Arts DEVO

Have yourself a scary little Christmas It’s getting close to the night before Christmas, and there are some evil creatures stirring. But not in America. When it comes to picking European traditions and characters to cop and turn into holidays, we really picked a dud with Santa. Gifts for the nice kids is awesome and all, but we really fall short when it comes to following through with the naughty ones. Now, if we had latched on to the Austrians’ mythical Krampus character instead of the Dutch Sinterklass, we’d don monster masks and goat horns and roam the streets threatening bad kids with chains, sticks and bells. Which they still really do in the Alpine regions during the first couple weeks of December (see the fun at www.krampusgruppe-haiming.at).

Actually, for some reason when I see pictures of Krampus, I’m reminded of Chico’s own holiday creature bumping through the night—Gnarly Klaus (aka The Rev. Junkyard Moondog, aka Chico State librarian Jim Dwyer). You can actually witness our most jolly one performing his “Gnarly Klaus Ain’t Comin’ to Town” at Café Coda Saturday, Dec. 18, during the venue’s tribute to another alternative holiday celebration, Festivus.

(Side note: If you want to see an endless supply of impressive/ scary/confusing art, search “krampus postcards” in Google images. Just awesome!)

Say what? Here’s what I know: Dwight Frey, the chillest promoter in all of Chico, is no longer the director of Chico State’s AS Live (formerly AS Presents), the student-events arm of the Associated Students that is responsible for bringing touring acts (Zion I, Jimmy Eat World, Flogging Molly, etc.) to the BMU Auditorium. The mild-mannered Frey has been the director since 2005, yet somewhere between the recent Michael Franti concert at the BMU and now, he stopped being an AS employee. Frey won’t comment, and all that Director of AS Programs Jon Slaughter would say is that Frey is no longer with AS Live and that Assistant Director Jody Strong will be taking over Frey’s old position for now.

Whatever the deal is, I am going to miss Frey’s no-nonsense deadpan personality, and I wish him the best in his next adventure.

As for AS Live in the spring semester, other than the Gospel Festival on April 18, there were no shows confirmed for the BMU Auditorium as of press time.

Ho Ho Ho / Ha Ha Ha Got word from gravelly voiced actor-about-town Steve Swim that the Bustolini’s Deli-hosted comedy night is blowing up, becoming so popular that it’s busted out of the confines of the little deli and landed upstairs at the Blue Room Theatre this Friday, Dec. 17, at 9:30 p.m. It’s only $7, and at least six comedians (including Mr. Swim) will be performing.

Beer me Gotta give a shout out to Feather Falls Casino. Arts DEVO was joined last week by his bro-in-law (and partner-in-home-brewing) Ryno and long-time CN&R jazz/blues critic Miles Jordon for a short road trip to the new Feather Falls Brewing Co. to consume massive amounts of free food (the BBQ short ribs were dee-lish) and taste their new house brews (standout: the Maidu, a faintly sweet pale ale). With the big brewing tanks standing tall behind glass, the new digs were impressive. The restaurant and showroom are now open, but the signature brews won’t be for sale to the general public until sometime in January or February of the new year.