Arts DEVO

Fin Now that the party is over, it’s time to take off my CAMMIES-dude hat and replace it with the ol’ Energy Dome. And since I’m in editorial mode, I have a couple of impressions to share about this year’s orgy of music:

One: It was a blast. Fun music and people, old friends and new, lots of smiles and hugs, and I smashed my Volvo into only one super-nice Mercedes.

Two: I want to offer a challenge to the music lovers and music makers of Chico. Branch out of your comfort zone and try some different musical flavors. I can say from experience that it’s a very worthwhile exercise to do something like descend into Peeking Restaurant’s basement lounge and groove out to the BassMint crew’s bowel-rattling low end. It’s another world down there—like a secret disco party in a Parisian wine cave combined with a happening at Warhol’s Factory—and it happens most Friday nights, right in downtown Chico. If you’re stuck in a twirling rut, or you’ve ever complained there’s nothing to do around here, that’s one recommendation for you. The next BassMint happens Friday, May 2, and features S.F.’s Smoke Signals and Chico’s A.L.O. (Pro tip: Show up late like the cool kids for maximum first-impression impact.)

And, in case you missed the awards show, here again are your 2013 CAMMIES award winners:

2013 CAMMIES Readers’ Choice Winners:
Best Folk/Acoustic Act: Kyle Williams
Best Americana/Country Act: Three Fingers Whiskey
Best Jazz Act: Bogg
Best Blues Act: Big Mo and The Full Moon Band
Best Funk/Jam Act: The Jeff Pershing Band
Best World/Celtic/Reggae Act: Dylan’s Dharma
Best Rap Act: The Hooliganz
Best Rock Act: Furlough Fridays
Best Hard Rock/Metal Act: Armed For Apocalypse
Best Electronic Producer: Billy the Robot
Best Electronic DJ: DJ Becca
Best Punk Act: Frankie Doppler’s Nuclear Sunrise
Best Indie/Experimental Act: Clouds on Strings

2013 CAMMIES Critics’ Choice Winners:
Best Male Vocalist: Evin Wolverton
Best Female Vocalist: Lisa Valentine
Best Guitarists: Dan Greenfield and Dave Greenfield (West by Swan)
Best Bassist: Gavin Fitzgerald (Bogg, Pageant Dads)
Best Drummer: Nick Harris (Armed For Apocalypse)
Best Keyboardist: Glenn Tucker (GravyBrain, Alli Battaglia & the Musical Brewing Co.)
Best Horn: Rocky Winslow
Best Songwriter: Fera
Best Local CD: Post-Heroic, Surrogate
Best New Bands: Los Caballitos de la Canción, French Reform
Best Local Act: Bogg
Local Badass: Dale Price
Hogan/West/LaPado Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve Bragg

DEVOtions

•Master class with a three-time Grammy winner: Butte College is hosting world-renowned opera singer Sherrill Milnes at its Black Box Theatre for two free master classes for singers (May 1 & 2, 2:15-5 p.m.). Milnes is a legend, having performed for more than three decades with the Metropolitan Opera and recorded albums with no less than Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo, so this is kind of a huge deal.