Arts DEVOté

Post-Independence Day psychedelic blues
Since we’re in the middle of a holiday drought and all, Arts DEVOté is going to spike your iced tea with a new recipe for holiday cheer. Did you know that today, Thursday, July 24, is National Tequila Day? A.D. had no clue. If the prospect of that holiday alone didn’t provide enough potential for danger, glory and pain, the chaser to this day of celebration is … National Scotch Day on July 25! Your two best friends, in your belly together. Imagine the possibilities … especially if you also honored National Hot Dog Day on July 23! Actually, doesn’t that gastro-trio turn into LSD in your bowels?

Is the White Knight talking backwards yet?
Now that you’re feeling the burn, follow A.D. down this week’s rabbit hole for a … trip … or whatever.

” Start here: On Twelfth Street, at the gate of the house just behind the Duke’s Cork & Bottle/Crazy Taco emporium on Park Avenue. There, chained to the fig tree in the front yard is the mysterious parking-meter-man-touching-himself metal sculpture in all its rusted glory. Resident Jeff Thornton said that his yard buddy pre-dates the current owner, and A.D. says that maybe the owner is afraid to touch the touching guy.

• July 24 (and July 31), 5 p.m.: Who decides which benches, horns, hands and rusted-metal masturbators are introduced to Chico’s outdoors? It’s the Public Art Policy Committee, and they meet every Thursday in the City Council Building, and they will blow your mind.

” July 25, 7:30 p.m.: The omnipresent wildfires have been a bad trip for almost everyone in the North State, and this year’s Shakespeare on the Plaza season has suffered as well with most of the outdoor performances having to be either moved or canceled. There will be one last hurrah/fund-raiser this Friday at the Paradise Performing Arts Center, with a performance of Matthew Barber’s Enchanted April .

” July 25 and 26, 10:30 p.m.: The Twilight Zone, Live at the Blue Room. This week: “Time Enough at Last,” starring Emerald Behrens as the loneliest book lover on Earth.

” July 38, 12:Q(7) p.m.: A.D. doesn’t know what’s more surreal, the acid-soaked Sid and Marty Krofft stable of children’s programming, or the fact that the trippy ’70s franchise has just teamed up with MySpace to create its official online home. Visit myspace.com/krofft and listen to the color of your dreams as you enjoy the groovy soundtracks and mini episodes of H.R. Pufnstuf , ElectraWoman & DynaGirl and supremely creepy Dr. Shrinker .

” July 29, 7:30 p.m.: For whatever reason, the Blue Room has been keeping this one secret. A.D. was just tipped to the fact that a crew of the theater’s young’ns has been putting on a weekly spoof of teen dramas called The Valley . The 30-minute soap opera episodes happen Tuesdays through the summer, with episode 5 on the 29th and (possibly) a marathon of episodes 1 through 5 Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. And, according to A.D.’s tipster, the shows are really funny. For more information on The Valley, see Scene.