Enhanced penalties do not apply

On Saturday, Aug. 18, from noon to six in the Downtown Park Plaza is a showcase of underground music from the Norcal region. To my recollection, not since Superwinners took over the park many years ago with their infectious power pop melodies has the park seen such an ambitious show. Of course, it can be argued that the Sublime show in the park was the last high-water mark, but, I’m talking free shows here. The event features Free Beer (Chico), G2K (East Bay), AntiCrisis (Chico), PCP (Napa), Zero Control (San Jose), The Unit Breed (San Jose) and Solstice of Suffering (Chico). Now, when the Rolling Stones and The Doors are considered easy listening on the oldies station, you know it’s time for some new rock to emerge. As this show guarantees some excitement, you must come out and support promoter Marshall Elliot’s hard work and vision.

Speaking of Superwinners, promoter Jason Cassidy, who recently took over the job of booking Moxie’s, has let loose the idea of doing a weeklong Motor Boat sometime in September. For those of you scratching your heads, Motor Boat is Cassidy’s latest conceptual creation in which he brings some of the most outstanding indie-rock bands to Chico (alongside our own cream of the crop). At times he asks the bands to play only covers (as in Metallica vs. Guns and Roses or Bob Dylan vs. Joni Mitchell), or he incorporates scavenger hunts and traveling art shows to enhance the occasion. This guy also works about three other jobs, and you owe it to yourself to check out his unique, well-received shows. I think they used to call these things “happenings.”

It was at the aforementioned Metallica vs. Guns and Roses show that one guy approached me and said very slowly, as if I suffered from the same lack of education as he, “what … hotel … is Metallica … staying … in?” When I told him that Metallica would not be staying in a hotel, he looked flustered and asked, “Why?” I went on to explain, as I did literally 20 times that week, that Metallica would not be playing. “But I hitchhiked from Santa Cruz to see this show,” his beer laden breath expelled. “I thought cover band meant how much it would cost to get in. You know, like a cover price!”

With that out of the way, once again it’s time to say goodbye to a friend. Adam Bodine was a true explorer, one who spelunked with the best of them and found his fate in the only true way a man on the move could, in nature’s watery grip. I knew Adam as a committed explorer of thought as well, and now I know that the one great "truth" that he searched for in this land he has finally found on the other side.