Arts DEVO

Be still my Chico heart Arts DEVO loves Chico and how all of the freaks, hipsters, thugs, artists, homeless, townies, professors, Greeks, geeks, punks, douchebags and hippies stir up the wild energy and motivate so much of the activity and creativity that sustains and exhausts us each school year. So, in the spirit of the I Love Chico art exhibit opening at the Chico Museum on Friday, Sept. 7 (see Arts & Culture listings, page 30), I bring you a typically eclectic sampling cut from just one week’s worth of local art, music and random weirdness.

Not your average beardos: If you’re at all metal curious and want to understand what’s gotten all the noisy, bearded kids so excited, tonight’s show (Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m., at Origami Lounge) is the one to go to. Not only is it easily Chico’s metal show of the year, it’s potentially one of the overall biggest as well. Old Man Gloom is a supergroup featuring players from some of the underground metal/rock/punk biggies—Isis, Cave In, Converge—and they will pummel you with their barely contained chaos. There are also about 20 opening bands too, so bring earplugs and a diaper and settle in for a heavy night.

Another Origami show: The insanely fun-sounding palate cleanser for the previous week’s metal show includes beach-goth from the OC (The Growlers), surf-thrash punk from Portland (Guantanamo Baywatch) and overdriven garage rock from Fullerton (Cosmonauts). Wednesday, Sept. 12, 8:30 p.m.

Chico Palio: Though I still struggle to understand why Chico Palio—the kick-off for Artoberfest—happens a good four weeks before the month-long October arts celebration, I can’t complain too much about a day filled with local art and fake-horse races, especially since this year’s event—Saturday, Sept. 8—will take place all day at One-Mile in Bidwell Park.

Steampunk in the trunk: “Victorian-inspired burlesque bustles and accessories, as well as finely crafted subtly Steampunk clothing.” Local seamstress, costume designer, belly- and fire-dancer Amy Coyne has just opened her online store—Bottoms Up Bustles, featuring her fun, original, sometimes ornate designs. Visit her at www.bottomsupbustles.com and get your Christmas orders in early!

SOPO ceramic party! Side-by-side, South Of the Post Office: The trippy ceramics of Portland’s Trevor Koch at 1078 Gallery (reception tonight, Sept. 6, 5-7 p.m.) and the fun tiles and ceramics of Chico tile queen Robin Indar next door at All Fired Up (reception Saturday, Sept. 8, 4-6 p.m.).

Cinema 1078: The Secret Cinema of Juan-Carlos Selznick, a film series curated and hosted by the CN&R’s lead film critic, will take over Wednesdays at the 1078 Gallery during the fall starting on Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m., with works by French New Wave master Jean-Luc Godard.

Zeke Mahogany: If you wanna lose a few hundred brain cells fast, follow the millions(!) of other viewers to Chico State grad Travis Kurtz’s YouTube channel (search: “Zeke Mahogany”) for all the “boob shirts” and light-saber wangs you can handle.

Careful where you put their stickers: Florida folk/county-punkers This Bike is a Pipe Bomb have reunited after a year-plus break and will bring their anthemic fun to Monstros Pizza on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 9 p.m. Oakland’s Black Market Prophet and locals Michelin Embers open.