Arts Devo

Sing for your theater Arts DEVO has never done karaoke. That seems impossible. There’s no good reason. I don’t have stage fright. In fact, I love having a microphone in my hand and forcing people to listen to me. And I love singing, and watching other people singing, and being in bars, and Turn around … Every now and then I get a little bit lonely, and you’re never coming ’round/Turn around, bright eyes …

Oh man, it sounds like the best time. I’ve actually been whining loudly in recent months about the lack of karaoke in my life, yet I still haven’t gotten off my ass and gone to one of the regular events at The Maltese (Thursdays, 9 p.m.), Tackle Box (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 or 9 p.m.), The Bear (Mondays, 9 p.m.), The Oasis Bar & Grill (Wednesdays, 7 p.m.), Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co. (Fridays at 9 p.m.), or the occasional ones at La Salles (next: Jan. 24, 10 p.m.), Studio Inn Lounge or The Banshee.

But things might be about to change. Next Wednesday (Jan. 15), at 8 p.m., the Blue Room Theatre is hosting a karaoke fundraiser at The Maltese, and I think that would be the perfect setting to pop my karaoke cherry—while also helping a worthy cause. The longtime community arts treasure is in a bad financial spot. The post-Camp Fire year has hit the Blue Room and many other local nonprofits hard, and the theater is faced with the prospect of having to close if can’t raise $6,500. A GoFundMe campaign (gofundme.com/f/blue-christmas-giving) has brought in a little more than half of it, and the folks at the Blue Room are banking on a strong showing from local hams, hacks and show-offs to help make up the rest.

Entry is free (donations accepted). Where the money will be made is with the event’s special features: song takeovers (pay to swipe another performer’s song), song auction (“meticulously picked” favorites will be sold to the highest bidder), last song auction (pay to sing the finale), etc. Hosts for the night are the Blue Room’s managing director, Amber Miller, and longtime local theater superstar Samantha Shaner.

So, what should I sing? “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler? “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness? Maybe a something by Queen? Yeah … no. Not unless I arrive six beers deep after carpooling with James Corden.

Call for art and writers and freaks The Blue Room is also still accepting writing samples for its annual Fresh Ink event (Feb. 13-16). Four writers will be selected for the one-act mini-fest and each will be matched to a director before taking just one week to write a script using five mandatory elements. But you have to hurry. Writing samples—up to five pages of an original story of any kind—are due by midnight Monday, Jan. 13. Email to: martinfez@live.com or anniefischer17@gmail.com.

Also, Chico Art Center is seeking sculpture submissions from California artists for consideration for two group exhibitions (in May and October). Visit chicoartcenter.com/ca_contempo_sculpture for prospectus and application.

And finally, the Chico News & Review’s Keep Chico Weird Art Show is returning for the seventh year! The show goes down March 19-22 at the 1078 Gallery, and we need your strange, freaky, bizarre, unique, weird art! Art in all mediums is eligible (including performance art for the reception on March 19). Visit Keep Chico Weird on Facebook for more info, and send submissions to keepchicoweird@gmail.com by Feb. 28.