NONPROFITS BRACE FOR BUDGET CUTS P. 9 GROSS DAM BROKE LAW, JUDGE SAYS P. 11
25 YEARS OF 69 LOVE SONGS P. 15
Want great stories? We’ve got em.
Dairy Arts Center | Boulder 10/17 – 12/3
Just in time for the November election comes this smart comedy about ethnic stereotypes, feckless political consultants and one woman’s journey toward personal fulfillment.
This critically acclaimed comedy by Mexico-born playwright Bernardo Cubría pokes fun at America’s obsession with identity politics while exploring one woman’s very non-political quest to become a mother.
By Louisa May Alcott
Adapted and Directed by
Jessica Robblee
12/5 – 12/29
Dairy Arts Center | Boulder
Bring your family to the Dairy this holiday season and spend some time with the March family. Relive their adventures, their passionate loves, their ups and downs and their joy in being together.
SUBSCRIPTIONS & TICKETS at BETC.ORG
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Volume 32, Number 10
PUBLISHER: Francis J. Zankowski
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle
ARTS EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray
REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Tyler Hickman
FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jerry Apker, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Niko Skievaski, Jack Waines
SALES AND MARKETING
MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Tony Camarda
SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman
MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar
PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Chris Sawyer
CIRCULATION
CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn
CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer
BUSINESS OFFICE
BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Austen Lopp FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo
As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holds-barred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@ boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper.
1495 Canyon Boulevard, Suite CO 1, Boulder, CO 80302
Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly.com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.
VOTE ‘NO’ ON PROP 127
Hunting ban will harm wild cat populations
BY JERRY APKER
The Boulder Weekly Oct. 16 op-ed about Proposition 127 quoted me correctly that lion populations will not explode nor will deer populations be decimated if Proposition 127 — which would ban trophy hunting of mountain
lions, bobcats and lynx — passes. But the writers did not provide full context for my statements.
I am an expert in puma ecology and management because I worked with them for 38 years for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The last 17 years of my career, I was Colorado’s statewide carnivore biologist. Lion predation, like all types of predation, is a complex relationship between prey, predator, landscape, abundance of primary and alternate prey and abundance of primary and meso-predators. Predation is never spread evenly across the landscape like butter over toast. Some herds and species — like small bighorn sheep — will suffer greater pre-
dation. In those cases, they may be harmfully impacted by lion predation. Prop 127 will irreparably harm wild felid management by banning hunting, the best tool to manage these populations. Prop 127 would also harm the agency and its professionals who have dedicated their lives to maintaining healthy and abundant wildlife in Colorado.
Yet out-of-state extremists still wish to support the ballot measure. If successful, who will cover the costs to manage
OPINION
human-lion conflicts, or the costs when lions kill livestock, your neighbor’s goats, or alpacas at the organic wool producer down the road? Who will cover the costs of the research that has advanced our knowledge and improved your appreciation for these wild animals?
Hunters, through license fees and excise taxes, pay for it now. Prop 127 will wipe that away.
If approved, Prop 127 will widen the polarization between urban and rural Colorado. As a resident of rural Colorado, I greatly enjoy mountain living and the deep bonds with nature my family and my fellow rural Coloradans form. As such, I can’t help but feel frustrated when urban residents attempt to implement statewide wildlife policy that will disproportionately impact communities like mine.
Since 1965, when lions were protected as a big game animal, Colorado grew from about 1.5 million people to nearly 6 million today. In that same time, mountain lions and bobcats have also responsibly increased, thanks to wise management. CPW management objectives and population monitoring strategies are anchored in scientific wildlife management. Research projects to more deeply understand predator-prey relationships and how hunting modulates lion populations are paid for by hunters.
I investigated the fatal attack on one of our young citizens, a Idaho Springs high schooler. My involvement in helping the state develop managed coexistence strategies was inspired by the passion to help Colorado have abundant lions that are well and safely managed.
In the book, Managing Cougars in North America, I wrote a chapter that provides guidance to wildlife management agencies for managing humanlion conflicts. Through my experience, I can confidently say that in a vastly human altered landscape, lions and bobcats need managed care through a well-funded program overseen by brilliant, experienced wildlife professionals.
Phrases like “trophy hunting” and “unethical hunting” are the stock-intrade of extremists that seek to defeat our scientific wildlife management
through misinformation. The fact is hunting just for a trophy and leaving meat to waste has been a felony violation in Colorado since I began my career as a wildlife officer.
Television ads supporting Prop 127 claim lion predation helps eliminate chronic wasting disease (CWD) threatening deer populations. This is false. Credible research proves that actual predation has no effect on the spread or suppression of CWD. While it is true that predators will more often kill sickly prey, deer can be infected with CWD for years before exhibiting wasting symptoms. These symptomless animals shed infectious prions into the environment long before they die by fang and claw. This is just another red herring from proponents.
Rest assured, if Prop 127 passes, mountain lions will still be killed. CPW officers will pay some houndsmen to keep well-trained dogs ready to pursue and kill lions that threaten public safety or kill domestic stock.
Colorado depredation compensation laws only allow compensation for damage by big game. Prop 127 will declassify mountain lions. When stock owners can no longer be compensated for the cost of their loss, they will have zero tolerance for depredating lions.
More lions will also die by claw and fang in the blood competition for food, space and breeding. Other lions will starve, freeze or die from the many diseases that are growing in wild felids. Prop 127 offers no natural world nirvana, no matter what the TV commercials want you to believe.
The greatest help you can offer wild felid management in Colorado is to join me in voting no on Proposition 127.
Jerry Apker is a retired wildlife biologist. His 38-year career with Colorado Parks and Wildlife included positions as a wildlife officer, wildlife officer supervisor and carnivore biologist, responsible for mountain lion and bobcat management matters.
Looking for more information? Check out Boulder Weekly’s 2024 Vote Guide: bit.ly/BWVoteGuide24
GOV’T WATCH
BY SHAY CASTLE
BOULDER CITY COUNCIL
There is no meeting the week of Oct. 31.
LONGMONT CITY COUNCIL
At its Oct. 22 meeting, council:
• Approved the 2024 budget, which calls for $473.6 million in city spending. The budget is 6.7% larger than last year’s, and includes increases in the city’s electric and sewer rates of 6.8% and 10%, respectively.
The city added 18 new full-time employees to the 2025 budget, for a total of 1,161 FTE.
BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, the commissioners will:
• Discuss homelessness with the Consortium of Cities (CoC). The CoC includes representatives from Boulder County’s cities and towns; they meet to discuss regional issues such as affordable housing, mental health, disaster response, etc.
The Oct. 30 agenda also includes an update on local efforts to increase the minimum wage, and a report from the Area Agency on Aging. The meeting will be from 6-8 p.m. on the third floor of the historic Boulder County courthouse (1325 Pearl St., Boulder). A link to
NEWS
attend virtually will be posted to boco.org/COC.
On Thursday, Oct. 31, commissioners will:
• Hold a public hearing and vote on approval of the Lyons Planning Area Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The IGA was first signed in 2002; it was replaced with a new plan in 2012. That agreement expires in November 2024.
The updated agreement was developed by Lyons and county officials throughout 2023. It signifies which areas surrounding are available for future development and which will continue to be under the county’s jurisdiction as “rural preservation areas.”
The IGA also sets the maximum density for developable land, based on zoning as low density (six dwelling units per acre), medium density (12 dwellings) or high density (16 units), and specifies the affordable housing requirements for specific parcels.
Learn more and sign up to speak: boco.org/IGA-24-0003. The discussion will begin at 1 p.m. Attend virtually: boco.org/BOCCOct31PM.
TOWN OF ERIE
The Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) will hold a public hearing on the proposed Draco Pad oil and gas project on Oct. 29, 2024, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Erie Middle School, 650 Main St. Learn more: bit.ly/DracoPadBW.
All agenda items are subject to change.
‘TAKING STEPS BACK’
Local nonprofits
say fewer
services lie ahead after Boulder County cuts funding by $4.4M
BY KAYLEE HARTER
When officials reached out to tell human service providers to expect less cash from Boulder County’s community partnership grants next year, the Early Childhood Council started making plans. But when the county announced actual numbers earlier this month, the organization was surprised to see it wouldn’t receive any money in 2025.
“We have had a funding relationship with the county for over 25 years,” said Kaycee Headrick, CEO of the Boulder County nonprofit, which helps families navigate the childcare system, supports providers and advocates for the sector. “The total elimination is really devastating for our organization.”
Ten other former grantees also received $0 from the Boulder County grant program. That includes grantees like the City of Boulder and St. Vrain Valley School District that were no longer eligible as the county only considered nonprofits for the grant this year.
Dozens of organizations saw grant reductions between 10% and 100%, though seven organizations that didn’t get a grant in 2024 are set to receive one in 2025. Affected groups provide vital services such as homeless shelters, food pantries, and child and health care centers.
The cuts come as human services are stretched thin, and other sources of state and federal funding, such as COVID-era federal recovery dollars, are drying up. Boulder County’s grant program will distribute just under $8 million in 2025, compared to $12.3 million in 2024.
The county received $16 million in requests for the competitive, non-guaranteed grant program this year, according to officials.
“I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to make anybody feel good about this. I don’t feel good about it,” Commissioner
Claire Levy said at an Oct. 15 town hall. “It’s something we felt we needed to do to be responsive to the increase in need and a change in the funding structure that the state is implementing.”
‘THIS HURTS’
The county has blamed under-funded, state-run programs and services that Boulder County is required to deliver, such as CCAP, SNAP and TANF, as part of the reason for the cuts. For example, there’s currently a $7 million funding gap for CCAP, which provides financial assistance for childcare.
Enrollment for the program has been frozen since earlier this year in multiple counties, including Boulder. Plus, new federal rules will increase CCAP costs by an estimated $1.5 million in the county, according to a county spokesperson.
“Demand continues to increase for human services while available federal and state funding continues to decrease from very high federal funding at the peak of the global pandemic,” county spokesperson Gloria Handyside wrote in an email. “Costs have gone up while county revenue remains relatively flat.”
doing to our overall community, because there’s a lot of calculations that have to be made to reduce services to some of our most vulnerable,” said Headrick. “I think we’ve come a long way. It just feels like taking steps back.”
Boulder council member Mark Wallach asked in a Sept. 28 public email about the possibility of diverting funds from joint projects with the county to bridge the gap, saying he believed “the County has failed to be a good partner with the City in providing these core services, and that we need to look to our own interests in funding these organizations.”
But for now, the city isn’t moving money around.
“[T]hey feel their cuts were the best they can do and were appropriate,” Wallach wrote in an email to Boulder Weekly. “I disagree, and believe we could have worked together to soften the blow.”
share. Funding for that service bucket was reduced by $323,859, about 14% of its $2,323,364 total in 2024.
Still, providers say they will feel the burn. All Roads, formerly Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, will get more than $280,000 less from the county, a 30% reduction of that grant and the largest cut in the organization’s 42-year history.
The nonprofit will still receive an additional $900,000 annually in noncompetitive funding from the county, but All Roads spokesperson Andy Schultheiss said the shelter will likely have to reduce the number of people it can serve in a given night.
“The worst part of this job is turning people away when it’s 20 degrees outside and there’s nothing we can do,” he said. Even after increasing capacity from 160 to 180 earlier this year, the shelter still runs out of space.
“[The county’s] got a challenge for sure…So I’m not blaming anybody,” Schultheiss said. “It’s just a really unfortunate situation, just as we’re starting to make some progress on getting people off the streets.”
CUTTING PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE
The community partnership grants funded by the Human Services Safety Net tax, the Health and Human Services Fund and the general operations fund — are just one source of county funding for human services, and some organizations receive county money from multiple buckets. Even so, nonprofits have said the cuts to this specific program will impact the services they provide and the number of people they can provide them to.
“Organizationally this hurts, and we are more saddened by what this is
For nonprofits already operating on shoestring budgets, difficult decisions lie ahead.
Cuts to health and wellbeing programs, which include mental and behavioral health services, made up the lion’s share of the $4.4 million in cuts, with a reduction of more than $3 million. (It’s still the area with the most total funding from the grant program, and the 2025 recommended base budget for health and welfare is set to see an $8 million increase overall.)
Money for housing and homelessness prevention saw the lowest overall reduction both by dollar amount and
With cuts to organizations that work closely with the shelter, such as Mental Health Partners and Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA), Schultheiss said “the whole infrastructure for homelessness is taking a hit.”
EFAA Executive Director Julie Van Domelen called the overall cuts “drastic” in an Oct. 22 public hearing and said the cuts to EFAA’s grant mean 100 families will not receive rental assistance to avoid evictions.
TLC Learning Center in Longmont lost the county’s grant completely. Last year, it received more than $40,000, which went toward a scholarship fund for the nonprofit’s child care and therapy programs. Typically, the organization gives out $135,000 to families who cannot pay for those services, according to Executive Director Matt Eldred.
“We’re going to have to make a hard decision; we may reallocate those slots
Continued on page 11
Continued from page 9
to full-paying families, which is not a part of our mission,” Eldred said. “We have families that are paying $1,600 a month for child care and families that are paying zero, and they’re all important in our funding model. But if we have to take more of those family slots that are paying zero and give them to the $1,600 a month family, those [nonpaying] families are out there, and they want and need these services.”
For many organizations, staffing costs make up a large portion of expenses. At TLC, for example, salaries and benefits account for 82% of the organization’s costs, according to Eldred.
“As much as I’d like to say, ‘We’re gonna turn off the lights and flush the toilets less and recycle and all the things we want to do to save money,’
COURT: GROSS DAM WORK VIOLATES LAW
Expansion will continue
BY TYLER HICKMAN
Denver Water will continue construction on the Gross Reservoir Dam expansion project, despite an Oct. 17 U.S. District Court ruling that the project’s permits violate several federal environmental laws.
Judge Christine Arguello ordered Denver Water to begin working with the coalition of environmental groups fighting to stop the dam on how to reach a remedy for the violations. In the face of remediation, the expansion project will continue “to ensure the integrity and safety of both the current project configuration and future dam,” Denver Water said in a statement.
Construction on the dam, situated on
none of that is going to make an impact as much as salaries and benefits, because it’s the largest expense,” he said. “When you have to make those decisions, you’re going to have to start cutting salaries and benefits, which means either cutting programs, cutting people, or cutting altogether the types of services you provide.”
‘THE POT IS NOT GROWING’
The county budget won’t be finalized until December, and some in the human services ecosystem are still pleading with commissioners to reconsider, warning that other costs (like those in the criminal justice system) could go up as a result. It seems unlikely that the community partnership grants would change, but it’s possible other funding sources could fill the gap. For example, the
county’s Survive and Thrive program is set to announce $7.8 million for nonprofits and childcare providers in the coming months, according to a county spokesperson.
At the Oct. 16 town hall, service providers and county officials alike also discussed the possibility of new taxes or special districts to establish more funding for childcare and other human services.
“The pot is still the pot; it’s not growing,” said TLC’s Eldred. “We have got to think strategically about how we increase the revenue sources that come into this community to fund our human service agencies.”
A budget work session presentation is scheduled for Nov. 14, and commissioners are scheduled to adopt the 2025 budget Dec. 3. View the recommended budget and provide feedback at boco.org/budget.
South Boulder Creek, began in April 2022 despite pending litigation from the coalition of environmental groups, including Save the Colorado, the Sierra Club, the Waterkeeper Alliance and others. When the project is completed in 2027, the reservoir will nearly triple in size behind the newly built 471-foot-tall concrete wall, drowning more than 400 acres of the surrounding forest.
Once the expansion is complete, it will divert at least 18,000 acre feet of water from the Fraser River, Williams Fork River and South Boulder Creek — enough to supply water to 72,000 households in the Denver area each year.
Federal law required Denver Water to seek permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge and dump dirt and rock into nearby wetlands during the dam’s expansion. The ruling faults the Corps for not considering alternatives that are the least damaging to the environment prior to issuing the permit, which the judge found violated the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
The Corps is also required to consider the likelihood that this water may cease to exist due to climate change-induced drought. “The Corps expressly declined to attempt to quantify the impacts of cli-
mate change — or even provide an educated guess, for purposes of discussion,” Arguello wrote in her decision.
This decision comes in the wake of a decades-long battle over the dam’s expansion involving Denver Water, the Army Corps of Engineers, Boulder County and environmental activists. In 2021, the county received $12.5 million from Denver Water in a settlement to mitigate the impacts of the dam’s expansion.
While Boulder doesn’t receive any of the reservoir’s water, nearby residents and county land are bearing the brunt of the damage. The expansion requires the excavation of 1.6 million tons of rock and leveling 500,000 trees.
As of now, Denver Water is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to complete construction on the dam by 2027. Crews will continue to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week until operations shut down for the winter.
A final ruling on the proposed remedies will be issued once an agreement has been reached or the parties submit separate briefs. The court has given a Nov. 15 deadline for those filings.
Read more local headlines at boulder weekly.com/news.
3
00 Suns Brewing was really just an idea brought up years ago, that kept surfacing every time a brewery was toured, a GABF was attended, a new craft beer was tasted, a bottle of homebrew was shared on the back deck in the cool summer evening air. It was just a dream and one day (gulp), we worked up the nerve to make it a reality. We wanted to put our time and our work into something that brought joy to others the way those moments brought joy to both our palates and our souls. And we wanted to give the community a gathering place that was welcoming,
unpretentious and got back to the roots of craft brewing.
In 2019, we had the great luck of partnering with Nate Say of Scratch Food Truck to create a permanent kitchen inside 300 Suns. His craftfocused philosophy was a natural addition to our brewery and his scratch-made burgers, poutine and Nashville hot chicken keep our customers’ (and our) bellies happy.
We hope you enjoy our hyper-local craft brewery.
Since opening in 2003, Four Paws & Co. has specialized in premium natural foods and treats, including frozen diets and raw bones. Along with the excellent choices in food for cats and dogs, we carry supplements, grooming supplies, leashes & collars, toys, beds, and cat condos. It’s safe to say there is something for every pet in the store. There is also the Friends of Four Paws Frequent Buyer Program. You receive a punch card and once that is filled, you will receive a $10 Four Paws gift card. Last, but certainly not least, Four Paws
offers two special services. We can deliver the food you need to your door, and we have a pet sitting service. Stop in soon and see how Four Paws & Co. can help you care for your best friend.
At The Mountain Fountain, there’s a little something for everyone. Located smack dab in the center of Hygiene, our eclectic market and deli sources meats from local pastures, and homemade gluten-free bread to die for — combine the two, and you’ve got one of Boulder County’s best gluten-free sandwiches. As a matter of fact, everything at our bakery is homemade — and it makes all the difference — resulting in an airy, light bite across all
products: banana bread, brownies, pies, countryloafs, and so much more. Our butcher shop is many local’s little secret, but the word is out — you will walk out with the best, locally-sourced meat in the area. Grab a coffee, a sandwich and and a seat at The Mountain Fountain— we’ve got what you need.
HALLOWEEN
COSTUME PARTY
BENEFITING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE DAIRY ARTS CENTER
DAIRY ARTS CENTER 2590 WALNUT ST. BOULDER, CO THEDAIRY.ORG
‘HOW FUCKING ROMANTIC’
Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields on 25 years of ‘69 Love Songs’
BY JEZY J. GRAY
Halfway through the first installment of the multi-volume magnum opus from Stephin Merritt’s landmark project The Magnetic Fields, a disarming line upends the tenderness of the triple album’s most touching moment.
“The book of love has music in it / in fact that’s where music comes from,” the deadpan New Yorker booms in his trademark baritone over a delicately plucked acoustic guitar. “Some of it’s just transcendental / some of it’s just really dumb.”
Behold the beating heart of 69 Love Songs. Zipping between sincerity and silliness with plucky aplomb, the genresmashing 1999 masterwork studies its title subject like a kid frying an ant with a magnifying glass. Merritt’s aptly titled tour
de force delivers on its audacious promise with flair, skipping impishly across a universe of synth-pop earworms, maudlin folk ballads and showtunes-inspired melodrama.
“That’s the whole point,” he says. “I wouldn’t want to have a record with 69 of the same thing. That would be horrifying.”
The Magnetic
celebrate 25
But this kaleidoscopic collection would do more than scratch a creative itch for Merritt and the album’s revue-style cast of guest musicians. Dubbed one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone and inspiring an upcoming Broadway show starring John Mulaney, the album’s enduring afterlife is a high watermark for a project that began as a humble bedroom pop outfit in 1989.
“The whole idea was that it would be
my lifelong calling card,” Merritt, 59, says. “I wanted to change my life, and I did.”
Now, 25 years later, The Magnetic Fields are hitting the road — begrudgingly, Merritt admits — to perform the record just as they did at the turn of the century: in its entirety, across two nights. With the People’s Republic as one of only five cities on the anniversary tour, Boulder Weekly caught up with the famously cantankerous songwriter ahead of the band’s Boulder Theater performances on Oct.
Range, the queer artists who inspired him
26-27 to talk about returning to the Front Range, the queer artists who inspired him and the legacy of his defining studio release.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
We’re excited to welcome you back to Boulder. When’s the last time you were here?
We played Denver last year — but the previous time we were in the area, we were in Boulder. I think we played Boulder twice in the same place, which I’m forgetting the name of …
Boulder Theater?
Boulder Theater. There was an oxygen tank backstage for the use of performers who had not arrived a day early. I did
Above:
Fields
years of the landmark 69 Love Songs with a two-night stint in Boulder — one of five cities on their upcoming anniversary tour. Credit: Marcelo Krasilcic. Left: 69 Love Songs was released Sept. 7, 1999. Courtesy: Merge Records
MUSIC
arrive a day early, because I know better. But the other two singers didn’t, and they were huffing those oxygen tanks backstage at intermission.
The altitude is no joke! It’s no joke. For singing, anyway. I believe it’s kind of like mountain climbing.
Well, let’s talk about what’s bringing you back: 69 Love Songs, which turned 25 last month.
It really depends on how you’re counting. 69 Love Songs actually sold out in pre-order, so no one in the world actually bought a copy in September of ’99. Everyone who got one had already ordered it, and anyone who wanted one was going to have to wait a few months because it didn’t come out as a second pressing until this millennium.
I’m guessing there was a lot of hype in the lead-up to the release?
No, there was not. We were pretty obscure at the time, and outside of New York and San Francisco, people didn’t know who we were. So they only printed 1,000 copies.
This collection has been such a defining achievement for the band. Are you sick of talking about it all these years later? Fortunately the album is large enough that it doesn’t get all that boring to talk about. If it were The Charm of the Highway Strip [1994], I would probably get bored talking about it, because it’s half an hour long.
You’ve called 69 Love Songs your most “self-expressive” record… I don’t remember calling any of my records “self-expressive,” but OK.
So that’s not the case?
What it’s expressing is the most relevant thing about me, which is my taste in music — which is extremely wide-ranging and eclectic.
Was the idea always to make something that captured such a huge range of styles?
Oh yeah, that’s the whole point. I
wouldn’t want to have a record with 69 of the same thing. That would be horrifying. Unless it was an ambient record: 69 Quiet Piano Pieces
How are The Magnetic Fields a different band now than you were 25 years ago?
Well, one of us died. That’s a big difference. LD Beghtol died early in COVID.
My condolences. I know [original Magnetic Fields vocalist] Susan Anway died around that time as well.
I actually had not spoken with her in 30 years, and I didn’t actually hear about it for months. So that was weird, but a lot of things have been weird in the last four years.
When did you begin to realize 69 Love Songs was going to have the cultural impact it did?
When I thought of it, the whole idea was that it would be my lifelong calling card. I wanted to change my life, and I did. I was kind of horrified when it sold out its initial pressing. September of 1999 rolls by and the record comes out, but no one can get it — literally. Napster came out around the same time, so the only way anybody could hear it was for free online. Fortunately, at the time, downloading 69 songs was a major effort. It would have taken hours to download it for most people, so it probably wasn’t as much of a reason to freak out as I thought it was at the time.
How did it change your life?
Well, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Your lyrics often touch on themes of queer love and gender fluidity. Is it different bringing these songs to audiences now versus the ’90s?
From the stage, all we really get is volume of applause. But the way the press talks about it is very different. No one would have used the word “queer” at the time. They probably would have used euphemisms — especially in Britain. I was called “slightly camp,” which is weird. I’m glad that degree of homophobia is no longer acceptable in the music press.
Who were the LGBTQ artists important to you growing up?
The LGBT alphabet soup was not the way we talked about it — it was gay and lesbian, or at the most, gay, lesbian and bisexual. The people I mostly admired in that space were bisexuals, prominently David Bowie. Gender fluidity was something that was totally mainstream but not committed to being labeled. Prince and Michael Jackson were both masters of falsetto who would dress in sequins and dance around. Even Madonna was pretty gender fluid in some ways. It was not just mainstream; it was the thing that the biggest artists did in a way that not a whole lot of people do now. Lil Nas X does. Harry Styles does. It’s a different flavor.
You’ve made no bones about the fact that you don’t particularly enjoy playing live or touring…
Let me make a distinction there. I don’t particularly enjoy playing live, but I hate touring. I think almost everyone hates touring, but generally everyone hates the 22 hours of touring when they’re not playing live. I’m not all that into playing live either. I am a creature of the studio. I’ve had a recording studio since I was 14 years old. I always wish I were doing that instead of whatever I’m doing, except writing. I feel like when I’m playing live, it’s a pale imitation of what I could be doing with the same material in the studio.
I read that you performed “The Book of Love” at a friend’s funeral. What was that experience like, and how did it change your relationship to the song?
I guess because I had performed it at weddings, I thought it would be an easy thing to perform at a funeral. So when I was asked, I said yes without really thinking about it — but I will never do that again.
It was impossible for me to get through at the funeral of someone who was actually a friend of mine. She was my downstairs neighbor while I was recording 69 Love Songs, and she was the person who heard it a fraction of a second after I did. She died suddenly and young, and it was really upsetting.
TITLE
We had the memorial service only a few days after she died, so there wasn’t really time to process it at all, and suddenly I’m singing this song which is all about being able to laugh and cry at the same time. I could just barely get through it at all intelligently. I should have just played a recording.
We’ve talked a lot about the past. What does the future look like for The Magnetic Fields?
I was reading recently that The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, who are a major influence — combining ukulele and cello and keyboards as we do — managed to continue after Simon Jeffes, the founding member, died. He had an inoperable brain tumor, so he died with finality. I guess a lot of people die with finality. But his son [Arthur Jeffes] is continuing the band. So I’ve been thinking it would be interesting to find a way of having The Magnetic Fields continue when I’m gone, which I eventually will be.
ON THE BILL: The Magnetic Fields performing 69 Love Songs. 8 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Oct. 26-27, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Night 1: Sold Out - $61+ resale / Night 2: $56+
Blending heart and humor in equal measure, Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields is one of the most celebrated songwriters of the century. Credit: Marcelo Krasilcic
FRIGHT NIGHTS
Round out spooky season with these chilling classics and underground gems
BY JACK WAINES
I’ve had a passion for film ever since I could process a storyline. My obsession with horror started not long after, when my mom let 7-year-old me watch The Exorcist. Terror, suspense and panic got my blood pumping and triggered the fight-or-flight reflex from the safety of a couch. I’ve never looked back.
When Netflix introduced streaming in 2007, it was a dream: a seemingly infinite supply of movies were a click away. That’s when I began a tradition of watching one horror film every day in October. Here’s my list for 2024. Pick a few to get you through Halloween, or extend your spooky season all the way to Thanksgiving — truly the most terrifying holiday of all.
1. POLTERGEIST, Tobe Hooper, 1982. Stream on AMC or rent on YouTube for $3.79
When I first watched Poltergeist, it kept me up for the better part of a week. Heather O’Rourke’s impeccable performance as Carol Ann, a young
girl who notices strange happenings with the TV after her family moves into a new home, continues to instill the same terror more than 40 years after its release. Poltergeist is a top-tier classic packed with memorable moments and timeless scares. It is a must-watch for any horror fan.
2. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, Drew Goddard, 2012. Stream on Peacock or rent for $3.99
A horror comedy that changed the game and pays homage to dozens of great movies.
3. HEREDITARY, Ari Aster, 2018. Stream on Kanopy or rent for $3.99
A terrifying flick that shocks early and ramps up from there. A modern classic.
4. GET OUT, Jordan Peele, 2017. Stream on Peacock or rent for $3.99
A psychological thriller with a unique concept and masterful execution.
5. GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM, Jung Bum-shik, 2018. Stream on Prime Video or rent for $3.99
A Korean found footage film that immerses you in the depths of horror for the entire wild ride.
6. NEFARIOUS, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Soloman, 2023. Stream on Prime Video or Tubi
An underrated prison interview/possession flick with exceptional writing.
7. EXHUMA, Jang Jae-hyun, 2024. Stream on Shudder or rent for $5.99
I knew nothing about this film when I first found it, but I am so glad I did. The terror begins when an infant develops a seemingly incurable illness, prompting his wealthy Korean family to request the help of a reputable shaman. What unfolds is an incredible tale of mythology, history, iconography and feng shui as the newly hired team investigates. Finding a grave and declaring it cursed, the team must perform a ritual to safely move the casket to a new location. The path of the film is winding, but it never derails. I loved how the story plays out, and it inspired me to learn more about Korean lore. Exhuma is a
riveting watch full of building tension and surprise scares.
8. HELL HOUSE LLC, Stephen Cognetti, 2015. Stream on Prime Video or Tubi
Haunted house found footage brimming with jump scares and tension.
9. WHEN EVIL LURKS, Demián Rugna, 2023. Stream on Hulu or rent for $4.99
An Argentinian horror/thriller about superstitions and the consequences of ignoring them.
10. THE WITCH, Robert Eggers, 2016. Stream on Kanopy or rent for $3.89
A paranoia-centric slow-burn set in the early 1600s with fantastic ambiance and scares.
11. THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN, Adam Robitel, 2014. Stream on Prime Video or Tubi
A documentary-style horror film that centers around Alzheimer’s disease — until it doesn’t.
12. SINISTER, Scott Derrickson, 2012. Stream on Max or rent for $3.99
A crazy intense horror/thriller about the consequences of watching old, unlabeled VHS tapes.
13. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, Daniel Myrick; Eduardo Sánchez, 1999. Stream on Peacock or rent for $3.99
Before the internet allowed us to fact check just about anything, The Blair Witch Project was advertised as a true story, and we all believed it. Watching this film in its original limited release, only my friend and I were in the theater. It was incredible to lift the armrests and lay across half a row of old theater seats. We didn’t lay for long; as the movie ramped up, we found
ourselves on the edge of our chairs with our eyes glued to the screen. After you watch, be sure to check out how it was made, because it’s almost as crazy as the film itself.
14. OCULUS, Mike Flanagan, 2013. Free on PlutoTV or rent for $3.99
A solid psychological horror movie with some excellent jump scares.
15. THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE, André Øvredal, 2016. Stream on Netflix or rent for $3.99
A superb autopsy horror where the story’s revealed as the flesh is peeled.
16. CREEP, Patrick Brice, 2014. Stream on Netflix or rent for $3.99
A documentary-style slow-burn that lives up to its title in the most unsettling way.
17. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes, 2024. Stream on Shudder or rent for $5.99
This film answers the age-old question: What would happen if a TV host summoned a demon live on the air?
18. THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES, John Erick Dowdle, 2007. Stream on Prime Video or Free on Roku
An absolutely chilling investigation movie centering around haunting found footage filmed by the serial killer himself.
19. THE RITUAL, David Bruckner, 2017. Stream on Netflix or AppleTV Oh, another lost-in-the-forest horror? Sprinkle in some German mythology and gorgeous Scandinavian scenery, and you’ll see why this flick stands alone.
20. THE BEYOND, Lucio Fulci, 1981. Stream on Peacock or Tubi
Courtesy: Turner Entertainment
Courtesy: Everett Collection
Courtesy: Artisan Entertainment
Fulci is essential to any horror list. This year, I’m going with island zombies.
21. LET US PREY, Brian O’Malley, 2014. Stream on Prime Video or rent for $3.99
A fun twist on the typical rookie-copalone-watching-prisoners trope.
22. TROUBLE EVERY DAY, Claire Denis, 2001. Stream on Shudder or Hoopla
Sexual tension, gore and cannibalism? Got to love the French.
23. BARBARIAN, Zach Cregger. 2022. Stream on Prime Video or rent for $3.99
This is a film I like to rewatch with friends, just to see their reaction as the events unfold. The horror begins with a double-booked house rental in a substantially decayed Detroit neighborhood and immediately asks viewers what they would do in that situation. Tess (Georgina Campbell) makes her choice, and it’s not the only time you’ll find yourself shaking your head at her decisions. The exceptional jump scares and unexpected reveals had me raving about this flick to anyone who would listen. Top-notch horror with a small, humorous interlude that only serves to reset the stage before the terrifying conclusion.
enough to keep you in your seat for all 156 minutes.
27. IT FOLLOWS, David Robert Mitchell, 2015. Stream on Paramount+ or rent for $3.99
A totally unique concept, well delivered. A fun ride that’s also fun to talk about after.
28. INSIDIOUS, James Wan, 2011. Stream on Peacock or rent for $3.99
Jump scares galore. PG-13, so you can laugh at your kids when they pee their pants.
29. SAW, James Wan, 2004. Stream on Max or rent for $3.99 Back-to-back Wan flicks? Yes, especially for this instant classic. Definitely not PG-13.
30. CAVEAT, Damian McCarthy, 2021. Stream on Shudder or rent for $3.99
24. SCANNERS, David Cronenberg, 1981. Stream on Max or rent for $3.99
An edge-of-your-seat horror/thriller with one of the best head explosions in movie history.
25. INCANTATION, Kevin Ko, 2022. Stream on Netflix or AppleTV
A Taiwanese horror that had me pacing my house gobsmacked. The less you know, the better.
26. THE WAILING, Na Hong-jin, 2016. Stream on Netflix or Hoopla
A Korean horror that builds steadily
Damian McCarthy absolutely delivers as the writer, director and editor of Caveat. Johnny French as Isaac does a favor for a friend, which seems like an easy gig and some easy money. McCarthy’s filmmaking debut caught me by surprise in the best way, just like his sophomore feature, Oddity. From weird to supernatural to terrifying, the creativity is matched only by the anxiety — and I loved every minute of it.
31. HALLOWEEN, John Carpenter, 1978. Stream on Shudder or rent for $3.99
If you’re not watching Halloween every Halloween, what are you even doing?
Concerts, dinners, performances, happy hours, festivals and so much more!
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art 1750 13th Street Boulder, CO 80302 303.443.2122 BMoCA.org 1750 13th Street Boulder, CO 80302 303.443.2122 BMoCA.org
Courtesy: 20th Century Studios
24–25
5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 and Friday, Oct. 25, various locations, Longmont.
Raise a glass to Monty the Longmonster, the city’s new mascot, at Oskar Blues, Longs Peak Pub (Thursday), Wibby and Collision Brewing (Friday). Festivities include a limited-edition Monty-themed beer and pint glass.
The spirit world comes to life during this haunted pub crawl in historic downtown Golden. The night of storytelling and ghost-hunting kicks off with a drink at Goosetown Station followed by a 2.5hour tour stopping at pubs throughout town.
Noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, Studio 24 Makerspace, NoBo Library, 4600 Broadway, Boulder. Free
There’s nothing spookier than rampant consumerism, so keep the Spirit Halloween demons at bay with this dropin upcycling workshop at the NoBo Corner Library. Designer Stephen Frost will be on hand to chat about turning old clothes and household items into the costume of your dreams. Bring your own clean clothes to alter, or use the t-shirts and embellishments provided.
26
SPOOKY DATE NIGHT: HALLOWEEN STAINED GLASS
6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, Colorado Glassworks, 1500 Pearl St., Unit D, Boulder. $215 per couple
Looking for the perfect pre-Halloween date night? Colorado Glassworks provides all the tools and materials you’ll need to work as a team and create a stained-glass bat piece. Wear closedtoed shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Costumes encouraged.
26
TAMALE FAIR
2-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. Free
One tamale, two tamales, three tamales, more! Head down to the fairgrounds to get your fill of bean, cheese and meatstuffed masa pockets. The Longmont Latino Chamber of Commerce promises live music, lucha libre shows and activities for the whole family while you sample delicious tamale varieties from around the world.
26
HALLOWEEN BAR CRAWL
4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Oct. 26, The Spotted James, 1911 11th St., Boulder. $24+
Take your booze with a side of boos for an all-night crawl to Boulder’s favorite haunts. Whether it’s a glass of cabernet at Silver Vines Winery or a spooky concoction at Tonic Alchemy Lounge, exclusive drink specials will keep you crawling all night long. And get creative with your costume — there’s a $1,000 prize on the line.
26
EERIE ERIE
9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, Erie United Methodist Church (registration and packet pickup), 604 Holbrook St. $30-$35
Join the friendly spirits of Erie for this Halloween-themed 5K (or 10K, for you ambitious guys and ghouls) that passes by Pleasant Hill cemetery after winding through the historic downtown and Coal Creek open space. The annual race is a fundraiser for Erie Optimists, which sponsors youth activities and events throughout the year. Costumed runners of all ages welcome.
26
LYONS HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR
4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, Lyons Elementary School (338 High St.) and Main Street. Free
It’s a party. It’s a parade. It’s a chili cook off. It’s a party, parade and chili cookoff, plus trick-or-treating for the kids at local businesses. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with games and activities at Lyons Elementary School. Home cooks can compete with their seasonal stews starting at 4:30, and the parade is at 6 sharp.
26
LAFAYETTE FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, N. Harrison Avenue between E. Simpson and E. Geneseo, Lafayette. Free.
Costumes are encouraged for both humans and furry friends at Lafayette’s celebration of all things fall. Strut your stuff with your pup in the pet parade benefiting RezDawg Rescue before perusing the pumpkin patch and stopping by the petting zoo. Or just explore the season’s bounty from local farmers market vendors while enjoying live music throughout the day.
Get ready for goosebumps from chilling melodies and ghastly crescendos at the Macky. The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra’s spookiest setlist of the year blends the scores of beloved Halloween films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, and other big-screen classics like Pirates of the Caribbean.
A local jazz trio provides the background music to this high-altitude ode to the gilded age and All Hallow’s Eve. Dress in your flapper finery and get ready to dance. Mama Roo’s food truck will be on hand — if you don’t fill up on free candy first.
Calling all flappers and bootleggers! Put on your best costume and dancing shoes for a rip-roaring good time at License No. 1’s speakeasy Halloween party. Enjoy live music all night from Hunter Stone & Friends and craft cocktails in the basement of Hotel Boulderado. The best costume wins a $100 gift certificate, so give it your all.
Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.
PAPAMO & THE VIPERS. 3 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free
MANY MOUNTAINS 3 p.m. The Post Chicken & Beer, 105 W. Emma St., Lafayette. Free
DAILY BREAD WITH DJ SHADOW, FLAMINGOSIS & THE BODEGA GROOVE COLLECTIVE, PARKBREEZY AND THOUGHT PROCESS 5:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison. $160
BANSHEE TREE WITH HIGH STEP SOCIETY 6 p.m. The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $25
DIAMOND/EDWARDS DUO. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
SUGAR BRITCHES. 7 p.m. Oskar Blues Grill and Brew, 303 Main St., Lyons. Free
COVENHOVEN 7 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. $15
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS WITH THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN 7 p.m. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St., Denver. $100
ANABEL GIL DIAZ QUARTET 7:30 p.m. The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $15
DAVID SATORI WITH MORILLO 7:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $25
LIVE MUSIC
ON THE BILL
Hip-hop superstar Vince Staples comes to Denver’s Mission Ballroom for an Oct. 30 performance with support from rising neosoul artist Baby Rose. The multi-hyphenate musician, emcee and actor returns to the Front Range in support of his new album, Dark Times, released this summer via Blacksmith / Def Jam See listing for details.
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Secrets and hidden agendas have been preventing you from getting an accurate picture of what’s actually happening. But you now have the power to uncover them. I hope you will also consider the following bold moves: 1. Seek insights that could be the key to your future sexiness. 2. Change an aspect of your life you’ve always wanted to change but have never been able to. 3. Find out how far you can safely go in exploring the undersides of things. 4. Help your allies in ways that will ultimately inspire them to help you.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): From the early 1910s to the late 1920s, silent films were the only kind of films that were made. The proper technology wasn’t available to pair sounds with images. “Talking pictures,” or “talkies,” finally came into prominence in the 1930s. Sadly, the majority of silent films, some of which were fine works of art, were poorly preserved or only exist now in second- or third-generation copies. I’m meditating on this situation as a metaphor for your life, Taurus. Are there parts of your history that seem lost, erased or unavailable? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to try to recover them. Remembering and reviving your past can be a potent healing agent.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): An old proverb tells us, “You must run toward the future and catch it. It is not coming to meet you, but is fleeing from you, escaping into the unknown.” This adage isn’t true for you at all right now, Gemini. In fact, the future is dashing toward you from all directions. It is not shy or evasive, but is eager to embrace you and is full of welcoming energy. How should you respond? I recommend you make yourself very grounded. Root yourself firmly in an understanding of who you are and what you want. Show the future clearly which parts of it you really want and which parts are uninteresting to you.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Early in his musical career, Cancerian innovator Harry Partch played traditional instruments and composed a regular string quartet. But by age 29, he was inventing and building novel instruments that had never before been used. Among the materials he used in constructing his Zymo-Xyl, Eucal Blossom and Chromelodeon were tree branches, light bulbs and wine bottles. I’m inviting you to enter into a Harry Partch phase of your cycle, Cancerian. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to express your unique genius — whether that’s in your art, your business, your personal life or any other sphere where you love to express your authentic self.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Life’s unpredictable flow will bring you interesting new blessings if you revamp your fundamentals. Listen closely, Leo, because this is a subtle turn of events: A whole slew of good fortune will arrive if you joyfully initiate creative shifts in your approaches to talking, walking, exercising, eating, sleeping, meditating and having fun. These aren’t necessarily earthshaking transformations. They may be as delicate and nuanced as the following: 1. adding amusing words to your vocabulary; 2. playfully hopping and skipping as you stroll along; 3. sampling new cuisines; 4. keeping a notebook or recorder by your bed to capture your dreams; 5. trying novel ways to open your mind and heart; 6. seeking fresh pleasures that surprise you.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): In an old Irish folk tale, the fairies give a queen a crystal cauldron with special properties. If anyone speaks three falsehoods in its presence, it cracks into three fragments. If someone utters three hearty truths while standing near it, the three pieces unite again. According to my metaphorical reading of your current destiny, Virgo, you are now in the vicinity of the broken cauldron. You have expressed one restorative truth and need to proclaim two more. Be gently brave and bold as you provide the healing words.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Let’s review the highlights of the recent months. First, you expanded your perspective, blew your mind and raised your consciousness. That was fabulous! Next, you wandered around half-dazed and thoroughly enchanted, pleased with your new freedom and spaciousness. That, too, was fantastic! Then, you luxuriously indulged in the sheer enjoyment of your whimsical explorations and experimentations. Again, that was marvelous! Now you’re ready to spend time integrating all the teachings and epiphanies that have surged into your life in recent months. This might be less exciting, but it’s equally important.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): As a teenager, I loved the music of Jefferson Airplane. I recall sitting on the couch in my New Jersey home and listening to their albums over and over again. Years later, I was performing on stage at a San Francisco nightclub with my band, World Entertainment War. In the audience was Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane. After the show, he came backstage and introduced himself. He said he wanted his current band, Jefferson Starship, to cover two of my band’s songs on his future album. Which he did. I suspect you will soon experience a comparable version of my story, Scorpio. Your past will show up bearing a gift for your future. A seed planted long ago will finally blossom.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): My horoscopes are directed toward individuals, not groups. Yet it’s impossible to provide oracles about your personal destiny without considering the collective influences that affect you. Every day, you are impacted by the culture you live in. For instance, you encounter news media that present propaganda as information and regard cynicism as a sign of intellectual vigor. You live on a planet where the climate is rapidly changing, endangering your stability and security. You are not a narrowminded bigot who doles out hatred toward those who are unlike you, but you may have to deal with such people. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because now is an excellent time to take an inventory of the world’s negative influences — and initiate aggressive measures to protect yourself from them. Even further, I hope you will cultivate and embody positive alternatives.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): I suspect you will be extra attractive, appealing and engaging in the coming weeks. You may also be especially convincing, influential and inspirational. What do you plan to do with all this potency? How will you wield your flair? Here’s what I hope: You will dispense blessings everywhere you go. You will nurture the collective health and highest good of groups and communities you are part of. PS: In unexpected ways, being unselfish will generate wonderful selfish benefits.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Do you fantasize about being a masterful manager of your world? Have you imagined the joy of being the supreme sovereign of your holy destiny? Do you love the idea of rebelling against anyone who imagines they have the right to tell you what you should do and who you are? If you answered yes to those questions, I have excellent news, Aquarius: You are now primed to take exciting steps to further the goals I described. Here’s a helpful tip: Re-dedicate yourself to the fulfillment of your two deepest desires. Swear an oath to that intention.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): The Liberation Season is here. How can you take maximum advantage of the emancipatory energies? Here are suggestions: 1. Plan adventures to frontier zones. 2. Sing and dance in the wilderness. 3. Experiment with fun and pleasure that are outside your usual repertoire. 4. Investigate what it would mean for you to be on the vanguard of your field. 5. Expand your understandings of sexuality. 6. Venture out on a pilgrimage. 7. Give yourself permission to fantasize extravagantly. 8. Consider engaging in a smart gamble. 8. Ramble, wander and explore.
I am a 45-year-old woman married to a wonderful 43-year-old man. We just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. As we are sexually mismatched, part of our marriage agreement was that I would have my freedom.
I’ve had numerous lovers during our marriage. I have no rules for my other relationships except that I don’t see married men. Sexually, I am simple. I like handsome men, preferably younger, fit with nice cocks. When I find a lover who fucks me well, I can go a little out of my mind. I had a lover when we lived in Brussels who drove me to distraction.
It is happening again. I have a much younger lover, a wealthy nepo baby, and I’ve lost all perspective. I have accepted expensive jewelry, lavish vacations and designer clothes. It makes me feel cheap, but the sex is so great that I don’t care how he sees me.
I need to get out of this relationship. I know it is cowardly, but I am considering “ghosting” my nepo baby and then spending a month at our house in the Caribbean (where I still have a lover) before reuniting with my husband. What do you think?
— Adoring Wife Outrunning Lover
Besides thinking we need to jack up marginal tax rates and institute an absolutely crushing wealth tax, AWOL, I’m thinking someone trained an AI chatbot on old Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins novels and that chatbot became sentient and started sending questions to advice columnists.
If you can’t risk being in the same room with this guy — because his dick and his game are too good to resist — you can end things with an email or a text message or by overnighting him a cuneiform tablet.
And seeing as you didn’t have to be in a room with me to ask me your
SAVAGE LOVE
BY DAN SAVAGE
question because WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, AWOL, you already knew you didn’t have to get in a room with your nepo baby to tell him it’s over before you sent this letter flaunting your outrageous fortune.
P.S. Happy to house sit for you at your place in the Caribbean the 10 months or so it sits empty every year. You know how to reach me!
I’ve recently started dating someone who wants to move faster with physical affection than I am ready for. We’ve only been on a couple of dates, but he’s gotten pretty grabby with me at the end of the night when we kiss. Now he’s asking to come to my house.
Part of me wants to say yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve had physical intimacy. But when I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s not uncommon for me to shut down and disassociate, leading to experiences I don’t feel happy about later.
Because it can be hard for me to advocate for myself verbally in these moments, I was thinking maybe I should text him beforehand with guidelines about what I will and will not be comfortable doing when he comes over. My friend tells me I shouldn’t because it’s not sexy and would ruin the mood. What do you think?
— Slow Mover Somewhat Nervous
This guy — a guy who’s already gotten grabby with you in ways that made you uncomfortable — is either incapable of correctly interpreting your nonverbal cues, SMSN, or he understood your nonverbal cues perfectly and ignored them because he didn’t care how uncomfortable he was making you.
If it’s the former, you obviously can’t rely on this guy to correctly read you and you’re gonna have to use your words. If it’s the latter, you don’t wanna have him over to your place at all. To find out which it is, SMSN, send him that text message. His response will reveal a lot.
Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan. Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
HACKING THE MASHERS
Secrets to whipping up the world’s yummiest mashed potatoes
BY JOHN LEHNDORFF
Nobody is neutral when it comes to mashed potatoes, but true tater haters are a rare and weird breed. Some version of these comforting spuds will likely grace every family feast during the coming season.
According to a recent MenuTrends survey, 81% of Gen Z respondents “like” or “love” potatoes, compared to 90% of Millennials and 92% of Gen Xers. Baby Boomers? Mashed or whipped, 95% of them are passionate about their spuds. Mashers seem so simple — just potatoes, milk and butter — yet there are thousands of recipes online. You could spend all day watching Instagram and TikTok how-to videos.
We’re not here to give you another easy recipe, but to gift you a nerdy, chef’s-eye insight into understanding how mashed potatoes work.
Chef Paolo Neville did not grow up with mashers. He has zero nostalgic tales of mom’s recipe.
Neville owns Lafayette’s Urban Hot Dog Collective, a food truck and event catering outfit. He has run the kitchens at 95a Bistro, Brasserie Ten Ten and The Med, as well as fine-dining restaurants in California’s wine country.
“In my house,” Neville says, “all we got was a lot of whole grains and organic vegetables.”
Neville’s gateway mashers moment happened when he was a teen.
“My first experience with mashed potatoes was going over to friends’ houses and eating regular, Midwest, all-American food,” he says. “I thought it was the best thing ever — I’d been so deprived.”
After his awakening, Neville devoted himself to perfecting the simple starch.
“As soon as I started making them, I figured out the best ways to whip them up,” he says. “Pretty much every restaurant I’ve ever worked in has done some form of mashed potatoes.”
MASHED, WHIPPED OR SMASHED?
All mashers are not the same, according to Neville.
“If I’m going for something pretty refined and maybe leaning French, I’ll make pommes with no lumps using a simple tool called a ricer. You put the drained boiled
potatoes through the little holes to make them smooth,” he says.
For these smooth whipped potatoes, always peel the spuds before you slowly bring them to a boil in a large pot of cold salted water. If they’re not too small, quarter them: Tiny chunks tend to dissolve, according to Neville.
Uniformity is key, too: “You want the potato to cook evenly. If you throw a potato into boiling water, the outside of the potato is going to be overcooked by the time the inside is done. You’re basically wasting a lot of potato.”
The key to firm but still fork-tender in the middle potatoes is to avoid overcrowding the pot and then gradually turn up the heat.
RUSSET, YUKON GOLD OR RED?
The potato variety you use makes a huge difference in the mashers that result. Most, but not all, whipped potatoes are made with russets, according to Neville.
“But I like the flavor and butteriness of Yukon golds,” he says. “You can leave the skins on because they are so thin.”
The chef often combines several varieties, like a 50-50 mix of russets and Yukon golds or white potatoes. Waxy red potatoes have traditionally been reserved for hash browns, not mashers, but Neville thinks they are more than acceptable.
“I’ve had a lot of success using reds to make rustic mashers with chunks in it,” he says.
MILK, BUTTER AND TIMING
Some cooks use cream in their mashers, but chef Neville goes with whole milk. “I find that they hold better until you’re ready to serve,” he says.
The when is more important than the what: “The most important step is to add the milk to the potatoes as soon as you drain the hot water. First, mix or whip the potatoes by themselves to smooth them out before gradually adding the milk. You
can heat the milk and butter together, but I always combine the unsalted butter first, and then slowly add the milk.”
Another pro tip: “I warm the milk in a pan before adding it.” Neville urges caution when adding hot milk to a mixer bowl. “Adding too much milk at once while the beater is going can make it explode in your face.”
The hard part is knowing how to add just the right amount of liquid. Neville says it is less about measuring and more about paying attention.
“You have to look at it and decide the consistency is right. Nobody wants runny mashers,” he says. “Taste as you go, and add salt and white pepper — no black specks.”
Many cooks also add other ingredients like horseradish, roasted green chilies and roasted (never raw!) garlic. Neville keeps the mashers as a simple canvas to show off the other flavors in a meal.
“Sour cream is interesting because you’re crossing that line between butter and milk in consistency,” he says. “I like sour cream because it gives some tanginess especially in rustic red potato mash-
Mashed skin-on Yukon gold potatoes with butter. Credit: John Lehndorff
Chef Paolo Neville making mashers. Courtesy: Paolo Neville
NIBBLES
ers. I add a tiny bit of nutmeg or cayenne — enough to add depth, not spiciness.”
AVOID
T-DAY MADNESS: MASH AHEAD
“Thanksgiving hosts always have way too many things to do at the last minute. There’s no reason not to make mashers two hours ahead and hold them covered in a baking dish,” Neville says.
When you pull the turkey out of the oven to rest 30 minutes before carving, put the mashers in to reheat. After that, the mashers are ready for butter or gravy — and the applause from your mashed potato-loving family and friends.
A-PEELING DESSERT: MASHED SPUD FUDGE
Colorado’s San Luis Valley is the second largest potato growing region in
the U.S., producing more than two billion pounds annually, according to the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee. They share this oddsounding recipe that produces great fudge.
Creamy Colorado Potato Fudge: Melt 3 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a double boiler — i.e., a pot or bowl atop a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat and thoroughly mix in 1/3 cup mashed, unseasoned Colorado potatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Blend in 1 pound of powdered sugar and then add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans and knead until smooth. Press into buttered 8-inch square pan. Cool in the refrigerator before cutting.
For extra flavor, nuts can be toasted before adding.
TASTE OF THE WEEK: COFFEE CUBISM, NO TIPS
Moe’s Broadway Bagels deserves a shout out for serving their cold brew coffee with ice cubes made from coffee, not water. They don’t dilute the brew! On a recent visit, I also noticed that Moe’s no longer offers the dreaded tip screen. Employee wages have been raised. A tasting note: Moe’s now offers breakfast sandwiches made with latkes — potato pancakes — instead of bagel halves.
LOCAL FOOD NEWS: BLACK CAT IS BACK
Back in 2020, Boulder’s Black Cat Farm hosted a series of acclaimed farm dinners which sold-out as soon as seats were available. After four years of construction and permitting battles, Black Cat’s dinners are back at chef/farmer Eric Skokan’s 500-acre organic homestead. Reservations for fixed price feasts are being accepted at blackcatboulder.com.
Oxytocin, a ceremonial teahouse and event space, has opened at 1925 Glenwood Drive in Boulder.
Coming soon: Yakitori Gareji, 2250 Pearl St., Boulder.
WORDS TO CHEW ON: OTHERING ETHNIC FOODS
“A diet that consists predominantly of rice leads to the use of opium, just as a diet that consists predominantly of potatoes leads to the use of liquor.” – German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)
John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. Comments: nibbles@boulderweekly.com
REPORT FROM PSYCON
Excitement, collaboration builds as Colorado preps for legal shroom-assisted therapy
STORY AND PHOTOS BY NIKO SKIEVASKI
With Colorado’s natural medicine program set to go live in just a few months, activity in the psychedelic community is ramping up.
PsyCon was held Oct. 10-12 in Denver, bringing together roughly 1,000 people from across the nascent industry.
I had the pleasure of speaking at the conference, where much of the conversation focused on the new business opportunities emerging in the new year. As a reminder, come 2025, psilocybin-assisted therapy will be legal under a new regulated model. The state will license facilitators, clinics, mushroom cultivators, product manufacturers, labs and training programs.
The PsyCon trade show floor was flush with new businesses gearing up to apply for these licenses, many of which are currently operating in a precarious state of legality.
While Colorado’s Prop 122 decriminalized psilocybin for personal use in 2022, it did not create a retail or commercial pathway.
Since then, many of the underground cultivators and practitioners have had one foot out of the underground,
waiting on this new legal avenue.
Mushroom cultivators could be found among the 50 or so vendors on the tradeshow floor, handing out free samples while selling grow kits, spores and lessons in cultivation.
If mushrooms are the gold, Noah Novello of Friday Ventures is selling pickaxes. His company offers inexpensive mushroom testing services for home
growers to know how much of the psychoactive ingredients are present in their fruit.
Novello had his suitcase-size laboratory set up and showed me just how variable different strains can be. This may point to a more nuanced future for psilocybin, just as cannabis strains were refined in the early years of legalization.
Eight training programs have already been awarded licenses. This includes two in Boulder County: Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies in Boulder and Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI) in Niwot.
Facilitators will need to complete training from a licensed training program to work legally in the regulated space. Programs are already bustling with activity.
“We expect to have 30 students for Colorado training starting in
March,” said Travis Kern, lead educator at Portland, Oregonbased Acadia.
Beyond the fervor, there was a healthy balance of caution. The state of Oregon rolled out a similar program in 2023. While thousands of psilocybin journeys have been administered in the program, business has proven difficult to sustain, with the cost of the license itself being a primary culprit.
“Over the past two years, I’ve paid $23,000 in license fees to the state while our revenues [from the program] have only been $25,000,” said Dan Huson, CEO of Rose City Labs, the only licensed psilocybin testing laboratory left in Oregon. The company has kept itself afloat with revenue from other sources, such as federal water-testing contracts. Colorado’s program will be the second iteration of a state program, and the country is watching. On Nov. 5, Massachusetts voters will decide if their state will adopt a similar program, built upon the lessons yet to be uncovered in Colorado.
Niko Skievaski (niko@altheapbc.com) is a Boulder resident and co-founder of Althea PBC, a software company supporting the regulated rollout of psychedelics in Colorado, Oregon, and beyond. He served on Denver’s Natural Medicine Work Group and has a background in healthcare technology.
The Center Origin is already in operation in downtown Denver. They plan to apply to become a healing center next year.
Noah Novello and Victoria Shumulinsky of Friday Ventures. Their psilocybin testing unit can be seen on the left.
