Sensi Magazine Nevada - March 2021

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

SPRING FLINGS

Fruity (or veggie) cocktails

N E VA DA MARCH 2021

WINK WORLD The latest project from the founder of the Blue Man Group

LIGHTING THE PATH

Expanding cannabis delivery

I N N O VAT I O N F R O M T H E I N S I D E O U T

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FEATURE

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Infinity, Beats, and Love Created by the founder of the Blue Man Group, Wink World’s six immersive art experience rooms will change your perceptions of time and space.

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 36 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town 12 THE BUZZ WAITING ON A FRIEND A News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop CLASSIC DATE Dinner and a show for a new era SLEEP SOUND Sleepwear made just for women COBRA WHY? From dancer and singer to martial arts teacher PRE-ROLL IT Up your smoke experience.

THE ANGEL FOUNDATION

Education is a social justice issue.

22 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness SPRING FLINGS Fruits and veggies enhance these classy cocktails.

VINYL APPEAL Dig in to the enduring charm of our record collections.

HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you in March.

local cannabis delivery service makes a big move.

HIGH SOCIETY Skee-Ball, craft beer, art—Area 15 has it all.

HALL OF FAME Baron Wolman’s rock photography captured the turbulence of the movement.

JOYFUL NOISE Feel the beat—and heat—of tap.

FRESH TUNES Our picks for 2021’s best music so far.

50 THE END

ON THE COVER

Wink World will open your eyes (and ears) with its blend of music and art.

PHOTO BY HOLLIE CARDINAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Artists make a statement with one word in Reno.

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ADVISORY BOARD

Eden Water Technologies Water System Technologies Green Leaf Money Canna Business Finanacing GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing Ideal Business Partners Corporate Law & Finance Jupiter Research Inhalatation Hardware Matrix NV Premium Live Resin Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor Rokin Vapes Vape Technology RVDCBD Athletic Lifestyle CBD This Stuff Is Good For You CBD Bath and Body MEDIA PARTNERS

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder, CEO ron@sensimag.com Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com Lou Ferris VP of Global Revenue lou@sensimag.com Chris Foltz Director of Global Reach chris@sensimag.com Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach richard.guerra@sensimag.com Amanda Patrizi Deputy Director of Global Reach amanda.patrizi@sensimag.com Jade Kolb Director of Project Management jade.kolb@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Director neil.willis@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Debbie Hall Managing Editor debbie.hall@sensimag.com Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Amelia Arvesen, Dawn Garcia, Jedd Ferris, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak, Josh Clark Designers PUBLISHING

Abi Wright Market Director abi.wright@sensimag.com

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Q: Which U.S. President Asked Congress To Decriminalize Cannabis?

A: Jimmy Carter

Within first six months of taking office, President Jimmy Carter was candid about cannabis. During a 1977 address to Congress, he asked they abolish federal penalties for possession. If we know this much about cannabis, imagine what we know to Lift Your Business.

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M

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2021 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Music resonates with

almost everyone on some level.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FAC E B O O K Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

TWITTER Follow @sensimag for need-to-know news and views from Sensi headquarters.

I N S TAG R A M Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: find it all on @sensimagazine.

I began my media career as a radio personality before pivoting into television and back into print journalism. I measure events in my life by music and associate movies, shows, podcasts, and people with a song, music genre, or even a soundtrack (think Hamilton).

So what is music?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, music is defined as “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession,” or “vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony.”

The word “music” is derived from the Greek word meaning “Art of the Muses.”

In Greek mythology, the nine muses inspired art, including music.

But this art form is so much more. It reflects society as much in what it doesn’t say as what it does say in lyrics and harmonies. In the 19th century, spiritual songs conveyed coded information to help people escape situations of slavery. In the 1950s, the birth of rock ’n’ roll ushered in euphemisms for sex. Radio stations with racist policies played music recorded by Black artists covered by white singers and musicians. And, during COVID-19, neighbors have opened their windows and sung out loud, syncing with each other.

Opera, musical theater, blues, and jazz incorporate lyrics as dialog, using harmony to express emotion. All encapsulate the human experience in concerts, shows, and downloads. Music is part of everyone’s DNA and continues to articulate the core of our being. Let’s celebrate music, whatever your style, and share it with the world.

Sensi is part of the mainstream and reaches out with a collective goal to embrace diversity, including all genres of music. Thank you for reading Sensi while playing some music or singing a song.

Music is part of everyone’s DNA and continues to articulate the core of our being. Let’s celebrate music, whatever your style, and share it with the world.

Yours in the new normal,

Debbie Hall debbie.hall@sensimag.com

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Dinner and a show delights a new era.

Remember the days of dressing up for a big night out for dinner and a show? Voila! The magic is back at The Vegas Room, an intimate supper club pairing classic live entertainment with a delicious six-course meal. (There’s even a vegan option.)

The swank dining spot is the creation of Tom Michel, president, and Robinson, chef/owner.

“We have been visiting Las Vegas for over 20 years. I have always had a love for its vibe,” says Michel. “It’s a sophisticated city with international flavor and appreciation of great entertain12

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Rockin’ Brunch with Christopher Lash tickling those ivories.

This intimate supper club pairs the memories of the past with the celebration of the present, reintroducing a modern audience to the elegance of entertainment.

ment—and wonderful dining.”

Jazz, classics, R&B, Broadway, and dance tunes delight audiences The Vegas Room / Commercial Center / 953 E. Sahara Ave. enjoying the gourmet delights of thevegasroom.com Chef Robinson. In March, performers will include Savannah Lynx showcasing her deep vocals expressing love, loss, and hope; Frank Lawton and Patrice Petway, performing soul with R&B resonance; vocalist Randal Keith and virtuoso pianist Philip Fortenberry, bringing Broadway show tunes to Vegas; and Savannah Smith, adding a little bit of country and pop to the lineup. And don’t miss Sunday

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VEGAS ROOM

Viva the Classics

CONTRIBUTORS

Amelia Arvesen, Debbie Hall

BY THE NUMBERS

MOVEMENT

The beauty of martial arts expressed.

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AHL games Golden Knights’s rookie defenseman Dylan Coghlan played before finally being called up to the pros last month

Cool Nights Sleep in comfort.

PHOTOS (FROM LEFT) COURTESY OF COOLREVOLUTION, JIMMY LOCKETT

A woman’s body temperature rises and falls throughout the night, often making sleep an adventure. To help control those hot-cold swings, CoolRevolution’s collection of women’s sleepwear made in the US uses naturally cooling, moisture-wicking bamboo.

The comfy tops are fitted at the neckline and chest but are a little more forgiving around the waist—and the back is longer to keep everything covered with a flattering V-neck for every body type. Big bonus: the pants, shorts, capris, and nightshirts all have pockets large enough to hold a mobile device.

CoolRevolution / Prices start at $42 / Sizes S-3X / coolrevolution.com

2007

Year the very first model of the iPhone was released

10K

Number of taste buds on the average human tongue

$273

MILLION Estimated cost of the overhaul of the Tropicana Avenue– Interstate 15 interchange according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jimmy Lockett danced, sung, and acted on the stages on Broadway and the Las Vegas Strip, as well as composed and arranged music. However, he has also always been a martial arts student (7th-degree black belt), giving back by providing free martial arts instruction to underprivileged families in the North Las Vegas area.

Setting up the Ju no Kage Ryu Kenpo Karate Association as a nonprofit, Lockett taught free martial arts classes in his converted carport for over 25 years. He retired and decided to purchase a larger property with the plan to build a free-standing dojo, a place for martial arts practice.

Then COVID-19 hit. Although most of the building had been constructed, additional financing was needed to complete it and pass inspection.

One of Lockett’s long-time voice students and performer, Charles Ressler, started the #dreamMaker movement to help people accomplish life-long goals. Selected to receive a donation of time, expertise, and supplies from a designer, contractor, and Lowe’s, Lockett appeared on NBC’s The Today Show as a dream weaver for the movement. He also wrote a book, Seishin Shuyo: Mental Training in Traditional Martial Arts, with all proceeds benefiting his nonprofit.

“My main focus is to make martial arts accessible to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to training,” he says. “Martial arts offer so many wonderful emotional and psychological tools along with self-defense, health, and wellness benefits.”

Ju no Kage Ryu Kenpo Karate Association / tanrendojo.org

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: How has music resonated with you this year?

MATT HARRIS

EDINARDO POTRICH

ALISSA KELLY

RANDI MIZER

Founder and President of Coreprime Las Vegas

Software Engineer Henderson

Chief Executive Officer of PR Plus Henderson

___________________

___________________

General Manager of The Source+ Reno Reno

I loved to attend concerts. During this hiatus, music works as a beacon of hope that these good times will be back in the future.

Music has saved my soul during the pandemic. It’s inspired me to dance; it’s motivated me on runs; it’s made me cry; it’s calmed my nerves.

___________________

Music has been a great calming influence for our team, giving us a more enjoyable and relaxing work environment.

___________________

Music has been a great escape this year and has served as instant stress relief. I’m looking forward to more music and more reasons to celebrate this year.

DONALD CONTURSI, CIS President, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours Las Vegas

___________________

Music lifts me up with energetic beats and words that reverberate.

It sets my equilibrium for the day ahead.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO COURTESY OF HUXTON

Core Experience

Chill or expand with pre-rolls.

experiences and come in recyclable, pocket-sized It is time to Rise, Hifi, and then take a moment of Zen packaging with a detachable ashtray. Made from handwith Huxton’s pre-roll tins. Huxton partnered with Flower One to expand its product footprint into Nevada, selected genetics, each blend provides an experience that is enjoyable and consistent. offering products labeled by effect, not plant type.

Products include seven all-flower pre-rolls (3.5 grams The Rise blend uplifts and promotes productivity, THC) in a custom matchbox available at brick-andHifi offers a potent ride that combines energy mortar stores or online; all-in-one hardware is available with euphoria, and Zen harmonizes relaxation and in Arizona or online. rejuvenation.

Huxton products are available in these three core Huxton / Various Locations / huxtonusa.com M A R C H 2021

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ALL YOUR WATER NEEDS UNDER ONE ROOF!

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Specializing in sales and installation of Water Treatment and Complete Fertigation Systems.

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Below is the playlist I had on repeat while making Sensi’s first-ever music edition.

1 REBELS by Call Me Karizma 2 MOTOR MOUTH by Kai Straw 3 GRATEFUL by Spencer Sutherland 4 GUILLOTINE by Mansionair x NoMBe 5 MYSTERY LADY by Masego and Don Toliver 6 TOPDOWN by Channel Tres 7 PURPLE HAT by Sofi Tukker 8 PUMP THE BREAK by morgxn 9 ALL THAT by Emotional Oranges 10 BROKEN PEOPLE by almost monday 11 WHO’S GOT THE WEED by G. Love & Special Sauce

PHOTO BY AUBREY GEMIGNANI

12 CAN’T BE HAPPIER by SJ & Sugar Jesus feat. Goldford

“If music be the food of love, play on.”

—William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

YES I.AM!

The Angel Foundation helps provide STEAM education and prove that education is a social justice issue.

Pivoting to online education for children, teens, and even adults, requires resources—but many families lack the means to access the technology they need to advance. Enter will.i.am. Through his i.am Angel Foundation, the musician and producer launched the American Dream campaign, which highlights education as a social justice issue.

“We can do it with fair access to quality public education including STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math] skills that will give every student a career path and the opportunity to achieve true economic equality,” will.i.am announced when he unveiled the campaign. This type of action is not new to the musician. He has also created the i.am Angel Foundation, which administers charitable activities and programs targeted towards providing college scholarships (i.am scholarship), college preparation (i.am College Track), and other outreach programs.

The Angel Foundation received a big boost when Zynga Inc. (zynga.com), a leader in interactive entertainment, partnered with it and committed to raise $5 million for American Dream. Zynga has already contributed $250,000 and utilized its channels and audiences to create awareness for the campaign.

And then there’s the music. will.i.am’s latest single, “American Dream” focuses on education as the building block of economic equality. The song will support American Dream’s GoFundMe campaign (it’s also available to stream via Apple Music). i.am Angel Foundation / iamangelfoundation.org

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THE BUZZ

LISTEN UP

How much you enjoy your music depends on how you hear it. These are Sensi’s picks for the best speakers and headphones we’ve tested in 2021.

HEADPHONES

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 With so many options on the market, it’s tough to say that one single set of headphones rises above the rest—until you try these. Sleek and comfortable on your skull, they deliver sound that’s so full it’s almost tangible. Eleven settings (Nigel Tufnel be praised!) let you dial in the amount of noise canceling you want, from none at all (smart for when you’re walking on city streets) to full-on (perfect for tuning out all the drama of being stuck at home). $380 / bose.com IN-EAR HEADPHONES

NuraLoop These easy-to-wear in-ear headphones are truly in your head—they adapt to your hearing. Say what? That’s right. They actually send sound into your eardrum that then informs the system about the best way to play for your individual hearing. The result is bass that hits the back of your brain and sharp clarity on every note.

TURNTABLE

Crosley Switch II Entertainment System A throwback to the days when a record player was the center of the musical $199 / nuraphone.com experience, Crosley’s practical system oozes retro cool and still cranks out SPEAKER pleasant sound. A belt drive keeps those JBL Party Box 300 45s and LPs spinning, and this set will add This sturdy, portable Bluetooth speaker turns any space into a mini-rave thanks to a groovy feel to any room—even when it’s a light system that synchronizes colors to not playing. the beat—and three settings mean you can $170 / crosleyradio.com pick up or slow down the tempo. Beyond the optics, it pumps out clean sound and runs on a rechargeable battery that keeps the party going for up to 18 hours. $400 / jbl.com

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COMPUTER SPEAKERS

Logitech Z313 Speaker System with Subwoofer This compact speaker and subwoofer set delivers deep, crisp sound and hooks up to a wide range of devices—from your laptop to your smartphone to your TV—as long as they have a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It’s the ideal music system for a workstation if you want to share tunes with your office mates, or, as things go in the days of COVID-19, if you just want to have your own private dance party in between deadlines. $50 / logitech.com

THE BUZZ

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Trail Magic

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF KELTY, DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

An outdoor brand goes all in with CBD products meant to soothe hikers’ aches and pains.

Outdoor activities cause sore muscles. CBD is said to relieve pain. Even though the outdoor industry has dabbled in the cannabidiol market for a few years, it wasn’t until this year that a dedicated outdoor brand contributed its own formulations to the billion-dollar category.

In January, Kelty launched a collection of pain-relief salves, after-sun lotions, and antibacterial and itch-relief sprays for outdoorists. The longtime Colorado-based maker of tents, sleeping bags, and other outdoor gear sees the new CBD offerings as a natural brand progression.

“At Kelty, we’re all about spontaneous adventures, getting outside, goofing around, and having fun. But playing outside often comes with its own set of

of regulation of cannabidiol, but a new bipartisan bill introduced in the House of Representatives in February would allow hempderived CBD to be marketed and sold as a dietary supplement. If passed, it could also lead the US Food and Drug Administration to establish a regulatory framework.

CBD made its debut on a large scale to the outdoor industry—a nearly $800 billion business— in 2018, when manufacturers exhibited at Outdoor Retailer, the industry’s largest trade show, and now numerous athletes, from ultrarunners to surfers, are sponsored by CBD brands.

Specialty outdoor retailers stock topicals and capsules. And Kelty has set a direct-to-consumer precedent. Which outdoor brands will enter the market next?

challenges in the form of aches and pains,” says Russell Rowell, Kelty senior vice president and general manager. “Thanks to our new CBD products, we now offer another tool to help you go farther, higher, and faster—and to bounce back more quickly when you do.”

To create research-based formulas, Kelty consulted Arizona-based pharmaceutical producer e2e Pharma to formulate the new line of THCfree products. The collection is available at kelty.com/CBD. Financially, it’s a strategic move.

The CBD market is currently valued at approximately $4 billion. Market researchers like Grandview Research and BDS Analytics predict it will surpass $20 billion by 2025. Skeptics have been troubled by the lack M A R C H 2021

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Spring Flings Fruits and veggies, in the form of main ingredients and garnishes, enhance these fun cocktails.

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Can a cocktail be good for you? Think about it this way: pairing fruits and vegetables with spirits gives cocktails a healthy twist. Whether you mix fruits and veggies right in or place them on the side, enjoy these springtime drinks with a touch of green as the weather warms up.

The Bank Saloon serves up history with its craft cocktails as well as beer from Nevada distilleries and breweries. The 122-year-old structure is included on the National Registry of Historic Buildings but its drinks add a twist to the 21st century including its version of an Old Fashion.

Bank Saloon / 418 S. Carson St., Carson City / banksaloonnv.com

BANK OLD FASHION

Serves: 1

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAIGE LEDFORD

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces Frey Ranch Distillery bourbon ¼ ounce Demerara syrup (equal parts of Demerara sugar and water, heat till dissolved then cooled)

2 dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters 1 dash of Angostura orange bitters Garnish with Amarena black cherry and orange peel

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by measuring all ingredients into an empty Yarai mixing glass. Prepare an old fashioned glass filling half the glass with ice. Large gourmet cubes are recommended to enhance the drink. Add ice to the Yarai mixing glass (filling it ½ to ¾ full) and immediately begin to stir using a bar spoon reaching the base of the Yarai. The temperature of the spirits will start to drop. Once the cocktail is cooled, place a Hawthorne strainer top of the Yarai and pour over fresh ice in the old fashion glass. Garnish and enjoy.

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

THE LIFE

Locally owned MTO Café offers fresh, made-toorder comfort food for breakfast and lunch. With locations downtown and Downtown Summerlin, MTO Café offers a little something for everyone. Indulge in a brunch favorite.

MTO Café / Various Locations / mtocafe.com

The Megamosa Serves 6

ING REDIENTS

1½ quarts fresh orange juice 2 cups raspberry puree 2 bottles champagne

Garnish: pineapple wedges, orange slices, and strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS

In a pitcher, combine the fresh orange juice and raspberry puree. Add champagne and stir gently. Pour into a flute and top with fresh cut pineapple wedges, fresh cut oranges, and sliced strawberries.

Hash House Ago Go serves crafted cocktails to pair with “twisted” farm food inspired by the Midwest. Check out its Tractor Bar, and for Bloody Mary lovers, its signature B.L.T. Mary “combines” drink with a meal. For a sweeter palate, try the blueberry cocktail with flavor and antioxidants.

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF MTO CAFÉ, HASH HOUSE A GO GO

Hash House A Go Go / Various Locations / hashhouseagogo.com

Huckleberry Sin

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

1¼ ounces 44 North 5-10 fresh blueberries Huckleberry Vodka 2 thin lemon slices 8 ounces of blueberry 1 sprig fresh mint lemonade, retail or homemade INSTRUCTIONS

To make homemade blueberry lemonade, add a handful of blueberries to regular lemonade and let sit overnight.

Fill a glass with ice and add 5 to 10 fresh blueberries and a lemon slice inside the glass. Add the vodka and blueberry lemonade; stir and garnish with the other lemon slice and fresh mint.

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THE LIFE PSYCHEDELICS

Be Your Own Personal DJ Only you know the best soundtrack for your psychedelic journey.

PHOTO CREDIT

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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THE LIFE PSYCHEDELICS

When you drink ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon, the shamans chant songs to orchestrate your experience, in every sense of the word. Known as icaros, the songs amplify your visions and drive the medicine deep into where you need it most.

Humans have known for centuries that music is the wind beneath the psychonaut’s wings, a tool that both fuels and helps to navigate sacred plant and fungi journeys. From the music that accompanied ancient Aztec mushroom and cacao ceremonies to Dead shows at the Fillmore, a great playlist is essential to a great trip.

Psychedelic therapists have been making playlists for therapy sessions since the earliest LSD experiments, and you can find a lot of them on Spotify and YouTube, along with current offerings from the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Conscious Research and many others (search “psychedelic therapy playlist,” “psilocybin playlist,” “LSD playlist,” or “MDMA playlist”). You can even find recordings of Maria Sabina, the first Mexican curandera to allow Westerners into psilocybin mushroom rituals in the 1950s. A little caution, however: Sabina was exploited by Americans and then persecuted

If you’re ready to take control of your own musical destiny in the cosmos, here are things to keep in mind as you make your playlist.

tions in depression. He found that the wrong music can be distracting and • Lean away from vocals and toward instrumake for a gobstopping mental music, chanting, or a collection of trip, amplifying feelings sounds. If you include songs with words, of resistance and negative look for lyrics in an unfamiliar language. emotions. His app, Wave• Stay away from jarring or discordant paths, allows therapists tunes or songs with unpredictable rhythm and patients to make their changes. own musical sequences, • Use calm music in the early stages to create leaving out anything that a sense of rest and safety. might bring up unwel• Alternate intense and calm tracks during come memories or resisthe peak stages. tance. Triggered by classi• Include emotionally evocative music only cal music? Brahms Sonata during peak stages. in B never has to be a part • Pay close attention to how songs transition of your journey. into each other.

Curating your own • Provide continuous music with minimal soundtrack for tripping is interruption. the best way. If you need • Emphasize variety. inspiration or guidance, • Use a high-quality source of music Helen L. Bonny and Walproduction. ter N. Pahnke, researchers at the Maryland Psychiscientist who calls music atric Center in Baltimore, by the people in her vilpublished a template for lage for her generosity, so “the hidden therapist.” selecting and structuring I’m not sure I would bring In an article about the that into my sacred space. playlist, Kaelen explains: psychedelic playlists in 1972 that therapists still “The idea here is to creThe Johns Hopkins follow today. Their seate a sense of ebb and Center’s playlist follows the formula established in flow that the participant quencing flows like this: the 1960s, heavy on West- can feel as a series of ten- • Pre-onset (0 to 1½ hours): quiet, neutral ern classical music. If that sion-and-release expe• Onset (1½ to 2 hours): riences. A playlist with just doesn’t do it for you, melodic, rhythmic the Multidisciplinary As- multiple peaks can also • Building toward peak help to titrate the expesociation for Psychedelic intensity (2 to 3½ rience and keep it from Studies (MAPS) offers hours): long, flowing getting too intense; peritwo playlists for MDphrases and dynamic MA-assisted psychother- ods of relief are built in.” crescendos In his own practice, apy featuring ethnic and • Peak intensity (3½ to Kaelen’s patients didn’t New Age music, and the 4 hours): powerful, Chacruna Institute’s psi- respond well to Western strongly structured locybin playlist on Spotify classical music. He plays • Re-entry (4 to 7 features indie, new wave, music that is personally hours): lighter, familiar meaningful to each perand rock. son, which results in more • Return to normal conThe Chacruna playsciousness (7 to 12 hours): list was developed by Dr. positive experiences and your favorite tunes.

Mendel Kaelen, a neuro- more significant reduc-

TUNING IN A recent study published in the Journal of Music Therapy found music integral for meaningful emotional and imagery experiences and self-exploration during psychedelic therapy.

“Music could convey love, carry listeners to other realms, be something to ‘hold,’ inspire, and elicit a deep sense of embodied transformation,” the authors wrote.

“Therapeutic influence was especially evident in music’s dichotomous elicitations: Music could simultaneously anchor and propel.”

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THE LIFE OLD SCHOOL

Vinyl Appeal A public and personal history of the rise, fall, and resurgence of records.

PHOTO BY KORIONOV, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT DAWN GARCIA

The Birth of Vinyl In 1877, Thomas Edison created what was known as the cylinder phonograph. While wonderful, there was no real way to mass produce it. But Emile Berliner created the mass-production flat phonograph record in the late 1880s. Berliner was able to tap methods used in a printing press to create audio recordings. As his access to enough funds presented a growth issue, he partnered with Eldridge Johnson, who would eventually take over, leaving Berliner on the outs. Johnson proved a

formidable partner who had strong relationships and access to capital. As a result, Johnson took over Berliner’s patents, pushing out any other competitors. He successfully launched the Consolidated Talking Machine Company, renamed in 1901 as Victor Talking Company, making his phonographs the most successful on the market.

Johnson grew the business through aggressive advertising. Inspired by British painter Francis Barraud, he adopted the recognizable iconic dog-and-phono-

graph logo, purchasing neath to store records the US usage rights to it. and accessories. By By the end of 1901, the 1906, he was marketing logo became synonythe new Victor-Victromous with innovative la to the wealthy at a listening devices. As the steep price tag of $200 industry became more (which in today’s market inundated with comis around $5,000). To petitors, Johnson (now his (and his employees’) referred to as Victor afsurprise, the Victroter his products) spent la was a hit and would too much time fighting be mass distributed by patent infringements by 1907. Having sold 15,000 competing businesses.

Victrolas at $200, the Those battles, however, company was primed for led him to further inno- growth and new models. vation when, in 1904, he Fast forward more began design on a new, than 100 years, and less massive turntable Victrola is still holding that was sleeker, had strong, adapting to the clearer sound, and inmodern market with cluded a cabinet underretro designs as a nod to M A R C H 2021

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THE LIFE OLD SCHOOL

its humble beginnings and implementing technology such as Bluetooth speakers.

How Vinyl Formed Our (Gen X) Childhood Those who remember the days when going to clubs meant the DJ was spinning records that weren’t plugged into their iPhones or laptops know that nothing quite compares to the feel and sound of a vinyl record. In spite of 2021 technology that blows our minds with kickass headphones, wireless sound systems, and the like, once upon a time in the 1980s, we misfit kids were stoked to get down with LPs and turntables.

Records were rad and we knew it—even if CD sales were starting to dominate.

We listened to our music on our parents’ old record players from the ’60s and ’70s. We were obsessed with John Hughes movies, The Breakfast Club, and bands like the Sex Pistols, Run DMC, and the

still dominating. In an article in Billboard magazine, an exec for United Record Pressing comments on the misconception of vinyl sales in the ’90s. “The seven-inch vinyl jukebox was [still] huge. And from my time working at labels at that point, I always duced me to Black SabBeastie Boys, and vinyl had stacks of 12-inch bath and Iron Butterfly. gave us an edge. We My mom introduced me singles behind my desk. were retro before we Most radio stations were to Carole King and The even knew it was cool.

Supremes. Music became using 12-inch singles, Turntables became our every birthday party DJ, the one thing I loved preferred mode of exevery roller rink, every pression and, thankfully, more than anything, particularly when played discotheque, and record our parents were onstores in general.” board (probably because on old-school turntaFast forward. Over they felt like their gener- bles. I’d head over to my the last few years, Gen ation was finally appreci- grandparents where my Z has taken a liking to grandma would introated and understood).

Crosley and Victrola Our record collections duce me to old Mexiportable turntables, and can love songs and my began growing, includgrandfather would teach young people own LPs. ing classics like Dylan, In fact the RIAA Music The Beatles, The Doors, me about the soul of Industry Revenue StaLatin beats. My othZeppelin, and a hearty tistics reported that, in er grandparents would dose of Barbra (hey, 2018, vinyl record sales Streisand still rules). But listen to the crooners— and I loved every part of were up 8 percent with bands such as Depeche $419 million in sales. No it. My sisters and I will Mode, The Smiths, Vione imagined that the never forget when we olent Femmes, and of pandemic would boost got Michael Jackson’s course the killer intro vinyl record sales, yet to Ice-T, NWA, Wu Tang Thriller album in 1982 last year, 27.5 million and turned our parents Klan, and The Fugees LPs sold in the United into fans. We played were infiltrating our States with a 46 perthat album so much, young minds with full cent increase over 2019. albums, rare singles, and we literally wore it out.

It seems vinyl records secret finds. Penny Lane When MTV played the have made a comeback, video, we’d hurry to the in Venice changed our turntable to keep up the and as a product of world; Tower Records the 1980s with teenage momentum, put on the lured us with crazy colchildren who asked for album, and perfect our lectibles; and Amoeba turntables and vinyls as Music ate up any money best zombie moves. gifts this year? I can say By the 1990s, record we were saving. that the vinyl record is sales were beginning to My parents gave in indeed hot. How gnarly show signs of waning, and let me borrow their is that? but vinyl singles were albums. My dad introM A R C H 2021

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THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph is a professionally licensed intuitive reader in Las Vegas since 2002.

Author, radio host, and columnist, she created the Dice Wisdom app and is available for phone and in-person sessions. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

MARCH HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

friends, body, mind, and place JULY 23–AUG. 22 on your spiritual path. Be fas- LEO You’ve been dancing around cinated with all the events un- There will be a financial a relationship that you know folding for you. Your authentic shift that will get your atis not healthy or committed love is showing you your path. tention. It may be about reto you. This could be work or financing your home or getpersonal or both. It’s time for MAY 21–JUNE 20 ting your taxes done early. you to decide where you want GEMINI Something in that process to be as of July—because it You finally know that some- gets your attention. won’t be where you are now. thing connected with work is not working for you. It’s time AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 MAR. 21–APR. 19 to either let go of the job or VIRGO ARIES let go of the emotional bur- Recent events have given Your power is what you know. den that’s connected with you clear focus about your A project will present itself future. You are willing to do work. You are worth more. that you have earned the abilthe work to make that fiveity to engage and negotiate. JUNE 21–JULY 22 year plan a reality, even if It truly is your preparation that plan surprises the peoCANCER meeting a long-awaited opTell all the people who love ple around you. portunity. You’ve earned this. you that you will be off the SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 radar. This is the month to APR. 20–MAY 20 LIBRA dive totally into a project TAURUS The new beginning without distraction or perAll things are connected sonal critique. Finish the proj- you’ve been waiting for with love, so love your work, ect and refine it afterward. is presenting itself. It’s FEB. 19–MAR. 20

PISCES

PISCES, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AS OF JULY— BECAUSE IT WON’T BE WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

time to place yourself in any area that allows you to employ your unique skills. Use the mantle of your new identity now.

for you to let go of a person who you can no longer help.

DEC. 22–JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

You came into this lifetime OCT. 23–NOV. 21 to live your truth. It’s seeSCORPIO ing past the immediate imThis month is the celebrapression and into the aution of meaningful partner- thentic level of things. ships, personally and profes- Your truth will be reflected sionally. Take a few minutes in many ways this month. this month and reach out to the people who have loved JAN. 20–FEB. 18 you and thank them.

AQUARIUS Success and karmic reNOV. 22–DEC. 21 wards are the vibration SAGITTARIUS this month. Doubts will There is no question that be washed away, so act as things have been challeng- though every phone call or ing for you. The good news meeting will result in an opis that things can only importunity. This is the time to prove from here. It’s time announce what you want.

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INFINITY, BEATS, AND LOVE F

all down the rabbit hole into different dimensions that bend the mind with theatrics, art, music, and technology exploding in cataclysmic layers. Wink World: Portals Into The Infinite at Area15 is Wonderland updated.

Wink is the co-founding performer, writer, director, and composer of Blue Man Group.

The ground-breaking show creates a wildly interactive, percussiondriven multimedia experience. He is an award-winning writer and performer, a Grammy-nominated composer, and a frequent public speaker on the subject of creativity. Wink is also the director of content for Area15 bringing a unique brand of creativity and industry experience to experiential activations while serving as a global ambassador. In Wink World, he transforms everyday objects into art and adds a delightful blend

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of dymanism to the experience.

Consisting of six infinity-mirror rooms showcasing stunning productions in blacklight and other dazzling effects, the 1,500-squarefoot experience fuses whimsy, color, technology, and music. The horizon-expanding, first-of-itskind immersive art experience represents Wink’s most ambitious art and entertainment project since departing Blue Man Group in 2017. The six rooms draw on his lifelong fascination with the transcendent power of light, color, and music.

Drop In Surrounded by volatile, mindbending paintings of psychedelic visionary artist Alex Aliume, the entrance beckons all to enter.

Standing in front of the multineon color paintings, kinetic layers thrust guests into a

feeling of flowing into the art.

The sensory experience bursts with sight, sound, and emotion.

ChromaDepth 3D glasses only heighten the effect.

“I chose his work because it represents infinity,” explains Wink. “What I really like about Alex’s [Aliume’s] work is that he has eyeballs everywhere, expressing the vision and really seeing.

He wants his work to open everyone’s eyes wider. His art is also very dreamlike in vibrant blacklight fluorescent colors.”

Wink and Aliume share a love of the use of blacklight in their artistic endeavors. “I have always been attracted to this vibration because it makes everything so wonderful,” says Wink. “It reminds us when we leave to look at the flowers and all of the beauty that is in front of us.”

The first room hits with infinity

PHOTOS BY HOLLIE CARDINAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND JEROME HAMILTON

Created by the founder of the Blue Man Group, Wink World’s six immersive art experience rooms will change your perceptions of time and space. TEXT DEBBIE HALL

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c

w

is

en

l l a w g o n m i l la love cann ab o h

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

MORE INFO

Wink World at Area15 3215 S. Rancho Dr., Las Vegas area15.com/experiences/wink-world #WinkWorld

mirror boxes that create the illusion of endless space, from the ceiling to the floor. The room was developed so that there is no reflection of guests. Views are uninterrupted. “This is my wheelhouse, combining theatrical, DMX-control multimedia experiences,” says Wink.

The next room is Wink’s adult version of a science project. Using his home, the artist discovered how to motorize Slinkies bouncing from his ceiling. He also realized that translucent Slinkies reflect light much better. Phosphorescent plastic aliens continue to glow after the room goes dark.

The soundtrack is a juicer synched to a beat.

“I can’t paint, so I have to find things, and I like things that are simple like Slinkies, little aliens, cutlery, and pc pipework,” says Wink. “These elements might not get a lot of attention, so I wanted to find a new use for them, and now they have their proper moment.”

The third experience is most influenced by the Blue Man Group with music produced by Wink and one of his collaborators from the act. Playing the drums through a tube, Winks calls the music “drumulum,” and he enhances the music with a synthesizer. The exhibit represents nature and its synchronized beat.

The next exhibit uses ceiling fans from Wink’s home. “I wondered why no one attaches anything to their ceiling fans; something has to happen,” he says. “I started attaching things like a ribbon to my fans and was fascinated by the swirling pattern of the ribbon.”

He used lights, blades, different fan speeds, and infinity mirrors to develop other effects to recreate feelings of celebration, tsunami, and kinetic energy.

The next experience puts the visitor in the moment, another version of infinity. “I want my objects I use to feel alive and that they have their own life force

whether it is paint exploding off a drum or a breathing motion,” says Wink. “This is all about the vibrancy of life; its explosive nature is something I have always been drawn to when I create. It can be a dance or even a big Broadway number in its own twisted way with a spiritual score.”

Love Vibes Wink wanted the final experience to incorporate love. It emits a softer pulsation as guests walk back into Area15 and, eventually, outside. Wink wants everyone to bring good vibes to the world.

The experiential exhibit owes a debt to art throughout the ages, embodying surrealism, expressionism, and impressionism. Wink believes famous artists such as Picasso had to be listening to music when they worked because elements such as instruments are important aspects of their paintings. And Wink sees dance in the work of the masters— Picasso and Pollack expressing motion in their art.

Wink World: Portals Into The Infinite is a ticketed event with discounts available to Nevada locals, seniors, and members of the military. All prices include ChromaDepth 3-D glasses.

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Waiting on a Friend If we’ve learned one thing over the past year, we can probably all agree, it’s the value of delivery. Stuck at home and hungry, we placed 500 percent more Instacart orders than we had before the plague, and we paid DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Postmates $5.5 billion in combined revenue to bring us doughnuts, dumplings, and other delights from April through September of last year. Let’s not even talk about the money we’ve given Amazon.

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We learned we could get just about anything we wanted, from lightning cords to liquor, left at our doorsteps by masked angels otherwise known as essential workers. All we had to do was hop online and order through one of the many handy apps available to us. We could even get weed. Oh, wait. We could get weed delivered, but only if we lived in a certain dozen of the 50 United States— namely Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado,

Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont—and even then, maybe not.

Among the handful of states where cannabis delivery is allowed, regulation varies wildly, even from city to city and county to county. I spent half of last year in California, where all I had to do was hop on an app to get cannabis delivered, and the other half in Colorado, where delivery is legal but nonexistent—

and I felt the loss hard.

Once you’ve enjoyed the convenience of delivery, it sucks to be without it.

That’s another reason why cannabis delivery is the new industry darling, expected to provide the industry’s fastest-growing revenue stream by 2024, according to a report by ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics.

It’s ridiculous and weird that Colorado, the pioneer in legal adult use, is so far behind in addressing delivery—

PHOTO BY EVGENIIAND, ADOBE STOCK

Lantern, a Boston-based delivery platform that connects cannabis users to licensed dispensaries, is moving into the virgin Colorado market. It’s about time. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

PHOTO BY KONSTANTIN YUGANOV, ADOBE STOCK

even after COVID-19 made cannabis use an increasingly crucial issue.

At this point, though, the problem isn’t really the state. Colorado lawmakers approved medical cannabis deliveries to begin in 2019 and recreational deliveries in 2021 but left it up to local governments whether to allow delivery or not. So far, only a small number of cities are saying yes. Medical deliveries are permitted in Boulder, Superior, and Longmont. Aurora (population 400,000) is the first Colorado city to allow recreational delivery.

Colorado might be late to the game, but it will always be a player.

Earlier this year, Aurora’s brand-new, wide-open delivery market caught the attention of Lantern, a Boston-based cannabis delivery platform that connects cannabis users to licensed dispensaries in Massachusetts and Michigan.

Lantern was developed and funded by Drizly, the largest online marketplace for alcohol in the United States, which saw online alcohol orders spike by 485 percent during the pandemic. Denver is Drizly’s third-largest market, and the data told them (though all they had to do was ask me) that Denver consumers want delivery.

“Residents of Aurora, whose city council

passed a vote in favor of recreational delivery in December 2020, will likely be the first in the state to access Lantern’s services once the city finalizes the permitting process,” says Meredith Mahoney, Lantern’s president. “Once Aurora’s local law goes into effect, customers over the age of 21 in Aurora will be able to conveniently place recreational cannabis orders online at lanternnow.com and have products delivered to their doorstep within an hour.”

Dispensaries pay Lantern a percentage of sales through the app, which offers users increasingly personalized product suggestions, whether they’re in the mood for gummies, vapes, or topicals. Users, who aren’t charged extra fees for using the app to streamline their searches, are directed to dispensaries that have what they need and trained dispensary personnel deliver their orders within an hour.

Business has been brisk, Mahoney says, as (in most states, anyway) the pandemic has accelerated the cannabis industry’s shift to e-commerce and delivery. “We believe that the demand for cannabis delivery will continue to grow and flourish post COVID-19, as an increasing number of customers integrate

“We believe that the demand for cannabis delivery will continue to grow and flourish post COVID-19, as an increasing number of customers integrate cannabis into their daily routines.”

—Meredith Mahoney, president of Lantern

cannabis into their daily routines.” In Michigan, where Lantern is available to customers in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Battle Creek, delivery orders increased 89 percent three days before Christmas, she adds.

In February, Uber announced its acquisition of Lantern’s sister company, Drizly, but Mahoney says that will not affect Lantern’s operations or mission. Lantern, which had been an independent subsidiary of the Drizly Group, will now operate as a fully autonomous private company.

“Lantern’s consumer-centric ethos was born out of Drizly’s founding vision to create a more streamlined e-commerce experience, and Lantern will continue to build its best-in-class logistics technology platform, which has already transformed the emerging cannabis retail industry,” Mahoney says. “The company was first-tomarket in Massachusetts and Michigan and is optimally positioned to continue expanding into new legal markets. The next few years will be consequential not only for the cannabis industry but also for the entire digital retail sector. Lantern is eager to set new standards for what is possible in both spaces.”

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G THE SCENE

HIGH SOCIETY

Gaming, Putting, and Eating Area15, the immersive art and entertainment district, has launched three new experiences. Emporium Arcade Bar spans two floors covering 10,000 square feet and features all types of games (including classic arcade games), pool tables, Skee-Ball, foosball, and basketball—as well as a curated craft beer and cocktail bar. Five Iron Golf is an urban indoor golf experience with a community-focused mission to make the game enjoyable for everyone. The Beast by James Beard award-winning celebrity chef Todd English offers a curated map of flavors in the belly of a dragon (living up to its name). Don’t fret if that scares you, The Beast’s menu is available for delivery to other Area15 experiences. area15.com

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GRAND OPENING WHERE: AREA15 WHEN: FEBRUARY 4, 2021 PHOTOS: HOLLIE CARDNIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

THE SCENE HIGH SOCIETY

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BARON WOLMAN / ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

MORE INFO

THE SCENE

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rockhall.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

See the Sound

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame showcases the work of one of the scene’s most important photographers.

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Here’s one thing Boomers and Gen Z can agree on: rock ’n’ roll continues to shape the world.

Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock & Roll

Hall of Fame continues to engage, teach, and inspire through the power of music. It shares songs and events that have shaped the world

through digital content, innovative exhibits, live music, and engaging programs. The Hall also showcases music history through the genre’s

iconic photographers and artists who have documented the movement over the decades.

To that end, the hall recently announced M A R C H 2021

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Want a sample of our work? You’re reading it.

Em Agency is proud to be the creative force behind Sensi’s award-winning visual style.

We build brands we believe in—the brand you believe in can be next. emagency.com

THE SCENE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BARON WOLMAN / ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

PHOTOGRAPHY

it has acquired over 100,000 images taken by the prolific Baron Wolman, who passed away in November 2020. The Baron Wolman Collection includes some of the most ground-breaking names in rock history, including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Grace Slick, Howlin’ Wolf, Miles Davis, and Eric Clapton.

The collection includes negatives, transparencies, photographic prints, correspondence, general documents,

and copies of Wolman’s published books. Wolman was Rolling Stone’s first chief photographer; countless issues of rock magazines with his images on the cover are on display. The public has never seen many of the collection’s images.

The archives also feature other rare and never-seen-before photos captured by influential African American photographers including Chuck Stewart, Bruce Talamon, and Bob Douglas. Images include soul and jazz musician, poet, and author Gil Scott-Heron; Billie Holiday per-

Cleveland can explore Rock Hall EDU (edu.rockhall.com).

This free digital learning platform is full of resources and activities to engage students of all ages with resources developed and curated by an award-winning educational team. For homeschoolers, educational programs meet forming at The Tiffany national and state learnClub in Los Angles; and ing standards in music, Kendrick Lamar persocial studies, STEAM, forming “Blacker the Ber- and English. Also, listen ry” and “Alright” at the to the new Rock & Roll 2016 Grammy Awards.

Hall of Fame Induction The Hall has reVault podcast episodes opened, and those who on the iHeart Radio App don’t want to travel to and Apple Podcasts.

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THE SCENE

MORE INFO

Sound Steps Rhythm Dance Company Facebook and Instagram @soundstepsdance

MUSIC

Joyful Noise Tap dancing celebrates the beat.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VICTORIA LORRAINE JONES

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

With its fun flurry of in-sync beats, tap keeps drawing fans and evolving. Victoria Lorraine Jones, founder of the nonprofit Sound Steps Rhythm Dance Company, wants even more young people to join in the joyful noise.

“There are several programs and events that I produce every single day and every year,” says Jones, who has become the biggest motivating force in the tap dance community in southern Nevada. “We just don’t stop.”

Tap Matters, a dance academy for advanced students ages 8 to 17, offers dance instruction and performance skills. “Our mission is to passionately educate the fundamentals of professional tap dancing through skills, sensory, performances, and positivity,” Jones explains.

The Sound-Off afterschool program, held virtually daily, introduces kids to tap and other percussion dance disciplines. The classes train

and develop skillsets for dance and rhythm.

Students also learn the history and origin of each style of dance, as they are prepared for professional development, especially those who want to pursue dance as a career.

Originally from Gary, Indiana, Jones says she was born to tap dance and trained extensively in the art. In 2007, she relocated to Las Vegas, where she began her professional career in dance. After serving

five years in the United States Army National Guard, Jones continued her dance career, performing on the Strip, including at MeatLoaf’s Rocktellz and Coctailz at Planet Hollywood.

Jones’s primary mission is to teach, inspire, produce, educate, and mentor kids and teens.

While the primary focus is tap, the programs include other rhythm dance genres, including hip-hop, breakdance, clog, Irish, and body percussion.

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THE SCENE

Julien Baker

Fresh Tunes

Check out the best new albums of 2021 so far.

TEXT JEDD FERRIS

Although brighter days are on the horizon, the timeline for when musicians can safely resume touring is still hazy.

The situation has forced many artists to stay productive by focusing

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on studio projects, with many being released in the early part of the year. From indie upstarts to established legends, here’s a look at 10 new albums coming by spring.

debuted Bonny Light Horseman, a new side project with fellow folk innovators Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Kaufman that earned two Grammy nominations. Not slowing his pace, JohnFruit Bats son is celebrating the The Pet Parade (Merge 20th anniversary of the Records) Fruit Bats by releasing Fruit Bats leader Eric D. the band’s eighth overall Johnson has been on a studio album, The Pet hot streak lately. In 2019, Parade, in March. Johnhe hit a creative peak son brought Kaufman with his main band’s onboard to produce the soulful album Gold Past album, and although it Life, and last year, he was made during quar-

antine with supporting players adding their parts remotely, it doesn’t sound like an isolated effort. Lead single “Holy Rose” is a powerful poprock song with orchestral sonic textures.

Same Spark: In February, Brooklyn upstart trio Wild Pink will release its anticipated next album, A Billion Little Lights. The effort blends earthy roots songcraft with indie inventiveness that will please fans of The War on Drugs.

The Hold Steady Open Door Policy (Positive Jams) The Hold Steady is back with more heavy riffs and vivid tales on its eighth studio al-

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF SUBPOP; BY ANNIE BEEDY

RELEASES

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PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF WILLIE NELSON; BY RENATA RAKSHA

RELEASES

bum, Open Door Policy.

Frontman Craig Finn’s narrative lyrics still dig into the dark side of the party, but with keyboardist Franz Nicolay permanently back in the mix, the band’s tight rock arrangements provide anthemic swells of cathartic redemption.

“Open Door Policy was very much approached as an album vs. a collection of individual songs, and it feels like our most musically expansive record,” Finn says of the new album, which was released on February 19.

Same Spark: Another stalwart rock act with a loyal following, roots heroes Lucero made its new album When You Found Me at the famed Sam Phillips Recording studio in the band’s hometown of Memphis.

Willie Nelson That’s Life (Legacy Recordings) The great news first: Willie Nelson, 87, has been vaccinated. Now the good news: the country legend is releasing his 71st album this year. That’s Life is Nelson’s second collection of Frank Sinatra covers,

following 2018’s My Way. Nelson has said that Sinatra had a big influence on his singing style, and he made part of his latest tribute to the late crooner at Hollywood’s Capitol Studios, where Sinatra recorded many of his beloved standards.

The songs of Ol’ Blue Eyes sound relaxed and comforting through the mellow voice of the Red Headed Stranger, especially the well-known title track and the breezy “Cottage for Sale.” It’s a record perfect for chilling out during our remaining days of hunkering down at home.

Same Spark: Singersongwriter Pete Yorn also went the covers route on his new LP, Pete Yorn Sings the Classics, a Bandcamp exclusive release that features takes on the Pixies, Bob Dylan, and The Beach Boys.

Julien Baker Little Oblivions (Matador) Julien Baker is known for her confessional indie rock songs usually delivered with sparse guitar arrangements and disarming vocal crescendos. Following a long touring cycle supporting her acclaimed 2017 album Turn Out the Lights, she took a break from music to finish college and reassess her

priorities. When she returned to the studio to record Little Oblivions, Baker’s vision expanded, and new tracks like the standout “Hardline” feature crashing drums and emotive keyboard layers.

The full sound adds new depth to her unflinching lyrical revelations.

Same Spark: Danielle Durack offers similar intimately intense songcraft on her new album No Place.

Valerie June The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy) Valerie June’s breakout album, 2017’s The Order of Time, was a roots-driven project, with tracks featuring the singer-songwriter’s alluring voice placed among primitive banjo tunes and jangly blues cuts. The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers—the muchawaited follow-up made with producer Jack

Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys)—finds June honing her stylistic leanings into celestial R&B that fits the record’s searching themes. The album’s opening threesong sequence, “Stay” / “Meditation” / “You and I,” is a sublime astral-soul suite that contemplates relationship dynamics.

“With this record, it finally became clear why I have this dream of making music,” June said in a statement previewing the new album. “It’s not for earthly reasons of wanting to be awarded or to win anybody’s love— it’s because dreaming keeps me inquisitive and keeps me on that path of learning what I have to share with the world.”

Same Spark: Lake Street Dive went into the studio with Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Fiona Apple), who helped shape the band’s next set of retro-minded soul-rock tunes. Obviously will be out March 12.

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THE END

MORE INFO

City Plaza 10 N. Virginia Street, Reno visitrenotahoe.com

One Word

Burning Man may be on hold, but a sculpture in downtown Reno keeps the festival’s forward-looking spirit alive in tough times.

Burning Man is on pause, but one festivalinspired art piece has a permanent home in City Plaza in Reno, Nevada. Artist Laura Kimpton (laurakimpton.com) designed the word sculpture “Believe” in collaboration with Jeff Schomberg (jeff schombergarts.com). The eye-catching statement stands at the corner of 1st and S. Virginia streets for everyone to view, contemplate, and be inspired by 24 hours a day.

Created out of 4-foot-thick steel letters, “Believe” spans 70 feet—each individual letter measures 12 feet tall, 7-to-10 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. While the sign has resonated with visitors in the past (just 50

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look on Instagram), its message shines with new hope after a turbulent year.

Known for her Big Words series, Kimpton combines painting, mixed-media installations, and sculpture to question traditional views on social interaction in her work, which she first unveiled at the Burning Man festival. Words in the series included Mom, Love, Ego, Oink, and Believe. Schomberg incorporates welded steel, aluminum, stone, and found objects in his work.

Take the art walk tour in Reno to view the hundreds of mural-covered walls and interactive sculptures, many of which come from the Burning Man festival.

PHOTO BY CHARA STAGRAM

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

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TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

SPRING FLINGS

Fruity (or veggie) cocktails

LIGHTING THE PATH

Expanding cannabis delivery

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

Lighting the path

Cannabis delivery expands

FOR THE RECORD

Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

N E VA DA

MICHIGAN

NEW ENGLAND

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

MOTHER NATURE PROVIDES

LIGHTING THE PATH Cannabis delivery expands

WICKED IRISH

Where to celebrate St. Patty’s Day

TAKING ROOT

Hunt to Eat initiatives support Earth and equity

Cannapreneur April Arraste founds a new brand in Jamaica Plain

WINK WORLD The latest project from the founder of the Blue Man Group

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

LIGHTING THE PATH Cannabis delivery expands

FOR THE RECORD

Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

LIGHTING THE PATH Cannabis delivery expands

FOR THE RECORD

Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

NORCAL

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

C O LO R A D O

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

LIGHTING THE PATH

Expanding cannabis delivery

FOR THE RECORD

A defense of vinyl in the 21st century

SPRING SPA-CATION Area resorts bring CBD to your self-care day

LKYM NO OTHER Yonatan Elkayam riffs on how COVID-19 has changed music

SEE ALL THE MARCH EDITIONS NOW AVAILABLE!