Arts Devo

Goodbye, art This is the last week for the 1078 Gallery at its current location. After the Alma Mudder group show closes on Saturday (May 27), the space will go dark and the longstanding community art/music/theater/literature collective will be in limbo as it continues to look for a new home. Like many Chicoans, Arts DEVO is still in shock. In many ways, 1078 is the heart of the local art scene, and even a temporary interruption of its activities—visiting contemporary artists, vibrant openings, community exhibitions, all-ages rock shows, classical guitar recitals—is going to hurt.

Chico’s community of artists and those who appreciate the arts will be stuck without this lively hub. And, despite whatever conflicts there were between 1078 and its neighbors that led to its eviction, I imagine that many of those businesses in The Junction are going to miss the gallery’s cross-section of patrons—from 20-something students to 60-something professionals—who will no longer be flowing to their block on a regular basis. I know I won’t be around as much.

The book scene Chico State and Butte College just announced the schools’ joint Book in Common for the 2017-18 school year: A Deadly Wandering, by Matt Richtel. The nonfiction novel is subtitled “A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention” and is centered on the story of a Mormon teenager who killed two scientists as a result of texting and driving. The book is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning series on distracted driving Richtel wrote for The New York Times in 2009.

And in other book news: Last December, the CN&R profiled North State author Steve Callan (see “Like father, like son,” Greenways, Dec. 15, 2016), who had just released his second book, about growing up as a game warden’s son and following in his father’s footsteps. And last week, we got word that The Game Warden’s Son was named Best Outdoor Book of 2016 by the Outdoor Writers Association of California. Congrats, Steve!

Summer mixing The jam season is upon us, and I am earnestly compiling the perfect mix for the summer. (I’m currently tripping hard on “Love Drug,” the stripped-down first single from the upcoming Die Antwoord album, an insistent hand-clapping anthem to going crazy for love: “Your love is like a drug/I’m so addicted/You got me fucked up/And it feels so good … Let’s fuck it up, let’s break shit, let’s mutherfuckin’ party!”)

I’ve just reached out to the members of my music-loving crew for input, and I want to hear from you as well. Heard any new catchy-as-hell songs that go well with a hot night? Send me your picks! I’ll hash it all out and share the perfect summer mix in this space in the next two or three weeks.

Speaking of jams Longstanding local reggae crew Mystic Roots recently released a new album called Change, and it is currently sitting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Reggae Album chart! Damn! Way to represent! Pick up the album at the usual online outlets (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.) and catch the band live in Chico on June 3, at the Tackle Box. See the video for the first single “Marie” (shot in various Chico locations) at youtube.com/user/mysticrootsband.