theweekender THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN
COLLEGIAN
PINBALL WIZARD!
ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC GILL
Fort Collins sure plays a mean Pinball Jones By MARCUS MORITZ The Rocky Mountain Collegian Maybe this weekend you’re less interested with newfangled entertainment technologies such as the moving picture, leisurely automobile drive or that Sega Genesis laying around your apartment. If that’s the case, don’t worry, Fort Collins has an entire business dedicated to a form of entertainment just old enough for your liking. Nestled below Beau Jo’s in Old Town Square lies Pinball Jones, Fort Collins’ throwback to a time when the word “game” had less to do with Skyrim and more to do with the number of quarters in your pocket. More specifically, it is Fort Collins’ destination for all of your pinball desires, hosting more than 20 machines for patrons to play. This October, Pinball Jones will celebrate its first full year of being open for business. “A friend of mine was going to get a pinball machine,” said Kim Jones, the owner and manager of Pinball Jones. “And I thought to myself,
‘Wow, I forgot about pinball,’ so I started to look around on Craigslist and bought my first one.” Because there were a couple of places around town with pinball machines, but no dedicated arcade, it made sense to gather up all the machines Jones could find and put them in a single location. “I had a couple machines in bars around town,” Jones said. “I had machines in Idaho Springs and Severance, and some here in Fort Collins. When the old machines broke down, the last thing I wanted to do was drive all the way to Idaho Springs to fix them.” After Jones opened her business, she realized that she’d need more than just her knowhow to keep all the machines in working order, but hiring a pinball mechanic proved as unconventional as the pinball arcade itself. “One time I put up a handyman Craigslist add that said I was willing to trade some work for a pinball machine,” said Ben Fox, an employee at Pinball Jones who helps to keep both the old and new machines in working order. “A couple hours later I got a call from Kim
PINBALL JONES Hours: Monday and Tuesday: Closed Wednesday and Thursday: 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 2-11 p.m. Sunday: 2-8 p.m. asking if I could fix a pinball machine she had. I had never fixed one before but I thought I could handle it.” From there on, Fox has been employed as the in-house mechanic at Pinball Jones. But the business is more than just a place to play more than 20 different pinball machines; if you’re a die-hard pinball fanatic with cash to burn, you can take one of the machines home with you. The cheaper machines run $1,500 bucks, but expect a bigger payout if you want one of the classics — Twilight Zone or the Addams Family — ,or if you want a new one like Transformers, it’ll cost you $7,000. “We rotate our machines out pretty often,”
Jones said. “I buy and sell machines. Right now it’s really full here, which is good.” The first time you go, you may be tempted to play all the pinball games, but that’s not how you will see the pros doing it. “We definitely have regulars. Some people come in on their lunch break and some people come in with their kids,” Fox said. “The first time in people will play a couple of different games, but when they come in regularly they will only play one game. There is a father and son who play Terminator and a couple who only play Lord of the Rings for two hours at a time.” They hold league play once a week on Mondays and have monthly tournaments. October’s monthly tournament will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10. “I really like it when parents come in with their kids and introduce them with the pinball,” Fox said. “Usually the kids love it, but sometimes they are bored out of their minds. It’s really fun to watch because it is kinetic versus playing a video game or something.” Collegian reporter Marcus Moritz can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.
Marching band raises money for trip to Dublin
By LIANNA SALVA The Rocky Mountain Collegian
After you’re done celebrating all things Irish at the Rocky Mountain Irish Festival, head over to the Lincoln Center Saturday night to enjoy the emerald isle’s music with
the bands of CSU. As a fundraiser for the CSU Marching Band’s trip to march in the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade — held in Dublin —, the band will perform music from past and future performances, including pieces from the Beatles and FUN.
FILE PHOTOS | COLLEGIAN
The trombone section of the CSU Marching Band performes Number 5 during part of the homecoming 2010 celebration.
The CSU symphonic band and wind ensemble will also be performing traditional Irish music. The marching band’s performance at the Parade of Lights in Denver in 2010, as well as their performances at football games, caught the attention of the committee who chooses the St. Patrick’s Day Parade performers, according to Dr. Christopher Nicholas, director of bands and conductor of the wind ensemble at CSU. Nicholas himself marched in the parade in Dublin when he was a sophomore in college. “I know firsthand what it will do for our students and for our university. It establishes us and represents our music department on a world stage,” he said. “I can’t imagine anything near this kind of exposure.” Nicholas said that the event, which will be a main source of fundraising for the band’s upcoming trip, is the first indoor concert in the marching band’s history and will continue as an annual performance. The wind ensemble will be performing “An Irish Tapestry” to include many traditional Irish pieces. The ensemble will be joined by Adam Frey, an elite and
internationally known brass soloist. New CSU faculty, Dr. John Seesholtz , will join the symphonic band playing the baritone. The symphonic band will be performing “Old American Songs” to celebrate the connection between Ireland and America. The marching band will be conducted by drum majors Devon Aimes, Luke Contreras and Wes Turner. “It’s an honor to be able to represent the university, the marching band and the nation,” Turner said. The marching bands from Ohio State and Purdue Universities will also be performing in Dublin for the parade, according to Turner. The drum majors promised a night of surprising musical experiences including previews for the homecoming game performance and the difference in sound compared to the football field. “Students always say how much they love the band at the games, but if they really love the band, come take the opportunity to see us perform indoors, because it’s meant to be different,” Aimes said. Out of the 300 members in the marching band, 220 will be per-
THE FUNDRAISER What: 2013 March to Dublin Fundraiser Where: The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts When: Sept. 29, 7:30 pm Cost: $10 students, $25 general public forming in the parade in Dublin. Many of the marching band students have never been outside of the country. Senior math education major and clarinet player in the marching band, Tabitha Nickerson, is one of these students, and is excited for the opportunity. “This is an experience of a lifetime to tell my children that I marched in an international parade. I can’t even imagine how cool this going to be,” she said. “It’s more than just the music; it’s supporting your student name. For the school to be recognized internationally, it raises expectations.” It is recommended that tickets be purchased online through the Lincoln Center website, as seating is reserved. UCA beat reporter Lianna Salva can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.