Synthesis Weekly – August 18, 2014

AUGUST 18. FREE, ETC. YOU KNOW THE DRILL

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES HIT LOST ON MAIN

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

This week at...

HALF-OFF COVER BEFORE 10PM (EXLUDES SHOWS W/ PRESALE TICKETS)

9-10PM | 1/2 OFF WELLS T

SPECIAL THEATRICAL PLAY TITLED: PAGEANT PLAY AUGUST 21, 22

On

DOORS OPEN AT 7PM SHOW STARTS AT 7:30PM

Main

DOORS OPEN AT 9PM

UPCOMING SHOWS: 9/5 Allie Battaglia &MBC and Dylan's Dharma

9/6 Con Brion & Electric Canyon Convergence 9/11 Luminaries w/ Soul Union

D.R.I. DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES

MYKAL ROSE & REGGAE ANGELS

WEDNESDAY 8/20

THURSDAY 8/28

AFROFUNK EXPERIENCE

SCOTT PEMBERTON TRIO W/

w/ PITCHBLAK BRASS BAND FRIDAY 8/29

BLACK STAR SAFARI SATURDAY 8/30

9/12. TALKING HEADS by Naive Melodies & Swamp Zen

9/13 Funk Trek & Sofa Kings

Afrofunk Experience Afrofunk

9/18 Lil' Smokies & Low Flying Birds 9/19 KZFR Fundraiser: MoonAlice

9/24 Kyle Hollingsworth & Swamp Zen 9/25 Indubious

9/27 Jelly Bread with Gravy Brain

N E W C D Never Be The Same N E W C D Never Be The Same PTR200 11” x 17” Poster Adobe InDesign 05/17/11 mk

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EAT. DRINK. PLAY.

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THURSDAY LIVE JAZZ 8PM

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FRIDAY IO TORUS, BLOOD CABANA, ABBERANCE 8PM

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Volume 20 Issue 52 August 18, 2014

For 20 years The Synthesis’ goal has remained to provide a forum for entertainment, music, humor, community awareness, opinions, and change.

Columns

This Week...

D.R.I.

Letter From the Editor

If you know anything about punk and/or metal, you’ve probably heard of the legendary Dirty Rotten Imbeciles and are currently getting pumped for their upcoming show this Wednesday at Lost On Main. Allow us to add fuel to that fire, and add to your knowledge with this scintillating interview. (And hey, if you don’t already know who they are, now is your chance to get in with the cool kids.)

Publisher/Managing Editor

by Amy Olson

amy@synthesis.net

PAGE 4

Free Culture

by Alex O’Brien amateurzen.com

PAGE 5

The Frugal Terran

by TripHazard

pwasted@synthesis.net

Liz Watters, Mike Valdez graphics@synthesis.net

Deliveries

Contributing Writers

PAGE 6

Howl

Zooey Mae, Bob Howard, Howl, Koz McKev, Tommy Diestel, Eli Schwartz, Mona Treme, Emiliano GarciaSarnoff, Jon Williams, Crown, Alex O’Brien

Photography

howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com

PAGE 16

Jessica Sid Vincent Latham

Nerd

Dain Sandoval dain@synthesis.net

Consider the Platypus

by Mona Treme

Accounting

O.S.L.

PAGE 17

Ben Kirby

Director of Operations Karen Potter

Supertime!

Owner

by Logan Kruidenier

Bill Fishkin bill@synthesis.net

logankruidenier.tumblr.com

PAGE 20

Kozmik Debris

by Koz McKev

PAGE 21

From The Edge

by Anthony Peyton Porter

PAGE 22

PAGE 18

Alex Light Alex@synthesis.net SynthesisWeekly.com/submit-yourevent/

Joey Murphy, Jennifer Foti

by Eli Schwartz

kozmckev@sunset.net

Entertainment Editor

Designers

Productivity Wasted

This little thing happened called Outside Lands; some guy called Kanye West played, some chick made crazy faces while playing the bass, dude got in a plastic bubble, Macklemore macklemored, and you missed the whole thing. Fortunately, intrepid Native American headdress noticer Zooey Mae was there, and she took a bunch of pictures so you didn’t have to.

Creative Director Tanner Ulsh graphics@synthesis.net

PAGE 5

PAGE 8

Amy Olson amy@synthesis.net

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.

210 West 6th Street Chico Ca 95928 530.899.7708 editorial@synthesis.net

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 3

PET OF THE WEEK

The Sound of One Hand Clapping EXCEPT BY CLAPPING I MEAN CAUSING SERIOUS HARM

Giml i Gimli loves to play (as kittens do), but especially play/fight with his best friend Legolas! He is also a little climber that loves to cuddle up with you on your chest. He will purr and purr and purr when you hold him. Gimli and his brothers came to BHS as stray kittens and they need a good home.

Are you the one adopter to rule (and love) them all?

2579 Fair Street Chico, CA 95928 (530) 343-7917 • buttehumane.org

Now Hear This SYNTHESIS WEEKLY PLAYLIST ILLFIGHTYOU

Tanner

ILLFIGHTYOU - “‘92”

Mike

Diplo - “6th Gear”

Dinah

How Airplanes Fly - “Forget the Girl”

Andrea

Cherub - “Doses & Mimosas”

Alex

Bjork - “Play Dead”

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

Zooey Mae’s recent columns about street harassment got me thinking about the subjective nature of experience, how one person can be deeply upset by something that another person sees as completely trivial and acceptable… Can there be such a thing as a crimeless victim? If the person who causes the suffering of another is obliviously acting in a way they perceive to be normal, are they truly a transgressor? Beyond accidentally hitting a passing stranger in the face when you’re wildly gesturing, can that argument hold water?

For many women (myself included) and men who have been on the business end of harassment, this is an extremely negative experience that makes walking out in the world feel icky and less safe. The push to bring it out in the open and put a stop to it has led to some very strange arguments with men who were vehemently defensive of their intentions—that they were just trying to flatter or flirt—insisting they knew plenty of women who liked it, and the person on the receiving end is responsible for their own feelings if they take it the “wrong way.”

Setting aside for a moment my doubts about whether those really are the intentions behind telling a woman (me) she’d be “prettier if she smiled” or that her “ass looks delicious,” the point almost sounds valid—how can a person be responsible for making another person uncomfortable when they’re just innocently expressing attraction? Then again, how would that woman walking down the street (me) know that stranger eyeballing her vagina and telling her they like her shorts is actually just trying to brighten her day? (I have a solution for both those issues: only dole out “compliments” to girls you know. They’ll know your intentions, you’ll know whether they’ll actually be flattered. When you see an attractive stranger, just smile at them.)

But, then, that blithe ignorance is tough to believe when you witness a man being told directly, by multiple people, that having a stranger comment on their body makes them feel violated, and they respond by saying those people are “crazy” and/or “bitches” and should lighten up. It seems like they do know

the effect, but are more interested in feeling cool and dominant.

Anyway, that got me thinking about date rape, the kind where no physical wounds are inflicted. If a person doesn’t know that the coercion and pressure and plying of drugs or alcohol they used in getting a woman to submit to their desires is humiliating and scary and leaves devastation in its wake—if they’re just doing what they think is normal seduction based on what they see from their peers—are they a rapist?

That’s a serious question. Can a woman be raped if the man is not a rapist? I think the information is pretty widely available that women are also human beings who deserve the right to decide what we want in our bodies, and that “consensual sex” means it’s all mutual yesses from start to finish (no pushing through resistance at any point, no finding someone too out of it to reject your advances). Is it really possible that anyone still doesn’t know those things? It seems like a man would have to be choosing to reject those concepts to truly believe that he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

But I suppose that possibility is the reason we have to keep this conversation going—so everyone knows the horrible damage that can be done when people are able to ignore the impact of their actions.

Letter From the Editor

by Amy Olson

amy@synthesis.net

Dr. Mindflip EVERY WAKING MOMENT DRMINDFLIP.COM I’ve been told of a time when the copyleft/ copyfree multiverse of musical releases was nearly devoid of quality production; There was artistic merit, but it was most often poorly executed. That isn’t the era of #ccmusic I know.

I’ve dabbled for a decade, but over the last year or two I have gravitated away from the orbit of traditional copyright-protected art and culture so completely that I feel it is my duty to invite y’all to this celebration of unbridled buffoonery and liberty. To summarize: Traditional copyrights reserve ALL rights.

This means sharing copies, integrating material into theatre or cinema, remixing, mashin’ up, or disc-jockeying will require payment of royalties or an otherwise explicit arrangement with the rights holder(s).

Copyleft/copyfree reserve SOME rights.

Creative Commons licenses are the most popular iteration of this model for artistic works. Creators choose from a variety of layers of protection. Some creators choose zero protection by effectively unlicensing their works to the Public Domain. There are too many other flavors of copyleft/copyfree licenses to mention them all here.

Dr. Mindflip makes modern pop music of the sort I appreciate. I believe all art is derivative, but the combinations of tones, timbres, and ‘scapes are infinite. Although it should be noted that an album of this length is usually known as an EP, Every Waking Moment shows Dr. Mindflip to be a master of reinventing catchiness.

“Rootless” creeps into your scene with a familiar acoustic piano melody. The vocalist establishes an informal yet competent tone; He’s ruffled, but that’s coordinated. He sings intimately at first over the bouncing piano lines as drums, bass, and a panoply of other elements gradually elbow their way to the fore. The result is an energizing, soulful, singalong-inducing tune. Have you ever thought, “Wow, that first track really exemplifies everything a first track ought to aspire to”?

That’s how I feel about “Rootless.”

track, “All Time Low,” with more falsetto, and dozens of back burners fueling a rambunctious percussion section. A driving beat—which, as a constant, barely arrives on time—is mixed with confessional, hectic verses which resolve in dreamy refrains steeped in reality-check gratitude sauce.

Ingredients include “summer breeze” and “no sense of unease.”

“Took a Walk” is a cool, jazzy antique in a metro-pedestrian mode. The casual impetus of the piano, this time complemented by smooth flute-work and minimal acoustic guitar embellishment carries the listener down the sidewalk and through a mild exorcism.

“Grey Day” subtly juxtaposes some of the possible themes of this short album beautifully: The playful experimentation of youth; self-reflection on the fruits of “bellyaching” and “regurgitation.”

The lyrics are introspective for the most part, and some could be classified as selfdeprecating. Truthfully, I’m a fan of narratives containing appropriate amounts of selfdeprecation followed by (at least) attempts at resolution.

The sonic circumnavigation of Dr. Mindflip’s current state is a journey well worth taking.

It will make children dance and put dogs at ease.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Free Culture

by Alex O’Brien amateurzen.com

The benevolent doctor continues the second

The B Word, Part 1 Dear readers, you should now sufficiently know that you can (and should) start a budget. Typically, the first budget suggestion/ commandment is “Spend less than you earn.” It’s good advice, but occasionally it’s mathematically impossible. If you are a full time college student paying for school with student loans, then you likely are “spending more than you earn” at this point in time.

This idea also applies if you have just opened or expanded a business via a business loan.

(Hint: The end goal in both cases is to earn more in the future to pay off the loan and make it worthwhile.)

every month. (Huge tip: pay off your credit card every month. A bank should pay you to use their product; you should not pay them.)

If you don’t use a credit card, or at least not for every purchase, you might keep a copy of all receipts for a month, and sort them into piles like “food” and “transportation.” Other people use only cash they sort out at the beginning of the month (e.g. $150 for food) so when it runs out, they have to wait until the next month. (This cash strategy is often called the envelope method, and can be difficult to implement if you’re not already aware of your rough monthly spending.)

The word budget comes from an old French word for bag of money, so mentally picture a cartoonish bank sack with a giant dollar sign on the side. To make this sack into a budget, it requires money—picture two giant cartoonish arrows, one pointing into the sack and one pointing out of the sack. Poof, the sack is now a budget. In your current predicament, the arrow pointing into the sack (your income) is small, while the arrow pointing out of the sack (your expenses/outflow) is larger. We’ll talk about how to grow the currently tiny income arrow in a future column. For now, we’ll focus on shrinking the outflow arrow.

In our household, we plan a monthly budget, predicting what we’ll spend in various categories and writing the predictions on a series of envelopes. For example, this month the “transportation” envelope states we aim to spend $100 on transportation. Then, each day we make a purchase, we write the amount on the envelope and put the receipt inside (e.g. $12, flat tire, August 10). Sometimes we exceed the prediction, but it gives us a goal, which is preferable to reckless spending. In the end, we know how much (or how little) money we have left in our money sack. So here’s your assignment: start tracking your spending. You might be surprised where the outflow arrow leads.

To determine how big your outflow arrow is, you first need to know how much you spend.

Unfortunately, this requires you to track your spending. Fortunately, tracking your spending can be accomplished in a variety of ways. You might put all purchases on your credit card, and then check your statement

The Frugal Terran

by TripHazard

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 5

PRESENTS

Food Truck

P

L-OOZA

When: Saturday, August 23rd Time: 4pm – 7pm What: Bring your swimsuits for a fun time in our pools, Splash Park and a bounce house for the kids. You may also purchase food options through Chico’s best Food Trucks and drinks by the Cabana Café.

Lifeguards and security provided by In Motion Fitness.

•Food Trucks •Bounce House •Beer and Wine •Splash Park •Swimming Pools (Lifeguards on Duty) •Bring The Entire Family!

Risen 3: The Titan Lords A SEMI-SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE The Risen series of open-world RPGs is one that has always existed in a sort of grey area.

Smallish studios like Risen’s Piranha Bytes have always slightly baffled gamers who have grown comfortable with the labels and standards of The Industry. They get little to no press and often lackluster reviews, yet produce quantity or quality on par with their wealthier competitors. My experience with the first Risen was when my brother found it for sale at a Best Buy and said “I need a new RPG.” Neither of us had heard of it, but he tried it anyway. When he’d played it for a while I asked, “Is it any good?”

“It’s okay,” he said. “It has some problems.”

Risen 3 continues that proud legacy. It features a truly impressive amount of content, an engaging combat system, and satisfactory character stat customization, even if we are left with a cheeky Jason Statham impersonator as our de-facto protagonist.

It also features a story that ranges from mediocre to pitiable, and boss fights that made me question whether anyone had bothered to ask the playtesters if they were having any fun.

Although initially somewhat frustrating, the combat system of Risen 3 won me over for a while. Eventually, however, I discovered that certain skills are left with a paucity of good items, and that magic, while available as an immediate investment, isn’t even unlocked until late in the game. Customization is available in skills and items, but these skills and items are slowly, reluctantly given to the player over time, making some builds easier than others only by poor availability early game. In terms of basic mechanics, it does not stand out, and despite its problems, fulfills its goals adequately.

To help uplift Risen 3 out of mediocrity is

6

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

its excellent exploration. The player can navigate to several islands, all with different climates and inhabitants, and can spend countless hours poking their heads in caves and marking off sections of the map. Enemies do not respawn, making exploration a sort of permanent act that allows for easier travel in the future. Its scope is usually matched by its depth, allowing small caves and hidden copses to reward explorers with chests, secrets, and skill-boosting herbs. The primary exception is the final island, which is all scope and no depth. The unoriginally foreboding Skull Island felt like a beta build populated with enemies.

However, the uplift is then held back down by the game’s meagre story, which at times skips through sections and conversations abruptly, and is left with more questions than answers not because it dares to ask questions, but rather because it doesn’t bother answering them. Worst of all the crimes, however, are the boss fights. A certain giant spider boss is ridiculously broken, and I only managed to beat it by fighting similarly unfairly and spamming my carefully-horded store of items into its face. I will not go into great detail on the sea monster battles, but will only state that they are infuriatingly random, sloppy, and mercilessly long.

So, is Risen 3 a good game? Not for everyone.

If exploration and questing aren’t big enough points to stand alone, skip it. If you’re new to RPGs or video games in general, please play one of thirty other excellent open-world RPGs to experience what the genre is best about. If you find yourself saying “I need a new RPG,” however, this may be a proper candidate.

Productivity Wasted

by Eli Schwartz pwasted@synthesis.net

PHOTOS BY JESSICA SID

On The Town

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 7

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES COME TO LOST ON MAIN I N T E R V I E W B Y J O N AT H A N W I L L I A M S

Any self-respecting punker or metalhead needs no introduction to the mythic mosh warriors whose iconic mascot of a slam dancing stick figure adorns our front cover this week. For the rest, allow me to introduce you to beloved crossover legends D.R.I. This San Franciscobased four-piece has been tearing it up for the better part of 32 years with nonstop touring, even though their last record came out nearly 18 years ago. During the mid to late ‘80s D.R.I. established themselves as the kings of “crossover,” an often-imitated hybrid of hardcore punk and thrash metal that brought together the formerly at-odds musical scenes—as legend would have it. They’re slated to bring the pit to Lost On Main this August 20th, so I caught up with D.R.I.’s axeman and founding member Spike Cassidy for an interview over the phone in preparation for the show.

I was at a punk show in Chico the other day, and a guy who seemed to be in his 40s or so approached me and began to share his frustration at how tame the pit was, going on to lament the general lack of danger he saw in today’s scene when compared to the scene in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. What do you think? Are we 8

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

|

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANA PERRY

millennials really that lame? [laughs] I guess! I don’t know; it goes both ways. We’re really not into violence and people getting hurt or beat up and starting fights in our pit, but at the same time it’s supposed to be a bit crazy and chaotic and dangerous. I mean, it’s not supposed to be a bunch of preschoolers skipping around in a circle, you know? It’s similar to playing football, where if you go in the pit you expect to lose a tooth, break a finger, get hurt, you know?

There are stories of people coming up while we’re playing a show to say, “I was at your show in this place or that place and I broke a rib and I got this scar,” and when you hear those stories, that’s part of the mystique. They’re battle scars!

“I have this scar to prove I was at your show, in this pit, and it was the biggest pit I’ve ever seen!” Like I said, that’s something that you expect to be there. There’s supposed to be something dangerous about it, but at the same time, we don’t want people getting killed in the pit.

I think the Internet has made for the increase of people listening to niche genres of music—punk, metal, industrial, etc.—without having to claim membership in a

part of a “scene.” Has this always been the case, even before the advent of the Internet? What are your thoughts? Do you think it cheapens and trivializes this kind of music?

Maybe a little bit, but I think that’s one of the good things about the Internet. You can find things that you normally wouldn’t be able to find; check out music that you wouldn’t be able to find without going to a show or a record store that’s 50 miles away, so I think it’s good in a way.

I mean, I don’t think you have to be a part of a scene to check out that scene or that music. You should be able to go on the Internet and check out this extreme music—or maybe music that’s not so extreme—that you just want to check out because somebody mentioned it... or even because your grandparents mentioned this guy that they used to listen to 100 years ago. Why shouldn’t you be able to check it out just because you don’t have a record player anymore? It’s great that you can go on the Internet and search it up or find something on YouTube, or maybe something on an obscure radio station to widen your spectrum of taste. I’m all for it. I don’t really think that you should have to be a

punk with an 8-foot mohawk and tattoos on your face to listen to extreme music, and I don’t think you should have to be 100 years old in a walker to listen to some big band orchestra stuff either. If you want to check something out or listen to something, you shouldn’t be confined to being a part of that scene. I think it’s great that people of all tastes can check out the other side.

Much of D.R.I.’s early, “classic” material was clearly a reaction towards the social and political climate of the Reagan administration. You guys haven’t released new material in a while, but are there any current social or political issues that you would want to address?

Well, what you’re saying about the past is certainly correct. When

we first started we were definitely political and whatnot. Over the years we loosened the reigns on our political views and didn’t write so much about politics, but we always kind of stuck with the social thing.

We have a couple of new songs we’ve been working on and they’re basically all about social stuff that’s going on. I guess the main song, or the song that’s most “out front” is a song called “Against Me,” and it’s about one person’s view about how everybody seems to be against him; everything that he wanted to do or say; there’s always somebody saying “you’re wrong,” or “you shouldn’t do this” and “don’t do that,” so we’re still writing about social problems.

We have a couple of other songs, such as “As Seen on TV,” and it’s basically just about how you always see these infomercials on television about selling different things, and I guess that’s kind of a social-type

thing, in a sense. So we’re still writing about social issues, but we’re not as political as we used to be.

On that same note, do you think punk—or perhaps extreme music in general—still possesses the power to mobilize people towards caring for social issues? Have protest songs become stale?

It’s a whole new scene today than back in the early ‘80s and whatnot.

Our scene was more condensed, I would say, and people did have these strong views. It was a movement and people were a part of it. Nowadays it seems to be a lot more relaxed and whatever, and people are just “along for the ride.”

It’s something you listen to, but you really don’t become a part of that movement. There’ll be bands that sing about certain topics and just

because you listen to them, you’re not agreeing with their views or whatever, you just like the music. I mean, it’s always been like that in a way; there would be joke bands that sing about things you completely disagree with, but it’s kind of fun or funny. But I think more than ever nowadays, people are just into it for the music, and really don’t pay attention to the lyrics and what it’s all about, and don’t become part of that movement. I don’t think the youth really cares; when we were first starting, we would go to rallies and anti-KKK movements and protests with people that went to the shows. There were movements; there was a collaboration between these bands and forefront members of these bands that would get together and say, “Let’s stand up!

The KKK is having a rally, let’s all go down and protest!” And we would do it! I don’t think things like that

happen today, at all.

Many credit you guys for inventing the “blast beat” and being the first to meaningfully bridge the gap between the metal and punk scenes back in the late ‘80s. Myself and a lot of young punks and metalheads, having been born during or after this time period, hear these stories and often assign a kind of “legend” or “classic” status to you guys. Do you agree with it? How do you react to this kind of praise?

It’s something we don’t really consider. We don’t really see it; we were just doing what we wanted to do. We were just part of a scene that was there. We might have done it a little bit more extreme, or differently than other people, but it’s been a long time and we don’t really look at it like that. It’s just something we

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 9

did, and it wasn’t that big of a deal when we did it, and it’s changed over the years, and has become less of a big deal for us now.

In the years that you’ve been touring with D.R.I., what’s the nuttiest thing you’ve ever seen a fan do during a show? Have you ever been offered strange gifts?

Let’s see... we’ve had people come up on stage and lift up a shirt, and there’s a huge D.R.I. tattoo that they would show us before they did the stage dive. What else... I’ve seen some people do crazy things, like jumping off balconies and PA stacks, dropping 10–30 feet onto the crowd, none of whom has any idea that they’re up there and are about to have their neck broken by somebody jumping on them from that height. We’ve seen some pretty violent things too, like people getting into fights on and off stage. We’ve had shows where there was a pit on stage, where you can’t even see the band playing because there’s so many people on stage.

Has the thought ever entered your mind to hang it up and find a more stable line of work?

Sure. I mean, you have to think about it, especially after doing it for so long. We’ve even had to take years off because I had cancer and had to deal with not being able to 10

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

play shows; I was going for chemotherapy and radiation all the time, and we just couldn’t tour anymore. I had to start thinking: ‘What happens if I can’t play anymore?” You need a backup plan. You always think about it, but you just hope that it doesn’t come into light, you know? We’ve all had side jobs and things like that where we had to work for a time and make ends meet, but as long as we can get back and start touring again, we’re good!

What’s next for D.R.I.? I’ve heard talk of new material being written, but are there any plans to put a record out?

We’ve been talking about it and thinking about it for many years. I mean, the last thing we released was in the mid ‘90s, so it’s coming up on almost 20 years since we’ve released anything. We’ve always wanted to do another full length record, but different things happened. This whole Internet thing has made an impact on that—it’s hard to make money selling new material nowadays, especially for a band like us, where we’ve never really sold a lot of records to begin with.

We were one of those bands where somebody would buy a tape and share it with their friends and everybody made a copy of it. What we’ve been thinking about doing lately is an EP-type thing, maybe a four or five-song CD, or recording these songs and releasing them on the Internet as a digital download rather

than trying to spend too much money on packaging a CD. We also don’t want to put out garbage, or something that’s going to sound horrible, you know? It’s kind of a two-way street: we want to release something, but we don’t want to release crap. We don’t want to spend too much money and never make it back, but we want to put out music, so how do you do it? It’s been a hard road to figure out how to do this for us. So our plan is to eventually record these songs and get them out there one way or another. We’ve had a demo of one or two of these songs out there already where we just gave them out for free, but the recording just wasn’t the greatest—it sounded like it was recorded 50 years ago! It’s hard to do it right, especially for us.

Any closing words?

D.R.I. would like to thank all our fans who’ve been coming to our shows and making it possible to keep playing for 32 years! Without them, we realize we couldn’t keep doing this, and we want to thank everybody for coming out out to the shows, buying the sticker when you get there, buying a CD and otherwise supporting D.R.I.!

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles will tear the roof off of Lost On Main this Wednesday, August 20th, at 7pm. Also featuring Angerhead, We The Persons, Fight Music, and The Oisters.

SATURDAY,

AUGUST 23 7:30 P.M. LAXSON AUDITORIUM CSU, CHICO

$15 GENERAL $10 CHICO STATE STUDENT

FREE WATERMELON!

PURCHASE TICKETS AT THE

UNIVERSITY BOX OFFICE 3RD & CHESTNUT STREET OR AT

WWW.CHICOPERFORMANCES.COM

Food &

Drink Closed

We need to drink, too!

Mon-Fri Happy Hour 12-4PM $3 Sierra & Domestic

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Pints 6PM - close $1 Off Pitchers

Come see our beautiful

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Patio! Happy Hour4-6:

Menu cocktails $1 off. Sierra

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Patio! Happy Hour4-6:

Summertime Special

Pitchers

$2.50 Wells & Sierra

$1.00 off PBR & Olympia Pool Rates Cut in 1/2 !

Nevada Drafts during Giants &A's Games!

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Two Dollar Tuesdays!

$6.99 Pulled pork sand w/

fries or salad 25 cent wings from halftime 'til they're gone!

MONSTER MONDAY SPECIALS 6PM-CLOSE BEER $3.50/4.50/5.50/6.50 FREE Pool after lOPM

Anniversary Special

Pitchers

PB&J -Shot of Jameson w hiskey w ith bolttle of PBR only $6.50

$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Cans Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!

Chicken Strip Sand only $6.99 before 6 PM TWO BUCK TUESDAY 6-llpm $2 Rolling Rock, Olympia & Single Wells $2.50 PBR, Coors and Double wells

WING WEDNESDAY! $2 for 3 Wings

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM

Chicken Waffle Wed.!

8 ball Tourney 6pm

salad $6.99

8PM-Close $2.50 Fire Eater Shots $5.50 DBL Bacardi

Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!

PBR $2.25 Everyday!

$ 3.50 Ka mis ALL DAY!

Nevada Draft $3

Come see our beautiful

$3 Sierra and Domestic Pints

Open Mic Comedy Night Every Other Week!

Happy Hour2-6pm M-F $1.00 off Sierra and Dom

$2 PBRs $2 Tacos!

Happy Hour2-6pm M-F $1.00 off Sierra and Dom

Reuben Sand

w/ fries or

sign-up

Menu cocktails$1 off. Sierra Nevada Draft $3

Full Bar in Back Room

Cocktails

Come see our beautiful

Open 9PM

Mon-Fri

Patio! Happy Hour 4-6:

No Cover!

Happy Hour 12-4PM $3 Sierra & Domestic

Wander Food Truck on

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Pints

Happy Hour2-6pm M-F $1.00 off Sierra and Dom Pitchers $1.00 off PBR and Olympia Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!

Chico Jazz Collective 8-midnight Happy Hour2-6pm M-F $1.00 off Sierra & Dom

Spm-Close Pitcher Specials $6.50/$9.50/$13 FREE Pool after lOPM

Baby Back Ribs $11.99 Philly Cheesesteak $7.99 6pm-Close $4.50 Grad teas $3.50All beer pints FREE Pool after lOPM

Summertime Special

Pitchers

$3.50 Soccer moms

$2.50 We lls & Sierra

$6 Dbl Roaring Vodka

Nevada Drafts during Giants &A's Games!

$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Pool Rates Cut in 1/2!

Open 9PM

Mon-Fri

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM

Rock Out atThe DL!

10 oz. Tri-Tip Steak w/

Enjoy Live Music, Great Grub,

Fries or Salad & Garlic

Bartender Specials

Happy Hour 12-4PM $3 Sierra & Domestic

Pints

Anniversary Special

Weekend Blast Off!!

8-close $5 Blasters

PB&J -Shot of Jameson whiskey with bolttle of PBR only $6.50

and 10 9' foottables Open@llam All ages untill lOpm

$314oz. Slushies $4 20oz. Slushies

Bacardi Promo

Bread $8.99 8pm-Close $4 Jager $5.50 DBL Vodka Red Bull $2.50 Kamikaze shots FREE Pool after lOPM

llPM -Close Open 9PM

Tacotruck.biz and Beers on

Bartender Specials $314oz. Slushies $4 20oz. Slushies

Smirnoff Promo lOPM -Close

Drink Specials, Prizes &more!

WE OPEN AT 12:00PM MIMOSAS WITH FRESH

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CONTESTANTS TO BATTLE IT OUT IN DUFFY'S 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GONG SHOW ONSATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 8:00PM.

12

SHOT OF JAMESON IRISH WHISKEY

Performers need to sign up at Duffy's before Tuesday, September 2 at Duffy's Tavern.

WITH BOTTLE OF PBR

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 112014

lOAM -2PM $5 Bottles of Champagne $4.50 Bloody Mary $5.50 Absolut Pep par Bloody Marys

What's a GONG SHOW?

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM

Full Bar in Back Room Weds, Fri & Sat Nights!

PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Rock Out atThe DL!

Enjoy Live Music, Great Grub, and 10 9' foot tables Open@llam All ages untill lOpm

Baby Back Ribs w/Sa lad , Fries & garlic bread $11.99 8pm-Close $4 Single/$6 Double

Jack or Captain $3 Sierra Nevada Pints FREE Pool after lOPM

Cocktails

with entree

Hungry amateurs will compete in a talent contest that will be judged by a panel of local celebrities. If the act is so bad that the judges can't bear to watch it, they have the power to hit the gong and send the performer or performers off the stage. If they are not gonged, they move forward in the competition where they can win incredible prizes sponsored by none other than Duffy's Tavern. We are searching for that perfect act -there is no boundary! Dance, song, performance, strange tricks, anything goes as long as you don't get GONGED!

337 MAIN ST.• 530-343-1745

CLOSED

Open at llAM $4.50 Bloody Mary $5.50 Absolut Pep par Bloody Marys Noon- 6PM $8 / $9 SN Dom Pitchers $5.50 DBL Bacardi

Daily Happy Hour from 4-7PM PBR $2.25 Everyday!

Free Pool with Purchase!

1.00 off Sierra and Dom Pitchers

Summertime Special

$1.00 off PBR and Olympia Cans

$2.50 Wells & Sierra

$5.49 Grad/Garden/ Turkey Burgerw/ fries

or salad Bloodies $3 Well, $4 Ca II, $5 Top, $6 Goose Mimosas $2/flute, $5/pint $6 CHEAP Beer Pitchers

FRI AUG 22ND FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE PARTY

DJ SPENNY 6 DJ J-HO

J-0-ES cf~) ~Y1tf9'~ ~~!I

Lounge

V1pu1tra

C: HICO C A

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Go Downlo

BEAR-E-OKE

Happy Hour 11-GPM select bottles & drafts $3

CLOSED

BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm.

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Go Downlo

BEAR WEAR! 1/2 off w hile wea ring Bear Wea r.

MUG CLUB 4-lOPM

$2.50 Select Sierra Nevada or Dom Drafts $2 Ka mis-any flavor All Day

$3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm 10-Close: $2 Bartender Shot Specials $3 SkyyVodka Cocktails $5 Dbl Bacardi or SoCo Cocktails

2 FOR 1 BURGERS ALL DAY!!

MINORS WELCOME!

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Happy Hour4- 7pm

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$1.50 sliders and other cheap eats!

WACKY WEDNESDAYS (8-cl) DJ Party 4 different DJ's $lwells $2 calls $2 domestic bottles $6 pitchers of well drinks

Go Downlo

TRIKE RACES! Post time@ lOpm. Win T-shirts and Bear Bucks.

MUG CLUB 4-lOPM

All 16 oz Teas or AMF $3 All Day

$3.50 SkyyyVodka Cocktails $3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm

1/2 OFF EVERYTHING!!!

4-GPM $1 Dom Drafts $2 SN Drafts & Wells $5 DBL Captain Buck Night 8-Close $1 wells, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Rolling Rock, Dom Draft $3 Black Butte $4 Vodka Red bull

Closed

Happy Hour 4 -Spm Ladies Night!

BB pm-CLOSE $5 Pabst pitchers $2 shot board $4 Moscow Mules $3 Jamo and Ginger Buck Hour 10:30-11:30

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l /2off wells

BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm.

Happy Hour 11-GPM $3 select bottles & drafts

9pm-Close $212ozTeas $3 20ozTeas $2 Well, Dom Bottles & bartender Specials $5 Vodka Red Bull

Happy Hour4- 7pm

4-GPM $1 Dom Drafts $2 SN Drafts & Wells $5 DBL Captain Spm-Close $4151 Party punch 22oz.

8-9pm $1 Pale Ale& Dom.Draft Up $0.25 per hr until

Open at 9PM

Happy Hour 4 -Spm

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l/2offwells

1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

$2.50 16oz Wells All Day

$1.50 sliders and other cheap eats!!

BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!

Call for reservation 898-9898 Large selection of wines, sangrias and Martinis.

close

FIREBALL FRIDAYS!!!

SPM -Close $3 Fireball Shots $4 Big Teas $3 Coronas

Select Pints $3

$3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm

LIVE MUSIC 1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

Opening at Spm for BO's NIGHT!!

B pm-CLOSE $4 Sauza Margaritas $3 Ka mis $3 Shocktop & VIP pint

Early Bird Special 9-lOPM l /2off wells

KARAOKE "INDUSTRY NIGHT"

Call To Rent For Private Party Go Downlo

Happy Hour-4-7pm $5 Fridays 4-Spm Most food items and pitchers of beer are $5

Power Hour B - 9pm 1/2 Off Liquor & Drafts (excludes pitchers) 9PM -Close $3 Pale Ale Drafts $9.75 Pitchers Bacardi Promo llPM -Close

Open at 9PM

Hot "Dawgs" ALL DAY!

Mon. - Sat. 3PM - 6PM $1 Dom. draft, $2 SN Draft and Wells Powe r Hour B - 9PM $3 Pale Ale Drafts $9.75 Pitchers Smirnoff Promo lOPM -Close

BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!

Call for reservation 898-9898

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Bacardi Promo llPM -Close

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

LIVE MUSIC 1/2 OFF COVER before lOPM

B PM-CLOSE

HALF OFF ALMOST EVERYTH ING!(Except Red Bull and Premium Liquors) Specials All Day!

LATE NIGHT EATS! kitchen open until 1 AM

BURGER MADNESS! Bear Burger with fries or salad for $5.49. llam-lOpm.

$4 Sex On The Beach $4 Sierra Nevada Knightro ON TAP $1 Jello Shots 7-lOPM $3 Fireball

$4World Famous Bloody Joe $5 Premium bloodys your choice of vodka

$3.50 Tea of the Day Bartender Specials Happy Hour4-8pm Smirnoff Promo lOPM -Close

Champagne Brunch llam -2pm $3 Champagne with entree

BOTTLE SERVICE Now Available!

Call for reservation 898-9898 Large selection of wines, sangrias and Martinis.

Open at lOPM Large selection of wines, sangrias and Martinis.

Champagne Brunch and SPORTS!

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO

13

This Week Only...

BEST BETS IN ENTERTAINMENT

Monday, August 18th

CHICO PRIDE 2014 EVERYWHERE AROUND HERE

Saturday, August 23rd

Sunday, August 24th

RUN RIVER NORTH, THE LOLOS LAXSON AUDITORIUM

14

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

August 22nd—August 24th

CLOUDS ON STRINGS, CHEMICAL CLOCK 1078 GALLERY

Chico’s crazy-amazing progressive rock band Clouds On Strings does not play very often anymore, but if they’re not enough of a reason to enjoy a late Monday night, Seattle’s Chemical Clock should convince you. They’ve been called “post-everything avant fusion”: you might be reminded of Mr. Bungle, our own BOGG, and Miles Davis. It’s heavy, beautiful, joyous, and insane music that effortlessly mixes way too many musical styles into some pretty epic rock songs. Also featuring Avant Groove. $5, 7:30pm.

Tickets are available at LiveNation.com and select Walmart locations.

Limit 8 tickets per person. All dates, acts and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All tickets are subject to applicable service charges.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS TO CALENDAR@SYNTHESIS.NET

Run River North, composed of six really attractive, Asian-looking cuties, is a little like Fleet Foxes, but with a lot more passion and shred and vitality. Listen to their epic song “Lying Beast.” Chico Performances is giving us a great gift by hosting this “welcome the students” show at Laxson, and only charging students $10 at the door. $10 Students, $15 General, 7:30pm.

There’s simply too much awesome happening at Chico Pride this weekend to talk about all of it, so I’ll just give some highlights. Saturday will see the main festival going down at the City Plaza from 10am-4pm.

Live music and lots of giveaways. That night will see a 18+ dance at Chico Women’s Club at 7:30pm for a $5 donation. On Sunday morning you’ll decompress at Oak Grove in Bidwell Park over a free community brunch, from 9am to 12pm. Go to stonewallchicopride.com for the weekend’s full schedule.

DIRTY ROTTEN SNAKE IN THE GRASS THE MALTESE

New Orleans. Banjo. Stand-bass. Incredibly catchy bluegrass choruses. This is Dirty Rotten Snake In The Grass, and they’re joining forces with Sons Of Jefferson to celebrate all of life’s beauty and craziness. Snake In The Grass just released their debut EP Danger Gravy! for your pleasure: “Ghost Waltz” is one of my favorites. Also featuring Corey Morgan Strange of Grass Valley. $5, 9pm.

New & Exciting: Ongoing Events: 18 Monday

1078 Gallery: Clouds On Strings, Chemical Clock, Avant Groove. $5, 7:30pm

19 Tuesday

Sierra Nevada Big Room: Laurie Morvan Band. $20, 7:30pm

20 Wednesday

Lost On Main: D.R.I., Angerhead, We The Persons, Fight Music, The Oisters.

7pm Maltese: Wanderers And Wolves, La Fin Absolute Monde, Shadow Limb, Bogart The Monster. $5, 8:30pm

21 Thursday

Lost On Main: Pageant Play. $10, 7pm

22 Friday

1078 Gallery: Farewell DeBelle, Some Fear None, Furlough Fridays. $5, 7:30pm Blue Room: Show Down! By SF’s Thunderbird Theatre. $10, 10:30pm Chico Womens Club: Chico Pride Kick-off party “Variety Show.” $10 donation, 8pm-12am.

City Plaza: The Jeff Pershing Band.

7-8:30pm DownLo: Io Torus, Blood Cabana, Aberrance Duffys: Dance Party! Dj Spenny, J-Ho. Lost On Main: Pageant Play. $10, 7pm Maltese: Chico Pride after party.

Peking: BassMint. MetaVision, ALO, John Deer. 9:30pm Trinity United Methodist Church: Chico Pride Teen Dance “Neon Nights.” 13-18 yrs old. Free, 6pm

23 Saturday

Blue Room: Show Down! By SF’s Thunderbird Theatre. $10, 10:30pm City Plaza: Chico Pride Festival.

10am-4pm DownLo: Roller Derby afterparty!

Laxson: Wildcat Welcome Concert: Run River North, The LoLos. Students $10, General $15, 7:30pm Maltese: Chico Pride after party.

18 Monday

The Bear: Bear-E-oke! 9pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Womens Club: Prenatal Yoga.

5:30-6:30pm DownLo: Comedy Night. Free.

Pool League. 3 player teams, signup with bartender. 7pm. All ages until 10pm Maltese: Open Mic Comedy or Music, alternates every week. Signups at 8pm, starts at 9pm. Mug Night 7-11:30pm The Tackle Box: Latin Dance Classes.

Free, 7-9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Yoga Center Of Chico: Sound Healing w. Emiliano. Breathwork, Meditation, Healing.

19 Tuesday

100th Monkey: Fusion Belly Dance mixed-level class, with BellySutra. $8/class or $32/month. 6pm Open Mic plus showcase by local musicians. 7pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Yoga. 9-10am.

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 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: Salsa Lessons, 7-10pm LaSalles: ’90s night. 21+ Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-Close Studio Inn Lounge: Karaoke.

8:30pm-1am The Tackle Box: Karaoke, 9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Trivia Challenge. Call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts

6:30pm

20 Wednesday

Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Bear: Trike Races. Post time 10pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Chico Women’s Club: Afro Brazilian Dance. 5:30-7pm DownLo: Wednesday night jazz.

8 Ball Tournament, signups 6pm, starts 7pm Duffys: Dance Night! DJ Spenny and Jeff Howse. $1, 9pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Jesus Center: Derelict Voice Writing Group, everyone welcome.

9-10:30am The Maltese: Friends With Vinyl!

Bring your vinyl and share up to 3 songs/12 minutes on the turntable.

9pm-1am The Tackle Box: Line Dance classes.

Free, 5:30-7:30pm. Swing Dance classes. Free, 7:30-9:30pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Trivia Night plus Happy Hour. call at 4pm to reserve a table. Starts at 8pm

21 Thursday

Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: Live DJ, no cover, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm DownLo: Chico Jazz Collective.

8-11pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Has Beans Downtown: Open Mic Night. 7-10pm. Signups start at 6pm Holiday Inn Bar: Karaoke. 8pm-mid-

24 Sunday

Oak Grove (Bidwell Park): Chico Pride free community brunch. 9am12pm Maltese: Sons Of Jefferson, Dirty Rotten Snake In The Grass (New Orleans). $5, 9pm

EAT. DRINK. PLAY. Find Out How you Can Play Pool for Only $1/Day!

night LaSalles: Free live music on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Karaoke. 9pm-close Panamas: Buck night and DJ Eclectic & guests on the patio. 9pm Quackers: Karaoke night with Andy.

9pm-1am University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm Woodstocks: Open Mic Night Yoga Center Of Chico: Ecstatic Dance with Clay Olson. 7:30-9:30pm

22 Friday

Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: Live DJ, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. Free, 9pm Cafe Coda: Friday Morning Jazz with Bogg. 11am Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Fusion Fridays, the best country, rock, oldies, 80s & top 40. Country dance lessons 9-10:30pm DownLo: ½ off pool. All ages until 10pm. Live Music, 8pm Duffys: Pub Scouts - Happy Hour.

4-7pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dance Party.

8pm-midnight LaSalles: Open Mic night on the patio. 6-9pm Maltese: Happy hour with live jazz

by Bogg. 5-7pm. LGBTQ+ Dance Party. 9pm Panamas: Jigga Julee, DJ Mah on the patio. 9pm Peeking: BassMint. Weekly electronic dance party. $1-$5.

9:30pm Quackers: Live DJ. 9pm Sultan’s Bistro: Bellydance Performance. 6:30-7:30pm

University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm

23 Saturday

Avenue 9 Gallery: “Chico Icons 2014: Historic Heart & Arteries” Group Exhibition. 12-5pm The Beach: Live DJ, 9pm The Bear: DJ Dancing. No Cover.

9pm Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm Crazy Horse Saloon: Ladies Night Dancing. 10pm-1:30am DownLo: 9 Ball tournament.

Signups at noon, starts at 1pm. All ages until 10pm The Graduate: Free Pool after 10pm Holiday Inn Bar: DJ Dancing. 70s and 80s music. The Molly Gunn’s Revival! 8pm-midnight LaSalles: 80’s Night. 8pm-close Panamas: DJ Eclectic on the patio.

9pm University Bar: Free Pool 6-8pm

24 Sunday

Chico Art Center: National All Media Juried Exhibition. 10am-4pm 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 10pm LaSalles: Karaoke. 9pm Maltese: Live Jazz 4-7pm. Trivia 8pm Tackle Box: Karaoke, 8pm

LESSONS, LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS! GREAT FOOD! LIVE MUSIC! 319 Main Street (530) 892-2473 FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 15

Research and its Obstacles, Pt. 1 ART BY JUSTINCHAN (TUMBLR) Fingers traced the wall’s carving. Howl’s eyes squinted as he read the glyphs, then unfocused as if he were trying to remember something, then squinted again while he consulted the crinkled note in his left hand.

The boy shook his head, annoyed, and left the wall behind.

He retrieved his torch out of its chink in the wall and hurried down the hall, lost in thought. The flame illuminated the rough stone floor for a couple paces in front of him; all was dark otherwise. The ceiling was high, high above his head. The hall itself was massive; it would have taken a hundred more torches to light it entirely. The crackling flame, the boy’s footsteps, and his own churning thoughts were all he heard.

The patterns carved in the floor changed, and Howl knew he’d entered another room, where two halls intersected. He jogged toward the room’s center, where his torch revealed a stone pillar: waist-high, inverted like a bowl at its top, and filled with some liquid, black as tar. The boy bent his head, his nose nearly touching the dark water, and whispered, “The Lumanians, Third Epoch, first through third centuries.”

The substance trembled, and the room could be felt shifting. Howl stood tapping his foot while the floor rotated; while the air filled with the rumbling of massive stones shifting themselves in response to the boy’s request.

A sonorous thud announced that the shifting was complete, and the dark halls were silent once more, and Howl resumed walking forward. For another hour he walked, mumbling to himself, taking turns occasionally, until you or I would have felt completely lost down there.

On The Town 16

PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY

SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

The boy started suddenly to jog again, eyes straining to see the expected doorway, and was brought up short by two giant, stone feet.

The feet led to stone ankles, level with Howl’s head. He stumbled backward, and looked up into the eyes of a great, ancient monster,

whose head was bent over to examine the small figure at its feet.

A dull green glow could be glimpsed within the giant’s dark eyes. They blinked once, slowly, and then it said, “All access to the Lumanian histories has been restricted. Persons found to be forcing entry will be extinguished.”

Howl stepped back, considering. As far as he knew, he was the only person who even knew the term “Lumanian”... Had someone else been down here before him? “Who put you here to guard this door, if I may ask?”

Another slow blink of its eyes, then, “I was placed here 334 years ago by this library’s curator, Master Howl.”

The boy’s face twisted up, trying to remember.

Now, why on Earth had he locked himself out of this room?

To be concluded in Synthesis on September 1st.

Howl howlmovesmountains.tumblr.com

Platycat THE FELINE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY A snippet of overheard conversation between two women the other day lit me up. We were passing on the sidewalk—me going one way, they the other. The one pushing the urbanassault stroller was dishing about someone who’d just lost a pet: “I was like, ghod, get over it! It was just a cat.”

That sentiment would be a prime trigger for shock and dismay if it were a bit less common.

We love to tell ourselves that our species is more special-er than all them others, don’t we? What’s extra-dismaying is how often it shows up in the words or actions of mommies, aka Wellsprings of Nurture, including those who had pets before producing DNA replicants. For example, I once read a posting where some woman had serious issues around her sister having pets; Mommy made a cursory statement about how she worried about Baby’s “security” when she took said kid over to Sister’s house, but it was pretty clear she just had a problem with animals.

She openly pondered “accidentally” slipping Sister’s critters some Lysol, complete with a smiley face afterwards. When are certain females going to get it that tacking some version of a Cute Little Smile™ to the end of a psychotic or bitchy statement doesn’t downplay the fact that they’re psychotic and/ or bitchy?

As any regular readers know, I have a cat. She’s not human, and she’s not my “daughter.” She is, however, an intelligent and sentient being, and I take seriously the self-imposed charge to give her the best life possible. When I see or hear the “ONLY a (nonhuman animal)” attitude being invoked, it’s just another brick in my misanthropic wall.

She adopted me about ten years ago, after beginning to include me in the several apartments she’d visit over the course of a week. She appeared one day looking a little thinner than usual and dull-eyed with depression; a neighbor had moved out recently, and I guessed she’d “chosen” them, only to get left behind. She was only about two years old at the time, but this had happened more than once. She began to hang out more often, and I responded by providing regular meals and attention; eventually, the light came back into her eyes, and she became more talkative and playful than ever.

Bam—I was the newest sucker.

She turned out to be a lifeline. I’d let myself get stuck in an emotionally abusive relationship and a dead-end job, both of which were extremely draining. Taking care of and bonding with her slapped me awake, giving me the mojo to walk away from both without warning one fine day. She was not going to be abandoned again; she came with me, just ahead of a rash of cat poisonings in our old complex. I’ve never looked back, and I’m pretty sure she hasn’t either.

She’s getting older, and her time is coming.

When it does, I’m going to be a proper mess for a while afterwards. If anyone mutters “It was just a cat” within earshot during that time, I won’t be responsible for what happens next.

Consider the Platypus

by Mona Treme

PHOTOS BY VINCE LATHAM FACEBOOK.COM/VANGUARD.PHOTOGRAPHY

On The Town

FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 17

BY ZOOEY MAE Well kids, it’s come and gone again, that special weekend in August when (mainly) the west coast converges in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for Outside Lands Music Festival. This year’s headliners included Kanye West, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Death Cab For Cutie, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Flaming Lips, and Spoon, to name a few. This year marked the seventh year of this bay area event, which has grown at a steady rate to host over 180,000 festival-goers. And now, for a brief recap.

Day One:

Day Two:

Day Three:

The highlights of day one included Chromeo, Typhoon, an acoustic performance by Phosphorescent, and of course, Kanye West. Only about three photographers were approved to shoot West, and none were allowed in the photo pit. Rather, they were only allowed to be in the sound booth, which was a startlingly long distance away from the stage. Definitely not one to disappoint those expecting outbursts between songs, West treated us all to some strong opinions about the media, and how depressed he gets when he gets Google alerts about someone saying mean stuff about him online. (He must get bummed out a lot). I have to say though, despite the eyebrow raise-inducing rambling between songs, the man is a musical genius. A powerhouse of a performer who filled the giant stage with his ego, sure, but he’s certainly got the musical talent to back it up.

I was really hoping I wouldn’t see anyone wearing a Native American headdress, but unfortunately I saw two on Saturday.

Two out of thousands of people isn’t bad, but still, c’mon you guys, we can do better. Highlights of day two included Local Natives and The Kooks, but the real surprise of the day was the band Haim. This female-fronted band of sisters demanded the attention of the massive crowd with infectious energy and songs that felt refreshingly new, yet still possessed a comfortingly familiar flavor of classic soft/pop rock of decades past. Death Cab For Cutie took the stage and while it seemed they were having some technical problems (Gibbard especially looked frustrated), the fans didn’t seem to notice. After the weekend the band released the news that Chris Walla, member of the band for the past 17 years, was making his exit. The band played “Crooked Teeth,” and “I Will Follow You Into The Dark,” however the band halted their set ten minutes short and skipped fan favorite, “Transatlanticism.” I caught some of Tom Petty’s set, then headed to the opposite field to catch Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, as we’d been alerted that there would be an onstage proposal before their rendition of “Same Love.” (She said yes, obviously).

I admit, by day three I was exhausted. If I can give one bit of advice to those considering ponying up for tickets next year: do so, by all means; but pick one or two days tops to attend. After two full days spent wading through the thick crowd, waving away clouds of heavy dust and smoke, I was spent. Highlights of the last day included some of the stars of HBO’s Silicon Valley doing standup in the Barbary tent, an incredible DJ set

by Flume, and the always amazing live show, The Flaming Lips.

What can I say about Wayne Coyne? He’s a musical genius, a veritable explosion of sparkly rainbows and tinsel, and if given the chance, I highly recommend catching his live show. I’ve read a lot of articles about how the future of music festivals is uncertain, but if the strong attendance numbers and major headlining acts are any indication, Outside Lands is one festival that’s certain to stick around for a while.

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AUGUST 18, 2014

BY KOZ MCKEV

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

This week wraps up party time and leads you to a place where one needs to work with others toward a common good. You are currently seeking a deeper purpose.

You are hoping to be the person who makes a difference.

Be aware of the needs of others. Smile because it’s good for you. Know your creative purpose in the world. By Friday, this should be easier.

Extend your good luck to others. Be generous and affirm to the universe that you are responsible with resources.

Love more, because it feels so good.

Working through our comfort zones is part of this week’s scenario. Parents and elders could require some attention.

Otherwise, you may have some domestic ideas such as a remodel or fixing areas on your property. The sun enters your fifth house Friday night giving you more playtime, leadership ability, love affairs and the ability to feel good.

Extend your heart to others and look for the good in them. Wednesday and Thursday are good for socializing and making future plans. The weekend is good for being a homebody.

Enjoy the things you are passionate about. The week begins on a strong note for you with the moon in Gemini.

You’re sphere of influence is more easily seen. Your focus is communication, as well as gathering and dispensing information. Things that happen in your immediate environment are important to you. Wednesday and Thursday are good days for reviewing your finances and values.

The weekend may involve a short trip or two. Learn to value your memory, your ancestry, and the place you call home.

This week it’s best to wrap up debt, make a little more money, and indulge in your personal taste. Begin by imagining the things you would like to see. Pray for those who are going through your worst fears. The moon will be in Cancer on Wednesday and Thursday. Be more visionary and adaptable to whatever changes may come. The weekend is about aligning your values with some sort of higher spiritual purpose and to experience creative inspiration. You’ll begin to strengthen your lines of communication as well.

You can revel on your throne for another four or five days, but after that you’ll be getting down to serious business.

Good things continue to come your way due to Jupiter’s presence in Leo. The moon will be in Leo Friday afternoon through Sunday. There is a chance things will go your way even more. Venus in your first house has made you more lovable. Your interest in the creative arts is greater. Goals concerning family need to be met.

After the weekend, goals need to be oriented toward the most pressing matters with the most practical solutions.

The bridge between dreams and manifestation is about to be crossed. Your karma has mostly been good during this round of isolation and dealing with whatever is being thrown upon you. Take initiative to improve your environment.

Your mind is sharp and you’re coming up with good ideas.

Begin the week focused on your talents, skills and career potential. Use caution when commuting. The weekend looks good for taking care of any unfinished business. Try to be a better listener. The sun moves into Virgo Friday the 22nd at 9:46pm PDT.

Libra

Scorpio

Saggitarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

From great confidence we learn that there is also a need to keep things confidential.

It’s easy to feel some anger and frustration from what may seem like an obvious injustice. Begin the week by knowing you can learn the steps to success without compromising your ethics.

By mid-week others will be impressed by your “take charge” sense of initiative. By the weekend you may need to lay low in order to get enough sleep and being able to take care of personakl business.

You have good friends to help you through any rough spots.

Your energy level will rise this week with Mars moving through your first house. Begin the week by feeling too sexy for your shirt. Drop all ego and power trips and hang out with the people you admire and love. Wednesday and Thursday are your lucky days this week. Show that your commitment is backed with action. By the weekend your leadership traits will be seen to the public. As deep as you are makes for a firm foundation in the world of art and creativity. Be responsible, visible, and clear about what you wish to accomplish.

It’s been a wild ride. Things may be going well enough that you hardly see any problems. You are naturally lucky and the last several weeks have been no exception. This may be a time to care if you have hurt anyone’s feelings.

The last of the red hot lovers may have burned an important bridge. Honesty won’t fix everything. Focus on negotiating for peaceful relationships. Realize that some things will take time to heal.

The weekend has you taking the high road. Humility is the beginning point of excellent leadership.

You’ve gotten yourself into a somewhat vulnerable position. Debt, other people’s property, occult studies, sex, death, and birth are the flavors of the month. The worst is almost over. The question is, can you stick with a plan and follow through? You are the lover you’ve been waiting for. You are the one who can turn rags into riches. When you want something bad enough you need to discipline yourself till you see that goal through. You’ve been tested, and now it’s time to learn what your other options are. Be resourceful with what you know and possess.

There’s been a break in the weather the last few weeks where things have gone a little better than planned. You begin the week knowing who and what you love. Work gets done with fluidity and grace and you apply effort. You can easily be described as a woman or man of action during this period. Many of your decisions will be somewhat out of your control for the next several weeks. You could manifest hot loving in spite of this.

Not everything that controls this world is seen. Negotiate some of your duties to others when the kitchen gets too hot.

You’ve been plowing ahead with your duties. Aunts, uncles, small pets, and co-workers have taken up some of your thoughts. Purchase new school or work clothes. Be more conscious of your relationship to parents, children and the people you serve.

Wednesday and Thursday are your power days for artistic expression, lovers and playtime. By the weekend the sun moves into your seventh house of partnerships, marriage, contracts, and diplomacy. You’ll say the right thing at the right time. You can pursue love as an adventure.

Koz McKev is on YouTube, on cable 11 BCTV and is heard on 90.1FM KZFR Chico. Also available by appointment for personal horoscopes call (530)891-5147 or e-mail kozmickev@sunset.net FACEBOOK.COM/SYNTHESISCHICO 21

Stigma My son and I were talking not long ago about his brother’s mental illness, and it came out that we both had noticed unusual and unfortunate behavior last year and said nothing because we didn’t want others to judge him harshly, which seemed inevitable to us and still does. I just wanted whatever was making him act like that to go away. I still do.

I understand the stigma of mental illness.

It doesn’t make sense, and I still get it.

When somebody seems unreasonable and unreasoning, many of us think “Crazy.” Over the past year or so, many, many times out of frustration I’ve reacted to something my son did or said by thinking, “Have you lost your mind?” or “Are you nuts?” Ordinarily I would have asked it aloud, but now I know that such a question is still rhetorical, although now the answer is “Yes,” rather than “No.” I went on the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) walk this year, and the theme was “Stomp the Stigma.” I think stigma is a big problem for people with mental illness, in that people’s prejudices and biases adversely affect the way we deal with mental patients.

“Stomp the Stigma” strikes me as a silly metaphor for a worthwhile objective. I’m not aware of any stigma associated with diabetes, for instance, and I don’t think arthritis or cancer or heart disease carry the same burden of shame and ostracism. Still, stomping won’t help anybody.

I remember how reluctant I was to see a therapist the first time. Two of my best friends had told me I ought to, which of course made it that much worse. I did it, though.

Those sessions didn’t amount to much—I was extremely wary, and my therapist wasn’t good enough to see through me. I was quite pleased, though, and actually stumbled on

From The Edge

by Anthony Peyton Porter

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SYNTHESISWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 18 2014

an insight or two that later proved useful, so I guess it worked after all.

It took me a while to be comfortable talking to a therapist, and it wasn’t until I started working in book publishing that I found my current simile for therapy—a therapist is like an editor. A trained editor can see qualities in a manuscript that the writer can’t, being on the inside, so to speak. Another metaphor: You can’t see what a house looks like to others if you’re inside it. Likewise, a therapist can see things about a personality of which the person inside the personality is unaware. It’s not a shortcoming; it’s just the way it is.

Some mental patients become slovens, some become actors, some politicians. All of them can be hard to be around for long and seem often to be a pain in the ass. They may not observe social conventions that most of us don’t even think about until somebody ignores the little niceties that help keep us from biting each other. If a crippled woman bumps into you, you wouldn’t be angry with her, would you?

this

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