Boulder Weekly 12.28.2023 by Boulder Weekly

,23 AND ME: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PRESENTS

For gig�lers of all ages!

A WORLD PREMIERE

Written & Directed by Matt Zambrano Music & Lyrics by Frank Oden

December 7 - 31 Opening Night: Friday, December 8 The Dairy Arts Center | Boulder

In the teeny tiny town of Holly, Alaska, a merry band of community theatre actors has kept the tradition of the annual Holly Daze Spectacular! alive for 119 years. If they do the show just one more year, they'll make it into the Guinness Book of World Records, proving to their rival town of Ivy once and for all which town is the best in the cold northwest. To make a Spectacular is no small thing, though — and there's subarctic weather and wildlife on the loose. Can they do it?? Join these small-town holiday heroes for a heartwarming tale full of music, comedy and the true spirit of community.

THE AWARD-WINNING BOULDER ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY

BETC.ORG

CONTENTS 12.28.2023

11 of 2023 BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS

DISTRICT COURT, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO PO Box 4249, Boulder, CO 80306 1777 6th Street, Boulder, CO 80302

08 NEWS The economy, elections and everything else:

In the Matter of the Petition of: JACOB THOMPSON (name of person seeking to adopt)

11 COVER From concerts to cocktails, our picks for the best

the year in local news BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

NIBBLES The best Boulder County bites our food editor tasted this year BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

DEPARTMENTS 04 OPINION

Hello to our new disability columnist

18 FILM

2023: a weird time to love movies

20 EVENTS Where to go and what to do

ASTROLOGY Be like the King, Capricorn

25 SAVAGE LOVE The booty remembers

31 WEED Is pot getting too potent?

For the Adoption of a Child Case Number: 23JA30038 Division: M NOTICE OF HEARING To: Jason Robert Marquez Pursuant to §19-5-208, C.R.S., you are hereby notified that the above-named Petitioner(s) has/ have filed in this Court a verified Petition seeking to adopt a child. An Affidavit of Abandonment has been filed alleging that you have abandoned the child for a period of one year or more and/or have failed without cause to provide reasonable support for the child for one year or more. You are further notified that an Adoption hearing is set on 01/18/2024 (date), at 3:00 p.m. (time) in the court location identified above. You are further notified that if you fail to appear for said hearing, the Court may terminate your parental rights and grant the adoption as sought by the Petitioner(s). DISTRICT COURT, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO PO Box 4249, Boulder, CO 80306 1777 6th Street, Boulder, CO 80302 In the Matter of the Petition of: JACOB THOMPSON (name of person seeking to adopt) For the Adoption of a Child Case Number: 23JA30039 Division: M NOTICE OF HEARING

22 BOULDER WEEKLY

To: Jason Robert Marquez Pursuant to §19-5-208, C.R.S., you are hereby notified that the above-named Petitioner(s) has/ have filed in this Court a verified Petition seeking to adopt a child. An Affidavit of Abandonment has been filed alleging that you have abandoned the child for a period of one year or more and/or have failed without cause to provide reasonable support for the child for one year or more. You are further notified that an Adoption hearing is set on 01/18/2024 (date), at 3:30 p.m. (time) in the court location identified above. You are further notified that if you fail to appear for said hearing, the Court may terminate your parental rights and grant the adoption as sought by the Petitioner(s).

DECEMBER 28, 2023

COMMENTARY DECEMBER 28, 2023 Volume 31, Number 19

PUBLISHER: Francis Zankowski

ED ITOR IAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff INTERN: Lily Fletcher CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Bart Schaneman, Gabby Vermeire, Jenn Ochs

SAL ES AN D M AR KETIN G MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Holden Hauke SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PR OD U C TION CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mark Goodman

C IR C U L ATION CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BU SIN ESS OFFIC E

LET’S TALK DISABILITY

DISABILITY VISIBILITY New columnist discusses the importance of disability awareness in the community

BOOKKEEPER: Emily Weinberg FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo

Did you know the Audio Information Network of Colorado reads Boulder Weekly issues for blind and low-vision readers? Scan this QR Code to listen.

BY JENN OCHS

ello, Boulder! I’m Jenn Ochs, Ms. Wheelchair Colorado 2023, and I will be discussing all things disability for you. Disability issues are kind of unknown. I want to change that. First, I’ll tell you a little about me. I’ve lived in Boulder for five years, and I went to high school at Centaurus in Lafayette. I’m originally from Kansas but moved to Superior when I was 15. After living in several states, I came back to Colorado in 2016. 4

DECEMBER 28, 2023

I was not born disabled. Complications from Leukemia made me a wheelchair user 10 years ago. Before becoming disabled, I was married, had a marketing career and owned a home in South Carolina. Becoming disabled turned my life upside down and my husband divorced me. This gave me the experience of living an able-bodied life as well as one with a disability. I’m passionate about raising disability awareness. Just because I use

a wheelchair doesn’t make me any different from you. I’m active in the Boulder community; I vote and pay taxes. I believe people with disabilities belong out in our community. I’m very involved in disability advocacy and passionate about helping others with disabilities to be able to live independently. There are tons of barriers I deal with daily in the community. I want to bring awareness to these barriers

As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holdsbarred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly. com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper. 690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO 80305 Phone: 303.494.5511, FAX: 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. ©2023 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved. Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly. com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.

BOULDER WEEKLY

LET’S TALK DISABILITY

LETTERS STILL IN NEED

Jenn Ochs, Ms. Wheelchair Colorado 2023. Courtesy: Jenn Ochs

and acknowledge that despite the challenges, it is possible to live independently with a disability. Also, I want able-bodied people to realize that becoming disabled could happen to anyone at any time. Aging will bring disabilities to everyone. Disability awareness is beneficial to everyone — not just people with disabilities!

COLD, SNOW — AND SERIOUS ISSUES

Each month, I will write about various disability topics. This month, I want to raise awareness about the difficulties of cold weather and how it can negatively affect people with disabilities. Wheelchairs and snow don’t mix. Actually, walkers and strollers also don’t mix with snow. Even when the streets are plowed, slush collected at curbs and intersections can make it impossible for a wheelchair to move. Just this week, my power chair got stuck in the middle of Pearl Street on a mound of slush and snow. Then there is the problem of snow at the bus stops. Some stops are not shoveled at all. When I addressed the issue with RTD, they claimed stops were shoveled but City plows came along after RTD and caused the stop to be “re-covered’ with snow. Also, snow piles at the edges of curbs prohibit the necessary ramp from lowering, which is how wheelchairs board the bus. RTD points to the volunteer stop BOULDER WEEKLY

shoveling program, Adopt-a-Stop | RTD-Denver, as a solution. In the program, neighborhoods or individuals adopt a specific stop and monitor the stop for needed shoveling or trash and vandalism issues. The City of Boulder has created Shovela-Stop programs to address this issue. Besides the snow accumulation, dealing with Mother Nature is a barrier itself. Cold weather and high winds are obstacles. Bus shelters often have missing windows or don’t exist at all. A shelter without windows is just a wind tunnel. Perhaps an unexpected barrier is holiday decorations wrapped around hand rails. While garland or lights wrapped around railings looks festive, they are a danger to those who rely on rails to climb the stairs. Let’s work together as a community to raise disability awareness to create a community that welcomes people of all abilities. Jenn Ochs lives in Boulder and enjoys listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks while painting or drawing. She is a disability rights advocate and a graduate from Baylor University in Texas, which is where she realized that Boulder is the best place to live. Self description (for people with visual impairment): Jenn is a woman in her early forties with short brown hair and glasses and sitting in a wheelchair.

This is a response to your letter discussing potential cleanup and respect for Native heritage (“The ghosts of Valmont Butte,” Jan. 26, 2012). I understand this letter is over 10 years old, but the land is still radiated and in need of cleanup. Valmont Butte holds immense historical and spiritual value, particularly for the Native American communities, and its preservation is of utmost importance. Over the years, Valmont Butte has unfortunately been subjected to the adverse impacts of European settlement and industrial activities, notably mining, which have not only polluted the area but also marred its sacredness. I believe the Colorado Historic Cemetery Association has a crucial role to play in this matter. It is not only about conserving a physical site but also about respecting and acknowledging the cultural and spiritual significance it holds for the Native American people. Consider taking action to ensure that Valmont Butte is preserved in a manner that honors its historical and spiritual importance. This could involve cleaning up the pollution, implementing protective measures to prevent further degradation, and working with Native American groups to understand and incorporate their perspectives and needs in the preservation efforts. — Willow Jon Collamer, Boulder

PEACE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Plastic bags, a soda can and a large plastic banner were floating in Boulder Creek beneath the bridge at 23rd and Pearl. They reminded me of people on inner tubes, waiting for a chance to ride the waves. They didn’t. My friend James pulled out all of this trash. Giving to by taking from. Removing trash from our waterways is one way we can celebrate the holidays. There are many others. One is very simple. Please call your representatives and tell them that you want a long ceasefire in Gaza. Children in Boulder might be dreaming of sparkling sugarplum fairies. Children in Gaza are dying from exploding bombs. Let’s “give peace a chance.” — Kristen Marshall, Boulder DECEMBER 28, 2023

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NEWS

OUR TOP 10 STORIES FROM THIS YEAR

3. GAINS ON HOUSING

Consider this your CliffNotes for Boulder County happenings in 2023 BY SHAY CASTLE 1 - 5 : T H E B I G ST UF F 1. HOMELESSNESS

Once again, the homelessness crisis was top of mind for many. It was a noteworthy year for many reasons, good and bad. Student homelessness rose to its highest level in 10 years as more families struggled economically (more on that later). Overall, the people experiencing homelessness locally are getting more vulnerable, with increasing numbers of unhoused residents reporting disabling conditions. Complaints about unsheltered homelessness along the Boulder Creek corridor reached a fever pitch, with voters eventually asking the City to prioritize removal near Boulder High School. Meanwhile, a lawsuit challenging Boulder’s blanket ban — which prevents people from covering themselves with blankets or sleeping bags while living outside — made its way to court; a trial date is set for the week of Aug. 12. Local leaders took several steps to expand services. A long-planned day shelter will open this winter after the initial location fell through. A sanctioned campground is potentially in the works, and the entire system of services will finally get a critical and comprehensive look to identify gaps. Boulder County gave more money to help Boulder and Longmont shelters 8

DECEMBER 28, 2023

keep up with increased demand, and several programs were added for specific populations, with promising results. Pairing case managers with unhoused patients at Boulder Community Hospital reduced emergency room visits by 84%, and housing repeat offenders cut crime by 90%. A plan to help the hardest-to-house folks has been made that includes dedicated medical and behavioral health teams, peer supports and housing vouchers. Implementation — and funding for the $7 million proposal — is TBD.

2. ECONOMIC STRUGGLE

Times were tough in 2023. As COVIDera federal aid dried up, demand at local food banks reached 100-year highs. Boulder burned through its rental assistance budget twice as fast as the year before, implementing new rules in May meant to make the meager dollars last longer. Nonprofits working with povertystricken families begged elected officials to raise the minimum wage. Boulder County did; cities promised to follow next year. The City of Boulder launched a new-to-here guaranteed income program. Monthly payments of $500 should make 2024 a little easier than 2023 — at least for those lucky 200 participants (who should be receiving that good news in the next couple of weeks).

A little light shone into the bleakness that is Boulder County’s housing crisis this year. More state money should start flowing in next year, and Boulder County voters decided to repurpose an existing sales tax for affordable housing. The City of Boulder took several steps to legalize more types of housing, including duplexes and triplexes, and loosened a 60-year rule on how many roommates you can have. Tweaks to building relations also could result in fewer big, luxury units being built. Of course, the one thing that could actually keep rising rents in check — rent control — didn’t pass the Colorado Legislature, even though lawmakers made sure to give homeowners a break on property taxes despite voters rejecting their first attempt. Oh, well, maybe next year…

4. HISTORIC ELECTIONS

It was a good year for democracy: 52% of active Boulder County voters turned in a ballot, and residents in Erie and Superior took steps toward self-gover-

nance. (We stan a home rule city.) Boulder had its first-ever ranked choice vote to pick its first-ever directly elected mayor. And the City Council race got spicy with a recount, even if the outcome didn’t change. While The People’s Republic continued to lean into progressive leadership — and continued its 13-year record of approving every tax it possibly can — Longmont voters said no not once, but three times to higher taxes. (Read more about Longmont in our 2024 stories to watch: bit.ly/2024-stories)

5. DISASTER ANNIVERSARIES

In the 2013 floods, waters rushed down Main Street and flooded businesses like the St. Vrain Market. Credit: Neil Sullivan

This year marked a decade since the 2013 floods and two years since the Marshall Fire — an important date, as that’s when most insurers stop covering living expenses for displaced homeowners. As Boulder County recovers from its two biggest disasters (so far) it’s also looking ahead. Fire and flood protection plan updates are underway and scheduled to finalize next year, and the popular Wildfire Partners program expanded into East Boulder County, way beyond the Wildland Urban Interface we once believed to be the danger zone. 2023 was also the first year of new spending on fire mitigation, thanks to City of Boulder and Boulder County taxes. Will the extra cash help us be more resilient in the face of climatefueled disasters? Only time will tell. Will Matuska and Kaylee Harter contributed reporting. BOULDER WEEKLY

NEWS 6 - 1 0 : O U R P E R SO NAL FAVE S

7. ‘PRISON SYSTEM LOGIC’ BY KAYLEE HARTER

6. ‘UNTIL WE’RE ALL HOME’ BY WILL MATUSKA

Wild Horse Inmate Program. Courtesy: Colorado Correctional Industries

The view from Lyons’ 5th Avenue bridge during the flood. Courtesy: Town of Lyons

Lyons got smacked by the 2013 flood. One employee at the County said the disaster took the town’s infrastructure “back to 1860.” While the town finished its final flood-recovery infrastructure project at the end of 2022, some residents are still displaced from the tight-knit community. One of those folks is Kriya Goodman, a school teacher and music therapist, who has been trying to get home to Lyons all this time. Themes like community resilience, disaster recovery, the human spirit and how a town turns to the future while respecting the past ring throughout this story. The introduction to this story is also an all-time favorite of mine. I’m a dedicated listener of The Tallest Man on Earth — the band owns some of my top live shows — and I was delighted to connect the lyrics he belted at Folks Fest to this story, and to the community as a whole. BOULDER WEEKLY

In a first-of-its-kind dataset published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values, CSU’s Prison Agriculture Lab found that more than 660 adult state prisons across the country had agricultural programs — nearly 60% of all state prisons. This story (and the CSU data) examined who these programs actually benefit and how they reinforce the prison system and negative stereotypes about incarcerated people. It includes the voices of three formerly incarcerated individuals, the researchers and a Colorado Department of Corrections Spokesperson who stopped responding to me altogether after answering some initial questions via email. Prison systems are often opaque, but understanding what goes on behind their walls is important. This quote from a formerly incarcerated man stuck with me: “None of this is broken. It’s by design. [Cheap] labor is incentive for mass incarceration.”

8. THE RAYBACK SERIES: ‘RISKY BUSINESS’ AND ‘SUNDAY SCHOOL’ BY SHAY CASTLE

Residents were frustrated with the Rayback Collective’s choice to allow The Well, an evangelical church that espouses misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ views, to hold its services there for the past three years. Credit: Will Matuska

These are my favorite kinds of stories: reader requested. Rumblings over Rayback’s hosting of a controversial church first started with a community member’s op-ed in the Daily Camera. Readers, dismayed at this use of a business they love, begged me to follow up with actual reporting. Part 2 was more interesting to me: schools renting space to upstart churches, helping them gain a foothold in the community. Stories on religion are always tough to report. I drew from my own Christian upbringing to try and find compassion for all involved. Typically, it ended with just about everyone I spoke to being pissed off, but I think it’s a considerate look at the use of public and private spaces for religious purposes — and the tradeoffs we sometimes have to make in order to live in a truly free society.

9. ‘WAVE YOUR FLAG’ BY WILL MATUSKA

Courtesy: Chicago Architecture Center

Passion is contagious, and Ted Kaye has plenty of it. He’s practiced vexillology — the study of flags — for decades with the North American Vexillological Association. Kaye’s collected flags from around the world since he was a teenager and flies a different one outside his home every day. But not every flag is created equal, which is why Kaye wrote “Good” Flag, “Bad” Flag. We published this story shortly after NAVA released the results of a survey ranking City flags around the country. A few nearby cities got Fs, and some, including Boulder, don’t

have official flags at all. The meaning of flags goes beyond the design — they can symbolize a town’s geography, politics, history, community and pride.

10. ‘HARD RAIN’ BY KAYLEE HARTER

Courtesy: Roza Laptander

I love stories that make us feel more connected to far-reaching corners of the world, and this one about how rainon-snow events impact Arctic communities did just that for me. I had the chance to talk with researchers from across the globe about NSIDC’s four-year study on rainon-snow and how it impacts Indigenous communities. “The Arctic is right here in Boulder in many ways, because what happens in the Arctic is not going to stay in the Arctic,” NSIDC Director Mark Serreze, who’s based in Boulder, told me. “The Arctic is raising the red flag of climate change, and it’s going to affect us all.” The story also examines how researchers can work with communities and build trust without just parachuting in — something I think is important for researchers and journalists alike.

ONLINE ONLY

5 stories we’ll be watching for (and probably writing about) next year: bit.ly/2024-stories 3 stories we read this year (and can’t stop thinking about): bit.ly/read-2023

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FEATURE

’23 AND ME Boulder Weekly staff and contributors share our favorite stuff of the year BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

e’re suckers for a good year-end list here at Boulder Weekly. And as enthusiastic (some might say obsessive) consumers of culture, there’s no shortage of opinions around the newsroom when it comes to our favorite movies, music, performances and experiences in Boulder County and beyond. So while we’re taking stock of 2023 and looking ahead to the new year, we asked staff and contributors to share their picks for the best of the year that was.

SHAY CASTLE, editor-in-chief Concert of the year

Los Cheesies at Roots Music Project I had pre-existing beef with Los Cheesies frontman Shawn Camden from when we were both volunteering for Feet Forward, so I was impressed against my will when I saw him perform during a benefit show at Roots Music Project in Boulder. His high energy borders on insanity, but it’s the infectious kind that makes you smile and dance no matter your mood.

Book of the year

‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ by Jennette McCurdy I’m a bit late to this one (it came out in August ’22) but I had to psyche myself

Credit: Todd Pollock

BOULDER WEEKLY

up for it. As much a sendup of Hollywood as her batshit crazy family, Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died is not an easy read. But anyone with abusive or just less-thanstellar parents will find plenty to connect with.

Community event of the year

TGTHR Community Social & Youth Panel Maybe it’s because I was just there, but Boulder nonprofit TGTHR hosted a Community Social & Youth Panel with its clients and … wow. I was blown away by their humor and heart. Nothing will motivate you to work on our dual homelessness and housing crises like spending five minutes with these folks.

Podcast of the year

‘Normal Gossip’ This show filled the void in my life when I worked alone at home (before I joined the Boulder Weekly team). From backstabbing bridesmaids to a clockmaker who faked his own death — twice! — the stories featured on Normal Gossip are always hella juicy, surprising and totally hilarious.

JEZY J. GRAY, arts and culture editor Concert of the year

Lingua Ignota with Chat Pile at the Stanley Hotel When I say these two winter nights at the purportedly haunted Stanley Hotel were a religious experience, I’m not being metaphorical. Complete with a private séance and nü-metal karaoke party, the pair of sold-out shows in Estes Park acted as the stateside swan song for Lingua Ignota, the apocalyptic folk-metal project of artist Kristin Hayter (who returns to the Front Range under her own name early next year). In a Boulder Weekly preview of the show, I interviewed the very good boys of celebrated noise-rock opening act Chat Pile ahead of their Colorado debut to rate local staples like weed, jam bands and healing crystals.

Movie of the year

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Anyone who has been around me at

all this year knows about my one-line speaking role in the new movie by a scrappy young director named Martin Scorsese. I play the yes-man secretary to the bone-chilling William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro), a prominent Oklahoma cattle baron and community leader who pulls the strings behind a brutal 1920s Osage Nation killing spree in a conspiracy to bilk its oilrich citizens of their spectacular wealth. I’m more than a little biased here, but Killers of the Flower Moon was far and away the best thing I saw this year — epic, spiritual and utterly devastating. (My scene basically kicks off the third act, so don’t go to the bathroom for the last hour or so just to be safe.)

BW arts story of the year

‘False ending: Colorado hardcore heroes FAIM seize a second chance at a swan song’ by Lauren Hill You generally don’t break a lot of news in a typical arts feature, but culture journalist and CU student Lauren Hill — who joins us in the newsroom next semester as our spring intern — did just that in her write-up on Denver hardcore band FAIM. The impending break-up of the beloved Front Range mainstay, which sent shockwaves through the local scene and beyond, was first announced in these pages via Lauren’s fabulous profile from February 2023. The story and the band rip in equal measure.

Credit: Brandi Gray

DECEMBER 28, 2023

FEATURE KAYLEE HARTER, staff reporter Book of the year

Courtesy: Knopf

Outdoor adventure of the year

Ice Lakes Trail – San Juan Mountains As a proud son of the Southern Plains, I count any elevation as both a personal accomplishment and a violation of God’s will. And this year I marked my highest notch (12,260 feet) at the upper basin of the Ice Lakes Trail in the breathtaking San Juan Mountains outside Ouray. The seven-mile round trip to the stunning alpine lakes was a grueling but gorgeous journey replete with waterfalls, jaw-dropping views and the season’s first blush of fall color. By the end of it, I felt like I really earned that dip in the hot springs when we got back to town.

Reopening of the year

Celestial Seasonings (4600 Sleepytime Drive, Boulder) Like many people who spend too much time online, I’m mildly obsessed with the Sleepytime Bear. So imagine my heartbreak when I moved to Boulder, home of the Celestial Seasonings tea company that brought the internet’s coziest meme to life, only to discover factory tours were still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully those dark days — the closure, not the virus — ended this year when the facility was reopened to the public on Aug. 12. I finally got to experience the fabled Peppermint Room and see the original Sleepytime Bear painting in all its glory on the walls of the onsite art gallery. Stay sleepy, my friends. 12

DECEMBER 28, 2023

‘Sea of Tranquility’ by Emily St. John Mandell This book was technically released in 2022, but what is time anyway? Sea of Tranquility travels through time and space, weaving together disparate characters with beautiful prose and mind-bending storytelling. I hate knowing much of anything about a book before reading it, so I’ll leave it at that and promise it’s worth your time (at a quick 272 pages, it won’t take much). Side note: Mandell’s earlier novels Station Eleven and Glass Hotel tie into this book, but you don’t really need to read them first (I didn’t). They’re more companion pieces than precursors.

New podcast of the year

‘If Books Could Kill’ I’m a huge fan of the Michael Hobbesiverse. He’s a former Huffington Post reporter who knows how to go down a good research rabbit hole and tackle complicated characters. You’re Wrong About (which Hobbes no longer cohosts) and Maintenance Phase have been favorites of mine for a while now because of the deep research, scathing humor and balanced empathy Hobbes and his co-hosts bring to topics like wellness trends and pop culture. So I was excited this year when Hobbes released If Books Could Kill, a podcast about “the airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds” with Peter Shamshiri, co-host of 5-4, another great podcast about why the supreme court sucks.

Fire — one of two albums he released this year. It’s got a stacked list of features, with everyone from Missy Elliot and Flowdan to Four Tet and Fred Again. The album also features an appearance by 100 Gecs’ Dylan Brady. If you’re prone to turning up your nose at electronic music, give it a listen anyway — God forbid, you might have a good time.

WILL MATUSKA, staff reporter Concert of the year

Hermanos Gutiérrez I didn’t quite know what to expect entering the doors of the Boulder Theater for Hermanos Gutiérrez. I had only just heard of them a few weeks prior. It was a packed house — my buddy and I were standing on one of the balcony’s side aisles. The stage was simple and consisted of two chairs that looked like the black plastic ones you might find in a high school choir room. Few words were spoken between songs. But every time the strumming stopped, the crowd erupted like we were on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. I am usually not one to buy merch after a concert, but I proudly walked out that night with an El Bueno Y El Malo record under my arm.

Community event of the year

Demolition Derby at BoCo Fairgrounds Ten trucks. A closed ring. One goal: be the last car standing. What could go

wrong? In a county littered with sound baths, vegan restaurants and goat yoga, it was restorative to find myself in the grandstands of the Boulder County Fairground’s Demolition Derby with a 24-ounce Coors Light in hand. Each half-bagged truck entered the arena with a roar from the crowd — a setting I imagine mirrored the entrance of gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Once the wheels started spinning, short-lived glory typically ended in flat tires or steaming hoods, with lots of dirt-slinging, engine-revving and crowd-clamoring in between. One truck even caught on fire. The crowd loved it. (The driver was OK).

Outdoor adventure of the year

10th Mountain Division Hut – Fritz Benedict I went to my first 10th Mountain Division hut, the Fritz Benedict Hut, last spring near Aspen with a group of friends. After following the blue diamonds marking the way through lodgepole pines and alongside alpine lakes, we laid eyes on the hut at 11,300 feet. It was quite sophisticated — a whole room for chopping wood, a propane oven and enough beds to sleep 10. But what stood out most, to be honest, was the latrine. It had two floor-to-ceiling windows facing away from the hut and toward an untouched forest for the user to observe and contemplate while doing their business. Well played, 10th Mountain Division.

Album of the year

‘Quest for Fire’ by Skrillex I was in sixth grade and a friend of mine had just arrived at my house wearing her very 2010s suburbia plaid bermuda shorts and Sperrys. In a slightly nasally voice, she asked, “Ya ever heard of dubstep?” She played Skrillex’s Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites and I felt my prepubescent brain rewiring with every drop as we headbanged in my backyard. More than a decade later, Skrillex is still scratching the wrinkles in my brain with his second full-length album, Quest for BOULDER WEEKLY

FEATURE CARTER FERRYMAN, special

projects manager

Album of the year

‘Little Songs’ by Colter Wall No 2023 album activated my senses quite as strongly as Colter Wall’s Little Songs. Wall has the most recognizable voice in country music today — a thick, velvety baritone — that he uses to paint moving images of the American West: a lost lover south of the border, an old prospector scanning the foothills of Saskatchewan, a cowboy’s conundrum, an old guitar, a whistling sagebrush — it’s all there for you to discover.

Courtesy: CU Boulder

Athlete of the year

Travis Hunter – Colorado Buffaloes football (WR/DB) The term “unicorn” isn’t a term used loosely in sports discourse. Never in a million years did I think my alma mater, right here in Boulder, would have one — I’m glad Travis Hunter proved me wrong. This season, Hunter played an astounding 1,032 snaps, far more than the average NCAA player, because your run-of-the-mill athlete — or any person stepping onto the field, for that matter — doesn’t play both sides of the ball at an NFL level. Hunter was named a consensus All-American, took home the Paul Hornung Award (honoring college football’s most versatile athlete) and is looking to log a historic 2024 season next fall.

onions. Pair this with a glass of red or a Princess Yum Yum Raspberry Kolsch by Denver Beer Company, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a meal.

GABBY VERMEIRE (aka Whole Foods Daddy), advice columnist Free concert of the year Courtesy: 300 Suns

BART SCHANEMAN, literary reporter Book of the year

‘To Die Beautiful’ by Buzzy Jackson Boulder author Buzzy Jackson’s historical novel To Die Beautiful is not only tailor-made for the movie screen but rich with detail and depth of character. The saga of Dutch resistance fighter Hannie Schaft in 1940s Netherlands as she fights against Nazi occupation is about love, loyalty and, most importantly, standing up to fascism. Jackson reminds us that although Hitler and the Holocaust happened almost a hundred years ago, it could easily happen again.

Lit event of the year

Indie Author and Press Book Fair On a hot, sunny day at the end of September, writers and indie presses gathered at Counterpath in Denver for the first (hopefully not last) Indie Author and Press Book Fair. Organized by Denver-based author Hillary Leftwich, the event featured small presses from Colorado and elsewhere selling books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, as well as a full day of readings and panels on publishing and other literary topics. The event united the Northern Colorado literary community around a love of literature. Friends were made, books were shared and people only known online were finally met in real life.

Dish of the year

Grilled pork chop at Ado’s Kitchen You know pork is cooked right when you don’t need anything else but the cut of meat — no side dishes required. But why not both? Ado’s Kitchen takes a perfectly grilled pork chop and places it atop a mouthwatering sweet corn and mushroom risotto you have to taste to believe, all tied together with a genius bourbon/ginger/soy/garlic sauce and topped with caramelized BOULDER WEEKLY

Courtesy: Downtown Boulder Partnership

Film experience of the year

‘Flying High Again’ at Boulder Theater The most fun I had watching a film all year was the screening of Flying High Again by Teton Gravity Research at the Boulder Theater in November. The movie won iF3’s 2023 Snowboard Film of the Year. While ski and snowboarding films can feel pretty repetitive — they’re always about people riding down a snow-covered mountain — this wasn’t your typical moviegoing experience. The soundsystem at the theater was blasting the soundtrack, people were drinking beer and the crowd was whooping and hollering at the more extreme antics. There’s just something about getting together with a bunch of like-minded strangers to yell at a large movie screen.

Chicken sandwich of the year

Colorado Fried Chicken Sandwich at 300 Suns Hot take: Nashville-style chicken sandwiches are overrated. They’re usually overly seasoned with a boatload of cayenne pepper and lack depth of flavor. Some can be great — the version at 300 Suns in Longmont deserved to win the Denver Post’s best hot chicken sandwich tournament this year. But have you tried their Colorado fried chicken sandwich? It’s topped with chili honey glaze, slaw and pickles, and may just have a more interesting flavor combination than the sandwich that won the award. Don’t @ me.

Bands on the Bricks Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone? Joni’s words hit hard in the Dark Pandy Summer of 2020 (trademark!), when our beloved regular programming of Bands on the Bricks was among many institutions to lose its inperson spectacle. Last summer was Bands’ third year back in full, un-distanced glory, and all of it — Hazel Miller, the surprisingly strong margs, the wholesome ecstasy of it all — just felt so right. Special shoutout to the regular-act Eagles cover band The Long Run, who turn the Pearl Street Mall into a BDE (Big Dad Energy) pride parade.

Podcast of the year

Normal Gossip As many have noted — including BW editor-in-chief Shay Castle — the magic of Normal Gossip lies in the power of its exceedingly simple concept. In each episode, host Kelsey McKinney and a guest read a piece of anonymous gossip, about a real person, and … that’s it. Pretty soon you’ve binged every last episode and are discussing the ethical conundrums with Bestie. I dare you to listen to the first episode of Season 4 (“Every Peach is a Miracle”) and believe the gossip came from anywhere but crunchy lil’ Boulder — there’s a hot van-life climber taking advantage of showers, to start.

Cocktail of the year

The Pina Coladas @ Jungle To quote a friend halfway through the heady potion known as a Jungle pina colada: “Wow, this is almost too much.” The key word therein is almost. Yes, these coladas are a lot: a lot of rum, a lot of sugar and a lot of taste (due to being served in an emptied can of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut). Thanks to the generous use of the latter, it’s one of the only drinks I can honestly call “hearty.” It’s sweeter than a stolen, rum-soaked smooch on Pearl, and the healthy fats will hold you over until fries at the Pub. DECEMBER 28, 2023

Start 2024 with a virtual ride around the sun with

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Life Lessons on Two Wheels to the TUNES of the Grateful Dead

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Each of the book’s 52 chapters includes a This Week In Grateful Dead History concert pick, along with a Life Lesson from a lyric performed at that concert.

Order your personalized, signed copy at the official Deadhead Cyclist website by scanning the QR Code

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TOP 10

FOUND SOUNDS:

2023 EDITION The year’s bestselling new music in Boulder BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

very year is a good year for music — and 2023 was no different. We’re bringing you a twist on our regular monthly roundup of the bestselling new releases at Paradise Found Records and Music (1646 Pearl St.). Below you’ll find the definitive ranking of the year’s top 10 albums based on sales data from the city’s last store dedicated exclusively to the sale of new and used vinyl.

1. TAYLOR SWIFT

1989 (Taylor’s Version)

2. TAYLOR SWIFT

STAFF PICKS Boulder Weekly’s favorite albums of the year JANELLE MONÁE

The Age of Pleasure (Shay Castle, editor-in-chief)

RATBOYS

The Window (Jezy J. Gray, arts and culture editor)

SKRILLEX

Quest for Fire (Kaylee Harter, reporter)

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

3. BOYGENIUS The Record

4. HOZIER

Unreal Unearth

5. LANA DEL REY

HERMANOS GUTIÉRREZ El Bueno y El Malo (Will Matuska, reporter)

Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

6. MAC MILLER

NPR Tiny Desk Concert

7. GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV Appaloosa Bones

8. OLIVIA RODRIGO

COLTER WALL

Little Songs (Carter Ferryman, special projects manager)

GUTS

9. ZACH BRYAN Zach Bryan

10. TALKING HEADS Stop Making Sense (Expanded Edition)

BOULDER WEEKLY

Scan the QR code for a playlist featuring the Top 10 and staff picks.

DECEMBER 28, 2023

FILM Oppenheimer

vices that linger in the theater, waiting for the audience that is waiting for them at home. It’s a weird time to love movies. Filmmakers and critics have worried that streaming services would fracture the common cinematic experience the way news outlets have shattered politics. In 2023, that aphorism came true, not with a bang but with a whimper.

IN SEARCH OF ...

NOW AND THEN Loving movies in 2023 BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

love lists. Lists bring order to my day: what to do, what to watch, what to read, what to listen to. Lists provide context to larger themes and suss out tiny commonalities. The lists I author, be they for private or public consumption, provide focus — cohesion among chaos. No matter where I go or what I do, I am surrounded by lists. And those lists are surrounded by me. I loathe lists. For everything included on a list, something isn’t. To provide connections within a larger collection, some things — many things, really — must be left off. Lists are the very definition of exclusivity. Look at any list, and the first thing you’ll notice is what’s not on it. And so, every December, the same conundrum: What can be achieved

Killers of the Flower Moon

DECEMBER 28, 2023

with a list of 10 movies? Is this a personal expression of a year of moviegoing, a cross-section of where cinema is now or a prognostication of the medium? Those musings may sound arbitrary, but it’s not for nothing. I watch a lot of movies, write about them and talk about them. I take the job seriously and try to watch as wide a swath of the cinematic landscape as I can. Except I can’t. Time is finite, patience runs thin, and there is so much to discover that choices must be made. I watch more movies in a given year than most, but that still doesn’t mean I saw everything you did. That seemed to be the theme for 2023. Much more than in years past, I found myself in conversations where

the person talking would be describing something I had not seen. Many were streaming serials I don’t follow; some were franchise installments I was no longer interested in. Others were smaller movies unknown to me. The reverse was also true: Often, someone would ask me what I had seen and could recommend, and my enthusiasm would be met with glazed eyes and confused faces. “Haven’t heard of that one,” they would say. “Is it on Netflix?” Honestly, I don’t know where movies live these days. Some take long and winding roads through festivals before finally ending up in local theaters for a week. Others bypass theaters altogether and head to a streaming platform. Then there are the movies bought and paid for by streaming ser-

Does that fracture imbue year-end lists with importance? Many movies came out in 2023, but here are the 10 you must see? In a way, absolutely — though must see for what? To enjoy the quality of the cinematic medium? Maybe, but I suspect most who come to this list will come in search of something else: to understand what going to the movies in 2023 was like. If that’s the case, then the movie deserving of that honor above all others is Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. It’s a clever movie in parts — derivative in others, probably intentionally — and though the rampant consumerism and meme-able slogans put me off, it would be foolish to deny the movie’s success and draw. That Barbie pulled audiences back to the theater (and in groups!) to over one billion dollars in box office receipts is remarkable. And yet Barbie is not on my list. Instead, you will find that my top spot belongs to Perfect Days, a quiet dayin-the-life drama about a Tokyo toilet cleaner. Written and directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, Perfect Days might be the only movie on this list I truly wanted to live in. I

The Swan

BOULDER WEEKLY

FILM MICHAEL J. CASEY’S TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2023

know many people get career advice Perfect Days and spiritual inspiration from movies — Killers of the Flower Moon I am one — but Perfect Days was the The Taste of Things first time I walked out of a movie wonSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse dering if I should cash it all in and The Boy and the Heron move my wife and cat to Japan and Poor Things clean public toilets. We would be so Do Not Expect Too Much from happy. the End of the World Wenders is 78, has worked since Past Lives the early 1970s and made some of the Oppenheimer 20th century’s best movies. Yet this The Swan / Incident late-career work stands a little taller — ditto for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. While reviewing The Boy and the Heron for this paper, I fixated on the notion that this might be the last movie Miyazaki will make. What baggage does that bring to the movie, and how The Boy and the Heron does that color The Boy’s final moment? When I reread that review, it became clear that those words weren’t intended solely for Miyazaki but for Scorsese and Wenders as well.

I’m making this all sound pretty dour. That’s unfair because I loved going to the movies this past year. The titles on this year’s list form an ecstasy I didn’t see coming. None more so than Perfect Days, but also The Taste of Things, a sumptuous tale of a French gourmand from Tran Anh Hung; Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos’ weird and wild spin on Frankenstein, social consciousness and sexual relations; and

Perfect Days

A THEME EMERGES

Perfect Days takes place in the modern day, but the movie’s style is rooted in the mid-20th century films of Japanese filmmaker Yasujirô Ozu. Killers of the Flower Moon takes place in 1920s and ’30s Oklahoma, while The Boy and the Heron is set in 1940s Japan. Filmmaking in this century is still grappling with the preceding one — the one that molded and shaped everything about today, from art to war to even a doll that rearranged how women saw themselves. Gerwig visualizes the creation of Barbie through the language of 2001: A Space Odyssey for comedy and context. Both the doll and the movie are foundational in one way or another. And both cast shadows so long we’re still looking for sunlight. BOULDER WEEKLY

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Poor Things

Incident

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Past Lives

Taste of Things

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, Radu Jude’s clever ding at soulless capitalism. Then there’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, a movie loaded with voltage the way Oppenheimer is loaded with bombast. Walking out of those theaters left me dizzy. Also included on this year’s list in the 10-spot are two short subjects: The Swan and Incident. The former is one of four shorts director Wes Anderson made from Roald Dahl stories. And while they work together beautifully as a collection, The Swan’s narrative prowess left me breathless. Ditto for Bill Morrison’s Incident — possibly the hardest title on this list to track down — an analysis of a 2018 police shooting of a Black man from multiple security and body cameras. It’s an astounding work that shows viewers that the deeper you peer, the less you understand. Which happens to be the crux of Celine Song’s Past Lives, a movie that opens with two voices wondering what they are looking at and ends so conflicted that even the characters in the story don’t know. Like the unnamed voyeurs in Past Lives, I spent 2023 watching and wondering. And the more I saw, the less I knew. It’s all too much to consider at once. So I return to the list in hopes that the all-too-much will become manageable, containable, understandable. It might not. The list omits so many, some that may even stand the grand test of time. Often, we look back at the past and laugh at how small the world must have seemed then. But the world is never small, neither then nor now. It’s beyond comprehension. And while 2023 may have belonged to Barbie, these are the movies that belonged to me. DECEMBER 28, 2023

EVENTS FRI. 12/29 - 7:00PM

Blues Dance PaRty w/ Rex PeoPles & xfactR. sPecial Guest MaRina fayfiielD SAT. 12/30 - 7:00PM

saRah chRistine, Ro$$ay, DJ c$hBRwns, saRiDae “hotel eaRth” new yeaRs wknD SUN. 12/31 - 8:00PM

kGnu PResents los cheesies flashBack 60s, 70s, 80s new yeaR’s PaRty w/the saints anD DJ DRake FRI. 1/5 - 8:00PM

heavy DiaMonD RinG & DaviD lawRence & the sPoonful w/ olivia De la cRuz SUN. 1/7 - 5:00PM

lavenDeR saRR anD the wheel PResent alice in “winteR” wonDeRlanD an eveninG of enchantinG BuRlesque

COMEDY UNDERGROUND 8-11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St. $15

BUTTERFLY PAVILION’S PAJAMA DAYS

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Tues., Dec. 29-Jan.2, Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. $15

Looking to end the year with a laugh? Drop by the Louisville Underground for their recurring standup show, Comedy Underground. Assemble your crew and come bust a gut with headliner Zack Maas.

Coziness and conservation go handin-hand at the Butterfly Pavilion during this annual celebration lasting until Jan. 2. Explore the worlds of butterflies, tarantulas, sea urchins and other invertebrate species — and wear your PJs for a $2 discount on your ticket.

6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Free

10 a.m.-noon. Saturday, Dec. 30, Longmont Public Library, 409 Fourth Ave. Free

TANTRA SPEED DATE

5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, Unity of Boulder, 2855 Folsom St. $45 Tantra Speed Date understands the weight of an awkward silence, especially on a first date. They do things a bit differently, integrating mindfulness exercises into a dating event that eases the mind and brings out a level of comfort for everyone involved.

FRI. 1/12 - 8:00PM

Jason BRanDt BanD w/ PaMela Machala BanD anD Racyne PaRkeR FRI. 1/19 - 8:00PM

aRi hest with sPecial Guest SAT. 1/27 - 7:30PM

the Delta sonics (Blues Dance PaRty)

TUE. 2/9 - 6:30PM

Blues w/ Dfk anD the laB Rats, live BRoaDcast on 88.5 kGnu Purchase Tickets at

RMPtix.com RootsMusicProject.org 4747 Pearl Suite V3A 20

DECEMBER 28, 2023

OPEN MIC POETRY

Step into R Gallery’s cozy location in the heart of Boulder to extend the magic of the holidays with poetry verses spanning all sorts of genres. Avid poetry aficionados and first-timers alike are welcome to this celebration of spoken word.

GENEALOGY BASICS

INTRODUCTION TO CALLIGRAPHY

Want to explore the many branches of your family tree? Join the Longmont Genealogical Society at the Longmont Public Library and learn the basics of how to begin researching your ancestors during this introductory workshop.

Explore the intricate and elegant world of calligraphy during Amanda Nicole’s weekly series at the Museum of Boulder. This first session focuses on modern calligraphy with future classes including coffee calligraphy, watercolor and more.

10 a.m.-noon. Saturday, Dec. 30, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway. $40

BOULDER WEEKLY

EVENTS

day

Wednes

Dec 27

show timme 8:00p

Thursd

Dec 28t

show timme 8:00p

1 31

FREE-TO-PLAY TEXAS HOLD’EM

7-10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, 3’s Bar, 333 Main St., Longmont. Free 3’s Bar in Longmont hosts a recurring game as part of the Rocky Mountain Poker Venues group, where bars across the Mountain West host freeto-play games with various prizes like bar tabs and access to quarterly tournaments.

31 NEW YEAR’S EVE BLUEGRASS BASH

9:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Oskar Blues Grill and Brew, 303 Main St., Lyons. $20 Ring in the New Year with high-velocity bluegrass courtesy of The Fretliners, alongside plenty of craft beer from one of the country’s leading breweries. The evening wraps up with a champagne toast at midnight.

FIRST DAY HIKE

10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, Golden Gate Canyon, 92 Crawford Gulch Road, Golden. Free (park pass required) Resolving to explore more in 2024? Start the year off on the right foot with a stunning hike on the Horseshoe Trail at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. This New Year’s hike kicks off at the Visitors Center with coffee, hot chocolate, tea and snacks.

Friday

Dec 29

show timme 8:00p

Saturd

Dec 30

show timme 8:00p

Sunday

Dec 31

show timme 8:00p

day

Wednes

Jan 3r

show timme 8:00p

Thursd

Jan 4

show timme 8:00p

Friday

n 5th

Aaron mitchell In the Bar

Bent Brothers In the Bar

Stephen Brooks In the Bar

DJ Williams with Lionel young duo

A portal to the year of the dragondeer Presented by Herradura, old forester, & 105.5 the colorado sound

show timme 8:00p

8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1, Soul Tree Yoga, 1280 Centaur Village Drive, #7, Lafayette. $45

SMARTY PARTY TRIVIA

A new year calls for a mental reset, and Soul Tree Yoga is here to help. Their annual New Year’s Revolution session is back with a goal of embracing the present to help you “awaken your greatest potential through mindfulness practices.”

The Smarty Party isn’t just for eggheads. Everyone is welcome to their weekly trivia game hosted by Avanti’s own Greg Studley. Test your knowledge to win great prizes, mediocre prizes and “prizes that don’t feel like prizes at all.”

LOS CHEESIES FLASHBACK NYE PARTY

Join Boulder’s own Los Cheesies for a New Year’s celebration spanning three decades of tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. They’ll be joined by local fusion outfit The Saints and the smooth sounds of DJ Drake.

BOULDER WEEKLY

NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION

7:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, Avanti, 1401 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

day

Wednes

Jan 10

show timme 8:00p

tHURSD

Jan 11

Chuck sitero and liz patton In the Bar

Antonio lopez, jeremy

Greg schochet & little america with clay rose

Jan 12

show timme 8:00p

$13 + $4

service charge

$10 + $4

service charge

Matt flaherty In the Bar

kgnu PRESENTS PIXIE AND THE

show timme PARTYGRASS BOYS WITH 8:00p mAGOO

fRIDAY

$100

In the Bar

Kgnu Presents

jan 6

+ $4

Hannah porter denecke

Ja show timme dion, and anna cutler 8:00p

Saturd

$17 service charge

$14 + $4

service charge

lIONEL YOUNG DUO In the Bar

DECEMBER 28, 2023

LIVE MUSIC

fri. dec 29

saT. dec 30 & sun. dec 31

dan HocHman, THom Lafond, WeLLingTon BuLLings

eLePHanT reViVaL

ZimBira (12/30), WHisKeY BLanKeT (12/31)

saT. dec 30

saT. jan 6

Kgnu & roosTer PresenT: HoW THe groucH sToLe neW Year’s eVe

cHris KnigHT

BroTHer aLi and THe groucH & eLigH resPecT THe Voices sun. dec 31 THe coLo sound PresenTs

gasoLine LoLLiPoPs

Bonnie & TaYLor sims, PHoeBe HunT THu. jan 11 KBco & WesTWord PresenT: “sounds LiKe THis” 15TH anniVersarY Tour

eric HuTcHinson fri. jan 12 WesTWord PresenTs

Ward daVis saT. jan 13 daB records & Kgnu PresenT

coLorado’s finesT underground HiP HoP

jordan PoLoVina (WHisKeY BLanKeT) + THe iLLsenTiaLs (iLL se7en and friends) feaT. magnificenT WingsPan & more

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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 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. Scan the QR code for a Boulder Weekly story on the band ahead of their two-night New Year’s Eve stint at Boulder Theater. See listing for details.

TH URSDAY, D EC . 28

F RI DAY, DE C . 29

BENT BROTHERS. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

REX PEOPLES WITH XFACTR AND MARINA FAYFIELD. 7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. $15

MERVINE/HELLER/AMEND/ HEFFRON. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20 DAVE CORBUS ESSENCE. 7 p.m. R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Free PEDRO URBINA. 5:30 p.m. Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free DENNIS WANEBO. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free DJ RYAN DYKSTRA (JUSTIN BIEBER DJ TRIBUTE + DANCE PARTY). 6 p.m. Bounce Empire, 1380 S. Public Road, Lafayette. $29 BRYCE EVANS & THE BLACK CATS WITH COAST TO GHOST, BLACK MOPLE AND CRIMSON DEEP. 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $12 Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code. 22

DECEMBER 28, 2023

STEPHEN BROOKS DUO. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free MICKI BALDER. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free BOOG’LOO REVIVAL. 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free DJ VASK. 10 p.m. Bounce Empire, 1380 S. Public Road, Lafayette. $29 MAGIC BEANS WITH CYCLES (NIGHT 1). 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $25

S ATURDAY, DE C . 30 ELEPHANT REVIVAL WITH ZIMBIRA (NIGHT 1). 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $50 BW PICK OF THE WEEK BROTHER ALI WITH THE GROUCH AND ELIGH. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $30 BOULDER WEEKLY

TITLE DJ WILLIAMS WITH LIONEL YOUNG DUO. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $21 SARAH CHRISTINE WITH RO$$AY, DJ C$HBRWNS AND SARIDAE. 7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. $15

RETROVERTIGO. 8 p.m. Dickens Opera House, 300 Main St., Longmont. $20 UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE. 8:30 p.m. American Legion Post 32, 315 S. Bowen St., Longmont. Free

SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB WITH PALEHORSE/PALERIDER AND SNAKES (NIGHT 2). 9 p.m. 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $25

CLOZEE WITH LYNY, SUPER FUTURE AND PHEEL (NIGHT 2). 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver.

MAGIC BEANS WITH WOOD BELLY (NIGHT 3). 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $30

PIMPS OF JOYTIME WITH DAVID LAWRENCE AND THE SPOONFULS. 7 p.m. Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $42

THE VINTAGE SWINGSET. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free RIVER SPELL DUO. 6 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free DAVE HONIG. 6 p.m. Dagabi Cucina, 3970 Broadway, Boulder. Free SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB WITH MOON PUSSY AND WEATHERED STATUES. 9 p.m. 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $25

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MAGIC BEANS WITH TRUSETTO (NIGHT 2). 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $25 CLOZEE WITH VINCENT ANTONE, YOKO AND DAGGZ (NIGHT 1). 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver.

S U ND AY, D E C . 3 1 GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $30 ELEPHANT REVIVAL WITH WHISKEY BLANKET AND FATHER TIME DRUM LINE (NIGHT 2). 9:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $60 BW PICK OF THE WEEK SCOTT VON AND FRIENDS. 4 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free WANDERING ROADS. 5:30 p.m and 7:45 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

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5280’S BAND. 8:30 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free BOULDER WEEKLY

DECEMBER 28, 2023

ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

MORE FUN TRAILS

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Among couples who share their finances, 39% lie to their partners about money. If you have been among that 39%, please don’t be in 2024. In fact, I hope you will be as candid as possible about most matters with every key ally in your life. It will be a time when the more honest and forthcoming you are, the more resources you will have at your disposal. Your commitment to telling the truth as kindly but completely as possible will earn you interesting rewards.

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TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): According to tradition in ancient Israel, a Jubilee year happened every half-century. It was a “trumpet blast of liberty,” in the words of the Old Testament book Leviticus. During this grace period, enslaved people were supposed to be freed. Debts were forgiven, taxes canceled and prisoners released. People were encouraged to work less and engage in more revelry. I boldly proclaim that 2024 should be a Jubilee Year for you Bulls. To launch the fun, make a list of the alleviations and emancipations you will claim in the months ahead. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): “Make peace with their devils, and you will do the same with yours.” The magazine Dark’s Art Parlor provides us with this essential wisdom about how to conduct vibrant relationships. I invite you to make liberal use of it in 2024. Why? Because I suspect you will come to deeply appreciate how all your worthwhile bonds inevitably require you to engage with each other’s wounds, shadows and unripeness. To say it another way, healthy alliances require you to deal respectfully and compassionately with each other’s darkness. The disagreements and misunderstandings the two of you face are not flaws that discolor perfect intimacy. They are often opportunities to enrich togetherness. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Cancerian author Franz Kafka wrote over 500 letters to his love interest Felice Bauer. Her outpouring of affection wasn’t as voluminous, but was still very warm. At one point, Kafka wryly communicated to her, “Please suggest a remedy to stop me trembling with joy like a lunatic when I receive and read your letters.” He added, “You have given me a gift such as I never even dreamt of finding in this life.” I will be outrageous here and predict that 2024 will bring you, too, a gift such as you never dreamt of finding in this life. It may or may not involve romantic love, but it will feel like an ultimate blessing. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Renowned inventor Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) felt an extraordinary closeness with sparrows, finches, pigeons and other wild birds. He loved feeding them, conversing with them and inviting them into his home through open windows. He even fell in love with a special pigeon he called White Dove. He said, “I loved her as a man loves a woman, and she loved me. As long as I had her, there was a purpose to my life.” I bring this to your attention because I suspect 2024 will be an excellent time to upgrade your relationship with birds, Leo. Your power to employ and enjoy the metaphorical power of flight will be at a maximum. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): “All the world’s a stage,” wrote Shakespeare. He was comparing life to a theatrical drama, suggesting we are all performers attached to playing roles. In response, a band called the Kingpins released the song “All the World’s a Cage.” The lyrics include these lines: “You promised that the world was mine / You chained me to the borderline / Now I’m just sitting here doing time / All the world’s a cage.” These thoughts are the prelude to my advice for you. I believe that in 2024, you are poised to live your life in a world that is neither like a stage nor a cage. You will have unusually ample freedom from expectations, artificial constraints and the inertia of the past. It will be an excellent time to break free from outdated self-images and your habitual persona.

DECEMBER 28, 2023

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): At age 10, an American girl named Becky Schroeder launched her career as an inventor. Two years later, she got her first of many patents for a product that enables people to read and write in the dark. I propose we make her one of your role models for 2024. No matter how old you are, I suspect you will be doing precocious things. You will understand life like a person at least 10 years older than you. You will master abilities that a casual observer might think you learned improbably fast. You may even have seemingly supernatural conversations with the future you. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Here are excellent questions for you to meditate on throughout 2024. Who and what do you love? Who and what makes you spill over with adoration, caring and longing? How often do you feel deep waves of love? Would you like to feel more of them? If so, how could you? What are the most practical and beautiful ways you express love for whom and what you love? Would you like to enhance the ways you express love, and if so, how? Is there anything you can or should do to intensify your love for yourself? SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Like the rest of the planet, Scotland used to be a wildland. It had vast swaths of virgin forests and undomesticated animals. Then humans came. They cut the trees, dug up charcoal and brought agriculture. Many native species died, and most forests disappeared. In recent years, a rewilding movement has arisen. Now Scotland is on the way to restoring the ancient health of the land. Native flora and fauna are returning. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose that you launch your own personal rewilding project in 2024. What would that look like? How might you accomplish it? CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Capricorn-born Lebron James is one of the greatest players in basketball history. Even more interesting from my perspective is that he is an exuberant activist and philanthropist. His list of magnificent contributions is too long to detail here. Here are a few examples: his bountiful support for charities like After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Children’s Defense Fund and his own family foundation. I suggest you make Lebron one of your role models in 2024. It will be a time when you can have more potent and far-reaching effects than ever before through the power of your compassion, generosity and beneficence. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): I propose we make the shark your soul creature in 2024. Not because some shark species are apex predators at the top of the food chain. Rather, I propose you embrace the shark as an inspirational role model because it is a stalwart, steadfast champion with spectacular endurance. Its lineage goes back 400 million years. Sharks were on Earth before there were dinosaurs, mammals and grass. Saturn’s rings didn’t exist yet when the first sharks swam in the oceans. Here are the adjectives I expect you to specialize in during the coming months: resolute, staunch, indomitable, sturdy, resilient. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In the 19th century, many scientists believed in the bogus theory of eugenics, which proposed that we could upgrade the genetic quality of the human race through selective breeding. Here’s a further example of experts’ ignorance: Until the 1800s, most scientists dismissed the notion that stones fell from the sky, even though meteorites had been seen by countless people since ancient times. Scientists also rejected the idea that large reptiles once roamed the Earth, at least until the 19th century, when it became clear that dinosaurs had existed and had become extinct. The moral of the story is that even the smartest among us can be addicted to delusional beliefs and theories. I hope this inspires you to engage in a purge of your own outmoded dogmas in 2024. A beginner’s mind can be your superpower! Discover a slew of new ways to think and see.

BOULDER WEEKLY

SAVAGE LOVE BY DAN SAVAGE Q. Does the booty remember how to take certain sizes of dick? Is there muscle memory? A. If you’ve taken larger dicks and your big-dicked partners provided you with lots of anal foreplay, used lots of lube, took it slow, etc., you and your booty will be less anxious, less fearful and more relaxed when that big dick comes at you again. It’s less about muscle memory and more associating anal stimulation/ penetration with pleasure. It’s the good times a booty remembers, not certain sizes.

Q. What’s the best way to dispose of old sex toys? I feel bad putting something with batteries in the trash. A. Fast Company recently wrote up the movement to keep trash out of landfills by tasking manufacturers, not consumers, with the safe disposal of consumer goods: “Swedish academic Thomas Lindhqvist framed this idea in 1990 as a strategy to decrease products environmental impacts by making manufacturers responsible for the goods’ entire life cycles — especially for takeback, recycling and final disposal.” If we can make that work for computers, phones and video game consoles, it should work for vibrating remote controlled butt plugs — but since these systems aren’t up and running yet, you’ll have to put those old sex toys in a box and shove them in the back of your closet for the time being.

Q. Autistic here. What are the “general rules” for texting? I forget people exist after two days with no response. A. I have an autistic acquaintance who set a twice weekly “text alarm” on his phone. When it goes off, he

scrolls through his recent text messages. He responds to people he didn’t get back to when they texted him and politely checks in with people who haven’t responded to texts. Maybe that would work for you?

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Q. Is low T common or am I just getting constant ads for it because I’m 40 and gay? A. It’s relatively common — but no one ever went broke playing on the insecurities of gay men in their forties and fifties. The benefits are real (improved sexual function, retention of muscle mass, improved mood) but there are real risks (moobs, clots, cancer), so best to talk to your doctor before getting on testosterone supplements.

Q. Tips for moving in together besides lots of communication and giving each other enough space? A. Equal division of household labor does not mean equal division of each and every task. So, if one of you doesn’t mind washing the dishes and is, in fact, totally excellent at it (like me), that person should wash the dishes. If one of you is the kind of controlling OCD freak who gets off on meticulously folding laundry for hours, that person should do the laundry (like my husband). Also, get my book Savage Love From A to Z and read the chapter on the “Price of Admission” aloud to each other in bed.

Q. Can fecal matter from anilingus sicken you with something other than STIs? A. Yes, it can — but eating a clean ass is less dangerous than eating at a buffet, IMO, where people who haven’t washed their hands regularly get fecal matter all over the tongs.

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DECEMBER 28, 2023

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EAT THIS NOW Boulder Weekly’s veteran food editor names the very best things he tasted in 2023 PHOTOS AND STORY BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

ome smart psychologist or dietician could have a field day analyzing the dining choices I made in 2023. They might note the excessive number of bakeries and dishes involving cheese. A food diary always bares the inner soul. All I know is that the following items at Boulder County eateries are the best things I tasted this year, and I’m happy to recommend them. (We shall not speak about the worst things I tasted and would never order again.) I made myself very hungry compiling this greatest-hits list. These are the dishes that linger in my memory and make me wish I could enjoy them again.

MY FAVORITE BOULDER COUNTY BITES OF 2023

condensed milk and melting butter, it’s street food that stops you in your tracks. Without the fancy trattoria trappings, Pasta Press (1911 11th St., Boulder) serves a dreamy fettuccine carbonara. Freshly made noodles are lightly boiled and coated with a spot-on sauce of eggs, imported pancetta and a grind of black pepper topped with aged Parmesan. It’s easy to eat local when it’s an entrée at Bramble & Hare (1970 13th St., Boulder) My plate of flavor sourced from Boulder’s Black Cat Farm was built around two tender cuts of Mulefoot pork with ancho chile cream on Boulder-grown polenta. Another dedicated bastion of local deliciousness is Farrow (7916 Niwot Road, Niwot). I still dream about that cozy restaurant’s seared pork belly from Longmont’s Buckner Ranch with massaman curry and the roasted rutabaga with Parmesan aioli, gremolata and lamb bacon. There’s a surprise in every order of radna at Anchan Thai (1325 Dry Creek Drive, Longmont). Chewy, wide rice noodles are tossed with fermented bean sauce, egg, collard greens, veg-

Each spoonful of the black tonkotsu ramen is a separate flavor adventure at Edwin Zoe’s Dragonfly Noodle (2014 10th St., Boulder). A bowl of flavor-layered broth and house-made noodles are crowned with house-smoked pork belly, boiled egg halves, fried shallots, spicy sprouts and mushroom with earthy black garlic oil on top. The crave-worthy intersection of true Southern barbecue and classic Indian tandoori cooking is the masala combo plate at DJ’S Watering Hole (988 W. Dillon Road, Louisville). Tender smoked brisket and pulled pork are smothered in a complexly spiced sauce served over basmati rice, with naan. On the side: collard greens and baked beans. The Hong Kong French toast served at Ginger Pig (1203 13th St., Boulder) is the best new dish I’ve sampled. Thick slices of white bread are middled with kaya coconut jam, dipped in egg, soy, bread crumbs and corn flakes and lightly Co-owners Jatin Patel and Darryl Johnson of DJ’s fried. Garnished with sweetened Watering Hole. BOULDER WEEKLY

Abuelita’s Empanadas in Longmont.

gies and chicken in a slightly sweet sauce. The edible garnish is pickled green peppercorns on the branch — each a pop of peppery joy. The mixto at Pupusas Lover 2 (2525 Arapahoe Ave., Unit E1B) is a fine two-person introduction to Salvadoran fare. Start with two pupusas, curtido slaw, a chicken enchilada, fried yuca, a banana leaf-wrapped tamale and fried plantains and finish

Rutabagas with lamb bacon at Farrow in Niwot.

with a plantain empanada and a sweet corn tamale. As a native New Englander, I can vouch for the fried fish at Lucky’s Bakehouse Cafe (3980 Broadway, Boulder). The lightly beer-battered Alaskan cod arrived steaming hot so I could dip bites in thick green goddess dressing and a side order of Hollandaise.

TASTING REGIONAL MEXICO Unique dishes from the Yucatan region are featured weekends at the Off Campus Cafe (2600 Campus Drive, Suite B, Lafayette). Don’t miss the Yucatecan shrimp marinated with achiote, sautéed in garlic and butter and dished with cucumber slices and a mound of steamed rice. Coma Mexican Grill (4800 Baseline Road, Unit E-105, Boulder) dishes a pretty and satisfying chile relleno. The lightly fried roasted pepper is filled with

melted cheese and smothered in green chile sauce with refried pintos, Mexican rice and warm tortillas. Durango Mexico-born Mirella Woo dishes authentic hand pies at Abuelita’s Empanadas (332 Main St., Longmont). My favorites from this food stall are her chile relleno empanadas and sweet pineapple empanadas.

A FEW FAVORITE SANDWICHES

Kenny Lou’s Deli inside Button Rock Bakery (400 W. South Boulder Road, Unit 2200, Lafayette) puts together a legit East Coast-style Reuben. Housemade corned beef, sauerkraut, Emmental Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing are stacked on rye bread and grilled until yummy. I satisfied my intermittent falafel cravings at the Mediterranean Market (2690 28th St., Boulder). Satisfaction is a fried garbanzo and fava bean patty, red onion, feta, romaine and tomato on a griddled thick pita with tzatziki sauce. In 2023, I happily discovered Fleishman’s Bagels and Delicatessen (2355 30th St., Boulder) food truck. Danna Fleishman bakes authentic chewy bagels and dishes deli faves. I love The Mudgie, a griddled everything bagel layered with bacon, cream cheese, tomato, chives and a sprinkle of smoked salt. You can enjoy it seated inside Full Cycle’s big cafe.

THE BEST OF BRUNCHES PAST

The relaxed New Orleans-style brunch at Mateo (1837 Pearl St., Boulder) features beignets, shrimp and grits and a bagel plate with lox. My favorite is a true a.m. comforter: eggs Florentine with perfectly poached eggs, sautéed spinach and roasted tomatoes over English muffins drenched in Hollandaise sauce. For once I skipped the Southern Breakfast at Dot’s Diner (2716 28th St., Boulder) and was rewarded with spot-on Nepali saag, creamy bright green spinach with tofu cubes served with steamed basmati, dal, chutney and flatbread for grabbing bites. DECEMBER 28, 2023

FROM THE DIVIDE TO YOUR DOOR!

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DJ’s Delights doughnut with strawberry icing and strawberry Pop Tarts. Brunch bagel platter at Mateo.

VOTED BEST BBQ

The huevos rancheros, Christmasstyle, and thick, smoky bacon strips were great, but the thing that made brunch sing at Doug’s Day Diner (2574 Baseline Road, Boulder) was the excellent biscuits — dense and chewy, not fluffy — served griddled with butter and mango jam. For a change of pace, skip the egg sandwiches and enjoy the savory SPAM Musubi at L&L Hawaiian BBQ (2323 30th St., Boulder) That’s a slice of sizzled SPAM with scrambled eggs and rice wrapped in seaweed.

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There’s something deeply satisfying about gradually unrolling the big, yeasty cinnamon rolls at Bittersweet Cafe & Confections (836 Main St., Louisville). It might be the thick shiny layer of cream cheese overcoating each bite. In this age of franchised food, it was satisfying to visit the family-run JD’s Delights (1801 Hover St., Longmont) dishing a full menu of cake and yeast-raised doughnuts, apple fritters and long johns. I’d drive an extra mile for a DJ’s vanilla cake doughnut with thick strawberry icing topped with crumbled strawberry Pop Tarts. Bright flavors shine in the ice cream and gelato churned at Heaven Creamery (2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder) The scratch-made, organic pistachio gelato is spectacular. Light brown instead of artificial green, this moderately sweet, super-creamy treat is infused with tons of real pistachio flavor.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: WHO’S DINNER

“And they’ll feast, feast, feast, feast! They’ll feast on Who pudding and rare Who roast beast.” — From “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss

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

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WEED BETWEEN THE LINES

TOO HIGH? Weed keeps getting stronger, and regulations aren’t keeping up BY DAVID HILZENRATH, KFF HEALTH NEWS

arijuana and other products containing THC, the plant’s main psychoactive ingredient, have grown more potent and more dangerous as legalization has made them more widely available. In 1980, the THC content of confiscated marijuana was less than 1.5%. Today, many varieties of cannabis flower are listed as more than 30% THC. Some products on the market today are more than 90% THC. But regulators have failed to keep up. Medical use of marijuana is now legal in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and recreational or adult use is legal in 22 states plus D.C., according to MJBizDaily, a trade publication. But only two adult-use states, Vermont and Connecticut, have placed caps on THC content — and they exempt prefilled vape cartridges from the caps. The federal government has generally taken a hands-off approach. It still bans marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance — as a drug with no accepted medical use and a high chance of abuse — under the Controlled Substances Act. But when it comes to cannabis sales, which many states have legalized, the federal government does not regulate potency.

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Higher concentrations pose greater hazards, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “The risks of physical dependence and addiction increase with exposure to high concentrations of THC, and higher doses of THC are more likely to produce anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and psychosis,” its website said. In 2021, 16.3 million people in the United States — 5.8% of people 12 or older — had experienced a marijuana use disorder within the past year, according to a survey published in January by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. That was far more than the combined total found to have substance use disorders involving cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, prescription stimulants such as Adderall, or prescription pain relievers such as fentanyl and OxyContin. Other drugs are more dangerous than marijuana, and most of the people with a marijuana use disorder had a mild case. But about 1 in 7 — more than 2.6 million people — had a severe case, the federal survey found.

Medical diagnoses attributed to marijuana include “cannabis dependence with psychotic disorder with delusions” and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a form of persistent vomiting. An estimated 800,000 people made marijuana-related emergency department visits in 2021, according to a government study published in December 2022. Cannabis use disorder “can be devastating,” said Smita Das, a Stanford psychiatrist and chair of an American Psychiatric Association council on addiction. Some states require warning labels. In New Jersey, cannabis products

composed of more than 40% THC must declare: “This is a high potency product and may increase your risk for psychosis.” Figuring out the right rules may not be simple. For example, warning labels could shield the marijuana industry from liability, much as they did for tobacco companies for many years. Capping potency could limit options for people who take high doses for relief

from medical problems. Overall, at the state level, the cannabis industry has blunted regulatory efforts by arguing that onerous rules would make it hard for legitimate cannabis businesses to compete with illicit ones. The FDA oversees food, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and medical devices. It regulates tobacco, nicotine and nicotine vapes. It oversees tobacco warning labels. In the interest of public health and safety, it also regulates botanicals, medical products that can include plant material. Yet, when it comes to the marijuana that people smoke, the cannabisderived THC concentrates they vape or dab, and edibles infused with THC, the FDA appears very much on the sidelines. The FDA “has basically sat on its hands and failed to honor its duty to protect the public health,” says Eric Lindblom, a scholar at Georgetown University’s law school who previously worked at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. The medical marijuana sold at dispensaries is not FDA-approved. The agency hasn’t vouched for its safety or efficacy or determined the proper dosage. It doesn’t inspect the facilities where the goods are produced, and it doesn’t assess quality control. In the meantime, said Cassin Coleman, adviser to the National Cannabis Industry Association, states are left “having to become USDA + FDA + DEA all at the same time.” KFF produces in-depth journalism about health issues.

DECEMBER 28, 2023

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