Spend a Day In The '70's

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SPEND A DAY IN THE ’70S Things have changed a lot in Durango in the last few decades, but there are a few places keeping the disco ball era alive

Also: The Wail in’ Jennys, tripp ing on weed, an d a review of Po oty Tang

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[Odd Rot, by Patty Templeton]

Since You Asked Kindly Patty Templeton is reading the AI-apocalypse epic, “Robots of Gotham,” by Todd McAulty. Book club it with her over by Twitter via @PattyTempleton or at instagram.com/pattytempleton.

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 3 Number 39 Thursday, July 19, 2018

Editor

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Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer Jessie O’Brien jobrien@bcimedia.com Sales Liz Demko 375-4553 Contributors Katie Cahill Christopher Gallagher

Food Joy of Crappy

Disco Durango

What the Fork 5

Shine up your disco balls, because we’re guiding you on how to spend a day in what remains of 1970s Durango. Bitchin’.

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Sound Summer Jams 6

Wailin’ Jennys 7

Cooking

Downtown Lowdown

10 Drink

Jon E. Lynch

11 Travel 16 Weed

Amanda Push Robert Alan Wendeborn

Animas Museum

Editor-at-large

Reviews 16-17

Seeing Through 18 the Smoke

David Holub Design/layout Colossal Sanders

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Hello, Fresh(ly burned food) Despite my questionable cooking skills, I decided it was high time I got back into cooking a vegetable that wasn’t slathered in fat. Luckily for me, I had forgotten to skip this week’s Hello Fresh order – thanks, auto ship!

Reader Services 375-4570 Chief Executive Officer Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising David Habrat Founding Editors Amy Maestas David Holub

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.

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Album Review 9

Bryant Liggett Lindsay Mattison

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19 Happening

16 Pooty Tang strain

20 DGO Deals

This week’s strain is called Pootie Tang, and I am going to do my very best to try and avoid double entendres and inappropriate jokes in this review. NO PROMISES, THOUGH.

22 Horoscope/ puzzles 23 Life Hax

Summer jams, round one We asked Fort Lewis College Community Radio KDUR DJs for song suggestions off their essential summer playlist. Having them narrow it down to two was a challenging request.

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

/dgomag /dgomag

@dgo_mag

ON THE COVER The Chief Restaurant, as it appeared in the 1970s.

Animas Museum

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

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[eat]

The Joy of Crappy Cooking | Amanda Push

How I managed to overcook pork and undercook green beans

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fter a long week of pure, unadulterated laziness, followed by a weekend at my parents’ house involving mostly macaroni and cheese and iced coffee, I decided it was high time I got back into cooking a vegetable that wasn’t slathered in fat.

Luckily for me, I had forgotten to skip this week’s Hello Fresh order – thanks, auto ship! – and the decision was made for me. When I came back from mooching off my parents for the weekend, I was greeted by the sight of a large box at my door containing my honey-glazed pork tenderloin, one-pan orzo Italiano, and chicken cheddar fajitas.

I decided that the first meal I would start off with would be the one I was most skeptical of: The pork tenderloin paired with roasted sweet potatoes and green beans. I’m a gotta-pour-cheese-on-everything kinda gal, and this bit of business didn’t contain an ounce of dairy product. However, my recipe sheet indicated that this particular meal was a Hello Hall of Famer, so I set my aside my cynicism and got to work. Besides, when it comes to food, I like get my least-favorite items off my plate first so that I can better enjoy the more delicious entrées without distraction (usually carbs). If only I would apply this sage advice to things in my life that actually mattered.

But, I digress.

I started with the sweet potatoes by scrubbing them down, making a mess of peeling them, and then nervously dicing them up with a knife, one I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have been using for that particular task. After chopping them into cubes, I put them on parchment paper over a baking sheet, drizzled them with oil, salt, and pepper, and popped them in the oven for 10 minutes.

Next came the pork. After cutting it into two pieces, I dried it out with a paper towel, again sprinkled some salt and pepper, and placed it in a pan of sizzling oil.

By now, my sweet potatoes were done. I pulled them out of the oven and anxiously eyeballed the now-browning parchment paper, inflicted with memories of when I’d started a small fire in my oven, and then spent the entire evening airing out my apartment while wiping fire extinguisher expellant from every crevice of my kitchen.

This is also about the time in the process when things get hectic – when you’re using your timer to track at least two different things on your stove while simultaneously trying to dice a garlic clove into minuscule pieces and growing more aware of the extensive mess you’re making.

Panicked I was going to overdo my tenderloin, I rushed to rinse off my green beans and dumped them on the other half of the baking sheet alongside my sweet potatoes. They, too, got the royal salt, pepper, and oil treatment, and I pushed the tray back into the oven.

Next came the tricky part. Now that my pork was done cooking over the stove, I would have to overcome the biggest hurdle I had yet to face that evening: Cooking my pork tenderloin in the oven alongside my vegetables while only having one timer.

Fortunately, dear reader, I know how to math.

Kind of.

Last on the to-do list was to make the glaze – perhaps the step I was most nervous about, considering my affinity for burning all things liquid. And solid.

And gaseous. The glaze was a delicious mix of minced garlic, thyme, chicken stock, water, honey, and butter, and I was excited to soak my entire meal in it.

Once my timer went off, however, I was faced with yet another problem. Unfortunately, space is not a luxury in my kitchen. My roommate and I love to fill our counter space with appliances that we never actually use but like owning. Fearing for the well-being of my freshly cooked food, I made the quick decision to precariously balance my tray of vegetables atop a stack of dirty dishes next to the sink, and my pork tenderloins on the other

side of the sink next to the clean dishes. (I know, I know. DO YOUR DISHES!) Relieved that I was finally free to taste my creation, I dished myself a plate and nearly dumped my pork into the sink. After a bout of colorful language and rebalancing myself, I finally escaped to my living room to eat.

The pork was a bit overdone and dry, but was saved by the almighty grace of the delicious glaze, which created the perfect sweet and salty combination that I also (and rightly) added to my veggies. The green beans, I felt, could have been cooked a bit more, but the sweet potatoes were just the right melt-in-yourmouth ending for my Goldilocks adventure.

Amanda Push is a writer who wishes she lived with a cat and just wants to learn how to not eat like a college student anymore.

Contact her at joyofcrappycooking@ gmail.com

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[eat]

What the Fork | Lindsay Mattison

Something special about Silverton and Avalanche Brewing

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ou almost know there’s something special about Silverton by the way the tiny town pops out of nowhere as you’re winding along the Million Dollar Highway, like an oasis for weary travelers and hungry adventurists.

Located in a valley at 9,318 feet, the San Juan Mountains seem to gobble the town up, their peaks visible from every street corner and porch. A stroll through the streets show off the unpolished nature of the town, seemingly unchanged since its settlement in 1885. Unlike other mountain towns that have become billionaire retreats, Silverton has preserved its wild nature and historical charm while managing to keep its sense of community.

You won’t find an abundance of hotels there, and the only paved street is Main Street. There are no box stores or chain restaurants, and yet thousands of visitors arrive in the summer months via the train, and still more travel along the highway year round. It’s safe to say that the town has never stopped attracting those with an adventurous gene. Once a rowdy mining town that drew in prospectors hoping to strike it rich with silver and gold, today Silverton attracts anyone seeking a back country skiing experience, or the daredevils who are looking to get dropped out of a helicopter onto Silverton Mountain. You’ll find avid hikers, fishing enthusiasts, and those willing to push the limits of their 4WD by following Otto Mear’s daring toll roads to ghost towns and alpine lakes.

The town has become something of a recreational base camp. Thanks to tourists from Durango, Montrose, and beyond, Silverton is a year-round destination, fueling small businesses like Avalanche Brewing, owned by Austin and Casie Lashley. Growing up in Durango, Austin was amongst a class of 18-yearolds who brewed their own beer before they were old enough to buy it. Surprisingly enough, that’s not illegal (or, at least, it wasn’t at the time). His friends all dreamed of opening breweries in Durango, but Austin had his sights firmly set on Silverton.

Following the dream took him to Alaska, where he endured the dark, cold winters working in the state’s busiest homebrew shop.

“It was kind of like being a beer librarian,” he said.

The opportunity taught him to be unafraid of any beer style, and that experience is ever apparent in Avalanche’s rotating six taps. You’ll usually find their signature White-Out Wit and Sultan IPA on the list, but Austin isn’t afraid to brew up something fun or weird.

As you walk through the brewery’s front door, an old snowboard-turned-chalkboard greets you with today’s beer options. The shiny copper bar gives the space an old-English-pub feel, but everything

Lindsay Mattison /Special to DGO

»» Avalanche Brewing in Silverton else about Avalanche screams their love for the outdoors. The tap handles are made from old ski poles, and the tables are all laminated with topographical maps of Silverton, Telluride, and Ouray’s best hikes.

I get the ski-themed sampler tray (where the glasses are actually little boots that clip into the tiny ski like the real deal). In the end, it’s the Strawberry Rhubarb Gose that wins my affection, a unique German-style beer that’s brewed with salt. This particular batch included over 40 pounds of rhubarb (one of the few crops that thrives in Silverton), giving it a tart, refreshing finish.

It’s that kind of focus that makes Avalanche really stand out. Using local rhubarb as the inspiration for a twist on a lesser-known classic is just the beginning. Their food is made almost entirely from scratch, despite the small size of the kitchen. They make everything from their pizza dough to their sauces and condiments (including the to-die-for beer mustard in their saucy Cubano wrap, which I devoured in about two-seconds flat).

When I asked the husband-and-wife team how they managed to make it all work, they looked at each other and laughed. To be successful in Silverton, you have to be willing to work, and you’ll find the two of them working almost every day of the week. Sometimes, they get up at 4 a.m. to brew beer

before heading up to the kitchen to help with the lunch rush. It doesn’t feel like work, though.

“At this point, I don’t know where else we would live,” Casie tells me. “We love it here, and we love what we do.”

Whatever they’re doing, it’s working. In early June, the couple bought the old Romero’s building, formerly the longest-running family-owned restaurant in Silverton. The new space will not only quadruple their indoor seating area to 100 seats, but it will also allow them to expand the kitchen and the brewery. This is the next step in their Frankenbrew brewery model: start small and build the brewery you want over time, inspired by their good friend Tom Hennessy at Colorado Boy. The couple hopes to complete renovations and open in the new location before the summer of 2019.

In the meantime, you can visit them on Notorious Blair Street – and don’t forget to grab a 32-ounce Crowler can to-go. Once you leave Silverton, you can’t find their brews anywhere else.

Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef and food writer living in Durango. She enjoys long walks in the woods, the simplicity of New York-style cheese pizza, and she’s completely addicted to Chapstick. Contact her at lindsaymattisonwriter@gmail.com.

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[sound]

Summer jams, round 1 »» We asked the KDUR DJs to help us make the quintessential summer playlist We asked Fort Lewis College Community Radio KDUR (91.9 FM and 93.9 FM) DJs for two or three song suggestions off their essential summer playlist. Having them narrow it down to two was a challenging request, but the end result is an eclectic, laid-back compilation of tunes to play at your next backyard BBQ. Follow DGOmag on Spotify to listen to part one of the playlist, and check back next week for part two.

Stephanie Milner

Carter Solomon

Renee Morgan

Host of Lovely Day Radio on Tuesday from 6-8 a.m.

Host of In Defense of the Genre on Thursdays from 8-10 p.m.

Host of The Listening Room on every other Wednesdays from 8-10 p.m.

I can’t stop listening to the first track on Million Miles’ new 4-song EP, “Ice Cream & Cigarettes.” The title pretty much sums it up – no explanation needed. “Here Come the Girls” is featured on Trombone Shorty’s latest album, “Parking Lot Symphony.” A cover of a 1970s tune, it is upbeat and dance-able – everything I want in a good party song. Bill Withers ALWAYS goes on my playlists. My favorite line from “Harlem” is “Sunday morning here in Harlem/Now everybody’s all dressed up/The heathen folk just getting home from the party/And the good folk just got up.”

Hinds’ garage-pop sound on “Bamboo” has a delightful, summery swagger that’s perfect for a river float. Off “Clean,” my favorite album of 2018 so far, Soccer Mommy romanticizes what cool (maybe unhealthy) persona the narrator could adopt in “Cool,” and summertime is apt for daydreaming.

Recently, I’ve been listening to “Vitamin C” by Can. This song at high-volume only maximizes the catchy percussion and the bass lines – two instrumental components that I’m a big fan of. It’s a good addition for a road trip compilation with an open sunroof and an open highway. As a product of the ’80s, I have to include something from my beloved new wave genre: “Don’t Cha Stop” by The Cars. I’ve been revisiting this album as a whole, but “Don’t Cha Stop” is the gem of this debut record. It’s different – it’s sharp and edgier compared to the other crooning songs on the album.

Hey, “if it makes you feel good/ don’t cha stop.”

With “River” by together PANGEA – you’re drinking and having fun, but the fun dries up and you’re still in the same place, watching the river running, moving, changing … unlike you. Happy existential crisis, reader!

Jon E. Lynch, KDUR Program Director Host of Audience of One on Mondays from 12-3 p.m.

Literally, anything off of the album “Sunkissed” by Bad Weather California is a necessary addition to a summer playlist. This was my record of the year in 2012. It is a complete summer album from start to finish. The Zombies’ “Summertime” is a classic summer jam, done by many, perfected here. Hüsker Dü’s “Celebrated Summer” encapsulates the summer experience and teen angst to a T. C’mon. Wu-Tang Clan’s “Wu-Tang Forever” was released at the beginning of the summer in 1997, and “Reunited” was in constant rotation, literally wherever I went.

Other Lynch picks: “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys, “Summertime Rolls” by Jane’s Addiction, “Sunny Afternoon” by The Kinks, and “Backwater” by The Meat Puppets.

—— Jessie O’Brien

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[sound]

The sweet sounds of

THE WAILIN’ JENNYS »» The harmonizing trio will soothe your ears at The Fort on July 24 The honey-dipped harmonies of the The Wailin’ Jennys will give you a toothache, but don’t let their sweet songs fool you – these women are true badasses. The Canadian trio – Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody, and Heather Masse – have bushwhacked their own path through the music industry. They’ve won accolades; their latest album, “Fifteen,” was number one on the Bluegrass Billboard charts; they’ve pissed off publicists by choosing family life over life on the road; and they’ve toughed out tours with newborn twins. We’re convinced all the lovely folk songs are a front for their underground switchblade gang. You’ve been warned.

The Jennys are hitting the road and will be stopping at Kroeger Hall at Fort Lewis College on July 24. Expect to hear tracks off “Fifteen,” like the heart-melting version of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers,” along with originals from their 15-year-old catalogue. We talked to mezzo singer Mehta about the state of folk and how to harmonize.

Are you going to play mostly covers during the tour?

We do play a few songs off the album. We don’t tour specific albums. We’re just touring all the time – a week, a month, for most of the year – so we hadn’t put out a record until 2011, but we toured through that whole time. We do play some songs from “Fifteen” but we play a lot of our originals, too.

What is the difference between Canadian and American roots music?

Our stuff is usually slotted under Americana more than anything, and we do a couple of traditional songs that originate down South. There are some that are British and Irish, so I don’t know that I’d call us Americana.

We have a whole bunch of influences – some folk-traditional, some pop, some Celtic, a little bit of country and jazz – it’s a whole bunch of stuff. In terms of American versus Canadian, there is a long tradition of roots music in the States. In Canada, there is a really traditional East Coast Celtic thing going on, and in Winnipeg, we have a lot of nationalities and a very strong French population, but I don’t really see a massive difference between the two, other than the music being older in (America).

The Jennys started out in Winnipeg. Did the variety of cultures there influence the different styles of your music?

We are definitely influenced by the community of musicians here, and being exposed to a lot of different types of music influences your general understanding, so I am sure there are rhythmic things and harmony things that may seep into your music, but I don’t think it’s a conscious thing. We don’t do any French songs, but just the exposure is the key there. And there is a really strong folk-roots community in Winnipeg.

Folk is really popular here in Durango, too, but is that the case for the rest of North America?

There was a folk resurgence with the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons. It’s not as strong now, but that exposed people to a little bit more of (roots).

That was challenging for a lot of people – the idea that folk was your parent’s music. It was made more

Courtesy of The Wailin’ Jennys

contemporary. We are seeing younger people at our shows. Part of that is a lot of those (young people) grew up with our music – the band is 16 years old – so a lot of our music kids were listening to from birth, or in some cases in utero, so we’re getting more of that audience. It is a genre a lot of people embrace. It is more of a niche than pop (but) we have no shortage of crowds in the States, which is fantastic.

What instrument that you play resonates with you the most, and why?

My main instruments are guitar and drums. I enjoy the drums more. My guitar has always been in service of songwriting. I’m not a great guitar player. It’s not like I pick up my guitar much at home, unless I’m planning on writing. I see myself as less as a musician than a writer and a singer. Someone like Ruth, who plays instruments – she plays four instruments on stage – she is a true

multi-instrumentalist. But drums are more my love, but I play them much less than I play the guitar on stage.

Does harmonizing come easy, or is it something that takes a lot of practice?

No, harmonizing does come very naturally to all three of us. I’m not trained. Those two are, but it doesn’t really matter. You can learn to sing harmony, but some people are born with that ability, and that’s how I was. It’s always come very naturally for me. I remember harmonizing when I was 4, so I just always had the ability to do it, but I never (formally) learned it.

I sang in choirs, but that was after the fact. That’s how Ruth and Heather are, too. It’s something we’ve done since we could speak kinda thing. But I don’t want that to discourage someone from learning if they didn’t come from that background. You can certainly learn it.

—— Jessie O’Brien

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Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Bluegrass musician Eric Brace embraces the punk-rock life

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eldom Scene, the early newwave and punk band that kicked around Washington, D.C. several decades ago, solidifying the city’s new-wave, punk, and hardcore era, and the still-touring Slickee Boys, a metropolitan-area institution and legendary outfit that has become synonymous with American bluegrass, were two bands that helped define the independent music scene in D.C. back in the ’70s.

Both Seldom Scene and the Slickee Boys were equally important, and both contributed heavily to their respective canons. Both are also worthy of research, if independent music history is your thing.

As a young musician in D.C., folk artist Eric Brace eyeballed and ear-

holed the two bands, and found himself leaning toward the punk sounds of Seldom Scene.

He spent some time covering D.C.’s rich bluegrass and punk scene as a writer for The Washington Post, but fell into playing roots and bluegrass, the same genres he was covering as a writer.

His first stint was with Last Train Home , an alt-country outfit he lead in D.C., before moving to east Nashville to pursue a solo career. While there, Brace also ran Red Beet Records, a record label that released both his and his bandmates’ records.

These days, Brace is a straight-up roots-influenced folk musician, but he still pulls from the independent mindset of punk-rockers and bluegrass

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pickers, and the bands that he loved as a young music fan in D.C. Both prodded him in the direction of independent music, no matter the genre.

“When I was there, I was paying more attention to the D.C. bluegrass scene, which at the time was just on fire. It was really formative for me,” said Brace.

“Bluegrass was my punk rock, even though you had to be really good to do it.

You could get up on a small local stage. It didn’t seem like Elton John or Queen or Yes; it was something anyone could do. Folk and bluegrass were my gateway drugs into just about anything, and I started a record label because of Dischord.”

Brace has a real charm – chat offstage and you’ll find yourself talking about punk rock, John Duffey, or folkies kicking about east Nashville.

Onstage, Brace hands out a big dose of laid-back folk music with a simple narrative, which he plays with a slight twang. He sings songs about history, and places, and people. It’s a straightforward storyline, one that’s unabashedly to the point.

“I look at the world, I write songs, and we play them,” said Brace.

And, in true punk rock form, Brace is a champion of non-traditional venues like house shows, and says if you’re a middle-tiered, lesser-known musician, you should know where your audience is. If venues don’t want to take a chance on an artist with lesser name recognition, that’s their problem. There are other avenues for playing live shows.

There is a network of people willing to host house concerts or shows in non-traditional venues, quite similar to the pre-Internet network artists would use to find places to crash.

Word travels, and fans and musicians communicate. A musician can connect the dots from city to city,

Courtesy of Eric Brace

Go! Wednesday, July 25: Indie folk with Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz, 7 p.m., $20, Red Scarf Studio Listening Room, 121 W. 32nd St. Information: 759-8404 venue to venue, without the standard confines. It’s a punk-rock approach, no matter the genre.

“I think what it is, it’s harder to play in a traditional club.

There’s not that many rock clubs that want to take a chance on a lesser-known singer-songwriter, unless you have some big hit,” said Brace. “A lot of us are getting older, the audience is getting older, so they do things like host shows. A lot of musicians are looking for alternate places to play, and those places, whether a coffee shop, living room, a train, I think people will like it if they hear it. Non-traditional venues gets the music in front of people.”

Brace plays on Wednesday at the Red Scarf Studio Listening Room with musical partner Thomm Jutz.

Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[sound] What’s new In what amounts to a total bummer, we lost our local record store last week. OK, we didn’t “lose it,” exactly. It wasn’t misplaced like set of car keys. As is all too common in towns and cities of every size across the country, our beloved local record store shuttered, and was forced to close its doors. The closure is a reminder of the current state of things and the world we live in, and with Southwest Sound closing, we lost so much more.

Now, I’d like to be clear here: I know this isn’t a sign of the “end of days.” I realize that there is so much more happening on a geo-political scale that is, for all intents and purposes, far more important. That said, I’d like to go on record saying, as I did before, that by our local record store closing, we’ve lost more than just a brick-andmortar, mom-and-pop pillar of the community, and that is a total drag.

We also lost a beacon of irreplaceable solace.

We lost a hub where like-minded folks could wax poetic, sometimes for hours, about an art form we care deeply for. We lost a safe place where the weirdos and marginalized could come together. We lost our clubhouse. We lost the opportunity for younger folks to experience the same. We lost so much more than I have space to articulate in this little corner of this particular weekly rag, and for that I am sorry. If you are reading this and live in a town that still has a local independent record store, I beg you to support it.

This week’s record is the self-titled full-length from LA’s The Creation Factory. Front man and bass player Shane Stots (also of Mystic Braves) wanted to bring back the sound of 1960s psychedelic-acid-beat-fuzz. Stots, along with Neil Soiland (guitar/vocals), Gabe Pacheco (guitar/ vocals), Iggy Gonzalez (drums/vocals) and Glenn Brigman (organ), use authentic vintage gear from the era in order to spin an old sound, but to make it fresh and new. The album is totally derivative and self-aware, but that is every bit of OK. On the band’s website, it states: “Stots insists the band’s also out to show fans what they’ve been missing. ‘I’m trying to revive music and expose it to a younger generation,’ he says. ‘I’m going backwards to go forward.’” If rehashing the past works to educate otherwise oblivious fans, I’m all for it. Now, if it would only get them into record shops…

The Creation Factory is available now via Lolipop Records as a digital download, cassette, and compact disc. Vinyl pre-orders are underway from the label directly, which is shipping standard black and cream colorways as soon as they are pressed.

Recommended for fans of The Kinks, The Zombies, The Animals, The 13th Floor Elevators, and modern throwback psych artists like The Black Angels, Night Beats, Allah-Las, or The Growlers.

Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

The best concerts in and around Durango Amy Harris/Associated Press

»» Hayley Williams performs at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June in Manchester, Tenn.

The Casual Fridays, July 20

The Roasted Bones, July 22

Paramore & Foster the People, July 24

Ska, right! No, seriously. Ska...right.

And that’s especially right when it’s ska from The Casual Fridays, southern New Mexico’s energizing, skankalicious ska band. And these oi-oi masters will be gracing you with their presence at Animas City Theatre, feeding you a healthy dose of rowdy, kickin’ first-wave ska. Prepare to dance your wingtip shoes off.

Are you ready for some reggae?

Well, then you’re ready for The Roasted Bones, a 6-piece band out of Austin, Texas. They’ll be making a stop in Durango on their MOTAvation tour, and you should make your way to The Billy Goat Saloon to celebrate.

Oooh, yeah. It’s time for a little Hayley Williams in your life. Sure, you’ll have to drive to Denver, but won’t it be worth it to catch Ms. Williams belt out your favs, like “Crushcrushcrush” and “Still Into You,” all while you scream along like a 17-year-old? And, as a bonus, you’ll get to catch ol’ Foster the People. So, you should go. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks are going to be there.

Details: Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, Tickets start at $7, animascitytheatre.com

Global Dance Festival, July 20 & 21 With Future, DeadMau5, Tiesto, Gucci Mane, etc.

It’s Gucci Mane, mane! It’s also Tiesto, Future, Deadmau-fiiiiiive (Deadmau5 for those of you who prefer to use his real stage name), and a bunch of other top billers in the dance world. This festival is two days of chaos, two days of artists like Machine Gun Kelly and Junkie Kid, and two days of leg cramps from dancing harder than you’ve ever danced before. So dig out the Costco-sized box of glow sticks and go do your thang, club kids. Do your thang.

Details: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St, Denver, Tickets start at $159, globaldancefestival.com

Details: The Billy Goat Saloon, 39848 Hwy 160, Gem Village, thebillygoatsaloon.com

Third Eye Blind, July 22 I wish you would step back from that ledge, friends...and step into the Hudson Gardens in Littleton to catch a nostalgic act live and in living color. Third Eye Blind basically defined the late ’90s alt-rock genre, thanks to the epic earworms like “Jumper” and “Semi-Charmed Life,” which were pretty much unavoidable if you owned a radio or ever went in public. Nostalgia tours are the greatest, and we think if you’re going to invest some time and cold cash in seeing one of those acts, it should be Third Eye Blind. If you skip this show, how’s it gonna be? (Hint: Lame, because you’ll miss a good show.)

Details: Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Dr. Littleton, CO, Tickets start at $42, ticketing.axs.com

Details: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison, CO, Tickets start at $49.50, ticketing.axs.com

Foreigner, Whitesnake, and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, July 24 Here you go again on your own... to Denver to see Foreigner, Whitesnake, and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience. As an added bonus, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, led by the late John Bonham’s son, will help you live out your rock ‘n’ roll fantasies. They’ve perfected the art of playing Zeppelin, and they’re the perfect addition to an already good lineup.

Details: Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver, Tickets starting at $25, altitudetickets.com

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[drink]

FORTALEZA DREAMS

ON A CUERVO BUDGET

»» Where to find

(somewhat) affordable top shelf tequila

If you’re like me, you want to order a tequila so high up on the shelf that a sherpa is forced to guide the bartender up a gd ladder to get to it. But, if you’re ALSO like me, you can’t afford top shelf (or a sherpa). Still, that moths-flying-out-of-my-wallet money issue doesn’t stop me from occasionally indulging in my favorite spirit, minus the heavy alcohol taste that comes with a $20 fifth. (I’m looking at you, Espolon. Your label is hip, but you taste like agave trash.)

Now, top shelf is never going to be cheap, but every once in a while, you find a high-end liquor with a “not bad” price tag. Here are a few places in Durango where that unreachable shelf is still obtainable (well, on payday, maybe).

I was burned hard after ordering two on-the-rocks glasses of Don Julio Anejo at a place where bearded bartenders wear vests. Not only were the pours $24 a piece, I had to pay $3 each for the large ice cubes. The crystal cubes were beautiful but they also melted. Ever since, I’ve had trouble trusting Don. I’ve been living my life in fear of what the check may bring, but at Machos Nachos, I can learn to love again. Don Julio Anejo

is $15 and comes with free ice.

Tequila Ocho is among many people’s favorite premium brands. It’s difficult to find around town, unlike George Clooney’s Casamigos, which is everywhere.

No offense, but I just don’t want my tequila to be made by a celebrity. (Unlike my 16-year-old self, who drank Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo.) 11th Street serves Ocho Plata for $12 and Reposado for $14. Just remember: You can’t drive 55, especially after drinking more than one of these. They also have four kinds of Mezcal Vago, which run from $10 to $20. The mezcal is distilled in clay pots, a centuries-old technique, and the labels describe everything about that particular spirit, from the type of agave used, to

Buy One Get One Half Off! ALL Day Wednesday on Ice Cream, Sundaes and Banana Splits

where it was grown, and how the agave was crushed.

Tequila lovers can get $2 off of all brands of tequila at Homeslice on Tequila Tuesdays, which means you and your friends can high five over a $12 pour of Siete Leguas Reposado.

For some Siete Leguas batches, the agave hearts are still crushed using an ancient method of a donkey pulling a stone wheel in a circle. It’s uncertain if this is necessary, but it tastes like it is.

Fun fact: Nightclub bottle service staple Patron, owned

by John Paul DeJoria, the eccentric co-founder of Paul Mitchell, was actually created on the Siete Leguas site, though the two brands taste nothing alike.

——

By Jessie O’Brien

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[travel]

Divers and an indoor waterfall at Casa Bonita GET OUTTA TOWN Quirky & cool spots in the Four Corners and beyond Casa Bonita in Denver isn’t just a Mexican restaurant. It’s a Mexican restaurant on gold-leaf and arcade-game steroids. This Colorado roadside attraction is massive – we’re talking over 52,000 square feet of massive – and not only can it seat 1,000 people, it can entertain those thousand people with a little help from the restaurant’s indoor dive team.

No, your eyes do not deceive you, friends. The restaurant really does have indoor cliff divers, and, of course, an indoor waterfall. You can’t have indoor cliff divers without a waterfall, can you? That would just be absurd.

This restaurant, located in the heart of Lakewood, has been around since 1974, and it is EXTRA extra. The

exterior resembles something you’d see in old time Las Vegas. There is a looming pink tower topped with a large dome that is covered with 22-karat gold leaf, because what Mexican restaurant DOESN’T have the same features as a fancy ass church. Sitting directly on top of that dome is a statue of Quahuatomec, the last Aztec emperor. And, the fountain that sits at the front of Casa Bonita was shipped in pieces from Mexico, making it about the most authentic Mexican piece of this puzzle.

The interior is even more awe-inspiring (and slightly baffling). The restaurant is home to a huge arcade – and it’s not just pinball; there are freakin’ skee-ball machines in there – a gift shop, and that absurd waterfall.

About that waterfall... It’s 30 friggin’ feet high with a 14-foot deep pool, and it’s designed to resemble the cliffs of Acapulco. And, you know, actual humans dive off of it into the pool, because hell. Why not? Sounds like a good time to us.

And, there is plenty more to see than those famous (or perhaps infamous) cliff divers, who do their damn thang at regular intervals throughout the day. Casa Bonita also offers a full food menu and a full menu of show times – pirate shows, gunfights, puppet shows, something with a gorilla, and about a million other options – for entertainment that runs from the lunch rush until well into the evening.

There are over 30 attractions piled into this place, including something called Black Bart’s secret hideout, which is apparently full of mystery and intrigue. You cannot possibly get bored with the sights and sounds of Casa Bonita, making it the perfect dining option for anyone who hates their dining partner and wants to avoid talking, or for those of you who like your dining partners but are kids at heart. Or... you know, just take your kids. We don’t care. It’s your Casa Bonita party.

—— Angelica Leicht

Wikipedia

»» Casa Bonita

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Blast from the disco-balled past »» An itinerary

to spending a day in what remains of 1970s Durango

By Jessie O’Brien | DGO STAFF WRITER

D

ebbie Hull has been pouring drinks and taking orders with a smiling face at multiple Durango restaurants for decades. The Mancos native saw the oncehip stucco be peeled off Main Avenue buildings to reveal the historic facade that exists in many places today. She’s seen the population grow, and new businesses replace the old.

“When I was here in the ’70s, we didn’t have a McDonald’s,” Hull said. “We’d have to go to Farmington.” That was a big deal back then, she said, and so was going to The Chief Restaurant for a $2.95 20-ounce T-Bone, then later to Ozone, a college bar that only served 3.2 ABV beer.

Hull can no longer savor a hot cup of coffee and a slice of apple pie fresh out the potbelly stove at Panhandler Pies.

No more Manhattans can be sipped under a Victorian-era nude painting at the Solid Muldoon cocktail bar.

No one will ever hear the resonating notes from the world’s largest rising organ, which appeared from under the floor at midnight at the Gold Slipper. (So, this is what people did before the Internet?)

Things have changed a lot since the ’70s – the price of cocaine, for starters – but there are a few places still around to keep the bell-bottomed bygone decade alive. For a current blast from the disco ball-sparking past, follow this guide to the ’70s-era hot spots that have survived in Durango the last four decades, and have a bitchin’, far out day.

8 a.m.

Based on the interactions Broad has with his employees and the couple from San Antonio, he has maintained the same hospitality that existed back in the ’70s.

10 a.m.

A couple from San Antonio sits at the Durango Diner’s bar top. They use their fresh-cut hash browns as a sponge to soak up the runny over-easy egg yolk. They hadn’t been to Durango in over a decade until now, and the diner is their first stop because they love the food (and the owner Gary Broad). Their afternoon fuel tastes the same as it did 10 years ago, when they last visited. That’s because the menu hasn’t changed much since the place opened in 1965.

Spend the day at Purgatory Resort or on the water

Other than adding green chile and house specialties, the hot cake options, burgers, and sandwiches are all still there. A greasestained menu from the ’70s hanging on the wall is available for comparison.

“Why shouldn’t it?” Broad asked.

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“Jim was a great guy,” Broad said. “He took care of you.”

Breakfast at Durango Diner

That long, narrow wall is a time capsule of partnerships, friendships, and the diner’s 50-plus-year history. Broad bought the place in 1980. At the time, the restaurant was further south on Main, where Fired Up Pizza is now located. He and partner at the time moved the restaurant to a spot on Main Avenue, the spot of an old motorcycle handlebar store. Another framed snapshot on the wall shows Broad and his partner moving the bar table to a new location, where it still sits today. The table top has held up against a half-century of countless elbows, coffee drips, and soda spills.

»» Images from issues of the Durango Herald throughout the 1970s. Postcards via Animas Museum.

It was the ’70s; nobody remembers much, he said. But he does remember Jim Roberts, the owner of the diner before Broad took ownership.

Before Broad owned the place, he was a patron. When he moved to Durango in 1977, he worked at Purgatory Ski Resort during the day and Tamarron Resort at night. After work, Broad and his coworkers would go to the Solid Muldoon and then hit the diner to soak up the night’s drinks, although he doesn’t remember what he ordered back then.

Many people moved to Durango in the ’70s for the same reason outdoor lovers move here in the 21st century: to play. That often means dropping out of college and working multiple services industry jobs to do so. Rent back then was much cheaper – $35 per month for a cabin without electricity off Florida Road seems affordable, albeit uncomfortable – but Durango was still pricey back then. Goods and fuel had to be trucked in, according to the Animas Museum staff.

To live here, young people worked on ranches and farms, the ski resort, or in restaurants. Places like Sweeney’s fostered camaraderie between servers, with a workhard-play-hard mentality. Their tips would go toward the $100 ski pass and $6 ski, boots, and pole rentals in 1973.

Purgatory Resort opened in 1965 with one chairlift and eight trails. By the late ’70s, there were four double chairlifts and 450 acres of ski trails, according to a 1978 ski pamphlet from the Animas Museum archives. In the ’77-’78 season, there were 218,000 skiers, and the only reason it was ever busy was because the lifts ran so slow.

A tradition that has stayed alive (accidental Bee Gees pun) since the ’70s is now the biggest event of the year: Snowdown. A 1979 article from Purgatory Press, found in

the Animas Museum archives, previews the inaugural year: “The winter celebration will include such events as snow sculpting, ski jumping, cross country races, snowmobile races and even a ‘skijoring’ event where a horse and rider pull a skier. … For the less energetic there will be a yodeling contest, canine fashion show and lots of demonstrations of winter sports.”

The same article outlines how Boudreaux trail was laid out. Purgatory employee Don “Boudreaux” Miller accidentally drove one of the maintenance vehicles off the mountain and plowed down enough trees to carve a new path.

In the summer, if you weren’t working construction or playing in a basketball league, people would hit a few rounds at Hillcrest Golf Club after it opened in 1969, or check out Fiesta Days at the fairgrounds (since 1935), or maybe a powwow at Hozhoni Days at the college (since 1966).

Casting out into Vallecito or pulling on waders to fly fish over the Animas has remained popular since a Chinese proverb taught a man to fish, and so has hiking, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities, with one major difference: the toys.

The mountain bike wasn’t invented until 1988, paddle boarding hadn’t exploded across the U.S., and Walmart wasn’t available Continued on Page 14

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From Page 13

spine.

for last-minute $5 tube purchases.

For the most part, people were content with a cooler full of beer and a free-floating swim or cliff jumping into Navajo Lake. The river, on the other hand, was not nearly as popular as it is today. It wasn’t a tourist attraction that required nerdy release forms for guided rafting tours. According to the Animas Museum staff, locals still floated down the river, but they traveled further north to calmer waters to avoid the familiar pain of a having a large rock sneak up on your vulnerable

7 p.m.

Dinner at Ore House After a day on the slopes or a show at Kiva Theater (before it burned to the ground in 1974), or prior to one of the melodramas at The Strater Theatre, the Ore House, 1972, was a popular dining destination for those with a hearty appetite. Still in its original location, the steakhouse is one of the few restaurants in Durango that has weathered the test of time, and even outlasted the predecessor in Vail it was modeled

after.

Co-owners Beatle Abshagen and Jim Arias lured Durangoans and tourists all the way to the rough end of town to College Avenue, which was 6th Street then, with their savory mountain steaks and buttery lobster tail.

An old ’70s guide describes the place: “Favorite apres ski drinking and dining establishment. Steak, lobster, and spirits are featured. We LOVE skiers.”

Many people who are known in the community today, such as John Wells of Wells Durango Real Estate, delivered hot entrées and cold beers at the restau-

rant back then. These days, the majority of the servers punching in orders on a digital system were not even a twinkle in their parents eye in 1972. But the classic arched brick walls and an old plaque with the restaurant and bar hours still hangs over the steakhouse’s front door in a nod to the restaurant’s history. The menu and the atmosphere have been updated, but the artwork and steaks can still be enjoyed today.

9 p.m.

Drinks at The Palace The Solid Muldoon was a popular

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spot for a nightcap, but the fancy cocktail bar closed in the ’90s. The Palace, on the other hand, located to the train depot, is still around. In the late-’70s, the bar was described as “providing a fine nouveau Victorian atmosphere for sipping cocktails and enjoying a meal of the highest quality.” Sounds much fancier than the casual tavern-style restaurant that we see today.

After The Palace, if anyone had a wild hair, they could stay out until 2 a.m. and go dancing (or maybe drive to Farmington to go to the strip club). For pitchers of beer and drunk munchies, people would go to Farquahrts and Pizza Mia.

Honky tonks like Sundance were also popular, and Durango was relatively unscathed from the platformed wrath of disco. People were more interested in John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, and George Thorogood than Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes.

And, after closing time, you could sneak onto the train with a good buzz, blow the whistle, and steal parts to make mobiles. The train wasn’t the Fort Knox it is in 2018. Back in the ’70s, there were only two or three cops patrolling the streets, so you could be a wild thing without fear.

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»» Images from issues of the Durango Herald throughout the 1970s.

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[weed]

A review of the Pootie Tang strain without double entendres Details Where to find Pooty Tang (Hey-yooooo!): Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino Del Rio, 970-385-8622, prohibitionherb.com Availability: Available on recreational at $9 a gram or $30 an eighth and 17.1 percent THC Caveats: I will not make jokes...I will not make jokes...and Prohibition won’t bribe us for a good review.

I’m going to just come right out and say it. This week’s strain is called Pootie Tang, and I am going to do my very best to try and avoid double entendres and inappropriate jokes in this review.

NO PROMISES, THOUGH. Kapa-Chow! Let’s do this.

So, Pootie Tang is new to Prohibition Herb’s shelves, and will be ready to grab this Thursday, just in time for the weekend (or your meeting with Billy Bush). The strain is a sativa-leaning hybrid, created by crossing Tang Tang and LA Kush, which is presumably where half of that Tang name comes from.

The Pootie Tang buds were thick and sticky enough clog my grinder, and I was a bit taken aback at how much this bud smelled like skunky chemicals. It’s not a bad smell, mind you, but there is definitely a sharp, rubber scent lingering in there, kind of like the tire aisle at Costco. That’s not my favorite aisle, but it’s not noxious. Not every strain can

smell like roses.

And what this strain lacks in scent pleasantries was made up for almost immediately when I lit up a bowl. The taste is also kind of chemically and harsh, but it brought on some serious bouts of nostalgia, because it tasted just like that weed we used to score from the sketchy dude in our high school. I have plans to roll the leftovers into a joint and light it up for my high school homies. It only feels right.

I like that bitter taste – I associate it with silly, chatty times spent with friends who are long lost – and while there are strains out there that taste more like potpourri than a tire factory, I am sold on the taste of this one for nostalgia’s sake alone.

Luckily, I don’t have to rely on the nostalgia factor for this review, because that certainly isn’t the only thing ol’ Pootie Tang has going for it. I felt the effects kick in pretty quickly – this one ain’t a creeper – and it wasn’t long after I smoked that my head and entire face felt like they were full to the point of bursting with helium. It was a total head high, although for some reason, this time it also involved my feet. My notes say, verbatim, “My feet are high.” I don’t know. Maybe they were.

Those initial effects were all sativa – my mind was going a mile a minute and I had bursts of ideas (mainly totally inappropriate jokes that I will avoid using here, because I am a grownup) – but it wasn’t long before a calm, relaxed feeling took over my body, and I was high in that typical cartoon-depiction manner. My eyes felt like bricks, my mouth was a literal desert, and at one point, I realized that I was closing my eyes but thought I was still reading whatever it was I’d been reading before smoking. You get the idea. I then ate an entire package of garlic bread and passed the hell out. Life was good.

This is a good strain if you can get past the name. It’s one I’ll keep around on the regular, both because it reminds me of the good ol’ days of smoking at the park after school AND it gets me pretty darn high. So, in the (in)famous words of Louis C.K.’s Pootie Tang, “Sa Da Tay!” I think that roughly translates to two thumbs up. Your guess is as good as mine.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

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[weed]

Shishkaberry made me shishka-stoned as hell Shishkaberry. ShishkaBERRY. That is the strain we are reviewing this week, and the name of this indica-dominant hybrid strain is not an exaggeration at all. This bud smells like strawberries, without a hint of much else. I had to stick my nose in the container a few times to make sure I wasn’t influenced by the “berry” part of its name, but nope. Berry through and through.

NEW Pricing on Flower,

This strain was created by crossing DJ Short Blueberry with an unknown Afghani strain, and during that cross, it definitely took the fruity flavor and scent and used it to its advantage.

It also took the blue coloring from one of its parents, because the buds from Shishkaberry – also known as Kish, although I don’t know why – are a brilliant purple-green color, and appear darker than many other strains.

It’s such a happy-smelling and looking strain that I wasn’t exactly surprised when after a couple of puffs, my head was high and happy, and I had a slight body high going on at the same time. I felt pretty focused at first, and found myself more amused than normal with just about everything. It was verging on Cheshire Cat territory, with my mouth aching from the grin. Twas happy, you guys.

But things quickly went from a silly, alert feeling to straight up lethargy in one fair swoop. Shishkaberry played that good ol’ switcheroo role, and I felt like someone had flipped the light switch on me. One minute I was laughing at all the clever comments on a reddit thread, and the next my eyes were so freaking heavy that I felt like they had miniature weights on them.

But, before I passed right the hell out, I had a few deep thoughts I felt were important enough to jot down.

Here they are.

1. “Look at me paying no attention to the TV until I hear, “and then he handed me her vagina.”

I have no idea. Maybe that happened; maybe it didn’t. I can’t tell you for sure, but I highly doubt it, because I was watching a documentary.

2. “I need to go tf to bed.”

I did absolutely need to go tf to bed, because if I had, I wouldn’t have let my

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I can tell you right now with my sober pants on that if people ate big vats of BBQ sauce, I would quit life.

Stoned notes speak a thousand words, I guess. So, if that doesn’t tell you precisely how Shishkaberry affected me, I’m not sure what will. I was high. Very high. Total body and head high, high. I was super amused with everything, thought everyone was a genius, and then I crashed out and woke up an hour late for work.

There are probably people who can handle this strain without being a complete dopey ass. But I’ve made clear how many of the indica strains affect me – I become a jackass and then pass out – and this one was no exception.

I liked it. I did. I like being amused and awed by everything. And I REALLY like sleeping like a rock. But I will not be touching this strain on a school night again. I’m not sure I can wear the same shirt I slept in to work more than once without feeling immense shame.

This is a weekend strain fo’ sho.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

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[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

Psychedelics, micro-dosing, and tripping on weed

I

love summer. Day by day, the earth warms up, and I do not have to waste a bunch of my energy shivering. This leaves room for deep thoughts. This week in particular, partially spurred by my comrade Pufnstuf’s moon rock experience, my brain has been consumed with the topic of cannabis, the range of potential portions one might ingest, and the effects it can have on our health, our consciousness, and our lives. It’s a glorious range that runs from “micro-dosing” to “tripping on weed.”

The concept of micro-dosing – or using sub-perceptual amounts of psychedelic substances to break down mental patterns and open up creative channels – began having its moment in the spotlight a few years ago, thanks to news about how Silicon Valley professionals seek to enhance their work lives by using tiny amounts of LSD or psilocybin mushrooms. The typical amount of LSD taken by these folks was 10 micrograms per serving, or about 1/10 of 100 mics, the current standard of the “single-tab” portion. The discussions surrounding the use of cannabis in a similar, controlled measure determined that taking a micro-dose of cannabis involves ingesting an edible portion of around 2.5 milligrams, a puff of concentrate about the size of a pinhead, or the briefest inhalation of combusted flower.

There are even vaporizers that will alert the user when the threshold has been reached. It turns out that this method can be a very effective use of cannabis, especially when dealing with anxiety and pain management.

The trick is being able to calculate the correct amount for yourself, taking into consideration the variables of potency – which can cover a surprisingly wide range, even when comparing flower to flower, as the THC levels climb ever-higher through the decades – and your own tolerance.

Never mind the jet fuel that is available in the wax/oil categories. I have generally been a microdoser in my day-to-day usage for many moons.

My family has even designated the quick hit as a “poke” in honor of Captain Augustus McCrae of Lonesome Dove fame. I, especially when on my own, often just take enough into my lungs to keep things moving without making the voyage all the way past Stonedtown city limits. It is such that I may stop a little while later to wonder if I

am high, and try to remember my last time at the bong, bowl, or vape.

Then, there are the nights when I swallow a gob of RSO and dive straight into the rabbit hole known as “tripping on weed.” It is not for everyone (heck, it is not usually for me during daylight hours), but I have found the trance state induced by taking in a healthy-sized (1 ½ - 2 grains of rice) portion of hash oil to be an extremely valuable meditative tool that has allowed me to explore energetic realms with a kind plant teacher as my spirit guide.

There is usually a period of 2-4 hours where I fall asleep as the potent extract begins to work on my system.

When I wake up (sometimes that much oil just brings a good night’s sleep) I have been transported to a place where my ability to put one foot in front of the other becomes a process that summons prodigious amounts of mental energy. This usually brings fits of laughter, which open the doors to revelations concerning my place in the universe, and my relationship to aspects of my life that get burdened and cluttered by the day-to-day dreck that often accompanies modern living. It is a slower, gentler process than using compounds more commonly thought of as “psychedelic,” but the knowledge gained while under the guidance of Mary Jane is of the highest order of ethneogenic transmission. And, as with all good trips, I feel refreshed and ready to wade back into things.

So, DGO, there is the dram and draft of cannabis ingestion. Give micro-and-macro-doing a shot and let me know what you think.

Colossal Sanders for DGO

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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[happening] DGO picks in and around Durango

Thursday Qi gong and tai chi by the Animas with Tyler VanGemert, 10 a.m., $10, White Rabbit

Strings that sing This weekend marks the 12th Annual Telluride Americana Music Festival. Ten artists armed with acoustic instruments will blow your mind without the help of extra electric voltage. Catch the picking, rolling, and fancy cowboy hats.

Limited tickets available.

Details: July 28-21, ticket prices vary, Sheridan Opera House, 110 North Oak St., Telluride, tellurideamericana.com

Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Toddler story time, 10:30 a.m.,

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

Teen Summer Reading Program: Movie Day, noon, Pine

River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Teen Time, 1 p.m., Durango Public

Herd of stags We’ve been doing a fine job presenting Durango’s eligible singles, but if you’re the type who has to see someone in person (weird), sign up for Singles In Paradise. The 21-andup event is a live human auction to benefit Local First, an organization that supports local business. Your ball and chain awaits.

Details: July 19, free, 7 p.m., The Balcony Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave., local-first.org/singles-in-paradise

Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 3753380.

Read to Rover, 1 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380.

Burger and a Band Night: La La Bones, 5 p.m., $20, James

Ranch Terraces, 33846 U.S. Highway 550.

Free Concert at the Park: I Draw Slow, 5:30 p.m., Buckley

Knuckle sandwiches Do you have the bloodlust? See King of the Cage featuring four fighters – two men and two women – who would stab you in the liver. Ok, so there are rules. Either way, expect bone-breaking and bruises.

Ben Gibson, 7 p.m., Derailed Pour

House, 725 Main Ave. Ragwater and The Casual Fridays, 9 p.m., $7-$10, Animas

City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.

Saturday The Kitchen Jam Band, 8

a.m., Durango Farmers Market, First National Bank of Durango, 259 W. Ninth St. Wildflower walk and stewardship project, 8 a.m., Moun-

p.m., Three Springs Plaza, 175 Mercado St., 764-6000.

La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., 749-5582.

Black Velvet Duo, 6 p.m., Dalton

Arts and Crafts Festival, 9 a.m.,

Lewis College, Jones Hall, Roshong Recital Hall, 1000 Rim Drive.

Details: June 20, free, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave., iammusicfest.com

4D3, 7 p.m., Vallecito Resort, 13030 County Road 501, Vallecito, 8849458.

Fourth annual Animas Splash n’ Dash, 9 a.m., $0-$50,

Music in the Mountains: The Julius Quartet, 7 p.m., $15, Fort

The iAM Music Fest Summer Series continues this week for your ear holes. Hear Elder Grown, Mesquite, Space Between Shadows, and the iAM Jazz Jam play the 11th Street garage for this low-key festival that spotlights independent music.

6 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, 5513 County Road 321, Ignacio.

Concert in the Plaza: Rob Webster’s One Man Band, 6

ter Music, 1316 Main Ave., Suite C.

Toast and jazz jelly

Friday Nights: Terry Rickard,

Park, 1250 Main Ave.

Kirk James Band at Stillwater Blues Camp, 6 p.m., Stillwa-

Courtesy of www.eldergrown.com

p.m., $150, Purgatory Resort, 1 Skier Place, 247-9000.

tain Studies Institute, 679 East Second Ave.

Ranch, 589 County Road 252.

»» Eldergrown

Pops Night: The Magical Music of Henry Mancini, 5:30

Three Springs Plaza, 175 Mercado St., 764-6000.

Summer pickers circle on the river, 3 p.m., White Rabbit

Kids Summer Reading Program: Family Read Aloud Hour, 6 p.m., Pine River Library, 395

Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Classic Movie Mondays, 7 p.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 884-2222.

Tuesday Roll e-bike demo days, 10

a.m., Lake Nighthorse, 1795 County Road 210.

Baby story time, 2 p.m., Durango

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

Music in the Mountains: The Angel, 7 p.m., $22-$42, St. Columba

Catholic Church, 1800 East Second Ave. Wailin’ Jennys, 7:30 p.m., $34$48, Fort Lewis College, Community Concert Hall, 1000 Rim Drive.

Wednesday Story Hour, 10 a.m., James Ranch Terraces, 33846 U.S. Highway 550.

Wee Summer Reading Program, 10 a.m., Pine River Library,

395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Wee Walk with Durango Nature Studies, 10 a.m., $0-$5, Me-

morial Park, 2901 East Third Ave.

Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St.

Old Fort Farm Stand, 1 p.m., Fort Lewis College, Student Union, 1000 Rim Drive.

Black Velvet Duo, 5 p.m., Dou-

J-Calvin’s Funk Express, 5

bleTree Hotel, Animas River Cafe, 501 Camino del Rio, 259-6580.

p.m., $10, Rochester Hotel, 734 East Second Ave.

Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 4031200.

Hammers and High Heels, 7 p.m., $25, Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., 247-5792.

Pete Giuliani, 5 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio.

Friday

Ben Gibson, 7 p.m., Sky Ute Casino Resort, Seven Rivers Steakhouse, 14324 Highway 172, Ignacio.

go Community Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave., 375-7300.

Music in the Mountains: Baba Yaga, 7 p.m., $25-$56,

Liver Down the River and StillHouse Junkies, 9:30 p.m.,

Laugh Therapy, 7:30 p.m., Irish

Open Enrollment and Community Resource Fair, 8 a.m.,

Tri-County Head Start, 1315 Main Ave. Preschool story time, 10:30

a.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 375-3380.

Kids Summer Reading Program: Caregiver Cafe, 11 a.m.,

Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 884-2222.

Teen Summer Reading Program: Magic the Gathering Day, noon, Pine River Library, 395

$12-$15, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.

Sunday

Ongoing

Adult coloring and afternoon tea, 3 p.m., White Rabbit

Henry Stoy plays piano at 11 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday at Jean-Pierre Bakery and Wine Bar, 601 Main

Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Music in the Mountains: Wanderer Fantasy, 7 p.m., $25-

Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield, 8842222.

$56, Purgatory Resort, 1 Skier Place, 247-9000.

LEGO Club, 1 p.m., Durango Public

Cool beans

Library, 1900 East Third Ave., 3753380.

Monday

Warm up your underhand for the highly-competitive, serious game of cornhole at Durango Brewing Co. Show up early to the monthly tournament to get your name on the list and a beer or two in your belly to enhance your handeye coordination.

Screen-free playtime in the garden, 2 p.m., White Rabbit

Books and Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. Patrick Crossing, 5 p.m., Irish

Free health seminar: hand and wrist pain, 6:30 p.m., Duran-

Purgatory Resort, 1 Skier Place, 2479000.

Details: July 21, tickets start at $35, 6 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, 14324 Hwy 172, Ignacio, skyutecasino.com

Details: July 25, free, 6 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave., durangobrewing.com

32nd St.

Ave. Old west stage shows are held at 5:30 p.m. nightly throughout the summer at Bar D Chuckwagon, 8080

Summer grief program for kids, 9 a.m., $200, Durango Arts

County Road 250. Cost is $12-$38 and reservations are preferred. To reserve, visit www.bardchuckwagon. com.

Center, 802 East Second Ave., 2592606.

Submissions

Wee Summer Reading Program, 10 a.m., Pine River Library,

Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 4031200.

395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield.

Music in the Mountains

$10-$12, Red Scarf Studio, 121 W.

Social dance lessons, 6 p.m.,

Submit events for the next week online by noon Monday at www.swscene.com.

DGO publishes events online and in print every Thursday.

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To advertise in DGO Deals contact us at 970-247-3504 20 | Thursday, July 19, 2018 • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

That’s OK. These are important issues.

You feel uncertain about your goals, which makes you resentful about group pressures. It’s OK to have second thoughts about things. It’s a changing world!

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22)

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You thought you knew what you wanted with your career and life direction, but lately you’re not sure. Mars is retrograde at the top of your chart, and that shakes things up.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You’re excited to learn new things.

However, part of you wonders if you’re being brainwashed. You’re not. You’re just checking things out.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

It was clear how you wanted to handle shared property and inheritances, but now you’re having second thoughts.

Mars opposite your sign all summer makes you annoyed with partners. You either can be grumpy this summer or patient and happy. It’s your choice.

(Happy sounds better.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Don’t worry if you feel confused about your job now. One moment you’re turned on, and the next you’re turned off. That’s the story for the entire summer!

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) You have vacation ideas and party plans that are exciting. Then suddenly they don’t appeal to you, and you want to change your mind. That’s OK. It happens. Ditto for romance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) This summer, you are undecided about

certain situations at home or within the family. One day you know what you want, then the next day, you change your mind. This is not insane; it’s human nature. Relax.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) You can expect to be unsure about some financial plans this summer. One moment you’re gung-ho, and then the next moment, you’re second-guessing things.

November. Don’t worry if in the middle of feeling like you know what you’re doing, you suddenly question everything.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) If you believe in something, you can make it a reality. However, this summer, you will question some of the things you believe in. Don’t worry – many feel this way as well.

BORN THIS WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You are optimistic, idealistic and have a natural grace about you. You also have a good sense of humor. It’s time to clarify your goals because exciting changes await you this year. Take the initiative!

What you begin now will unfold in the future because this is the beginning of a new cycle. Your physical strength will increase this year. Bonus!

Your confidence is challenged this summer, and this will continue until

© 2018 King Features Syndicate Inc.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) This is a tricky summer. At times you are confident, and then suddenly you are privately wondering what you’re really doing. That’s normal. Mars is in retrograde.

Slammin’ ’70s Breaking up the band The Beatles called it quits in 1970, just a month after the release of “Let it Be.” Many blame Yoko Ono for dissolving the world’s greatest band, but Paul McCartney was quoted saying John Lennon was definitely going to leave and even gave Ono credit for the inspiration of “Imagine.”

Gay rights gaining steam On the first anniversary of the violent Stonewall raid, activists walked in the Gay Liberation Day march in New York City in 1970. By 1971, gay rights groups had formed across the country.

The greatest place on Earth Disney World opened in 1971. The price of admission was $3.50, about $100 cheaper than it is today.

Big ol’ wang Porn went mainstream when “Deep Throat” hit the silver screen and made $3 million in the first six months after its release. The movie title later became the pseudonym for the whistle blower in the Watergate scandal.

Can not compute The very first home computer was released by Apple in 1977, marking the start of the digital age we navigate today.

22 | Thursday, July 19, 2018 • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[advice]

Life Hax | Carolyn Hax

Boyfriend is mad I dated my brother-in-law’s brother I have been dating my boyfriend for about a year and a half. Things have been going well but recently he began expressing to me that he was uncomfortable about the fact that nine years ago, I used to date the brother of my nowbrother-in-law (through my sister’s marriage).

My boyfriend said he is uncomfortable being around him at family events. It was a serious relationship at the time – we lived together – but both of us have more than moved on since then and even hung out as friends on multiple occasions.

My sister’s husband comes from a pretty fractured family and his brother is really all he has. Also, my sister is very close with her brother-in-law.

My boyfriend has not had many relationships and I’m not sure he has had many encounters with exes. I would like to keep up our family traditions, such as Sunday family dinners, which the brother and his girlfriend of three or four years attend. He and his girlfriend don’t seem to mind about our past at all.

How do I handle this?

M. With a more mature boyfriend or a time machine.

You handle this by not budging, in the kindest and unbudgingest possible way.

Because you can’t budge – not without straining two families and setting a terrible precedent for ceding control of the guest list for your own life.

If nothing sketchy is going on between you and the ex, then the onus is on your boyfriend to accept that your ex has a valid place at your table – and if something sketchy IS happening, then the onus is on him to break up with you, not assume control of the men you’re allowed to see.

Your boyfriend may well be new to this whole dating thing and its complexities, but that’s grounds for sympathy – not license to bust up Sunday dinner.

He’s also not new to you or to this situation. What changed?

Whatever the reason: Let him know you understand it might be awkward for someone in his position, but, this is your family configuration. If he’s not comfortable with his relationship with you, then you and he need to deal with its issues on their own merits. If he is comfortable, then trusting that will help him get used to this little joke fate chose to play. As you all got used to it yourselves, remind him. Presumably there was

an adjustment period at the time for everyone involved?

You adjusted, though, because it was a take-orleave situation – accept it or excuse yourself from your family as you know it – and it is one now for your boyfriend, and will be for anyone you date as long as he is part of your sister’s life. Tell him so, take or leave, and that you’ll help him find ways to take it. Within those bounds, of course, of not budging an inch.

I have a “friend” that will email and invite me to lunch and then add, “By the way I’m cycling for charity, please contribute,” and then she never follows through regarding the lunch. Once, we actually made a date for lunch and then she said, “I’ll call you that morning and let you know if it still works for me!” and I never heard from her the day we had scheduled the lunch. I asked her and her fiance to join my husband and me for dinner and she said, “Great idea! I’ll get back to you when things aren’t so hectic,” and 10 months went by without a word.

Although there was a time when this person and I were close and spent time together, obviously this is no longer a friendship, and I have decided not to accept this behavior from her again.

There is a strong possibility that I am going to run into her around town. What can I kindly say to let her know that I’m done with her without being snarky?

K. Why do you need to tell her anything? The friendship is over, there are no plans being made that you need to break, and if she ever invites you to something, then you already know she doesn’t mean it so it doesn’t matter whether you reply yes, no, maybe, or not at all.

The only thing left to do is to exist in this reality instead of the alternative one where you thought you might someday, eventually, have lunch.

If the opportunity arises naturally for you to say something, or if it’s important to you to tie off the ends, then by all means, say what has been on your mind: “You haven’t followed through on plans for X months/years, so I took that as a choice not to see me.” But that’s something you do for you, not to please her or abide by some unwritten rule.

I’m engaged to a wonderful man, “Jim,” and we’re planning our wedding. We just booked a

gorgeous inn and I am going to wear a stunning full-length white dress. We’ll also be having a sit-down dinner with band and dancing for the reception.

I’m in my 30s and Jim is in his 40s, and we are paying, so no one else really has any say in this, but since it’s my third wedding and his second, we’re catching a surprising amount of flak from both our families.

Is there some kind of limit to how many big weddings you’re “allowed” to have? My mom and his sisters are acting like we’re violating some unwritten rule.

This isn’t a gift grab since we’re planning to indicate “no gifts necessary.” I asked my mom if she had doubts about me and Jim but she insists it’s the wedding, and even said, “Enough with the big weddings.” We can fully afford this nice but not too elaborate wedding, so why all the grief? Are they living in the past or have we made some kind of awful goof?

Engaged I’m going with “neither.” They’re not living in the past and you’re not making some awful goof.

Chances are both parties are acting on some unspoken internal doubts: They’re concerned you’ve learned nothing from Jim 1 and Jim 2 and are forging ahead as if it’s a do-over, and you’re concerned you won’t be taken seriously because you’ve been here before.

If that’s the case, then my advice is – for you, and for your family too if they’re watching – to reckon with your own stuff as needed emotionally instead of fighting a proxy war through the wedding.

By that I mean, you resolve any doubts you have about (this) marriage head-on, not through event planning; and your families reckon privately with their concerns versus channeling them through canape-carping.

If you’re confident you’re doing what’s right for you in marrying Jim, then celebrate how you want to. And feel free to say to your critics, “We’re happy. We’re celebrating. I hope you’ll join us.” No further discussion necessary.

Carolyn Hax is a syndicated advice columnist for The Washington Post. She started her advice column in 1997, after five years as a copy editor and news editor in Style and none as a therapist. Email her at tellme@washpost. com.

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