Music and Nostalgia by Ballantine Communications

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MUSIC AND NOSTALGIA With a local music scene all about the old school, we investigate why we find comfort and inspiration in music from the past Plus: Squirrel Nut Zippersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jimbo Mathus says itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a revival, not a reunion for the neo-swing band

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Also: Films and albums to fight the system in Trump times, and Our 1st 100 Days community action event

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 2 Number 12

January 12, 2017

Chief Executive Officer

6/7 Films and albums to fight the man

Douglas Bennett V.P. of Finance and Operations

Bob Ganley V.P. of Advertising David Habrat V.P. of Marketing Kricket Lewis Founding Editors Amy Maestas

From the Editor

Love it or Hate it

Sound

Downtown Lowdown

10 Beer

David Holub

16 Weed

Editor/ creative director

17 Vintage Durango

David Holub

A Jan. 5, 1958, article from The Durango Herald said, “... within 10 years, Americans will think no more of missiles flying overhead than they do airplanes.”

dholub@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer Patty Templeton ptempleton@bcimedia.com 375-4546 Contributors Katie Cahill Katie Clancy Bryant Liggett Jon E. Lynch Cooper Stapleton Cyle Talley Robert Alan Wendeborn Advertising 247-3504 Reader Services 375-4570

DGO is a free weekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

Wellness column debuts Katie Clancy, a movement educator, dancer, and freelance journalist in Durango begins a news column, “GravityBrain.” She says: “I’m excited to start a conversation about what it means to seek equanimity with our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.”

Seeing Through 16 the Smoke

17 Movies 17 Vintage Durango 18 Savage Love 19 Happening 21 Horoscope/ puzzles 21 Pages

19 Our 1st 100 Days

Christopher Gallagher

Album Reviews 9

Our 1st 100 Days is supported by locals dedicated to building active participation in democracy. Friday marks the kick-off with music and revelry at the Strater.

22 DGO Deals 23 Get Smart

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ON THE COVER Durango might be the only place in the country where ’90s music never died. David Holub/DGO

Tell us what you think! Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know? Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

DGO Magazine is published by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

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[ love it or hate it ]

David Holub |DGO editor

The sun Love it

Nostalgia, lessons, and regret from a former music snob

he ’90s was a missing decade for me when it came to music. This was despite being in high school and college for eight years of the decade – musically formative years for many – and working in the music section of a big-box entertainment store (remember Media Play?). If it was new in the ’90s, I had none of it. Though I’ve never been musically adventurous before or since – more passive in my pursuit, letting those I admire aesthetically turn me on to the good stuff – the blackout that occurred for me in the ’90s can be chalked up to a few things: Snobbiness, immaturity, and aesthetic confusion. The problem, looking back, wasn’t about musical preference, but of binary thinking: Music was either good or bad. If I liked one thing, I couldn’t like another. Liking a band or even a song could build or destroy my aesthetic pride. During that time, there was an unspoken list of characteristics I had for music to determine the degree of dismissiveness I’d have toward it: 1. Currently popular 2. Was produced in the ’90s 3. Contained vocals 4. Was insufficiently complex musically 5. Used fake drums A dedicated music student, the music I listened to during the ’90s was primarily jazz, ’70s fusion, and anything recommended by anyone I respected musically or aesthetically: Jazz pianist Chick Corea (or his various fusion endeavors, like Return to Forever), jazz-grasser Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (after discovering them on an episode of “Austin City Limits” in 1993), or various obscura I happened upon (like the Russian gypsy-folk band I heard on the street in Los Angeles or the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament soundtrack or the “Star Wars” soundtrack performed by the Electric Moog Orchestra). The rules I created for myself were arbitrary at best. Blues Traveler, for instance, I deemed OK because of John Popper’s harmonica virtuosity, but only after they were touted by a music teacher of mine. The top hits of the ’80s were OK since

most of my peers at the time would consider the likes of “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” incredibly uncool. They Might Be Giants were OK since they were sufficiently obscure and came recommended by my brother’s girlfriend’s “weird” brother. Mostly, I favored the likes of Boston and Dire Straits and The Police (Sting’s 1993 release “Ten Summoner’s Tales” passed my test since it was sufficiently “jazzy”). The blackout wasn’t for a lack of knowing. Working at Media Play, I saw with my own eyes which albums were most popular. Some of it I avoided then and avoid now: Hootie and the Blowfish, Bush (still not sure if this is a person, à la Beck, or a band, à la Rush), Foo Fighters, Goo Goo Dolls, Smashing Pumpkins, whoever sang “Who Let the Dogs Out?” or “The Macarena.” But my dismissiveness meant that while I was sitting atop my throne of music no one else was listening to, I missed out on a lot: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Alannis Morrisette, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers. Decades later, it feels like the party everyone’s still talking about that I skipped because of stubbornness. I eventually made up for it. In 2000, graduated from college and no longer an active musician, I came to resent my younger self and his attitudes. It was my own personal backlash. I discarded any pretense of taste and went on what I called my Top 40 Kick, in which I found myself downloading songs from bands that would have mortified my high school self: Sugar Ray, Ace of Base, Dido, John Mayer, Shakira, Lisa Loeb, Jewel (god, I came to unashamedly love Jewel). Older now, I know that all music can’t be everything. Music is often not about the music at all but the people you were with, what was happening at the time, where you were, who you were. Choosing musical isolation or having such strident, arbitrary rules for what constitutes taste left me alone and regretful. My entire aesthetic philosophy changed and exists to this day: If it makes you feel good – any part of it, whether it’s obscure, trendy, critically-acclaimed or the most saccharine chart-topper – let it in.

One of my very first memories was this: I’m standing on the green grass of my front lawn. The air was warm after a cool, Colorado spring. I squinted into the sun, a million times bigger than the Earth, and thought, “This is going to be a great summer.” I was 3. Like flowers reaching their blooms to the sky, or the sun’s warm air – 27 million degrees at its core! – coaxing hibernating animals from their seasonal slumber, the sun makes me move, it beckons me outside. If the sun is out, I have a hard time staying in. Before skin cancer was a thing, I actually didn’t mind sunburns, the warmth of the sun still on my skin days later, or how the sun could, alone, tire me out just from being under it all day. I love wearing sunglasses, for all the practical reasons everyone does, but also for the capitulation to the sun’s near-unavoidable power. I could list all of the reasons I love Durango, but near the top of that list would be the 266 sunny days we get per year. I’m the guy who parts all of the curtains and pulls the string on the blinds as far as I can. Yes, one day the sun will swallow the Earth. But for now, as John Denver once said, sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy. — David Holub

Hate It I think that if I were an animal, I would be a naked mole-rat. I’d live underground as far from the sun as possible. I’d burrow into the deep, dust off a T-rex’s skull, and make it my home. Because I hate the sun. I like to avoid it at all costs. The sun is a blistering, wretched thing. I’m fairly sure it’s been recorded somewhere as saying, “Gaze, ye mortals, on my flares. They shall destroy you.” And, what kind of vulgar jackass has coronal mass ejections (i.e., big-ass clouds of magnetized plasma shot into space) in front of other people? Control yourself, madam! OK, sun, I’m afraid. I am. You make me sweat buckets. You can burn me to boils. You can slowly give me cancer. You finger out vicious sun flares teasing about the day one will make it to the Earth. If that doesn’t already prove your brooding, you can shoot plasma death wads into space. We get it. You’re a ghastly, nuclear furnace that our entire lives revolve around. You are going to supply us with energy until yer ancient, temperamental ass gets tired of it. Who could blame you? You’re getting 10 percent hotter every billion years. Which, sun, I’m not ageist, but I do take issue with your menopause eventually drying out Earth and killing everyone. You could at least toss some sun magic to our scientists to help with a solution. Not cool, Frau Star. Not cool. — Patty Templeton

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[wellness]

GravityBrain | Katie Clancy

Seeking those with wisdom about wellness ‘I’m excited to start a conversation about what it means to seek equanimity with our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health’

t’s New Years Eve, and I’m ready to roll. I’ve meditated, perfected my yoga sequence, written down my positive intentions, and practiced an extra-long gratitude prayer. I’m feeling like a spiritual gangster, confident and calm, determined to stay alcohol free for the evening. With windchills of -20 degrees, I drive the crew to the Stagecoach Saloon – the versatile and legendary bar at the base of Teton Pass in Wilson, Wyoming. By the time the ball drops, however, I’ve lost my superficial shimmer. Snowdrifts bury my car, guaranteeing a long night with no escape. All my friends are shammered drunk, wet noodles trying to find rhythm with clammy hands. Burdened by the bulky snow cowboys who bounce into me with their beers and dislocated eyeballs, I escape the dance floor and retreat to a corner. Rage rolls up from my gut and tightens around my hips. Get me out of this hellhole, I think, judging the pathetic scene with a tight jaw. I simmer in my own self-righteousness. Revelers dance hard to the electric violin, stomping the beer-stained floor and hooting with joy. I try to stay calm by clutching tight to my ego like a cloak of invisibility. If I can maintain my feelings of superiority, a fearful voice inside me chides, then maybe I won’t suffer. Denial, avoidance, judgment – I try all these spiritual bypassing techniques, swallowing them down like painkillers. It doesn’t take long to realize that I’m that stuckup girl in the corner with her hand sanitizer and stank face looking like a complete joke. In trying to escape the prison of suffering I have built around myself, I’ve actually made the walls stronger. Time to GravityBrain (more on that in a moment).

I swallow my arrogance, get right with the rhythm of my breath, and imagine a strong but supple cord running from my core to the center of the earth. I shake off my illusions of separation and try to fully accept where I am in space and time. I recall the wisdom of the Zen Buddhist monk, Eihei Dogen: “When you find your place where you are, practice occurs.” I have always considered gravity to be the language of the Universe; we communicate with this mysterious force through the sensations and signals from our bodies. Growing up in Durango taught me a lot about communing with this mysterious force. I learned, for example, that adrenaline is a cocktail that can be concocted from the perfect amounts of risk, danger and physical intensity. As a teenager on the weekends, I avoided malls and instead followed my friends through the ABCs (Adrenaline Falls, Bakers Bridge, Cascade Creek) and into the backcountry to seek adventure. These masochistic tendencies and a passion for movement drove my desire to become a professional dancer. I was set on becoming a ballerina and was privileged to study in some of the most demanding environments, including Cuba and New York City.

After college, my horizons expanded, and I discovered the world of somatic therapy through contemporary and contact dance. My passions have taken me around the world and opened up unimaginable doors. I’ve moved among and worked with circus geniuses and psychedelic illuminati in Brooklyn, eco-village visionaries in Chile, Catholic charity workers in Bolivia, shamans in Brazil, yoga swamis in India. Now that I am living in Durango again, I’m excited to start a conversation about what it means to seek equanimity with our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. I feel privileged to live in a community like Durango where people truly care about the quality of their lives. Health, nutrition, fitness, and well-being – these are words many of us study like scripture in order to better ourselves. This column will seek out and learn from the voices of this community who have wisdom about wellness. If gravity is the language of the Five Sacred Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Ether) than the term GravityBrain describes the way our bodies translate that language and seek inherent balance. Use it as a noun or a verb: Our bodies are constantly GravityBraining. Our muscles memorize, our guts digest and request rest when necessary. To GravityBrain is to develop awareness on a cellular level, to recognize the myriad secrets that whisper from within the walls of our skin. My GravityBrain grounded me on that chaotic night at the Stagecoach Saloon. It helped me recognize the fallacies of my lofty ideals and how my quest for balance was actually causing me pain. I was able to find peace and deep calm, but it didn’t happen on my terms, alone and isolated in the safety of a candlelit studio. I was forced to stretch, flex my GravityBrain muscle, and evolve. I hope this column will be a place where we can honor the paradoxes of our processes and find humor in our blind spots. It was dawn by the time the party died down. Just before we left, a grizzly giant of a man sauntered through the crowd and stopped inches in front of me. I shivered at the sight of his wild eyes, blazing from under a dirty Billabong hoodie. He lowered his face to mine and sneered. “ARE YOU REAL?” he demanded. I stood still for a moment, listened with my bones, and smiled. Katie Clancy is a movement educator, dancer, and freelance journalist living in Durango. She dedicates her time to supporting healthy spines and structural alignment through the therapeutic traditions of Pilates, yoga, bodywork, and dance; she is also a member of 20Moons Dance Theatre. Find her here: www.altaer.org; clancy. katie@gmail.com.

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[politics]

Films and albums to fight FILM

Inauguration is looming, and many of us are dreading the day when the new president-elect officially unseats Obama. A Wealthy Cheeto with fascist ideals is about to be our leader – what can we do? Resist, obviously. Email elected representatives, make calls, sign petitions, go to protests, share information on social media. Oppose the Trump agenda. And if you need a break from all that revolution, here are eight great films about anti-establishment battles, fighting the system, and resisting the powers that shouldn’t be. Watch and learn. The Hunting Ground (2015) Remember Brock Turner, the star athlete and Stanford student who raped a girl, felt no apparent remorse, and got away with minimal consequences? This documentary explores the commonality of such justice miscarriages. “The Hunting Ground” reveals the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses, tailing survivors who report the crimes against them, only to be met with blame or skepticism. Universities cover up instances of assault for fear it will taint their reputations. Several students in “The Hunting Ground” file a Title IX anti-discrimination complaint against their schools, and later found the nationwide organization End Rape on Campus. Office Space (1999) We gotta have a lighthearted comedy on this list, for the sake of our sanity. “Office Space” is a cult flick every 20-something can quote from. The film satirizes America’s excess of soul-crushing office jobs, following the work life of several dudes at a ’90s software company. White-collar existence can be tedious and meaningless, so, in protest, the co-workers hatch a revenge scheme to steal money from their company. Ironically, when Peter (Ron Livingston) finally gives up on trying to impress his idiotic bosses, he’s suddenly management material. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) This classic dramedy directed by Frank Capra (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) stars the ever-likable Jimmy Stewart and tells the tale of a U.S. senator taking on our country’s corrupt political system. Stewart plays an idealistic young senator who doesn’t expect his older colleagues to be so crooked. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” was criticized by members of Congress for

being anti-American after its release. Of course, it merely portrayed the frequent immorality of the American government – but it wasn’t flattering for those politicians in power. Citizenfour (2014) Edward Snowden contacted this documentary’s director Laura Poitras and The Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald, eager to blow the whistle on the U.S. government for spying on its citizens. As a private security contractor for the National Security Agency, Snowden knew all the classified details; so Poitras and Greenwald traveled to meet him. The resulting doc is a thriller capturing Greenwald’s unveiling of the NSA scandal to the media. As of now, Snowden is hiding in Russia; if he returns to the U.S., he will be imprisoned for espionage, though many Americans consider him a true patriot. Cool Hand Luke (1967) If you’ve never seen the legendary Paul Newman in action, this is a good place to start. Here he plays Luke, an inmate in a Florida prison camp. Luke is routinely tortured by the sadistic wardens in charge, but refuses to play by the rules or surrender to the system. All Luke did to earn himself a place on the chain gang is drunkenly cut the heads off some parking meters. Despite the physical punishments and psychological cruelty Luke endures, he doesn’t lose his spirit of defiance and continues to make desperate bids for freedom. Fun fact: The famous line “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate” comes from this film. Spotlight (2015) “Spotlight” depicts the true story of the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, a small investigative unit responsible for uncovering the Catholic church sexual abuse scandal in 2002 (their reporting

won a Pulitzer). The journalists reveal not only that Roman Catholic priests have molested children in the Boston area, but also how duplicitous the church became in helping cover up the allegations. The reporters are hesitant at first, afraid to go up against the formidable Church. They come to realize this comforting, influential religion is in many ways a “culture of secrecy,” almost the ideal breeding ground for pedophiles because no one questions those in power.

ed here – but never say never. Let’s not let it get this far. —— Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO Staff Writer

All of Michael Moore’s films Documentarian Michael Moore is a polarizing cultural figure. Many consider his docs (“Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 9/11” among others) biased or dishonest, and they are certainly laced with Moore’s own particular political agenda. But he is bold and unapologetic, demanding answers to our country’s toughest questions. His films have criticized U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the Iraq War, the American health care system, gun ownership, big corporations, and capitalism. His recent “Michael Moore in Trumpland” is about the 2016 presidential election; and Moore has consistently disparaged Trump, encouraging Americans to stand against him. V for Vendetta (2006) Set in a dystopian future version of Britain, “V for Vendetta” is what our American future might look like if Trump and his allies remain unchecked in future years. A nasty totalitarian government has risen to power, and a caped vigilante named V stirs a rebellion marked by destruction and anarchy. He gets help with various terrorist acts from Evey (Natalie Portman). Government oppression is exaggerat-

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the system in Trump times MUSIC

Instead of going on a tirade about how craptastic it is that a pussy-grabbing racist who lost the popular vote by about 2.9 million won the presidency, let’s talk about art. About how music motivates. You could watch the inauguration, drowning yourself in shots every time you see a white face – wait, don’t – you’ll give yourself alcohol poisoning. Or, you could drown that awful scene in good music. Here are 10 killer albums, 10 years old or less, that the Great Orange One would hate. “A Seat at the Table,” by Solange Music can and should make you shut up and listen. “A Seat at the Table” is Solange’s third full-length album and shows the celebration and struggle of being a black woman in America. Minimalist funk and R&B are backdrop to honest lyrics of how black lives matter. This album may sound soft, but it takes a hardline of non-apology for voicing societal inequality. “Brute,” by Fatima Al Qadiri The soundtrack for the revolution is sometimes scary. “Brute” is a collection of warning sounds of the world we are living in. New Yorkbased Kuwaiti musician Fatima Al Qadiri uses an array of samples (police scanners, sirens, media clips, helicopter blades, etc.) to create a dystopic album. This is what freedom dying sounds like – like a damn David Fincher, ambient terror film. “Cashmere,” by Swet Shop Boys South Asian samples and energetic beats compliment the Swet Shop Boys as they look at government surveillance, police violence, and racism. Riz

MC is a London native of Pakistani descent. Heems (of Das Racist) is an Indian-American New Yorker. “Cashmere” throws down social justice and identity politics in a way that makes the political personal. “The Revolution Has Come,” by Reverend Sekou and the Holy Ghost Reverend Sekou is a St. Louis activist who was arrested for kneeling to pray in front of riot police during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Sekou met his collaborator, Jay-Marie Hill, at a protest after Hill was pepper-sprayed. They wrote 11 songs in six days, nine of which are on “The Revolution Has Come.” Neo-blues and gospel frame transcendent anthems full of fortitude, purpose, and hope about black, trans, and genderqueer life. “Rub,” by Peaches Peaches wants you to whistle-blow her vag. We know this because she puts feminist, carnal lyrics up front against electroclash, bass-heavy beats. For 15 years, Peaches’ albums have been marked by gender identity politics and fluid sexuality. She is fulla innovative vulgarity. She appalls people who aren’t used to a woman stomping the notions of acceptability, aging in public, and what is or is not beautiful. In her own words, “I’m an everlasting iconoclast/I came to destroy the past.” “We are the Halluci Nation,” by A Tribe Called Red Highly-inspired by the Native American author, poet, and activist John Trudell, “We are the Halluci Nation” is A Tribe Called Red’s third album. Direct politics of anti-colonialism, fighting oppression, inclusivity, and empathy are threaded through an EDM experience. A global groove is found through not only samples, but the musicians featured, like Canadian Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq and American poet and rapper Saul Williams. “We Got It From Here ... Thank You 4 Your Service,” by A Tribe Called Quest Noted funkonauts, A Tribe Called Quest, smashed an 18-year hiatus by dropping “We Got It From Here ...” They weren’t alone for it, either. Kendrick Lamar, Jack White, Elton John, and André 3000 all make appearances.

Intolerance, media accountability for election outcomes, and black humanism come out through bohemian, complex rhymes proving A Tribe Called Quest has only gotten better with time. You’re a master of your craft when you’re able to dissect misogyny, the politically corrupt, and drug abuse and still be an uplifting record. “White People and the Damage Done,” by Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Music Jello Biafra has been pissed for decades. That’s a damn good thing for music. Grit-growlin’ guitar shoves against Biafra’s high-nasal vocals making “White People and the Damage Done” a proper punk rock fury show. Anger turns to snark turns to examinations of white privilege, corporate kiss-assery, and capitalism. Bonus reason to listen: Biafra recently dedicated a performance of the song “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” to Donald Trump. “xxx” EP, by Pussy Riot Pussy Riot went to prison for “hooliganism” for two years for protesting Putin in Moscow. Two years. In prison. For performance art. Double douchetroll points for Trump for being friends with a dickspit like Putin who puts artists in jail. The EP itself is three songs long, two of which are anti-Trump, pro-women anthems. The last, “Organs,” speaks to repression and militarization and is sung in Russian. An English translation can be found online, revealing ... “Freedom and bondage is the same shit now/But instead of inserting cocks, they insert tanks in my town.” “Year Zero,” by Nine Inch Nails At 10 years old, “Year Zero” is still all too relevant. Through the clanging of futuristic sounds and driving drumbeats, Trent Reznor creates an apocalyptic future that doesn’t seem all that far-off. A world in chaos, greedy leaders, and the disappearance of civil liberties coast over dark sounds in this, the fifth album of Nine Inch Nails. What is supposed to be a concept album of an American police state comes off as an ominous, all-too-real possibility during our current political climate. —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 7

[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Whatever you like now has roots from back then

t’s all been done. Everything is a throwback, and what is popular now has been borrowed from something that was popular then. It’s nostalgia that helps set music trends that dictate air and internet play on radio and streaming services while enhancing record sales. Even in our bubble, where arguably many have better taste in music than people in the same age-range in Germantown, Maryland, or Germantown Tennessee, there are people who tend to hang on to music they liked in the past, or music that was made in the past they missed out on. How else can you explain the handful of 20-somethings who crank The Grateful Dead all day? With The Squirrel Nut Zippers on a tour that pulls into town next week, people are relishing this band that hit its first stride in the 1990s, as their sound was a 1990s take on speakeasy jazz with an aggressive bite. Durango has a brewery named after a genre of music that has been around for decades, although arguably most knowledge on said genre comes from its 1990s tenure. There is good music made every decade, and the ’90s was a decade where a lot of locals came of age and found out who they wanted to be after experimenting with being a hippie, metalhead, molly-eating and pacifier-sucking raver, punk rocker, or a new-age weirdo. Why do people continue to dig on what was popular years ago? For the now 40-somethings, those who were in their 20s when the first Lollapalooza

David Holub/DGO; photos courtesy of Thee Oh Sees and Sonic Youth

»» Like Thee Oh Sees (left)? You’ll probably like Sonic Youth, too.

Bryant’s best Thursday: Jazz, rock, blues with Squirrel Nut Zippers, 7:30 p.m. $36/$46. Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Information: 247-7657. Friday: Bluegrass with La La Bones, 5:30 p.m. No cover. The Balcony Backstage, 600 Main Ave. upstairs. Information: 422-8008. happened, and Nirvana took the world by storm, it’s a simple answer of laziness. People aren’t trying to dig on new music now because they’re completely happy with the music of then. They have no interest in expanding any form of music collection or ingesting new bands from radio or the internet. In a lot of cases, people don’t really like music. They like memories.

Like the time you ate mushrooms and lost it during a Nine Inch Nails show. Or that mediocre Red Hot Chili Peppers show in 1994. How about the time Phish or The Grateful Dead played “Whatever” that went into “Yawn” (for those who jot down set lists, this is written as “whatever>yawn”) and it was amazing? But the memories made then are awesome, and it’s what you clutch to now. Not because it was ground-breaking and you have a major interest in the sounds, but because the memories of those shows make you happy. The roots of new music also tend to turn people onto older music. Some of it is traced back decades, others just two. You like the Avett Brothers or other country-tinged roots music? Trace that back to the ’90s and Uncle Tupelo. Parquet Courts? Oh yeah,

then you should listen to Pavement. Thee Oh Sees? Sonic Youth. Love that new Old 97’s record? Listen to the Old 97’s first three records! There’s a historical and archaeological-like approach to wanting to find out who influenced whom, but maybe you only go back one generation and stop that research when you hit 1992. I had a conversation recently about best bands of the ’90s. Nirvana? Mudhoney, Phish or Fishbone, Fugazi, Pavement, Public Enemy? It’s all debatable. Hooray for all of them and more, with the exception of Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors. Their place in ’90s lore is the thrift store. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[sound] What’s new

Available at your local independent record store: Friday, Jan. 13 via Innovative Leisure on compact disc and standard black vinyl. Digital versions (MP3, FLAC, etc.) available from the label as well as the Molochs Bandcamp. Innovative Leisure is relatively infantile as far as record labels go, founded in 2010 by Nate Nelson, Jamie Strong, and Hanni El Khatib. While many independent labels were (are?) fledgling in the age of streaming services and gross digitization, Innovative Leisure seems

New at

Jan. 7 1. Flaming Lips,“Oczy Mlody” It has already been four years since the release of “The Terror” and now the weirdos are back with a melodically-charged burst of harmonies that call to mind some of the quiet wonder of “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots” and “Soft Bulletin.” The production is so lush I feared it may stick to my ears after listening, thick and warm with Wayne’s voice floating over the top. His vocal presence acts as your acid daddy, leading you along a strange path that you know will end somewhere pleasant. 2. The xx,“I See You” Fully informed by producer/band member Jamie xx’s last solo album, The XX returns after a five-year absence. “I See You” not only features a much more dance-focused production style, but also meanders along with a bit more open production, with the decay and release knobs turned all the way up on some of the lead synths. But don’t be afraid; just because Jamie xx has turned up the danceability doesn’t mean the album suffers from predictability. Expect expansion, expect openness, but don’t expect anything else. 3. Black Anvil,“As Was” If you know hardcore, you should already be aware of Black Anvil. Formed

to be making it happen. The label has a boast-worthy roster with acts such as BADBADNOTGOOD, Tijuana Panthers, Bass Drum of Death, Khun Narin’s Electric Phin Band, Holy Fuck, Nick Waterhouse, and a slew of others. While stylistically varied, all the artists mentioned have managed to release solid records be-

out of the ashes of the legendary NYHC act Kill Your Idols, Black Anvil plays that perfect blend of thrash and black metal. Driving drums, shrieked vocals that ooze with venom, and biting buzzsaw guitars await on their fourth full-length album. Their last album, “Hail Death,” was met with lukewarm reviews, mostly based on the superbly clean production, which doesn’t really fit the music. Detractors be damned; this new one has just the right amount of murkiness to appease even the most devout dissonant death metal fans. Sprinkle in some tasteful clean vocals and you have something special to experience. 4. Band of Heathens,“Duende” A rare studio album from these Austin fuzzy rock ’n’ roll/Americana giants. Hot off the heels of one of the best Americana albums in recent memory (that being Drive-By Truckers’ “American Band”), will the Band of Heathens find success? I mean, probably. People love these guys. The new album sounds great, with some wonderful overlaid vocals and backing vocal harmonies, subdued but well-intended percussion, and a familiar blend of guitar and piano that immediately puts the listener in a happy place. Only thing missing is one of those beers you garnish with citrus, ready for an early spring. 5. Auri,“The Crown of Doubt” Collusion Alert: I played on this album and am biased in saying how good it is. But. It is. Really. Good. After working on it for almost two years in bedroom

loved to both the harshest of critics and the diehard fan. Los Angeles’ The Molochs are the latest to do so for the label with their sophomore effort “America’s Velvet Glory.” Singer and songwriter Lucas Fitzsimons, along with guitarist/ organist and longtime bandmate Ryan Foster, crafted a record of infectious

studios, my dear friend Sol Sinclair of Brighton, United Kingdom, unleashed a torrent of dissonant black metal that comes from a place deeply rooted in identity, in rejection of assumptions, in grief and elation, in searching for a higher power that doesn’t disappoint you, and innumerable other things.

garage pop that veers in and out of “proto-punk-y folk-y rock, Modern Lovers demos and Velvet Underground arcana.” The songs ring familiar but not so derivatively to be knock-offs. There are 11 well-crafted and catchy cuts that you may find yourself humming – or wanting to hum – long after the record has concluded. Recommended for fans of The Modern Lovers, Daniel Johnston, Deepakalypse, The Velvet Underground, White Fence, Violent Femmes, or early Foxygen. —— Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

If you like heavy metal music, please check it out, you will not be disappointed. Oh and the goofy electronic parts are cool but they were probably performed by someone with little-tono-skill (me). —— Cooper Stapleton

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�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 9

[beer]

First Draughts | Robert Alan Wendeborn

Look for brewing-as-activism trend in 2017

redicting what’s going to be big in craft beer is fun, though it does seem like it might be repetitive, especially because I don’t see much change from last year’s predictions: Sellouts, continued evolution of the IPA, and continued exploration of sours and alternative fermentation. In addition to these beyond obvious predictions, I will go out on a limb to predict some surprises and I’ve asked a few people to help me out with 2017’s trends. Looking at the trends from last year, I think most of them are going to carry over. The biggest trend, New England IPA, didn’t really penetrate Colorado (at least I don’t know of any big production breweries making one), even though it’s all over the East Coast, Southern California, and the Pacific Northwest. Even though the buyouts in Colorado have been limited, Oskar Blues has venture capital money, so look for them to buy or build another brewery this year. (They’ve already got the South

and East Coast with breweries in Austin, Texas, and Brevard, North Carolina, so don’t be surprised if they go Northeast or West with their next acquisition/merger.) (In fact, Fireman Capital Partners, Oskar Blues big venture capital fund, is based in Boston.) Don’t be surprised if venture capital makes more moves than Big Beer this year. After all, there is a big hangover from all the mergers last year. And yes, sours and alternative fermentation are going to continue their rise. A lot of big breweries put out a sour or tart of some kind last year, and more and more new breweries are opening that focus on that aspect of flavor. The trends that I’m seeing and hearing on the low down are much more tenuous, but I think will »» 5 Rabbit Cerveceria’s play an important role in “Chinga Tu Pelo,” in honthe coming year. I know a or of Donald’s excellent lot of younger breweries hair Continued on Page 11

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[beer] From Page 10

that are open fewer than three years that are gaining a lot of steam and seeing a lot of success, breweries like Ratio Beerworks, Little Machine Beer, Central State, and The Rare Barrel. These are breweries with young staffs doing incredible work and seeing the rewards pay off big time. These types of breweries are all over the country, pushing the envelope of good beer. Being political for a brewery is

nothing new (the Heavy Metal E.P.A. from Ska last year is a good example), but seeing as how Donald J. Trump got elected president, I think we’ll see a lot of breweries using their beer as a form of activism. A group of awesome lady brewers recently collabed on a beer in protest of The Donald’s inauguration, and specifically his history with and opinion of women. It’s called “Making a Noise: A Pussy Riot Beer,” and it’s not the first to protest Mr.

Drumpf. That honor belongs to 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Chicago (their beer was named, “Chinga Tu Pelo” in honor of Donald’s excellent hair). Beer activism will solidly be an important part of craft beer in 2017. The last big trend for craft beer will be a move to have more ideological coalitions, and less cohesion by geography. Craft beer is growing so fast that there are a lot of breweries that have totally different views from each other, even though they’re part of

the same regional or statewide craft beer guild. Look for breweries to form guilds that look at process, ethos, or style as a way of supporting each other. I really wouldn’t be surprised if there is a “Sour Beer Guild” or “New England IPA” guild or association by the end of the year. Robert Alan Wendeborn is a former cellar operator at Ska Brewing and current lead cellar operator at Tin Roof Brewing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 11

DECODING MUSIC AND NOSTALGIA Looking back for our jams isn’t only connecting to the past but can be a bridge to the future Patty Templeton | DGO STAFF WRITER

f you think, “Dude, music is crap compared to when I was younger,” you’re wrong. There is a glut of gorgeousness out there. Yet, in this age of access and melodious abundance, people reach for the same bands that they’ve ever listened to. What the hell is with this wistful pining for the past? Let’s figure it out. Why music you grew up with matters to you

When I was 16, I adored a band called Wrong Direction, gawky local dudes slinging Operation Ivy covers and originals. I have good memories of all of the garage, basement, and backyard shows of my youth. In psychoanalysis, this is called a “screen memory.” It ain’t what really happened. A screen memory smushes together a crap-ton of different memories – but only the good bits. In the mashup, negative emotions are filtered out. On a casual think-back, I’m left with a generally positive view of these younger years ... rather than remembering the time I tripped down a staircase at a show or how I was usually too shy to say hello to anyone but my two pals. Nostalgia doesn’t necessarily mean being too lazy to find new music. Dr. Arthur C. Jones, professor of music, culture, and psychology at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver says, “Everybody wants to feel that their place in the universe and the geographical region that they live in is significant ... To have music that honors specific experiences, that

recognizes that those experiences happened, and that a person was part of it – is really important. People get upset when they feel like everything that they’ve experienced has been forgotten.” If you go back to your childhood home and it’s a parking lot, it causes a feeling of erasure. Your experience is no longer there. Your existence is harder to prove. The same goes for music. When you find a music friend who acknowledges a scene or song, suddenly there is more reality to your own experience.

Why young folks are nostalgic to music that came before The easy answer here is that music is effing awesome and can connect to anyone, anytime. Sam Cooke, Iggy Pop, and Camille Saint-Saëns are as important now as ever. But there’s more. Jones says, “People want to be a part of generational continuity. They want to feel like they have some sense of those that came before Continued on Page 14

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PERENNIAL BEDLAM

An interview with Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers For the neo-swing band, it’s a revival, not a reunion The Squirrel Nut Zippers make records so jumpin’ they can raise the dead. They don’t claim this, but pull me aside sometime and ask about the time I visited my Kentucky grandad’s grave under a full moon with a boombox playing “Hot.” The best music takes you to church or fills the day with a smidge of magic. The bold, good-time tunes of the Squirrel Nut Zippers can’t help but conjure jubilation. Ain’t unusual to find yourself sock-steppin’ to it in the kitchen or howl-singing to the swing on a twilight drive. They have a way of making folks strut and hum. Jimbo Mathus, founding member and lead singer, spoke to us about the 20th anniversary tour for the “Hot” album and what’s up next for the Zippers. »» Musician Jimbo Mathus Americana and roots elements are on the rise. What do you think keeps people pulling buckets up from the old-time music well? Well, I think there’s a lot of truth in the older forms of music. That’s our legacy, you know, as musicians and a culture. Music is a huge part of the

American scene ... The Zippers, when we were putting the band together, we were interested in taking from the deepest roots of American music. We researched everything from Stephen Foster to Tin Pan Alley and the jazz era ... Cabaret, vaudeville, all that good stuff. Continued on Page 15

�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 13

From Page 12

them.” Besides being a killer album, a person might play Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” because they heard their ma spin it. Maybe their ma died, but before she did, she talked about seeing Gaye live. Listening to “What’s Going On” becomes a living connection to a deceased relative. Additionally, ma’s Marvin Gaye stories convert into a part of the younger individual’s own narrative, thus making their own life story richer.

Nostalgia can be a regional experience Durango is obsessed with ska. This suits me fine. Ska is a thriving, dance party of a genre. Most of America thinks of ska as a late ’90s, early aughts thing. It’s an example of an obsessive population that refuses to let go of a good thing. It’s also an example of nostalgic reaching as regional experience. “I think that there’s a natural experience that happens in music-making that is geographical,” Jones says. “If you are in Durango, this beautiful western slope of Colorado ... there’s going to be a music that speaks to that experience and it is going to be different than the music of someone who lives in Manhattan” Music will survive in an area based on the population’s view of its utility. Having Ska Brewing Co. in town has drastically increased ska’s presence in Durango, lengthened its utility, and deepened our peoples’ memory pool of it.

Nostalgia within music creation There is an endless amount of musical genres these days – mathcore, psychobilly, brass and grass. Musicians find endless methods of banging together the bones of precedent’s corpse. Jones thinks this can have both positive and negative effects. “When people think something is creative it is because someone has taken something that is from before and made it into something fresh ... In a way, what you and I are calling nostalgia – that’s what has come before. You need that to

create something new. But if you get totally stuck and don’t see possibilities, start to follow a formula – then it is a problem.” It is not about creators thinking that older music is better than its contemporary counterpart. Dr. Charissa Chiaravalloti, assistant professor of music at Fort Lewis College, says it’s about old times being remembered fondly. “When we hear certain old songs, they trigger an emotional reaction in our brains as the memories come flooding back,” Chiaravalloti says. “Most people enjoy this experience, as it makes us feel as though we can relive those moments.” When a musician reaches for an old-time instrument, beat pattern, or genre, they are not only vibing with the vintage melodies, but the emotional content. Their own music can then evoke, to an extent, that disposition. It’s a built-in level of authenticity due to the memories people associate with that style of music. For example, Amy Winehouse drew from the musical traditions of soul, R&B, and jazz. She equally belonged in a smoky, 1950s lounge as she did in front of a rock ’n’ roll crowd. She summoned up oldschool and surrounded it with modern. It’s not a new thing, either. Technology has made nostalgic reaching more accessible for decades. “With the growth of record stores in the latter half of the 20th century, most people could find and enjoy music from the past,” Chiaravalloti says. “I also think that with each passing invention, from records to tapes to CDs, nostalgic reaching increased.” Which leads us to this: It’s all good - so long as all your get-down isn’t only in the gone-by.

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From Page 13

I think the reason it still seems to be important is simply because it is important. Is the world turning into a digital culture going to affect the way musicians find inspiration? You know, I don’t think so. When I was coming up and researching to start the Zippers, it was hard finding things out. You had to dig for it. I love being able to go online and find out about music, about art – having it at your fingertips ... I think that it’s just fine. I think the old instruments and the old music people getting together and making music with young people will just become more important. How do you see the resurgence of the Squirrel Nut Zippers? I see it as interesting, fun, well-written music and there’s no reason to have it sit on the shelf. I think it’s not a reunion but a revival. We are not here to capitalize off of a nostalgia trip ... Time will tell, but I think when we start doing new music and you hear that from us, that’ll be more telling. So there’s a new Squirrel Nut Zippers’ album coming out? Oh, yeah. I have been working on it for about a year now. I’m also drawing on a lot of the talents that are in the band now. In my band, there are now a lot of 20-something, 30-something people that were actually influenced by the Zippers years back. We’re looking at a lot of the top players of the New Orleans jazz scene. The traditional jazz, the cabaret – these things have come a long way in 20 years. The burlesque scene, the vaudeville scene, the types of circus scenes are all really cool and a lot of people in the band took the Zippers and ran with it when they were just kids. They’ve made a life out of it, and so I’m drawing a lot on their talent. It’s not a one dimensional project of me writing, but a creative endeavor amongst the group. What was one of the biggest surprises in working with a new line-up? I really didn’t know what to expect, frankly. I’ve been very active in music as a producer and an artist all these

»» Squirrel Nut Zippers, 2016.

Jimbo Mathus’ recent albums of note »»1.“Age Don’t Mean a Thing,” by Robert Finley »»2.“Blues and Ballads: A Folksinger’s Songbook, Vol. 1 & 2,” Luther Dickinson »»3.“Get Gone,” Seratones »»4.“Deslondes,” Deslondes »»5.“Okra Candy,” Shinyribs years ... So I have a lot of connections in New Orleans. New Orleans was always a big, big city for me ... I reached out to a few people and then people came to me in different ways. Each one has brought a real great talent. I was surprised how challenging the material was. It’s not cut of the same cloth as the standard, and we’re really fleshing it out to make it into something fresh and at an even higher level, while keeping the energy and punk rock nature of what we did. The performers I have on stage are fantastic. They bring a lot of dynamics and motion to the show. It’s not some hired guns reading horn charts. It’s people who care and who inspire me. I’ve got a real lotta jazz cats in here and it’s brought my game up. Are you book people? You seem like book people. Oh, lord. I read constantly ... I’ve been doing a lot of a research on New Orleans. A book I just finished that was really fantastic was “The World That Made New Orleans,” by Ned Sublette. It’s

one of the best books that I’ve read in quite a while ... I just read another Graham Hancock book, “Fingerprints of the Gods.” It takes history back, way back further, and poses an alternate vision of history. I also liked J.D. Wilkes’ new book, “The Vine That Ate the South.” And, “East of Eden,” by Steinbeck. I’d never read that till recently. I’m into a lot of history and American literature. I’m always doing my Southern studies, too. Trying to put together what in the hell we are doing down here ... Then things make their way into my songs. I have a couple of new ones that have came out of that Sublette book. One about a slave insurrection. A lot of my song ideas come out of literature or history books. What’s a dream project of yours? “The cool thing is is that someday is now. The Zippers can handle everything. There is so much that you can put in there. This is it. I’m looking forward to getting better at the things we do really well already. I mean, I can see writing more theme-based pieces and shows with the Zippers as the principal players. There’s so much talent. We could find odd stories to bring to life. More dialogue on stage. More interaction among the players. Like a Kurt Vile, subversive approach to interactive music. I’m satisfied with where I’m at and there is so much potential here.” —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 15

[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

CBD oil decision makes the DEA depressingly laughable

ecause it helps me to feel slightly less weird – and doesn’t postmodern life do a good enough job of making us all feel just weird enough – I am going to assume that I am not the only one who’s been sitting around this winter coming up with more apt monikers for the initials of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The best I’ve come up with is Dumbest Ever Assholes. I realize this does not propel me directly into Oscar Wilde/Eminem territory on the wit scale, but if we are all being honest here, most of my other attempts get bogged down almost instantly and I’m left with a string of Douche ______ Agency and Dong Eating _____-type non sequiturs, which do little to lessen my absolute disgust for this “enforcement” body. The DEA, like so many other government programs, is the proverbial pig gloriously luxuriating in its own mess. Scandal- ridden (google “DEA scandals” and prepare to laugh) and seemingly above any oversight, a well-supported case can be made that we, as a nation, would be better served by slashing its nearly $3 billion budget by about 90 percent and requiring the agency to justify, to citizen oversight committees, how its actions defend public interests. Additionally, it should be stripped of its ability through its asset-forfeiture program to confiscate cash and property seized in raids. Most significantly, as a result of the most recent breach of logic in the tactics for fighting the “War on Drugs,” the DEA should be immediately

removed from the venue of cannabis-related interests, left to focus on things like methamphetamine (the kind made from Sudafed, not, of course, the kind pushed by Big Pharma for our schoolchildren) as suggested in Doug Benson’s “Super High Me.” The most recent reason for my outrage with these goons is the agency’s decision last month to take steps to more formally establish its position against CBD oil, a chemical compound found in the hemp plant that has displayed astounding healing properties and is absolutely non-psychoactive. To make

a comparison, the relationship between THC (the compound responsible for the cannabis high) and CBD is of the order of that between heroin and loperamide, an opium-derived medicine that does not cross the blood-brain barrier – rendering it ineffectual as an intoxicant – which is used to treat diarrhea. CBD, or cannabidiol, is the medicine of inflammation and arthritis relief, of anxiety-lessening, of seizure-reduction, and cancer fighting. As such, it is prized by the people whose decades of life leave them sore in the mornings and after increased activity, like my parents who love the salve I gave them for Christmas; by athletes – watch the NFL playoff games this weekend and ask yourself if those guys wouldn’t be served by a non-narcotic pain treatment; by those for whom more mainstream medicines supported by the FDA and DEA have failed to help; and, most significantly, by children who suffer from epilepsy and other seizure disorders. CBD came into the national spotlight following research by Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN, who looked into the case of a young girl named Charlotte Figi from Colorado whose parents discovered in CBD a life-changing medicine that reduced her grand mal seizures caused by Dravet’s Syndrome, a form of epilepsy, from approximately 300 per week to almost none. This, friends, is where the DEA is directing its efforts. I don’t understand it and I’m sure I never will. Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at chrstphrgallagher@gmail.com.

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[movies] [Vintage Durango]

Playing in Durango Animas City Theatre (For showtime information, visit www.animascitytheatre.com.)

Gaslight Theatre Evolution (Wednesday only). The only residents of young Nicholas’ seaside town are women and boys. When he sees a dead body in the ocean one day, he begins to question his existence and surroundings. Not rated. Manchester by the Sea. An uncle is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies. Rated R. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. Rated PG-13.

Durango Stadium 9 Live By Night. The saga of a young gangster, son of police superintendent, as he rises to power in Boston, does time in a hellhole jail, and is released to start over in Florida, where he is caught between two rival gangs. Rated R.

»» “Guide for Missile Watchers” illustration in the Jan. 5, 1958, Durango Herald.

Missile watching: The sport that never was A January 5, 1958, article from The Durango Herald stated, “...within 10 years, Americans will think no more of missiles flying overhead than they do airplanes.” Ye gods, that is a horrifying thought. The U.S. was roughly 10 years into the Cold War. Normalization of the military industrial complex had begun. So, you could go see the new Broadway musical, “West Side Story.” Or, if you didn’t live in New York, maybe you’d hit up the picture show for Elvis’ new feature, “Jailhouse Rock.” Or, if all of that sounded boring? Maybe a date could take you to missile watch instead. Is that a rocket in your pocket, America? Or are you just happy to see me? Yowza. —— Patty Templeton

generations to dream big. Rated PG. Underworld: Blood Wars. Vampire death dealer, Selene fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. Rated R. Passengers. A spacecraft transporting thousands of people to a distant colony planet has a malfunction in one of its sleep chambers. As a result, a single passenger is awakened 90 years before anyone else. Faced with the prospect of growing old and dying alone, he eventually decides to wake up a second passenger. Rated PG-13. Sing. A koala named Buster Moon has one final chance to restore his theater to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition. Rated PG. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. (Also available in 3-D with surcharge ) Rated PG-13. (See Gaslight listing) Moana. A spirited teenager sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. Rated PG.

Monster Trucks. (Also available in 3-D with surcharge) Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp builds a monster truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. Rated PG. Patriots Day. An account of Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis’ actions in the events leading up to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath. Rated R. The Bye Bye Man. When three college students move into an old house off campus, they unleash a supernatural entity known as the Bye Bye Man, who comes to prey upon them once they discover his name. The friends must try to save each other, all the while keeping the Bye Bye Man’s existence a secret to save others from the same deadly fate. Rated PG-13. Hidden Figures. The untold story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire

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�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 17

[love and sex]

Savage Love | Dan Savage

This column is all about gays? Savage begs to differ I recently stopped reading your advice column due to its current focus on homosexuality. Just letting you know the heterosexuals are still alive and doing well. Bored Reading Endlessly Experimental Deviants Exploring Rectums Over the last year, BREEDER, I published 140 questions from readers who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bi, trans, or straight. Twenty-six of those questions were from gay men (18 percent), 16 were from bisexuals (12 percent), six were from trans people (4 percent), two were from lesbians (1 percent), and 90 were from straight people (65 percent). Almost all of the bisexuals whose letters I responded to were in opposite-sex, aka “straight,” relationships, and the same goes for half the letters from trans people. (Lots of trans people are straight identified and in opposite-sex, aka “straight,” relationships.) So nearly 80 percent of the questions I answered last year focused on straight people and/or straight sex. If a sex-advice column that’s about straight people and/or straight sex 65 to 80 percent of the time is too gay for you, BREEDER, then my “current focus” isn’t the problem – your homophobia is. I would say that I’m sorry to lose you as a reader, BREEDER, but I’m not. My partner and I have been playing with male chastity devices. We’ve been considering going to a strip club while his [rooster] is caged up and getting him lap dances. Is there some etiquette for this with the dancers? Do we let the dancer know before she is on his lap? Or do we not mention it? Is it rude to get a dancer involved at all? I’ve not yet found an etiquette guide for this situation. Letting Our Cage Kink Show “I think I speak for most dancers when I say I don’t care what’s going on underneath a customer’s pants,”

said Bobbi Hill, a lap dancer based in Portland, Oregon, strip club capital of the United States. “Grazing over a stiff object in the crotch region is not an uncommon experience when giving a lap dance, and depending on the texture of the device, I might not even give it a second thought.”

when you take their comfort into account! They also appreciate large tips! And good personal hygiene! And clients who aren’t completely shitfaced!

That said, lap dancers don’t like surprises. If a dancer grinds down on your partner’s crotch and feels something hard, clunky, and un-[rooster]-like in his pants, “she might go into air-dance mode,” said Hill, “which is essentially a lap dance where you make as little contact with the customer’s crotch as possible. Of course, you can never go wrong investing in a stripper’s patience and well-being – try handing her a Benjamin as you explain your situation.”

I recently left my husband and moved from the suburbs to my own apartment in Philadelphia. It’s very liberating, and I have been starting to venture out for some great sex, something missing in my 25-year marriage. Two weeks ago, I decided to be adventurous and went to a clubby bar around the block and brought a guy back to my place. The guy was in his 40s, lean, and muscular. The sex was great! He was very oral, unlike my vanilla husband. When we got this stud’s clothes off, I saw that his pubic area was completely shaved, basically from his navel down. I don’t know if I looked as shocked as I felt. While he was humping away – I have never had anyone with such stamina and power – he told me to feel his anus, and that area, too, was shaved. I didn’t want to ask him why he shaves, but I am wondering if this is common these days? Is there some “meaning” to it? And is anal touching now customary? I am really out of it and thought I’d ask you.

Just in case you’re not interested in dancers who are hers, LOCKS, I ran your question by a male stripper.

Confused Over Under-Garment-Area Region

While your concern for lap dancers is commendable, LOCKS, the person most at risk of injury is your partner. Nothing is more fun than inducing an erection in someone who’s locked in a male chastity device – a necessarily painful and punishing erection – but the devices are unyielding (ideally) and the [rooster] flesh is weak (even when hard). A dancer who grinds down on your partner’s crotch is likelier to hurt him.

“I don’t think most dancers would mind if a customer was wearing a male chastity device as long as it caused no physical harm or discomfort,” said Aaron, a dancer at Stag PDX, Portland’s new male strip club. “If all parts of the device are safely tucked away between your legs while you receive the lap dance, there should be little to worry about. But if the device has parts that protrude – and could possibly harm an overzealous dancer while they grind up on you – you may want to be more cautious. It also never hurts to ask the dancers what they’re comfortable with.” Strippers! They’re just like us! You can ask them questions! They will answer them! They respond positively

While I love your signoff, COUGAR, sleeping with a lean, muscular guy in his 40s who likes to have his anus touched doesn’t earn a woman her cougar wings or whiskers or whatever. You’re going to have to [bleep] a few boys in their 20s if you want to be a cougar. In regards to your recent hookup, COUGAR, the removal of pubic hair has definitely become more common over the last 25 years. Studies have found that upwards of 60 percent of women regularly remove most or all of their pubic hair; there aren’t studies about men removing their pubic hair, but many men do. Shaving or waxing doesn’t necessarily mean anything in

particular, other than a preference for hairless junk. And the younger people are – chronologically or in spirit – the likelier they are to remove their pubes. And while I wouldn’t describe anal touching as customary, there are definitely more straight men around today who aren’t afraid of their own assholes. I met my boyfriend at a gay night in a club. I thought he was gay because he was dancing shirtless. But he loves going down on me, the PIV sex is the best I’ve ever had, and I believe him when he says he’s straight. He’s got an above-average [rooster], but he likes me to tell him it’s small and compare him unfavorably to men I’ve been with who had bigger [roosters]. I’ve had bigger and I don’t mind degrading him like this. (It’s a nice change of pace to be with a guy who doesn’t want me to pretend like I’ve never seen another cock before!) So that’s not the reason I’m writing. This is: He likes to be called a “faggot” when he’s [bleeping] me. It makes him incredibly horny, but I feel guilty for using an antigay hate term while we’re having straight sex. Is this OK? Is it [effed] up? Should we stop? Female Anxiously Grants Slurs It’s not OK, it’s completely [effed] up, and you don’t have to stop. And if you feel the least bit guilty about calling your boyfriend a fag when he’s [effing] you, FAGS, an hour on gay Tumblr will make you feel better about that. The number of gay men out there who think it’s hot to call their own assholes or other men’s assholes “[seawards]” will both surprise you and make you feel less conflicted about calling your straight boyfriend a fag. Dan Savage is a nationally syndicated sex advice columnist writing for The Stranger in Seattle. Contact him at mail@savagelove.net or @fakedansavage on Twitter and listen to his podcast every week at savagelovecast.com.

18 | Thursday, January 12, 2017 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[happening] Thursday “Starting Your Business” workshop,

8 a.m.-1 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 247-7009, shepherd_m@fortlewis. edu. “Photography from the Inside Out” art workshop, 10 a.m.-noon, Durango Arts

Center, 802 East Second Ave., www.durangoarts.org. Beginning crochet part two, 1-4 p.m.,

Yarn Durango, 755 East Second Ave., 2599827. La Plata Quilters Guild meeting, 5:30 p.m., fellowship hall, First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive, 799-1632, robertajean@frontier.net. Durango Nature Studies wolf moon hike, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Haviland Lake, Haviland

Lake Road, 769-9377, andrea@durangonaturestudies.org. Tim Sullivan, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle

Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Wild West Squares square dance lesson, 6-7 p.m., St. Columba School gymnasium,

1801 East Third Ave., 247-5527. Four Corners Back Country Horsemen meeting, 7 p.m., La Plata County

Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., 749-0316, cathyroberts08@gmail.com, www.4cbch.com.

Courtesy of Our 1st 100 Days

Robin Davis, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritori-

um, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Squirrel Nut Zippers, 7:30 p.m., Commu-

nity Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, 247-7657, www.durangoconcerts. com. The Floozies, 8:30 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281, www. animascitytheatre.com. Karaoke with DJ Crazy Charlie, 9 p.m.,

Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 3752568. Karaoke, 9 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Community action in the Age of Trump »» Carute Roma headlines Our 1st 100 Days kick-off event at Strater Patty Templeton

Friday

DGO STAFF WRITER

BID Coffee and Conversation, 8:30-

Maybe, you think that voting is BS. That it doesn’t matter. That your voice isn’t heard. Maybe you feel like politics are vast and you don’t even know where to start, so why bother? Well, quiet the nihilism. Cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead would battle your ass and say, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” There’s a group of citizens in Durango who want to change the world. They want to create action, education, and empathy, one person at a time. You can be a part of the change you want to see in the world. Our 1st 100 Days is supported by locals dedicated to building active participation in American democracy. It is steered by an informal, volunteer board built from representatives of social, environmental, and economic

9:30 a.m., Pullman Room, Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Joel Racheff, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Black Velvet Trio, 7 p.m., Derailed Pour

House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com. Dustin Burley, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Open Mic, 7-11 p.m., Steaming Bean, down-

stairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.thebean.com. Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Saturday Purgatory Winterfest, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.,

Purgatory Resort, 247-9000, www.purgatoryresort.com. Durango Wedding Expo, noon-3 p.m., La

Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., 8823049, www.durangoweddingsmagazine.com. Continued on Page 20

justice organizations. Friday, Jan. 13, marks the Our 1st 100 Days kick-off event. The Afrobeatniks and Carute Roma will play a free show with a cash bar at the Strater Theatre from 7 - 10 p.m. Other upcoming events include an Inauguration Day protest on Jan. 20 and Respond: A Day of Free Classes on Jan. 21. Topics will include understanding white privilege, climate change, immigration policy, and collective growth. Organizer Dan Olson said that the Our 1st 100 Days project is focused on “ connecting folks to issues that they’re interested in learning more about. Helping folks get educated on the issues. Getting them a taste of taking political action on issues they care about. And also building community through having time to celebrate and engage in social time.” If you think this is another group telling you what to do with your life, you’re dead wrong. “The idea behind this is not to create a new group,”

Olson said. “It is to create a platform of visibility to the many efforts that are ongoing.” Politics can be overwhelming. Think of Our 1st 100 Days as friendly volunteers who want to help you find your footing. A goal of theirs is to have “folks who are not just passionate about issues, but informed, and who understand the elements of taking action. Whether that is forwarding an agenda or protecting policies that [you] value,” Olson said. “It is easy to click ‘like’ on Facebook. It’s another thing to get involved in local, regional, state, and national politics. We’re hoping to build up folks who feel not just passionate but capable of getting involved.” For more information, go to Our 1st 100 Days’ website – www.our1st100days.us/. If you have events you want to see reflected on the Our 1st 100 Days calendar, email events@Our1st100Days. us.

�� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 19

[happening] Monday

From Page 19 Beginning crochet, 1-4 p.m., Yarn Duran-

go, 755 East Second Ave., 259-9827. Beginning drop spindle part one,

1-4 p.m., Yarn Durango, 755 East Second Ave., 259-9827. Mike Testa, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle

Four Corners Arts Forum, 9 a.m., KDUR

91.9/93.9 FM, www.kdur.org. Purgatory Winterfest, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.,

Purgatory Resort, 247-9000, www.purgatoryresort.com. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, 12:15 p.m., Fort Lewis College Cen-

Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

ter of Southwest Studies, 247-7170.

Greg Ryder, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritori-

People’s Practice in the Park, 12:30

um, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Comedy Night, 8 p.m., Henry Strater

Theatre, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

p.m., Buckley Park, 247-8395, www.turtlelakerefuge.org. Happy HourYoga, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Ska Brew-

ing Co., 225 Girard St., www.skabrewing.com. Joel Racheff, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Sunday

Tango foundation class, 7 p.m., Groove

Purgatory Winterfest, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.,

Purgatory Resort, 247-9000, www.purgatoryresort.com. Irish music jam session, 12:30 p.m.,

U Dance Studio, 26369 U.S. Highway 160, 9035128, ljubalemke@gmail.com. Spoken Word, 7-9 p.m., Steaming Bean,

downstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.thebean.com.

Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com.

Rob Webster, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spirito-

Blue Moon Ramblers, 5:30-10 p.m., Dia-

rium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

mond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Jazz church experienced musician session, 6 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main

Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com. Joel Racheff, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritori-

um, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Tuesday “Cut Loose with Pastels” art workshop, 10 a.m.-noon, Durango Arts Center,

802 East Second Ave., www.durangoarts.org. Intermediate watercolor art workshop, 1 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 East

Second Ave., www.durangoarts.org.

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Courtesy of Liver Down the River

Liver Down the River gets galactic We’re quickly coming into the season of all things galactic – inter or otherwise. But before Snowdown gets into high gear, there’s another spacey show not to be missed. Durango’s own funk’n’bluegrass band Liver Down the River is throwing a Midwinter Galactic Get Down, landing at the Durango Arts Center, and it’s gonna be a funkadelic hoedown that’ll send you into infinity ... and beyond. Doors open at 8 p.m. Friday at the DAC, 802 East Second Ave., and the show starts at 9. Tickets are $12 presale/$15 at door, and you can snag yours at Southwest Sound. Assemblage 3-D Collage art workshop, 5:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802

East Second Ave., www.durangoarts.org. Terry Rickard, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond

Acoustic jam, 6-8 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub,

Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com.

Acoustic jam, 6-9 p.m., Steaming Bean,

Geeks Who Drink trivia, 6:30 p.m.,

downstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.thebean.com. Super Ted’s Super Trivia, 6:12 p.m., Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., 247-5792, www.facebook.com/supertedstriviaatskabrewing. Tango guided practica, 7 p.m., Cerda 7

Cantina y Comida, 639 Main Ave., 769-7053, www.tangodurango.info. Useless Knowledge Bowl Trivia+, 7

p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave., 247-3396. Ace Kvale: Photographer, Adventurer and Humanitarian, 7 p.m., Durango

Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., www.durangoarts.org. Tim Sullivan, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spirito-

rium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Open Mic, 8 p.m., Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.,

259-9018.

Wednesday

(970) 382-9664 • DOWNSTAIRS AT 640 MAIN AVENUE

Greg Ryder, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Bird Walk, 9-10:30 a.m., Rotary Park, 1565

East Second Ave., www.durangogov.org.

BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 West College Drive, 259-5959. Pub quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com. Terry Rickard, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Pingpong and poker tournament, 8

p.m., Moe’s , 937 Main Ave., 259-9018. Karaoke with DJ Crazy Charlie, 9 p.m.,

Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 3752568.

Submissions To submit listings for publication in DGO and www.dgomag.com, visit www.swscene. com, click “Add Your Event,” enter the event info into the form, and submit. Listings at www.swscene.com will appear on www. dgomag.com and in our weekly print edition. Posting an event on www.swscene. com is free and takes one day to process.

20 | Thursday, January 12, 2017 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A secret love affair might take you over the moon this week. Yes, you might be swept away by the romance of it all! Others will be involved in pleasant secrets. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You feel tenderhearted and supportive toward a friend this week. In fact, some of you will feel so cozy with a friend that he or she could become a lover! GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Someone might ask for your creative input on something this week. Meanwhile, some of you will strike up a new romance with your boss or someone in a position of authority. CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

Because your appreciation of beauty is heightened this week, let yourself enjoy beautiful places like parks, art

galleries, museums and gorgeous buildings. It will please you. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) In discussions about how to divide or share something this week, you feel generous toward others. This is good; nevertheless, don’t give away the farm. VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Relations with partners and close friends are warm and friendly this week. That’s because you feel mutually sympathetic and understanding. Gosh. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Someone might ask for your advice at work this week. There’s no doubt that you will feel sympathetic to co-workers. You also will enjoy a chance to make your workspace look more attractive. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) This is the kind of week where love at

first sight might happen for some of you. You feel starry-eyed, vulnerable and ready for romance.

luxury. Oh yes! That’s why they call it luxury – and of course, it is irresistible!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)

This week, you feel very tuned in to the world, which is why you are sympathetic and open to everyone. You are very aware that kindness is important, and also that practicing kindness is the path to happiness.

Family discussions will go well this week because family members are sympathetic to each other. You also will enjoy redecorating or making your home look more beautiful. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) You feel kindhearted to others this week, especially siblings and neighbors. Meanwhile, many of you can make money from your words this week through writing, acting or sales and marketing. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) If shopping this week, you will be tempted to be extravagant because it will be tough to resist elegance and

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20)

BORN THIS WEEK You are friendly, social and outspoken. You also are ambitious. You are intellectually inclined and enjoy the attention of others. Get ready to take advantage of opportunities that will arise in 2017 because this is the year you’ve been waiting for! Expect a major change, perhaps as significant as what occurred around 2006. It’s time to test your future! © 2017 King Features Syndicate Inc.

weekly bestsellers Jan. 1 – 7 »»1. A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (Paperback) »»2. The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Paperback) »»3. Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Future of the Earth,

by Craig Childs (Paperback) » »4. Dead Run: The Murder of a Lawman and the Greatest Manhunt of the Modern American West , by Dan Schultz

(Paperback) » »5. The Little Paris Bookshop, by Nina George (Paperback) » »6. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis , by JD Vance (Hardcover) »»7. The Underground Railroad (National Book Award Winner),

by Colson Whitehead (Hardcover) » »8. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho (Paperback) »»9. Euphoria, by Lily King (Paperback) » »10. The Hangman’s Daughter, by Oliver Potzsch (Paperback) �� Thursday, January 12, 2017 | 21

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[Expert Advice on Trivial Affairs]

Get Smart | Cyle Talley

On winter driving It’s getting nasty out there, folks. Whether you’re headed to the mountain, to work, or to class, let Lisa Schwantes, Colorado Department of Transportation Region 5 communications manager, tell you how to keep your ass (and your car, and your friends) safe out there as the snow piles up. What are some tips to get us around town and up to the mountain. Help!

encourage drivers not to pass plows, especially on the right-hand side. It may sound pretty logical, but sometimes the plows need to work toward the center of the road and the plow extends to the right. Motorists might feel they have room to pass on the right, but we’ve had increasing numbers of crashes occur since the snow started flying.

Winter driving is tricky, especially in mountainous regions. Driving conditions vary from the lower elevations to the higher passes. We advise motorists to be aware of the »» Jerry McBride/BCI Media file illustration weather, first and foremost. Our maintenance patrols are constantly monitoring the It’s illegal to pass on the rightweather so that we can treat the roads if hand side anyway, isn’t it? necessary, and of course, plow the roads Yes, it is! But folks get a little impatient. when necessary. Sometimes, the roads are sprayed with a deicer or an anti-icer, which But it’s more important to get someplace help to prevent ice from forming. If we can safely and a few minutes late than never time it correctly, we can pretreat the road getting there at all. so that ice will not form. However, once the Are there speeds you advise snow starts falling, we’ll treat the road with Schwantes when the weather gets bad? a sand and salt mix, plowing at the same Drivers ought to pay attention to the contime. Cars that are following the plow often dition of the road. So much of it is common have better traction, but we strongly advise sense. If the roads are snow-packed and icy, keep your drivers not to crowd the plows. Give the plows room speed down. It’s better to drive at a slower speed and to work. Stay back at least three to four car lengths. As to maintain control of your vehicle versus picking up they plow, there is snow and other debris flying around and you don’t want your car to be hit with it. We also speed and losing control.

What’s a safe distance between vehicles? It’s always a best practice, regardless of the weather, to keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, but especially when it’s snowing. Keep an even further distance in poor conditions than you would in good ones. If a vehicle needs to slam on their brakes for whatever reason, you need that extra time to respond. You’re a local. What are some strategies you employ to stay safe out there? I’ve lived in Durango since 1987. When I taught my two sons, my biggest piece of advice to them for winter driving was not to worry about the other vehicles around. Drivers need to travel at a speed that they are comfortable with. Don’t worry about the cars pushing around behind you. If you need to go slow, go slow. If I’m driving and I see someone going faster than I am who’s coming up behind me, I’ll tap my brake a few times to send the warning signal that I’m going to be going slow. It’s a pretty clear sign to back off. Not hard, just a slight pump – don’t want to start sliding! Oh! Give yourself some extra time, too! Plan ahead. But if you can’t, better to be late than never get there at all. Cyle Talley follows his dad’s sage advice on snowy roads: “Don’t do anything too suddenly.” If there’s something you’d like to GET SMART about, email him at: cyle@ cyletalley.com

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