure to bring out the true crime lovers and the arthouse crowd alike.

NYAD

Opens Oct. 20.

You might not know of Diana Nyad, but you should. She was the long-distance swimmer who, at the age of 26, tried to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida. That swim was scuttled after currents pushed Nyad off course, but she wasn’t the quitting kind. So she tried the swim again four decades later at 64. Annette Bening stars as the headstrong and cantankerous Nyad, Jodie Foster plays her equally assertive friend and coach, and documentary filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi — best known for their Oscar-winning Free Solo — jump into the narrative waters for a genuine crowd-pleaser.

NAPOLEON Opens Nov. 22

Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix have some big shoes to fill. In addition to Abel Gance’s 1927 monumental epic, Charlie Chaplin and Stanley Kubrick’s failed attempt to bring the diminutive emperor to the big screen cast a long shadow. But that hasn’t stopped Scott and Phoenix from throwing their hat in the ring for their spin on the man who came from nothing and briefly ruled everything. Vanessa Kirby stars as Josephine, and a wonderfully continental cast back the leads.

Courtesy: 20th Century Studios

Courtesy: Le Pacte

Courtesy: Paramount Pictures / Apple Original Films

Courtesy: Netflix

Courtesy: Apple TV+

Courtesy: Apple TV+ / Apple Original Films

DAIRY ARTS CENTER

BACK IN THE SADDLE

CU Boulder’s International Film Series returns with new program manager

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

There’s a new sheriff at the CU International Film Series (IFS), and his name is Jason Phelps. If you’ve attended IFS in the past, you’ve probably seen him introducing movies, running the projector, directing the pithy shorts reminding you to turn off your phone, or presenting his directorial debut, the 2017 martial arts comedy The Curse of the Dragon Sword. He’s even hosted an IFSCU Cinema Studies podcast interviewing faculty and filmmakers. In short, Phelps has done it all and then some.

But the one thing Phelps doesn’t want to do is upset the applecart. IFS is known for screening the best in independent, international and classic cinema, and the recently released Fall 2023 calendar promises to continue that tradition. But a closer look also reveals the mark of Phelps’ particular passions: animation and martial arts. In a world of AI-generated content and algorithmic suggestions, personalized curation is like a breath of fresh air.

And with the IFS now in full swing — everything kicked off this past Sunday with a screening of the excellent The Eight Mountains — now is your chance to see some truly wonderful programs that, in some cases, you certainly won’t find anywhere else. Here are three programs you don’t want to miss.

ANIMATION APPRECIATION WEEK

Oct. 2-8

When it comes to animation, most people think kiddie and family-friendly flicks — and they’re not wrong. The bulk of hand-drawn, computer-generated and stop-motion movies that hit the multiplex are targeted at a specific demographic. But open up the lens a little and you see a dazzling array of artistry on display, from Don Hertzfeldt’s idiosyncratic squiggly stick figures (It’s Such a Beautiful Day, Oct. 2) to the sleek and futuristic (Ghost in the Shell, Oct. 5) to the strange and psychedelic (Son of White Mare, Oct. 6). And for those with little ones at home, IFS does have one familyfriendly pick: the stop-motion Coraline, Oct. 8, when kids get in free.

BRUCE LEE RETROSPECTIVE

Nov. 29-Dec. 3

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Enter the Dragon (Dec. 2), the crowning achievement of Bruce Lee’s martial arts career on screen and the biggest exposure for his philosophy, Jeet Kune Do. Lee was a force unlike any other, and the ability to watch all five of his movies in close succession is to see a star’s birth and maturity in three short years. Only have time to watch one? Make it The Way of the Dragon (Dec. 1). Lee’s climactic fight with Chuck Norris — yes, that Chuck Norris — in the Roman Colosseum is one of those rare cinematic moments that exist on another plane.

NINE DAYS OF ’90S

Dec. 5-14

A profound yearning for 1990s nostalgia has emerged in recent years, and despite the ’90s being a shit decade for a whole mess of reasons, there is an

undeniable draw to some of the era’s artistic achievements. That just so happens to include high-water marks for Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Dec. 7), Wong Kar-wai (Chungking Express, Dec. 8), Pedro Almodóvar (All About My Mother, Dec. 9), Edward Yang (A Brighter Summer Day, Dec. 10) and James Cameron (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Dec. 13).

The other four in the program: the hyper-kinetic Run, Lola, Run (Dec. 12), the schlock-tastic Mortal Kombat (Dec. 14) and the movie that has engendered more adoration and vitriol than practically anything released in the past four decades, David Fincher’s Fight Club (Dec. 11).

Based on Chuck Palahniuk’s tale of white affluent male dissatisfaction with the modern world and sporting cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth’s magnificently shadowy and dank cinematography, Fight Club features one of Brad Pitt’s finest performances, a Dust Brothers score that’s still pounding inside Jack’s skull and a conceit that is easy to love, difficult to accept and impossible to dismiss. Other theaters would stay away from it like fire. That’s why we have the International Film Series.

ON SCREEN: 2023 International Film Series. Through Dec. 14, CU BoulderMuenzinger Auditorium, 1905 Colorado Ave. Full schedule: internationalfilmseries.com

Courtesy: Criterion

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

Courtesy: Shochiku

2023 LOUISVILLE OKTOBERFEST

3-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 and noon-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, 525 Main St., Louisville. Free

Celebrate the hoppiest holiday in Louisville with beer steins and turkey legs. This all-ages event features jousting, live music and a huge variety of craft beers from around the world. Show up in lederhosen or dirndl for a free beer.

SUMMER MUSIC EVE: BOTTLEROCKET HURRICANE

4-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, Sunflower Farm, 11150 Prospect Road, Longmont. $27

Join Denver-based band Bottlerocket Hurricane for an evening of food, drinks, music, animals, and activities for all ages at Sunflower Farm. With influences including Townes Van Zandt, Harry Nilsson, the Grateful Dead and Gillian Welch, Bottlerocket

Hurricane blends Americana, folk and ’70s rock around lyrics about life, love and community. Passport Food Truck will be on-site to dish out international tapas, with Palo Coffee & Bar nearby to wet your whistle and sate your sweet tooth with non-alcoholic beverages and snow cones.

16

FALL CLOTHING SWAP, SHOP, CONSIGN!

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, Nude Foods Market, 3233 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

Looking to sustainably revitalize your wardrobe for the upcoming turn of the season? Whether you bring clothes to exchange, or just want to explore The Clothing Cycle’s secondhand collection, you are sure to find the perfect addition to your fall wardrobe during this once-a-year event.

To submit a letter for publication to Boulder Weekly, please email letters@boulderweekly.com

Letters should include the author’s full name, address, and telephone number, and may be edited for length and clarity. If a submission is over 500 words, it will be considered as a guest opinion piece separate from Boulder Weekly’s letters section.

17

PEARL STREET STAMPEDE

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, 1300 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

The Golden Buffalo Marching Band will accompany CU football players, coaches and staff to celebrate a new era of the Buffaloes. Before heading east on Pearl Street, the band will perform in front of the County Courthouse for fans of all ages.

15

RALLY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

3:45-4:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, Dalton Trumbo Fountain Court on the CU Boulder campus

Student-organized club Fossil Free CU is hosting a rally to urge the university to divest from fossil fuels. The event will have art, free food, guest speakers and an open mic for participants to talk about their experience with climate justice. Wear orange and gather at the Dalton Trumbo Fountain on the north side of the University Memorial Center (UMC) to support a cleaner future.

AN IN-POWERING FREEDOM MOVEMENT DANCE AND YOGA JOURNEY

10 a.m.-noon, Sunday, Sept. 17, North Boulder Park, 9th Street and Dellwood Avenue. Free

Jill and Jessica Emich of Shine Living Community will lead this rejuvenating yoga experience aimed to not only enhance your physical well-being but also raise funds to benefit The Alzheimer’s Association. Take in the healing power of community and selfcare in a beautiful outdoor setting, all while making a positive impact on a disease that affects more than 5 million Americans.

HELP WANTED

Workday, Inc. is accepting resumes for the following positions at various levels in Boulder, CO. Software Engineer/ Software Development Engineer (20637.1222): Analyzes, designs, programs, debugs, and modifies software enhancements and/or new products used in local, networked, or internet-related computer programs. May oversee projects and/or programs, as assigned by management. Salary $103,813 - $316,800 per year, 40 hours per week. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location and recruiters can share more during the hiring process. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, future potential and internal pay parity. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please go to workday.com/en-us/company/careers/ life-atworkday.html Interested candidates send resume to J. Thurston, Inc., 6110 Stoneridge Mall Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588. Must reference job # 20637.1222

EVERY WEDNESDAY BOULDER

BLUEGRASS JAM

THU. 9/14 - 8:00PM

ANTONIO LOPEZ BAND & LAURIE DAMERON

SAT. 9/16 - 6:00PM

K9’S, COWBOYS & COCKTAILS FUNDRAISER

MON. 9/18 - 6:30PM

OPEN MIC W/STEVE KOPPE

TUE. 9/19 - 6:30PM

MOJOMAMMA LIVE BROADCAST ON 88.5 KGNU

SAT. 9/23 - 10:00PM GREEN BUDDHA

WED. 9/27- 8:00PM

WAYNE GRAHAM

THU. 9/28 - 8:00PM

THE TONY FURTADO

ACOUSTIC TRIO FEAT. MATT FLINNER

SUN. 10/1 - 8:00PM

BUFFALO WABS & THE PRICE HILL HUSTLE

WED. 10/4 - 8:00PM

SARAH & SHANNON W/ MAIA SHARP

FRI. 10/6 - 8:00PM

BIRDS OF PLAY

THU. 10/12 - 8:00PM

JEREMY GARRETT

FRI. 10/13 - 7:30PM

DELTA SONICS BLUES DANCE PARTY

WED. 10/18 - 8:30PM

BRENDAN ABERNATHY

Purchase Tickets at RMPtix.com RootsMusicProject.org

4747 Pearl Suite V3A

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MAPLETON HILL PORCHFEST

12:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Mapleton Hill, between 4th and 9th streets, Boulder. Free

Say howdy to your neighbor, spread out a blanket and enjoy folk, indie and bluegrass music played from the porches of picturesque homes in Boulder’s Mapleton Hill community. With food trucks nearby to quell hunger, there’s not a better way to spend a late-summer afternoon than under the shade of a silver maple during Porchfest.

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SANITAS MAKERS MARKET SERIES!

1-6 p.m. Sept. 17, Sanitas Brewing Co, 3550 Frontier Ave., Suite A, Boulder. Free

Support local artists, creators, musicians and restaurants at this free family-friendly event, every third Sunday. Explore handmade jewelry, knitwear, prints, crafts, and more from local artisans, all while enjoying a variety of food, drink and local music.

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TAI CHI IN THE PARK

5:15-6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, Admiral Arleigh A. Burke Park, 490 Mohawk Drive, Boulder. Free

Rocky Mountain Tai Chi instructor Robyn Tighe will lead both new and experienced practitioners through a short-form practice in the park. These silent sessions include a guided warm up followed by a non-instructed practice where attendees are welcome to follow along at their own pace.

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10TH ANNUAL CELEBRATING

BIRD MIGRATION

1-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Waneka Lake Park, 1600 Caria Drive, Lafayette. Free

Grab your binoculars and see birds of prey closer than ever before alongside experts and educators at Waneka Lake. Attendees will learn about migration and marshes from avian aficionados at Nature’s Educators, Feminist Bird Club and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. When you’re not searching for avifauna, you can delight in works by wildlife painters and photographers, and even try your luck at winning prizes in a scavenger hunt.

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BOULDER BOOKSTORE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

3-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Boulder Bookstore,1107 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Celebrate Boulder’s largest independent bookstore’s golden anniversary with live music, author meet-andgreets, refreshments and more. The 20,000-square-foot Boulder literary institution is home to some 100,000 titles and countless memories — stop by and reminisce.

MUG PAINTING @ OSKAR BLUES

6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, Oskar Blues Brewery Taproom,1640 S. Sunset St., Longmont. $35

Looking to add some flair to your glassware? Coy Ink Studio will provide secondhand mugs, dishwasher-safe markers and drawing inspiration to help you turn your kitchen cabinet into a mini folk-art gallery. A beer included in the cost of the workshop should help get the creative juices flowing.

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

Fall Mural Series

September + October 2023

Celebrating Colorado’s Black Street Artists

Live mural painting + mural tours + more events

Yazmin Atmore

Thomas “Detour” Evans Rob Hill

Jahna Rae Church Devin “Speaks” Urioste Marcus Murray

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries photographer Wynn Bullock had a simple, effective way of dealing with his problems and suffering. He said, “Whenever I have found myself stuck in the ways I relate to things, I return to nature. It is my principal teacher, and I try to open my whole being to what it has to say.” I highly recommend you experiment with his approach in the coming weeks. You are primed to develop a more intimate bond with the flora and fauna in your locale. Mysterious shifts now unfolding in your deep psyche are making it likely you can discover new sources of soulful nourishment in natural places—even those you’re familiar with. Now is the best time ever to hug trees, spy omens in the clouds, converse with ravens, dance in the mud, and make love in the grass.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Creativity expert Roger von Oech says businesspeople tend to be less successful as they mature because they become fixated on solving problems rather than recognizing opportunities. Of course, it’s possible to do both—untangle problems and be alert for opportunities—and I’d love you to do that in the coming weeks. Whether or not you’re a businessperson, don’t let your skill at decoding riddles distract you from tuning into the new possibilities that will come floating into view.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Gemini author Fernando Pessoa wrote books and articles under 75 aliases. He was an essayist, literary critic, translator, publisher, philosopher, and one of the great poets of the Portuguese language. A consummate chameleon, he constantly contradicted himself and changed his mind. Whenever I read him, I’m highly entertained but sometimes unsure of what the hell he means. He once wrote, “I am no one. I don’t know how to feel, how to think, how to love. I am a character in an unwritten novel.” And yet Pessoa expressed himself with great verve and had a wide array of interests. I propose you look to him as an inspirational role model in the coming weeks, Gemini. Be as intriguingly paradoxical as you dare. Have fun being unfathomable. Celebrate your kaleidoscopic nature.

CANCERIAN (JUNE 21-JULY 22): “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” Cancerian author Henry David Thoreau said that. I don’t necessarily agree. Many of us might prefer love to truth. Plus, there’s the inconvenient fact that if we don’t have enough money to meet our basic needs, it’s hard to make truth a priority. The good news is that I don’t believe you will have to make a tough choice between love and truth anytime soon. You can have them both! There may also be more money available than usual. And if so, you won’t have to forgo love and truth to get it.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Before she got married, Leo musician Tori Amos told the men she dated, “You have to accept that I like ice cream. I know it shows up on my hips, but if you can’t accept that, then leave. Go away. It is non-negotiable.” I endorse her approach for your use in the coming weeks. It’s always crucial to avoid apologizing for who you really are, but it’s especially critical in the coming weeks. And the good news is that you now have the power to become even more resolute in this commitment. You can dramatically bolster your capacity to love and celebrate your authentic self exactly as you are.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): The Virgo writer Caskie Stinnett lived on Hamloaf, a small island off the coast of Maine. He exulted in the fact that it looked “the same as it did a thousand years ago.” Many of the stories he published in newspapers featured this cherished home ground. But he also wandered all over the world and wrote about those experiences. “I travel a lot,” he said. “I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” You Virgos will make me happy in the coming weeks if you cultivate a similar duality: deepening and refining your love for your home and locale, even as you refuse to let your life be disrupted by routine.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): My hitchhiking adventures are finished. They were fun while I was young, but I don’t foresee myself ever again trying to snag a free ride from a stranger in a passing car. Here’s a key lesson I learned from hitchhiking: Position myself in a place that’s near a good spot for a car to stop. Make it easy for a potential benefactor to offer me a ride. Let’s apply this principle to your life, Libra. I advise you to eliminate any obstacles that could interfere with you getting what you want. Make it easy for potential benefactors to be generous and kind. Help them see precisely what it is you need.

SCORPIO (OC. 23-NOV. 21): In your history of togetherness, how lucky and skillful have you been in synergizing love and friendship? Have the people you adored also been good buddies? Have you enjoyed excellent sex with people you like and respect? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, these will be crucial themes in the coming months. I hope you will rise to new heights and penetrate to new depths of affectionate lust, spicy companionship, and playful sensuality. The coming weeks will be a good time to get this extravaganza underway.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Is it ever morally permissible to be greedily needy? Are there ever times when we deserve total freedom to feel and express our voracious longings? I say yes. I believe we should all enjoy periodic phases of indulgence — chapters of our lives when we have the right, even the sacred duty, to tune into the full range of our quest for fulfillment. In my astrological estimation, Sagittarius, you are beginning such a time now. Please enjoy it to the max! Here’s a tip: For best results, never impose your primal urges on anyone; never manipulate allies into giving you what you yearn for. Instead, let your longings be beautiful, radiant, magnetic beacons that attract potential collaborators.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Here’s a Malagasy proverb: “Our love is like the misty rain that falls softly but floods the river.” Do you want that kind of love, Capricorn? Or do you imagine that a more boisterous version would be more interesting—like a tempestuous downpour that turns the river into a torrential surge? Personally, I encourage you to opt for the misty rain model. In the long run, you will be glad for its gentle, manageable overflow.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20- FEB. 18): According to the Bible’s book of Matthew, Jesus thought it was difficult for wealthy people to get into heaven. If they wanted to improve their chances, he said they should sell their possessions and give to the poor. So Jesus might not agree with my current oracle for you. I’m here to tell you that every now and then, cultivating spiritual riches dovetails well with pursuing material riches. And now is such a time for you, Aquarius. Can you generate money by seeking enlightenment or doing God’s work? Might your increased wealth enable you to better serve people in need? Should you plan a pilgrimage to a sacred sanctuary that will inspire you to raise your income? Consider all the above, and dream up other possibilities, too.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Piscean author Art Kleiner teaches the art of writing to non-writers. He says this: 1. Tell your listeners the image you want them to see first. 2. Give them one paragraph that encapsulates your most important points. 3. Ask yourself, “What tune do you want your audience to be humming when they leave?” 4. Provide a paragraph that sums up all the audience needs to know but is not interesting enough to put at the beginning. I am offering you Kleiner’s ideas, Pisces, to feed your power to tell interesting stories. Now is an excellent time to take inventory of how you communicate and make any enhancements that will boost your impact and influence. Why not aspire to be as entertaining as possible?

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

DEAR DAN: In April, I started dating a guy, one year older than me, who recently came out as gay after 13 years with a woman. I assumed from the beginning it wasn’t going to work, as he understandably needed to explore his sexuality. However, we dated for a couple of months and had a very strong bond. We talked every day, we saw each other whenever we could, we spent whole weekends together. It didn’t feel like a casual relationship. After a couple of months, I brought up the “boyfriends” topic and he was very clear that he didn’t want a “relationship” even though he was loving his time with me.

I put up my defense shield and disappeared. That was a month ago, and we basically haven’t spoken since. However, a week ago, two of my friends told me that he hit on them. I know we weren’t in an exclusive relationship, but what the fuck? Hitting on my friends? Go and do it with whoever you want, bro, but my friends? I feel like he didn’t give a fuck about me, and that I am worthless. I’m in therapy and I know this is something I have to work on. But I just can’t get over it, I feel completely played and worthless. What do you think?

—Completely Insensitive And Outrageous

DEAR CIAO: Pull yourself together. Unlike your ex-whatever-he-was, CIAO, you didn’t come out yesterday. You’re a nearly 30-year old out gay man with a good group of friends around you and you’re having a meltdown because things didn’t work out with someone you dated for two months. It sucks when someone you want doesn’t want you back, I realize (been there), and it sucks when someone turns out to be the kind of person who would hit on your friends. But it’s a very big jump from, “This

guy didn’t care about me,” to, “I am utterly worthless.” Frankly, CIAO, that’s the kind of reaction I would expect from a guy who’d just come out, not from someone who’d been out and dating for years.

You can’t help but feel your feelings, CIAO, and I’m not trying to shame you. It’s good you’re seeing someone — it’s good you’re getting help — because if this is your reaction after a two-month relationship with a baby gay ended badly, having someone to talk you through it is a good idea. You should also talk with your therapist about how you ghosted this guy because he wasn’t ready to tell you precisely what you wanted to hear at the precise moment you wanted to hear it. Hitting on the friends of someone who has feelings for you is a shitty thing to do, CIAO, but disappearing on people because they’re not ready to commit — ready yet or ready ever — is also a pretty shitty thing to do. Maybe your therapist can help you see that.

Finally, knowing what you know about this guy now, CIAO, you wouldn’t want to be this guy’s boyfriend — not because you’re worthless, but because you value yourself too highly.

THE SQUEAK THAT ROARED

Celebrated Colorado Camembert maker crafts cheese curds that beat Wisconsin’s best

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

The Centennial State has become famous for skiing, craft brews, cannabis and, recently, CU Buffs football, but in certain circles Colorado is revered as a state of cheese. Most folks don’t know it, but almost every pizza they order from a national chain is topped with Colorado mozzarella.

“While we don’t have very many cheese companies, I think Colorado cheese is highly regarded on two levels,” says Robert Poland, co-founder of MouCo Cheese Company in Fort Collins.

The world’s largest mozzarella cheese maker, Leprino Foods, is located in Colorado. “Leprino is doing cheese at a level that is unfathomable,” Poland says. “They have all the mozzarella contracts, including Domino’s Pizza.”

Meanwhile, the state’s smaller artisan cheesemakers are well-known because they keep winning national and international awards. MouCo is the largest operation, crafting 600,000 to 700,000 individual soft-ripened cheeses annually, Poland says.

Competing against global cheesemakers, MouCo’s Camembert recently took second place at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards in England. At the 2023 American Cheese Society competition, the Oscars of the U.S. cheese world, MouCo earned medals for its soft-ripened Ashley and ColoRouge cheeses.

However, the huge surprise was a prize for MouCo’s new cheddar cheese curds, a category typically dominated by Wisconsin cheesemakers.

The majority of cheese curds are simply cheddar (although it’s possible to make them from other cheeses, like Muenster and Colby) before they are pressed into a wheel or block. Curds are a popular snack and the obligatory

poutine topping on fries with gravy.

“After we won, I imagine there were meetings going on at the big Wisconsin cheesemakers,” Poland says. “They must be saying: ‘This is our category. This is our cheese. We can’t have somebody from Colorado winning it.’”

The maker of a treat found on innumerable charcuterie boards got into the curd business almost haphazardly.

“There was a cheesemaker who specialized in curds nearby who was selling their equipment,” Poland says. “Our background was fermentation, and softripened cheeses are fermentationbased, but we decided to try making cheese curds on the side. They were an immediate hit.”

If you’ve never tasted them, fresh cheese curds have a distinctive appeal. “[People] want them salty and squeaky,” Poland says.

He attributes all those competition medals to MouCo’s secret weapon: fresh milk from Rockyview Farm, just a 20-minute drive away from the facility. The dairy also supplies milk to make Noosa Yogurt, another notable Colorado dairy product, he says.

“If we’re buying milk that starts off amazing, as long as we don’t get in the way of it, then it stays amazing,” Poland says. “We choose not to dumb down the ingredients. We make a product that people put in their mouth and say, ‘Wow!’”

Poland doesn’t claim his cheeses are better than those made in France, but, “We have a 4,000-mile freshness advantage,” he says. “The same is true about cheese curds where freshness is

everything. They should be eaten, ideally, within a week so they have all the squeak everybody’s looking for.” MouCo also uses cheddar curds to make batches of beer cheese for local breweries, including Weldworks in Greeley.

MouCo doesn’t have a retail store, and tours and tastings are available by appointment only. About once a month the company sends an alert to local curdheads offering fresh-from-the-vat, super-squeaky curds at its facility in Fort Collins. Follow MouCo’s social media sites to be on curd alert, or text “Curds” to 970-999-1619.

FINDING COLORADO’S ARTISAN CHEESES

For the past few decades, the first name in Colorado artisan cheesemaking was Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, the Longmont-based company whose artisan cheese products are no longer being made.

“Colorado was a leader in artisan cheesemaking but during the pandemic we lost some of our small producers, including Haystack,” says Arenia White of Longmont’s Cheese Importer’s Warehouse. “There are a few new creameries starting to produce, so I’m hoping to see Colorado cheese rise again.”

White, granddaughter of the cheese supplier’s founders, says that most visitors to the store’s giant walk-in cheese room are surprised at the large number

of Colorado cheeses they have available.

Look for the following Colorado cheese companies at supermarkets, cheese shops and the Boulder and Longmont farmers’ markets:

Colorado Farmhouse Cheese Company: Loveland-based creamery producing artisan cheddar, Gouda and asiago from cow, sheep and goat milk.

James Ranch Artisan Cheese: Durango-based maker of raw, farmstead cheeses including creamy, mild Young Belford and 3-year-old Reserve Belford.

Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy: Buena Vista creamery making goat milk feta, cheddar and raclette cheese.

Laz Ewe 2 Bar Goat Dairy: Producing goat and cow milk cheeses, including chevre, in Del Norte.

Moon Hill Dairy: The small Steamboat Springs goat milk creamery produces chevre.

Queso Campesino: This Denverbased creamery makes Mexican-style cheeses including asadero and cotija.

Rocking W Cheese: An Olathebased company making dozens of cheeses including Asiago, garlic chive Jack and horseradish cheddar.

Sawatch Artisan Cheese: Making European-style butter, cheese curds, aged Gouda, cheddar and Monterey Jack in Colorado Springs.

Westcliffe Cheese Co.: Producing goats’ milk feta, raw milk bleu cheese, and chevre in six flavors.

Left: MouCo ColoRouge cheese. Right: Fresh MouCo cheddar cheese curds. Credits: MouCo Cheese

THE STATE OF COLORADO WINE IS FINE

Boulder’s BookCliff Vineyards has once again won a place on the 2023 Governor’s Cup Collection, this time for its 2022 Colorado syrah. Other winners from the judged competition of 286 wines from 48 wineries that use Colorado fruit include: Alfred Eames Cellars 2019 Carmena, Balistreri Vineyards 2022 Syrah, Dragon Meadery Red Apple Cyser, Sauvage Spectrum 2022 Teroldego, The Storm Cellar Gewürztraminer and Snowy Peaks 2022 Muscat Blanc. The wines can be sampled Nov. 3 at Colorado Uncorked at the History Colorado Center in Denver. Learn more at coloradowine.com.

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: LOUISVILLE GETS EMPANADAS

● Spam musubi is on the menu at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, now open at 2323 30th St., Boulder.

● The Argentos Empanadas has opened at 1030 E. South Boulder Road in Louisville, just east of the railroad tracks.

● Coming soon:

○ Jets Pizza, 2609 Pearl St., Boulder

○ Lyons’ Diner Bar — known for chef-y comfort foods and adult milkshakes — will open a second location in Nederland in the former Ned’s restaurant, 121 N. Jefferson St., Nederland.

● Longmont Public House has closed at 111 Francis St.

● Plan ahead: The Barbarian Feast, Oct. 7 in Loveland, is a cosplay meal featuring ax throwing, beer drinking and fire-cooked meats. Knives are the only utensils allowed. Tickets: thebarbarianfeast.com

NIBBLES INDEX: THE KING OF SUSHI

Sushi has now achieved spaghettilike status, so ubiquitous it’s no longer considered “foreign.” Consider the fact that Kroger — owner of supermarkets including King Soopers — is the top sushi seller in the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal. Consumers buy more than 40 million pieces of sushi from the grocer during an average year.

“The fact that I was once teased for eating ‘gross’ sushi, to today, when kids eat sushi a couple of times a week from the supermarket, is pretty phenomenal,” says Gil Asakawa, the Denver-based author of Tabemasho! Let’s Eat! The Tasty History of Japanese Food in America (Stone Bridge Press).

“It shows the absolute acceptance of Japanese food as part of mainstream American culture,” Asakawa says. “I’ll leave it to the food critics to wax poetic about the quality of supermarket sushi.”

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. Comments: Nibbles@ BoulderWeekly.com.

Credit: John Lehndorff

Credit: Colorado Wine Board

STARGAZING

Boulder wins big at the Michelin Guide Ceremony 2023

BY COLIN WRENN

When Michelin Guide inspectors come to judge a restaurant, they’re looking for five things — quality of products, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, consistency between visits and a dining experience where the personality of the chef is clearly represented.

“That’s how we make sure Michelin has the same value worldwide. From Paris to Tokyo to Colorado,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides, to a crowd of restaurateurs, industry hotshots and media who gathered at the Mission Ballroom in Denver on Sept. 12 to celebrate the tire company announcing Colorado’s first Michelin-starred eateries.

And Boulder was among the stars.

For over a century, the French multinational manufacturing company has been directing food obsessives to the world’s best restaurants. Not long after its establishment in 1889, the guide was added to encourage travel, with a single star indicating a very good restaurant, two stars recommending a meal worth a detour, and three stars ensuring an establishment is worth a special journey for a meal you’ll never forget.

Since word got out that Michelin was

mild interest in snacking has talked of little else. At the celebration, Michelin awarded five stars, nine Bib Gourmands, 30 Recommended Restaurants and several additional medals for individual excellence.

The coveted stars were presented to Aspen’s Bosq; three Denver spots including Bruto, The Wolf’s Tailor and Beckon; and finally, Boulder’s very own Frasca Food and Wine. Each spot was presented with one star.

“Colorado’s now on the international map,” said Timothy Wolfe, Colorado Tourism Office director. “When judges are awarding stars, you can feel in the air that people’s lives are about to change in an amazing way,” continued Poullennec.

The winning teams were certainly thrilled, but there was also a pervasive sense that the win was for Colorado at large. “I’ve eaten at all the local winners and I’m extremely happy for all the teams that were recognized tonight,” says private chef Eric Vollono. “I was working for Art Smith [the chef at Reunion] in Chicago when the stars came out there for the first time. I used

next 10 years. There are going to be a lot of restaurants recalibrating after these awards and I’m really excited to see how the Colorado food scene continues to grow.”

Kelly Whitaker, whose original restaurant Basta is based in Boulder, took home a range of wins outside the stars across his Id Est Hospitality Group.

Caroline Clark, the group’s director of wine and hospitality, was honored for Exceptional Cocktails, along with Bruto and The Wolf’s Tailor both receiving Green Stars, which focus on a restau-

and Hare was also acknowledged for its long commitment to in-house farming practices.

“Boulder was recognized in 2010 as America’s foodiest city,” Savor Productions owner and producer Jessica Benjamin told the crowd, referring to the Bon Appetit article that helped put the valley’s dining on the map. “Once again, Boulder was recognized as an elite culinary destination. I’m so incredibly proud of everyone who was recognized.”

Boulder also won big in the Recommended Restaurant category, with seven of the 30 being hometown favorites. Blackbelly, Bramble and Hare, the Dushanbe Teahouse, Oak at Fourteenth, Santo, Stella’s Cucina and Zoe Ma Ma were all considered among the greats. The list also includes top restaurants like Denver’s A5 Steakhouse and Restaurant Olivia, Vail’s Sweet Basil and Aspen’s Mawa’s Kitchen.

While the awards certainly indicate growth in both the quality and size of Colorado’s dining scene, Michelin’s presence also bodes well for the future. “Colorado deserves to be recognized by Michelin, but we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said The Culinary Creative Group’s CEO Juan Padro. The group saw several Bib wins at both Mister Oso and Ash’Kara.

rant’s exceptional commitment to sustainability. Blackbelly also took home the green, along with butcher Kelly Kawachi grabbing the prize for Michelin Young Chef and Culinary Professional. Bramble

The awards felt like a pivotal and transformative moment. The immense hard work of the recipients was elegantly recognized. The state was also called to task, now part of a global theater where the culinary demands are more rigorous. “I will build that market,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.

Credit: Casey Wilson

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PROMISES, PROMISES

BY WILL BRENDZA

Election season is upon us. Candidates are campaigning, the company formerly known as Twitter (now X) is bubbling with political activity, and, of course, Congress critters are batting around the topic of marijuana legalization once again on Capitol Hill. But this time things might be different, thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

In a letter dated Aug. 29, 2023, a top official from DHHS wrote to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) head Anne Milgram recommending cannabis be made a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). It’s the first time in the history of cannabis prohibition that a major government agency has recognized the misclassification of cannabis as a drug with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

The resulting political ripple has reinvigorated advocates and the cannabis discussion among lawmakers. On Sept. 1, when White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the potential impact of moving marijuana to Schedule III, she

responded, “The president has always supported the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.”

Indeed, the “decriminalization of cannabis” was one of the major campaign promises listed on Joe Biden’s presidential campaign website in 2020. However, “always” seems like a strong word to use for someone who, in 2010, said, “I still believe it’s a gateway drug,” and “legalization is a mistake.”

Nevertheless, in October 2022, Biden pardoned some 6,500 federal convictions for cannabis possession crimes, encouraged all governors to pardon state marijuana possession offenses, and requested that Attorney General Xavier Becerra initiate a “review” of how cannabis is scheduled as a narcotic (Weed Between the Lines, “Tastes like crow,” Oct. 13, 2022).

That review is supposed to wrap up around the end of this year, according to Becerra. In June he told Marijuana Moment that DHHS and DEA were working together to land on an answer based on science and evidence.

“Stay tuned,” Bacerra said. “We hope to be able to get there pretty soon — hopefully this year.”

Following Jean-Pierre’s statement, numerous politicians have backed him up.

On X, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) wrote, “As a member of the Cannabis Caucus, I know that Nevada has shown regulating marijuana like alcohol works, and that’s where we should be headed at the federal level.”

“It’s about time,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote in a letter to Biden on Sept. 5. “This is an historic moment and we owe you and your administration a debt of gratitude for your leadership on catching up with where the science is.”

But Polis was also quick to urge the president to take action on banking and Food and Drug Administration enforcement guidance — two of the biggest legal conundrums state cannabis industries face.

“Because of these federal difficulties, the illicit market and unregulated hempderived cannabinoid intoxicants continue to remain,” the governor wrote. “Illegal products are being sold without testing, age verification, or packaging and labeling standards. As public servants who care about the public health and safety of all Americans, we need to put the full weight of our support behind a well-regulated marketplace.”

And that could be on its way if you believe Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). In a floor speech on Sept. 5, Schumer said that “making progress on cannabis” through the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act was one of the Senate’s top legislative priorities for the coming weeks and months.

Colorado’s Sen. John Hickenlooper posted, “This is definitely a step in the right direction. But if we truly want to regulate marijuana while prioritizing social equity, descheduling it is the only option.”

“None of this will be easy,” Schumer said. “The bills will require a lot of work and compromise. But if we can progress on these items, we will greatly improve the lives of average Americans.”

A major government agency officially recommended cannabis be descheduled — and Capitol Hill is abuzz