Days of Lore

Paint it black … all of it
I was sitting at my desk on a recent beautiful, gray, overcast day … just picking my nose, and picking my MySpace friends, but NOT picking my MySpace friends’ noses … because that would be uncouth. I was in mid-pick when I looked outside my window and saw the city’s Graffiti Abatement van parked at the corner near Annie’s Glen. The word “graffiti” was written in red on the side of the van with the city seal painted over it in green. Aha! … I get it—the city paints over those unsightly gang signs with a lovely green city seal stencil. Brilliant! I wonder if other cities have taken this radical approach to eradicating graffiti?

Frankly, I’d rather see a sloppily written “Bush sucks” than a city of Chico seal. Besides, I don’t see them rushing out to abate that painting of The Beatles someone did on the side of the building on Broadway, or those frogs that were painted on the outside of Melody Records on Fourth Street.

The green or the red?
I spent the better part of a week at the Senator Theatre recently with Bright Eyes, Helmet and Down coming into town. That’s a lot of patronage … which is French for patronage. And with all that patronage I thought I’d at least get one night in the V.I.P. seats. God knows I tried all three nights to sit there.

For Bright Eyes, I was told I needed a green wristband. At the Helmet show, the large gentleman with no neck said, “Nobody is sitting here tonight,” to which I replied: “But there is nobody sitting here tonight.” He looked confused. And when I went to see Down, and tried it one last time, the woman working told me that I needed a red wristband in order to sit there. She was sweet and polite, so I said “OK,” and took my seat.

You see, it’s all about the approach … even though there was no one sitting there!

Crack-Lard-Butt-Yuppie-Fucks
I was intrigued, confused, baffled and in awe to see that New York punk/ska band Leftöver Crack was pulling double duty at Monstros Pizza Tues., Oct 16. When I say double duty, I mean they will be playing an early 6 p.m. show (with fellow New York hardcore outfit I Object!, and locals Zabaleen and Gruk), and coming back for a late gig at 9 p.m. (also with I Object!, plus local political punks Ill Gotten Gainz).

Not only that, tickets cost 10 bucks a pop and were available only for pre-sale Oct. 2 and 9 at Monstros. “These guys must bring some noise,” I thought. The band is on Alternative Tentacles, the label started by the Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra (home to Lard, Butthole Surfers, The Yuppie Pricks and the Crusifucks). Well, the band has that going for it.

I think Floater should show up Leftöver Crack by playing 24 hours straight in the City Plaza (acoustic and electric) and charging $20 a ticket. The scary thing is they’d probably make a killing. I think I’m going to start a Floater Abatement program in Chico.

Who ordered more disorder?
The “disorderly events” ordinance that just won’t go away is coming back before the City Council during a special meeting Mon., Oct. 15. The university held a forum this week with Chico Police Capt. John Rucker and A.S. President Osazee Edebiri.

The usual members of the music community are also gearing up for the meeting, which will allow for discussion on both sides before the council votes on it, likely the following night (Tues., Oct 16) at the council’s regular meeting. And I’m sure they’re hoping and praying that the crew of not-so-politically savvy, Jetta-owning college students who showed up at the last meeting will decide that the Giants-Falcons game really is more important than speaking before the City Council. For more info check out www.chicocivilrights.org.

Banksy for president