Arts DEVO

More beautiful Chico days The temperature downtown at 6 p.m. during last week’s Thursday Night Market was somewhere north of 100, so it was a little shocking and very funny to see four young men streaking through the crowds in head-to-toe spandex suits—two red, one blue and one green. When asked what the deal was, the only response I got was: “It’s a beautiful day.” And, thanks in no small part to them, it was another fun, hot and beautiful summer day in Chico. Here are few more beautiful local things to celebrate:

Shakespeare is back in the park With the blessing of former Shakespeare in the Park godfather Jerry Miller, the newly formed Bidwell Theatre Company is resurrecting the recently retired summer Shakespeare fest. Local theater dudes Matt Hammons and Davis Carlson are heading up the new venture and will debut with the Bard’s obscure Timon of Athens at the Bidwell Park Campfire Council Ring (behind Caper Acres) August 2 & 3. The Campfire Ring was the original location of Shakespeare in the Park (before it moved over to Cedar Grove), and those making up the cast and crew—John Duncan, Sean Green, Shae Burnette, Joe Hilsee, Kenny Kelly, Amber Miller, Shawn Galloway, plus Hammons and Carlson)—are the perfect group of local standouts to take the beloved tradition back to its roots.

Yes to the No Age Sorry, all other musical events yet to happen this upcoming semester—you’ve already been beaten. L.A. experimental duo No Age will be dropping overdriven bombs of noisy garage rock on Café Coda August 22, two days after the release of their new Sub Pop album, An Object. Faces will be melted off.

Three local CD-releases Fresh off the release of his band Star Thistle Wall’s debut EP, front man Thomas Fogg is dropping another disc, his solo album, This Town, on Saturday, July 6, 8 p.m, at The Maltese. Next Thursday, July 11, folk foursome The Railflowers release their latest with a show at 1078 Gallery. And, on July 25, the sad bastards of The Sad Bastards host a CD-release and final show all in one at Café Coda.

The new Dan Chico State just announced that Stephen Cummins will be the new director of University Public Events (overseeing Chico Performances at Laxson Auditorium and Northstate Public Radio/KCHO), replacing longtime honcho Dan DeWayne, who stepped down late last year. Cummins comes to Chico from the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn, Ill., where he was in charge of the programming at the giant community college, College of DuPage. A quick perusal of his most recent calendar of events at the school’s McAninch Arts Center includes a lot of similarly flavored artists—from Canadian fiddle master Natalie MacMaster to jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis. Join Arts DEVO in extending a hearty “Welcome to Chico!” to Cummins and his family.