Arts DEVO

People doing stuff Arts DEVO had the pleasure of being an on-air guest at KZFR 90.1 FM during the first episode of the Uncle Dad’s Radio Show on Tuesday (June 3). The stated intent of the show is to “dive deep into the crevices, extremities, and bowels of Chico [oh my!] with the hopes of discovering exactly what makes this town’s culture so unique.” And for the debut, which was focused on the local music scene, they packed a lot into two hours.

Things kicked off with a yet-to-be-released local track, a thick My Bloody Valentine-like wall of fuzz and drums called “That’s What He Said” by Sisterhoods (go to soundcloud.com/sisterhoods to preview), the first of a wide range of Chico sounds to be featured. There was also a live solo performance by local musician-of-many-hats Michael Bone (Bogg, Pageant Dads, etc.), as well as a pre-recorded interview with a character named Bud Terri (“I’ll scratch my back; you scratch my back.”), who apparently is an old-school Chico rocker now working in L.A. as a “professional rock star” (although I was unable to find any evidence of him ever having existed anywhere ever).

And, interspersed between the various bits was a running discussion of Chico’s music scene, the bad and the good. When I joined the hilariously dry-witted hosts, Gavin Fitzgerald and Josh Hegg, the discussion turned toward the age-old question of whether being a musician was an economically viable career choice in Chico. (Short answer: maybe, but probably not.) That was just the beginning of a conversation, one that I would love to see continue to develop over time with the input of many voices. The show is still in the testing phase, and the Uncle dudes will be subbing for other KZFR programs until they hopefully get approved (and there is an opening in the schedule). Next tryout: Tuesday, June 17, 3-5 p.m.

Other people doing stuff “Sing” and “feed.” I like those two words together! There’s a new live music spot up in Magalia. Da Coffee Pot (14478 Skyway), a community-focused café that opened earlier this year, is hosting weekly Sing and Feed open jams on its outdoor patio on Wednesday evenings. It’s a potluck, so bring a song, and bring some grub.

A couple of CN&R photographers are taking their talents to The City. Regular photographer and appreciator of the dead things in life, Melanie MacTavish, is opening HUSH, an exhibit of her photos, on June 17, at San Francicso’s Café Sophie. (Visit www.melaniemactavish.com to see what she’s up to.) And former CN&R photographer Matt Siracusa (aka DJ Matticulit) has teamed up with a few friends to help record collectors throughout the “SF Bay Area and beyond” preserve and enjoy their treasures with a new business called Originals. In addition to freshening up your vinyl with an ultrasonic cleaning, they also can help archive your tunes by digitizing your analog jams. Visit www.originalsvinyl.com to learn more.

Also, Black Fork! Get excited now! What’s a Black Fork, you ask? You may already know some of them. Josh and Robin Indar of Chico power trio Severance Package played in the East Bay punk band with a reputation for wild live shows during the mid-1990s, and this summer they are reuniting with their bandmates for a short 20th-anniversary tour that will kick off in Chico at Monstros Pizza on June 28! Visit www.facebook.com/BlackFork and make friends.