A rare performance by musician Craig Padilla tonight

As seen in a newsstand in McCloud California. News of a rare public performance.
Craig Padilla ArticleThanks to Jon Lewis for the journalistic heads-up in After Five. Craig Padilla will be playing in Red Bluff tonight.

Craig Padilla PosterCome out and support this unique homegrown artist tonight in Red Bluff. Then spotted in a music store window. Big news. Craig Padilla hasn’t played his hometown in years. Now’s your chance to see and hear this Ambient and Electronic Music artist from the Northstate, now known all over the world.

7:00 PM
Tickets just $15 and go to benefit a Red Bluff scholarship fund.
Red Bluff Elks Lodge
355 Gilmore Rd

Support a local artist and benefit a scholar.

DEVO memories in Redding

Somber to learn that guitarist Bob Casales of Devo has made the transition to his next performance. Condolences to family, fans, and band mates evolved and de-evolved. In memorial, I’m re-running this post that I also re-ran last year when drummer Alan Meyers passed. It puts focus on people of my general age. More behind us than ahead. Man, the 80’s were awesome, though.

When DEVO came to Redding

Devo plays redding ca at the civic auditoriumMark MothersbaughWow, was it thirty years ago? Looking through an old box in the closet, I ran across these photographs I took at the Redding Civic when DEVO came to town in 1982.

Are we not men? We are DEVO!

Sure, it looks like the singer is wearing a flower pot hat, but DEVO fans know them as “Energy Domes.” I was a fan back then, but not enough to have bought a ticket. A friend gave me the ticket. Her 15 year old daughter won the seats from a radio promotion, and mom really didn’t want to go. Front row! Hence, the good shots. The show was much better than I expected.

Devo singerThis was the era of the “It’s a Beautiful World” single, which was a show highlight.

It’s a beautiful world we live in,
A sweet romantic place,
Beautiful people everywhere,
The way they show they care
Makes me want to say,

It’s a wonderful time to be here,
It’s nice to be alive,
Wonderful people everywhere,
The way they comb their hair

(Chorus)
It’s a beautiful world (three times)
For you (three times)

Devo rocks ReddingEverything I’d heard by DEVO was sort-of deliberately sterile sounding, I think. Art music. Almost a parody of itself. Certainly a sarcastic reflection of pop culture.

The funny thing about pop culture is that even self-parody acknowledgement of its own banality becomes more pop culture, perhaps even the best of it.

What I wouldn’t have guessed was how hard they rocked. Obviously, having risen through the punk clubscene, they’d learned to move an audience. This wasn’t studio music played live. They engaged the crowd, playing it hard with abandon. Up front, and hearing mostly the stage monitors, I was impressed. A tight rock band.

Mark Mothersbaugh in redding CADevo singer Mark Mothersbaugh has gone on to become an accomplished artist in both film scores and visual arts. An extremely impressive list of accomplishments by any measure.
They still play as a band too. The DEVO webiste had recent video from a SF show at the Fillmore.
Amazing.
I like the final image in my series. You can tell this was taken some time ago. Outstretched arms aren’t holding up cell phones recording the moment. We were just in the moment.
Devo rocks the civic in 1982
I think that’s Bob grinning ear to ear. I know I was. All photos by Skip Murphy, 1982.

Finally some winter weather

We’re finally seeing a bit of winter here in Redding. I captured this image of Mt Shasta during a brief break in the recent storm.
2-10-14

Hopefully there is even more snow on her now. This drought year promises to be a challenging event.

Mabel and her bike

Columnist/Blogger Marc Beauchamp posted this interesting image of his maternal grandmother Mabel Frisbie and her bike in Redding circa 1910 in anticipation of a presentation about local bicycling.
Mabel Frisbie1I wondered if I could clean it up. I’m not sure I added any clarity to the subject, but here’s what I ended up with. It was fun work, and I learned a few things.
Mabel Frisbie4The “Women on Wheels” presentation is happening Saturday February 15, at the Shasta County Downtown College Building across the promenade from the Historical Society. It starts at 1:30 pm, and will feature Anne Thomas of Shasta Living Streets. I hope to be there if I’m not working. Thanks much to Marc Beauchamp for sharing the image.

Breakfast in McCloud, at The White Mountain Cafe

McCloud California is about an hour’s drive north of Redding. Here’s The McCloud River Mercantile Hotel and the White Mountain Cafe yesterday.
McCloud Cafe 1280

McCloud Cafe interior 1280
Stop in for a maple/apple crisp and a cuppa coffee. And then outside, Mt Shasta.
MtShasta Feb52014
I don’t recall ever seeing her so quite barren in February. Hopefully, today’s storm brings the snow.
White Mountain Fountain

Click on the image to go to their site and menu. Here’s a note from the hotel proprietor:
“It has been a mild winter, the weather has been great but we need some snow. Please call us for a 10% discount off any room.
The McCloud River Mercantile Hotel – 530.964.2602.”