Arts DEVO

In local news The rumors are true. After more than a decade of showcasing local and visiting artists, Avenue 9 Gallery is closing its doors. After Avenue 9 owner/co-founder Maria Phillips died on Oct. 5, the building housing the gallery was sold, and according to an Avenue 9 press release, on Feb. 8 the gallery will close its doors at the current location (and no plans for reopening in a new location have been announced). There are three more shows on the calendar for the final months: the current Waterworks group show, featuring painters Candy Matthews and Cynthia Sexton, plus sculptor Jim Woronow; opening Dec. 10 (and running through Jan. 10, with a Dec. 12 reception) is Fond Farewell and Holiday Sale, an Avenue 9 Arts Guild group show; and last will be the annual Snow Goose Festival juried exhibit, Jan. 16-Feb. 7.

And in other visual-art news, over at the current home of Chico State’s University Art Gallery (Trinity 100), busy local art collector Reed Applegate has curated Centenary: John C. Ayres, a retrospective of the longtime Chico State Art Department chair. The namesake of the campus’ arts building would’ve been 100 this year, and the reception for his figurative paintings and drawings is tonight (Nov. 13), 5-7 p.m.

Words, words, words This above all: To thine own self be true—Polonius, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

As the local theater season heats up for the fall, the offerings are mostly of the musical variety. Currently on the calendar: a post-modern grunge-musical (Nirvanov) at the Blue Room Theatre (see Music), and a locally penned musical (Cricket on the Hearth) at Theatre on the Ridge in Paradise. And opening this week: a contemporary musical (As It Is in Heaven) at Chico State; the classic Brecht/Weil musical The Threepenny Opera at Butte College; and perhaps most exciting of all, The Bard’s great tragedy (Hamlet) being presented at the CUSD Center for the Arts by the creative youngsters at Inspire School of Arts and Sciences. Search the calendar for details.

Chico, kiss your big heart As an editor at this paper, Arts DEVO naturally can’t promote any events he might have a hand in producing and at which he might be performing. But after the fact, I can blather on as much as I want about how much fun I had producing and performing at the Country Cover Night (Shit-Kicking the Shit Out of Cancer!) that went down at the 1078 Gallery last Friday.

It was a benefit for my youngest sister, Sheridan DEVO, who at 30 recently had surgery for breast cancer and is just starting months of chemo treatment. Sheridan loves country music, so that’s what we played. And as I told everyone on Friday night, there was no more appropriate style of music we could be covering than one that is tailor-made for dealing with hard times. With country, when bad shit happens, you write a song about it, then crack open a beer and cut loose with the ones you love.

And it was an overwhelmingly wonderful night, with family, friends, co-workers and the local music scene all in one place showing a lot of love, playing beautiful music, and raising a little scratch for my sister. Thank you, all. I love Chico more than ever.

Now go do your breast exam and/or see your doctor for an exam, a mammogram or even an MRI. When detected early, in the localized stage, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 98 percent! Visit www.cancer.org/breastcancer for information on recommended screenings for your age and risk level.