A Complete Guide to Happy Hour by Ballantine Communications

art entertainment food drink music nightlife Thursday, March 23, 2017

DGO

A COMPLETE

HAPPY

GUIDE TO

HOUR

Also: Transformative justice at FLC, Random Rab, Troker, barrel-aged beer, and vape pens Also: Xxxxxx xxxxx

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 2 Number 22

March 23, 2017

Chief Executive Officer

10 The barrel is coming back to craft beer

Douglas Bennett V.P. of Finance and Operations

I usually feel ambivalent and apathetic about a lot of trends. Barrel-aged beer is one of the hottest trends in the craft world, and it has been steadily growing in popularity for years.

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

Love it or Hate it

Vintage Durango

Sound

Editor/ creative director

16 Looking to be discreet with your MJ?

David Holub

Do you appreciate the value of discretion as it relates to new and improving ways to consume cannabis and marijuana-infused products?

dholub@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer Patty Templeton ptempleton@bcimedia.com Contributors

Alexi Grojean

Ideas for a better justice system If you think that America can do better with its justice and prison system, you’re gonna wanna check out the 2nd Annual Transformative Justice, Prison Abolition, and Anarchist Criminology Conference at FLC.

Jennifer F. Knight Bryant Liggett Jon E. Lynch Roldo Cooper Stapleton Cyle Talley Robert Alan Wendeborn

10 Beer 15 Weed

Seeing Through 15 the Smoke

Yes and Know 16

17 Savage Love 18 Happening 20 DGO Deals 22 Horoscope/ puzzles

23 First Person Effervescent, fizzy, sparkling – they all do justice to Tori Baca’s brand of cheery optimism. We talk about her renewed interest in making, crafting, and building things.

22 Pages 23 First Person

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.

Album Reviews 9

David Holub

Christopher Gallagher

From the Editor

Downtown Lowdown

Amy Maestas

Katie Cahill

Random Rab at ACT If you’re sleepwalking through your days, get to the Random Rab (above) show at the Animas City Theatre on Wednesday. He’s an indie electronic musician who will fan a flame of joy bright enough to breach your ennui.

/dgomag

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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ON THE COVER How we got the beer in this hourglass is a mystery ... and nobody’s business. David Holub/DGO

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[ love it or hate it ]

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David Holub |DGO editor

Fast food Love it

Aging alcohol:You’ve got to know when to wait, know when to drink

ith all the talk last week of delayed gratification, along with the ladyfriend and I opening the bottle of Dingle (Ireland) Distillery whiskey that we’d been saving for a special occasion (St. Patrick’s Day), I got thinking about aging, and I’m not talking about my crow’s feet or rickety bones the day after doing anything remotely active outside. I’m talking about the aging of alcohol: When to do it and when it won’t do a bit of good. From what I’ve read on ye olde internete, here’s what I surmise when it comes to the booze most important to me and if it should or even can age once bottled. Wine. Yes, of course. It’s probably the most famous when it comes to aging. And I take all my wisdom from possibly the best source ever: Maya (Virginia Madsen) from “Sideways,” whose literary soliloquy spoke not only of wine, but to the fears of Paul Giamatti’s Miles, afraid he’d already passed his peak in life, as does anyone who’s over 28. “I like how wine continues to evolve,” Maya says, “like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I’d opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it’s constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your ’61. And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline.” It’s the best writing of the movie, and nearly brings me to tears. Later in the movie, when asked when he’ll finally open the bottle of wine he’s been saving all these years, Miles says he’s waiting for a special occasion. Maya pipes up with her infinite wisdom: “You know, the day you open a ’61 Cheval Blanc ... that’s the special occasion.” Beer. The answer to which beers to age and when, is this: “A handful of them” and “Sometimes.” Apparently aging beer in barrels is coming back (check out Robbie Wendeborn’s column in this week’s issue). But that doesn’t speak to beer already

bottled. So if you’re thinking of strategically hanging on to a bottle for better taste later, Beer and Brewing Magazine and Bon Appetite advise to start with lambics, gueuzes, and saisons (these are beers that use organisms other than yeasts for flavor). Also, beers with high alcohol content, such as barley wines (English-style especially ... American barley wines are drier and hoppier, more like double IPAs), robust porters, and imperial stouts. In fact, anything “imperial,” or 8 percent ABV, is probably a good bet. Sour and smoke beers also age well, as those agents serve as a preservative. Anything hoppy? Pretty much nada. IPAs, for instance, are good right now; over time they’ll lose flavor and aroma. So stop reading this now and drink all the IPA you have on hand before it’s too late. Hurry! (This is always my hair-onfire excuse for draining bottles of IPA: “It’s going bad as we speak!”) But the big one that started all this: Whiskey. Turns out, aging once bottled matters not. Just mentioning this fact aloud in the office produced a chorus of naysayers. So I checked my sources. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, whisky (and/or whiskey) does not change once in the bottle. If stored out of the sunlight, it will not improve nor deteriorate over time, even when opened. So that 12-year-old bottle will always be a 12-year-old bottle, even in the year 2117. So what’s the deal with those 40-yearold whiskeys that cost so much for a smidge of a taste? Those are aged in barrels. But once out of the barrel, it be done. Sorry to say. As Dave Pickerell, former master distiller for Maker’s Mark said to Smithsonian Magazine, old whiskies might cost a lot, but for the flavor, go for a more middle-aged whiskey – 6 to 10 years for bourbon, and about 20 years for scotch. Any older, and you’re probably paying for age, not flavor. It’s like they say: The best time to plant a tree? Today. The same goes for opening that bottle of whiskey. Wine and beer? Pick the best ones and do it right.

It’s been talked about before. I’m a vegetarian. As such, my options at most traditional fast food restaurant chains are limited. That doesn’t stop me from loving fast food. Oh come on now, don’t judge. We all know we shouldn’t eat the crap. Everyone knows it’s like munching on a radiating lard pie and washing it down with sugar water. It’s chock fulla unpronounceable ingredients that come from factories and industrialized farms that are ruining the world. BUT. French fries, dudes. You better kill me if you want to stop me from eating French fries. They are a cheap, filling food that I would eat every day, if I could. I mean, they’re pretty much my only option at a lotta fast food places – and even then, you gotta watch out because some restaurants louse ’em up with beef fat or other secret meat juice. Two places that have vegan French fries are Wendy’s and Burger King. OM NOM and NOM. I mean, pretty much the only other fast food options a vegetarian has are like Subway or Jimmy John’s and, I mean, why have a moderately healthy sammich when I could stuff my maw with fried potatoes? ::gets up from computer:: ::goes to Wendy’s for fries and a Frosty to dip them in:: — Patty Templeton

Hate it Because to hate fast food in its entirety is more of a book-length endeavor, I must focus my hatred to the one item that represents an industry that pollutes everything it touches: the land, natural resources and sentient beings used in its production, the alienation-prone labor used in its preparation, the human bodies it makes obese and sick, and the waste its consumption leaves behind. For this, I will speak only of the McDonald’s cheeseburger, and what an evil super-villain it is, even though they taste so mysteriously amazing and I would eat seven compulsively without breathing if placed before me. But calling this a cheeseburger and not a “cheeseburger” would be disingenuous, not because it’s not real food (though I kinda don’t think it is), but because nothing on it tastes like it’s counterpart on any other cheeseburger I’ve ever had. The pickles don’t taste like other pickles, the ketchup doesn’t taste like other ketchup, and have you ever tasted the beef on its own? It tastes like a mildly-seasoned softened rice cake, without all the flavor. And what’s the deal with the onions? I guess they have to be cut that small to freeze-dry properly? But the most disturbing thing? I’ll come right out and say it: After eating a McDonald’s “cheeseburger,” how does any gas you may pass smell like an intact “cheeseburger”? What chemical – what franken-combination – is traveling untouched all the way through your digestive system? I sincerely hope that keeps you up at night. — David Holub

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[democracy]

Ideas for a better justice system »» FLC’s 2nd Annual Transformative Justice, Prison Abolition, and Anarchist

Criminology Conference seeks alternative solutions to punitive system If you think that America can do better with its justice and prison system, you’re gonna wanna check out the 2nd Annual Transformative Justice, Prison Abolition, and Anarchist Criminology Conference at Fort Lewis College. Even if you think America is doing just fine incarcerating folks and rehabilitating them, bring your opinions to FLC on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26 for two days of panels held in the Senate Chambers in the Student Union.

The conference is a ing so many prisons and start investing in education or menproduction of Save the tal health offices and hospitals, Kids. DGO discussed the we could cater to what people conference with Assistant actually need. Like the great Professor of Sociology Angela Davis said, “When you and Criminology Anthony lock somebody up, you are not Nocella and two of his disappearing the community students, Chris Mendoza, problems, you are disappearing a sophomore studying Anderson Mendoza Nocella the people.” philosophy, anthropology, psychology, and peace and What is anarchist Anthony Nocella: Transformative conflict studies, and Mari criminology? justice is an alternative to the punitive Anderson, a psychology major minorMendoza: To begin, we should start justice system. It is very similar to restoring in criminology. with anarchy. It pushes for no hierarchy ative justice. The difference is that it is and trying to dissolve hierarchy in society. What is Save the Kids? arguing for identity politics; restorative People are dehumanized and put below Chris Mendoza: It’s a national justice focuses more on victim and ofeach other and objectified and laborers grass-roots foundation that aims to put fender. Transformative justice is peace are made into less valuable things than an end to the school-to-prison pipeline ... circles, community circles, something the things they are producing ... The [and] doing a lot of really cool stuff that like a mediation, and they throw out the criminology part is studying laws and the works to end the incarceration of youth whole binary of victim and offender. sociological context for what makes an and recidivism rates. individual a criminal and how an individWhat is restorative justice? ual is given that name – how deviants are What does that mean, Nocella: Restorative justice is a mediasocialized into that status. “school-to-prison” pipetion between the victim and the offender line? Anderson: I think so many people ... The idea of transformative justice really Mari Anderson: It’s this understanding that, if you get kicked out of class and you keep getting kicked out of class, instead of meeting with school counselors, a child is meeting with a police officer – disruptive behavior being met with the criminal justice system and not counseling. A child gets introduced into the system and continues in the system because they’re in a school with police on campuses, a whole bunch of police, instead of having counselors who can connect with them and teach them things to grow from. So many people think, “That doesn’t exist out here in Colorado.” It definitely does. It exists everywhere in this country. So transformative justice looks at root causes and comprehensive outcomes of crime. Can you talk a little bit more about transformative justice?

is a system of looking at the larger complexities of all of society and asking all of society to change, where restorative justice doesn’t want to change all of society or the whole criminal justice system. They want to create an alternative to the criminal justice system. The term “prison abolition” may sound all-encompassing and out-there to someone not familiar with it. What does it mean? Anderson: Prison abolition is the understanding that it is not about reforming the system. It is reducing the amount or prisons and replacing them with more effective systems. It’s a racist institution that is perpetuating racism in communities every day. Four to 5 percent of incarcerated people have sociopath or psychopath titles. That’s a very small percentage of the population labeled as uncontrollably dangerous. Knowing that and realizing that if we would stop build-

think, “You’re an anarchist? What?” It can be really intimidating to people. I think people use the word “anarchy” in the same context as chaos, this idea of anarchy as people running around banging in windows. That’s not what anarchy is about ... It is a power to the people movement that says, “I am going to get your attention.” What would you say to someone who doesn’t think they have been touched by the prison system and so they don’t think they’ll attend the conference? Anderson: You have, that would be the first thing I would say. I would say that because when you impact one person you are impacting all. That is an anarchist framework but Martin Luther King, Jr. also said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I always encourage people who are against this or think they are against

More at dgomag.com For DGO’s extended interview with the creators of the 2nd Annual Transformative Justice, Prison Abolition, and Anarchist Criminology, visit dgomag.com. They’ll talk about how criminology studies, protest schedules, and how the 13th Amendment (written in 1789 and revised in 1992) affects us today.

GO! The 2nd Annual Transformative Justice, Prison Abolition, and Anarchist Criminology Conference When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 25 and 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 26. Where: Senate Chambers in the Student Union at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive Cost: Free Ages: All ages Information: http://bit.ly/2n72pvN Prisoner Letter Writing Campaign When: 7-8 p.m., every Tuesday Where: Room 16 in the Reed Library building at FLC Cost: Free Ages: All Information: http://bit. ly/2n7cE30

this to just come out. You can walk away still feeling the same as when you came in, but at least you heard the other side ... Everyone should try to understand societal issues that may not directly impact their person but impact society as a whole around them. Nocella: It’s true democracy. People getting together to dialogue. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

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[sound]

‘ALMOST EVERY SONG ENDS UP BEING HORRIBLE AND PAINFUL AT SOME POINT IN MY PROCESS’ »» Electronic

musician Random Rab headlines Animas City Theatre

It ain’t necessarily easy to be happy. Workdays stack up almost as nonstop as bills, and before you know it, you’re not living, you’re getting by. If you’re sleepwalking through your days, get your ass to the Random Rab show at the Animas City Theatre on Wednesday, March 29. He’s an indie electronic musician who will fan a flame of joy bright enough to breach your ennui. DGO caught up with Random Rab about his new album, “The Formless Edge,” and his current tour.

What’s going on with “The Formless Edge,” your new album? I’m not 100 percent sure on the drop date. Every time I’ve set a date in the past, I’m always wrong. I’m gonna roughly guess it will be out in early June. I got Android Jones doing the artwork, again. I’m really excited to get this one out. It’s been an awesome process to make it. I have a bunch of analog gear I’m working with and some really great collaborations. Your music gives off a chill sense of enchantment. It sounds like twilight music. Where’s that come from? I wish I knew exactly what it was. I’ll go into the study and try and make something, and this is what comes out naturally. I think it might have something to do with my past. I was in a heavy metal band for five years. Even when I first got into electronic music, I was making heavy music. I felt like I needed to prove something, that I was hardcore or something. But over time I realized what my real voice is. Some people call it chill. For me, it almost requires a more aggressive mindset to make chill music. It’s a little bit more vulnerable. I have to be more confident in myself to make it. It’s easy to make heavy music for me, emotionally. What’s a song that was a painful process to create, but – oh my gosh – you’re so glad you stuck with it because you love that song now? I have a lot of songs like that. There are definitely some songs that I’ve made 25 versions of and I end up using version one. That’s often times where I find myself. I’ll get excited about something and I’ll work and work and work on it until it turns into a different song and I’ve taken all of the feeling out of it. Then I go back to the original and think, “Oh, that was actually pretty great. Maybe I just need to fade it out and call it good.” I would say every song kind of has that process in it. I overwork it and then have to backtrack a little. I want to see how far I can go with it. Almost every song ends up being horrible and painful at some point in my process and then I pick the best version. Where should someone start in your oeuvre if they’ve never heard of you? I would say, going to my SoundCloud page and picking a song. I’m all over the place right now, but I’m most

Daniel Zetterstrom/Canphoto.se

More at dgomag.com To find out who Random Rab is excited to collaborate with on his next album, his rituals in creating music, the unexpected life of an indie electronic artist and his favorite part of being on tour, go to dgomag.com

focused on the new songs I’m working with. So I would start there. What’s your show like in a concert hall versus on the outdoor festival circuit? Do you like playing one more than the other? I would say that they’re different settings and there are benefits to both. The festival scene, you get to jump on this momentum and energy that is already happening all around. It’s a little easier to access people’s excited state. People are pumped up. But the advantage of playing a hall is that you get to start from nothing and create a completely different vibe. I often find that playing in venues gives me more space to be creative about the journey aspect rather than trying to maintain the energy. It also gives me a chance to set up more

gear because I’m touring in my vehicle and it’s easier. I have all afternoon to build my set-up. This show in Durango, I’m working a lot with live analog hardware. That’s normally something I wouldn’t bring to a festival. I’m going to be doing a lot more improvisation and it will definitely be more experimental. I’m really excited about this show. I’ll be trying some stuff for the first time. What do you want your audience to experience by the time you are done with them? It’s pretty mysterious to me what music is and how it interacts with our emotions and our brains. What I really want, is for people to walk away from the experience feeling good. Feeling better than when they came in. If someone can go home that night and say, “I feel great,” then wake up the next day and still feel great, that’s what I’m really trying to make happen for people. If I can inspire someone to be positive or do something positive for themselves or the people around them, then I’ve done my job. This interview was edited and condensed for clarity. —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

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[Vintage Durango]

Your Bladder Matters San Juan Health Partners Urology

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»» An advertisement in the Durango Herald-Democrat, May 25, 1945.

The luxury of hot water Once upon a time, taking a bath sucked, laboriously heating buckets of water on the stove and pouring them into a tub. You better have a pal you don’t mind seeing you in the fleshy raw, too, because to keep that bath warm, you gotta keep adding buckets. Benjamin Waddy Maughan, in 1868, decided this was not the best way to do nekkid business, creating the first device that heated water as it poured into your bath. Unfortunately, it only cooked up small batches of water and it expelled natural gas which made it liable to explode. In 1889, Edwin Ruud refined Maughan’s idea, making the first electric water heater. During World War II, if you didn’t already have an electric water heater, you weren’t going to get one until after the war was over. Manufacturers didn’t have the materials of production. The Western Colorado Power Co. took the opportunity to remind people of the good life, and that they could speed their way to the end of the war and a hot bath, if only they bought war bonds ... —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

From left: Dr. Joshua Spendlove, Dr. Daniel Mannas and Dr. Chris Taylor

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�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 7

[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Mexico’s Troker

wants to use music to create cultural unity

hey are difficult to classify, and their influences are many. They could be considered a rock band, yet there’s no guitar. They hold little interest in any of the hype and ideologies that make up a “rock” musician, even though there was some rock leanings in their humble beginning, and continued rock leanings now in their up-beat, energetic, loud, and sweaty performances. There’s a DIY ethic in the band, and the unpredictable sound makes them comparable to the few horn-driven bands the punk label SST were pushing in the mid ’90s. Their influences and inspiration come from the prog-rock of King Crimson and the engaging and complicated sounds of Frank Zappa; you can also throw in Snarky Puppy, Charles Mingus, James Brown, Medeski, Martin and Wood, The Roots, Mars Volta, Cypress Hill, and so many more. Yet the sound of Mexico’s Troker is all their own, a horn-driven, bass-heavy, guitar-less mix of jazz and funk. You can also add in the descriptor of avante-garde as a catch all for anything you can’t put a label on. Troker will perform on March 30 at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. Their story begins 20 years ago, when members were studying classical music at the Conservatory de Las Rosas School in Michoacan, Mexico. Bass player Samo Gonzalez and drummer Frankie Mares formed the band Evamalva, a rock outfit with jazz leanings. A move to the city of Guadalajara in 2003 spurred the further exploration of jazz, which came along with

Bryant’s best Friday-Sunday: Durango Early Jazz and Ragtime Festival, kicks off Friday and runs through the weekend. Single day $65, weekend $150. Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. Information: 375-7160. March 30: Jazz and funk with Troker, 7:30 p.m. $24/$34. Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Information: 247-7657.

nightly shows at various clubs for the next three years. They’ve since toured internationally. Members were also reared on traditional music from all over Mexico, which maintains a slight presence in their sound. “The traditional music of Mexico has influence us naturally because it is what we grew up listening to. We are six musicians, all from different regions and with a different musical education,” said Gonzalez. “So in reality, when we share our folkloric tastes, we also come across a spectacular variety of sounds. We are very fortunate to have such a prolific musical heritage; our musical history is incredible.” Their tastes outside of traditional music of their youth is also incredible. It’s all influenced a sound that’s unpredictably dynamic, at times a dose of straight jazz that comes within bursts from a film noir soundtrack or atmospheric blasts of experimental noise. All of that also comes with the common message of using music to knock down the foolish walls of ignorance, which is an underlying message in their forthcoming record, called “Incognito” and to be released in September. “(It’s an) allusion to the only exit we see in these times of despair and insecurity. Incognito human, regardless of the color of their skin, their facial features or race, are the only hope of freedom,” said Gonzalez. “We are against hate and double standards. We believe that we must focus on what unites us and that is our simple humanity. It’s time to praise the congruence, honesty and respect, so we are very happy to be able to share our music with the American public and prove that music has a unique ability to bridge cultural differences and bring people together.” Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[sound] What’s new Spiral Stairs,“Doris and The Daggers” Available: Friday March 24, via the Domino Recording Co. in various formats: digital download, compact disc, and standard black vinyl. There are a variety of deluxe vinyl bundles available that include the LP in a signed “to be determined” color, CD, T-shirt, posters, and other ephemera. Also available at your local independent record store. I personally recommend buying it there, wherever there may be. I had begun to wonder what happened to Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg. The co-founder of iconic ’90s guitar rock band Pavement had been

New at

March 24 Slugdge,“Cosmic Cornucopia” This band first caught my attention some years ago when I saw they were, in fact, not just a hard to pronounce name, but a band with a gimmick that was actually good. Slugdge tell a story of interdimensional cosmic space slugs that secretly run the world from behind a slimy curtain. Musically, it’s actually really technically-proficient doom/death metal. With all the best parts of both genres, Slugdge put together exhilarating and genuinely great metal music that any fan of the genre will appreciate. Jesus and Mary Chain, “Damage and Joy” Right out the gate, I’ll say that for as much personal anticipation for this release, I was pretty disappointed with what we got. Overall, for a band that was inactive for the better part of 19 years, the album is OK. It’s OK. A lot of the songs are redone versions of one of the Reids’ solo ventures, and, in general, the record felt like an afterthought. I’m glad that they are playing shows again, but I almost wish this record didn’t exist. Me and That Man,“Songs of Love and Hate” This was another one that I was look-

noticeably off my radar. Pavement cohort Stephen Malkmus has a handful of more-than-solid releases with an adept group of musicians known as the Jicks, but S. Stairs has been relative quiet. The last release under the Spiral Stairs, or any moniker for that matter, was in 2009. Since then, Spiral moved to Brisbane, started a family and began sketching the next album. The record

ing forward to for it being kind of “out of the ordinary.” Me and That Man is the solo country/folk album from Adam Darski aka Nergal, the singer and lead guitarist for one of the biggest black metal bands in the world, Behemoth. At first thought, these seem disparate genres, but really they have a lot in common with each other thematically. Disillusion – with the world and the answers it provides; anger – at the small things and the big things of the world; and even the storytelling aspects of both genres lend the transition more gravitas than it initially had when I first heard about the project. Overall, the album sounds good and dusty, and Darski’s vocals are appropriately croaked. Some tracks are a bit too steeped in genre conventions, and sticking to the “dark folk” sound would’ve lent the album more staying power than some cheesy harmonicas that add nothing to the sound besides checking off “harmonicas” on the country music checklist. Diamanda Galas,“All The Way” The title track of Diamanda Galas’ “All The Way” is indeed a cover of the song made famous by Mr. Frank Sinatra. It starts with a cacophonous cascade of piano before forming into a sparse and spooky reimagining of a classic build-you-up love song. And that is part of what make Galas so special. For the past 40 years, she has operated from the shadows, making avant garde opera about AIDS, mental illness, Lucifer, and any number of

was slated for a week of recording at Seattle’s Orbit Studios when tragedy struck. Longtime friend and drummer Darius Minwalla, who had played on the last album, as well as the Preston School of Industry records, died rather suddenly, just a month before recording. This understandably derailed things, not to mention the existing set of songs. Kelly Stoltz and a bevy of other friends

including Justin Peroff and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene) and Matt Berninger (The National) lent their talents to help cut over 30 tracks that were whittled down to the 10 that made the LP. There is a certain well-worn and familiar tone to the album with Stairs’ guitar style and vocal delivery honed as ever. Hopefully listeners won’t have to wait near as long for the next batch of tunes, especially if they’re this solid.

other taboo subjects. A family friend first exposed me to her 1991 live album “Plague Mass,” and it changed me for the better. If you want to hear something genuinely terrifying, you should check it out. The new

album, “All The Way,” is an intense and hard listen to those not versed in avant-garde genre stylings, but if you want to challenge yourself and grow, I highly recommend it.

Recommended for fans of that classic indie sound, Pavement, Preston School of Industry, Guided By Voices, Pixies, or Wire. —— Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

—— Cooper Stapleton

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�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 9

[beer]

First Draughts | Robert Alan Wendeborn

Why the barrel is making a comeback in craft beer

few months ago, I read an article about concrete beer fermentation/maturation vessels. They look like eggs, or sort of like Dr. Evil’s spaceship in “Austin Powers.” I was kinda stoked on the idea, then I got violently opposed to it, then totally ambivalent, now kind of just apathetic. Like, whatever, ferment your beer in whatever you want, dude. Shit, ferment your beer in an actual spaceship, I don’t care, as long as the beer tastes good and you, the brewer, like working on a spaceship and like the way the beer turns out. I usually feel this way about a lot of trends. Barrel-aged beer is one of the hottest trends in the craft world, and it has been

steadily growing in popularity for years. Fifteen years ago, barrel-aging beer was a novelty at best, a throw back, a blip of nostalgia similar to the vintage filters you could put on your photos on Instagram. A throwback to what? Bad beer? Oak is a terrible vessel for beer! It’s porous and unsanitary; it’s really hard to get the beer in there, keep the beer in there, and get it out once it’s in there. And most importantly, barrels are a goddamn nightmare to organize and move around, especially in today’s modern warehouse environment. So why did anyone ever put beer in barrels in the first place? Well, originally, beer was made and stored in clay pots. The ability

of the clay to sufficiently hold water (as opposed to a basket, or woven bag) gave the technology a leg up on its competition (there were also watertight sacks made of animals skins, but that sounds disgusting). Pottery is, however, quite fragile. Its ability to be used to transport liquid is diminished by the fact that it will break if dropped. The invention of the barrel solved that problem. It was a water-tight vessel, capable of being rolled, dropped, and smacked around, and would keep the liquid inside it safe and sound. In fact, barrels became the default vessel for transporting all liquids for the next 2,000 years. The fact that a barrel is basically a big hollow wheel that can hold your liquid while it rolls, was

huge. You could roll your beer onto a ship, and then roll it back out when you reached your destination, which was super clutch. So what’s the deal with barrels now? There’s a lot to it, but I think part of the reclamation of barrels as part of beer culture was originally a pursuit of authenticity. Much in the way that craft brewers were finding or rediscovering all kinds of ancient, hyper-local, or rustic beer, the barrel became a part of that quest for an authentic beer experience. Take all your modern brewing techniques and practices and throw those out, and simply fill a barrel with your beer, let it age in there, then you’ll Continued on Page 11

10 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[beer] From Page 10

have some real authentic beer, just like they had in ye olden days. However flawed that is, I think that original pursuit of authenticity has given way to a real discovery of the barrel as an ingredient, as a component of the beer, and a tool to develop flavors. There are some really amazing things done in wood cellars. Whether it’s the small, top secret barrel program at Steamworks, the tiny, all-wood Casey Brewing and Blending, the seemingly insane barrel collection at Avery, or the massively impressive “Forest” at New Belgium, brewers are truly developing the potential of wood-aged and fermented beers. One of the biggest boosts to craft brewing in the beginning was industrial beer: They figured out all the science and technique of making good, clean, technically-sound beer. Outside of Belgium, there isn’t a whole lot of that same type of grounding foundational information for wood beer, so the next decade will be super exciting for this segment of craft beer, as we figure out all the amazing things a barrel can do.

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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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[late afternoon life]

LET HAPPY HOUR COMMENCE »» A comprehensive guide to

Durango’s happiest hours

Bars The Bookcase and Barber 601 East Second Ave., 764-4123 When/deals: Watch social media for a password to unlock $5 Manhattans on Mondays.

Colorado Pongas 121 W. Eighth St., 382-8554 When: 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; Sunday Deals: »»$3 well drinks

»»$2 PBRs »»Varied drink specials

Deals: »»$4 select draft beers and well drinks »»$4.50 select wines »»$4.50 to $10.50 select appetizers

Joel’s Bar 119 W. Eighth St., 903-7336

Cerda 7 Cantina y Comida

When: 5-7 p.m., Monday-Friday

639 Main Ave., 764-4723 When: 4-7 p.m. daily

Deals:

»»Varied drink specials

937 Main Ave., 259-9018

Deals:

bar and lounge only)

»»Friday: $11.95 Catfish Platter w/ Fries & Slaw

»»Free pool all day Sunday

When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. daily

»»$1 off bottled beers »»$2 domestic drafts »»$3 imported drafts and El Smurfo specialty cocktails

When: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday

»»$5 house margaritas

Deals: »»Half price draft beers and well drinks »»Complimentary nachos

Olde Schoolhouse Café

975 Main Ave., 259-8111

When: All day, every day

Deals:

»»25 percent off appetizers

When/deals:

When: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday

Deals:

»»$1 domestic draws

Deals:

»»$2 PBRs

»»$1 off draft beers and well drinks

Orio’s Roadhouse

»»$2 domestic bottles and well drinks

Carver Brewing Co.

»»Monday: $2 pints with a Ska pint glass before 5 p.m. After 5 p.m. all pints $2, no pint glass required.

955 Colorado Highway 3, 385-7444 When: 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday Deals: »»$8 half-dozen, fresh oysters »»$16 dozen, fresh oysters »»Wednesday: Slider Nite and Gents Nite $3.50 Beef

»»$3 microbrew draws

652 Main Ave., 259-6120 When: 5-8 p.m. Monday-Friday Deals: »»$2.75 domestic beers

Breweries BREW Pub and Kitchen

1022 Main Ave., 259-2545 When: 3-6 p.m. daily Deals: »»$2 off draft beers

Durango Brewing Co.

»»$3.75 import beers and well drinks

117 W. College Drive, 2595959

Wild Horse Saloon

When: 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, all day Sunday

When: 2-5 p.m. daily

Deals:

»»$3 draft beers

»»$2 off draft beers and house wines

Ska Brewing Co.

»»$1 off well drinks

225 Girard St., 247-5792

601 East Second Ave. #C, 375-2568 When: 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday; 6-8 p.m. Friday, Saturday

3000 N. Main Ave., 247-3396

Deals:

»»Tuesday: 2 for 1 on select beers »»Wednesday: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month is a cask-tapping special event »»Thursday: $3 select draft beers »»Friday: $3 True Blondes all summer or $3 dark beers in the winter after 5pm »»Saturday: $1 off growler and crowler fills »»Sunday: $3 True Blonde, ESB, and Pinstripe Red draft beers

12 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Steamworks Brewing Co. 801 East Second Ave., 259-9200

bloody marys, $11 beer pitchers

Derailed Pour House 725 Main Ave., 247-5440

Deals:

»»Tuesday: 2 for 1 drinks after 9 p.m. (excluding wine)

600 Main Ave. Suite 210, 422-8008

»»$4 well drinks

»»Sunday: $4.25 house

When: 5-6:30 p.m. daily (excluding holiday weekends) Deals: »»$2 hot sake »»$3 Ska Pinstripe pints »»$5 Sky Refresher vodka cocktails

Edgewater Grill and Lounge, at DoubleTree

Balcony Bar and Grill

»»Saturday: Varied drink specials

160 E. College Drive, 2475533

When: No set happy hour

»»Monday: $11 pitchers all day

»»Friday: 3-5 p.m. $1 draws, $2 20-oz. select beers, chance to win a keg

East by Southwest

»»$5 to $13 select appetizers and food specials

When/deals:

When: 4-7 p.m. daily

»»$4.50-$10 select appetizers

128 E. College Drive, 2596322

Restaurant/ bars

»»Thursday: $3 pints all day

»»$4 cosmopolitans, house wines, and well drinks

»»$6 house mojitos, Kimchi Mais (house bloody mary), and select wines

»»Varied drink specials weekly

El Rancho Tavern

Co. pints and domestic drafts

Cuckoo’s Chicken House

Deals:

Alexi Grojean/Special to DGO

46778 U.S. Highway 550, 259-2257

Highway 3 Roadhouse and Oyster Bar

If you are a business and have a change you’d like to request to your listing, please email ptempleton@bcimedia.com.

»»Thursday: Ladies Nite $5 Martinis, Cosmos, Wine, and appetizer specials

Moe’s

509 E. Eighth Ave., 259-8801

Pssst! Help us keep these listings up to date

Sliders and select beer and appetizer specials for gents

»»$3 pool

8th Avenue Tavern

It’s been a long day. You look like you need a beer. How’s about a late afternoon out that won’t break the bank? Get a friend and grab some happy hour food and drink at these fine Durango watering holes.

When: 3-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday »»$1 off drafts »»$6 mules, margaritas, and select appetizers

501 Camino del Rio, 3823950 When: 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday Deals: »»$1 off beers, well drinks, and select wines »»Half-price wings and nachos

El Moro Tavern 945 Main Ave., 259-5555

Diamond Belle Saloon

When: 3-6 p.m. daily

Chimayo Stone Fired Kitchen

699 Main Ave., 247-4431

»»$3 well drinks

When: 4-6 p.m. daily

»»$4 tallboys

862 Main Ave., 259-2749

Deals:

When: 3-5:30 p.m. daily (in

»»$3 Durango Brewing

Deals: »»Varied drink specials

Deals:

»»$5 house wines Continued on Page 14

Where did happy hour come from anyway? You there, leaning on the bar, how’s your happy hour going? Before you wobble-step outta the joint, allow me to pull up a barstool right close to you. I heard some happy hour trivia that’s too interesting to not share. Supposedly, the origin of the phrase “happy hour” had nothing to do with booze. It came about in 1914 to describe a social hour of moving pictures, singing, boxing, and other entertainments that naval vessels held to help alleviate the boredom of life at sea. During Prohibition (1920 to 1933), Americans co-opted the term “happy hour” to mean boozing before eating dinner. People would meet either in private homes or a speakeasy to drink for an hour before having a meal. Happy hour became a euphemism for drinking before going out. The 1960s brought restaurants getting in on the happy hour game. They forced the cocktail hour into the public space by offering extremely low-priced food and drink that were just too good for folks to refuse. By 1984, drunk driving after happy hour was such a concern that Massachusetts outlawed the sale of reduced-price drinks during specified time periods. In fact, Alaska, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont all have similar restrictions or bans on reducing the price of alcoholic beverages during windows of time. These states aren’t alone; all of Ireland bans the sale of discounted drinks. If you can go out to happy hour, you’re probably a beer fan, as 59 percent of happy hour attendees drink domestic beer. What are you waiting for? It’s 4:15 p.m. somewhere, right? —— Patty Templeton DGO staff writer

�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 13

[late afternoon life] From Page 13

Eolus Bar and Dining 919 Main Ave., 259-2898 When: 4:30-6 p.m. daily Deals:

»»$4 smashed fried okra

Fired Up Pizzeria 741 Main Ave., 2470264 When: 3-5 p.m. Monday-Friday

»»$3 draft beers »»$5 house wines and specialty cocktails »»Varied food specials

Fifth Street Eatery 139 E. Fifth St., 2591377 When: 4-5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, and all day Tuesday

Deals:

»»$0.75 wings or chicken backs »»$3 sweet potato hush puppies

Homeslice Pizza 2915 N. Main Ave., 4228337 When: 3-6 p.m. daily; 8-10 p.m. daily Deals:

»»$4 well drinks

»»$2 PBRs

»»$5 select wines and cocktails

»»$1 Coors Light

Gazpacho Restaurant

»»$2 off Irish whiskeys

When: 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday (in bar only)

»»$1 off bar menu

»»$5 So Cal specialty cocktails

»»$3 local drafts

431 East Second Ave., 259-9494

Deals:

house margaritas

»»$1 off local beers

Mutu’s Italian Kitchen 701 East Second Ave., 375-2701 When: 4-6:30 p.m. daily

Deals:

»»$2 domestic bottles and cans

»»$1 off all beers, wines, and spirits

»»$3 draft beers and

»»Half-price appetizers

Irish Embassy Pub

»»Thursday: $9.50 chicken fried steak

900 Main Ave., 4031200

»»Fridays: $2 tacos

Sporting News Grill, at Holiday Inn

»»Sundays: Industry night

21636 U.S. Highway 160, 385-6387

The Palace Restaurant

When: 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday

»»$3 20-ounce draft beers, well drinks, and house wines

505 Main Ave., 2472018

Deals:

»»$3.95-$7.95 select appetizers

Deals:

When: 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday Deals:

Lady Falconburgh’s Alehouse and Kitchen 640 Main Ave., 3829664 When: 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday

durangoorganics.com

»»$2 domestic bottles

»»$3.50 non-specialty drafts

When: 4-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, all-day Sunday

Wine Bars

»»Select food specials

Deals:

The Office Spiritorium, at the Strater Hotel

»»$3 micro brews

699 Main Ave., 3757260

»»$4 house liquor

723 East Second Ave., 385-0105

»»$5 cosmos

When: 4-5:30 p.m. daily

»»$5 select wines

Deals:

»»$5 prosecco

»»20 percent off house wines and specialty cocktails

Red Snapper 144 E. Ninth St., 2593417

»»$4 cosmopolitans, well drinks, and house wines

When: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday

»»$4-$10 select appetizers

»»$1 off all drinks

Old Tymers Café

»»Wednesday: $9.50 fish and chips

Eno Wine Bar and Café

»»$4 sangria

»»$3 Durango Brewing Co. draft beers

»»Tuesday: $2.50 pints 253590

Deals:

»»$3 well drinks

»»Monday: $5.50 burgers

facebook.com/durangoorganics

»»25 percent off appetizers

When: 2:30-6 p.m. daily

»»Half-price select appetizers

When/deals: 4-close, every day but Saturday

The Alternative Resource

»»$4.50 house bloody marys and house margaritas

948 Main Ave., 2597655

42 County Rd. 250, 7644139

»»$2.50 non-specialty draws

1000 Main Ave., 2592990

RECREATIONAL 9am-7:45pm • MEDICAL 9am-6:45pm • 72 SUTTLE ST. UNITS F & G 970.259.3674 • 7 DAYS A WEEK

»»$4 well drinks and house wines

Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant

»»$5.25 house margaritas

Deals:

GREAT STRAIN SELECTION • HASH & CONCENTRATES • EDIBLES • SEEDS • CLONES PIPES • SMOKING ACCESSORIES • APPAREL • MJ LITERATURE & CONSULTING • ATM ON SITE

»»$3.50 domestic drafts

Plate

Deals:

When: 4-6 p.m. daily

Come celebrate our 7th Anniversary and Help us support The American Cancer Society. On Sunday April 2nd, 25% of proceeds will be donated to Relay for Life. Also enjoy great deals and BBQ!

When: 4-7 p.m. daily

»»Half-price drafts, house wines, and well drinks

Deals: »»Half-price select appetizers

Seasons Rotisserie and Grill 764 Main Ave., 3829790 When: 4-6 p.m. daily; 9 p.m.-close daily Deals: »»$5 specialty mules and select wines »»Varied snack specials

Four Leaves Winery 528 Main Ave., 4038182 When/deals: No daily happy hour, but for a $49.95 membership fee you get: »»Two club cards »»Half-price wine (~$3.50/glass) every day »»20 percent off all merchandise (except fine art) »»Half-price tasting parties »»Three wine tasting party invites a year

14 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

A multipurpose health tonic without psychoactive effects

hat’s good for your eyes, your heart, your skin, your hair, your digestion, distilled using steam, high in terpenes, and stored in a dark-col-

ored bottle? The answer, my amigos, as it would be referred to in days past is “essence of cannabis,” the pure extracted oil of cannabis, another step on the journey to health with – I’m just going to go ahead and say it – the most amazing plant nature ever produced. An essential oil, according to the Wikipediaz, is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. The predominant processes for extracting these oils are cold-pressing, used mostly in citrus essential oil preparation, and steam distillation, the perfect method for creating cannabis extracts that retain the terpenoid profile of the source plant without carrying over the non-water-soluble cannabinoids. Retained are hundreds of chemical compounds including over 140 terpenes, the pungent chemical compounds, which, when combined, are responsible for the scents and flavors present in different cannabis strains. Certain terpenes are present in higher concentrations in certain strains. Mercene, which can also be found in bay, thyme, parsley, mangoes, lemongrass, and hops, and terpinolene, also present in cardomom, marjoram, and cumin, are components of sativas. Indica-present terpenes include carophyllene, also available in cloves, rosemary, hops, and black pepper, limonene – a component of citrus fruits – and linalool, which is in lavender, cinnamon, basil, goldenrod, mugwort, and, again, hops (one of cannabis’ closest botanical relatives). These terpenes, by themselves and, especially in combination, due to their various synergistic interrelationships, are responsible for directing and assisting a wide range of processes that contribute to health and wellness. Their various uses range from reducing inflammation and interacting with the immune system to treating disease by way of antibacterial

David Holub/ DGO; images via Adobe Stock

and antifungal properties to relieving pain and spasms to appetite stimulation, suppressing seizures, and scads of other uses, which can be addressed by way of knowledgeable strain breeding and selection by those involved. Their effectiveness is backed by both millennia of folk usage and the most contemporary scientific studies. Cannabis essential oil diverges from many, if not most, preparations of the plant commonly discussed here due to the fact that it does not retain any of its cannabinoid components. Cannabidiol (aka CDB) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are generally the focus of extraction methods but, due to their quality of needing alcohol or fat to withdraw them, they are not subject to being removed using only steam. The exclusion of these compounds, especially THC, allows for concentrated access to the remainder of the cannabis plant without any intoxicating effects, a wonderful reality for individuals who may benefit from the properties found there without psychoactivity. Essential oils are, like hash oil preparations, extremely concentrated and can be used in very small amounts. They are often chemically volatile and should be stored in dark glass containers away from sunlight in order to safeguard their integrity. They may be found in perfumes, cosmetics, soap, candles, incense, and as flavoring. They can also be further refined to accentuate specific elemental properties. The isolated scents of rose, lavender, and patchouli are staples in the preparation of fragrances. Certain flavor profiles like peppermint, cinnamon, and lemon are also popular. Cannabis essential oil offers us the opportunity to combine the chemical profiles found not only within cannabis generally but also within specific cannabis strains (who among us doesn’t have our favorites?) with other oils in order to establish blends that can be used to target pathways to optimal individual health and well-being. Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at chrstphrgallagher@gmail.com.

�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 15

[Yes and Know]

WANT TO BE DISCREET?

(The answer could be a vape pen)

By Jennifer F. Knight SPECIAL TO DGO

The issue: Do you appreciate the value of discretion as it relates to new and improving ways to consume cannabis and marijuana-infused products? And how important is it to know and trust the companies that provide local dispensaries with product for consumption?

iscretion is a noun meaning the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation. And with regard to this week’s column, discretion is advised. Rarely do I tell people I get paid to write about the legalization of cannabis in Colorado or that I write a weekly weed-related column in Durango, because I don’t write about marijuana; I write about freedom and the American dream ... with a little help from my friends, of course. And this week, an anonymous

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This Week’s Events

Roldo

product to nearly all the dispensaries in town (Durango Organics, Telluride Bud Co., Sante, MHS Durango, Colorado Grow Co., ACME Healing Center, Animas Herbal, and the Greenery, to be exact). And the stuff they provide to dispensary owners for resale is tested by Aurum Labs, another hardworking Durango-based company. While using the vape pen as any

sort of permanent replacement to joints, bowls, dabs and bong rips is not likely my next move, vape pens make a fantastic addition to my ever-growing kit of modern-day weed paraphernalia that will no doubt prove itself quite handy in certain situations where discretion is paramount. Anti-social use is not really my thing, never has been. This is not to say I’m somehow above sparking a joint or bowl and then smoking it entirely by myself – for research of course – but I’m a lot more likely to share a joint with friends, good music and intelligent conversation. The vape pen, I think, is an excellent tool for ingesting concentrates when it’s nobody else’s business what you’re doing. Jennifer Knight is a freelance writer, thanks in no small part to her day job at Durango Solar Works. (jenn@bathtubjenn. com) Roldo is an Underground cartoonist, recently unretired.

[democracy]

FRIDAY 3/24

Robin Davis Duo - 2:30pm Secondhand Strings - 9:30pm

Superpower diplomacy cannot be done in a vaccum FROM THE FILES OF

SATURDAY 3/25 Pete Giuliani - 2:30pm Cycles - 9:30pm

WEDNESDAY 3/29 Open Mic Night - 8pm $1 Off all Wells & Drafts

FRIDAY 4/8

Foxfeather - 9:30pm 600 Main Ave, Suite 210, Durango, CO 970-422-8008

friend of mine supplied a Sweet CO2 Oil Vape Pen and a couple disposable cartridges for me to try out, a new sort of grist for the writing mill. A vape pen is a device that loosely resembles a ballpoint pen and houses a battery-powered heating element (atomizer) that vaporizes cannabis concentrates without producing smoke. When these products first hit the market, they were promoted as a discreet way to avoid the stigma associated with hippies and joints, stoners and bong rips. You know, a classier and less offensive alternative to smoking pot. Portability, convenience, and discretion are probably the top three reasons to use a vape pen. And supporting a local business that offers quality product at a fair price are probably the main reasons for the good and decent adults of Durango to purchase a Sweet CO2 Vape. Sweet (South West Expert Extraction Technology) CO2 Oil is a rapidly-expanding company based right here in Durango. They do not sell anything directly to the public, but the company provides inventory and

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BOOK YOUR NEXT PARTY HERE!

email: allison@balconybarandgrill.com

News you need to know

Current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently said, “I’m not a big media press access person. NOT I personally NORMAL don’t need it.” The former ExxonMobil chief executive only allowed one journalist on his plane during his recent diplomatic trip to

Japan, South Korea, and China. It was Erin McPike from the Independent Review Journal, who had written positively about him in the past.

Why this is not normal The problem is that being the secretary of state is not a job that covers the needs of one person. It is a job that addresses the needs of a country. It is a job that has, until now, been done in the open and with plenty of opportunity for a large swath of the press – for, against, and impartial to the administration – to be present. Tillerson is the chief adviser to

Trump on foreign affairs. It is the public’s right to know and a journalists’ right to report how the United States is interacting with other countries. When a president, a White House press secretary, and a secretary of state handpick who can or cannot cover the news, it not only limits press access and marginalizes public discourse. It’s a tale as old as time. As Tacitus, a senator and historian from the ancient Roman Empire said, “If you would know who controls you, see who you may not criticize.” —— Patty Templeton DGO Staff Writer

16 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[love and sex]

Savage Love | Dan Savage

Another load of a live audience’s rapid-fire quickies I recently spoke at Curious Minds Weekend in Toronto at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Audience members submitted questions on cards before the show – anonymously – but the moderator, Lisan Jutras of the Globe and Mail, and I were having so much fun talking with each other that we didn’t get to many cards. So I’m going to quickly answer as many of the questions from the audience at Curious Minds as I can this week. My husband and I have been seeking a third for a threesome. After a very palpable night of flirtation, I asked a mutual friend (as we shared a cab) if he would be down for a threesome. He said yes, but I was not about to spring him on my husband that night. So I texted him later about it, and he has ignored me. What should I take from this? The hint. A friend’s BF won’t go down on her no matter how much she asks. She still won’t break up with him, even though she told me that oral is the only way she has ever had an orgasm. How do I get her to realize her sexual pleasure is a priority? If your friend’s BF doesn’t know oral is the only way she can orgasm, she should tell him. If she told him and he doesn’t care, she should dump him. If she told him and he doesn’t care and she won’t dump him, you’re not obligated to listen to her complain about the orgasms she’s not having. I’m a bisexual 42-year-old female with an extremely high sex drive who squirts with every orgasm. How do I deal with friends – even people at a sex club – who think you’re a freak because “women aren’t supposed to be horny all the time.” If your friends – presumably people you aren’t [eff]ing – complain that you’re horny all the time, maybe it’s because you don’t talk about anything other than the sex you just had or the sex you hope to have soon. If people at

sex clubs (!) are complaining about how horny you are ... either you’ve accidentally wandered into a yacht club or even people at a sex club wanna talk about something other than sex every once in a while. My very Christian friend is about to get married. Though she is socially very liberal, she is pretty sexually repressed. I want to do something to encourage her to explore her sexuality a bit before she takes a try at partnered sex. How weird would it be to buy her a vibrator as a shower present? Don’t give your friend a vibrator at her shower – gifts are opened in front of guests at showers – but go ahead and send her one. Tell her it’s a pre-bachelorette-party gift. Two guys divorced in order to bring a third man into their relationship on equal terms, and they now plan to start a family with their sisters acting as surrogates. Thoughts?

who take a long time to come. But such men need to take their partners’ physical limitations into consideration. To avoid wearing out their partners’ jaws, fingers, etc., they need to take matters into their own hands. They should enjoy that blowjob, handjob, twatjob, or assjob, take breaks to stroke their own dicks, eventually bring themselves to the point of orgasmic inevitability, and end by plunging back into that mouth, fist, twat, or ass to blow their load. I have been reading your column since the early 1990s. Since that time, what has struck you in the kind of problems people write you about? People don’t ask me about butt plugs anymore. I used to get a letter once or twice a week from someone who needed to have butt plugs explained to them. But butt plugs have their own Wiki page now, so no one needs me to explain them anymore. But for old times’ sake: They look like lava lamps, they go in your butt, they feel awesome, and they typically don’t induce gay panic in butt-play-curious straight boys.

Mazel tov? I am 31. My husband (newly married) is 46, almost 47. He takes FOREVER to come, no matter what I do. How do we speed up this process? My jaw, fingers, etc., are all very sore. Your husband speeds up the process by incorporating self-stimulation breaks into the blowjobs, handjobs, etcetera-jobs you’re giving him. He strokes himself while you take a quick breather and/or an Advil, he gets himself closer, you get back to work.

Would you share your thoughts on our prime minister, Justin Trudeau? I think Justin needs to stop [eff]ing around and legalize weed already, like he promised. When are you going to move to Canada already?

after I got back to my hotel. Straight male here. My best male friend of 20 years transitioned to female. I’ve been super supportive since Day 1, but her transitioning is all she ever talks about, and it’s getting tiresome. I miss our discussions of bicycle repair and Swedish pop music. How can I tell her to give it a rest while remaining supportive? If she began transitioning last week, then of course it’s all she can talk about. If she transitioned five years ago and it’s still all she ever talks about, then you’ll need to (gently) be the change you want to see in the conversation. Listen supportively when she discusses trans issues and seize opportunities (when they arise) to change the subject (“So how do you think Sweden will do in Eurovision this year?”). Why are so many lesbians into astrology? All the lesbians I know are strict empiricists. So the more pertinent question would be this: Whose sample is skewed – mine or yours? My male partner never masturbates and we have sex only once a week. We’ve been together four years. I’m a woman. I would like to have sex just a little more, but he isn’t into it. Is there something weird about me masturbating a bunch during the week and just having weekend sex?

See above. Nope. Polyamory after marriage – is it Ok? Dude? Trump? WTF?

I’m 47 and my wife is 31. I take a lot longer to come and recover than she would like. Could you please explain to her that it’s normal for a man my age to “slow down” and it’s not her? Happy birthday. And, yes, it’s normal for a man to slow down as he ages – it’s not her – and there are younger men

For some. ITMFA (ITMFA.org). I’m a submissive gay boy. I saw you walk into the theater tonight wearing combat boots. Is there any way I could lick your boots clean after the show? Sadly, I didn’t see your question until

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.

�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 17

[happening] Put on your pinstripes and garters: Ragtime’s coming to Durango

Irish music jam session, 12:30 p.m.,

Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com. Blue Moon Ramblers, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 2474431.

Get rid of them tomcat blues down at the Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave., for the annual Ragtime Early Jazz Festival. From Friday, March 24 through Sunday, March 26, you can Shreveport stomp all you want to the best piano thumping you’ll hear all year. There will always be something doing with live music – silent films, dance lessons, and after-hours parties. Wear yourself out then let the music work you back up. Ticket prices range from $10 for an individual silent movie pass to $250 for a two-person, all-access pass to the fest. Student discounts are available on all activities with current student ID. For details, visit www.durangoragtimefestival.com.

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. “Pirates of Penzance,” 7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, 247-7657. Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

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

91.9/93.9 FM, www.kdur.org. Women’s History Month focus, 10

a.m., Christian Science Reading Room, 1166 East Third Ave., 247-0218. People’s Practice in the Park, 12:30

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

Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., www.skabrewing. com. Joel Racheff, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Spoken Word, 7-9 p.m., Steaming Bean,

downstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.thebean.com. Ace Revel, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium,

699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Tuesday Thursday Women’s History Month focus, 10 a.m., Christian Science Reading Room, 1166 East Third Ave., 247-0218.

rango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380.

Indivisible Durango general meeting, 10 a.m., Durango Public Library, 1900

Master’s Men Colorado, 6:30 a.m., DoubleTree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio, 259-6580.

East Third Ave., 375-3380.

Tiffany Christopher, 5 p.m., El Rancho

Henry Stoy piano, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-

Women’s History Month focus, 10 a.m., Christian Science Reading Room, 1166 East Third Ave., 247-0218.

STEAM-tastic Fridays, 3:30 p.m., Du-

Tavern, 975 Main Ave., 259-8111.

Pierre Bakery, 601 Main Ave., 385-0122.

Cafe, 1309 East Third Ave., 903-5598.

Andy Janowsky, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond

Pete Giuliani, 2:30-5:30 p.m., Balcony

Art in Context: Art History Lecture Series, 4 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 East

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

Backstage, 600 Main Ave., 422-8008.

Divorce Care Group, 6 p.m., $25, First

Kirk James Band, 2:30-5:30 p.m., Purga-

Acoustic lunchtime cafe, noon, Smiley

Second Ave., 259-2606.

United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive.

Tim Sullivan, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle

Karaoke, 7 p.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main

tory Resort, 1 Skier Place, www.purgatoryresort.com. Mike Testa, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle

Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Ave., 247-0384.

Jack Ellis, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Dustin Burley, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

Carlos Núñez, 7:30 p.m., Community Con-

Open Mic, 7-11 p.m., Steaming Bean, down-

um, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431.

cert Hall, Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, www.durangoconcerts.com.

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

Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, 247-7657.

Karaoke with DJ Crazy Charlie, 9 p.m.,

“Pirates of Penzance,” 7:30 p.m., Fort

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

Greg Ryder, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritori“Pirates of Penzance,” 7:30 p.m., Fort

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

Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, 247-7657.

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

Cycles, 9:30 p.m., Balcony Backstage, 600

Karaoke, 9 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Secondhand Strings, 9:30 p.m., Balcony

Friday Durango Ragtime Early Jazz Festival, all-day event, $6-$250, Strater Hotel, 699

Main Ave., www.durangoragtimefestival.com.

Main Ave., 422-8008.

Backstage, 600 Main Ave., 422-8008.

Sunday

Saturday

Durango Ragtime Early Jazz Festival, all-day event, $6-$250, Strater Hotel,

699 Main Ave., www.durangoragtimefestival. com.

Henry Stoy piano, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., JeanDurango Roller Girls recruitment,

The Robin Davis Duo, 2:30 p.m., Balcony

Art Workshop: Introduction to Enameling, 10 a.m., Durango Arts Center,

Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave, 422-8088.

802 East Second Ave., 259-2606.

Women’s History Month focus, 10 a.m., Christian Science Reading Room, 1166 East Third Ave., 247-0218.

Pierre Bakery, 601 Main Ave., 385-0122. noon, Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., 2475792.

Art in Context: Art History Lecture Series, 4 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 East

Second Ave., 259-2606. Cribbage Club, 5 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub,

900 Main Ave., 799-3457. Terry Rickard, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Women Outside: Anna Frost and Hilary Oliver, 6 p.m., Powerhouse Sci-

ence Center, 1333 Camino del Rio, 2599234. “Why Not Home?” screening, 6 p.m., Fort Lewis College, Noble Hall, Room 130, 1000 Rim Drive, www.fortlewis.edu. Acoustic jam, 6-9 p.m., Steaming Bean,

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. Useless Knowledge Bowl Trivia+, 7 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave., 247-3396. Tim Sullivan, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spirito-

rium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Continued on Page 19

18 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[happening]

Courtesy of Ryan Lewis

»» Cycles playing at Cervantes Ballroom in Denver on March 3.

Get your jam band and drink on Cycles, a Denver-based psychedelic rock fusion band, take over Balcony Backstage at 9:30 p.m. this Saturday, March 25. The trio are influenced by ’90s bands like Phish, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, and a whole slew of hip-hop producers. Their songs are a blend of rock, jazz, rap, and soul. When you’re leaning at the Balcony Backstage bar, 600 Main Ave., sippin’ on your beer, you’ll hear Cycles twist nostalgic threads of Black Sabbath and Les Claypool together with a groove-heavy, Colorado vibe. It’s a 21-and-over show that is absolutely free.

Mon - Fri Lunch Specials: 11:30-3:30 Lunches under $10 rs on T Bee ap 8 3

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

Open Mic, 8 p.m., Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.,

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

259-9018.

BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 West College Drive, 259-5959.

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

a.m., Christian Science Reading Room, 1166 East Third Ave., 247-0218. Open knitting group, 1 p.m., Smiley Cafe, 1309 East Third Ave., 903-5598. Farm Stand, 2 p.m., Smiley Cafe, 1309 East

Third Ave., 903-5598. Greg Ryder, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle

Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. Community worship and soup supper, 6 p.m., St. Columba Catholic Church,

1800 East Second Ave., 247-0044. Women Outside: Shannon Galpin, 6 p.m., $28, Eolus Bar and Dining Rooftop Patio, 919 Main Ave., 259-2898. Pete Neds and Friends, 6 p.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave., 247-0384. Acoustic jam, 6-8 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub,

Terry Rickard, 7-11 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 247-4431. “Pirates of Penzance,” 7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, 247-7657. 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.

East Second Ave., www.durangogov.org. Women’s History Month focus, 10

Pub quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com.

From Page 18

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�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 19

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Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You might be obsessed with something this week. Furthermore, you might demand that you get your way. Lighten up! TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) If you have to do research this week, you probably will be successful. You won’t stop until you find what you’re looking for. You’ll be like a dog with a bone. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Conversations with friends and groups will be intense this week because people are purposeful and bossy. Avoid someone if he or she is coming on too strong. CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

Try to be tactful during conversations with bosses and parents this week because power struggles might take

place. If people disagree, they quickly will begin to argue. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Do not try to coerce others into your way of thinking, especially about politics, religion or racial issues. However, this is a good week to study something because you have focus. VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Arguments about how to divide or share something this week might arise. Arguments about shared responsibilities also might be a problem. Try to avoid these arguments. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Someone might try to force his or her point of view on you this week, or vice versa. This doesn’t promote a happy relationship, does it? SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Because you are obsessed with

something this week, you can tackle a routine job and get a lot done. You also might study and learn something new at work. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Romantic partners might have trouble this week because this is not an easygoing day. People want their own way and they’re not prepared to compromise. Yikes! CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) Because you might be obsessed with something this week, you actually can use this energy and get a lot of work done. The secret is that it has to be something you really want to do. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Avoid family debates this week – they will accomplish nothing. However, if you roll up your sleeves, you can do

some hard work at home, especially related to bathrooms, plumbing, garbage and recycling. PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Don’t come on too strong when talking to others this week because you are tempted to do that. Remember: You get more flies with honey than with vinegar. BORN THIS WEEK You are energetic, impulsive and adventurous! You have a strong work ethic and always strive for perfection. Something you’ve been involved with for about nine years will end or diminish this year. Something new is coming. Although this is a year of service to others, it also is a great year to travel. Get ready for a fresh, new cycle waiting in your future! © 2017 King Features Syndicate Inc.

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22 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[Durango’s stories, told in their own words]

First Person | Cyle Talley

‘If you only do the same things every day –

what a boring existence.’ Effervescent. Fizzy, sparkling – take your pick. They all do justice to Tori Baca’s brand of cheery optimism. She’s a sunflower growing out of the concrete, and her sentences burst out of her like Mentos in soda. We talk about her renewed interest in making, crafting, and building things, and I tell her story here, in her own words.

Now I’m more interested in what good took a shop class in high school. can come from doing things than I am I made Adirondack chairs for scared of what could happen to me if I my family, little bats for all of f*** up. I definitely almost cut my finger my classmates, I mixed my own off last summer just trying to clean a slicstain – it was really fun. That started that spark for wanting to make er. There’s bad stuff that can happen evthings. Then, I sort of hit this period erywhere all the time and if I let those bad where I just didn’t. I totally lost the things stop me, then nothing that I want to passion for it – or I didn’t lose the pasdo is going to get done. I’ve waited around sion, I gained a “can’t.” I didn’t have a long time. I’m 28 and have had these Baca anyone around me who was making passions since I was a teenager and waitor building anything. ing around for someone else to do it for When I started dating my Noah – he’s a welder me or to show me hasn’t served me at all. It hasn’t done me any good at all. So I’m sorta like, ‘F*** it.’ and went to school in Eugene to make bikes – I was It’s my life and I need to do stuff now. I was a part inspired. I started to get back into it seeing him and of Tiospaye for a long time. I learned a lot about his friends do things. I’m getting welding lessons the patterns in my life that I was creating and they now, and my neighbor has a fully-functioning wood weren’t enjoyable or good. I saw that I was constantand metal shop and he’s been like, ‘Yeah, come over whenever you want!’ ly saying things like, ‘Yeah, I would love to go on vaNoah and I were in upstate New York for the last part of last year, and everyone up there is so ... bootstrap. They just do stuff, living off the fat of the land, and my experience up there was that everyone responded to my curiosity by wanting to teach me how to do what they were doing, to share their knowledge with me. Curiosity is so important. Be curious about everything. Try things. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it. You can do other things. Be happy, you know? Do something you’re interested in. If you only do the same things every day – what a boring existence.

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cation one day,’ or ‘I would love to try this class out,’ and I realized that I was a lot of talk and no action, so I had to take a look at myself in the mirror and choose something different. My attitude now is that I know with certainty that I’m going to f*** up, but I’d rather do it and get the experience. What’s more important to me now are my goals, not my fears. If I let my fears go, and let my goals drive, I’m happier and better to myself and my people. I think that it’s healthy to experience “can’t,” but I don’t think that it’s healthy to stay in that. There are days when I don’t want to do things, or when I put projects on the back burner. What I’ve learned is that when I’m stuck or thinking that I can’t do something, I call someone who knows that I’m better than what I’m acting like. When I call that friend and say, “Look, I’m totally in my shit right now,” – guaranteed, they’ll give me the tough love that I need. The best thing is to be vulnerable, to let people know what’s going on. I used to think that vulnerability was weakness and that I couldn’t move forward, but eventually I saw that vulnerability is actually my strength. It helps me to develop the friendships and the relationships that I need to have the strength to work through the ‘can’t’, you know? What used to be a week of not being able to do anything is now an hour. Now, because of my community, I can know who I am and what I’m capable of. You have to have that to get by. Cyle Talley would ask you not to mind his bemusement. That’s just how his face looks. Email him at: cyle@cyletalley.com

ONLY $549 A MONTH**

2 or more at this price #VIN: JN8AY2NC2H9505545

ONLY $299 A MONTH**

2 or more at this price #VIN: 1N6AA1EJ5HN503009

**with approved credit, 36 month lease $5,999 due at signing, no security deposit plus TT&L

�� Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 23

SKY UTE CASINO RESORT EVENTS CENTER

APRIL 22,2017

SATURDAY 8PM DOORS OPEN AT 7PM $45 VIP, $35 Reserved, $30 General Admission

Owned & operated by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

SKYUTECASINO.COM 888.842.4180 IGNACIO, COLORADO

Purchase tickets online at skyutecasino.com, by calling 888.842.4180, at the Sky Ute Casino Gift Shop or at the door.