Arts Devo

Dogs are an unfortunate creature to own because unlike children who turn into adults in their teen years, when a dog gets into its teens he dies of old age. … So you spend a decade and a half building an affinity for this weird little creature only to have its life extinguished.

—from My Dog: The Paradox, by comic artist The Oatmeal

My dog is an astronaut Pets are the best. Also, pets are the worst. As much as Arts DEVO loves his animals, and this special issue of the CN&R devoted to all the fur babies, I know that I am doomed to the worst sort of heartbreak. We all are just waiting to be crushed, whether by the fate of our own pets or that of Charlotte, Marley, Laika or any of the other famous animals we've never met but have weeped over nonetheless. Normally, it's a film or a YouTube video that gets to me, but one of the most moving portrayals of a pet in peril that I've ever experienced was courtesy of former Portland, Ore., band Pond's 1997 song “My Dog Is an Astronaut,” about Laika, the adorable stray that the Soviet Union launched into space in 1957.

You strapped the dog into a chair, she tried to lick your face

Then you counted backwards and you launched her into space

You made no provisions for bringing her back home

High and … all alone

Sorry about that. Let me make it better with this photo of my fluffy ball of Prozac, Honey dog, who currently is limping around with a hurt leg and making me go all crazy with thoughts of pet mortality.

As the scene turns Big changes are coming to the local nightclub scene. First, Chico's longest-running downtown live-music venue, LaSalles, is about to be transformed. According to owner Nick Andrew, this fall, the downtown nightlife staple will close for a remodel, with plans to reopen as a sit-down restaurant. The new venue will still feature live music, but the big stage will be gone. Andrew plans to go out with bang with a series of big shows. Stay tuned for details.

Meanwhile, on the south side of town, the organizers of spring's Chico Breaks the Record marathon are starting to implement big plans at the Tackle Box Bar and Grill. According to CBTR mastermind Julian Ruck, he is in the process of taking over the booking reins at the venue, which has recently installed a brand new sound system to go along with the new dance floor and expanded stage that the owners built for the April record attempt. To start, Ruck said that they will be rebranding the venue as “The Box,” and that he plans to eventually book 12-15 acts a week from a “wide variety” of genres. The hope is to expand on the success of the CBTR event by creating “a live music hub that develops and promotes local talent.” Stay tuned to see exactly how that vision will play out.

How many years? Happy anniversary to both Scotty's Landing (60th) and Paradise's Theatre on the Ridge (40th). Scotty's continues its summer of celebration with a party this Sunday, July 26, starting at 4 p.m., with food, music and stories from owner John Scott. And the longest-running community theater in Butte County, which turns 40 this October, is getting a head start on celebrating with a one-weekend run of its first-ever production, a police drama/radio play called Detective Story, showing Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.