Arts Devo

No love from Guinness Arts DEVO got word from the Chico Breaks the Record folks saying that they've been told by Guinness World Records that last April's 34-day effort at Chico's Tackle Box Bar & Grill to double the world record for longest concert by multiple artists will not be officially recognized. Organizers Julian Ruck and Emily Rose posted a video to the CBTR Facebook page on Sunday and expressed their frustrations while sharing details of the communication with Guinness.

Included with the post are two links, one to Guinness' guidelines for the specific record and one to what the CBTR organizers say is the most recent correspondence between them and Guinness. In the latter document Guinness states: “Unfortunately at this time we do not feel confident enough in your evidence to accept your attempt as a world record.”

Ruck and Rose say that Guinness' problems with the evidence are based on stipulations that are being added—after the fact—to the guidelines that were established for the attempt. And after reading the guidelines and Guinness' comments, I'm frustrated, too. The main points of contention have to do with issues surrounding how the official witnesses recorded that guidelines had been met—the timing of songs (at least two minutes) and breaks between songs (less than 30 seconds), and the number of attendees (at least 10), plus the manner in which the official witness statements were organized. Mind you, the guidelines don't specify how to record that the requirements were met, just that witnesses provide written statement to the fact that they were. For example, CBTR had two witnesses, with timers in hand, confirming that songs ran at least two minutes and breaks were shorter than 30 seconds, and then checking off when the requirements were met. Guinness' responded that beginning times for songs had to be written down (which they were) as well as end times (which were not). But this direction isn't in the guidelines that were provided. And the fact remains that there were always two witnesses independently confirming and recording that the time requirements were met (a fact backed up by video evidence, also provided to Guinness).

In a phone conversation, Ruck said that they are still in communication with Guinness with hopes that they can work through the issues, but that they don't want to get into a prolonged battle that could take away from what he, Rose and many in the local music community (this writer included) already see as a record achievement. “We want Chico Breaks the Record to remain a beautiful experience,” he said. I second that .

No more Grad Burgers?! Dang! First LaSalles, now the Grad. The Graduate, a Chico staple for great burgers and cheap Sierra Nevada beers for four decades, is no more. As of Tuesday (Dec. 15) night's kill-the-kegs send-off, the restaurant closed its doors for good. According to Norma Jarvis, senior executive director of Graduate Restaurants Inc. (based in San Luis Obispo), owner William S. Everett decided to close the Chico restaurant “because it has not been a profitable business for several years.” The restaurant's 36 employees were notified Sunday, Dec. 13, of the closure.

Personally, I never did enjoy watching sports on its big, somewhat janky screens, but I loved Grad burgers and having a big place with big tables for meeting large groups for beers. Another Chico icon down. Time for something new!

Meanwhile, at the Fab Lab The creatives over at the Idea Fab Labs maker space are bringing all their skill sets—art, computer-assisted sculpture-making, and partying—together for one fun event. For the opening of Ty Andre Mendoza's Sentience, they are hosting an all-night “gallery soiree” Saturday, Dec. 19, 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Cost is $10. Tickets at www.ideafablabs.com/art.