Arts DEVO

Donuts rise Donut Rising, a new artisan donut shop advertising “old school favorites and new school flavors” is selling the most sacriliciously wonderful food item Arts DEVO has tasted in Chico: the O’ Canada Bar, topped with real maple-syrup icing and one very crispy strip of bacon. Get your own fix at 1008 West Sac., in the Safeway shopping center (www.donutrising.com).

community outcries It came as quite a shock to many local-arts fans when Café Culture founders Greg Fletcher and Praveen Ram announced last week via Facebook that, due to financial considerations, they would be closing the café that coming Sunday. But, it turns out, that due to a “flood of positive ideas, resources, and support,” the closing of the beloved performance venue will be only temporary. See story for more on the challenges ahead, including efforts to obtain a much-needed license to sell beer and wine to help the venue stay afloat.

A Turner Prize For his efforts in helping establish a home at Chico State for the celebrated Janet Turner print collection, Butte College trustee and retired Chico State faculty member Allan Forbes is going to be honored by the Turner Print Museum with its annual Turner Prize (reception April 8, at the museum). Since it’s a print museum, no cheesy faux-wood plaque will be marking the occasion. Instead, the museum purchased this crazy-awesome print by Tom Huck—The Transformation of Brandy Baghead—to be displayed in Forbes’ honor.

Artist applies OK, all you Lucky Luckersons. You are so lucky to live in Chico, where there is an embarrassment of fun arts events being planned by creative people just for you. 1. Art Fiesta: May 6-7: the Chico Visual Arts Alliance (ChiVAA) is taking over the Matador Hotel on the Esplanade with a big art party. Artists will be taking over rooms (or setting up tents) and installing mini galleries of their work for the weekend art fest. Visit chivaa.org or call 591-5641 to register. 2. Show Us Your Shorts! Film Festival: Chico Cabaret is accepting submissions for short films for its brand-new short-film fest going down Aug. 11-13. Visit showusyourshorts.org for info. 3. Chico Fringe Theatre Festival: This one is particularly ambitious. Local theater champs Chad Lewis and Natalie Valencia have partnered with Rogue Theatre to put on “five days of theater, art, music and madness in downtown Chico,” Sept. 21-25. The shows will be put on all over town, and everyone is encouraged to apply—it’s 100 percent “unjuried,” “uncensored” and “accessible,” with all money going back to the artists. Visit chicofringe.com to apply.

A metal surprise Chico (soon-to-be-Portland, sigh) badass Zeke Rogers has put his considerable experience in musical badassery (endless punk/metal/rock show production and shreduction for The Makai, among others) to work on a new project—a record label! Orca Wolf Records’ first release is the self-titled vinyl debut for local doom-metal makers Amarok (for which Rogers plays drums). Go to www.orcawolf.com to buy the vinyl or download a digital version.

A drummer’s reprise Rogers’ Makai bandmate Jesse Shreibman has already taken his talents to the Pacific Northwest, but the crusty-haired drummer is back in town this week, playing drums in Seattle crust-metal crew Oroku this Friday, March 18, at his old stompin’ grounds, Monstros Pizza.