Going all in
Support your community; it's all we have

Community and locality are interesting, if not sometimes abstract, mutable concepts. Like many of us, I found my own community within the greater community of which I am somewhat protective. Protective of the people, places and things even adjacent to my personal community. And while I might be protective of them, I have zero control over them. Because we live in such a rural area – sometimes an achingly rural area, by my estimation – your Venn diagram of community and my Venn diagram of community are bound to intersect. That’s what they do. For better and worse. Whether we want them to or not.
Within those intersections, there are going to be perpetual happenings and changes, and inevitable ripple effects. In a tiny town (cue The Dead Milkmen!), those ripple effects will be felt by more and more people. Aside from the constant that is change, the only other one might be death. This community, like every community everywhere, is going to experience death and all its tendrils. It’s omnipresence. Relationships die, people get sick, and yes, eventually, we all die. But it seems like there has been more of it in my personal and tangential community as of late, and I’m thankful to have the people here, in this community to lean on and to talk to and to process with, to laugh and grieve with, to remember and reminisce with, and to get pissed off with. Then we circle back around and do it all over again, in perpetuity. With each other.
So, embrace the community you have chosen here or glommed on to, and go out and support the local arts and music options forthcoming. On Fri., Feb. 24, you’ve got a handful of options. Jenn Rawling is an abstract painter, singer-songwriter and much more. She has an upcoming exhibit, “Tracks: Image & Sound: A solo exhibition,” and the opening reception at Studio &, at 1027 Main Ave., is from 5-9 p.m. Rawling described the event as “a visual, audio tour of 10 abstract paintings that coincide with each song on the new record.” That new album, “Hand Me a Shovel,” was recorded over a two-year span with Thomas Bailey. Bailey produced, engineered and played on the record, and features contributions from Jon Bailey (his brother), Stephen Sellers, Scott Roberts and Alissa Wolf.
Also on Friday, KDUR – of which I am an employee but not personally, fiscally benefitting from – is hosting an intimate evening of music with Slim Cessna at Jimmy’s Music & Supply on 1239 Main Ave., Suite 101. Slim Cessna is the front person of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, a band based in Denver since the ’90s that has become legendary for raucous live shows rooted in various styles of American music. Slim was here in Durango back in the early aughts with the Auto Club, playing a daytime set on Main Avenue, and then appeared at the sadly, regrettably now-defunct venue The Summit. Slim will be appearing alongside his wife, Maria, accompanying him on autoharp. If any tickets are left, they will be available at the radio station on campus until 3 p.m. Friday, or at the door.
On Sat., Feb. 25, do everything in your power to see the triple bill of bands playing at Anarchy Brewing, at 225 E. 8th Ave., Unit C. Music will likely start around 6 p.m. and go until 9 p.m. For a $5 cover, you can catch Acid Wrench, Lo Cash Ninjas and American Businessman. It’s reassuring to see the recent influx of bands playing in and around town of a certain, noisier ilk. I’m not going to attempt to genre classify or pigeonhole any of the bands playing that night, but if you are a fan of heavier, guitar-driven rock and roll with elements of punk, noise, metal and all the deviations therein, just go to the show. It will be loud, there will be pogo’ing, apparently beer is served at breweries, and the house music at Anarchy is possibly, maybe the best within city limits. I would absolutely do a better job with the music, but I don’t work there. I’m kidding. Or am I?
Here’s the thing – support the local art and music communities; it’s your community, and it’s constantly evolving and revolving. You never know when you’re going to see that person for the last time, so do the most with whatever time you/we have left. You can kill some of that time berating me if it helps.
Send your tirades and record recommendations along with questions, comments or gripes.
Especially the gripes.
Jon E. Lynch is the program director at KDUR. He can be reached at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu
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