Issuu

Letters............................ 3 Opinion/Streetalk............ 5 Sheila.Leslie.................... 6 Brendan.Trainor.............. 7 News.............................. 8 Feature.......................... 11 Arts&Culture................ 14 Art.of.the.State............. 16 Film............................... 18

A deadly fire in Oakland sparked conversations in Reno about the City’s role in supporting the arts

RENo’s NEws & ENtERtaiNmENtwEEkly

VolumE 22, issuE 52

FEBRuaRy 9 – FEBRuaRy 15, 2017

Foodfinds..................... 20 Drink............................ 22 Musicbeat.....................25 Nightclubs/Casinos........26 This.Week..................... 31 Advice.Goddess........... 32 Free.Will.Astrology....... 34 15.Minutes.....................35 Bruce.Van.Dyke............35

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Patriots Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review. I’ve probably mentioned this in the paper before, but I made the deliberate choice a few years ago to start following sports more closely because I wanted to improve my metaphors. Of course, that’s a bit like going fishing because you want to get better at swimming. (Shit. Sorry. Still haven’t improved much.) But it was serendipitous timing because it was 2010, and a great time for a fair weather S.F. Giants fan to jump on the bandwagon. (They won the World Series that year and twice since then.) Now, seven years later, it’s become a bit of an obsession. Hearing that Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education felt exactly the same as the Patriots winning the Super Bowl with an overtime touchdown that didn’t really even look like it broke the plane of the endzone. Except that Pats star Tom Brady is just a pretty boy who’s fun to root against, and DeVos is an oligarch who wants taxpayers to help rich people pay to send their kids to religious schools. She also thinks some school officials should carry guns in case of “potential grizzlies,” which is hilarious, and I had to double-check to make sure I wasn’t reading The Onion or Andy Borowitz or something when I first read about that, but it’s not really nearly as troubling as the fact that she’s a “school choice” advocate, and another unqualified billionaire appointed to lead a department she wants to dismantle. Back to the Super Bowl: I was only half-heatedly rooting for the Falcons. And honestly, it was a pretty impressive comeback victory. And I’m happy for my cousins who grew up in Boston and other New England fans. It feels nice to write about sports. It’s so inconsequential in the grand scheme that it soothes the soul to bury the head in the sand and think about sports or video games or, hell, even music. But we can’t forget about the things that really matter—like the fact that, despite appeals from his constituents, Nevada Sen. Dean Heller voted to confirm DeVos. Remember that when you see his name on the ballot next year.

—Brad Bynum bradb@ ne ws r ev i ew . com

FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | VOL. 22, IssUE 52

Biases and blind spots

Damage at an early age

Interesting comment by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, from his book on assisted suicide: “This is not to say that all persons would always make a similar choice, but the fact that some people have made such a choice is some evidence that life itself is a basic good.” He could as well have chosen the complementary set of people who did not make such a choice and said: “This is not to say that all persons would always make a similar choice, but the fact that some people have made such a choice is some evidence that life itself is not a basic good.” One is just as logically valid as the other, and either is simply evidence that some people feel one way, some the other, not evidence of some fundamental principle—which demonstrates that no matter how educated and intelligent, we are all subject to biases and blind spots, and are quite facile at subconciously self-justifying to frame things to conform to our worldview. We all do so regularly while priding ourselves on being rational, logical beings, certain we do not do so. Some of us are fairly good at recognizing this in other people. Far fewer of us are successful in recognizing it in ourselves. Tom Wicker Reno

Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s candidate to manage our schools, advocates for local control/management with elimination of many protections that federal oversight provides. Consider Kansas where, because of the decisions of their Republican governor and legislature, they can’t afford to keep their schools open, let alone adequately provisioned and staffed. Consider also that gutting federal oversight and putting significant decision-making at the local level means that school districts can teach whatever the local population wants. How long has the universe been around? Now, consider the child that has to move to another state where the fundamental foundations of knowledge are not what they were in his or her prior education. We’ve been down this path before, and the reason that we put those regulations in place was to fix real problems. And always keep in mind that when the damage happens at such an early age, the consequences are long-lasting and typically become widespread. Call Dean Heller. Call the President. Put a bumper sticker on your car. Make sure that the deciders know that you, as an American citizen, disagree. Michel Rottmann Virginia City

Inclusion and tolerance

Correction

With all of the rhetoric and policy coming from our White House at this time it is important for us to remember where we came from. We are a nation of immigrants founded on the principle of religious tolerance. Our president has turned his back on this aspect of our heritage. Amidst the very public and international outcry against President Trump’s recent immigration ban our country has shown remarkable solidarity. The last count I saw showed 85 airport protests in more than 40 states. I, for one, think that it is time for our country with all of our varied backgrounds and affiliations to come together to reject President Trump’s dangerous and divisive policies. Ryan Budman Reno

Re “Spirit in the sky” (cover story, Jan. 26): The photo of Spirit Cave should have been credited to Vivian Olds. We regret the oversight.

ERIK HOLLAND

Forcefully feeble Re “The Twitler watch” (Notes from a Neon Babylon, Feb. 2): Thanks to Bruce Van Dyke for once again proving that Spencer W. Kimball was right when he said, “Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcefully.” Keith Wood Elko

Josie Luciano, Eric Marks, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Marc Tiar, Brendan Trainor, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Brad Bynum News Editor Dennis Myers Special Projects Editor Jeri Chadwell-Singley Arts Editor Kris Vagner Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Contributors Amy Alkon, Matt Bieker, Bob Grimm, Anna Hart, Ashley Hennefer, Shelia Leslie,

Design Manager Lindsay Trop Creative Director Serene Lusano Art Directors Brian Breneman, Margaret Larkin Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Designer Kyle Shine Sales Manager Emily Litt RN&R Rainmaker Gina Odegard Advertising Consultants Brit Johnson, Myranda Keeley

Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant and Driver Jennifer Cronin Distribution Drivers Alex Barskyy, Bob Christensen, Debbie Frenzi, Gary White, Jennifer Gangestad, Lori Ashley, Lori DeAndreis, Marty Lane, Marty Troye, Patrick L’Angelle, Tracy Breeden, Vicki Jewell President/CEO Jeff VonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Executive Coordinator Carlyn Asuncion Project Coordinator Natasha VonKaenel Director of People & Culture David Stogner

Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Dargitz Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney DeShields Developer John Bisignano, Jonathan Schultz System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins N&R Publications Editor Michelle Carl N&R Publications Associate Editor Kate Gonzales N&R Publications Writer Anne Stokes Cover Design: Brian Breneman Cover Photo: Kris Vagner

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Editorial Policies: Opinions expressed in rn&r are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permissions to reprint articles, cartoons, or other portions of the paper. rn&r is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. Email letters to rnrletters@ newsreview.com. all letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form and to edit them for libel. Advertising Policies: all advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of acceptance. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes the responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message. rn&r is printed at Sierra nevada media on recycled newsprint. Circulation of rn&r is verified by the Circulation Verification Council. rn&r is a member of CnPa, aan and aWn.

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Drop the flacks In preparing coverage of Donald Trump’s proposal that local police be used to enforce federal immigration and other laws, an RN&R staffer sent messages out to some public officials, including several members of the county commission (four) and the Reno City Council (three). Sparks was added later. We asked each of them whether they felt the local decision should be left solely to the police agencies or whether the government boards should be included. We often send out these requests for the views of a range of officials and then—depending on the answers—sometimes conduct follow-up interviews. This time, however, we got something we neither asked for nor wanted. It was this joint statement, from county publicist Chris Chiarlo: “If there is a decision to be made at the local level, we would expect the elected Washoe County sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners to be involved in the decision process.” The first question that jumped to mind was, who is we? Our messages to the elected officials sought individual reactions, not joint opinions. We sent a follow-up inquiry and Chiarlo replied as follows: “We were trying to be cohesive in our response since the question was sent to all five commissioners.” So “we” is the county commission. But our inquiry did not go to all the commissioners, and we did not want a “cohesive” response. We wanted individual views. We are at a loss to understand how commissioners could arrive at such a policy stance in the absence of a publicly posted agenda and a chance for the public to comment. Members of a public body are not supposed to

reach a consensus that way. We considered filing an open meeting complaint, but the current attorney general has not filled us with confidence on open meetings. There are a couple of issues here. One is the open meeting problem. The other is the growth of public relations people like Ciarlo in local government. We have said before that flacks in government—PIOs, publicists, whatever they are called—have gotten way out of hand in Nevada. This is a small state with a lot of small governments. The governor may need a press secretary. Very few others do. Nevada Supreme Court justices, mayors, the chair of the Gaming Commission, the state budget director—all of them should be dealing directly with the public. One of our colleagues once said he knows how to pry information from government—it’s the public that needs an open meeting law. And it works both ways—elected officials, department heads, agency staffers badly need to be kept in touch with the public. Plus, flacks don’t actually know anything. Rather, the actual experts tell them what to tell the public and press. Like any game of telephone, information starts going wrong as soon as that extra generation is in the mix. Instead of slashing mental health services, the governor should get rid of a mess of flacks. And in the few places where they are needed—large agencies like the university or Department of Motor Vehicles—their function should not be to shield officialdom. It is to put the public in touch with the right people and then get out of the way. Instead, public officials tend to use them to keep members of the public at a distance from their governments. Ω

chriStopher QuallS Forklift operator

Thirteen. I stayed with my father for the summer, and one of his neighbors had a daughter. So we met for the summer—short lived, you know, but it was my first love.

pete pauloS Executive pastry chef

Well, I realized it at six months. And he never left. … Yeah, it took me six months. I suck. … We’ve been together eight years, married for a year.

02.09.17 | RN&R | 5

by Sheila leSlie

It’s not going away I wake up full of dread most days, wondering what unhinged thing he’ll do today that will cause suffering in the world, create instability and chaos in the U.S., or tear families apart everywhere. Like many Americans, I worry about the survival of our democracy as the president spirals out of control, surrounded by power-hungry sycophants intent on their own agendas. Every day brings another horror such as the global gag order preventing even a discussion of abortion by any group receiving U.S. aid, a decision that will result in more women dying as they seek to end pregnancies on their own. Our safety is threatened when Trump kicks generals out of security briefings and appoints a white nationalist adviser instead. And the squandering of billions of dollars on an unwanted border wall when our country has so many other pressing needs overwhelms me with sadness. He’s been president less than a month. Even those of us who were vehemently anti-Trump during the campaign are

6 | RN&R | 02.09.17

astonished at how rapidly and expansively he has implemented his radical agenda during his first few weeks in office. Every day seems to bring another affront to the U.S. Constitution and weakens our country’s reputation as a beacon in the darkness of totalitarian governments. Trump is clearly functioning in a narcissistic haze of power, acting out his role as the star of unbelievable reality TV. He cannot see beyond his insatiable need for attention, and like the bully that he is, thrives on it even when it’s negative. His pathological lying has taken an even darker turn since the inauguration, as Trump’s people now repeat his lies with no pretense of needing to speak the truth. Amid the daily protests over Trump’s actions throughout the world, the courage of the people is contagious. Everyday heroes in the resistance are all around us. People who have never protested before rushed to airports to support refugees. Attorneys volunteered their time, backed up by the ACLU, eager to go to court

to defend the rights of people who have waited years to immigrate legally. Last week, Sally Yates, the acting Attorney General, was fired by Trump when she refused to enforce his executive order to deny vetted refugees and green card holders entry into the country based on their religion and country of origin. Newt Gingrich called her insubordinate, but she should be celebrated as a genuine American hero. Ordinary Americans must continue to fight back every day by exercising their rights of free speech and assembly. Trump expects us to give up and demands we and the media shut up. So attend every protest that you can. Noon demonstrations are scheduled now for every Sunday on the Virginia St. bridge and every Tuesday at the federal courthouse. Keep up the pressure on our congressional representatives, including U.S. Senator Dean Heller, conveniently up for re-election next year. Hold him accountable for every vote in favor of an unqualified

Cabinet member like Betsy DeVos. Point to his silence when confronted with Trump’s treachery as he governs by executive order. If Heller won’t join the resistance, he must be replaced next year by someone who believes in democracy and justice. Progressives can also fight back with their pocketbooks. Big business abhors instability, and it doesn’t like boycotts much, either. Consumers have choices and CEOs who celebrate Trump’s actions should feel the consequences. One month in, it’s already so much more than the usual battle between Republicans and Democrats. This is a movement to take back our democracy from a mad man and his supporters who are willing to destroy the soul of our nation to get their own way. We won’t let them get away with it. Ω

For information on three planned marches on D.C., go to http://tinyurl.com/hdvjbp3

by Brendan Trainor

Should locals enforce federal laws? Did you know that Washoe County and Clark County are listed as sanctuary counties on several unofficial national lists? In 2014, Mike Haley—then Washoe county sheriff—issued a press release saying his department would not turn over prisoners to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) based on a “request.” It does turn over prisoners in cases where ICE presents a warrant or “other documentation.” In 2015, the sheriff’s office played down the ”sanctuary county” designation and said there even is an ICE officer in the sheriff’s Parr Boulevard complex. President Donald Trump on Jan. 29 lit a bonfire between the opposing sides of the immigration and refugee debate with an executive order halting the refugee program and stopping visa and even green card holders in mid-trip at major airports. Trump constantly called for this moratorium in his campaign, until “we can find out what the hell is going on.” Trump’s actions are likely constitutional

but frankly are skewed against a reasonable cost benefit analysis Refugees and illegal aliens are the least likely to engage in terrorism. The most likely are those who are present on tourist or student visas, which was how 18 of the 19 September 11 terrorists were present. Even if you remove the Saudi group, holders of ordinary visas are still the greatest, although minuscule, threat. America was protected from waves of refugees such as Europe experienced because we are always protected first and foremost by our uniquely secure geographical setting—two enormous oceans. It is only because we chose to play empire instead of republic that we have been involved in foreign crisis after crisis, real and imagined, for decades. Empire is a losing deal for working Americans, robbing us of needed resources here and sending our youth as cannon fodder for virtually no gain overseas.

RAIN

A Tribute To The Beatles

Friday, February 24

Friday, March 3

Trump’s other executive order cuts off funding to the real sanctuary cities that might defy him, like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other bastions of Blue Big City Mayoralty. These are the last blue lines because the Republicans have decimated the Dems in Congress, the White House, state governorships and legislatures. Big Bill de Blasio wants to be President in four years but, in the meantime, has to watch his back for a 2018 Clinton attack. When the opponents of Trump’s sanctuary city order sue, they will likely use a precedent set by an Arizona constitutional conservative sheriff, Richard Mack, who refused to perform Brady background checks because they were an unfunded mandate. He won at the Supreme Court and set the precedent that the federal government cannot force states to enforce unfunded federal laws. Mack’s case could help protect the sanctuary cities from Trump’s wrath. Republicans are all for federalism except when they are not, and there

is no real conservative inclination to restore federalism in immigration policy. Rather they seek political domination because they now have the power. They loved Prop 187, former California Governor Pete Wilson’s attempt to deny benefits to illegals. They love another former Arizona sheriff, Joe Arpaio, because his policies were more than the federal courts would allow (although now he faces contempt charges). However, most Republicans turn partisan when states and cities want a less restrictive policy than Washington mandates. It seems that Republican views on immigration federalism are a lot like Henry Ford’s policy on the Model T— you can have any immigration policy you want, so long as it’s red. Ω

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by Dennis Myers

Fed law, local enForcement Donald Trump has talked about deporting more illegal immigrants, in part by changing the threshold for what gets them deported. That is, the administration is expected to change federal policy so that less serious criminal offenses could trigger deportation. Until now, it has taken major crimes to do it. That would mean more policing, and Trump said he would revive two federal programs—Secure Communities and 287(g). After they led to increased racial profiling, Barack Obama discontinued the first and reduced the use of the second. Both would allow Trump increased use of local agencies like county sheriff and city police departments. Reno City Councilmember Paul McKenzie, himself a former police officer, is skeptical of the idea. “I don’t think the Trump administration can tell us what to do as far as our ordinances are concerned,” he said. “It is not our job to enforce federal laws. Those are the responsibility of federal agencies. We currently assist them to the extent that if we have a person in custody, we hold them. But it is not our officers’ jobs to go out and check for green cards.” He said if Trump wants to get serious, the first thing he will need to do is send a check. “There would have to be funding,” McKenzie said. “A place to incarcerate, putting officers on the street. … What we are doing now [for federal immigration], that’s the limit of our ability to do currently.” He said the city council and city manager need to be tuned in on whether to aid other agencies, and he does not expect Reno police to act outside that. “RPD is not going to go out on their own and make a decision to refocus its priorities,” he said. Sparks City Councilmember Kristopher Dahir said his city is already hurting for officers. “My initial thought is that police should not be able to make that decision without the governing board,” he said. “Obviously, we have to look at the larger scope. We’re already looking now at whether we have enough cops. With what we have now, I can’t imagine where we would take away from city service to supply help” to federal functions. Sparks Councilmember Charlene Bybee said she had not realized Trump was planning to use local police. “I would probably want to have a conversation with our city manager and [Sparks Police Chief] Brian Allen before reaching any conclusions,” she said. The International Association of Chiefs of Police on Jan. 30 issued a statement saying that the administration needs to stick to voluntary agreements, that it “has, and will continue to strongly oppose any initiative that would mandate that state and local law enforcement agencies play a role in the enforcement of federal immigration law. The IACP believes that the issue of state, tribal or local law enforcement’s participation in immigration enforcement is an inherently local decision that must be made by law enforcement executives, working with their elected officials, community leaders, and citizens.” Trump tends to paint broad strokes with bold rhetoric. One of his executive orders shows he has only authorized the Department of Homeland Security—which handles immigration—to enter voluntary agreements with police agencies. —Dennis Myers

8 | RN&R | 02.09.17

In the 1950s, University of Nevada student Nancy Alberti instructed children in the Child Development Lab, now called the Child and Family Research Center. PHOTO/UNR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

‘Replacement’ Century-old children’s ed program facing end For more than a century in reno, children have been going to college. They haven’t been getting a college education, understand, but they have been getting an education. They go to a school called the Child and Family Research Center (CFRC). Until 1970, it was called the Child Development Lab. Many former University of Nevada, Reno students have memories of the children playing at recess on campus. Although no one ever thought to form a CFRC alumni group, it would be pretty big. An exact year it began operating seems to have been lost, but “the early 1900s” is often given. The campus was then usually called Nevada State University. Children from the community and the children of faculty members are

students. As the economy evolved and households could no longer survive on a single income, CFRC also evolved into a child care facility. Demand for spots in the program normally exceed supply. “The kids are taught to socialize at the same time they are taught their letters and numbers,” said one faculty member who has observed class sessions. “Children help one another.” UNR’s class catalog contains a capsule description: “The Child & Family Research Center provides a learning laboratory which supports the education and training of students in the department college and other units on campus. The center also serves as a research site for investigations that focus on particular aspects of infancy, toddlerhood, preschool or family development. The Child

and Family Research Center was the first early childhood program in the state to be accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs and has long served as a model for best practices in northern Nevada.” With that level of pride elevated to the catalog, why is UNR trying to get rid of the Center? Or is it? There is conflicting information coming out, some by word of mouth, others in legal jargon. The Center’s former director, Eva Essa, is trying to save it. The campus says it’s in no danger. After Essa wrote an essay for the Reno GazetteJournal objecting to the Center being replaced, UNR President Marc Johnson sent a message to Essa reading, “I just want to make clear that the university has not even considered closing the CFRC.” However, in December, UNR invited commercial child care facilities to submit a statement of their qualifications to establish a new child care facility on the campus. That document read in part, “Existing Child Care Facilities ... will be replaced as a result of this project.” The document was titled, “Replacing and Expanding University Child Care Capacity.” In fact, the word replace appears in various forms nine times in that document. And CFRC is “excluded” from being a contender for the contract.

expansion CFRC has more than once requested funding for expansion. In fact, at one point a feasibility study was being launched, and an architect was at work when there was a change of administrations that brought it to a halt. In a Gazette-Journal essay responding to Essa, UNR Provost Kevin Carman and Education Dean Kenneth Coll wrote, “As a very tangible sign of our commitment to the CFRC, the College of Education provided much needed space and a playground in the William J. Raggio Building for about 35 four- to six-year-olds.” On the other hand, the university also sold the current home of the

program out from under it. This is the former However, given the language of the Reno Gazette-Journal building at Second and request for qualifications that a program is Stevenson streets. being “replaced,” some of the firms that look Carman was asked why the existing at it may be taken aback when they learn it is program is not simply being expanded instead actually a public/private partnership. of bringing a commercial player Carman said one thing the Center into the mix. He said, “We’re has going for it is that “There not going to get more are certainly a lot of loyal than one building from alumni.” That is always the legislature each helpful because even with session,” and UNR legislative support, a has engineering in school needs private that slot this year. donors. So a public/private “There’s a lot partnership seemed that’s special about like a good step, it,” Essa said of he said. A similar the school. “The approach was taken comments that we’ve to grad student been getting [on petiEva Essa housing. tions to keep the school Former director One campus source going], people are grateful said of Carman, “He’s not just for the education, but one of these guys who thinks the social/emotional preparedall programs should pay for ness their children got, the ability to themselves.“ communicate well, work with other people. He responded, “Interesting observation. I It’s just a very positive and nurturing environthink that we have to look at economic realiment and results in kids that are amazingly ties, not completely self-supporting but some well prepared to face life.” Ω self support.”

It “results in kids that are amazingly well prepared to face life.”

Moving back downtown

Fountainhouse, a 236-unit apartment complex in several buildings in downtown Sparks, is still in scaffoldings but already letting leases. A few hundred yards to the east, another apartment building will be constructed. Next to it, the former Silver Club Hotel has been converted to apartments and is occupied. Smack in the middle of these three properties is the downtown movie multiplex, now shuttered and dark. PHOTO/DENNIS MYERS

02.09.17 | RN&R | 9

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Celebrate Love with An EvEning of RomAncE

Piper’s Opera House Style An unfoRgEttAblE vAlEntinE’s gAlA At PiPER’s oPERA housE, On Saturday, February 11 the colin Ross Piano Jazz Quartet steps back into the elegant 1930s to the era of cole Porter, george gershwin, hoagie carmichael, Duke Ellington and of course, Piper’s own irving berlin (he eloped with an irish lass from one of the comstock mining families). Endless champagne, dancing, scrumptious appetizers, chocolate dipped strawberries, a rose or two, and a no-host bar. Doors open at 5:30. Dancing starts at 6Pm. A benefit for the grand ol’dowager world famous Piper’s opera house, alive and kickin’ since 1863.

$37.50 stAg, $70, tickEts At lovingPiPERs.EvEntbRitE.com, 775.847.0433, PiPERsoPERAhousE.nEt Doors open at 5:30, music 6-10pm. For additional information call Andria 415-264-8475. 12 B Street, Virginia City, Nevada “Sagebrush Bohemians we were then… So full to the brim with the wine of Life----“ mark twain about 1863 in virginia city sponsored by the E.l. cord foundation, the nevada commission on tourism, and Reno news & Review

10 | RN&R | 02.09.17

Story & photos by Kris Vagner • krisv@newsreview.com

From the ashes

A deadly fire in Oakland sparked conversations in Reno about the City’s role in supporting the arts

“Heads up!”

An orange “closed” sign, posted on a music rehearsal space on Dickerson Road Dec. 6, was removed Feb. 7.

yelled Mike Hafey, wearing overalls, standing on a ladder. With the claw end of a hammer, he pried a wide board from a framework that had, until recently, held up a ceiling he’d installed in the warehouse he rents. The board fell to the concrete floor with a loud crack. Hafey—or, as he’s better known by friends and colleagues—“Mike Mechanic”—kept prying. Boards kept falling, and two helpers efficiently carted the debris out the door, adding it to a growing pile in the front parking lot. The building stands among a row of cheerily painted, cinder-block facades that line Dickerson Road, a deadend street about a mile west of downtown Reno that’s been transformed in recent years from a sleepy, lightindustrial district to a bustling arts neighborhood. On the left side of the building, Hafey runs a woodworking and metalworking business called Fairly Square. On the right side—the one that was under demolition—there used to be eight sound-proof rooms. Several musicians and bands used them for rehearsals, and a few people lived in them. While many of the neighboring art spaces and other nearby businesses welcome foot traffic and host public events, Hafey has maintained a low profile since he opened his studio in 2011—until the day in December when he became front-page news. On Dec. 6, his warehouse was inspected by city code enforcers. “They received complaints that people lived there, that we were having loud parties,” Hafey said. While the neighborhood is largely populated by warehouses, it also has some residences, including a trailer park, houses and apartments. But it wasn’t a potential scuff with the neighbors over noise that had code enforcers’ hackles up. It was the Ghost Ship fire. Ghost Ship was the name of a warehouse that served as a live-work space for an arts collective in Oakland. On Dec. 2, a fire broke out there during a concert. The fire spread fast, killing 36 people. The San Jose Mercury News reported on Dec. 4, “The warehouse is one of numerous buildings in Oakland that have been illegally converted into artists’ collectives that have not been properly inspected, according to [Oakland] City Councilman Noel Gallo.” The fire and its steep death toll sent a wave of alarm to safety inspectors nationwide. Within a week, PBS Newshour reported, “Fire departments around the country are investigating so-called ‘live-work’ spaces.” Other spaces in the Bay Area were closed. So were others around the country—including Hafey’s warehouse. “Everyone had clipboards with signs and duct tape,” Hafey said, recalling the Dec. 6 visit from city officials. “There was 20 of them, full uniformed.”

From the ashes continued on page 12

02.09.17 | RN&R | 11

From the ashes continued from page 11 “It was totally scary,” he said. “I felt like I was going to jail, like I was in so much trouble. They put condemned signs on everything.” The city shut down the musicians’ side of the warehouse. The construction business side was compliant and remained open. Hafey said he was cited for “unsafe conditions, warning lights and sprinklers and such.” Among violations listed in the Reno Gazette-Journal on Dec. 14 were “combustibles such as propane tanks” and “poorly installed electrical equipment.” After some productive dialogue, the visit ended on a reasonably positive note, he said. “They’re being very friendly,” Hafey said later that day. They presented him with a list of modifications he would need to make in order to legally reopen—including dismantling the rehearsal spaces.

Why go underground? If you’re wondering why so many art spaces around the country and at least one here in Reno weren’t adhering to safety codes, the answer is simple—money. Aric Shapiro, who runs Reno Art Works, in another Dickerson Road warehouse a few doors down, put it this way: “Developing fine arts doesn’t work within the structure of the traditional capitalist model.” By DIY-artistsspace standards—i.e. not supported by government funds, foundation money or artwork that draws a steady profit—the space that Shapiro and his colleagues work in is considered reasonably stable. Even so, while artists who work there pay rent, he sometimes has to cover a $300-400 deficit out of pocket. That’s just one example of how to run an art space. The Wedge Ceramics Studio is supported by memberships. The Generator is supported by a Silicon Valley angel investor. And the fly-by-the-seat-of-yourpants method of keeping a facility open is common. Representatives from The Wedge, the Generator and Reno Art Works all said they are safety compliant, and Wedge’s Samantha Stremmel added that she took a careful look around the place in December to make sure fire extinguishers and the like were in their proper places and functioning. Still, there are spaces and events in Reno—and just about everywhere else where there’s art—that don’t meet every permitting requirement. You might ask, why put in all this effort and why take all this risk for something that may well not earn you a living? Many would answer that art, whether or not it produces a livelihood, is essential to a community. “Fine art, where income is not the primary goal—it’s maybe the secondary or tertiary goal—it’s about the joys and struggles and ups and downs, about the diversity of human experience,” said Shapiro. Often, artists try to get at things behind the scenes of regular, everyday expression. Admittedly, those expressions can be self-indulgent or frivolous. They can also be profound, mind-blowing or life-changing—whether they provide sufficient income or not.

Organized in Oakland Will Chase is an Oakland resident who’s active in the Bay Area art scene.

12 | RN&R | 02.09.17

City arts, culture and events manager Alexis Hill talks with facilitator Kristin Heavey during a brainstorming session. The Reno Arts & Culture Commission held a daylong retreat Feb. 3 to discuss how the city could best support artists.

“The initial fallout was rapid and dramatic,” he said, describing the community’s response in the days and weeks after the Ghost Ship fire. “There was a big wave of evictions and red tags on buildings.” The day after the fire, he and a group of “artist, tenants and community activists” started a group called We the Artists of the Bay Area to share information and plan for the long-term viability of the region’s many art spaces. “Within two weeks we were 50 people—within three weeks we were 75,” Chase said. “We had a task force set up to provide people with help with inspections, legal advice, even construction. We have a team that would go out and help people get their space up to snuff.” By now, he casually uses the acronym “WABA” like it’s a household word. According to the group’s website, “WABA is working with Oakland city officials and community organizations on immediate safety measures for DIY housing and work spaces.” “The first month was super freaking intense,” Chase said. “We had a lot of people cranking on all cylinders. It was pretty incredible. … Since then, things just sort of calmed down. The numbers of spaces has been reduced, and people have gone more underground.” In the longer term, the group’s goal is to circulate far and wide what he called “a tool box, a how-to kit that can be exported to other cities, like Reno and any that are going to experience similar problems.” The group has at the ready “all the info you would need to learn about zoning,” Chase said. Its web page serves as a hub to connect those who want to offer goods or services with art spaces that may need them. It also has advice on topics such as “How To Survive A Surprise Inspection Of Your Living/Working Space,” and “Free Safety Audits for DIY Spaces.” “Here are the resources you need to run a space, have a space, own a space, whatever, run an event,” Chase said. The group also wants to maintain relations with authorities in Oakland and nearby cities. One question that’s front and center on Chase’s mind: “What is the model for an

administrative policy that does the hard work of bridging the gap between tenants, landlords and the city?” “Landlords have to have some sort of incentive for supporting the creative class,” he said. “So they have to have spaces up to snuff. … Event permitting needs to be more accessible. These underground parties and events are really important to the community. If [arts groups are] not going to get a permit, they’re just going to go further underground. It’s like teenagers and sex. Tell them that can’t have it, and they’re gonna.” WABA’s efforts are spreading to other regions. There’s already a “We the Artists of Los Angeles” chapter, and New York is next on the priority list.

Local partnerships So, is there a “We the Artists of Reno” doing similar work? Sort of. “We are that group,” said Reno Art Works’ Shapiro. “Pan [Pantoja] and me and Mike Mechanic and Artech. We are that group. Pan calls it the Artists Infill Project.” It’s not a formal coalition, more like an inclusive community of creative people who have each other’s backs when necessary. Hafey has found, for example, that, “Plenty of people have reached out and offered to help, which is very nice. There’s a very nice community of people here. General contractors offered. Engineers offered. People offered to come down and work.” The day his warehouse was ordered closed, he called Alexis Hill, the city’s arts, culture and events manager. “I needed her to be an advocate for the arts,” Hafey said. Hill said she was honored that he’d called, because she wants to be seen by the art community as a resource. She considered offering Hafey a temporary, city-owned loaner facility, but she didn’t find one in short order that would be a good fit for his needs.

“There’s a lack of rehearsal space in Reno. There’s a lack of affordable work spaces for artists. There’s a need for office space for nonprofit organizations.” Annie Zucker • Sierra Arts Foundation

“Unfortunately the wheels of government move so slow, but I’m working on it,” she said. The city does have some longer-term plans to help support artists. One proposal on the table is to simply lower the fees for arts organizations to hold events or performances in city-owned facilities. There are some more ambitious proposals being considered, too. The Reno Arts & Culture Commission held a day-long retreat Feb. 3, with the goal of developing its strategies for supporting artists. Nothing has been set in stone yet, but ideas that came out of that meeting include seeking new sources of grant funding for the arts and figuring out how to reopen the Lear Theater. The commission is also in the early stages of considering different version of an “arts hub,” a city-owned facility that could include, for example, free or subsidized studio space or rehearsal space. “I think that it’s time to take a pulse on the community and see what they need,” Hill said. The commission is currently wrapping up a year-long study on what local arts organizations say they need from the city. Results of that survey—along with a statement on the economic impact of the arts on Reno—are expected in June. A likely next step is to solicit community input on arts needs, using the same process the city used to gather public opinion about the new Virginia Street Bridge. People commented at public meetings, online and via forms. Annie Zucker, executive director for Sierra Arts, which conducted a similar survey back in 1982, listed some examples of the types of things such studies could reveal. “There’s a lack of rehearsal space in Reno,” she said. “There’s a lack of affordable work spaces for

artists. There’s a need for office space for nonprofit organizations.” Classrooms could be another possibility. Affordable housing could be yet another—albeit a distant one. Gathering community input is just phase one of what will be, if implemented, a years-long process. “They want to see that things are progressing to help arts and culture, because the bang for your buck on investing in arts and culture is a lot better than a lot other investments you can make as a city,” Hill said. Hill and Zucker both noted that artists from other cities have relocated here in recent years, often citing the camaraderie and the cost of living as draws—low compared with larger cities and very low compared with Oakland or San Francisco. Both hope and expect that trend will continue, or even pick up, and both believe that’ll benefit Reno culture. On Feb. 7 city officials visited Hafey’s warehouse to conduct another inspeciton. “There were two of them this time, not 20,” he said. They observed that he’d torn down the wooden structure inside. Then they removed the “closed” sign and gave him the go-ahead to reopen. He was planning to return to business as usual—well, mostly. Becasue the facility no longer has sound-proof rehearsal space, it’ll be used in some different kind of capacity than before. And while he still likes to keep a low profile, Hafey’s as much a part of Reno’s community ethic as anyone. When asked what he’s taken away from the whole process, he said, “I feel like I could be help to someone trying to do something like this.” Ω

02.09.17 | RN&R | 13

StudeNtS iN damoNte RaNch high School’S PeRfoRmiNg aRtS ceNteR exPloRe emPathy iN a challeNgiNg JaPaNeSe Play

Spe aking the ir pe ace by Jessica santina

ine seconds isn’t much time. You can’t even chew a bite of food or read an email in nine seconds. But on Aug. 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, and only nine seconds later, a significant portion of the city’s populaion died. (The exact number was never determined. Estimates range from 60,000-100,000, with many more severely injured.) Hiroshima and Nagasaki are historical lessons we’ve all learned—abstract concepts, facts and figures that must be memorized and tested later. But truly understanding the devastation wrought upon the Japanese in only nine seconds is another matter entirely. And this matter is something Rod Hearn and his students at the Damonte Ranch High School Performing Arts Center are taking seriously as they work to present an ambitious production of Hiroshima: Crucible of Light, a play by Robert Lawson about the first atomic bomb dropped.

Atomic stAge “The play presents a certain perspective that, yes, dropping a bomb is a bad thing for people, but it does so in a way that I think is really thought-provoking and not preachy,” said Hearn, a drama teacher who’s spent the last 14 years building and leading the PAC at Damonte Ranch. Hearn said he selected Hiroshima a year ago but finds its themes of political and 14 | RN&R | 02.09.17

cultural division remarkably timely now. Exploring what such division can lead to and what it means to “otherize” can be deeply moving for both the students and the audience. “Regardless of what your political leanings are, this is about the decisions that humans make that affect other humans, life and death choices,” Hearn said. Told in a mosaic or collage style, rather than a chronological story with a traditional Western story arc, the play takes audiences quickly in and out of lives, times and locations. The members of the 37-person cast each play a variety of roles, from ensemble to dancer, or even the likes of J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, or Albert Einstein, who joins Oppenheimer for a wholly fictional scene in which the two have tea. You’ll see Marie Curie discovering radium and meet Icarus, who used his waxen wings to fly too close to the sun and fell to earth. And you’ll meet average folks, too, including a paraplegic woman bound to a wheelchair and a typical “nuclear” family of four living in a fallout shelter. The show incorporates 2-D/3-D mapping software, thanks to Kent Vizina of Reno’s Vizmo Productions, who is working with students to create video projections to translate metaphors and moods during the vignettes. Other production aspects are brave new frontiers for students as well. Though the play originated in America, Hearn felt it important to incorporate Japanese performing art styles

here. These include one character, “Boy,” who is played by a bunraku puppet—a large, complicated style of puppet operated by three people manipulating its face and appendages. Another troupe of five students will heavily draw upon butoh dance throughout the show. Butoh, a contemporary style of dance that originated in Japan following the atomic bomb, is noted for the way its dancers are painted in ashy gray and move unpredictably and even convulsively, almost as if they are rising from the ashes. “It’s a really challenging piece for the actors and audience members both, but by the time you get to the end of it, what you’re left with is empathetic feeling for what a nuclear bomb does to people,” Hearn said. “That’s really the message here.”

the cAse for empAthy Joining Hearn in directing the show is L. Martina Young, Ph.D., a longtime artist and educator in Reno whose exploration of movement in capturing and highlighting empathy became the foundation of her doctoral thesis. As co-director and choreographer for Hiroshima, Young has emphasized what she calls a “somaesthetic practice”—“soma” being the body and soul, and “esthetic” relating to perception. “This is the heart of the philosophy I’ve been working on, developing experiences that bring people to an understanding of

how empathy can be active in our lives day to day,” Young said. “To experience empathy, to be empathic as human beings, that’s the call worldwide.” Zoey Mendoza, a junior in Hearn’s technical theater program at Damonte Ranch and one of the students handling the projections, described the work with Young as helping her to be centered and connected with her body and how it feels. “We learn that it’s not necessary that you have to go through the same experiences as someone else, but you can have empathy for them,” Mendoza said. “I’m learning how to bring your body into a performance, not just your voice. To create a feeling with movement.” “The first thing [Young] talked about with us was that we should have elegant, smooth movement,” said Alex Chacon, a junior in the program who plays the woman in the wheelchair. “Everyone has to devote themselves to the movement. It can feel a little strange at first, but if everyone really applies themselves, it can be very moving for the audience. … Martina tells us in pretty much every class, every movement we make matters.” Young said she strives to make students aware that all humans are capable of empathy, that we have it in us, but it must be exercised, as any muscle. “The technology that we are means we are deeply feeling, deeply responsive, deeply

“everyone has to devote themselves to the movement. it can feel a little strange at first, but if everyone really applies themselves, it can be very moving for the audience.”

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A leAding progrAm Damonte Ranch’s PAC is one of the Washoe County School District’s Signature Academies—conceived by former superintendent Heath Morrison as an approach to getting high school students invested in completing high school by enabling them to pursue career and technical training in subjects of their choosing. Each high school in the district was designated a Signature Academy focused on a specific subject area: Reno High’s Red House Project emphasizes graphic design, video production and web design; McQueen’s Global Studies Academy concentrates on international studies and fine arts; Hug High’s Health Sciences Academy focuses on medical careers, and so on. At Damonte Ranch, the Performing Arts Center has drawn students from all over the district. Though overcrowding has put a temporary end to variances, making attending the PAC virtually impossible for any student

not already zoned for Damonte Ranch, Hearn hopes the passage of WC-1 will bring back the opportunity in the near future. The PAC’s students have opportunities they might not have elsewhere, including technical theater, directing, and extensive instruction in dance and music. Hearn, whose students nominated him for the Nevada Theater Educator of the Year Award that he won in March of last year, is always exploring ways to increase opportunities and rigor at his signature academy. He feels that providing them with an opportunity to do challenging pieces such as Hiroshima is critical to helping the program stand out. “It’s a really tough play, one of the hardest I’ve worked on, because of its lack of a story arc and the need to make it feel like a cohesive whole,” Hearn said. But despite its challenges, he can’t imagine a more important lesson for his students to be learning at this point in time. “I think in public high schools,” Hearn said, “there’s so much testing going on that teaching a theater class and putting on plays is really the pinnacle of being able to teach kids about empathy.” Ω

Students will perform Hiroshima: Crucible of Light by Robert Lawson at Damonte Ranch High School Theatre, 10500 Rio Wrangler Pkwy., 7 p.m. Feb. 16-18 and 3 p.m. Feb. 17. Tickets are $10 for adults, or $8 for students, seniors and WCSD employees.

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Among the arts community, the Black Rock Desert is best known as the site of the Burning Man festival every summer. For the rest of the year it gets a number of visitors that’s estimated to be somewhere in the tens of thousands but not officially counted, as the camping is primitive and the entry points aren’t gated or staffed. Not everyone might appreciate such alien terrain as artistic fodder, but the organization Friends of Black Rock High Rock has been promoting just that for the past three years. The mission of the organization— started in 1999 and based in Gerlach—is to help manage the resources of the 1.2 million acre national conservation area, including Black Rock Desert, High Rock Canyon and Emigrant Trails. Friends of Black Rock High Rock works with the Bureau of Land Management to host two artists every spring for its two-week Artist-inResidence Program. “This program was sort of the brainchild of the previous executive director, but it came out of trying to engage the public in new and thoughtful ways, and to really showcase the area and promote appreciation of the area,” said Executive Director Michael Myers. “There are a lot of artistin-residence programs in the National Parks Service. It’s a very popular program.” Since 2014, two artists have been selected from a pool of applicants by a panel of five judges. They’re given lodging at a ranch outside of Gerlach and a field orientation about the surrounding landscape. They’re expected to create artworks for exhibition.

Polaroid photographs by Megan Berner are part of an exhibit that resulted from an artist’s residency in the Black Rock Desert.

“Ultimately the goal is to have the public gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical significance of a national conservation area,” said Myers. Myers believes that seeing artists’ interpretations of the land contributes to greater public understanding of why the area is protected. Artists in past years have used a variety of media. This year, Megan Berner (who is also an RN&R contributor), used mixed-media and cyanotypes, a type of photographic printing that produces a blue image. “Coming from a desert home, I have always been drawn to more desolate, inhospitable and subtle landscapes—places that seem to only show themselves to those who spend time in them and seek out what they have to offer,” said Berner in her artist’s statement. The other artist this year is Deborah Finley, a teacher and ceramics sculptor who grew up in Ely and now lives in Elko. “I got out there and went camping and just experienced it really personally—the whole area out there, from the playa to the mountains around there,” she said in a phone interview. “I brought that back to my studio and created some artwork that I felt worked with the environment out there. … For me it was just a real spiritual place to be.” “You go out there and you get inspired to create something reflective of the area,” Finley said. “It’s a way to preserve it for me, in my mind, plus it also maybe would bring the beauty and the value of that area to people who would see my artwork.” Berner and Finley’s exhibition has already been shown in Gerlach and Winmemucca. The next showing takes place at Reno Art Works. Ω

an exhibit by participants in the Friends of Black rock High rock artist-in-residence Program will be on view at reno art Works, 1995 Dickerson road, Feb. 11-Mar. 31. a reception will be held 5-8 p.m., Feb. 11.

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Tape over

he figured that out on his own, being that I figured out I would die in about four days after watching this movie, because its corrosive effects are attacking my liver, pancreas and sense of self. Don’t worry, I’m countering these effects with lots of vegetables, After seeing Ouija: Origin of Evil last year, and salmon and life-assuring walks with my dog. being blown away by the horror sequel, I had newborn Anyway, Gabriel figures out that if you make faith in the ability for horror sequels to entertain me. somebody else watch the tape, the curse passes along With this newborn faith, I traipsed into my local to them, and so on, and so on. So a bunch of college cinema to see Rings. kids have a grand old time with his experiment, like For those of you who mix up your American some sort of chess club, passing on the curse and gathremakes of J-Horror classics, The Ring, a remake of ering to talk about it. Sometimes, they use computers Ringu, was the one with the scary, contorted girl in a and mobile phones to watch the tape, effectively well and Naomi Watts. The Grudge, originally Ju-on, taking the whole franchise into “the now.” It’s so hip, was the one with the contorted girl suffering from the it’s scary! universe’s worst case of vocal fry. That’s the one with Rings doesn’t stop there. In addition to the story Sarah Michelle Gellar. of Samara, the girl in the well who will kill you in A quick scan of this sequel’s cast reveals Vincent a week if you watch her shitty art film, there’s this D’Onofrio has a role in it. That’s whole thing involving Julia and her good, right? It also has Johnny quest to free Samara, a quest that Galecki of The Big Bang Theory in leads her to the origins of Samara’s it. Not too shabby if you like unfunny, mom and an old house featuring overrated TV shows, right? a creepy blind dude (D’Onofrio). So, OK, before the movie even This will all lead to a finale scene Director: F. Javier Gutiérrez starts, there’s enough to think the film that rips off both Don’t Breathe and Starring: Johnny Galecki, has a fighting chance of being reasonThe Silence of the Lambs (flutterMatilda Lutz, Vincent D’Onofrio ably good. Then, the movie starts, ing moths are replaced by buzzing and that fighting chance is defeated— cicadas). quicker than Ronda Rousey in her last two bouts. It’s also a finale scene that delivers a near deathRings is a slog from the get-go, a poorly conceived blow to D’Onofrio’s career. Mind you, it’s a severe follow-up to what was a decent American remake of wound to his upper leg, so a good tourniquet might a great J-Horror film. (For the purpose of this review, prevent him from bleeding out and save his career we won’t discuss the American The Ring Two. Let’s long enough for the next near fatal blow, which looks just skip that one, shall we?) to be the upcoming remake of Death Wish co-starring Italian-born actress Matilda Lutz plays Julia, Bruce Willis. bright-eyed girlfriend to Holt (Alex Roe) who is going The movie was shot around three years ago and to college, after which they will conduct a Skype relaexperienced various delays. This year looks to be tionship that will most certainly feature Holt getting the recipient of another long-delayed horror sequel, a little anxious. In one of their talks, Holt mentions a Amityville: The Awakening, which has been bouncing super cool teacher (Galecki) and gets interrupted by around for three years, as well. Oh, lucky day! two fellow students forcing him to attend some sort of I wonder if Naomi Watts, original star of The club meeting. Ring, was shown a script for Rings and asked to That club turns out to be a social gathering held participate. I also wonder if that sound I hear when I by Galecki’s Gabriel, who recently purchased a go to bed at night—that distant sound mixed with the mysterious videotape. He watched said videotape and constant buzzing of cicadas—is the sound of a defiant somehow figured out he was going to die in seven Watts laughing uproariously. Ω days due to the viewing. I guess it isn’t all too strange

Rings

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ABOUT IS ALL F 2016 IES UIdE O IR STOR M I LY G RE ThE F I R S T FA ES ShA I L I M RN&R’S Y S FA T h E WA

IA A SPEC

“What the heck is a VHS tape?”

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20th Century Women

Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig and Billy Crudup shine in Mike Mills’ ode to his unusual mother, who raised him in the late ’70s and tried to like punk music as much as she could. Bening is terrific as Dorothea, perhaps the best work of her career. She represents the late ’70s woman, still cool but perhaps slowing down a bit due to too many cigarettes and a general disillusionment with certain aspects of the changing culture. Mills uses Dorothea as a sort of narrator from the future who talks about the events of the film while observing from a perch in years ahead. It’s an interesting technique, and Bening’s performance is a career milestone. Gerwig and Fanning are great as two different women who hang around Dorothea’s apartment, both with their own interesting subplots. Cruddup chimes in capably as a local handyman who will sleep with you if you ask him to. I love the way this film uses music on its soundtrack, from Talking Heads to the Buzzcocks. (Currently available for rent through iTunes.)

The Founder

Gold

Hidden Figures

Katherine Johnson was part of a segregated division at NASA in the ’50s, a wing of mathematicians who did the work that computers do today. Hidden Figures depicts the humiliation she and two other historical African-American figures, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, went through while solving equations that helped put men safely into space. The women had to put up with a lot of racist bullshit, and the film shows their hardships, albeit in PG fashion. Taraji P. Henson

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Split

This is an all new, original musical from director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) that’s surprisingly low on melodrama while full of vibrancy, beautiful tunes, outstanding set pieces and a stunning sense of realism for a movie where the characters bust out singing. It’s the best original movie musical ever made. The story follows wannabe actress Mia (Emma Stone) and jazz composer Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) as they try to make it in crazy Los Angeles. They meet, they don’t like each other much at first, but then they fall in love, which provides Chazelle and his performers ample opportunities for musical numbers that surprise at every turn. This solidifies Gosling as one of the best actors of his generation. He can wow you with insightful indies and carry big-budget blockbusters. Now, with La La Land, he takes his game to a new level. He can sing and dance with the best of them. Stone doesn’t just make her mark with a beautiful voice and expert footwork—she embodies the character with the honest and almost tragic drive to “make it” in the business.

There was a quick little moment in the very first Star Wars (now known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) where a character mentions rebels possibly obtaining vulnerability secrets regarding the Death Star. That group of people actually gets their own movie in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a Star Wars spinoff that’s technically another prequel. In fact, it tells a story that leads right up to where A New Hope begins. It’s also a little different from your typical Star Wars movie in that it doesn’t mainly deal with the Skywalker saga—although a couple of them make notable appearances—and doesn’t prominently feature the John Williams score (although that makes some appearances, as well). Director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) goes for something a little different here, a tonal shift that reminds of the big change The Empire Strikes Back brought to the saga. Felicity Jones is terrific as Jyn, a woman who finds herself with strange ties to the Death Star, and becomes part of the effort to destroy it.

Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan has finally made his first good movie since Signs (2002) with Split, a down-to-thebasics, creepy thriller propelled by excellent performances from James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch). The film reminds us that Shyamalan can be quite the capable director and writer when he isn’t getting too carried away. Taylor-Joy plays Casey, a high school outcast who attends a birthday party and soon thereafter finds herself and two classmates imprisoned by a strange man with multiple personalities (McAvoy). In addition to the angry man who kidnaps them, he’s also a stately, mannered woman, a 9-year-old child and, well, a few others. One of those other personalities plays a big part in taking the film into other realms beyond psychological thriller. McAvoy goes nuts with the role, and Shyamalan takes things into supernatural territories in a chilling climax. Taylor-Joy is quickly becoming the new scream queen, and McAvoy’s work will surely stand as one of the year’s most fun performances. Stay for the credits, which include a nice cameo.

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You have to give Matthew McConaughey an A for effort in his latest film excursion, the “loosely based on a true story” Gold. McConaughey not only stars as wannabe gold magnate Kenny Wells, he also co-produced the movie, thinned his hair, put in some weird teeth and gained some weight for the role. Sadly, maximum effort doesn’t result in optimized return. The movie is an uneven, confused endeavor, and McConaughey’s physicality comes off looking like a guy who’s in really good shape simply messing himself up for the few months it takes to shoot a movie. He doesn’t look like a real guy in the way Robert De Niro did when he destroyed his physicality for Raging Bull. He just looks slightly out of shape and made up, which is distracting. Wells is a fictional character, and the film is based loosely upon the Bre-X gold scandal of the 1990s. The original scandal occurred in Canada, while director Stephen Gaghan (Syriana) brings the story to the U.S. It all winds up a confusing muddle, with action bouncing all over the place. As for simple storytelling, there’s nothing new here, and the big twist isn’t a surprise at all. The movie wants to be a jungle adventure movie and business adventure all in one, and the two don’t meld together well.

La La Land

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Michael Keaton is flat-out great as Ray Kroc, the sorta-kinda founder of McDonald’s. Director John Lee Hancock’s film tells the story from when Kroc was selling milk shake mixers door-to-door up through his wife-stealing days as the head of the McDonald’s corporation. Hancock’s movie desperately wants you to like Kroc, but maybe we shouldn’t? After all, he swept in and took the name of McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch), effectively cutting them out of most profits and leaving them in his dust. The film is at its best when it is in old-time, Americana mode. It’s a beautiful looking movie that captures the essence of those old timey fast food joints that replaced the traditional drive-in diners. It slows down a bit and gets a little muddled when it tries to depict Kroc as some sort of commerce hero. I suppose if they went into details about how his co-creating McDonald’s has contributed to worldwide obesity and environmental concerns, McDonald’s themselves would’ve mounted up the lawyers and put the kibosh on the whole thing.

plays Johnson, the “smart one” astronaut John Glenn personally demanded check the coordinates before his historical flight launched. Octavia Spencer is her usual great self as Vaughan, doing the work of a supervisor without the title and curious about that new IBM thing they just installed down the hall. Vaughan would become crucial to the implementation of computers at NASA, as well as being the agency’s first African-American supervisor. As Jackson, NASA’s first female African-American aeronautical engineer, singer Janelle Monae is so good, it’s easy to forget that this is just her second movie role. As a composite, fictional character named Al Harrison, Kevin Costner does some of his best acting in years.

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david Jamison puts the finishing touches on a Noblemen pizza in the Noble Pie Parlor Midtown kitchen.

Pie-eyed

PHOTO/ALLISON YOUNG

interior, and the meatballs were of good size and texture, the seasoning was a bit like listening to a band where every player is trying to outplay the others. Fresh tomato, garlic, basil, oregano and aged pecorino If I had to choose a last meal, thin crust cheese were amply represented, yet the pizza and hot chicken wings would be at astringent presence of rosemary pushed the top of the list. Though I’m figuratively the combination a bit over the edge. I like and literally a big fan of many delectable rosemary, but it was just one note too many edibles, there’s just something about that for this song. pairing that always sounds like a good The options for custom pizzas include idea. Ideally, I prefer to go simple with a standard thin crust, plus a gluten-free plain wings in Buffalo sauce and a crispy alternate, five housemade sauces, seven cheese pie. But there are times when the cheeses and a vegan substitute. There are moment calls for something a little more seven protein options, including almonds developed, complex and creative. Recently and housemade sausage, as well as 24 opened Noble Pie Parlor in midtown is a veggie options, including peas and carrots, mash-up of old-school East Coast pizzeria both a first for me on a pizza menu. sensibilities with more than a few West Wishing to sample house creativity, Coast gourmet twists. we went with two 14” specialty pies The restaurant is tucked into a corner ($20.99 each). The S/C/L had tons of of a renovated building shared with savor, topped with sausage, caramelseveral other businesses. If you didn’t ized onions, leeks, sauteed mushrooms know it’s there, you might walk on by. and chèvre (goat My friends and I met cheese), but the up on a cold evening thin crust was made for hot food, starting a bit soggy by a with a pound of ’Burgpreponderance of style wings ($11.99). moisture from the 777 S. Center St., 323-1494 The chicken was moist, toppings. But any Noble Pie Parlor Midtown is open Monday and and though the skin fan of East Coast Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Wednesday and started out crispy, Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday from 11 pie can attest, this a.m. to 3 a.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., the thick Pittsburghis typical when you and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. inspired sauce softened try to load a thin it up a bit. Topped with crust with too much plenty of fresh garlic and scallion, these moisture. Still, it was a delicious pie we are not your average wings. The sauce all enjoyed. is the real story here, coating the meat For something different, we tried the with a bit of zesty tang in complement to White-Boy with garlic and olive oil bianco the spicy heat. It’s deliciously unlike any sauce, rotisserie chicken, sweet basil, asparother I’ve tasted. agus, red onion and sun-dried tomato. This A plate of fried polenta with housemade pie was nice and crispy, the chicken tasty meatballs and marinara ($9.99) soon and moist, and the rest of the ingredients followed, packing even more punch than did their part to make this a fragrant and the wings. Actually, perhaps a little too flavorful treat. The scent of the leftovers I much. Though the cornmeal sticks were a heated for lunch the next day colored a few good balance of crisp exterior with creamy coworkers green with envy. Ω

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We Ar e Her e To Help Lead Dog owner and brewer ryan Gaumer samples the newest addition, a chocolate stout.

Born to run

Photo/Eric Marks

I was surprised how many people turned out for opening night. Of course, there was the usual crowd of beer nerds, brewers and There’s a pseudo-inspirational line out the sort that I expect to see. For us, a new there, something about the scenery never brewery opening is like Christmas morning, changing unless you’re at the front of the everyone excited to see what’s new, taste pack. It makes some sense in the way new beers, and decide where it falls into that sayings on motivational posters do their mental ranking of local breweries. sometimes, reminding you that if you’re Beyond that, though, a good-sized crowd not in the lead, you probably find yourself showed up, and opening night looked to be staring at the same unpleasant sight much a smashing success. of the time, trying to get ahead. I wonder Let’s get to the beer. Lead Dog opened if owner/brewer Ryan Gaumer had this pouring four house beers and two guest in mind when he named his new brewery ciders. The general consensus from beer Lead Dog Brewing. lovers I chatted with was an overall thumbs It’s a glorious time to be a beer up—well-made beers, all approachable, consumer. The trend is national, and Reno nothing offensive or too challenging for is a great example of the boom in small anyone. The obligatory IPA was solid—an local breweries and access to a wide variety easy drinker without excessive bitterness. of fresh, flavorful beer. Probably my favorite was We now have a full dozen the chocolate brown ale places in Reno and Sparks pouring in both regular where you can drink beer and nitro versions. It was 415 E. Fourth St., 391-5110 brewed on site, two or as delicious as it sounds, three more in planning or a roasty, well-rounded construction, and about beer with a touch of another dozen within an hour’s drive. If you hazelnut. A blonde ale and a slightly were a knitter, and these were yarn stores, confusing orange wheat ale round out the you’d come unraveled. Needless to say, taps for now. That’s evidently just the it’s not easy to simply start making beer start—another dozen or so taps stand ready, and step into position as leader of the pack. and a small rack of barrels sitting in the Still, if my recent visit for the grand opentaproom suggest something special coming ing is any indication, Gaumer has jumped in the future, I’m sure. into the pack with all four feet ready to hit Things weren’t perfect, as one would the ground running with the other dogs. expect on opening night, but Lead Dog Lead Dog is at 415 E. Fourth St., Brewing has a promising start for the new formerly the future home of Lake Tahoe kid on the literal block. My tablemates Brewing before legal troubles ended that headed off into the night, creating their future, and prior to that, a janitorial prodown impromptu neighborhood beer crawl. ucts distributor. You wouldn’t know that With a dozen other breweries to choose storied past today—a spacious, open tasting from, Lead Dog will need to keep the ball room, semi-industrial brewery chic with rolling, brew more beers and get it out into requisite shiny steel fermenters prominently drinkers’ glasses if they want the scenery to displayed. I was taken by the cool, branded change. Looking out into the Fourth Street glassware—glasses shaped like beer cans Brewery District isn’t a bad view at all for with miniature versions for tasters. now, though. Ω

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StOrYBOOK R N & R ’ S F I R S T FA M I LY G U I d E O F 2 0 1 6 I S A L L A B O U T T h E WAY S FA M I L I E S S h A R E T h E I R S T O R I E S

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Like a virgin page 5

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All abroad! page 12

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Chapter 1

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Secret Recipe • Page 2

Chapter 2

Letters ........................... 3 Opinion/Streetalk ........... 5 Sheila Leslie ................... 6 Brendan Trainor............. 7 News ............................. 8 Green .......................... 10 Feature ........................ 13 Art of the State ............ 18 Foodfinds .................... 20

Learning Potential • Page 5

Chapter 3

SpeCiAl See News, page 8.

Compost

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After SChool

Lost in translation • Page 7

by BRad ByNum

b ra d b @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

the paltenghi collections

Nice view, huh? Cameron Sax and Greg Lewis are Rob Ford Explorer.

Make tracks Rob Ford Explorer Rob Ford was the mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. He’s best known in this country for various controversies—including drunken, belligerent behavior and substance abuse up to and including smoking crack. He died last year. Cameron Sax, who, despite his surname, is a guitar player, wanted to name a musical project after Ford. (Sax is from Toronto.) It was originally just “Rob Ford” until a friend jokingly suggested the appendage Explorer. It’s a good pun—linking the former mayor to the popular sport utility vehicle. But, as a band name, it also has the ring of a proggy classic rock band, like the Jimi Hendrix Experience or the Alan Parsons Project. And the music has the energy and intensity of a serious exploration. Sax met drummer Greg Lewis through the jazz program at the University of Nevada, Reno. Before college, Lewis had played in hardcore and metal bands on the heavier end of the rock spectrum. So Lewis was a good fit to play on some rockoriented compositions Sax wrote. However, it’s not really “normal” rock music—if such a thing could even be said to exist. (It can’t.) The compositions are all instrumental, and the rhythms are full of syncopations and complex meters. There’s a bit of jazz in the mix, befitting the duo’s ground zero, as well as some math rock in the vein of Hella, a bit of Zappa, and some prog rock or post-rock or post-prog rock or roast pog puck. The duo started playing together two years ago, but it was a full year before they started playing shows. Sax’s songs needed a creative approach behind the kit. “It took a long-ass time,” said Lewis. “It was a struggle, for sure. … It’s very rhythmic, and I could just learn the rhythms. Just tap them out with him and then just put

PHOTO/BRAD BYNUM

them on the drum set and move it around melodically.” In other words, he could just follow the guitar line closely, which he does some of the time, but other times he writes contrasting parts or plays grooves that frame longer guitar phrases. In addition to learning the songs, Lewis also had to learn about Rob Ford. “I didn’t know who he was,” said Lewis. So Sax played him some choice YouTube clips. “He’s a ridiculous guy, and our music is pretty ridiculous,” said Lewis. “When I tell people, ‘Rob Ford Explorer,’ they either say, ‘Oh, cool,’ and look kind of confused”—probably because they don’t recognize the name—“or they bust out laughing.” Unlike some bands with small lineups, Rob Ford Explorer doesn’t use loops, pre-recorded parts, samplers or other technology to supplement the sound. Sax doesn’t even use many guitar effects—not even reverb. “I’m trying to get the sounds from my hands and the guitar, and just having it be minimal,” he said. “If I show up to a gig, and I forgot all my pedals, I want to still be able to play.” The stripped-down lineup affects the songwriting as well. “We have a lot more responsibility because it’s just the two of us,” said Sax. “It influences how I write, because I totally hear lines on top of what I have written, and if we had a bass player that would totally free me up and let me do those things. So the instrumentation determines how the songs are written because it needs to sound full.” But it also makes it really easy for them to just pack up and go for out-of-town gigs—or other explorations. Ω Rob Ford Explorer plays with Laura Stevenson and the Gina Rose Band at the Holland Project, 140 Vesta St., on March 14 at 8 p.m. For more information, visit robfordexplorer.bandcamp.com.

JANUARY 21 - JULY 16 Take an intimate look at Maynard Dixon’s life in the American West through more than sixty works drawn from the collections of brothers Bruce Paltenghi and Dr. Richard Paltenghi. Included are many never-before-seen drawings of mountain and desert landscapes, portraits, and ﬁgure studies.

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02.09.17 | RN&R | 25

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Mile High Jazz Band, 8pm, Tu, $5 Dave Leather, noon, W, no cover

In Stride Music, noon, no cover

ELBOW ROOM BAR FINE VINES

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 2/13-2/15

THURSDAY 2/9

FRIDAY 2/10

SATURDAY 2/11

SUNDAY 2/12

LAUGHING PLANET CAFE 941 N. Virginia St., (775) 870-9633

THE LOFT TAHOE 1021 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe; (530) 523-8024

Magic Fusion, 7:30pm, $19-$37

THE LOVING CUP

Live jazz, 8pm, no cover

MIDTOWN WINE BAR

DJ Trivia, 6:30pm, no cover

188 California Ave., (775) 322-2480 1527 S. Virginia St., (775) 800-1960

Magic Fusion, 7:30pm, $19-$37

Magic Fusion, 7pm, 9pm, $19-$37

Jason King, 8pm, no cover

Tandymonium, 8pm, no cover

MILLENNIUM NIGHTCLUB

MOODY’S BISTRO BAR & BEATS

Everyday Outlaw, 8pm, no cover

MORRIS BURNER HOSTEL

Käthärsis (open mic), 7pm, no cover

400 E. Fourth St., (775) 327-1171

PADDY & IRENE’S IRISH PUB

906-A Victorian Ave., Sparks; (775) 358-5484

Magic Fusion, 4:30pm, 7:30pm, $19-$37

Tammy Tam Tam, 6:30pm, Tu, no cover Jamie Rollins, 7:30pm, W, no cover

Haunted Summer, 8:30pm, no cover

The Revivalists Feb. 10, 9 p.m. Crystal Bay Club 14 Highway 28 Crystal Bay 833-6333

Haunted Summer, 8:30pm, no cover Anti-Valentine ’80s Dance Party w/DJ Winston Smith, 7pm, $5

Acoustic Wonderland singer-songwriter showcase, 8pm, no cover

U Play Wednesday (open mic jam), 8pm, W, no cover

PIGNIC PUB & PATIO

Open Spike Night w/Spike McGuire, 7pm, Tu, no cover

235 Flint St., (775) 376-1948

POLO LOUNGE

DJ Bobby G, 9pm, no cover

1559 S. Virginia St., (775) 322-8864

RED DOG SALOON

Open mic and jam, 7pm, no cover

ROCKBAR THEATER

Rockaraoke, 8pm, no cover

Greg Golden Band, 7pm, $15-$40

Fort Defiance, Bluegrass Lex, 9pm, no cover

Dainesly album release w/McCoy Tyler & The Coffis Brothers, 9pm, $5

76 N. C St., Virginia City; (775) 847-7474 211 N. Virginia St., (669) 255-7960

THE SAINT

761 S. Virginia St., (775) 221-7451

Magic Fusion, 7:30pm, M, Tu, $19-$37

Ladies Night, DJ/dancing, 10pm, free for women before 11pm

2100 Victorian Ave., Sparks; (775) 772-6637 10007 Bridge St., Truckee; (530) 587-8688

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 2/13-2/15 Jazz Jam Session Wednesdays, 7:30pm, W, no cover

SHEA’S TAVERN

715 S. Virginia St., (775) 786-4774

Genocide Skin, Dissidence, Sans Ami, Down and Out, 9pm, $6

ST. JAMES INFIRMARY

DJ Alastair, 9pm, no cover

445 California Ave., (775) 657-8484

Gemini Duo, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke with Steve Starr, 8pm, no cover

Live Blues Wednesdays, 8pm, W, no cover

Saturday Night Dance Party, 9pm, no cover

The Reno Swing Set, 7pm, M, no cover

Jake Nielsen’s Triple Threat, 9pm, $7

WHISKEY DICK’S SALOON

Drinking with Clowns, 9pm, no cover

2660 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe; (530) 544-3425

Peace, Love & Roses w/Enuff Z’Nuff, 7pm, Tu, $8-$75

Midtown DJ Showcase hosted by RJ Steelz, 10pm, no cover

STUDIO ON 4TH

432 E. Fourth St., (775) 737-9776

Corky Bennett, 7pm, W, no cover

Anti-Flag Feb. 14, 7 p.m. Cargo 255 N. Virginia St. 398-5400

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RETURNING TO RENO FOR ONE DAY ONLY Sammy's Showroom at Harrah's Reno Sunday, February 19, 2017 4:00pm & 7:30pm Tickets available at ticketmaster.com 02.09.17 | RN&R | 27

ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT SPA

3800 S. Virginia St., (775) 825-4700 1) Grand Ballroom Stage 2) Cabaret

BOOMTOWN CASINO HOTEL

2100 Garson Rd., Verdi; (775) 345-6000 1) Event Center 2) Guitar Bar

CARSON VALLEY INN

1627 Hwy. 395, Minden; (775) 782-9711 1) Valley Ballroom 2) Cabaret Lounge 3) TJ’s Corral

DJ OB-One Feb. 11, 10 p.m. Peppermill 2707 S. Virginia St. 826-2121

Karaoke Corkscroo Bar & Pizzeria, 10 E. Ninth St., 284-7270: Bobby Dee Karaoke/Dance Party F, 8pm, no cover La Morena Bar, 2140 Victorian Ave., Sparks, 772-2475: Karaoke, Sa, 9pm, no cover The Man Cave Sports Bar, 4600 N. Virginia St., 499-5322: Karaoke, Sa, 8pm, no cover O’Cleary’s Irish Pub, 1330 Scheels Drive, Ste. 250, Sparks, 359-1209: Bobby Dee Karaoke/Dance Party, Th, 6pm, no cover The Point, 1601 S. Virginia St., 322-3001: Karaoke, Th-Sa, 8:30pm; Su, 6pm, no cover Spiro’s Sports Bar & Grille, 1475 E. Prater Way, Ste. 103, Sparks, 356-6000: F-Sa, 9pm, no cover West Second Street Bar, 118 W. Second St., 384-7976: Daily, 8pm, no cover

THURSDAY 2/9

FRIDAY 2/10

SATURDAY 2/11

SUNDAY 2/12

2) The Kid & Nic Show, 8pm, no cover

2) The Kid & Nic Show, 4pm, no cover Platinum, 10pm, no cover

2) Platinum, 8pm, no cover

2) Cook Book, 8pm, M, Tu, W, no cover

2) Jason King Band, 6pm, no cover

2) The Look, 5pm, no cover Rebekah Chase, 9pm, no cover

1) Ambrosia, 6pm, 8pm, $30-$60 2) The Look, 5pm, no cover Rebekah Chase, 9pm, no cover

2) Crush, 6pm, no cover

2) Tandymonium, 6pm, M, no cover Jamie Rollins, 6pm, Tu, no cover Jason King Band, 6pm, Tu, W, no cover

2) The Vegas Road Show, 7pm, no cover

2) The Vegas Road Show, 8pm, no cover

1) The Revivalists, Con Brio, 9pm, $20-$25

2) Morast & McCormick, 10pm, no cover

CRYSTAL BAY CLUB

14 Hwy. 28, Crystal Bay; (775) 833-6333 1) Crown Room 2) Red Room

ELDORADO RESORT CASINO 345 N. Virginia St., (775) 786-5700 1) Theater 2) Brew Brothers 3) NoVi

GRAND SIERRA RESORT

2500 E. Second St., (775) 789-2000 1) Grand Theater 2) Lex Nightclub 3) Sports Book

1) Rebelution, Passafire, 8pm, $29.50 2) Lex Thursdays, 10pm, no cover

1) A Don Rickles and Regis Philbin Laughfest, 8pm, $34-$109 2) Money-B and Young Hump, 10pm, $15

3) Reckless Envy, 9pm, no cover

1) Decadence, 10pm, $32.75 3) Mardi Gras Crawl w/DJ Anton Styles, 8pm, no cover

3) DJ/dancing, 6pm, no cover

1) Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, 8pm, $25-$60 3) DJ/dancing, 6pm, no cover

1) Chinese New Year Celebration, 7:30pm, $10-$30 3) DJ/dancing, 6pm, no cover

3) DJ/dancing, 6pm, W, no cover

2) Rose’s Pawn Shop, 7pm, no cover

2) Rose’s Pawn Shop, 8pm, no cover 3) The Latin Dance Social, 7:30pm, $10 before 10pm, $20 after

2) Rose’s Pawn Shop, 8pm, no cover 3) DJ OB-One, 10pm, $20

2) Barrio Manouche, 6pm, no cover

2) Barrio Manouche, 6pm, M, Tu, W, no cover

2) Thunder Cloud, 9pm, no cover 3) Fashion Fridays, 9pm, no cover 4) Mike Furlong Band, 9pm, no cover

2) Thunder Cloud, 9pm, no cover 3) Seduction Saturdays, 9pm, $5 4) Mike Furlong Band, 9pm, no cover

2) DJ Ivan, 9pm, no cover 3) Sunday Funday Industry Night, 10pm, no cover 4) Kronik, 9pm, no cover

2) AMP Ent DJ, 9pm, M, no cover DJ Ivan, 9pm, Tu, W, no cover

219 N. Center St., (775) 788-2900 1) Sammy’s Showroom 2) The Zone 3) Sapphire Lounge 4) Plaza 5) Convention Center

NUGGET CASINO RESORT

2) DJ Ivan, 9pm, no cover 407 N. Virginia St., (775) 325-7401 1) Grand Exposition Hall 2) Rum Bullions Island Bar 4) Punktematrix, 9pm, no cover 3) Aura Ultra Lounge 4) Silver Baron Lounge

28 | RN&R | 02.09.17

2) DJ Echo, 10pm, $15 3) Grand Country Nights w/DJ Colt Ainsworth, 10pm, no cover

2) DJ Rick Gee, DJ JosBeatz, 10pm, $20 3) Arty the Party, 9pm, no cover

HARRAH’S RENO

SILVER LEGACY RESORT CASINO

2) Live Band Karaoke, 10pm, M, no cover Audioboxx, 10:30pm, W, no cover 3) Privileged, 7:30pm, Tu, W, $27.95

2) DJ Montague, DJ JosBeatz, 10pm, $20 3) Arty the Party, 9pm, no cover

15 Hwy. 50, Stateline; (775) 588-6611 1) South Shore Room 2) Peek Nightclub 3) Center Stage Lounge

2707 S. Virginia St., (775) 826-2121 1) Tuscany Ballroom 2) Terrace Lounge 3) Edge

2) Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Organ Freeman, 10pm, W, no cover

1) Rock On! Live Band Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

HARRAH’S LAKE TAHOE

PEPPERMILL RESORT SPA CASINO

1) Galactic, Gene Evaro Jr, 9pm, $30

2) Apple Z, 10:30pm, no cover 2) Apple Z, 10:30pm, no cover 3) Privileged: A Speakeasy Experience, 2) Apple Z, 10:30pm, no cover 3) Privileged: A Speakeasy Experience, 7:30pm, $27.95, DJ Roni V, 9pm, no cover 7:30pm, $27.95, DJ Roni V, 9pm, no cover

50 Hwy. 50, Stateline; (844) 588-7625 1) Vinyl 2) Center Bar

1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks; (775) 356-3300 1) Celebrity Showroom 2) Nugget Grand Ballroom 3) Gilley’s

2) Tyler Stafford, 6pm, Tu, W, no cover

2) Apple Z, 10:30pm, no cover

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 2/13-2/15

3) Buddy Emmer Band and guest, 8pm, Tu, no cover

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“TECHNICALLY FLAWLESS AND MUSICALLY ADVENTUROUS.” — Detroit News

“ARGUABLY THE BEST ENSEMBLE OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.”

“It is rare to hear man perfectly integrated with music — when the two are so inextricably linked, so aware yet selﬂess, that distinctions between them are rendered meaningless. Such communion is achieved by the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet.” — Washington Post

— Manchester Evening News

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 AT 7:30 PM • Nightingale Concert Hall • Church Fine Arts Building, UNR TICKETS: Adult $30 • Senior $24 • Student & Youth $12 (775) 784-4ART • Buy tickets online at www.unr.edu/pas 30 | RN&R | 02.09.17

Presented by University of Nevada, Reno’s Performing Arts Series A program of the School of the Arts

FOr tHE WEEK OF FEBruArY 9, 2017 For a complete listing of this week’s events or to post events to our online calendar, visit www.newsreview.com. MCKINLEY ARTS & CULTURE CENTER: Light Abundant: Lainie Vreeland. The abstract painter creates innovative and imaginative compositions centered on water, forms and plant life as they interact with light. M-F, 9am-5pm through 2/24; Extravagant Chemistry. West Gallery in McKinley Arts & Culture Center present new work by abstract painter Liz Penniman. M-F, 9am-5pm through 2/24. Free. 925 Riverside Drive, (775) 334-2417.

METRO GALLERY AT RENO CITY HALL: No Expectations: A Photographic Exhibition. Matthew McIver’s photographic series is inspired by architecture, sustainability, water and art. M-Su, 8am-5pm through 2/24. Free. 1 E. First St., (775) 334-2417.

SHEPPARD CONTEMPORARY GALLERY, CHURCH FINE ARTS BUILDING, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO: Expanded Readings: The

Reno Mardi Crawl

2/11:

The Biggest Little City transforms into the Big Easy for one night this weekend during the Mardi Gras-themed bar crawl. With the purchase a $5 cup and map, costumed revelers age 21 and older will get free access to 15 participating venues offering $3 drink specials and classic New Orleans drinks like hurricanes and hand grenades, beaded necklaces, live entertainment, costume contests and other perks. The crawl begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Waterfall, 134 W. Second St. Call 624-8320 or visit http://crawlreno.com.

EvEnts CONTRA DANCE: Arrive at 7:15pm for a beginners session. Callers walk you through the dances while local and regional bands play Celtic music. Firsttime dancers will get half off price on two future dances. Second Sa of every month, 7:30-10:30pm through 12/9. $8-$10. Historic Southside School Annex, 190 E. Liberty St., www.sierracontra.org.

HANDS ON! SECOND SATURDAYS: Enjoy free admission, live performances, hands-on art activities and storytelling. Sa, 2/11, 10am-6pm. Nevada Museum of Art, 160 W. Liberty St., (775) 329-3333.

RENO/TAHOE SENIOR WINTER GAMES: The games offer individual and team competitions for people age 50 and older. Participants compete within age groups to win gold, silver and bronze medals. M-Su through 2/14. $10-$40. Call or visit website for details, (775) 657-4602.

STORY OF A STREAM: Environmental scientist Marianne Denton from the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection will discuss the ecology of the streams within the Galena Creek Park area and the interconnectedness of the aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Sa, 2/11, 3-4pm. $5 suggested donation. Galena Creek Visitor Center, 18250 Mt. Rose Highway, (775) 849-4948.

NEVADA INHALES: Joe Grzymski opens the discussion by sharing his work on the 23andMe and Renown Health Collaboration project, a pioneering new study layering population and health data, environmental information and voluntary genetic data from Northern Nevadans. Vera Samburova will follow with her study on e-cigarettes. W, 2/15, 7-9:30pm. $15 for non-members, $10 for members. IMBiB Custom Brews, 785 E. Second St., (775) 673-7659, www.dri.edu.

RENO RUN 4 LOVE: Run with a friend, date or family member during this 4-mile Valentine’s-themed road race in downtown Reno. The post-race party includes champagne, beer, chocolate and prizes/ awards. Su, 2/12, 8:30am. $45-$90. Reno Ballroom, 401 N. Center St., (775) 342-8895, www.renorun4love.com.

Art HOLLAND PROJECT MICRO GALLERY AT BIBO COFFEE CO.: Domestic Dreams. The exhibition features photographs capturing altered landscapes of rural Nevada and portraits of people who live there, all through the lenses of the students of Smith Valley High School. M-Su through 2/10. Free. 945 Record St., (775) 348-8087, www.hollandreno.org.

MATHEWSON-IGT KNOWLEDGE CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO: Inside the Mind of da Vinci. Northern Nevada artist Mischell Riley worked with engineering and art students at the University to realize the 10’ x 23’ sculpture, which premiered at the most recent Burning Man event. M-Su through 5/1. 1664 N. Virginia St., (775) 784-4636.

Book to Come. This exhibition explores the book as a site for artistic exploration. Gallery talk: 5pm on Feb. 9. Opening reception: 6-8pm on Feb. 9. Tu-Sa, noon4pm through 3/17. Free. 1664 N. Virginia St., (775) 784-6658.

SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM: Truckee Meadows Reflections. The Sparks Museum & Cultural Center presents this exhibition detailing historical water usage in the region. In conjunction with the exhibit, Latimer Art Club will present work by their members in the museum’s Cultural Center. The reception is on Feb. 25, 4-7pm. Tu-Sa, 11am-4pm through 3/25. Free. 814 Victorian Ave., Sparks, (775) 355-1144, www.sparksmuseum.org.

STUDENT GALLERIES SOUTH: BFA Midway Exhibition. Annual review exhibition of artwork by first-year bachelor of fine arts students from the University of Nevada, Reno. M-Th, noon-4pm through 2/16. Free. 1164 N. Virginia St. Jot Travis Building, University of Nevada, Reno, (775) 784-6658.

Film BAND OF OUTSIDERS (1964) FRANCE: Classic French New Wave with Anna Karina as a student who lets slip some information about money stashed away at a villa in the suburbs. Director Jean-Luc Godard described his movie as “Alice In Wonderland meets Franz Kafka.” In English and French with subtitles. Su, 2/12, 6-8pm. $7 general, $6 seniors, students, $5 members. Good Luck Macbeth Theatre Company, 713 S. Virginia St., http://artemisiamovies.weebly.com.

CLASSIX FOUR: TEMPTATION: Reno Philharmonic Orchestra Classix concert features Mozart’s Overture to Cosi fan tutte, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 6. Guest soloist is pianist Conrad Tao. Su, 2/12, 4pm; Tu, 2/14, 7:30pm. $33-$89. Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St., (775) 323-6393.

2017 Lunar New Year Festival

2/12:

COME IN FROM THE COLD: The family entertainment series continues with a performance by Sage Creek. Seating is limited to 200 people. Sa, 2/11, 7pm. $3 suggested donation. Western Heritage Interpretive Center, Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, (775) 828-6612.

EVAN HARRIS: A JOURNEY THROUGH MY EYES: The singer performs songs from Into the Woods, Grease, Spring Awakening, Memphis and other Broadway hits. Su, 2/12, 7:30pm. $15. Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St., (775) 813-8900.

AN EVENING OF ROMANCE: This benefit for the Piper’s Opera House features the Colin Ross Jazz Quartet performing songs by Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Hoagie Carmichael and Irving Berlin. Sa, 2/11, 6pm. $37.50 stag, $70 couple, military discount for active duty. Piper’s Opera House, 12 N. B St., Virginia City, (775) 847-0443.

TOM SCOTT WITH THE RENO JAZZ ORCHESTRA: The three-time Grammy award-winning saxophonist will perform with the 17-piece jazz orchestra. Su, 2/12, 2pm. $15-$35. Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts Building, University of Nevada, Reno, 1335 N. Virginia St., (775) 372-6160, http://renojazzorchestra.org.

NEVADA WIND ENSEMBLE AND SYMPHONIC BAND: The program features contemporary and traditional works for wind band. W, 2/15, 7:30pm. $5, free for University of Nevada, Reno students with ID. Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts Building, University of Nevada, Reno, 1335 N. Virginia St., (775) 784-4278.

A SONG FOR YOUR VALENTINE: Classical guitarist and singer Elizabeth Busch Letourneau will sing a variety of love songs in the library’s gallery. Sa, 2/11, 2-3pm. Free. Northwest Reno Library, 2325 Robb Drive, (775) 787-4100.

The Chinese Association of Northern Nevada celebrates the Year of the Rooster with traditional Chinese food and a variety program featuring acrobatics and ballet, traditional Chinese dancing and musical performances. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Celebrity Showroom inside the Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks. Tickets are $10-$30. Call 356-3300 or visit www.chinesenevada.org.

LOVE LETTERS: Downtown Dance Collective presents a dance concert featuring works that call the viewer into reflections on love. Tu, 2/14, 7:30-9pm. $17 general admission, $15 students. Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St., (775) 329-0661, www.ddcreno.com/loveletters.

SEX WITH STRANGERS: Good Luck Macbeth presents Laura Eason’s erotic comedy/ drama. F, 2/10, 7:30-9:30pm; Sa, 2/11,

7:30-9:30pm; Su, 2/12, 2-4pm; F, 2/17, 7:309:30pm; Sa, 2/18, 7:30-9:30pm; Th, 2/23, 7:30-9:30pm; F, 2/24, 7:30-9:30pm; Sa, 2/25, 7:30-9:30pm. $15-$18. Good Luck Macbeth

Theatre Company, 713 S. Virginia St., (775) 322-3716, www.goodluckmacbeth.org.

THE UNTAMED—99 PLAYS: Th, 2/9, 8pm; F,

2/10, 8pm; Sa, 2/11, 8pm; Su, 2/12, 2pm; W, 2/15, 8pm; Th, 2/16, 8pm; F, 2/17, 8pm; Sa, 2/18, 8pm. $20 general admission, $18 students, seniors, military, $25 at the door. Brüka Theatre, 99 N. Virginia St., (775) 323-3221, www.bruka.org.

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES: Advocates to

SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH AT RLT: Bryan McAllister and Jordan Caroompas will perform their electronic jazz music as part of this monthly event presented by Reno Little Theater, For the Love of Jazz and 89.5 KNCJ. Su, 2/12, 10:30am. Pay what you can. Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St., (775) 813-8900.

End Domestic Violence and Carson City Vagina Monologues celebrate the spirit of womanhood with a reading of Eve Ensler’s Obie award-winning play. F, 2/10, 7pm; Sa, 2/11, 2 & 7pm. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., Carson City, (775) 391-6234.

music BLIND ONION JAM: Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association hosts this intermediate/advanced jam. Pickers are expected to know the tunes and play up to speed. One bass player at a time (take turns). Beginners are welcome to play along or just sit outside the main circle. Second M of every month. Blind Onion Pizza & Pub, 834 Victorian Ave., Sparks, (925) 550-8694, www.nnba.org.

OnstAgE

Red Meat & Advice Goddess continued on page 32

THE ALCHEMY OF AGING: Alchemist Theatre, an interactive spiritual theater experience, will examine this topic through prayer, meditation, music, sermons and live visual art. W, 2/15, 7:30-9pm. $15-$25. Center for Spiritual Living, Reno, 4685 Lakeside Drive, (513) 604-7690.

02.09.17 | RN&R | 31

by AMY ALKON

Savings and alone I’m a 28-year-old guy in a corporate job. I’m out there trying to meet women and date (or hook up), but I’m not doing so well. In college, I was able to hook up and get girlfriends pretty easily, and I haven’t put on 100 pounds or anything. I’ve noticed that three of my male co-workers—at my same level at work—get lots of girls. All three are in major debt from buying clothes and leasing cars they really can’t afford. Is being on the road to bankruptcy really what it takes to impress the ladies? Research on men and women ages 18 to 45 by evolutionary social psychologist Daniel Kruger found that men who had run up credit card debt were more likely to have multiple sex partners than their more sensibly spending bros. Women’s debt level didn’t have any meaningful effect on their sexual body count. Women aren’t all “I’m looking for a man who’ll eventually have to crowdfund our children’s dental bills.” However, looking at Kruger’s findings, another evolutionary psychologist, Glenn Geher, speculates that men’s overspending “may act as a false signal of wealth, and although it is a false signal”—of the ability to provide resources for a woman and any children—“sometimes this deception is effective.” As for why that might be, just as a guy doesn’t get to ask a woman whether her genes or steel-belted Spanx are the force behind her supermodel abs, a woman won’t be poring over a guy’s credit report at the bar. She’ll just paw admiringly at the cashmere hoodie he took out two loans and sold his twin brother into slavery to buy. This isn’t to say you need to go into the red to get girls. It’s ultimately a bad strategy for any guy who wants more than a string of flings. However, what would probably lead more women to give you a chance are the first-glance trappings of success— beautiful shoes, designer eyeglass frames, that fab cashmere sweater and maybe a really nice soft leather jacket. The thing is, you can get these items simply by shopping shrewdly—like at end-of-year sales or on eBay. They’ll surely cost more than the duds you’d 32 | RN&R | 02.09.17

otherwise buy, but consider them investments to get you in the door. Remember, even women who want a boyfriend who’s fiscally responsible are likely to be impressed by that sweater that took four years combing a Mongolian goat to make. And let’s say some woman’s just looking for a hookup. It’s all good. She won’t know you long enough to discover that although you do drive a brand-new “alternative-fuel” vehicle, it isn’t a Tesla—it’s a Schwinn.

Man overbored I love my girlfriend and try to be good to her. However, her folks came to visit, and she thinks I was rude because I seemed uninterested and was on my phone the whole time. I told her that I think her parents are boring. I was just being honest. She got really mad. Am I supposed to lie about being entertained by her parents? Twenty-some years ago, in the hospital maternity ward, your girlfriend’s mom and dad heard the wonderful news—and it wasn’t, “It’s an iPhone!” So, when her folks are visiting, there’s a reasonable expectation that, yes, you would redirect your attention from “Words With Friends” to words with parents. Surely, this is not news to you. So you might ask yourself whether this ignore-athon of yours reflects some subconscious desire to sabotage your way out of the relationship. If that’s not the case, consider something the late German social psychologist Erich Fromm pointed out: “To love somebody is not just a strong feeling—it is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a promise.” In other words, loving someone is something you do. Tragically, this acting lovingly business may sometimes require you to put your entertainment needs second—even if the only way to survive the crushing tedium of being with your girlfriend’s folks is to spend the evening secretly pacing the floater in your right eye. Ω

Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., No. 280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com).

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FOR ThE wEEk OF FEBRUARy 9, 2017

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state of fermentation. Will this process ultimately produce the metaphorical equivalent of fine wine or else something more like pungent cheese? The answer to that question will depend on how much integrity you express as you wield your clout. Be as charismatic as you dare, yes, but always in service to the greater good rather than to selfaggrandizement. You can accomplish wonders if you are saucy and classy, but you’ll spawn blunders if you’re saucy and bossy.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Using a blend of warfare and diplomacy, Napoleon extended French control over much of Western Europe. In 1804, he decided to formalize his growing sovereignty with a coronation ceremony. He departed from tradition, however. For many centuries, French kings had been crowned by the Pope. But on this occasion, Napoleon took the imperial crown from Pope Pius VII and placed it on his own head. Historian David J. Markham writes that he “was simply symbolizing that he was becoming emperor based on his own merits and the will of the people, not because of some religious consecration.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, Taurus, you have the right to perform a comparable gesture. Don’t wait for some authority to crown you. Crown yourself.

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fable about the four blind men who come upon an elephant for the first time? The first man feels the tail and declares that the thing they’ve encountered must be a rope. The second touches one of the elephant’s legs and says that they are in the presence of a tree. The third strokes the trunk and assumes it’s a snake. Putting his hand on a tusk, the fourth man asserts that it’s a spear. I predict that this fable will NOT apply to you in the coming weeks, Gemini. You won’t focus on just one aspect of the whole and think it’s the whole. Other people in your sphere may get fooled by shortsightedness, but you will see the big picture.

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): For now, at least,

your brain is your primary erogenous zone. I suspect it will be generating some of your sexiest thoughts ever. To be clear, not all of these erupting streams of bliss will directly involve the sweet, snaky mysteries of wrapping your physical body around another’s. Some of the erotic pleasure will come in the form of epiphanies that awaken sleeping parts of your soul. Others might arrive as revelations that chase away months’ worth of confusion. Still others could be creative breakthroughs that liberate you from a form of bondage you’ve wrongly accepted as necessary.

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hours of videos to YouTube every minute of every day. Among that swirling flow is a hefty amount of footage devoted exclusively to the amusing behavior of cats. Researchers estimate there are now more than two million clips of feline shenanigans. Despite the stiff competition, I suspect there’s a much better chance than usual that your cat video will go viral if you upload it in the coming weeks. Why? In general, you Leos now have a sixth sense about how to get noticed. You know what you need to do to express yourself confidently and attract attention—not just in regards to your cats, but anything that’s important to you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I know you haven’t

literally been wrestling and wrangling with a sweaty angel. But if I were going to tell a fairy tale about your life lately, I’d be tempted to say this: Your rumble with the sweaty angel is not finished. In fact, the best and holiest part is still to come. But right now you have cosmic permission to take a short break and rest a while. During the lull, ratchet up your determination to learn all you can from your friendly “struggle.” Try to figure out what you’ve been missing about the true nature of the sweaty angel. Vow to become a stronger advocate for yourself and a more rigorous revealer of the wild truth.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Even if you’re not an

occult wizard or pagan priestess, I suspect you now have the power to conjure benevolent love spells. There’s a caveat, however: They will only work if you cast them on yourself. Flinging them

at other people would backfire. But if you do accept that limitation, you’ll be able to invoke a big dose of romantic mojo from both your lower depths and your higher self. Inspiration will be abundantly available as you work to reinvigorate your approach to intimacy and togetherness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here’s some

advice from Scorpio writer Norman Rush: “The main effort of arranging your life should be to progressively reduce the amount of time required to decently maintain yourself so that you can have all the time you want for reading.” It’s understandable that a language specialist like Rush would make the final word of the previous sentence “reading.” But you might choose a different word. And I invite you to do just that. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to devotedly carve out more time to do The Most Important Thing in Your Life.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sixteenth-

century Italian painter Titian was renowned for his brilliant use of color. He was also prolific, versatile and influential. In 2011, one of his paintings sold for $16.9 million. But one of his contemporaries, the incomparable Michelangelo, said that Titian could have been an even greater artist if he had ever mastered the art of drawing. It seems that Titian skipped a step in his early development. Is there any way that your path resembles Titian’s, Sagittarius? Did you neglect to cultivate a basic skill that has subtly (or not so subtly) handicapped your growth ever since? If so, the coming weeks and months will be an excellent time to fix the glitch.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Our obsessive

use of digital devices has diminished our power to focus. According to a study by Microsoft, the average human attention span has shrunk to eight seconds—one second less than that of a typical goldfish. I’m guessing, though, that you Capricorns will buck this trend in the coming weeks. Your ability to concentrate may be exceptional even by pre-internet standards. I hope you’ll take the opportunity of this fortunate anomaly to get a lot of important work and play done.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The time is now,

Brave Aquarius. Be audacious about improving the big little things in your life. (That’s not a typo. I did indeed use the term “big little things.”) For example: Seek out or demand more engaging responsibilities. Bring your penetrating questions to sphinx-like authorities. Go in search of more useful riddles. Redesign the daily rhythm to better meet your unique needs. Refuse “necessary” boredom that’s not truly necessary. Trust what actually works, not what’s merely attractive. Does all that seem too bold and brazen for you to pull off? I assure you that it’s not. You have more clout than you imagine. You also have a growing faith in your own power to make subtle fundamental shifts. (That’s not a typo. I did indeed use the term “subtle fundamental shifts.”)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Love does not at

first mean merging, surrendering, and uniting with another person,” wrote the poet Rilke, “for what would a union be of two people who are unclarified, unfinished, and still incoherent?” That’s an excellent meditation for you to entertain during the Valentine season, Pisces. You’re in the right frame of mind to think about how you could change and educate yourself so as to get the most out of your intimate alliances. Love “is a high inducement for the individual to ripen,” Rilke said, “to become something, to become a world for the sake of another person.” (Thanks to Stephen Mitchell for much of this translation.)

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by KRis VAgNER

Singersongwriter

was definitely a mix. They’re not all, I would say, my favorites, but they were all informing my sound at the time.

Tara Velarde is a singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon, who recently released her first full-length album, Get Out And Walk. Her voice is often described as “angelic,” and she layers classic singer-songwriter vocals over melodies and beats that smoothly shift gears from one influence to another—danceable, old-timey jazz, introspective, Coldplay-type pop, or the occasional Dylanesque harmonica riff. Her plans this month include a short tour with stops in San Francisco and Sacramento—and one in Reno at 8 p.m., Feb. 24 at Studio on 4th, 432 E. Fourth St. The album is available on her website, taravelardemusic.com.

My grandpa is a musician also. He’s from Tennessee. He was always trying to get us to do folk and bluegrass music. [At first we resisted.] Then I noticed my songwriting started gravitating to acoustic melodies …

What does your career look like right now? How much time do you spend touring, recording, performing or writing? It’s pretty busy. I am a teacher. I teach private lessons and choir in my afternoons and evenings. When I’m not doing that I’m playing locally. We have a circuit of gigs we play in the Portland area. At this point we’re doing an extended weekend tour in the Western United States almost every month.

TreaT Your SweeThearT

wiTh

I can hear a few different types of folk music in there too.

Who’s the “we”?

What kinds of venues have you been playing in? We pretty much play anywhere. We can tailor our set to suit what kind of situation we’re in. It’s fun to be in a coffeehouse.

So, I know that the Facebook game where you list the records you were listening to in high school is already a few weeks out of date, but I heard such a range of influences in your songs, a little Dylan, a little Coldplay, that I have to ask—what were you listening to in high school? When I was in high school, the mostsinger-songwriter [artist] was Ingrid Michaelson—her voice, her lyrics, her writing style. Dashboard Confessional. My brother was into My Chemical Romance. My sister listened to a lot of Shania Twain. Then there was, like, Queen. It

I have five siblings. That’s the “we.” My parents are not particularly into playing or singing music, but for some reason my siblings and I played and sang, and we really ran with it. We had my youngest brother picking out harmonies at 3 or 4.

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Has being a music teacher influenced your songwriting? It’s influenced my performance. … I taught elementary music classes for two years. It really helped me with my stage presence in front of a room. When you’re teaching a class of kids you have to be so engaging and so present and entertaining. I’ve been performing my whole life, but [teaching] gave me that crash course.

What are you up to next? We’re going to be touring a lot, trying to get out to Washington, down to California, Nevada, also heading east to Idaho and Montana. That’ll be a focus for a while. We’re going to be doing some festivals in the summer. Ω

by BRUCE VAN DYKE

For your consideration You have just entered … The Twitler Zone. Crash helmet tightened? Let’s go. • A Southern California congressman, Ted Lieu, is a smart, courageous politician who is showing a willingness to actually deal with the proverbial 800-pound gorilla in the room. Lieu, from Cali’s 33rd district, recently said, “We have a problem here in America. Our president lies pathologically. He has his staff lie pathologically, and he attacks the free press. He attacks the judiciary, and this is what starts authoritarianism. Donald Trump is a danger to the republic, and we need to wake up in America to understand the harms he’s causing our country.” Couldn’t have said it better. Thank you, Congressman Lieu. May your comrades begin to join you on the Donald Dogpile, and soon. • Indivisible is the website of the year. They’re showing us

that being politically involved and motivated is far more inspiring and rewarding than constant fetishizing over hollow, meaningless sports obsessions (excepting, of course, crucially important escapist Dubsession!). • Notice how Liar POTUS, Liar Kellyanne Conjob, and Liar Scary Spice have made absolutely zero mention of the January massacre in Quebec? Maybe this has something to do with the fact that six innocent Muslims were killed in cold blood by a snotfaced Trumploydyte. That reality seems noy to fit into the Trump Worldview of Muslim Boogeymen Everywhere. Screw ISIS, Trump, how about you protect us from your armed, demented and deranged supporters? • Prediction—the fave chant at the next anti-Trump marches will be “Lock Him Up!” Also, when is your town hall meeting for Health

Care, Representative Amodei? You be sure to let us know, OK? Something tells me you’re gonna get plenty of feedback at that one. • At the Prayer Breakfast, Trump talked about the ratings for his fucking TV show. The Hustler Huckster In Chief! Just to refresh—Trump is still the producer of that trash. Therefore, praying for increased ratings of a show he owns and gains financial benefit from is a direct violation of the emoluments clause of our U.S. Constitution. Isn’t there one senator, just one, with at least one testicle that, you know, actually dropped and currently resides in the scrotal area to call this asshole out on this blatant bullshit? • If Obama had fucked up in Yemen the way President Bannon just did, you think Republicans woulda noticed? Yemenghazi hearings would already be scheduled! Ω

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