Arts DEVO

Lost in translation With Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s stunning debate/oratory skills serving as my inspiration, here are the lyrics to DEVO’s “Peek-a-boo” that I translated from English to Spanish to English to Dutch and back to English:

“Peekaboo. I can see him. And I weet what you doing. It puts be this way its face submits. And it treats above for its eyes. It does not pay attention to wise on. Peekaboo. It has. It has. Peekaboo. It has. It has. Peekaboo. … I weet what you doing. Cause I also.”

You’ve stepped in pizza-and-Jager vomit downtown, again I saw the “You know you’re from Chico when …” group page on Facebook a few months ago, but ignored it like I do most FB groups. After being told I had to check it out by more than one person I went ahead and searched it, and I have to say I was impressed. While I’m not so interested in remembering the place that used to be in that one spot where that other place is now (and there’s a lot of that here), it was fun to get lost in the huge library of historical Chico photos featuring iconic people (Marge the Meter Maid, anyone?) and places like the Senator Theatre in the ’40s or the interior of the old mall (with carpet!). The group was started by Jim Secola, whose day job is director of operations at The Well Ministries. In a year and a half, the group has grown to nearly 3,500 locals and former locals sharing their love and memories of all things Chico. And in response to the interest, Secola has decided to put on a You Know You’re From Chico Reunion at the Chico City Plaza Saturday, Oct. 22, noon-5 p.m. There will be live music, a classic-car cruise and food. For more info contact <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">{ document.write(String.fromCharCode(60,97,32,104,114,101,102,61,34,109,97,105,108,116,111,58,121,111,117,107,110,111,119,121,111,117,114,101,102,114,111,109,99,104,105,99,111,64,121,97,104,111,111,46,99,111,109,34,62,121,111,117,107,110,111,119,121,111,117,114,101,102,114,111,109,99,104,105,99,111,64,121,97,104,111,111,46,99,111,109,60,47,97,62)) } </script>.

Reap your groove Local-music junkie Brandon Johnson has just started his BioDance Productions company, and after a few parties and concerts he’s ready to go all in with a big three-day show. With the goal of adding to the tradition of the California fests that he loves, Johnson is organizing the The Great Harvestival Oct. 28-30. The Halloween-weekend party/campout will take place at on the lovely lakeside grounds of the Concow Campground, and features a full schedule of festival faves: Hot Buttered Rum, Izabella, New Monsoon, Swamp Zen, Chingus, The Railflowers and many more. When asked about the wisdom of planning an outdoor event in the middle of fall, Johnson said that he’ll have tents on standby so that, rain or shine, the music and the dancing will go on. Visit www.thegreatharvestival.com for info.

DEVOtions
• $100 art: Buy any piece of art for 100 bones this Saturday, Oct. 1, at the 1078 Gallery’s 50/50 art sale/fundraiser. Half the proceeds go to the gallery, and half go to the local artists donating their work.

• Art awards: The Mayor’s Arts Awards will be handed out at the beginning of the Chico City Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 4, 6:30 p.m., in council chambers. The recipients chosen this year by the Chico Arts Commission include Orient & Flume Art Glass, Janet Turner Print Museum’s board of directors and, posthumously, mural artist Scott Teeple.

• Pet project: Normally, art with anthropomorphized animals falls in the creepy (but to AD still alluring) “Dogs-Playing-Poker” category, but Chico State grad Peggy Jane Murray’s paintings of dogs and cats as people (and sometimes as just dogs and cats) have a different effect on me. Maybe it’s knowing the story of the inspiration for the subject matter (she chose it after being saved from an intruder by her dog) that makes the neatly placed animals, cut out and set against odd, colorful patterns, so magnetic. See Murray’s work on display at James Snidle Fine Art, Oct. 3-Nov. 30.