Arts DEVO

Coming soon: Psycho Killers in Butte County …

Is a slasher flick more gruesome if you know the people who are bleeding out onscreen? At the end of the month (March 28, 1 p.m.), inside the spooky, old El Rey Theatre, you’ll be able to put the question to the test when local filmmaker/Butte College media specialist Joshua Siegel premieres his locally cast and shot horror movie, Bloodwood. In a press release, Siegel says that the film is “a gripping tale of survival” featuring a documentary film crew lost in a NorCal forest, and as the trailer points out, they end up filming something in the woods they hadn’t planned on … something bloody. Visit bloodwoodthemovie.com.

Directed by: The Shredding Guitarist …

Actually, there’s another locally made film, by another local director, coming out even earlier in the month … in fact, this weekend. Secret Stolen guitarist/vocalist Cameron Ford is showing his short film Writers Sunday, March 7, 7: 30 p.m., at Chico Cabaret. On Facebook, Ford describes the movie, which was filmed at the offices of Chico’s friendly party-town rag The Synthesis, as “like a Kevin Smith meets The Office kinda thing.” The party continues after the screening with performances by Secret Stolen and Count Funkula.

Starring: The Diva and her boys …

Remember firecracker local singer Becca Neunuebel (winner of the very first CAMMIES Critics Choice Award for Best Female Vocalist, by the by), formerly of the Berkow and Becca Band and soloist in Chico State’s Gospel Choir? Well, Becca Neun has dropped the “uebel” and moved out to Florida (via San Francisco) to pursue a singing career that currently has her in a Miami recording studio working on her first solo album with producer/composer and former Paradise resident Scott Dugdale. For the past few years, Neun (myspace.com/beccaneun) has been lending her vocals to songs on video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero (that’s her covering The Donnas’ “Take It Off”), as well as various other music/video applications for iPhone, Facebook, etc.

Most recently, Neun and Dugdale have redone an old tune by none other than their buddy Chico videographer Peter Berkow (Sierra Center Stage, among many other documentary projects). Many locals also know Berkow as much for his musical as his video chops, and back in 1974, as part of a project for his thesis at Chico State, he recorded a tune called “Liquid Smog” for his album (of course) titled, Thesis. Cut to now, and Neun/Dugdale’s vamped-up reworking—“Liquid Smog (StompBox Remix)”—is making its way through the various online and smartphone games and will soon be available online via the Rock Band Nation store. Visit Dugdale’s blog (http://scottdugdale.wordpress.com) to keep up with what he and Neun are working on and to see a demo of the video game playing Berkow’s tune.

With original soundtrack by: Local Rock Stars …

And Candy Apple, Chico’s favorite garage-rock five-piece has contributed a song to the video medium as well. “End of Time” is part of the soundtrack for Treasure of the Black Jaguar, an independent, stylish-looking south-of-the-border treasure hunt/road flick by Low Flying Owls bassist Mike Bruce. Until recently, you could see the trailer and hear Candy Apple (second song in clip) at Bruce’s Vimeo page (www.vimeo.com/user559637), but the clip has disappeared. Bruce’s other work—including videos for The Dandy Warhols—is well worth checking out, however, and maybe by the time you visit, Candy Apple/Black Jaguar will be back online.