Arts Devo

Letter to Krampus Dear great beast dude of the season, bringer of warming spirits and keeper of the flame of rock ’n’ roll revelry that burns deep in the heart of every boy and girl: All I want for Christmas is a cool buzz, some tasty tunes and:

1. A ball gag stuffed in the mouth of any commentator whining about a “war on Christmas” in a country where the holiday is omnipresent 24 hours a day between Thanksgiving and Dec. 25.

2. AC/DC’s Malcolm Young (RIP) to return to this partysphere with all his killer riffs intact.

3. Dudes to stop with the groping and the jacking it the front of others and just party like normal people, for crying out loud. How about you lay off the naughty kids this year, Krampus, and give several chain lashings to the creepers who failed human school.

Thanks, Your pal Arts DEVO

P.S.: I’ve enclosed a picture here of me in a sweater that I made in your image. I hope you like it.

El Rey: saved Ever since word got out last year about the El Rey Theatre going up for sale, there were rumors that potential buyers might gut the 112-year-old theater and transform it into a commercial/residential space. Well, I’m happy to report that the El Rey is going to remain a performance space. As was previously reported by CN&R biz columnist Meredith J. Cooper (“Under the radar,” The Goods, Oct. 19), the building has been undergoing some renovations and there’s a notice of a liquor license request in the name of San Luis Obispo restaurateurs Kyle and Hal Billingsley in the window. It turns out that the Billingsleys and a third partner, Tyrone Galgano, purchased the El Rey and have been busy renovating it and planning its future as a local entertainment hub.

“We’re trying to build the premier performance and event venue in Chico,” Galgano said during a recent tour of the initial (super impressive) upgrades, which include reinforcing and expanding the stage, tearing out the lower-level seats in front of the stage and making the area standing/dancing room only, and installing new sound and digital-projection systems. Galgano will be the one managing operations of the theater, and his experience in the field includes running a production company called Collective Effort Events that puts on EDM, hip-hop and rock shows in California and Hawaii.

Right now in Chico, Galgano and crew are in a “soft opening” stage, hosting a string of EDM shows put on by Nor Cal’s EPIC Productions (including a “neon party” with L.A.-via-England producer/DJ Gareth Emery coming up on Dec. 8). Going forward, Galgano says the new owners are going to open things up to outside promoters and a wide range of performance styles.

Puttin’ the funk in trunk Local jewelry designer Lauren Woodward (of Billy Sky Jewelry) has teamed up with Sue Reed at Bootleg consignment shop for a themed fashion show at Chico Women’s Club next Thursday, Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. Titled the Zephyr Sessions, the trunk show is 1970s-themed, and Woodward and company are dressing the models in styles of the era and pairing them with groove-appropriate local band Low Flying Birds. Tickets are $10.