Weird Chico

Chico’s weird roots run deep. This is the Chico News & Review’s third annual Weird Issue, and we still have a bounty of subjects available to cover. There is the current community of wonderful freaks that makes our city such a fun and interesting place to live—such as the merrymakers in the Chico Area Punks (see Howard Hardee’s feature, page 21). For nearly a decade, that group has kept Chico rocking out with a continuous stream of underground punk, metal and indie-rock shows at the intimately funky Monstros Pizza. And there’s also a long historical record of local strangeness to explore, as you’ll find in Ken Smith’s interview with local geomancer Cort Lindahl.

We love it all and love celebrating it. So come party with us next week at both the Keep Chico Weird Talent Show (Saturday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m., at the El Rey Theatre) and the Keep Chico Weird Art Show (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 28-30—reception Jan. 28, 6-8 p.m.—at 1078 Gallery). Visit facebook.com/keepchicoweird for more info.