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FREE CHICO’S NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE VOLUME 47, ISSUE 4 OCTOBER 5–NOVEMBER 1, 2023 CHICO.NEWSREVIEW.COM

FALL

Arts

Art season

Open Studios, Chikoko and the Witch’s Market showcase local artists this fall

LAMALFA’S CLIMATE

BATTLING HATE CRIMES

REGGAE DJ’S NEPAL ROOTS

BEST OF CHICO

Winners’ Issue

See special pull-out section

MODERN WESTERNS

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INSIDE CN&R

Vol. 47, Issue 4 • Oct. 5–Nov. 1, 2023

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Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Editor’s Note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Guest Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Second & Flume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Streetalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

NEWSLINES

Briefed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 State funds help organizations battling hate crimes . . . . . . . . . . 8

FEATURE

It’s art season in Chico

ARTS & CULTURE

October events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 & 24 Reel World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Brezsny’s Astrology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ON THE COVER: WITCHES SAMANTHA ZANGRILLI AND SIENNA ORLANDO-LALAGUNA PHOTO BY MEAGAN HELLER DESIGN & PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TINA FLYNN

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OPINION

Send guest comments, 300 words maximum, to gc@newsreview.com or to P.O. Box 56, Chico, CA 95927. Please include photo & short bio.

EDITORIAL

EDITOR’S NOTE

Congressional waste threat to the United States, we cringed Lwhenan existential we saw a recent viral clip of Rep. Doug LaMalfa

ike the majority of Americans who believe climate change poses

making a fool out of himself on the subject. It’s one thing when the North State congressman spews ignorance in the press releases he sends to his supporters or during his infrequent local appearances. But it’s another thing entirely when the Richvale rice farmer embarrasses his entire District 1 constituency. That’s exactly what took place when he made a snarky comment to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during a September congressional committee meeting. Buttigieg was speaking on the importance of mitigating climate change, and LaMalfa’s retort was to deny it even exists: “This climate change right now is called autumn,” he said. To his credit, Buttigieg didn’t roll his eyes or sigh, like we would have, despite LaMalfa’s comment or the fact that he was rude throughout their exchanges. To wit: LaMalfa had repeatedly asked the Biden appointee questions, only to interrupt while the man attempted to answer them. Instead, Buttigieg simply stated the obvious. “Yeah, that’s the season changing, which, respectfully, is not the same thing as the climate changing.” Following that ridiculous back and forth, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Marin) responded indirectly to LaMalfa during his comments to Buttigieg: “You can see that I serve here in Congress with some of the greatest minds of the 19th century.”

by Jason Cassidy j a s o n c @ n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

It was a pretty sick burn. But true to form, LaMalfa can dish it out but can’t take it. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, following the meeting, LaMalfa’s office canceled plans to work with Huffman on a measure to support a Forest Service program designed to clean up environmental damage on federal lands due to illegal marijuana grows and their associated use of toxic chemicals. The plan had been to add the so-called TOXIC Act (H.R. 1473) to the pending farm bill, critical legislation that requires reauthorization every five years. LaMalfa’s team delivered that news to Huffman by way of a stunt, arriving at his office bedecked in coonskin hats and handing over the message on a crudely made scroll. Notably, the farm bill is the same piece of legislation that includes funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), aka food stamps, as well as subsidies for farmers. LaMalfa has a history of attempting to cut food stamps for low-income Americans, including the high percentage of impoverished citizens in his district, while supporting government assistance for himself and other wealthy farmers in the form of agricultural subsidies. Indeed, LaMalfa and his family have received more than $5.5 million in federal ag welfare, making the congressman perhaps the fattest fat cat in Congress and a top contender for biggest hypocrite as well. He’d do well to zip his lips. Ω

LETTERS Gratitude and empathy Re: Editorial: “Another Paradise Burns” (Sept. 7, 2023) The editorial is much appreciated for your sensitivity to those of us who survived the Nov. 8, 2018, fire in Paradise. Many of us can relate to the stresses of the survivors and families of the Maui fire. Betty Lusina Chico

Food Insecurity U I am a senior student in the Social Work program at Chico State. With Chico being a college town, the struggles with poverty and food insecurity that college students face is a known fact in our area. Having CalFresh to use myself, 4

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

before the drop of the emergency allotments I was able to work freely and buy enough groceries to last me a month. But with the amount dropping from $200 to only $20 now, I can barely buy enough groceries to last me a week— and I know I am speaking for my fellow peers as well when I say this. With college students facing a different set of special eligibility rules, many don’t qualify. For those who do, by only receiving an amount as low as $20 a month, many faced with food insecurity decide not to sign up because it is not worth the work. Knowing the poverty rates of college students, why is there such complex rules for them? Our county needs to find a better way to increase the amount of aid to at least $100 or $150 so those who need

he services can buy enough food to last them a month. Wang Thao Chico

Corrections: In the September Best of Chico feature (Sept. 7, 2023): The incorrect address/phone number was listed for second place pediatrician. Dr. Tedford is currently at Northern Valley Indian Health, 1515 Springfield Drive, Ste. 175, 781-1440. The incorrect address was listed for first place eye care specialist North Valley Eye Care, which is now at 1700 Bruce Road. The incorrect phone number was LETTERS C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7

September ends Last month, one of those “Your Memories” posts showed up on my Facebook feed. It was a picture of me with my band, Viking Skate Country, sharing the stage at the Sierra Nevada Big Room with the small orchestra of the Uncle Dad’s Art Collective. The pic was taken in September 2017 during an event called Small Town, Big Sound, a community production with Uncle Dad’s backing the original songs of local artists. I clicked through some memories from that evening and was stopped by a photo of backup singer Jenise Coon standing next to me—and belting out the song with gusto. It is such a beautiful image—captured by man-on-the-scene Ken Pordes—of a performer lost in the moment. It’s a fantastic memory, and a heart-crushing one for anyone who knew Jenise, who died Sept. 15, 2020, and is greatly missed. Despite experiencing one of the most gratifying performances of my musical life, that September weekend is bittersweet for more than one reason. At the time, my house was filled with mourners. My nephew Brady had died suddenly the week before, and we were a collective wreck as we tackled the incomprehensible. I sneaked out of the house to play the show. It felt wrong to tell anyone. Back on Facebook, I clicked on a video link of the performance. The song we played is a cathartic tune called “Distortion,” and as I re-listened I remembered that I’d written it as a tribute to Shae, the daughter of my friend/drummer Robert Smith. Our band was born one night as Robbie and I sat by a backyard bonfire and talked music and about Shae’s untimely death at the hands of a drunken driver the year before (Sept. 30, 2014). The very first notes Robbie and I played during our initial jam would end up being the first notes of “Distortion,” a song about how life can completely change with one decision. This September narrative flooded through me recently as I sat bawling at my computer, trying to finish writing a eulogy for my sweet, badass nephew Drew, who died in May and whose life we celebrated on Sept. 3. The grieving has only begun. And that’s why I’m writing this here. I gotta grieve. Everyone does. In my efforts to try and figure out how, I have spent some time reading through the Red Hand Files, a website of conversations with fans by one of my heroes, Nick Cave. The Australian musician has written much on the subject in the wake of the deaths of two of his sons in the past decade, including this: It seems to me, that if we love, we grieve. That’s the deal. That’s the pact. Grief and love are forever intertwined. Grief is the reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable. That is just so beautifully said, and for me it’s been so helpful. The way I’m choosing to look at it, when things get dark, grieving these—and many other—recent losses will keep me connected and keep the love alive.

Jason Cassidy is editor of the Chico News & Review

GUEST COMMENT

Tuition hikes would be unjust budget shortfalls and COVID aid in W the rearview mirror, the time has come for

ith rising costs of housing, costs for food,

educational institutions to start looking for new ways to finance their operations. And no matter how predictable, it’s surprising to see that this time it’s the California State University system ready to ask students to pay up. CSU has increased tuition only once in the last 11 years, which has by cemented the system’s Isaac Alferos reputation as one of (for CalMatters) the state’s most desired options for baccalaureate Isaac Alferos is a programs. While the higher education university budget faces equity researcher and a $1.5 billion gap, an community organizer. CalMatters is an indeannual tuition increase pendent public journal- risks pushing out more ism venture covering low-income students and California state politics widening equity gaps for and government. For Black students. more info, visit Increases in tuition calmatters.org.

today will further threaten a growing population of students coming to Cal State. And though CSU remains the most affordable option for students looking for a four-year degree, it’s still too expensive. A 2022 report by Community Engagement for College Success Network noted that 40 percent of CSU students worry about affordability—by far their largest concern. Even though a large population of students receive grants and institutional aid to help lower costs, it’s not enough, and this inflating cost of attendance is no doubt impacted by California’s overall affordability crisis. But it’s important to note that the basic-needs crisis this creates leaves many students unable to fully invest in their own education. A system-wide report found that 41 percent of students face food insecurity and 10 percent of students experience homelessness in any given year. Turning around to ask students to pay more for their education when it is already leaving students struggling to feed and house themselves is simply a cruel jest. If that weren’t enough, being able to GUEST COMMENT C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7

OCTOBER 5, 2023

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SECOND & FLUME

Find us online c h i c o . n e w s r e v i e w.c o m

C H I C O ’ S

by Melissa Daugherty m e l i s s a d @ n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

Fall

N E W S & E N T E R T A I N M E N T S O U R C E

I moved to the North State in the late-’90s, but somehow I still haven’t acclimated to the heat. Every summer, I count down the days till fall and obsessively check the seven-day forecast. But I don’t stop at Chico. In fact, most of the time, I’m actually more interested in the temps elsewhere, particularly in places that hold special meaning in my life. I have roughly a dozen locations saved in my phone’s weather app, and I often scroll through them and woefully recite the numbers to my husband. “It’s 64 degrees in Albion,” I note, longingly. A beach there is where he proposed to me 15 years ago. “It’s 75 in Moorpark,” I say. That’s where he grew up. “It’s 72 in Palo Alto,” I point out. We take our son to Stanford for medical care. A few friends who’ve spent their entire lives in the Chico area tell me to lean into the heat. Some claim to enjoy the triple digits, which makes me wonder if long-term exposure has fried their brains. I don’t care what they say, summers here are oppressive. The sweat. The stench. The heaviness that envelopes the region like an electric blanket. Most days, I feel smothered, as though I’m gasping for air. Sleep eludes me. I’ve tried to trick myself into enjoying the season, but that’s hard to do when it’s 80 degrees at dawn. When I start the day feeling like burnt toast, I tend to stay cranky, even in air conditioning. Sometimes I question whether I even belong here. Where I grew up, in the East Bay, our house didn’t need A/C. In the summer months, we’d simply open our windows at night to let the cool breezes inside, then close everything up during the day. That would never work in the North State. Each May, when it starts heating up, I hope that the approaching season will be different. That maybe, just maybe, I’ll finally enjoy a North State summer. But in 25 years, that’s never happened. Instead, the same cycle repeats itself: I suffer and loathe it. By late-June, I feel like a plum that’s fallen to the ground and is slowly withering away. A month later, I’m just a prune. It’s like reverse seasonal depression. The kind that comes with too much daylight. One of the things that gets me through mentally is booking a coastal vacation for the peak of Chico heat. I’m no sadist, but there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with sitting by the sea and hearing everyone back home complain about the weather. After we return, I get a compulsion to call a real estate agent. By now, it’s August. “Time to put the house on the market,” I say in this imaginary conversation. “We’re moving to the beach!” But then I think about what a pain it’ll be to get the house ready to sell. Plus, I’m busy preparing for my kid’s return to school. And just about the time he starts settling into a routine, it’s late September. Finally, the tell-tales of fall have arrived: Nighttime temps drop to the 50s and daytime highs dip to the 70s. I look around and see my neighbors’ house fully decorated for Halloween. I find myself breathing deeply again. Sleep comes with more ease. I think about the fact that I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life, including my hometown. Then I remember that I met the love of my life in Chico, tied the knot out in the orchards of Hamilton City, and gave birth to my son up in Paradise. Suddenly I realize the North State isn’t so bad after all. For eight months of the year, I actually quite love it.

Melissa Daugherty is editor-at-large for the Chico News & Review 6

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

STREETALK

What’s your personal motto? Asked in downtown Chico

Megan Kurtz university employee

Be nice, eat good food and have fun. It’s from the philosophy of leisure.

Austin Mcclaine construction project engineer

Always do more than people ask you to.

Anna Diertuemefel

GUEST COMMENT C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5

afford a degree exacerbates existing equity gaps that plague CSU. Reportedly, 76 percent of Black graduates within the system leave with debt compared to 46 percent for their white peers. Adding this to the reports of Cal State obscuring Black student data to hide the reality that Black graduation rates have maintained a 20 percent gap below white students over a 15-year span begs the question: Why did this year’s Black Student Success report fail to reference affordability or transparent data in its recommendations? The reality is the system is already struggling to substantively support Black students, with Black student enrollment struggling to push past 4 percent. As graduation and retention rates maintain their respective gaps, it’s clear that a tuition increase will only place more obstacles in front of Black students. I have a deep love for Cal State. It’s not because of its structure or history or governance, but because of what CSU really is: extraordinary faculty, staff and students collectively committing to the just cause of building educational opportunities for communities where education historically failed. With this in mind, it’s hard to see the direction CSU is going as being aligned with the steps needed to rectify the existing crises, helping create affordable, equitable, quality education. Like many CSU students, I found myself outside the dated perspective of what a “traditional” student is. And though I am fortunate to come from a family of proud Black Cal State grads, I’m scared I could be the last in my family to call CSU home. Ω

student

Every day’s a new day. Even if yesterday was bad, I just go in with an open mind.

J’me Reeves restaurant server

LETTERS

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4

listed for video production winner Metric Cosmetics. Their number is 516-316-5182. The wrong website was posted for second place esthetician/waxing studio winner Skincare by Christan Allison. The address should have been instagram.com/christan.allison. All information has been updated online.

Stay happy!

Write a letter Tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@newsreview.com. Deadline for November 2 print publication is October 23. OCTOBER 5, 2023

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NEWSLINES BRIEFED COMMUNITY RESOURCES/ACTION BREAST CANCER RESOURCE FAIR: Meet and greet with Enloe providers, plus information on prostheses, lymphedema resources, community connections and support services. Oct. 5, 4-6pm. Enloe Breast Imaging, 251 Cohasset Road, Ste. 260. CHICO PEACE ENDEAVOR VIGIL: Join peace and social-justice advocates at the corner of Third and Main streets every Saturday, 12:301:30pm. facebook.com/ChicoPeaceVigil

FLU CLINIC: Community clinic sponsored by Enloe Medical Center. Oct. 9, 7am. Elk’s Lodge, 1705 Manzanita Ave. FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION: The SCCAC holds free food distributions every second and fourth Saturday. Sat, 10/14 & 10/28, 2pm. South Chico Community Assistance Center, 1805 Park Ave. southchicocac.org MAGALIA RESOURCE CENTER: Food, clothes, and household items distributed Thursdays and Saturdays. Donations of non-perishable food and small household items accepted. Magalia Community Church, 13700 & 13734 Old Skyway. 530-877-7963.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUTTE COUNTY SUPERVISORS: Meetings are normally held the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Visit site for posted agenda as well as current meeting calendar. Tue, 10/10 & 10/24, 9am. Butte County Board of Supervisors Chamber, 25 County Center Drive, Oroville. buttecounty.net CHICO PLANNING COMMISSION: The commission normally meets first and third Thursdays. Agendas are posted to the web the previous Friday. Thu, 10/5 & 10/19. City Council Chambers, 421 Main St. chico.ca.us CHICO CITY COUNCIL MEETING: The City Council meets on every first and third Tuesday of the month. Agendas, minutes and video archives are available at chico.ca.us/agendas-minutes. Tue, 10/3 & 10/17, 6pm. City Council Chambers, 421 Main St. chico.ca.us OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Council normally meets first and third Tuesdays. Check site for latest agenda. Tue, 10/3 & 10/17, 4:30pm. Oroville City Council Chambers, 1735 Montgomery St. cityoforoville.org PARADISE TOWN COUNCIL: The town council normally meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Check site for agenda. Tue, 10/10, 6pm. Paradise Town Hall, 5555 Skyway. townofparadise.com 8

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

Fighting hate in the state California responds to dramatic rise in incidents with increased funding for prevention and support spending to more than $200 million since Cprevent in grants to local organizations that help 2021, more than any other state, advocates hate crimes or support survivors, say. (The latest round of funding includes alifornia recently awarded $91 million

part of an unprecedented effort to combat hate in a state that saw a 20 percent increase in by such crimes in 2022. Felicia Mello Despite its profe l i c i a @ gressive reputation, ca l m at te r s .o rg California last year reported steep increases in hate crimes against About this story: transgender people (up It was produced 55 percent), Muslims by CalMatters, an independent public (up 39 percent) and journalism venture Black people (up 27 covering California percent), according to state politics and the Attorney General’s government. For more info, visit office. calmatters.org. That growth outpaced similar hate growth trends in 42 major cities, according to a soon to be released study by Cal State San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. The state’s latest Stop the Hate grants bring its non-law enforcement anti-hate

$200,000 awarded to the Chico Area Interfaith Council.) The grants will go to more than 170 community groups at a time when the state is experiencing a steady clip in high-profile hate incidents—from the August murder of a Southern California store owner who flew a rainbow flag, and the recent evacuation of an Oakland elementary school after a racist bomb threat, to the fiery debates over rights of transgender students at various school boards. California in the past year created a commission to study the state of hate and set up a hotline for people to report incidents to its Civil Rights Department. The state also put together a team of mediators to address conflicts in communities.

‘Swap meet of hate’ Both Sacramento and Los Angeles saw record levels of hate crimes in 2022, according to the study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, which independently

analyzes data from local law enforcement agencies. Researchers say that while the state’s reported hate crime numbers appear to be dipping slightly in 2023, the upcoming presidential election is likely to turn up the temperature even more. “We are very concerned about an increase next year,” said Brian Levin, a study author and member of the 9-monthold Commission on the State of Hate. He told fellow commissioners last month: “Mainstream politics has gotten not only more tribal, but also more bigoted.” Levin said in an interview with CalMatters that hate crimes historically rise in response to political speech and current events. But in recent years such spikes have lasted longer, such as when anti-Black crimes remained elevated months after 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests. Social media provides “a 24-7 swap meet of hate,” he said. “We’re having a significant increase in hate crimes, and hate crimes are getting more violent. But we’re also having more reporting, particularly in certain areas.” Hate crimes are notoriously difficult to

Left: Janice Xiong’s watercolor, “Love Unites” was the winner in a 2019 contest by the Chico Area Interfaith Council. The council was recently awarded a $200,000 grant as part of California’s Stop the Hate initiative.

track. Survivors often don’t report them, and local law enforcement agencies vary in how well they monitor them and how much they report to state and federal authorities. California’s grants aim to help reduce or respond to hate crimes, and to incidents that may not rise to the level of a crime but nevertheless take a toll on an individual or community.

Anti-transgender hate Terra Russell-Slavin, chief impact officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, said that center is receiving more hate mail than in the past and recently experienced a credible bomb threat. “There definitely is increased fear Somali Family Service, one of the groups receiving state anti-hate money, hosted immigrant families, refugees and asylum seekers at a resource fair in San Diego in September. PHOTO BY KRISTIAN CARREON (FOR CALMATTERS)

among the community,” she said, adding that the rise in reported hate crimes against transgender people, while troubling, is not surprising. “This is part of a nationally coordinated attack against our community, and it’s very much targeted at transgender people and particularly trans youth issues,” she said, adding that anti-transgender rhetoric by elected officials “has been field-tested, and frankly it feels like attacking the transgender community is helping rally their base.” Equality California, an LGBTQ civil rights organization, received a wave of phone calls at the start of pride festival season from people organizing such events in small towns wondering if it was safe, said program director Erin Arendse. Equality California is using its $630,000 state grant to create a rapid response network that can send staff and resources to local communities when issues arise— such as when a school board is deciding on policies that would out transgender students or ban rainbow flags in classrooms. “We want to make sure they understand these policies,” Arendse

said, “both in terms of how it impacts an individual student and how it turns up the temperature of anti transgender and LGBTQ sentiment and indicates that it’s OK to discriminate against this group of people.”

Black Californians most often affected In California and nationwide, Black people and communities are the most frequent target of reported hate crimes, data show. Black people represented 6 percent of California’s population but about 30 percent of its reported hate crime victims in 2022, according to the Attorney General’s office. Yet organizations focused on the Black community appear to be receiving a fraction of the grants the state is disbursing. One group, the Black Youth Leadership Project in Elk Grove, a Sacramento suburb, will use its Stop the Hate funds to provide mental health services—from art therapy to support groups—to Black children who experience racism in school, said Lorreen Pryor, its president. The organization often medi-

ates between schools and outraged parents, advocating for administrators to take parents’ concerns seriously. School bias can range from a teacher using the N-word in class to a Black student being disciplined for behavior that is tolerated from other students, she said. She added she was surprised to discover that hers was the only Black-led group on a conference call of organizations consulting on the state’s hate hotline. “We have to focus on the group that is most impacted, and that happens to be Black people,” Pryor said. “And until they do that, it’s all for naught.”

Early focus on anti-Asian hate California originally created the Stop the Hate grants in response to a surge in anti-Asian hate incidents reported during the Covid-19 pandemic. The coalition Stop AAPI Hate has documented more than 11,000 such incidents nationwide since 2020. Gov. Newsom signed the Asian Pacific Islander Equity budget in 2021 funding the grants at the urging of the state’s Asian American and

Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. Early grants primarily went to organizations serving that community. The state broadened its most recent round of grants to fund organizations that reflect California’s diversity, said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance, the lead organization distributing grants in the Los Angeles region. (The California Department of Social Services awards the grants.) California’s declining Black population may have depressed the number of Black-led organizations applying for and receiving funding, Kulkarni said. Some grants will address workplace hate. The NAACP’s California Hawaii State Conference is sponsoring legal consultations for people experiencing discrimination on the job or in housing. And San Francisco-based PRC, which helps Black transgender women reenter the workforce, is using its grant to make a film about its clients’ quest to overcome stigma and find jobs. Another documentary, produced by teen filmmakers, will chronicle the impact of hate crimes on immigrant and refugee communities in San Diego. Somali Family Service, the non-profit spearheading the project, said it could empower other refugee communities and inspire policymakers to think about solutions. Most Middle Eastern and North African teenagers the organization serves have experienced or witnessed hate incidents, said Rachel Evans, the group’s youth program manager. Many tell her they stay home from school on September 11, hoping to avoid the racist and antiMuslim taunts that have come from students, teachers and administrators on that day. “Many of these youth were not even born when 9/11 happened and they’re experiencing this unjust, ridiculous blame,” said Evans. “They don’t feel welcome in the country based on something that has nothing to do with them.”

Inspiring victims to report hate California’s hotline offers people who have experienced hate incidents an opportunity to report them, whether or not the incidents were NEWSLINES C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 0 OCTOBER 5, 2023

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crimes. From its launch in May through the end of August, it has received 361 calls, said the Civil Rights Department, which runs it. One goal is to reach Californians who are reluctant to contact police or who live in remote areas with few community groups to turn to, department officials said. Callers can learn about the reporting process, file a civil rights complaint, and access counseling, legal services and other support. Hong Lee knows from experience how important such support can be. Three years ago, while standing in line at a restaurant, Lee turned down a man’s offer of a lunch date and he began yelling anti-Asian and sexist slurs at her. Lee captured the incident on video but a responding police officer called it “normal” and refused to take a report, she said. A month later Lee realized she was experiencing post-traumatic stress. “I wasn’t sleeping at night, just staring up at the ceiling,” she said. “I was in complete denial that I needed help at first.” A friend connected her with LA vs Hate, a Los Angeles-based precursor of the state’s hotline. It helped her get mental health counseling. Lorreen Pryor, president of the Black Youth Leadership Project, said her group was the only Black-led organization on a conference call about the state’s anti-hate hotline. PHOTO BY RAHUL LAL (FOR CALMATTERS)

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

“Mainstream politics has gotten not only more tribal, but also more bigoted .... Social media provides a 24-7 swap meet of hate. We’re having a significant increase in hate crimes, and hate crimes are getting more violent.” —Brian Levin, member of the Commission on the State of Hate

Now Lee works with other hate incident survivors and has started a nonprofit organization, Seniors Fight Back, that provides selfdefense classes to elderly Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Her group is not getting a state grant. Often people at her classes share that they’ve been physically assaulted, she said, and Lee encourages them to report it, saying that in her case, several other victims recognized the man in her video and he ultimately faced hate crime charges from another incident. Still, she said, many are reluctant to report. One woman in a self-defense class said she had been assaulted on public transit. “She had bruises all over her body, but she didn’t want to tell anybody about it,” Lee said. “Two years later, she’s still inside her apartment, because she’s afraid to go outside.” The Attorney General’s report

said anti-Asian hate crimes fell in California by 43 percent in 2022 but they’re still far above pre-pandemic levels. While scapegoating Asian Americans for the pandemic has receded nationally, anxiety about the economy and the U.S. relationship with China are driving other forms of anti-Asian racism, Kulkarni said. She cited Florida’s new law that bars Chinese citizens from owning property in much of that state. Microaggressions still are a common experience among Los Angeles’ Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, Kulkarni said, citing a state-funded study her group is conducting, but people are reporting declines in trauma symptoms when they speak out about their experiences. The AAPI Equity Alliance plans to use the study’s findings to launch support groups for Korean, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino and

Japanese Americans in January. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice is using a state grant to build alliances among various ethnic communities to tackle issues that affect all of them, such as safety on public transit and within public housing complexes. Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, a coalition member, said they’re asking public housing residents such questions as “Would you like to have escorts when you’re running errands? Would you like more opportunities to get to know your neighbors?” “Safety is a concern for all communities, and it’s the one rallying point for residents and neighbors to come together around,” Choi said. “If we don’t tend to people’s basic needs being met, we are going to continue to see harm happen, whether it’s racially motivated or due to other factors.”

Community conflict resolutions To help with that progress, the state’s new strike team of trained mediators will provide “immediate, on-the-ground intervention to avoid violence and to reduce tension in something that is live, something that is happening,” said Kevin Kish, director of the Civil Rights Department. That could mean stepping in after a hate incident to help community members and law enforcement respond or it could mean helping a city council or school board prepare for a contentious meeting, he said. “Nobody takes a class on how to deal with difficult public meetings,” he said. “People don’t know what to do and sometimes they make mistakes. Part of the value of this program is talking to folks in advance to make a plan for what might happen and how they’re going to respond.” The mediators are trained in both civil rights and government. They began working together in October, officials said, declining to discuss details of specific cases. Meanwhile the state’s

Sign at 2020 Black Lives Matter protest. PHOTO BY CLAY BANKS

Commission on the State of Hate is monitoring hate activity and hosting public forums. Consisting of activists, researchers, community leaders and law enforcement representatives appointed by the governor and Legislature, it’s required to issue annual reports and to recommend solutions. Will all this effort actually reduce hate in California? Researchers say that just as bigoted comments by public officials can fuel crimes, when government leaders take strong stands against hate, such incidents decrease. The Stop the Hate funding to community groups is part of a threeyear plan, however it’s unclear whether lawmakers will choose to renew it. The law establishing the Commission on the State of Hate requires it to sunset in 2027. “The question is, can we make sure the state continues to sustain this level of investment?” Choi asked. Lee said a key will be more state outreach to grassroots organizations like her self-defense group. “We have the one-on-one connections to people.” Added Levin, from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism: “This is not something that’s going to be solved by so-called experts and advocates. It’s going to be solved by soccer coaches, principals, community leaders, journalists. We need a whole-community response.” Ω

OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

FALL

Arts

Open season for

Art

Multiple fall events to showcase works by local artists

Jim Woronow in his home gallery. PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES WORONOW

f last year the Butte County arts scene was still a little cautious about gathering in public, this fall it appears as though the pandemic jitters are all gone. Looking at the calendar ahead, it feels like all the local artists are being showcased in the cooler months ahead. There are at lease 10 events happening before winter that will highlight the works of multiple local artists at once while bringing the community together to celebrate—and buy—art: the county-wide Open Studios Art Tour; the Witch’s Market at 1078 Gallery; Chikoko’s Gravity experimental fashion show and the collective’s Bizarre Bazaar arts/crafts faire; Stonewall Alliance’s Coming Out for Art show at the Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA); the Art & Wine Walk in downtown Chico; the BFA Open Studios event at Chico State; the Small Works and Community Altar open-entry shows at Chico Art Center; and After Service, a veterans’ group show also at MONCA. That’s not counting the many preholiday faires and markets that will undoubtedly be announced in the weeks ahead. For this special fall arts issue, the CN&R has previewed a few of the bigger events, as well as displayed samples of the works of artists participating in this year’s Open Studios Art Tour. We encourage everyone to get out and support of as many artists as possible this season. By attending these events, you bring energy that helps keep this wonderful scene alive.

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

Below: “305” (metal, wood, acrylic, paper), by Jim Woronow IMAGE COURTESY OF JAMES WORONOW

Studio magic On tour with Chico Art Center’s annual artist showcase by

Jason Cassidy j aso nc @new srev i ew. c o m

bjectively, the annual Open Studios Art Tour is Chico’s biggest visual arts event of the year. What other local event features so many artists in so many locations that you’d need to tour all day over all four days of the event just to have a chance at taking it all in? The upcoming edition—happening the weekends of Oct.14-15 and Oct.2122, will include 86 participating artists showcasing their work in studios and art spaces throughout Chico and the surrounding areas. The place to start the tour is the Chico Art Center (CAC). Open Studios is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the longstanding community art center, which produces and sells the tour programs as as well as hosts a preview throughout the month. The preview features examples of works by participating artists (many of which are represented on the pages of this issue as well), and the eclectic exhibit is CAC Board President Lisa Freeman-Wood’s favorite part of the event. “It shows the talent and diversity that we have in

Chico,” she told the CN&R. Probably the greatest selling point of Open Studios, however, is getting to visit the artists’ worlds, those workshops, galleries, yards and other spaces normally hidden from viewers. To get an idea of what to expect on the tour this year, the CN&R convinced a couple of those artists let us and the readers visit their stops—Jim Woronow’s spread in Dayton (just west of Durham) and the home gallery of Kristen DeMartini Carlos—and preview what they’ve been working on for 2023.

The reinventor “This is the 50th year I’ve been doing geometric abstractions,” Jim Wonorow told the CN&R in a recent interview. But despite the fact that he’s “always been into abstraction” and has been working in that mode via multiple forms—painting, woodworking, metal sculptures, etc.—for all those decades, it wasn’t until last year that he made a discovery that allowed him to fully realize his vision. The impetus for his watershed moment? Plastic.

He explains the fateful day in his artist statement: “I was cleaning up the shop and storing plexiglass on shelves. I began to glue some scrap pieces together with Super Glue, adding other elements I had around the shop, wood, steel and aluminum. I realized instantly that I had just freed my sculptures from the base.” While Woronow’s recent metal sculptures were a suitable means for expressing geometric forms, the pieces were both getting too cumbersome for the artist to work on due to worsening arthritis and proving frustrating due the intrusion of their bases in the compositions. From his chance experiment, he developed a new approach that he’s

Right: “Waiting” (oil on canvas), by Kristen DeMartini Carlos IMAGE COURTESY OF KRISTEN DEMARTINI CARLOS

More Touring

Below: Kristen DeMartini Carlos is busy installing her paintings throughout her home in time to welcome Open Studios patrons. PHOTO BY JASON CASSIDY

thrown himself into. The process starts with metal and wood geometric forms that he arranges and then glues to a thin sheet of non-glare plexiglass. The now unencumbered free-floating sculpture is then affixed to a board that’s been covered with handmade paper—providing a background color—and surrounded with a custom-made wood frame. “It really has gotten my attention,” Woronow said, adding that he’s been making 2-3 pieces a month since. For Open Studios, visitors will be able to experience both new and old works. Throughout out his yard, Woronow has installed a selection of eight sculptures ranging in size from 6- to 14-feet tall. Apart from his workshop, Woronow also has a 400-square-foot gallery where his new works are on display. Each is titled with a number, such as “305,” with its abstract arrangement of little wooden circles and squares, silver metal lines and trapezoids and more floating on sea of fibrous aquamarine paper. Woronow’s place is one of the more far-flung on the tour—out in the very tiny town of Dayton (west of Durham). But it’s only a 15-minute drive from Chico; a reasonable trip for a chance to experience the abstractions of an artist onto something new. jimworonowartist.net

Samples from the 2023 Open Studios Art Tour shown here and on pages 14-16

Cassandra Kassel

The scenemaker When local painter Kristen DeMartini Carlos attended the Academy of Art in San Francisco, she heard all about great works of art on display in famous museums all over the world. “People would always say to me, ‘Oh, the paintings in the Louvre,’ or “The paintings in Chicago or New York,’ and I [was] a starving artist. I’d never been to Chicago, or New York or Paris,” she said. So after graduating, she decided to get a job as a flight attendant so that she could travel to see these paintings first hand. “It was great,” she said. A South San Francisco native, Kristen has become a Chico local. She lives on the western edge of Chico with two teenage daughters and her husband, CalFire Chief Paul Carlos, and worked for 16 years—12 as the general manager—at the old Christian Michaels restaurant in downtown Chico before moving on to a position in dean’s office in the Humanities and Fine Arts department at Chico State. These days, the subjects of DeMartini Carlos’ paintings are mostly the scenes that she’s photographed during her travels—from the Amalfi Coast in Italy to a vineyard sunset in Lake County. In fact vineyards are a common subject in her landscapes. “I think people in Chico would know me for painting vineyards,” she said. During a recent preview visit to her home, the walls and floors of the living room were covered with both finished and unfinished pieces. The art also spills out into the rest of the house, much of

Kandis Horton-Jorth

which will be part of DeMartini Carlos’ home gallery during the art tour. In addition to the landscapes, she does some figurative and still life paintings, including the recognizable threeand-a-half-foot-tall wine bottles that she initially created to hang in Christian Michaels, some of which now are on her dining room wall and will be on view during Open Studios. kristendemartini.com Ω ART SEASON C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 4

The studios are open 2023 Open Studios Art Tour: Saturday & Sunday, Oct.14-15 & Oct.21-22, 10am-5pm. Chico Art Center has guide books for sale ($15), and will be hosting a month-long preview plus an opening reception Oct. 6, 5-7pm. For more on the show and the artists visit chicoartcenter.com and chicoosat.com

OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

FALL

Arts

Season of the witches

Local makers bring herbal magick, farm-fresh goods, handmade garments, tarot and more to 1078 Gallery by

Jason Cassidy j ason c@ n ew sr ev i ew. com

iven the month in which the event falls, one could be forgiven for mistaking the “Witch’s Market,” happening at 1078 Gallery on Oct. 14, as just another holiday-themed event. It is partly that, but there is more to this gathering of local artisans and makers than your average Halloween celebration. What can you expect? Well, witches for starters. “[It’s] a really curated group of vendors that are all selfidentified witches,” said Sienna Orlando-Lalaguna, the founder and chief organizer of the annual faire. “I don’t put out a call. … We’re not a practicing coven. This market just kind of

Title by Artist Name

Open Studios Art Tour ...

Janet Lombardi Blixt

Susan Guevara Gwen Nelson

CN&R

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Witch’s Market

brings these people together.” There will be at least 11 “selfidentifying, self-ordained” witches selling arts and crafts, as well as various seasonal, bioregional items for body, mind and rituals. So, not only can you pick up a refined piece of functional pottery from Sienna Ceramics—which Orlando-Lalaguna creates in her Strega Studios (“strega” being Italian for “witch”)—but you might also procure some wooly mullein, a plant with various uses in traditional medicine, including as a tea or a steam to promote lung health. Other vendors this year include Samantha Zangrilli of Turkey Tail Farm (whose wares will include an impressive golden sunball wreath), plus more farm-fresh goods/ herbal makings courtesy of Moon Medicinals skin care, Cara Cannon and Moon Wise Herbals. Claire Fong, The Rainbow Elements and Field Day & Friends will be selling various garments, jewelry and other adornments; Lantern Print Co. and Ashley Penning will both have witchy prints for sale; and Le Feys Bazaar will be giving tarot card readings. Also, two of the

Above: A Witch’s Market item by Sienna Ceramics.

Witch’s Market, Oct. 14, 10am-4pm 1078 Gallery 1710 Park Ave. 1078gallery.org

1078 Gallery’s building mates— Equilateral Coffee and Sherri Scott of Harvest & Habitats Nursery—will be offering their usual goods at the market. Orlando-Lalaguna put together the first Witch’s Market as an open house during the COVID pandemic. After the lockdowns, year two was moved to the 1078 Gallery (in 2022), and this year she says that there is more interest than ever, with over 1,600 people responding to the event on Facebook already. “We practice witchcraft; we make our stuff, [and it] turns out there are a lot of people interested in that, especially at Halloween,” she said. To add to the allure, the doors for the Witch’s Market open less than an hour after the annual solar eclipse will come into view above Chico. Before the moon makes its ring of fire above, Orlando-Lalaguna will create magic circle around the grounds of the fair “to keep out unwanted energy … [and to have] people participating with good intentions in mind.” Ω ART SEASON C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 6

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIENNA ORLANDO-LALAGUNA

Left: Not a coven, just some local witches joining forces for an art market: (from left): Samantha Zangrilli, Samantha Rosales, Sienna Orlando-Lalaguna and Ashley Penning. PHOTO BY MEAGAN HELLER

More local-artist showcases:

Jana Lawton

David H. Miller

FALL

Arts

Coming Out For Art Oct. 11-22 Museum of Northern California Art monca.org Art & Wine Walk Oct. 13, 5pm Downtown Chico downtownchico.com BFA Open Studios Oct. 26, noon-3pm Student artworks in the studios and galleries of Ayres Hall and the Arts & Humanities building. Chico State Small Works Community Altars Two shows at once: Nov. 4-26 Chico Art Center chicoartcenter.com After Service: Veteran Art Oct. 26-Dec. 17 Museum of Northern California Art monca.org OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

FALL

... Open Studios Art Tour

Arts

The pull to create

With two fall events, Chikoko arts/fashion collective shares spotlight with the community by

Jason Cassidy jason c @ newsrev iew.c om

hat does gravity feel like? Sound like? Behave like? These are questions that the Chikoko arts collective asks in the promotional materials for Gravity, its fall experimental fashion show. Given the heavy times we’ve lived through since the last time Chikoko was able to present its popular annual arts extravaganza, the concept of gravity’s pull doesn’t feel as abstract as it might otherwise. By the time Gravity the show kicks off at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Oct. 21, it will have been five years

Frankenanimals by Nel Adams and Dragonboy at last year’s Bizarre Bazaar. PHOTO BY METRIC COSMETICS

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

The creative team behind the Chikoko art/fashion collective, since Chikoko’s last big event, with our (from left) Nel Adams, Muir Hughes and Sara Rose Bonetti. region navigating multiple catastrophic wildPHOTO BY METRIC COSMETICS fires, social/political turmoil and a pandemic in the interim. offering a much different take than the his“We know what we’ve done before but toric view of how a runway model should the world feels slightly altered,” said Muir look. People of all walks of life, experience Hughes, who with Nel Adams and Sara level and body types are selected, many who Rose Bonetti makes up the three-person have never modeled or performed in front of Chikoko collective. an audience before. Just the fact that Chikoko is back at full “There’s something about that invitation power, directing what has historically been that allows people to explore that in themthe arts party of the year (typically, about selves,” Hughes explained. 1,000 folks show up, fully decked out and While fashion is the impetus—with ready to get weird), is reason for hope and a Chikoko’s original designs, both those worn sign that things are getting relatively better. by the models and additional garments at And both sides of that transition promise the onsite store, available for purchase that to be reflected in the show’s experimental night—the event is probably best described designs. as an “arts happening.” From parking lot to “Being weighed down versus being light, stage, the immersion is total, with Chicoans how much gravity you’re experiencing will of all stripes joining local arts freaks, many shift,” said Hughes in recent interview. in costume, to take in the outdoor courtyard, Whether literal or abstract, there are many artist installations, pre-show performances, possibilities to explore in that shift. In the selfie backdrops and party sustenance (via show’s two slick teaser videos—created by food and adult-beverage vendors), as well as Metric Cosmetics media production—the the on-stage performances that go down in aesthetic is Chikoko-in-space, defying gravbetween the runway action. ity in a palette of silvers, greys, blues and It’s a huge four-hour-long production that lavenders on a desolate looking moonscape. happens with the work of many hands (“The For the fashion show, there will be about three of us don’t put this on alone,” Hughes 100 original outfits created by the trio of points out). designers that will be showcased by two It’s by community for the community, dozen models chosen from the community which could also describe the other big during a recent wellChikoko event of the fall: the Bizarre attended audition. Bazaar. The two-day arts/artisan faire Chikoko time! Hughes said the they Gravity experimental fashion show also takes place at the fairgrounds had the difficult task Oct. 21, 6-10pm. (Dec. 2-3), and will feature roughly Tickets: $40 advance (chikoko.com, of cutting more than 60 local makers coming together to The Bookstore); $50 at door 40 people who tried offer their creations for sale. The out to get to the final annual gathering of local arts folks has Bizarre Bazaar 24. As for its modelDec. 2 & 3, 10am-5pm become a holiday tradition of its own, ing criteria, Chikoko is Silver Dollar Fairgrounds celebrating the season with the arts unfailingly inclusive, 2357 Fair St. community all in one place. Ω

Maevyn Corvid

Jason Tannen

Mainsl Print Shoppe

OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

Arts &Culture stand-up, with featured comedians Walker Glenn and Mikey Walz (both from Oakland) and locals Meg Smoker and Olivia Dion. Fri, 10/6, 7:30pm. $14. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Second St. gnarlydeli.square.site

COMEDIAN BLAKE ROSIER: A late-night presentation: Blake Rosier’s Bad Show. Fri, 10/6, 11pm. $10-$15. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Second St. gnarlydeli.square.site

STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Fri, 10/6, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

Theater

SONA JOBARTEH

ANASTASIA: California Regional Theatre presents this musical adaptation of the animated feature—which was based on the story of early 20th-century duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna—that transports the audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Shows through Oct. 8. Fri, 10/6, 7:30pm. $27-$40. CUSD Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. crtshows.com

Oct. 16

Sierra Nevada Big Room

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Fri, 10/6, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Music DISCO LINES: EDM producer and DJ at the El Rey. Inji opens. Fri, 10/6, 8pm. $20 - $30. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elrey chico.com

OCTOBER ONGOING Galleries & Museums 1078 GALLERY: Micro Landscapes, Jesseca Simmons’ photos and videos of microscopic imagery are invisible to the naked eye, and simultaneously reminiscent of terrestrial landscapes. Through 10/22. 1710 Park Ave. 1078gallery.org

B-SO GALLERY: Student Works, rotating exhibits of student works and projects. Through 12/8. Chico State, Ayres Hall, Room 105.

CHICO ART CENTER: Open Studios, local artists open their studios and galleries to the public for two weekends (10/14-15 and 10/21-22), while the gallery hosts a preview of the participants throughout the month (opening reception 10/6, 5-7pm). Purchase guides at CAC for $15. 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter. com

IDEA FAB LABS CHICO: Dream Theater, a MultiMedium Manifestation From The Mind Of Billy Hopkins. Oct. 28, 1-5pm. 603 Orange St. chico. ideafablabs.com

JACKI HEADLEY UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY: Plumb Bob – Remembering Robert Herhusky, a celebration of the late Chico State art professor and glass-lab guru with a multi-media

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

show of his life’s work. Closing reception and remembrance Oct. 21, 4-6pm. Through 10/21. Chico State.

MUSEUM OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ART: Jack Windsor & Students, works by the late Chico State ceramic arts teacher and his many successful students. Through 10/8. Next: Coming Out for Art, Stonewall Alliance’s annual LGBTQ+ group exhibit, 10/11-22, opening reception 10/14, 3-9pm. 900 Esplanade. monca.org

THE TURNER: Northern California Horizons, prints from the collection of Reed Applegate, including works by Wayne Thiebaud, Nathan Oliveira, Robert Arneson, David Gilhooly and more. Through 10/14. Chico State. www. csuchico.edu/turner

Markets FARMERS MARKETS: Butte County’s markets are open and selling fresh produce and more. Chico: Downtown Chico (Saturdays, 7:30am-1pm); Meriam Park/Farmers Brewing (Sundays, 9am-noon); North Valley Plaza (Wednesdays, 8am-1pm); Chico State University Farm (Thursdays, noon-4 pm). Magalia: “Farmers Market Mobile,” 1397 South Park Drive (Sundays, noon).

THU5 Special Events STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: Expect a dash of murder and a splash of mayhem at the latest burlesque party by Hypnotique Productions. Join the fun by dressing to impress. Shows through Oct. 14. Thu, 10/5, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: The classic Broadway musical about Tevye, a milkman trying to hold onto traditions in a small Russian village as he raises three daughters during a time of great change. Shows through Oct. 22. Thu, 10/5, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Music THE ORIGINAL WAILERS: One-time Bob Marley guitarist Al Anderson’s The Original Wailers was formed in 2008, and in 2012 the group was nominated for a Grammy for Best Reggae album. Thu, 10/5, 8pm. $40. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

REGGAE THURSDAYS: Weekly reggae night with DJs Ted Shred and O’Snap. Thu, 10/5, 10pm. $5. Winchester Goose, 824 Oroville Ave.

FRI6 Special Events BOB’S COMEDY SHOW: Bob hosts a night of

DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: The Pub Scouts bring traditional Irish music weekly to Duffy’s. Fri, 10/6, 5pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. 530-343-7718.

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERTS: Free music in the plaza. This week: the disco-punk of XDS and tuneful noisy rock of Sunny Acres. Fri, 10/6, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico.

JOSH GRACIN: Country star known for the songs “I Want To Live,” “Nothin’ To Lose,” and “We Weren’t Crazy.” Fri, 10/6, 9pm. $25-$30. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

JOHN MAHONEY: Live singer/songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist. Fri, 10/6, 5:30pm. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. meriampark.com

THE SUITS: Performing Motown, pop, doo-wop and rock from the 50s through the 80s. Fri, 10/6, 7pm. State Theatre, 1489 Myers St., Oroville. orovillestatetheatre.com

SAT7 Special Events ANTIQUE APPRAISAL EVENT: Professional Appraiser, Erin Dewell, will appraise up to three items. Limited seating; snacks served. Sat, 10/7, 10am. Bolt’s Antique Tool Museum, 1650 Broderick St., Oroville. 530538-2497. cityoforoville.org

AUTOBERFEST CAR SHOW: A showcase of custom cars, trucks, vintage military vehicles and motorcycles. Plus, live music, live pinstriping, tattoo area, vendors, family garden, food and drink. Sat, 10/7, 10am. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. featherfallscasino.com

FARM TO TABLE – OROVILLE: Dine under the

stars surrounded by Downtown Oroville’s Historic Gold Rush era buildings. A specially curated multi-course meal highlighting foods from area farms. Sat, 10/7, 6pm. $95. Downtown Oroville, Meyers St. downtownoroville.com

KING OF THE CAGE: An action-packed night of live MMA fighting. Sat, 10/7, 6pm. $45-$80. Gold Country Casino & Hotel, 4020 Olive Highway, Oroville. goldcountrycasino.com

STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Sat, 10/7, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

Theater ANASTASIA: See Oct. 6. Shows through Oct. 8. Sat, 10/7, 7:30pm. $27-$40. CUSD Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. crtshows.com

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sat, 10/7, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Music 03 GREEDO: JMax Productions present the Watts-based rapper, plus DJ Atron, DBRO$, Apollo Snow and Yoseb. Sat, 10/7, 8pm. $30. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St. jmaxproductions.net

HONEY BEE JAZZ: Jazz/American roots. Sat, 10/7, 5:30pm. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. meriampark.com

NICKEL CREEK: “My God it’s good to see you …” is the first line from Nickel Creek’s seventh album, Celebrants, and the bluegrass stars will likely be getting the same response from fans as the Grammy-winning trio takes the Laxson stage. Instrumental quartet Hawktail open. Sat, 10/7, 7:30pm. $47 - $166. Laxson Auditorium, 400 W. First Street. 530-898-6333. chicoperformances.com

PRINCE AGAIN: Prince tribute act. Sat, 10/7, 10pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. featherfalls casino.com

RONI JEAN & MERCURY’S BUTTERFLY: Locals night with Roni Jean and band + Mercury’s Butterfly. Sat, 10/7, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

SUN8 Theater ANASTASIA: See Oct. 6. Shows through Oct. 8. Sun, 10/8, 2pm. $27-$40. CUSD Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. crtshows.com

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sun, 10/8, 2pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Music FLATLAND CAVALRY: After years of trotting across their native Texas, the country outfit is primed for a breakout with the release of their third full-length album, Welcome to Countryland. Sun, 10/8, 7:30pm. $25. Paradise Performing Arts Center, 777 Nunneley Road, Paradise. paradiseperformingarts.com

SWING SET: Western swing, country, jazzy blues, groovy oldies and more. Sun, 10/8, 3pm. Free. Secret Trail Brewing Co., 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120. secrettrailbrewing.com

IS YOUR EVENT LIVE?

Submit events for the online calendar as well as the monthly print edition at chico.newsreview.com/calendar

MON9 Music TINO VALPA: Punk rock from New Hampshire. Poverty, Sedition and Cosmarch open. Mon, 10/9, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

TUE10 Music FEARSOME FOLK TUESDAY: Far From Normal Productions hosts an eclectic all-acoustic marathon, with performances by Ben Guihan, Spacey Acie & The Space Cadets, A Simple Pig and Larkin Grim. Tue, 10/10, 8pm. $10. Mulberry Station Brewing Co., 175 E. 20th St.

WED11 Special Events GNARLY COMEDY: The legendary Eddie Pepitone returns, and so does JT Habersaat! Hosted by Don Ashby. Wed, 10/11, 8pm. $25-$35. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Third St. gnarlydeli. square.site

STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Wed, 10/11, 8pm. Special cash-only sliding-scale night, $10-$20. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

Music MIKE AND THE MOONPIES: JMax Productions brings the Austin country/Americana act to The Box. Wed, 10/11, 8pm. $18. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. ticketweb.net

WEBSTER MOORE: Local musician. Wed, 10/11, 6:30pm. Free. The Commons Social Empourium, 2412 Park Ave. thecommons chico.com

THU12 Special Events STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Thu, 10/12, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

NICKEL CREEK

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Thu, 10/12, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company,

Oct. 7

166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Laxson Auditorium

HEAD OVER HEELS – THE MUSICAL: Chico State presents this musical-comedy from the visionaries behind Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Avenue Q. It’s a love story set to the music of The Go-Go’s. Shows through Oct. 15. Thu, 10/12, 7:30pm. $8-$20. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. 898-6333. www.csuchico.edu/hfa

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless novella, this musical version of the story takes audiences on a suspenseful journey through the complexities of the human psyche. Shows through Oct. 29. Thu, 10/12, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St.

EDITOR’S PICK

JOKE-TOBER

(800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Music LEAH SENIOR (AUSTRALIA): Singer/songwriter described as “enchanting ... recalling Joni Mitchell playfulness through cozy folk minimalism.” Local shoegazers Solar Estates open. Thu, 10/12, 8pm. $12 - $15. Argus + Patio, 212 W. Second St. eventbrite.com

LYRICS BORN: The Legendary Bay Area rapper returns to Chico on the heels of the release of his new single, “Heaven and Armageddon.” Thu, 10/12, 8pm. $20. Lost on Main, 319 Main St. eventbrite.com

REECE THOMPSON: Live music. Thu, 10/12, 7pm. Free. Nor Cal Brewing Company, 800 Broadway.

There’s a ridiculous amount of amazing comedians visiting Chico the first two weeks of October. Things kick off with two shows in one night at Gnarly Deli: on Oct. 6, in the early spot it’s the latest installment of Bob’s Comedy Show, featuring visiting Oakland comedians Walker Glenn and Mikey Walz; and for the late show, Cali comedian Blake Rosier brings his “Bad Show” to the basement. The following week, Oct. 11, Gnarly Deli hosts an incredible two-headliner bill with the J.T. Habersaat and the legendary Eddie Pepitone. And Sheng Wang (pictured), whose Sweet & Juicy special came out on Netflix earlier this year, will be at Laxson Auditorium Oct. 13, while that same night at the El Rey Theatre a block away Chad Goes Deep stars Chad & JT put on their two-man show.

REGGAE THURSDAYS: Weekly reggae night with DJs Ted Shred and O’Snap. Thu, 10/12, 10pm. $5. Winchester Goose, 824 Oroville Ave. SURROGATE, KID COPS & SUNNY ACRES: Chico rock gods Surrogate with fellow locals Sunny Acres. Plus, the long-awaited debut of Kid Cops, featuring members of The Americas, Velvet Teen and Cat Depot. Thu, 10/12, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

FRI13 Special Events ART & WINE WALK: Enjoy a Friday night stroll through downtown Chico businesses displaying works by local artists, showcasing music, and serving wine. Fri, 10/13, 5pm. Free. Downtown Chico. (530) 345-6500. downtownchico.com

CHAD & JT: Activists, comedians and Chad Goes Deep stars, Chad Kroeger and J.T. Parr live at the El Rey. Fri, 10/13, 7:30pm. $25-$35. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elreychico.com

SHENG WANG: The stand-up’s first Netflix special, Sweet & Juicy, released in September and Chico Performances presents him live on the Laxson stage. Fri, 10/13, 7:30pm. $25-$45. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State. 530-898-6333. chicoperformances.com

STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Fri, 10/13, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Fri, 10/13, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

HEAD OVER HEELS – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 15. Fri, 10/13, 7:30pm. $8-$20. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. 898-6333. www.csuchico.edu/hfa

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Fri, 10/13, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Music BROKEN COMPASS BLUEGRASS: Chico Concerts presents foot-stompin’ blugrass from Grass Valley/Chico crew. Fri, 10/13, 8pm. $15. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St. chico concerts.net

DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: The Pub Scouts bring

traditional Irish music weekly to Duffy’s. Fri, 10/13, 5pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. 530-343-7718.

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERTS: Final free concert of the season, with rockers Pretty Pills. Fri, 10/13, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico. FRIDAY THE 13TH DANCE NIGHT: Lavender Persuasion hosts an October Friday the 13th dance night at Duffs. Halloween starts early! Fri, 10/13, 9:30pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St.

JOURNEY’S EDGE: Journey tribute. Fri, 10/13, 8:30pm. $12. Unwined Kitchen & Bar, 980 Mangrove Ave. eventbrite.com

PURIFICATION BY FIRE & BLACK: A night of heaviosity with visiting Tahoe and Sac bands. Locals Murder of Crows and Cosmarch join the metal/punk party. Fri, 10/13, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

SAT14 Special Events AERIAL AFFAIR HALLOWEEN PARTY: Freebird presents an elevated evening of high flying entertainment, with performances on the pole, hammock and lyra-lollipop. Admission includes two drink tickets at the bubbles bar, snacks, dessert and other goodies. Costumes are encouraged! Sat, 10/14, 5pm. $50. Freebird Studio, 243 W. Ninth St. orchidfaire.ticketleap.com

NAACP BUTTE COUNTY BLACK & WHITE GALA & AWARDS: This year’s event theme: Thriving Together, Celebrating Our Communities Collectively. With guest speaker Dr. Clifford Thompson, entertainment by Edmund Simental & Band, and dinner prepared by Garabaldi’s Catering. Sat, 10/14, 6pm. $55. Lakeside Pavilion, 2565 California Park Dr. (530) 566-3680. eventbrite.com

OPEN STUDIOS TOUR: Local artists open their studios and galleries to the public for two weekends (10/14-15 and 10/21-22). Sat, 10/14, 10am-5pm. Purchase guides at Chico Art Center for $15. Chico Art Center, 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com

STILETTO – A SOIREE TO DIE FOR: See Oct. 5. Sat, 10/14, 8pm. $32. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. hypnotiqueproductions.ticketleap.com

EVENTS C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 0 OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

Events

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 9

WITCH’S MARKET: The third annual fall faire with local vendors selling witchy plants and prints, artisanal coffees, herbal magick, tarot, garments, adornment and pottery. Sat, 10/14, 10am-4pm. 1078 Gallery, 1710 Park Ave.

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sat, 10/14, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

HEAD OVER HEELS – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 15. Sat, 10/14, 2pm & 7:30pm. $8-$20. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. 898-6333. www.csuchico.edu/hfa

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Sat, 10/14, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Music LONG TIME: Boston tribute act. Sat, 10/14, 10pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. featherfallscasino.com

SHLUMP: JMax Productions presents the Bay Area “alien bass” producer, plus Xotix, JVXX, Damfu and The Homie J. Sat, 10/14, 8pm. $20. Senator Theatre, 517 Main Street. jmax productions.net

SUN15

synth-driven doom crew Last, with shoegaze/ electronic/trip-hop from Curdled Skin and Elysium. Wed, 10/18, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

night of stand-up with a talented lineup of comedians. Sun, 10/15, 8pm. $5. Mulberry Station Brewing Co., 175 E. 20th St.

OPEN STUDIOS TOUR: See Oct. 14. Sun, 10/15, 10am-5pm. Purchase guides at Chico Art Center for $15. Chico Art Center, 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sun, 10/15, 2pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

HEAD OVER HEELS – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 15. Sun, 10/15, 2pm. $8-$20. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. 898-6333. www.csuchico.edu/hfa

MON16

Music

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Thu, 10/19, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Thu, 10/19, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 18. Shows through Oct. 22. Thu, 10/19, 7:30pm. $25. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. legacystage. org

Music AKI KUMAR: KZFR presents the San Jose-based, India-born performer who blends elements from his homeland with the blues. Thu, 10/19, 7:30pm. $20-$25. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St. kzfr.org

FRI20 Special Events HAUNTED HOUSE: Get ready to face your darkest fears at Thrive’s Haunted House fundraiser. Fri, 10/20, 7pm. $10. Haunted House, 1361 Hawthorne Ave.

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Fri, 10/20, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166

HEAD OVER HEELS – THE MUSICAL

multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer. Mon, 10/16, 6pm. $30. Sierra Nevada Big Room, 1075 E. 20th St. (530) 893-3520. sierranevada.com

WED18

ART & WINE WALK Oct. 13

Downtown Chico

$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Theater

Harlen Adams Theatre Chico State

SONA JOBARTEH: An evening with the Gambian

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Fri, 10/20, 7:30pm. $31.50-

THU19

Oct. 12-15

Music

Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 18. Shows through Oct. 22. Fri, 10/20 7:30pm. $25. The Barn at

Winchester Goose, 824 Oroville St.

COMEDY AT THE STATION: Jacob McClain hosts a

The Box. Jehry Robinson and Noble Poets open. Sat, 10/21, 7pm. $22. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. ticketweb.net

Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. legacystage. org

SUN22

BLACK ENDS (SEATTLE): Crazy-fun Seattle trio Black Ends brings its beautifully noisy sound to Chico. Locals Similar Alien and Infinite Kamikaze open. Fri, 10/20, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

Special Events OPEN STUDIOS TOUR: See Oct. 14. Sun, 10/22, 10am-5pm. Purchase guides at Chico Art Center for $15. Chico Art Center, 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com

DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: The Pub Scouts bring

traditional Irish music weekly to Duffy’s. Fri, 10/20, 5pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. 530-343-7718.

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sun., 10/22, 2pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166

LAURIE MORVAN BAND: Long Beach blues crew. Fri, 10/20, 8pm. $15. Jen’s Place, 7126 Skyway,

Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

Paradise. 530-413-9130.

SAT21 Special Events CHICO CONCOURS CAR SHOW: Celebrating 70 years of Corvette. Spectators free. Sat, 10/21, 10am. Butte Creek Country Club, 175 Estates Drive. 530-680-7575. chicoconcours.com

CHIC-O-BERFEST: Traditional oom-pah band, The Alpine Meisters, and other acts. Plus, beer,

food, dancing, games and more. Sat, 10/21, 1pm. $25-$50 (children 10-under free). The End of Normal, 2500 Estes Road. 530-6805550. blueskyfestivalsandevents.com

CHIKOKO – GRAVITY: After a five-year absence, Chikoko is back with its fall experimentalfashion extravaganza. $40/advance (chikoko. com, The Bookstore); $50/door. Sat, 10/21, 6pm. Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, 2357 Fair St.

HAUNTED HOUSE: Get ready to face your darkest fears at Thrive’s Haunted House fundraiser. Sat, 10/21, 7pm. $10. Haunted House, 1361 Hawthorne Ave.

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL: Rage! Sex! Betrayal! With a rock band fronted by four women, exploring American mythology to a blistering rock score that owes less to Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber than to Bikini Kill, the Runaways and Heart. Presented by Legacy Stage. Shows through Oct. 22. Wed, 10/18, 7:30pm. $25. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. legacystage.org

OCTOBER 5, 2023

harvest party is back with stacked lineup: Tim Bluhm Band, Swamp Zen, Michael Russell Trio, West Ghost and DJ 12Gage. Sat, 10/21, 8pm. $20. Lost on Main, 319 Main St. eventbrite.com

RITTZ: Jmax brings the East Coast rapper to

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 18. Shows through Oct. 22. Sun, 10/22, 7:30pm. $25. The Barn at MOVIES IN THE PARK: The Halloween favorite, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Movie starts around dusk. Bring blankets, low-back chairs, bug spray and flashlight. Sat, 10/21, 6pm-ish. Free. Degarmo Park, 199 Leora Court. (530) 895-4711. chicorec.com

OPEN STUDIOS TOUR: See Oct. 14. Sat, 10/21, 10am-5pm. Purchase guides at Chico Art Center for $15. Chico Art Center, 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com

Theater FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: See Oct. 5. Sat, 10/21, 7:30pm. $25-$28. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Sat, 10/21, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 18. Shows through Oct. 22. Sat, 10/21, 7:30pm. $25. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. legacystage.org

Music BIG BAND BOOGIE BASH JAZZ FEST (PART ONE): Allday jazz festival features high school and college bands from the North State and the Chico State Jazz Combo. (Followed by evening concert—see below.) Sat, 10/21, 11am. Free. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. www. csuchico.edu/hfa/news-events

BIG BAND BOOGIE BASH JAZZ FEST (PART TWO): Chico State’s Jazz X-Press and guests perform. Sat, 10/21, 7:30pm. $6-$18. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. www.csuchico. edu/hfa/news-events

CHEAP TRICK: You know the hits, “Surrender,”

Theater

CN&R

LAST, CURDLED SKIN, ELYSIUM: Salt Lake City

REGGAE THURSDAYS: Weekly reggae night with DJs Ted Shred and O’Snap. Thu, 10/19, 10pm. $5.

Special Events

Music

“I Want You to Want Me,” “Dream Police,” you know the legendary Illinois rockers, so make like 1978, throw your crew in the back of the El Camino and hit the highway to Oroville. Sat, 10/21, 8pm. $59-$109. Gold Country Casino & Hotel, 4020 Olive Highway. goldcountrycasino.com

HARLAN: Honky-tonk hits. Sat, 10/21, 10pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. featherfallscasino.com

HARVEST BALL: After a three-year hiatus, the

Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. legacystage. org

Music MARIACHI HERENCIA DE MÉXICO: Chico Performances present energetic Chicagobased mariachi crew. Pre-party on the patio starts at 6pm. Sun, 10/22, 7:30pm. $35-$49. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State. 898-6333. chicoperformances.com

RIVER ROAD BAND: Live music. Sun, 10/22, 3pm. Free. Secret Trail Brewing Company, 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120. secrettrailbrewing.com

ROBERT WYNIA: JMax Productions brings the Floater frontman to The Box. David Langenes and Tim Karplus open. Sun, 10/22, 8pm. $16. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. ticketweb.net

MON23 Music SMIERC (SWEDEN): Swedish punk crew Smierc, with Exposure Therapy and Sedition. Mon, 10/23, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

WED25 Music STRFKR: Portland indie psych rock/pop quartet on the Big Room stage. Wed, 10/25, 7pm. $25 $30. Sierra Nevada Big Room, 1075 E. 20th St. sierranevada.com

THU26 Theater JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Thu, 10/26, 7:30pm. $31.50$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Music DUFFY’S HALLOWEEN: It’s tradition: Chico bands dressing up and playing tribute to punk-rock classics. This year Tite Nauts put on the

with traditional Aztec dancers, Mariachi Mixteco, community altar, vendors, food, face-painting, balloon-tying. Sat, 10/28, 10am. Free. Chico Cemetery, 881 Mangrove Ave. chicocemetery.com

A MONSTER BURLESQUE: See Oct. 27. Fri, 10/27, 7:30pm. $40. Blue Room Theatre, 1005 W. First St. facebook.com/blueroomtheatre

WALK WOOF WAG: Dog tricks, costume contest and a walk to raise money for the Chico Animal Shelter’s medical fund. Sat, 10/28, 9am. $25-$50. Sycamore Field, Bidwell Park. 530-570-5524. chicowalkwoofwag.com

Theater JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Sat, 10/28, 7:30pm. $31.50-$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: See Oct. 27. Shows through Nov. 5. Sat, 10/28, 7:30pm. $20-$25.

HARVEST BALL Oct. 21

State Theatre, 1489 Myers St., Oroville. birdcagetheatre.org

Lost on Main

Music AUTUMN HARMONIES CHORAL CONCERT: Chico State’s A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers. Sat, 10/28, 7:30pm. $6-$18. Harlen Adams Theatre, Chico State. 898-6333.

GOREFETISH, OCTOBER ALL OVER, SHREW: metal, Metal METAL!!! Sat, 10/28, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

HALLOWEEN AT TACKLE BOX: Halloween party with country act Harlan. Sat, 10/28, 9pm. $10. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

KAMAIYAH: East Bay rapper with DJ Lil. Sat, 10/28, 7pm. $25. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elreychico.com

KISSED ALIVE: KISS tribute! Sat, 10/28, 10pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. Energy Domes for a DEVO set, The Fed Ups cover Green Day and Pinhead returns for full-on Ramones assault. Thu, 10/26, 9pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St.

REGGAE THURSDAYS: Weekly reggae night with DJs Ted Shred and O’Snap. Thu, 10/26, 10pm. $5. Winchester Goose, 824 Oroville St.

FRI27 Special Events A MONSTER BURLESQUE: A Blue Room burlesque party featuring performers from Chico and Nevada City. 18-over. Shows through Oct. 28. Fri, 10/27, 7:30pm. $40. Blue Room Theatre, 1005 W. First St. facebook.com/ blueroomtheatre

TRIVIA BEE FOR LITERACY: Interested in competing as a team? Call Butte County Library Literacy Services at 530-552-5650.. Fri, 10/27, 6pm. $40. Sierra Nevada Big Room, 1075 E. 20th St. eventbrite.com

Theater JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Fri, 10/27, 7:30pm. $31.50-$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: Birdcage Theatre brings the cult classic musical to the State Theatre. Shows through Nov. 5. Fri, 10/27, 7:30pm. $20-$25. State Theatre, 1489 Myers

St., Oroville. birdcagetheatre.org

Music BOOT JUICE: Nor-Cal jammers come to town on CD-release tour. Local faves Lo & Behold open. Fri, 10/27, 8pm. $15. Lost on Main, 319 Main St. eventbrite.com

DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: The Pub Scouts bring traditional Irish music. Fri, 10/27, 5pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. 530-343-7718.

DYLAN’S DHARMA: Reggae night at the box with local crews Dylan’s Dharma and One Up. Fri, 10/27, 9pm. $10. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

RONI JEAN, ARCHER OH, WEST GHOST, PHANTOM FALLS: Three local crews and one from So Cal. Fri, 10/27, 7pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.

SHIP WREK: EPIC Productions presents the LA-based EDM duo. Fri, 10/27, 8pm. $20-$30. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elreychico.com

SAT28 Special Events CHICO HOME & GARDEN SHOW: The annual twoday showcase of home and garden vendors and products. Sat, 10/28, 10am. $7-$8. Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, 2357 Fair St.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS: Free community event

SMOKEY THE GROOVE & LOW FLYING BIRDS: Chico Concerts presents a spooky night of goodtime jams with Smokey The Groove and Low Flying Birds. Sat, 10/28, 8pm. $20. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St. chicoconcerts.net

SUN29

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Special Events CHICO HOME & GARDEN SHOW: See Oct. 28. Sun, 10/29, 10am. $7-$8. Fairgrounds, 2357 Fair St.

Theater JEKYLL & HYDE – THE MUSICAL: See Oct. 12. Shows through Oct. 29. Sun, 10/29, 2pm. $31.50-$40. First Street Theatre, 139 W. First St. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: See Oct. 27. Shows through Nov. 5. Sun, 10/29, 2pm. $20-$25. State Theatre, 1489 Myers St., Oroville. birdcagetheatre.org

TUE31 Special Events TREAT STREET: Afternoon trick-or-treating at downtown Chico businesses. Tue, 10/31, 2pm. (530) 345-6500. downtownchico.com

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

CN&R

SCENE

FALL

Spooky, sexy, spectacular Three shows to scratch the Halloween itch by

Ken Smith kens@ n ewsrev iew.c om

IAmerica, a more fleeting presence in appearing for one

n decades past, Halloween had

exciting moment before vanishing just as quickly … like a ghost. The holiday’s primary celebrants then were children and, with rare exceptions, the spooky and sexy ratings were predominantly PG. Now, like Christmas, the Halloween season has expanded. When September starts, spooky store displays go up, streaming services launch their countdowns to Halloween collections, and the ghosts and goblin decorations start to appear. Adults now join in the fun without shame, and hedonism of all sorts is not just embraced but encouraged. We at the CN&R fully support this cultural shift toward fun

Stage treats and tricks: Lizzie: The Musical Shows Oct. 18-22, 7:30pm The Barn at Meriam Park (1930 Market Place) Tickets: $25 legacystage.org Stiletto: A Soirée to Die For Shows Oct. 5-7 & Oct. 11-14, 8pm Mulberry Station Brewing Co. Tickets: $32/advance; $40/door (except Oct. 11—cash-only, $10-$20 sliding scale at door) hypnotique-productions.ticketleap.com The Rocky Horror Show Shows Oct. 27-28, Nov. 2 & 4, 7:30pm, with matinees Oct. 29 & Nov. 5, 2pm. Presented by Birdcage Theatre at the State Theatre 1489 Myers St., Oroville Tickets: $20-$25 birdcagetheatre.org

CN&R

OCTOBER 5, 2023

for all. In fact, these days, between private parties and public events there’s almost too much happening throughout the month. Here are a few of the scary fun events that we’re excited about, and which lean toward the steamy side of spooky.

Forty whacks

Legacy Stage will bring Lizzie: The Musical—a rock-’n’-roll retelling of the legend of America’s favorite alleged axe murderess—to The Barn at Meriam Park for one extended weekend this month (Oct.

Arts

18-22). It’s a significant step away from the troupe’s best-known work to date—the Shakespeare productions in Bidwell Park—and its first full-fledged musical, as well as the first theatrical production to be staged at the The Barn. The play features a four-woman ensemble cast made up of local theater luminaries Ashiah Bird, Kellen Staub, Alyssa Jade and Sierra Hall (playing the titular role) backed by a full, live rock band. “All four of them could just stand there and sing with no music, staging or blocking and it would still be worth seeing,” said Lara Tenckhoff, a Legacy Stage cofounder and Lizzie’s director. “It’s very punk rock and contemporary,” Tenckhoff continued. “It’s a long way from Rodgers and Hammerstein and definitely not a ‘Golden Age’-style musical. The songs are so good and something you’d hear on the radio today.” Lizzie: The Musical was written by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Tim Maner and Alan Stevens Hewitt, and was first produced in 2009. It tells the story of the 1892 murders of Andrew Jackson Borden and Abby Durfee Gray (the main character’s father and step-mother) in Fall River, Mass. The trial was one of the first to capture the nation’s public interest and Lizzie Borden remains a legendary name in American crime annals, even though she was ultimately acquitted of the killings. Historical context aside, Tenckhoff said audience members shouldn’t expect a period piece: “There won’t be any Victorian-style dresses,” she said. This is a very old story told in a very new way.”

Danse Macabre

Halloween hijinks are woven into the fabric of burlesque troupe Hypnotique Productions. Founder Kelsi Judge was so encouraged

The cast of Lizzie: The Musical: (clockwise from top): Sierra Hall, Kellen Staub, Ashiah Bird and Alyssa Jade. PHOTO BY HELLER IMAGES (COURTESY OF LEGACY STAGE)

by the positive response to a oneoff extravaganza she organized in October 2021 (The Trinity Cabaret at Oroville’s Union bar and grill) that she started the Hypnotique troupe, which dazzled audiences at Mulberry Station Brewing Co. last year with the sexy horror show Nightmare on Mulberry Street. This year, Hypnotique will be performing an original murder mystery, written by Judge, called Stiletto: A Soirée to Die For. The show will feature 13 dancers and a full live band performing contemporary hits and classics woven into the storyline and will be performed at the Mulberry venue Oct. 5-7 and 11-14. Judge said the action takes place at a party in the 1920s, during Prohibition, and features a rogues’ gallery of disreputable characters: a madame and her ladies, a crooked politician, a bootlegger and more. “They’re all seedy, wealthy, narcissistic people who are all out for themselves,” Judge said. Judge said it was both fun and challenging to write an engaging murder mystery, an idea that was put forth by one of the other cast members and accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. “Most shows like this are workshopped for a whole year, but I wrote it and we put the whole thing together in just three months,” she said, adding that her early drafts were heavily smoothed over during production, with input from the entire troupe. “As challenging as it’s been it’s also been kind of a dream working with so many talented people and changing things as we went along.” Though titillating dance numbers are central to the performance, Judge hopes people are also drawn in by the story: “We really want to make the audience wonder [whodunit]. I think it will definitely keep people guessing.”

Hot Patootie

Chico has a long history with the Rocky Horror Show. For years, the now defunct Chico Cabaret

Birdcage Theatre is bringing The Rocky Horror Show to Oroville State Theatre. PHOTO COURTESY OF HYPNOTIQUE PRODUCTIONS

Angelina, Kiki and Kaleia play three of the suspects in the burlesque whodunit Stiletto. PHOTO COURTESY OF HYPNOTIQUE PRODUCTIONS

Oroville’s Birdcage Theatre is picking up the mantle this year. “It’s one of the shows on everyone’s bucket list [to perform in],” said Jennifer Beers, president of the Birdcage’s board of directors, who will also be filling the role of Janet Weiss in the rock-’n’-roll musical. Beers said the decision to stage Rocky was partly inspired by the company’s success with last year’s Halloween season outing, Evil Dead The Musical. “We sold out every one of the Evil Dead shows and people loved it,” she said of the production directed by James Huie, who is also directing The Rocky Horror Show. Also as it did for Evil Dead, the troupe is partnering with the 600-seat Oroville State Theatre to stage this production on a bigger stage. Beers said pre-sale tickets for the play, which runs October 27-29 and Nov 2, 4, and 5, are already moving briskly. “Be prepared!” Beers said when asked what attendees should know beforehand. “There’s lots of adult content, people calling back [at the stage while] in costume. There will be drinks and prop bags available. It’s gonna be a party.” Ω

LOST ON MAIN

CHICO’S PREMIERE LIVE MUSIC VENUE WEDNESDAY OCT 4 Grateful Shred

THURSDAY OCT 12 Lyrics Born

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, OCT 19 & 20

Hypnotique Production Presents Stiletto: A Soiree To Die For

SATURDAY, OCT 21

Harvest Ball with Tim Bluhm (doors at 730pm)

FRIDAY OCT 27

Boot Juice and Lo & Behold

SATURDAY OCT 28

Second Hand Smoke, Black Fong, and Melli Farias

MONDAY OCT 31 - HALLOWEEN:

ReVAMPing Chico's LOST Holiday w/a mischievous Masquerade Ball & Costume Contest w/ZIC & special guests DJ'ing the night

MUSIC MATTERS

did annual live productions of the beloved cult classic, and later the Maltese Tap Room offered showings of the cinematic version— The Rocky Horror Picture Show—of the story of two squares who become stranded and lose their innocence at the wild mansion of transvestite scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Those venues are unfortunately gone, but

All shows doors at 8pm, unless otherwise indicated.

319 MAIN ST | CHICO | 530.892.2445 | ILOVELOST.COM OCTOBER 5, 2023

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SCENE Sanjay Dev in Nepal with his two kids and two nephews. PHOTO COURTESY OF SANJAY DEV

Educator, devastator

Roots music DJ Sanjay celebrates 30 years of reggae on the radio and plots a new chapter back home in Nepal

Oworld-renown 30 years of programming his reggae show,

n Sept. 22, Sanjay Dev celebrated

“Devastation Sounds,” on KZFR, 90.1 FM. After three decades by on the air, Ken Smith he’d planned kens@ for 2023 to be newsrev iew.c om his last year. “I was going to walk On the air: away,” Dev “Devastation Sounds,” Fridays, 3-6 p.m., said one recent KZFR, 90.1FM afternoon over and kzfr.org cups of coffee in his backyard garden. “It’s not because I’m tired of sharing my love of reggae music, but because I’ve been so fortunate. I wanted to pass the baton. I’ve experienced greatness with the show, and want to give that opportunity to other people.” Then, something happened: as word traveled of Dev’s imminent departure from radio, he started getting emails and other messages

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

from all over the world similar to a snippet of conversation he shared from one recent text: “… On a more serious note, Sanjay, our global community wants you on these air waves for a very long time to come. Just know that.” Dozens of similar messages encouraged Dev to keep at it … for the time being. He still plans to end his long radio tenure within two years to pursue another dream, building a school in the village where the Nepali native’s parents grew up. That goal, he said, was inspired by his more than 30 years in Chico, and three particular local institutions that have made his life what it is: Chico State, where he taught math until three years ago; Butte College, where he will continue teaching before splitting his time between Chico and Nepal after retirement; and the venerable “Zephyr,” KZFR. Vintage Sanjay in the booth at KZFR. PHOTO BY BRYAN FOOTE

“Butte College gave me life, Chico State gave me cultural connection, and the radio station gave me a sense of community,” he said. “I have been embraced here, and now I want to take the kindness I’ve been shown and pass it forward to my village.”

Dev’s love of reggae was initially sparked in the 1970s, when he 12 years old,. He was attending a Jesuit-run junior high when one of the teachers—a priest named Father Bailey—played Bob Marley’s album Live! for the class. He was instantly stirred by the music, and he and his friends would listen intently to Nepal’s only—one-hour weekly—English-language radio show, hoping to hear more Marley or other reggae artists. When he came to the United States in the early 1980s, his first concert was The Wailers (after Bob Marley’s death), which he attended with Father Bailey. His father studied in the United States in Louisiana in the 1960s, and encouraged him and his brother to also seek an education in America. He came to Chico to study engineering initially, and after a few changes in majors landed on math, which he talks about with the same energy he talks about reggae: “Math is my passion and music is my salvation,” he said. Dev said he was ready to leave Chico when he “accidentally started teaching.” He’d been working as a math tutor at Butte College and was offered a position at Chico State. Encouraged by his friend and fellow reggae lover Jay Langworthy, AKA DJ Boomshot, he started his “Devastation Sounds” show at KZFR, where he’s made good on

his promise to “shake all five walls” since 1993. He said the goal of his show has always been aligned with that of his teaching career—to both educate and entertain people. To that end, in addition to playing a wide range from his enormous vinyl collection, he chooses to feature specific artists, many of whom would be lost in obscurity were it mot for Dev and others of his ilk.

Records for classrooms The aforementioned record collection—which consists of more than 25,000 pieces of vinyl—plays a central role in Dev’s plans to build a school. He is currently cataloging and organizing the records, with the intent to sell most of it off to pay for the facility in Nepal. What he envisions is several classrooms to serve 100 students each year, with computers for every student. There will be living facilities for teachers on the grounds. The land has already been acquired in the village, Rajbiraj, and Dev said many of his former students who’ve gone into education have tentatively committed to teaching there. It may sound like a pipe dream, but Dev has already done a test run of sorts. In the early 2000s he sold 300 records and raised $20,000, which he used to donate more than 25 computers to an existing school in the village. He estimates the whole of his collection could fetch up to $1 million, and he plans to seek more funding from UNICEF and other organization. “My parents thought I was crazy when I started collecting music,” he said. “Back when I had 600 vinyl they were like, ‘Sanjay, why are you doing this? What good is collecting these records?’ Then I showed them the check and I bought the computers and they realized ‘OK, there’s something to this.’” Dev is humble, has a penchant for universal spirituality that guides him, and says that—above all things—he is grateful for the Chico community. “I want people to feel what a special place we live in. I’ve traveled to 82 different countries and some remote places, and there are very few places like Chico. This community has made me a better person.” Ω

REEL WORLD War Pony, a coming-of-age story on the rez.

chilly isolation to a quietly radiant kind of rapture is reflected in Gladstone’s subtly compelling performance and, no less effectively, through seemingly random glimpses of people and places that Tana encounters, sometimes directly, sometimes not. Writer-director Morissa Maltz, a documentary filmmaker most of the time, here mixes scripted material with snippets of cinema véritéstyle footage. The wedding scene is an actual ceremony involving a Sioux couple who were already cast as friends of Tana. (The bride, Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux, also shares screenwriting credit with Maltz and Gladstone). And several secondary characters are portrayed through moments from Maltz’s documentary-style encounters with the actual folk.

West by midwest A four-pack of American films now streaming

W way through the Stream & Dream Lounge?

hat new films have made their

War Pony In generally lively fashion, War Pony functions variously—as an by offbeat modern Juan-Carlos western, as a fracSelznick tured and darkly picaresque coming-of-age tale, and as a sprawling, dark-humored social document. Filmed on the Pine Ridge Reservation with a young cast that is predominantly Oglala Lakota, this mini-epic tracks the separate but adjacent adventures and misfortunes of two males—23-year old Bill (Jojo Bapteise Whiting) and 12-year old Matho (LaDamian Crazy Thunder). Both are free spirits in trouble—Bill roams about in his beat-up car, juggling relationships with the mothers of his several children and scrambling for opportunities to find jobs that pay well. Matho and his pals skit-

ter about on their bikes looking for fun and mischief and the occasional chance to make a buck or two. And after his abusive father kicks him out of the house, Matho is also scrambling to find places where he can spend the night. Co-directors Gina Gammell and Riley Keough tell these stories via briskly moving fragments peppered with details that suggest continuities and connections, most of which remain intriguingly implicit. The lead performances have the offhanded conviction of classic neorealism. Surrounded After serving as a “Buffalo Soldier” in the Civil War, Mo Washington—disguised as a male (and played by Letitia Wright)—travels west toward the plot of land she’s claimed. Her stagecoach journey is cut short by an armed holdup that puts her at odds with a bumptious bandit and his gang. Her savvy and skills with

a pistol figure in the ensuing violence, which disperses the gang and affects the capture of the bandit, the swaggering Tommy Walsh (Jamie Bell). But then she’s left to hold the bandit captive while the sheriff takes the wounded to safety. The cat-and-mouse sparring that emerges during the overnight stay grows even more fraught with the late-night visit of a mysterious stranger (the late Michael K. Williams in his final role). As dawn breaks, the gang is returning, with the lawmen not far behind. The violent skirmish that ensues settles things plot wise and sends Mo off in a crushing haze of hard-won, and very solitary, glory. It’s a gunfighter tale with some vividly offbeat twists to it, but there’s nothing simpleminded about its stark mixture of moral quandaries and jagged social issues—race, gender, justice and its opposite, personal integrity and more. The brilliantly realized action scenes

are punctuated with tense dialogue scenes that sometimes get a little heavy-handed, but still play nicely into the overall dramatic momentum. Wright plays the paradoxes of her role with a grace that is both ferocious and dignified, and Bell brings a mercurial passion to the bandit’s sly ravings. The Unknown Country Alone and mourning the death of her grandmother, Tana (Lily Gladstone) leaves snowy Minnesota in the Cadillac she’s inherited and heads for South Dakota—for a friend’s tribal wedding first of all and then for reunions with friends, family and tribal elders—and then, in homage to a memorable voyage her grandmother once took, deep into Texas, partying in Dallas and then trekking to a very special place in Big Bend country. It’s a gently revelatory journey of recovery and renewal, much of which is reflected cumulatively in moments of scenic imagery and action rather than explicit emoting and dialogue. The journey from

Sam Now Sam and Reed Harkness are brothers, but with different mothers. Beginning in childhood, while being raised by their father with neither mother present, the two boys begin making home movies together, with Sam sometimes playing a fantasy hero dubbed the Blue Panther. Reed, who is the older of the two, will become a director of documentaries as an adult, but before that the two of them set on the idea of making a film about their search for Sam’s mother, a beloved lady who one day walked away from the entire family and has not been heard from since. Sam Now, directed by the adult Reed in collaboration with Sam, is the film that resulted, with footage from two decades of their lives portraying that search and much more. As the title suggests, the film is a portrait of Sam, a young man confronting the trauma and mystery of maternal abandonment. But the portraiture extends to a great deal more—to Sam’s mother, Jois, certainly, but also to Reed’s mother; to their two other brothers, including Jois’ other son, Jared; to their sad but resilient father, who gradually warms to their task as well; and, implicitly, to Reed himself. Brilliant editing of personal footage from a variety of times and sources makes Sam Now an even more compelling movie experience. Ω OCTOBER 5, 2023

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in CN&R for 10 years. It has been beneficial to the growth of my business. Many of my clients live in the greater Chico area. I always ask them how they heard about my business—Bruce Jenkins Insurance & Financial Services— and I am not surprised when they say they had a copy of CN&R. I highly endorse Chico News & Review and its local coverage, articles and advertisements. BRUCE JENKINS BRUCE JENKINS INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES

ROCKTOBER, COMMENCE! Despite reports to the contrary, rock is not dead. It’s getting old, but the oldsters aren’t going anywhere (see the Rolling Stones’ new album, Hackney Diamonds, out Oct. 20). And the youngsters are still picking up guitars as well (see Amyl & The Sniffers, for one), they just aren’t making it to the pop charts, which is probably for the better. It’s much more rewarding to snoop around Bandcamp and take chances on touring bands on our tiny local stages anyway. As is usually the case in these parts, the rock is strong in October. Here are a few of my picks for Rocktober 2023: XDS and Sunny Acres in the Plaza (Oct. 6, 7 p.m., City Plaza): The free Friday Night Concert series is winding down for the season in the raddest way possible—with the hyper pop-rock of Sunny Acres and disco-punk of XDS. The latter might at first appear strange to the uninitiated general public—with spray-painted amps stacked precariously on stage—but I’ll bet XDS wins over the hula-hoopers and Tommy Bahamas alike with its infectious dance grooves. Get weird, Chico! Surrogate, Kid Cops, Sunny Acres (Oct. 12, 7 p.m., Naked Lounge): The time has finally come. No disrespect to the other great Chico bands on the bill, but this rec is all about the debut of Kid Cops. This was supposed to happen in 2020, but a certain worldwide outbreak quashed those plans, and it’s taken more than three years to reschedule the meeting of three of Chico’s most kick-ass musical minds: guitarist Mathew Houghton (aka Cat Depot), guitarist Travis Wuerthner (Americas), and drummer Casey Deitz (Americas, The Velvet Teen). Looping worlds will collide, and I feel we are all about to lose our minds.

Leah Senior, Solar Estates (Oct. 12, 8 p.m., Argus Bar + Patio): I wish this show wasn’t the same night as Kid Cops, but if you’re looking for something on the more chill side, this show is special as well. Last year, Leah Senior toured North America with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and this month the Australian singer/songwriter and her band bring a mix of folk and warmly delivered baroque pop to the Argus patio. Local bootgaze heartthrobs Solar Estates open.

Black Ends, Similar Alien, Infinite Kamikaze (Oct. 20, 7 p.m., Naked Lounge): This might be the sneaky frontrunner for show of the season. Seattle’s Black Ends is something different. Self-described as “Gunk Pop,” the trio warps what might have otherwise been described as garagey psych-rock into something much, well, gunkier. The special ingredient is vocalist/guitarist/songwriter, Nicolle Swims, whose sleepy-eyed demeanor belies the wild, weirdly effected guitar stylings that color the band’s sound. It’s noisy, unpredictable and fun as hell. Local weirdmakers Similar Alien and Infinite Kamikaze open.

Cheap Trick (Oct. 21, 8 p.m., Gold Country Casino): Wait, no Bun E. Carlos on drums? Is this even Black Ends Cheap Trick? By most accounts, his replacement— Daxx Nielsen, son of guitarist Rick Nielsen—has filled in capably, and the live shows for the greatest power-pop band in history are still kicking ass. It’s a no-brainer. Just surrender. 26

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OCTOBER 5, 2023

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR ThE wEEk OCTOBER 5, 2023 ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’ve been doing

interviews in support of my new book Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: “Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?” I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming, “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not believe in the ‘mystical woo-woo’ I have spent my adult life studying and teaching!” But here’s my polite answer: I love and revere the venerable spiritual philosophies that some demean as “mystical woo-woo.” I see it as my job to translate those subtle ideas into well-grounded, practical suggestions that my readers can use to enhance their lives. Everything I just said is the prelude for your assignment, Aries: Work with extra focus to actuate your high ideals and deep values in the ordinary events of your daily life. As the American idioms advise: Walk your talk and practice what you preach.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’m happy

to see the expanding use of service animals. Initially, there were guide dogs to assist humans with imperfect vision. Later, there came mobility animals for those who need aid in moving around and hearing animals for those who can’t detect ringing doorbells. In recent years, emotional support animals have provided comfort for people who benefit from mental health assistance. I foresee a future in which all of us feel free and eager to call on the nurturing of companion animals. You may already have such friends, Taurus. If so, I urge you to express extra appreciation for them in the coming weeks. Ripen your relationship. And if not, now is an excellent time to explore the boost you can get from loving animals.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author

Chuck Klosterman jokes, “I eat sugared cereal almost exclusively. This is because I’m the opposite of a ‘no-nonsense’ guy. I’m an ‘all-nonsense’ guy.” The coming weeks will be a constructive and liberating time for you to experiment with being an all-nonsense person, dear Gemini. How? Start by temporarily suspending any deep attachment you have to being a serious, hyper-rational adult doing staid, weighty adult things. Be mischievously committed to playing a lot and having maximum fun. Dancing sex! Ice cream uproars! Renegade fantasies! Laughter orgies! Joke romps! Giddy brainstorms and euphoric heartstorms!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian

comedian Gilda Radner said, “I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” Let’s use that as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be wise to opt for what feels good over what merely looks good. You will make the right choices if you are committed to loving yourself more than trying to figure out how to get others to love you. Celebrate highly functional beauty, dear Cancerian. Exult in the clear intuitions that arise as you circumvent self-consciousness and revel in festive self-love.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The amazingly cre-

ative Leo singer-songwriter Tori Amos gives this testimony: “All creators go through a period where they’re dry and don’t know how to get back to the creative source. Where is that waterfall? At a certain point, you say, ‘I’ll take a rivulet.’” Her testimony is true for all of us in our quest to find what we want and need. Of course, we would prefer to have permanent, unwavering access to the waterfall. But that’s not realistic. Besides, sometimes the rivulet is sufficient. And if we follow the rivulet, it may eventually lead to the waterfall.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do you perform

experiments on yourself? I do on myself. I formulate hypotheses about what might be healthy for me, then carry out tests to gather evidence about whether they are. A recent one was: Do I feel my best if I eat five small meals per day or three bigger ones? Another: Is my sleep most rejuvenating if I go to bed at 10 pm and wake up at 7 am or if I sleep from midnight to 9 am? I recommend you engage in

By ROB BREzsny such experiments in the coming weeks. Your body has many clues and revelations it wants to offer you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take a few deep,

slow breaths. Let your mind be a blue sky where a few high clouds float. Hum your favorite melody. Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be. Fantasize that you have slipped into a phase of your cycle when you are free to act as calm and unhurried as you like. Imagine you have access to resources in your secret core that will make you stable and solid and secure. Now read this Mary Oliver poem aloud: “You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

LET US

TELL YOUR STORY Do you need a credible way to get information out there?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): An Oklahoma

woman named Mary Clamswer used a wheelchair from age 19 to 42 because multiple sclerosis made it hard to use her legs. Then a miracle happened. During a thunderstorm, she was hit by lightning. The blast not only didn’t kill her; it cured the multiple sclerosis. Over the subsequent months, she recovered her ability to walk. Now I’m not saying I hope you will be hit by a literal bolt of healing lightning, Scorpio, nor do I predict any such thing. But I suspect a comparable event or situation that may initially seem unsettling could ultimately bring you blessings.

Do you have a complex story that needs to be told?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.

21): What are your favorite mind-altering substances? Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, or tobacco? Alcohol, pot, cocaine, or opioids? Psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, or MDMA? Others? All the above? Whatever they are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to re-evaluate your relationship with them. Consider whether they are sometimes more hurtful than helpful, or vice versa; and whether the original reasons that led you to them are still true; and how your connection with them affects your close relationships. Ask other questions, too! PS: I don’t know what the answers are. My goal is simply to inspire you to take an inventory.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In

his book Meditations for Miserable People Who Want to Stay That Way, Dan Goodman says, “It’s not that I have nothing to give, but rather that no one wants what I have.” If you have ever been tempted to entertain dour fantasies like that, I predict you will be purged of them in the coming weeks and months. Maybe more than ever before, your influence will be sought by others. Your viewpoints will be asked for. Your gifts will be desired, and your input will be invited. I trust you won’t feel overwhelmed!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): William

James (1842–1910) was a paragon of reason and logic. So influential were his books about philosophy and psychology that he is regarded as a leading thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the other hand, he was eager to explore the possibilities of supernatural phenomena like telepathy. He even consulted a trance medium named Leonora Piper. James said, “If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, it is enough if you prove that one crow is white. My white crow is Mrs. Piper.” I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you will soon discover a white crow of your own. As a result, long-standing beliefs may come into question; a certainty could become ambiguous; an incontrovertible truth may be shaken. This is a good thing!

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If we hope to

cure our wounds, we must cultivate a focused desire to be healed. A second essential is to be ingenious in gathering the resources we need to get healed. Here’s the third requirement: We must be bold and brave enough to scramble up out of our sense of defeat as we claim our right to be vigorous and whole again. I wish all these powers for you in the coming weeks.

www.RealAstrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.

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