5XQ1h~~rn FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2
For 20 years The Synthesis' goal has remained to provide a forum for entertainment, music, humor, community
STOLEN GEAR! ! ! !
awareness, opinions, and change.
BOG~ ADS PAGEANT CLOIJD5-UN TRU!IG~S AND THE BROKEN HO NEED YOUR HELP.
Our beautiful babies have been stolen. These are our lifeblood , our source of income, our best friends, and are lrreplace Some sad soul was seen loading up his car (maroon. small (maybe a focus)) out ment. We can't afford these to be gone. If you have ANY info or suggestions, Call Michael at 530 647 6875
We a~:i~~~'b~;~~~;~:i~~~ us happy. 8
And hey, mr. theif, if you are reading this, We'll write you a song if you ~ive them back. It will be a nice one, we promise.
PUBLISHER Kathy Barrett kathy@synmedia.net
MANAGING EDITOR Amy Olson amy@synthesis.net
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanner Ulsh graphics@synthesis.net
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Nord Electro40 --·>
Fender Deville 210 Reverbbroken, Light broken
DESIGNERS Colin Leiker, Mike Valdez graphics@synthesis.net
DELIVERIES Joey Murphy, Jennifer Foti
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Arielle Mullen, Bob Howard, Howl, Jaime O'Neill, Koz McKev, Tommy Diestel, Dan O'Brien, Negin Riazi, Jayme Washburn,
Eli Schwartz, Mona Treme
PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica Sid
Vincent Latham
NERD
UNTIL THE PIZZAS Take heart, fans of the Hambones; your favorite band may be no more, but they are more themselves than ever. Find out what the deal is with the Hasta La Pizzas.
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FAB LAB BLAB Check in on the latest exhibition at the Fab Lab, and get to know the multi-talented Johnny Dutro, the man behind Myriad Wonder.
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BOGGED DOWN
Dain Sandoval dain@synthesis.net
ACCOUNTING Ben Kirby
What could be sadder than a musician losing his instrument-his very livelihood-to a heartless thief? Reading about it, that's what. I feel sorry for us.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
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The Synthesis is both owned and published by Apartment 8 Productions. All things published in these pages are the property of Apartment 8 Productions and may not be reproduced, copied or used in any other way, shape or form without the written consent of Apartment 8 Productions. One copy (maybe two) of the Synthesis is available free to residents in Butte, Tehama and Shasta counties. Anyone caught removing papers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All opinions expressed throughout the Synthesis are those of the author and are not necessarily the same opinions as Apartment 8 Productions and the Synthesis. The Synthesis welcomes, wants, and will even desperately beg for letters because we care what you think. We can be reached via snail mail at the Synthesis, 210 W. 6th St., Chico, California, 95928. Email letters@synthesis.net. Please sign all of your letters with your real name, address and preferably a phone number. We may also edit your submission for content and space.
IMMACULATE INFECTION
PRODUCTIVITY WASTED
OLD CROCK
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COMICAL RUMINATIONS
CONSIDER THE PLATYPUS
BRUNCH BALL
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Karen Potter
OWNER Bill Fishkin bill@synthesis.net
210 West 6th Street Chico Ca 95928 530.899.7708 editorial@synthesis.net
FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
3
PET OF THE WEEK
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
THE CULT OF TALENT
ADOPT ME! Atticus is a 4 year old lab who came to us as a stray! He wants nothing more than to be as close to you as possible and training will be a breeze with him. He wants to please his people so badly and responds very well to positive reinforcement training .
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NOW HEAR THIS Synthesis Weekly Playlist TAN N ER MF DOOM - "ONE BEER" COLIN
ARKIST - "FILL MY COFFEE"
DAIN
TOY MATINEE - "THE BALLAD OF JENNY LEDGE"
HOWL
CROSSES - "OPTION"
KATYA
CARAVAN PALACE- "JOLIE COQUINE"
MIKE
DILLON FRANCIS - "GET LOW"
AMY
THE LOLOS - "CHU CHU"
ALEX
30 SECONDS TO MARS - "HURRICAINE"
VIV
KING GEEDORAH - "MONSTER ZERO"
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FEBR UARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
I can't stop thinking about this whole situation with Sid Lewis. If you're not already aware of it, I'll fill you in : Sid Lewis is a musician (with immense talent) who has been part of the Chico music scene for about 20-some-odd years, and started the Chico School of Rock (which he has now stepped down from). Last week, a news story broke that he's been arrested. A former student of his-a teenage girlwas working for him as a housekeeper, and alleges she looked up to see him masturbating while staring at her. Some people reacted with revulsion that this person who had been trusted with kids could turn out to be so disgusting. Some people reacted with revulsion that he was being found guilty in the court of public opinion before going to trial. Some people said they knew him and had always been skeeved out by him. Some people said they knew him and were SURE she was making it up. I can't weigh in on this particular incident, but I do have a thing or two to say about the importance of character. Back in the '90s he was a pretty big deal around here : hosted a lot of parties, played a lot of shows, and sat in with a lot of bands. One of the first times I met him, his little sister and I were at a small gathering at his house, and when she and I decided to leave, he suggested I stay later and he would get me a cab home. But then later came, everyone had left, and he wanted me to stay there and sleep in his bed. I didn't want to, and he got mad ; refusing to pay for the cab after all.
I ended up walking home (drunk, alone, in the middle of the night). After that I didn't like him; I thought his approach to getting me in bed was a weird power-play as opposed to seducing me legitimately, and the way he got mad made me really uncomfortable. We traveled in the same circles, and it became more apparent that he was basically a rude person who got by on being impressive. Over the years I saw him behave in pretty awful ways toward his girlfriend; once he was even physical against her in front of everyone. Nobody wanted to step in. Nobody wanted to make a big deal about it. People respected his talent, and kept including him socially and in musical partnerships. He eventually faded from popularity, but maintained a certain standing. The whole thing makes me think about Woody Allen and Roman Polanski. Some people like the art someone creates so much they lift that person up above reproach, not seeing how the allegations they make to protect the status of that artist can do harm to potential victims everywhere. It perpetuates the feeling that those in power can get away with treating people badly, and tells victims they will be presumed to be liars. It's fair to say a person should be treated as innocent of a crime until proven guilty; we shouldn't form any lynch mobs based on assumptions. Still, I can't help but think he should've been denied the esteem of the community for being a dick from the very beginning; there are plenty of nice musicians.
AMY OLSON - AMY@SYNTHESIS.NET SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM
IMMACULATE INFECTION BY BOB HOWARD - MADBOB@MADBOB.COM
COLLECTIVE NATIONAL MANURE All the drama of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games has wound down. Along with the closing of the games I imagine many media pundits and self-identifying patriots will have to find another pastime apart from the constant Russia-bashing. Between Pussy Riot being locked up for playing a set of punk rock in front of a church, and the oppressive and dangerously ambiguous Russian laws regarding homosexuality, red-blooded Americans have been having a field day criticizing the perceived lack of freedom taking place across the Bering Strait from Sarah Palin's house. But wait just a minute; you want to talk oppression? First and foremost, the good old U.S. of A. locks up more of its citizens-and keeps them behind bars for longer periods of time-than any other country in the world. In fact, our little nation of three hundred million folks houses a solid quarter of the entire world's prisoners. This doesn't even include non-citizens being held for us overseas by foreign governments, or rotting away in black-op facilities. We have a multi-billion dollar prison-industrial complex, and it's only getting larger and more powerful as the machine rumbles on. Secondly, our current military bases, engagements, and occupations make Russia's present-day military campaigns look like summer camp by comparison. We are still launching missiles, from drones, into wedding parties in Yemen. We consider any fighting age male with a gun in that country to be a legal target-a potential "non-lawful combatant." We've got military bases on every continent, so who is really doing the oppressing around the world? Frankly, I can't say for sure whether it would be worse to be gay in Russia, or Kansas. Russia has their Pussy Riot, we've got Edward Snowden in exile and Chelsea Manning rotting behind bars. Does anyone else ever wonder how the only person who got sent up for that leak was a private in the army? That is the lowest rank in an organization based on hierarchy. A
Growing Toward a Sustainable Future
CSU, Chico I March 6-8 Join us for over 80 presentations and workshops presented by sustainability professionals from California and beyond. Topics include: Sustainable Food & Agriculture Energy, Water & Climate Issues Business and Economic Strategies Sustainable Lifestyle Goals Sustainability in Education Emerging Ideas private basically shouldn't be able to wipe her butt without getting authorization from someone higher-up, and yet Manning takes all the blame? I guess accountability is just a nice buzz-word. I had another thought along the lines of accountability, or lack thereof. I was ogling Martha Stewart in a recent publication we get from the ASPCA when it struck me that, after all the insanity happening on Wall Street collapsed the economy, the domestic diva has served more jail time than all the crooked traders, brokers, and CEO's combined. I love what America stands forthe preamble to the Declaration of Independence makes my nads tingle-but this country is insane. We've got good words, but any system is only as good as the people who run it; and good words have a way of being twisted by shady lawyers and corrupt power-players. Anyway, I'll get down off the high-horse here, but let's take a long and serious look in the mirror before we start acting like our collective national manure doesn't reek something fierce.
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Keynote speakers include: Anya Fernald - CoFounder & CEO, Bel Campo Sec. Karen Ross - CA. Dept of Food & Agriculture Dayna Baumeister - CoFounder & Keystone, Biomimicry 3.8 Michael Dimock - President, Roots of Change John Ikerd - Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics., Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
This conference is open to all ages and all students attend for free with valid student ID.
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I csu chico '
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FEBRU ARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
5
PRODUCTIVITY WASTED BY ELI SCHWARTZ
KAIRO
Norrin Perrin, aka Locked Door Puzzle, just released a new game called Journal, but I'm not going to review that. Rather, I'd like to travel back to 2013 and review his first successful game, Kairo.
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Before the monumental advent of the Nintendo 64 in my house, my selection of games was limited. They were all chosen by my parents, they were all for our communal Macintosh, they were all kidfriendly, and they were all point and click adventure games. The digital, interactive iterations of I-Spy, a few math tutorials, and essentially anything published by Humongous Entertainment, the creators of Pajama Sam, Putt-Putt, and Spy Fox, the bread and butter of 1990's born children with an aversion to the outdoors. But then there was the wild card, a game devoid of cute shapes and loud noises. Myst would be a thorn in my side for years, as I slowly developed the cognitive skills to solve it. In case that previous paragraph didn't clue you in, Kairo opened a can of nostalgia in me. The game is a landscape of abstract geometry, applied in a sparse, minimalist style. Within it, machines of varying complexity lie in ruin, and our player character must restore, understand, and complete them for reasons unrevealed. There's a story, but it's as sparse as the environment around you, and nothing is ever clear. The environment is one giant puzzle waiting to be wound, unwound, or altogether smashed, and more of the game unfolds with each successful action. Its minimalism and brain teasing bears similarities to 2013's fantastic Antichamber (which, you really should know, is available alongside a roster of some of the very best
indie games in this week's Humble Bundle, as of this writing), but is more Euclidian in its geometry, and much simpler. There's only one real mechanic : move. There's no inventory, or action button. To move an object, move against it. To activate a switch, step on it. Interaction is fairly intuitive, just be near anything and it moves. But Kairo comes with no instructions, no omniscient narrator, no companion, nor help fairy. It's big, empty, and alone. Of course, in a pinch, there's a multi-tiered hint system in the pause menu, so technically even the lazy and puzzle-challenged can see the game through from start to finish, but any veteran knows that the puzzle adventure, especially one so open and so mysterious, is a matter of mindset and persistence. The direct nomenclature of Kairo is never explained, but in Japanese, the word means a cloister, a temple wall enclosure put into place to create a space separate from the mundane world, where reflection and introspection can be perfected without the harsh interferences of reality. I choose to interpret that as not a coincidence. Games like Myst, Antichamber, and Kairo are like giant, interactive Zen koans-landscapes of mystery and riddle that are best navigated through a marriage of childlike openness and curiosity, and the deep maturity required to have patience, persistence, and the humility to spend the time unraveling the riddle for its revelations in the end. For PC, Mac, and Linux Currently available for $5 on Steam and on its website.
http.//kaira./ackeddaarpuzzle.cam/
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COMICAL RUMINATIONS
H
BY ZOO EY MA E - ZOOEYMAE@SYNTHESIS.NET
CAN NOT HOST/ NO TOUCHING
RE
We pay cash for your recyclables!! CRY ALUMINUM CANS $2.00/Pound
E-WASTE! We pay 5¢ per pound for TV's, Computers, Monitors and Laptops!!
Sometimes the weight of living with people, not just in the same house, but in the same town, zip code or lifetime, seems too heavy to deal with. Thankfully, there are things you can do to ease the weight. Pop on the Spike Away (mentioned in one of my previous columns), a plastic vest with long spikes that will teach anyone foolish enough to get close to you the lesson George Sr. of Arrested Development fame learned in jail : no touching. Oldies but goodies include making your own deodorant, and using any of the following words/phrases: herstory, stay-cation, adorkable, geek girl and/or chocoholic. The point is, there are an endless amount of irritating things our fellow humans do every day. If you're normal, you ' ll probably process them like an adult and move on. If you're Jason Willis from Wisconsin, you go about it a little ... differently. Willis (my new hero), has been banned from using the Internet for sending naked strangers to his neighbors house, via Craigslist. Judge Allen Terhorst said, " If you want to drive drunk, you're not allowed to drive. To me, a public availability of the Internet-to use it the way he did-is unconscionable." Unconscionable, maybe. I just want to know what the neighbor did to piss him off. I bet it had something to do with a dog on a fiber-heavy diet and the absence of a leash. I'm lookin' at YOU neighbor-at-the-end-ofthe-street. Don't think I don't see your dog shitting that trail of swampy pond water across my grass.
Speaking of terrible pets, my gentleman friend has a cat. Men with cats. There's probably a Men With Cats script lying around a Hollywood office somewhere. Maybe it's the long-awaited sequel to Men In Tights. Anyway, men with cats. Amirite? I'm really not a cat person. I much prefer dogs, who give love with no questions asked and don 't look at me sideways when I don't put on pants for a whole day.
And, as acourtesy to our customers, we'll accept all other consumer electronics, such as lax machines, printers, VHS players, etc. as adrop-off, with no payments* * Some restrictions may apply Call for more information on getting cash for other recyclable materials.
My man friend loves his furry four-legged so much that he built a little ramp from the ground to his window, with a little flap cut into the screen so he can let himself in and out whenever his black little heart desires. I think the fact that he gave his cat more access to the house, i.e. something it wanted (yes, "it"), really only made his dumb feline more power hungry than ever. Lately we've been playing this fun game where he scrambles around underneath the bed at 4 am while I try to grab him, and he scratches the ever-loving shit out of me. You know what they say, give a cat an inch, and he'll try to take your eyeballs from your face. I told you about my gentleman friend's cat so I could tell you about how there's a guy in Goleta, California who just dropped $35,000 renovating his house to be a tunnel, walkway and ledge-laden pad for his cats ... but I got distracted. Hey, maybe I should introduce my neighbor's swamp diarrhea-spewing dog to the cat. Maybe they' ll destroy each other. Maybe I just solved all my problems.
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FEBRUARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
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"Why are you so elusive? Is it because you're actually unicorns?"
my knees and screamed, "NOOOOOOOO!" And then I took a breath and screamed, "0000000000000!!!!"
"Yes," they all say immediately. I knew it. Why else would a band so awesome feel the need to play so rarely, and then shape-shift to a new identity the moment after their awesomeness is recognized? {Seriously, like two weeks ago the Hambones were profiled in the News & Review.)
It was with fragile psyche and hoarse voice that I asked them If we could talk. They agreed to meet me for nonallegorical pizza at Celestina's. I sat scribbling desperate questions on my notepad while I waited. Things like: "How could you do this to me?", "What's going to happen now?" and, "When can I see you again?"
File Photo: Proof of unicorn existence
fact: my first kiss in kindergarten was a result of being chased down by the son of the guy who owned the store up there, and he grew up to axe-murder his dad in a methfueled rage). File Photo: Tanner Ulsh suit wearing
I plunk the recorder in the middle of the table, and Trent Burnham eyes it suspiciously, "I've never had pizza while I was being recorded before." Fearing that I'm scaring this mythical creature, I awkwardly reassure him: "Oh, you'll never want to have it any other way; you'll want to record all your meals." I turn to Wes Jensen in an effort to deflect from my true purpose, and confront him with a rumor I had heard minutes before, "Aren't you some kind of child star of the fishing world?" "No." he says flatly. "Oh, I heard you were in some magazine." Awkward.
The Ham bones had been one of those rare musical treats that pops up at random a few times a year. They played a quirky blend of trashy surf-garage that made my ears so very happy. When I heard they were changing their name to Hasta La Pizzas and going in a new direction, I fell to
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FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
"Well, yeah, when I was a kid I had a fly pattern I designed in a magazine, but I never won any awards or anything." Tick. Tick. Tick.
I decide to make things weird again. "So Christina, you and Trent are getting married! Wes, do you feel left out of their lovemaking?"
Finally pizzas hit the table. The next 10 minutes of the
"Yeah," he admits, then gives them a moony look. I feel like we're getting real now; it's time to ask what I came here to find out.
tape are all chewing sounds. Christina Ulsh quips that they could make this a hidden track on their album; just like an hour of eating pizza. I can tell the food is calming them, as they ease into casual band-banter that segues into us all talking about Tanner (Synthesis Creative Director/Christina's brother)-who apparently started wearing suits and ties when he was four years old {!)-and swapping stories about growing up in Forest Ranch (fun
"Sooo, are you guys going to stick with Hasta La Pizzas, or is that a transitional name?" "I think so, at least for a while," Christina says with a little head tilt. "Why?" Dain asks pointedly (Dain was there too), "Was
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Ham bones taken?" "There are some old dudes who have that name," Christina and Trent say in a jumble of affirmation. She continues, "But that's not why. Hambones, as a band, became a little too serious for us. We found ourselves not having fun anymore. We thought about just changing our sound and direction and keeping the name, but inspirationally, for us, the Ham bones was a certain thing and we needed that kind of separation from it." Dain nods, "Hasta La Pizzas is definitely more freeing. You can add some more novelty... it doesn't say anything about your genre, but in a way it kind of does. It, to me, sounds like a garage band who has fun on weekends. They're not trying to make anything big of it." "I'm just going to interview Dain about your band." I say with a mouth full of pizza. "Thank you, he's our new manager," Trent announces with a slight gesture of deference.
"So Dain," I ask, "what can you tell me about their new sound?" He bows his head a little sheepishly, "Well, I don't know really, I haven't heard them yet. But to me Ham bones, other than Candy Apple, was the only band to come along in the last ten years that actually caught my ear, where I was like, 'Holy Shit, I love this!"' He paused a moment, "Well, the Shankers too. But Candy Apple really got me, and then when The Ham bones came along it was such a nice blend of what I wanted to hear... I think what the Persian Skirts are doing is really great too ... and Michelin Embers ... but yeah, do you have new stuff yet?" "What did you just post?" Christina asks Trent. "Monkey Jerk is the only thing I've put up so far." He nods [visit thehasta/apizzas.bandcamp.com to hear it]. "We're not quite there yet, as far as really developing a whole new sound," Christina adds. "We have Hambones songs that we'll transition over. But that's why we're doing this whole thing: it's that we want to be able to do whatever we want. We just want to have fun and play trashy garage rock. Our new band motto is 'Make it shittier.' If we're trying too hard and the song's not working, it's like 'stop trying so hard and have fun."' "Yeah, don't overcomplicate it." Trent nods. "And add more reverb." Christina laughs, "We were playing at Duffy's a couple weeks ago, and I was trying to tell the sound guy to make the vocals sound shittier, but he thought I was kidding and took it as a compliment." As an aside, I'd like to mention that one of the seriously spectacular things about this group (whatever their name) is the batshit-wonderful vocal styling Trent brings to the table. He has so much fun with pitch and tone it's a little bit unreal. Really, everything about them is fantastic: the simplicity of the threepiece, the upbeat retro attitude, the fact that they're stylish as hell and totally immersed in the unique thing they have going ... We got to talking about the sound of the "first" Rock & Roll song in 1951 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats called "Rocket 88," a sound made gorgeously shitty
because it was played through a damaged amplifier, setting it apart from the smooth R&B sounds that preceded it.
Christina got back on topic, "So yeah, with the name. People laugh when they hear it, and I think that's good even if they're laughing at us." "Yeah," Trent smiles, "I feel like if you're going to go out and go to a show ... I mean, I'm a homebody, so if I'm going to go out-as much as I appreciate all other kinds of music-I want to go out and have fun. So I hope when people hear the name they think about that, because we want our music to convey that. It's going to have a little bit of all the stuff we like, and some new stuff...you gotta always be moving forward. The name is sort of a way to trick us into not caring and having a good time." "Plus we really like pizza," nods Christina, as we eye the devastation on the table. A few slices ofTom Jones and Olive Special remain of the two extra large pies; our bellies fat and satisfied. I decide to force-feed myself another half slice; why stop at full? "And, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger." She laughs. We take turns making garbled impersonations, which is somehow easier with a mouth full of greasy pizza. The conversation suddenly turns to a serious discussion of copyright and parody law, and whether they can use Schwarzenegger quotes or images for their album.
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"So you're working on an album then?" I ask, a little squeakily. "Yeah," Christina says, "eventually. We're working on writing some new material and really getting our sound dialed in. But yeah, we're hoping to record an album pretty soon." "Cool," I say (maybe a little too eagerly), "because you guys don't play very often." "Yeah, we're pretty busy. Especially with the wedding coming up in September. But hopefully after that we'll have a little more time on our hands." Christina says reassuringly. I think she pities me a little. Trent takes a harder line, "I think it's good though, it makes it more special. You don't want to play every weekend ... it can become like practice. But we do want to go out of town and meet new bands to bring back. Do some touring eventually. Help create a little stop point on the road for bands we like." Dain burps incredibly loudly into the recorder. This
interview is clearly over. I feel pretty reassured that the things I loved about The Hambones will continue on with their even trashier, garagier, surfier, reverbier rock songs, and I'm itching to see them play again. Hasta la Pizzas, baby.
FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
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AND NOW, A NOTE FROM MICHAEL BONE Nord Electro 40 --->
-.~ Fender Deville 21 O Reverb broken,
Light broken
<-------
Schecter Diamond Series
5 String Bass sunburst orang Missing tone
knob
<------Fender Stratocaster Mexican Covered in
Stickers Missing Knobs
--------------->
Dear Guitar (who I'm glad I never named), Seeing as I don't know where you are right now, I figured the Synthesis was the only chance I had at reaching you. Forgive the lack of privacy in light of our situation : It has been over a week since we last touched, and I'm a mess. I just ... I'm having trouble understanding why you left me like you did. Why you were in such a rush to jump into the back of that man's car... Was it me? Was I really that bad of a lover? Sure I repeatedly broke your strings, sending you hopelessly out of tune-as loving can do from time to time-but I want you to know that I always tried to make you sound your best.
Perhaps you never wanted to be what I've made you into. Maybe the puff paint was a bad call. The rust on the pickups was a bit too thick. I didn't know! Or was it when I started playing the drums more often? Oh, Guitar... You've always had my heart, but it seems you don't want my love. Perhaps you would prefer to be what you truly are, just like Josh's keyboard and Gavin's bassanother quick buck for the neighborhood scumbag. You know what, I can live with that. If that's what you want, I will survive. Just know that if you ever return I will take you back in an instant, no questions asked, and wash off whatever filth that man placed upon you.
Oh, Guitar...
Be safe, my dear.
I mean, how can you all of a sudden forget those nights-when we were both so young-when you laid in my arms until your sunburst met the sunrise? You used to smile as I so gently pressed stickers onto your body. I thought they made you look so beautiful.
Love, Michael Bone Bogg
Oh god ... You never thought so, did you?
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FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
Help Michael and all the boys of Bogg replace their stolen instruments. Survival of the Kindest Cafe Coda Thursday 2/27 doors 7:30pm, show 8pm
l..06flNKRUIDf;NteR.TUM8l..R.COM
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~ cf ~) ~~tf~.9 ~ ~
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9pm-Close
Drink Specials
Bea r Burge r w ith fri es
$2.75 select bottles &
$2 12oz Teas
drafts
$3 20oz Teas $2 Well, Dom Bottles & bartender Specials
50 ce nt we ll drinks 9-lOpm $2 Kamis, $2 Fireball , $3 Cherry
8-9PM $1 pal e ale and dam draft up 25C per hou r until
$S Vodka Red Bull lOPM - Midnight
Blaste rs, $2
close
$5 pitchers of Pabst
or salad for $5.29. llam-lOpm.
Half Off Rocksta r Cocktails
$2 16oz We lls Happy Hour 4- 8pm $5 pitc hers
Happy Hour- 4-7pm
$3 Hot Licks
Closed
$4.50 Doubl e Bacardi
bottle Beer lOpm-lam
$2 refills after 1st
$6.50 Appl e Cinnamon Cider
purchase !
$2.50 Fireball Shots $3 Sierra Nevada $3.50 Teas
LIVE MUSIC Drink Specials
LATE NIGHT EATS! BEAR BURGER AND FRIES FOR ONLY $4.99! Mon-Sat lOpm - lam.
Happy Hour 4 - 8pm $5 pitchers
Free Happy Hour Food 4PM until it's gone
$3 Tea of the Day Bartende r Specials
Happy Hour 11-6PM select we lls, bottl es and pints $2.7S
Happy Hour-4-7pm
Powe r Hour 8-9PM
$5 Fridays 4-8pm Most
1/2 off Liquor
& Drafts
food ite ms and pitchers of
(excludes pitchers).
bee r are $5
9PM-Close
$3 Pal e Ale Drafts $9.75 Pal e Pitch ers
$2 refills after 1st
POWER 102 VIP NIGHT Open at 9PM
BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available! Call for reservation 898-9898
purchase !
80's Night! $3.50 Pinnacle & Rockstar
LIVE MUSIC Drink Specials
Cocktails $2.50 Kamis $3 Shocktop Happy Hour 4 - 8pm
LATE NIGHT EATS! BE AR BURGER AND FRIES FOR
$4 Sex On Th e Beac h
ONLY $4.99! Mon-Sat lOpm - lam.
ON TAP $ 1Jello Shots 7-lOPM $3 Rumpy, Jager and Fireball
$4 Sierra Nevada Knightro
$3 Tea of the Day Bartend er Specials
$5 pitc hers $2 refills
Happy Hour- 4-7pm
Mon-Sat 3PM-6PM
Hot dog m enu all day
$1 Dom draft, $2 SN draft,
BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!
llam-8pm , All Day and
$2 we lls
All Night Tall cans of bee r
Powe r Hour 8-9 PM
(24oz) $3.SO, $2 Capri su n Shots, All Teas $3.50, Tea
9-Close Pale Ale Drafts
Party 9-llpm 32oz Teas
$9.75 Pal e Pitchers
Open at 9PPM
CLOSED
CLOSED
1/2 off liquor & Drafts
Call for rese rvation 898-9898
are $2.SO
KARAOKE "INDUSTRY
Call To Rent For Private
BURGER MADNESS!
$4 World Famous Bloody
Open llam to 9pm
Happy Hour-4-7pm
NIGHT"
Party
Bea r Burger w ith fri es
Sunday Brunch - 11-2pm
Champagn e Brunch
HALF OFF ALMOST EVERYTHING!(Except Red
$3 Champagne w ith
Go Down Lo
Joe $5 Premium bloodys your choice of vodka
930am-lpm, Eve ry Nfl Game (20 Tv's), $3 Bloody marys,
Bull and Premium Liquors)
or salad for $5.29. llam-lOpm.
entree.
$3 scre wd ri ve rs, $5 pitch ers of bee r
FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO â&#x20AC;˘ SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
13
FOOD ~ & DRINK . Closed.
Closed
We need to drink, too!
MON
TUE
Daily Happy Hour
Angry Mondays!
$6.50 Pulled pork sand w/
Happy Hour 12-4PM
from4-7PM
Angry Orchard specials
$3 Sierra & Dom estic Pints
PBR $2.25 Everyday !
Happy Hour 2-6pm M-F
fries or salad 25 cent wings from halftime 'til they're gone!
6PM-close $1 Off Pitchers
Come see our beautiful
Closed
$6 angry hot wings $1.00 off Sierra and Dom Pitchers
MONSTER MONDAY SPECIALS 6PM-CLOSE
$1.00 off PBR & Olympia
BEER $3/4/5/6 $1 SHOTS
Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!
FREE Pool after lOPM
Two Dollar Tu esdays !
Chicken Strip Sand only
$3 Sierra and Dom estic
Daily Happy Hour
Patio! Happy Hour 4-6:
Pints
from 4-7PM
$2 PBRs $2 Tacos!
Menu cocktails $1 off.
S 3.50 Kam is
PBR $2.2S Everyday!
Happy Hour 2-6pm M-F
DOLLAR DAZE 6-9pm
Sierra Nevada Draft $3
ALL DAY!
$1.00 off Sierra and Dom
$1 Bee r $1 Wells
Pitchers
$2 Doubl es
$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Cans
FREE Pool after lOPM
$6.50 befo re 6 PM
Pool Rates Cut in 1/2! Come see our beautiful
WED
Mon-Fri
Daily Happy Hour from4-7PM
Chicken Waffle Wed.!
Reuben Sand w/ fries or
$2 for 3 Wings
8 ball Tourney 6pm
salad $6.SO
Full Bar in Back Room
sign-up
Spm-Close 1/2 off kids
Sierra Nevada Draft $3
8PM-Close
Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!
Happy Hour 2-6pm M-F
items
live music 8-10
$2.50 Fire Eater Shots
PBR $2.2S Everyday !
Closed
Patio! Happy Hour 4-6:
WING WEDNESDAY!
Menu cocktails $1 off.
$3 Fire Eater Lemonades
$1.00 off Sierra and Dom
8pm-Close Pitcher
Pitchers
Specials $6/$9/$12
$1.00 off PBR and Olympia
FREE Pool after lOPM
Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!
THU FRI SAT
Come see our beautiful
$3 20oz Slushies
Mon-Fri
Daily Happy Hour
Jazz Night!
Baby Back Ribs $10.99
Patio! Happy Hour 4-6:
$2 12oz Slushies
Happy Hour 12-4PM
from4-7PM
Chico Jazz Collective
Philly Cheesesteak $7.SO
$3 Sierra & Domestic Pints
PBR $2.25 Everyday!
8-midnight
Menu cocktails $1 off. Sierra Nevada Draft $3
$2 Wells, Drafts and Bartender Specials SS Vodka Red Bull
Happy Hour 2-6pm M-F
6pm-Close $4 Grad teas
$3.50 Soccer moms
$1.00 off Sierra and Dom
$3 All bee r pints
$6 Dbl Roaring Vodka
Pitchers
FREE Pool after lOPM
$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!
Food Truck Friday:
Bartender Specials
Mon-Fri
10 oz. Tri-Tip Steak w/
$3 14oz Slushies
Happy Hour 12-4PM
Daily Happy Hour from4-7PM
Rock Out at Th e DL!
Pop's Pizza wood-fired
Enjoy live Music,
Fries or Salad & Garlic
pizza's made to order on
$4 20oz S1ushies
$3 Sierra & Domestic Pints
Full Bar in Back Room
Great Grub,
Bread $8.99
Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!
and 10 9' foot tables
8pm-Close $4 Jager
PBR $2.2S Everyday !
Open @llam
$S DBL Vodka Red Bull
All ages untill lOpm
$6 Jager Red Bull
the patio. Happy Hour from 4-6.
Weekend Blast Off!! 8-close $5 Blasters
$2 Kamikaze shots FREE Pool after lOPM We open at 12:00pm.
Bartender Specials
Kentucky Bucks are $5
$3 14oz Slushies
until 5pm!
$4 20oz Slushies
12-6PM $1 off pitchers
Daily Happy Hour from4-7PM
Rock Out at Th e DL!
Baby Back Ribs w/Sa lad ,
Enjoy live Music,
Fri es & garlic bread
8PM-Close
Full Bar in Back Room
Great Grub,
$10.99
$2.50 Fire Eater Shots
Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!
and 10 9' foot tables
$3 Fire Eater Lemo nad es
PBR $2.25 Everyday !
8pm-Close
Open @llam
$4 Single/$6 Doubl e
All ages untill lOpm
Ja ck or Captain $2 Sierra Nevada FREE Pool after lOPM
SUN
WE OPEN AT 12:00PM
Open at llAM
Daily Happy Hour
Super Bowl Sunday:
SS.19 Grad/Garden/
MIMOSAS WITH FRESH
$5 Bottles of Champagne
from4-7PM
Bronco Burgers and Sea
Turkey Burger w/fries
SQUEEZED OJ FOR $S
with entree
PBR $2.25 Everyday!
Chicken Tuna melts $8
or salad
UNTILSPM.
$4.50 Bloody Mary
1.00 off Sierra and Dom
Bloodies $3 Well, $4 Call,
$5.50 Absolut Peppar
Pitchers
SS Top, $6 Goose
Bloody Marys
$1.00 off PBR and Olympia
Mimosas $2/fiute, SS/pint
Cans
$6 Beer Pitchers FREE Pool after lOPM
WEDNESDAY 9PM
FRLDAY 4-7PM
DJ SPENNY &JEFF HOWSE
THE PUe路 SC0UTS
DANCE NIGHT
12
FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2014
HAPPY HOURI
SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM
THIS WEEK ONLY BEST BETS IN ENTERTAINMENT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2STH THE MAN HATTAN TRANS FER
Z IGGY STARDUST A LBUM TRIBUTE
LAXSON AUDITORIUM
1078 GALLERY
These four singers rose to fame in 1981, and have won themselves 10 Gram mys since. Their fun-loving charm and flawless harmonies will unlock the door to your jazz-loving heart. $22 Students, $32 Adults, 7:30pm.
11 different local groups will perform the entire Ziggy Stardust album from front to back. You will finally know the real story of this cosmic rockstar from outer space and his Spiders From Mars. This show WILL sell out. $12 adv., $15 door, 8pm.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH
SUNDAY, MARCH 2N째
BIONEERS
BEARCUBB IN!
CHICO WOMEN'S CLUB
THE MALTESE
Every year, people from all over the world come together to give amazing lectures on how to grow the sustainability of our planet. Films of keynote speakers from the 2013 Bioneers conference in San Rafael will be screened, followed by discussion. Oh, there'll be snacks too. 7pm.
These Portland natives play dense, mathematical instrumental rock. Rainbows shoot out of their instruments, cross streams with the other instruments, and create beautifully noisy fractal soundscapes. Ghostnote from Sacto will be playing, as well as THE AMERICAS! $5, 9pm.
OTHER NEW AND EXCITING THINGS 26 WEDNESDAY
tay Music 5-7pm
Cafe Flo: Live Jazz 5-7pm.
Chico State: Original music from student composers. RowlandTaylor Hall, Free, 7 :30pm
Road Kill Hound Dogs, 7pm-close El Rey: J Boog, ft. Los Rakas & Pyrx. $15 adv., $18 door. 8pm Senator: Middle Class Rut, ft. Brick+Mortar & Articles. $10 adv., 8pm Sierra Nevada Big Room: Internationally renowned Americana duo, Birds Of Chicago ft. The Railflowers. $22 adv., 7 :30pm
27 THURSDAY Cafe Coda: Survival OfThe Kindest: Bogg Benefit Show, ft. Bogg & Friends. Sliding Scale, 8pm Cafe Flo: Joanna Rutzky & Mar-
14
FEBRU A RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 2014
Rent Party: '20s themed dinner and dance. Proceeds go to Chapman Elementary. Harlen Adams Theatre, $5, 6pm
breaking bass clarinet performance. Rowland-Taylor Hall, Free, 7:30pm Chico Womens Club: KZFR's Mardi Gras Party, ft. Karma Kings, Bahapki, Wolfthump. $10, 7pm
LaSalles: Matt McBride and The Evening Trio. 6-9pm
LaSalles: The Return of Neon Nights! ft. Freakbeatz & DJ Red line. 9pm
Lost On Main: Los Marijuanas, The Resonators. $5, 9pm
Lost On Main: Hippie Trap, Black Fong. $5, 9pm
28 FRIDAY
Tacklebox: Two Steps Down, live country. $2, 8pm
Maltese: QuasiMofos. $5, 9pm Cafe Flo: Katie's Birthday Bash, live music ft. DeeDee Vest, Nate Pendery, Randy Morton and more, 5-lOpm Chico State: Sqwonk: Ground-
Cafe Flo: Reckoning: live Dead Grass, 7-lOpm Chico State: The Golem : Silent film accompanied with live music by Pull-String Duo. RowlandTaylor Hall, Free, 7:30pm Chico Theatre Company: Heaven Can Wait, opening night. $12 children, $20 adults, 7:30pm Lost On Main: Award-winning funk group Afrofunk Experience, ft. Joy & Madness and Sofa King. $5, 9pm Sierra Nevada: IPA Beer Pairing Dinner. Guided 5-course dinner, limited seating. $54 adv., 6pm
2 SATURDAY Cafe Coda: Ugly As Hell, Failure Machine, Bear Lincoln. $5, 8pm
SYN TH ESI SWE EKLY.COM
ONGOING EVENTS
24 MONDAY
100th Monkey Cafe & Books: Hap-
py Healing Hour: variety of healing modalities offered to the public. Donations accepted, 5:30pm The Bear: Bear-E-oke ! 9pm Cafe Flo: Jazz Happy Hour ft. Carey Robinson Trio. 5-7pm Chico Women's Club: Prenatal Yoga. 5:30-6:30pm DownLo: Pool League. 3 player teams, signup with bartender. 7pm. All ages until lOpm Empire Coffee: New art by Lexie Loader for sale. Maltese: Open Mic Comedy or Music, alternates every week. Signups at 8pm, starts at 9pm. Mug Night 7-11:30pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm
25 TUESDAY 100th Monkey Cafe & Books:
Fusion Belly Dance class with BellySutra. $8/class or $32/month. 7pm Cafe Flo: Open Mic Singer-Songwriter Night with Aaron Jaqua. 7-9pm Chico Women's Club: Yoga. 9-lOam. Afro Carribean Dance. $10/class or $35/mo. 5:50-7pm. Followed by Capoeira, $3-$10. 7:30-8:30pm Crazy Horse Saloon: All Request
Karaoke. 21+ DownLo: Game night. All ages until lOpm Empire Coffee: New art by Lexie Loader for sale. Farm Star Pizza: Live Jazz with Shigemi and Friends. 7-9pm Holiday Inn Bar: Salsa Lessons, 7-lOpm LaSalle's: '90s night. 21+ Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-Close Studio Inn Lounge: Karaoke. 8:30pm-1am University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstock's: Trivia Challenge. Call
at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts 6:30pm
26 WEDNESDAY 100th Monkey Cafe & Books:
Open Mic. All ages. 7pm The Bear: Trike Races. Post time
lOpm Chico Women's Club: Afro Brazil-
ian Dance. 5:30-7pm DownLo: Wednesday night jazz.
8 Ball Tournament, signups 6pm, starts 7pm Duffy's: Dance Night! DJ Spenny and Jeff Howse. 9pm. $1. Empire Coffee: New art by Lexie Loader for sale. The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Jesus Center: Derelict Voice Writing Group, everyone welcome. 9-10:30am Panama Bar: Game Night. Free to
Empire Coffee: New art by Lexie Loader for sale. The Graduate: Free Pool after lOpm Has Beans: Open Mic Night. 7-lOpm. Signups start at 6pm Holiday Inn Bar: Karaoke. 8pmmidnight LaSalle's: Free live music on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-close Panama Bar: Eclectic Nights. Buck night and DJ Eclectic spinning favorites of today and yesterday on the patio. 9pm Quackers: Karaoke night with Andy. 9pm-1am University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm VIP Ultra Lounge: Acoustic performance with Bradley Relf. 7-9pm. No Cover. Woodstock's: Open Mic Night
play, prizes. 9-llpm
28 FRIDAY
The Maltese: Friends With Vinyl!
The Beach: DJ 2K & Mack Morris.
Bring your vinyl and share up to 3 songs/12 minutes on the turntable. 9pm-1am
The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover.
The Tackle Box: Swing Dance
Cafe Coda: Friday Morning Jazz
Wednesday, classes 7-9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm VIP Ultra Lounge: Laurie Dana. 7-9pm Woodstock's: Trivia Night plus Happy Hour. call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts at 8pm
27 THURSDAY 100th Monkey: Chico Story Slam.
Tell a 5-min unscripted personal story for prizes. 7-9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover. 9pm Cafe Flo: Steven Truskol and The Next Door Blues Band or Mark " Porkchop" Holder. 7-lOpm Chico Yoga Center: Ecstatic Dance
with Clay Olson. 7:30-9:30pm DownLo: Chico Jazz Collective. 8-llpm. All ages until lOpm
$2, $10 VIP. 9-close 9pm with Bogg. llam Cafe Flo: Flo Sessions weekly
music showcase. 7-lOpm Chico Yoga Center: Friday Night
Dance Jam with Mark Johnson. $10. 7-8:30pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Fusion Fridays, the best country, rock, oldies, 80s & top 40. Country dance lessons 9-10:30pm DownLo: Y, off pool. All ages until lOpm. Live Music, 8pm Duffy's: Pub Scouts- Happy Hour. 4-7pm Empire Coffee: New art by Lexie Loader for sale. The Graduate: Free Pool after lOpm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dance Party. 8pm-midnight LaSalle's: Open Mic night on the
patio. 6-9pm
Maltese: Happy hour with live jazz
by Bogg. 5-7pm. LGBTQ+ Dance Party. 9pm Peeking: BassMint. Weekly electronic dance party. $3. 9:30pm Quackers: Live DJ. 9pm Sultan's Bistro: Bellydance Performance. 6:30-7:30pm T-Bar: Live Music. 7-8:30pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm
1 SATURDAY The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover.
9pm Chico Theatre Company: Heaven
Can Wait. $12 children, $20 adults. 7:30pm, 2pm Sundays Crazy Horse Saloon: Ladies Night Dancing. 10pm-1:30am DownLo: 9 Ball tournament. Sign ups at noon, starts at lpm. All ages until lOpm The Graduate: Free Pool after lOpm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dancing. 70s and 80s music. The Molly Gunn's Revival! 8pm-midnight LaSalle's: 80's Night. 8pm-close Scotty's Landing: Music Showcase. Open Mic hosted by Rich & Kendall. 5-9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm
WARM UP THE WINTER AT SICILIAN CAFEI
2 SUNDAY Chico Theatre Company: Heaven
Can Wait. $12 children, $20 adults. 7:30pm, 2pm Sundays Dorothy Johnson Center: Soul Shake Dance Church. Free-style dance wave, $8-$15 sliding scale. 10am-12:30pm DownLo: Free Pool, 1 hour with every $8 purchase. All ages until lOpm LaSalle's: Karaoke. 9pm Maltese: Live Jazz 4-7pm. Trivia 8pm Woodstock's: NFL Sunday Ticket
1020 MAIN STREET CHICO .... ?) 530.3~5.2233 (G•..,FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO • SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM
FEBRU A RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 20 14
15
ON THE TOWN
SCENE REPORT PHOTOS BY JESSICA SID
MOTOGRATER FT. ASTRONAUT, SHERMANS ASHES, & KEMICAL X BY HOWL Kemical X was fronted by a short, older, long-haired man who was rocking four-inch leather platform boots, black eye shadow and lipstick, a leather vest, and a tank-top adorned with a huge pentagram-IS that a tank-top? Nope-it's a tattoo of a pentagram, from neck to chest and shoulder to shoulder. The rest of the band was similarly old and decked out, except for the incongruous lead guitarist who could only have been in his mid-twenties ... He didn't feel he was out of place though; he was having a blast. This hilarious and awesome-looking band played old school metal, dressed up with some well -placed screams amid the classic '80s vocals. With songs like "Violence And Pain," "Train," and "Acid Rain," this band might have found a better reception in a dive bar in some weird part of Texas. Kemikal X let me know that I was in for a strange night. After the shocking entertainment of the "X," I found the next act, Shermans Ashes, to be a bit underwhelming. I was hoping for more make-up and more ridiculous songs about pain, but these guys opted for a more straight-up appearance and a more straight-up heavy metal sound. The guitarist's solos were pristine, their White Zombie cover was awesome, and this drunk lady in the front kept diverting the singer with her own between -song banter-it was revealed at one point that her name was God. That's right-God came to Lost On Main last Wednesday, and you missed it.
Wednesday February 19th, at Lost On Main the rest of the band providing the snow and thunder. I left for a drink, returned to see another normal-looking group of guys setting up on stage ... Oh-this is Motograter? No full-body paint?! WHAT THE FUCK! "To address the elephant in the room," the singer said, "We're not in paint tonight. A couple of us are sick, one of us has this weird rash, and our manager told us, 'Absolutely no paint tonight, boys.' Sorry about that. Anyway, without further adieu ... "
The six veterans of nu-metal exploded into their single "Suffocate,", chock-full of every nu -metal cliche-rapping during verses, screaming chants, and drop-tuned guitars. Astronaut wasn't wearing make-up either, Not fazed in the slightest by the night's low but I was prepared for that, having seen attendance, Motograter was having more them before. The thought of Motograter in fun up there than all three opening bands their infamous full-body paint was enough combined. "Tonight feels more like a house to placate the '90s nu -metal kid in me. party, doesn't it?" the singer said, and the Astronaut changed up the standard oldcrowd quickly caught the vibe and started school style of the night with loud, weird, partying. Lost On Main's much -improved nasty, passionate noise. Being the youngest stage, which is about twice as big and band of the night, they come from the better placed than the last one, was much more modern era of metal that accepts a good fit for this rowdy, cheerful sextet. and supports screaming and playing really fast for entire song-lengths. The singer was Motograter obviously love their fellow band members, and they obviously enjoy what like a stoned, discontented banshee. The they do. It was pretty cool to watch, and I left drummer was like a falling avalanche, with feeling grateful that I had experienced it.
16
FEBRUARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
SYNTHES I SWEE KLY.CO M
CONSIDER THE PLATYPUS PHOTOS BY JESSICA SID
BY MO NA T REME
ON THE TOWN
A RABELAISIAN RECKONING
"Personally, I don'tfind swearing offensive. do find backstabbing, lying, cheating & fucking people over offensive, but not swearing." I
-Unknown This showed up in my Facebook feed earlier today, and it got me to thinking about how we decide what is or isn' t "decent." The above quote opens the door to questioning several types of douchebaggery, but I'll stick to the communications part of the subject. I generally consider profanity a verbal condiment. Add some of the right kind, and the savor goes up several notches. In fact, you probably couldn 't choke down foods like tofu, popcorn, or cereal without some sort of add -on. Swearing or naughtiness, like using condiments, is a balancing act, specific to each person and for different situations. Sometimes just a quiet "dammit" is enough, but when you've dropped the end of a sofa on your foot, there just don't seem to be enough paint-peeling adjectives out there to fully express your feelings. There is a line, though-pour on too much hot sauce or salt, and that becomes all you taste. What 's the point of that? However, in the communication realm, dirty language is typically the first-and often only-aspect to go down in the name of keeping it clean. Well, fuck that! It's funny how some sites go so far as to censor certain words (replacing them with the very cinematic *beep* in imdb's case), but things like nuclear-grade vitriol ("go kill
yourself"), abysmal spelling, and attentionwhoring go completely unchecked. That's some majorly foul language right there, reflecting ugly thinking (and/or lack of thinking) on the authors' parts. Yet the Decency Brigade lets that crap ooze on by in tsunamilike waves, which strikes me as hypocritical. Yep, I jumped on spelling just now. I'm a writer; you care about spelling when you're a writer. It's been argued that it doesn't matter, because the essence is still the same. So I wouldn't want to hear any complaints about someone getting a pre-chewed Big Mac at McDonald's, or seeing (OMG!!) a size-12 Victoria's Secret model. .. after all, the essence would still be the same. No? Oh, okay then. Speaking of being a "spelling Nazi," I can't be the only one who is SO done with the constant invocations of Hitler. What a childish way to attempt to shut down discourse between people who happen to disagree! I can't even skim threads on social issues or politics without wanting to punch someone in the head, it's so prevalent. Sure, Nazi Germany is a dark chapter in human history, no doubt. However, it was neither the first nor the last genocidal regime on the planet, and hardly the only time one group repressed and terrorized another. Dragging it into a thread about breastfeeding is just a sad attempt to "win" the discussion. I'd rather read an intelligent and funny but filthy review of the Kama Sutra. That would be way less offensive to me than what often passes for "clean" conversation.
FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO â&#x20AC;˘ SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM
FEBRUA RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 2014
17
SUSTAINABLE INSPIRATION: THE VISUAL WONDER OF JOHNNY DUTRO BY KELLY ZIMMERLEE
On the industrial west side of town on February 15th, a door was opened to reveal a stunning and imaginative body of work by local artist, Johnny Dutro. Myriad Wonder was the culmination of ten years of pondering and thirty days of intense, transformative focus. During the previous month, Johnny had undertaken an incredible experience provided and nurtured by the Idea Fabrication Laboratory Chico's premier playground for artists, innovators, and creators. Johnny displayed close to 30 works, most of which were sold instantly. The pieces were interactive and vivid, and as one walked through the gallery, appreciation for the artist's talent for detail and color was audible. Each piece had a tangible vibration and message for the viewer. Johnny was beaming-the reception was a huge success. Two years ago, Johnny Dutro held an art show at the Origami Lounge where he met Erin Banwell, a founder of the Fabrication Laboratories. This meeting would ultimately lead to Johnny's involvement with the IFL Artist Residency Program and the stunning works that are on display today. The IFL Artist Residency Program is a key element to the Fab Lab's revolutionary contribution to Chico's art scene : to create an open-source, community-driven creation zone for exploring the digital fabrication techniques and technologies of modern maker culture. The Fabrication Laboratory is like a futuristic cradle for innovative artists. They focus on facilitating classes and workshops and provide a channel for technologically inspired artistry. Their effect upon the community extends to a cultural degree, and many Chicoans have found themselves awe-strand inspired by the welcoming, progressive nature of the facility, which assures us that science is beautiful and an artistic revolution is at our very fingertips. You can read about their membership opportunities at ideafablabs.com, or stop by the 6th and Orange location to witness for yourself how this place has nurtured and evolved the talent and artistry of the incredible Johnny Dutro. Johnny Dutro is an inspiring individual. He's well-loved and received by the community and anyone who knows him can tell you several different incredible things about their experience with him. You may recognize Johnny as the front man from several local bands such as Soul Union, Pyrx, and Mystic Roots. He's a handsome dad, and an incredible artist. Having travelled far and wide, and ultimately settled back in our little community, Johnny is now focusing on self-actualization and conscious living. He walks his talk and enlivens those around him with color and music. Jordan Layman, a founder of the Fabrication Lab, describes Johnny as, "a painter and a dreamer ... He perfectly brings authentic form and natural intuitive elements into technology." Johnny's vibrant art reflects his inherently reverent,
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FEB RUARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
psychedelic mind state. His eyes have enveloped the color wheel and his hands are now the master craftsmen of that wheel's infinite expression. His acute sensitivity to color gradients can be witnessed in his piece titled "Atmospheric Pagoda." After ten years of searching, pondering, and experimenting, Johnny says this art show has manifested as the culmination of all his visions. He plays with what he calls dream-time-reality: a state of mind that allows organic matter to flow out of him in an effortless reverence for the mystery of life. His striking and simple inkblot designs are a good example of the fruition that comes from this conduit-like mind state. He shared the story of the birth of one particular piece, which appeared as an accidental ink spill upon his work table. During a not-so-fun hash-out with a lady friend, Johnny focused his gaze upon the inkblot and engaged in that curious human behavior that compulsively creates and manipulates. Pulling the pool of ink in every which direction with a pointed end, the blueprint for "Effervescent Abyss" came into existence. This cathartic doodle was then photographed with a simple cellular camera, uploaded to the Fab Lab computers, and digitized into what now hangs upon the gallery wall. Some of the more symmetrical pieces, such as "Morning Jay" or "Neo Totem," are computerized kaleidoscope-like constructions of Johnny's very own "future-glyphs," which he describes as emotional, intuitive symbols. They can be viewed in their own isolated glory in the background of "Gold Rising."
How does one come to be in such a potent, productive state of being? Born in Chico and raised in Marin, Johnny Dutro was, like many of us, prepared to run from Northern California in search of something more. It led him on vision quests and memorable experiences all around the world. Ultimately, what he discovered was that the true cultivation of self, art, and community must be found and grounded in the warm embrace of where you've been placed. For him, and many members of the Fab Lab community, Chico has become the womb of what Johnny calls "sustainable inspiration." This idea draws upon the necessity of being well-received and warmly welcomed by those who are graced with the sacred and vulnerable gift of art. A safe container is needed for the old paradigm to compost, and allow communion and celebration to sprout. We must grow, collect, be inspired, and be held. And where better to find this than our lovely little home town, where we all know each other a little too well ; this place that some choose to run away from? Johnny graciously affirms : Where there is struggle, there is growth. In art shows past, Johnny had put many treasured pieces on display and sold to friends and community members. None were documented, however, and Johnny now feels he can appreciate the value of documentation beyond the sole purpose of sustaining one's ego. " Life is momentary," he says. "Yet it is important to have documentation of those lost moments. These days, I always consider what I'll want to show my daughter. My work is important, if for no other audience than her."
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REVIEWS LEXIE LOADER O IL ON BOARD. EMPIRE COFFEE. ART REVIEW BY TY MENDOZA. Upon entering Empire, the art gave a nice feel to the overall vibe of the cafe. They were well-textured, detailed works that covered a good array of subject matter: ocean scenes with old-fashioned sailboats, miscellaneous packs of smokes, a couple portraits ... My favorites were the beautiful nudes of women. They were executed with a classy and traditional style, mashing realistic perception with some subtle abstract touches here and there. I found the nudes to be a great use of paint, color, tone and shading. My favorite piece from the selection was "Purple Quick Study" : This piece in particular had the feel of viewing some misty memory of a past lover, who is fixated in contemplation ... while in the nude. Oh my!
MUSIC REVIEW BY HOWL Sunbather is the second LP from Deafheaven, a five-piece that displays some excellent new music in the realm of experimental metal. Think of Explosions In The Sky crossed with Wolves In The Throne Room. Other albums of very similar content help give some context in which to understand Sunbather, but this similarity also cheapens the material a bit. This exact album, with its screaming vocals, relentless guitars, and impossibly fast drumming executed over the course of 12-minute songs, while remarkable, has been done by other groups a number of times already. Sunbather's one notable difference from its peers is its sunny overtones, reflected in the optimistic guitar leads and the brightly beautiful album art (the newsprint doesn't do justice to the nice pink hue of it). This lightening of the mood proves to be its saving grace; it's the only black metal album I've actually been able to enjoy.
KYLE FOREST BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY. NAKED LOUNGE. ART REVIEW BY TY MENDOZA. Kyle's photography is raw elegance! These photos were very pleasing to the eyes. There is a great balance of duality in his works ... I saw a beautiful scene of pristine nature, right before I witnessed the rawness of a half-eaten animal, decaying back to its source. More duality was found in the image of an old, rustic-looking home in shambles; what once was beautiful and strong, is now broken and falling back to nature. There is also a mystifying tone in some of his works, seeming to capture moments in the solitude of nature ... I can only assume the beauty that was being witnessed in that exact moment left the artist in silence, with no need to explain it. The titles of his work were very suiting as well-actually, most of my attention was caught by the titles. I guess that they have a root in Latin or something of the sort : like "Rivus Turmoil," which depicts a low body of water in a rigid canyon, thrash-
DEAFHEAVEN-SUNSATHER
ing downstream. Overall, Kyle has a sharp eye for the balance of life and death, the new and the old. I appreciate his ability to capture such beauty through the lens of a camera.
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In this album's undifferentiated landscape of maximum sound, the minimum of actual ideas take on the feeling of barely discernible jewels hidden in the sand. More striking than the individual ideas, though, is the overall mood of this album. One gets the visceral feeling of huge, natural vistas-like you're flying over the earth, observing the majesty of mountain ranges, or the vastness of open deserts.
PERIPHERY - CLEAR
MUSIC REVIEW BY RYAN JOHNSON Periphery's 4th official release, Clear, sees the band for the first time representing each and every member's spin on the sextuplet's unique and exceptional sound : One song to represent each member. Clocking in at 29 minutes and 12 seconds, Clear takes the listener on a pretty adventurous musical journey : ranging from soft ethereal melodies, to heavy-hitting, heartpounding grooves. In comparison to Periphery's prior releases, this EP is a major departure from their debut album; it progresses into an even broader spectrum reminiscent of Periphery II: This Time It's Personal. On Clear, one can hear a plethora of styles/ genres such as classical, alternative, metal, progressive, ambient, industrial, experimental, post-hardcore, and good oldfashioned rock. What's most exciting about this release is that it seems to be a slap in the face to a lot of the "djent" purists, by incorporating unexpected influences from acts such as
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The Mars Volta and Coheed And Cambria, just to name a couple. Clear sheds a light of hope on a scene that seems to be riddled with narrow-minded pedants, and encourages its fan base to open their minds to see all the other exciting styles of music that could be integrated into heavy music.
FEBRUA RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 20 14
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ON THE TOWN
PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY
OLD CROCK BY JAIM E O'N EILL - JAIMEANDKARENONEILL@G MAILCOM
SOME BLOWBACK IN THE WIND ABOUT LAST WEEK'S DYLAN COLUMN
I managed to annoy some erstwhile liberal friends with last week's column criticizing Bob Dylan for that Chrysler commercial he did to wrap up our recent Super Bowl debaucheries. Dylan defenders descended on my words like locusts on a Mormon grain field, gnashing their mandibles while arguing, as best I could make out, that ol' Bob had a right to sell out if he wanted to, and that if he wanted to be a pawn in the game played by the corporatists, he had every right to do so. And that's true, of course. This is America, after all, and as Bob himself says in that commercial, " there's nothing more American than America." Duh. But I was a little surprised at the latitude these good folks extended to my generation's most venerated icon and genius. Their arguments made me think more about why it was so discouraging to see this legendary figure whoring for a car company. What came to mind was the following story. In 1965, I found myself among a small minority of Americans who had come to see the escalating war in Vietnam as an insult to our national values, a foreign imperialist adventure that put us on the side of a corrupt South Vietnamese regime. More viscerally, we were beginning to see lots of guys my age coming home in body bags, or torn apart in gruesome ways, fighting in a country most Americans couldn't even locate on a map. It began to seem imperative to speak out.
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FEBR UARY 24 - MARC H 2, 2014
So, one bright spring day, my young wife and I joined a march against the war that wended its way from Berkeley into Oakland. Even in the residential areas of Berkeley, we weren't very popular, but I naively hoped that when we got to Oakland, we'd garner some encouragement from people in the black neighborhoods. We were maybe three thousand strong, and it was daunting when we began to draw increasingly vociferous jeering from the black residents in the neighborhoods we were marching through. The black people I knew back then were in the civil rights movement, and they were as dubious about the war as I was. But the wider black community, then and now, tends to be as patriotic as any other, and patriotism is all too often conflated with support for whatever military adventure is current. It would be a couple more years before Martin Luther King spoke out against the war and, to those working class black people, I'm sure we looked like a bunch of lame-ass commie-sympathizing honkies from that damned university. In other words, they saw us pretty much the way most Americans saw the " hippies," the "freaks," the "counterculture," and the nascent anti-war movement. Just when it started getting a little scary, a black kid put his speakers in his secondstory window and blasted Dylan singing "The Times They Are a Changin'." Our spirits were renewed, our courage and resolve strengthened. So, when some of my liberal friends chided me last week for thinking Bob Dylan meant something he never meant to mean, I couldn't help but think they were full of shit.
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BRUNCH BALL BY DAN O'BRIEN - AMA LGAMCONSU LTING@GMAI L COM
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ON THE TOWN
BRUNCHINACIOUS!
My wife and I found ourselves at Roots Catering on a warm Sunday morning. This was not our first occasion coming here, but it was with some trepidation. The initial visit was during the holidays and it was packed. We chalked up some of the misfires to the restaurant simply being busy. The very obvious takeaway was that the food is fantastic; with delicious dishes inspired from a worldwide perspective, it offers something more in a town dominated by omelets, scrambles, and champagne brunches. Tucked away on Esplanade far from the wild antics of downtown, there is something charming about its location. The interior has high ceilings, but makes poor use of the space. They're doing very well, based on the volume at any given time (which, for a couple who came with us, was just too much to want to return). The tables are unstable (I spilled water and coffee on myself twice from simply placing my arms on the table), and the service left something to be desired both times we've gone. This past weekend, the waitress failed to return to take our order until our tea had gone cold. The volume presents a difficulty that
I have come to dread in brunch places around Chico. When it's colder outside, it makes sense that everyone would be packed in; however, when that summer wind starts blowing, I can't stress enough the importance of investing in some outside seating. For a lot of folks around our little hamlet, Sunday breakfast is a great changeof-pace social gathering from a busy workweek. It's important to consider the social aspects, as well as culinary aspects, when running a business. With those detractions on the table, let's talk about why you should still give them a chance. The menu is incredible. The Huevos Montulef\os are fantastic, and easily my favorite dish on the menu. There's cuisine inspired from cultures across the world, which provides a wonderful option for adventurous palates. It's worth noting that they are also caterers, which makes sense as you leaf through the menu. So, the question becomes : will I go back again? I imagine that will be a knee-jerk decision at some point in the future when Sunday brunch comes up again. Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring it up without noting the problems that make the eating experience less than satisfactory.
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FEBRUA RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 2014
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FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2
BY KOZ MCKEV
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
The nature of your confrontations will be suppressed, or will go underground after this Saturday. There is a slim chance that things will heat up, but more likely they will be put on the back burner. This is a time for sleep, sex, dreaming, and making good karma. Pay bills, take care of overdue taxes, and fix that which was broken. Communications should improve as Mercury goes direct early Friday morning. The new moon Friday brings heightened imagination, a sense of isolation and the need to help others in the same boat.
Make friends. Be visible in a variety of social settings. The new moon Friday night brings parties, meetings, and helpful friends in your vicinity. Work on planning for the future. This is perhaps your last really good week for travel for the next several weeks. Explore your options carefully. We often get more done when we stay put. Think in terms of the kind of progress that you would like to make. Don't ignore the need to exercise, or think that you can cheat on your diet.
Mercury goes direct for you this Friday. You' ll be thinking more clearly, as well as be able to get more done. Truth can be twisted. Politicians and people in positions of power often become experts at twisting the truth. Don' t believe them. Return to your creative process. Realize that you have your own brand of authority. The new moon will have you more in the public eye. Career moves are likely. This is not a time to hide. Be ready to display your talents and skills. Be open to more responsibility.
I said this to you before and I' ll say it to you again: Take more risks. This is no time for playing it safe. In order to get what you really want, you ' ll need to take a chance of some sort. Believe in your dreams. Go back to school, take a trip, get your book published or start a rehab center. The possibilities are endless. The new moon emphasizes philosophy, higher knowledge, exotic experiences and foreign cultures. Most of all, be open to learning new things. Be patient when it looks like others have the upper hand.
We can't control much of what is around us. Being gracious while other people are in power isn' t an easy job. You may feel that you have had to swallow your pride so many times that you're about to throw up. Relax and know that you are well-loved. Your kindness doesn't go unnoticed. You just need to ask for help and the right people will show up. The new moon can peak your interest in the occult. The fear of death, birth, and sex are part of the scenario. You' ll find a balance somewhere.
Clinical precision and being right all the time don' t go so well with this season. Look to Monday and Tuesday for doing your best creative works. Be very focused on getting things done on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday 's new moon puts the emphasis on partnerships, contracts and being diplomatic. The weekend could prove to be romantic. Plan something nice to do with a loved one, or just allow things to flow where they need to. Mercury goes direct Friday morning, thus getting things accomplished begins to get easier.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to do some serious work. Accomplishments may seem to have been put on hold. Once the new moon happens Friday night you'll be able to see the light about what is necessary and what can wait. Continue to work on family issues. Finding your comfort zone will be best worked on Wednesday and Thursday. The new moon represents health issues, service work and the opportunity to be a better team player. By Sunday you'll breathe a sigh of relief.
Your creative self is itching to play. Don 't neglect the things you do well. Music, writing, painting, and sketching are good places to start. Dancing and theatrics go with this week 's transits as well. The new moon encourages you to open your heart more. Be attentive to the children in your life. Be the kind of lover that you would like to have. Your imagination should be percolating. Do things without fear. It feels like you're getting a handle on your situation. Love as many people as you know how.
Learn to explore the inner workings of your family. Be curious about the history of your loved ones. Stretch your concept of what being grounded means. Be real with your feelings about certain situations. The new moon makes you more intuitive. It also makes you more sensitive to your upbringing and past incidents. By Sunday you ' ll have a glimpse at the things that are worth celebrating. Be conscious about the things you can change. Have grace when it comes to needing to step away from something.
Communication may have been skewed over the last couple of weeks. This week you have your chance to right wrongs and to put things back together. Love issues that you may have had around Christmas time may finally get resolved. The new moon helps you to look at your environment more objectively. Mercury going direct on Friday may even help you to locate a lost item. You begin the week empowered with the moon in Capricorn along with Venus and Pluto. Look for opportunities to improve things.
Wealthier Aquarians like to show off their values by buying a hybrid vehicle. More modest ones just chose to ride their bicycle or use public transportation. You have a song in your heart worth singing. Say "thank you" more often. The new moon gives you the opportunity to put on a new face. The moon will be in Aquarius on Wednesday and Thursday; these are good days for you to implement your plans . The new moon will help you manifest the resources needed to take the next step. Watch your personal environment as well as the public.
In order to move forward you may need to pull back a little. Review where you have been. The influence of the new moon in Pisces is strong both Friday and Saturday. This is the time to put your dreams in motion. Creativity and generosity go hand in hand. Be available for friends earlier this week. Take some personal time to yourself on Wednesday and Thursday. Being inclusive and doing the right thing is more challenging than it sounds. Do things to end the week with a clean slate.
Koz McKev 1s on You Tube, on cable 17 BCTV, 1s heard on 90/FM KZFR Chk:o, and also available by appOJi7tment for personal horoscopes. Call (530)891-5147 or e-mail kozm!C:kev@sunset.net
GREAT WINTER READ Winter Melon, written by local writer Bill Wong Foey A defiant and passionate young woman survives the Rape of Nanking in this debut novel. Voted Book of the Month for July by Lyons Books "Lives of Asia" book group. In paperback online at Amazon.com and Lyons Book Store, 135 Main Street, or as an e-book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes and DirectMusicCafe. ADVERT ISE MENT
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FEBRU A RY 24 - MA RCH 2, 2014
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