Arts DEVO

Hey, thanks! Gratitude and blessings, intentional goddesses and conscious warlocks on this Thanksgiving holiday, for being just so freakin’ Chico. As much as I can get annoyed by its hippies, rednecks and wingnuts, Chico is still rad for me and I am so thankful to live in a place that feels like home. Just as when I moved here 25 years ago, I’m thankful that you and I can each do our weird things without much trouble, and while we’re at it, eat cheap tacos, gobble up cheap rock shows, and share the experience with arty freaks and fun-loving friends under what is still a goddamn impressive canopy of trees shading us in this dry north valley. My life in Chico is as idyllic now as it was when I first arrived, except these days I can afford to buy a fancy beer whenever I want one. So, thank you, Chico.

Before I start sounding like too much of a self-centered asshole, I should say that more than any of that I am thankful for my wife, family and friends and the fact that we all have been so close to one another. A lot of trying, painful stuff has hit the DEVO clan and the tribes of those close to us since last Thanksgiving, and I’m grateful for the good health of those who are healthy, for the slow-but-steady recovery of those who aren’t, and for the years of laughing and crying with those who are no longer with us.

And, I’m also thankful for all sorts of miscellaneous radness right now. Next Friday is Dec. 5, and you know that means … Krampus is coming! Last year, I threatened to go all out for this Krampusnacht, and I am looking forward to a spirited Krampuslaufen with some of the good kids.

You probably already know that Pablo Sandoval is now the third baseman for the Boston Red Sox, and while I wish Panda was still gnawing on bamboo at AT&T Park, I am thankful that the Giants had him for as long as they did—long enough for him to help them win a few World Series and for him to inspire legions of young fans in Panda hats to fall in love with the team.

I really like baseball, but the NBA is my real jam, and I am very thankful that guys with names like Boogie and Omri are on the Sacramento Kings, and that the team appears to be on the upswing this year as they anticipate their new downtown digs set to open in time for the 2016-17 season.

I’m also thankful for how amazing TV is these days. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is back in January, the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul starts in February; and my favorite filmmaker, David Lynch, is joining his Twin Peaks co-creator, Mark Frost, in returning to TV (on Showtime) in 2016 with a nine-episode update to the classic series. The story will apparently return to the scene in present day, more than two decades later. No actors have been announced yet, but Kyle MacLachlan/Agent Dale Cooper, reacted to the news with a tease of a Tweet: “Better fire up that percolator and find my black suit :) #Twinpeaks.”

And, thank the goddesses! There is a new all-female band in town! The She Things—with Kerra Jessen (The Shankers), Christina Von Ulch (Hasta La Pizzas, The Shankers) and Chelsea Tucker (Melody Records)—are emerging from the garage with a very Crampsy sound to match their very Crampsy logo to play their first string of shows: Friday, Nov. 28, at Orange Street Art Studio’s Holiday Music & Art Show; Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Duffy’s Tavern; and Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Maltese.