As Bob Dylan might’ve observed about Petaluma this past weekend, “The sun’s not yellow; it’s chicken,” when a poultry-hued sunbeam shone brightly on the quaint burg (once heralded as the “egg basket of the world”). For this, we can thank a potent admixture of arts, advertising and activism.
Friday saw the premiere of Mercury Theater’s The Resurrection of Freddy Chickan, a wild retrospective of nine unforgettable works by performance legend Fred Curchack. Featuring music, puppets, shadow-play, movement and mind-bending visuals—a fever dream of a show that showcases Curchack’s limitless imagination and virtuosic performance chops—the must-see show continues this weekend and is a fundraiser for Mercury Theater (more at mercurytheater.org).
Somehow, in the midst of celebrating Curchack’s onstage victory, we neglected to acknowledge that it was also International Drinking with Chickens Day. This came courtesy of the promotional genius of author Kate E. Richards, who’s pushing her book, Drinking with CHICKENS: Free-range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour, across the bar. Incidentally, Cuchack is Polish for “chicken,” so close enough. Saturday, however, a parade of protestors entreated Petaluma City Council, to “Help The Chickens” (their campaign name and call-to-action) at a local poultry plant (more at helpthechickens.com).
In other matters, studies suggest playing Mozart’s music to plants has a positive effect on their growth. At Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewing Company, they’re playing music to beer.
Albeit, their approach is different, and the outcome sought has little to do with the brewing process, but the effect on the vibe has proved fundamental to the Lagunitas experience. Such was the case this past Memorial Day, when the local institution hosted “‘Live at Lagunitas’ Kicks Off with BottleRock Hangover Show.”
The band in question, the three-piece was The Los Angeles League of Musicians—more popularly known in their abbreviated form as La LOM. The genre-blurring instrumental trio channeled the full spectrum of Los Angeles’ musical DNA into the brewery’s tank room (and later on the main stage).
The experience was part of a Live at Lagunitas’ VIP package, which included a “pre-show hang” in the brewery’s legendary loft (think: a private club meets one’s favorite uncle’s garage with national touring acts signing swag), an intimate set with the band (in the aforementioned tank room, in this case) and reserved space for the main show (meaning one gets to plant their butt on the lawn before the masses plant theirs).
We found playwright and Argus-Courier community editor David Templeton in the lounge and spent the next several hours swaying to the music but perhaps swaying more from the beer. Five out of five (IPAs). Would do it again.
