Fresh ink, Soul Salvation and drumming superstars

by Chris Aaland

I’d never been tattooed. Never been pierced, for that matter. While rebellious in other areas of my life, the need to have my flesh altered with anything other than stretch marks just wasn’t my cup of tea.

It almost happened a few years ago. I was going to get the Fort Lewis men’s soccer crest emblazoned on my right calf and envisioned using it as a fund-raiser for the Fredrick Brothers scholarship endowment at the Fort in the months that followed the Skyhawks’ march to the 2009 NCAA title. But work duties forced me out of town at the last minute, and I cancelled my appointment — and sacrificed a hefty deposit in the process. Being a bitter man, I boycotted all things tattoo-related for the next two years.

Several weeks ago, my wife, Shelly, paid homage to our recently deceased 5-month old son by having “GUS” needled into her wrist. I was so moved by her living, loving tribute — and a much larger winged memorial that her brother, Dan, got on his arm — that I agreed to visit Your Flesh and meet tattoo artist Tom Kipp. I already had an idea in mind: a gold aspen leaf with Gus’ name. My little guy loved watching leaves shimmy in the wind. I thought a little physical pain was a small sacrifice after nearly three months of mental anguish.

So last Tuesday afternoon, Tom worked his magic on me for an hour and a half. I’d heard horror stories about how painful this would be. But I consider my pain tolerance to be high. I can’t count the number of sports-related injuries I’ve suffered, including literally hundreds of sprained ankles, nearly a dozen shoulder separations and dislocations, several concussions, a handful of broken bones, countless stitches to my face and hands, and three knee surgeries. I even stayed awake with just local anesthesia during my last ACL replacement — something I highly recommend if you ever go under the knife. Pain? Tattoo needles on the fleshy part between my right biceps and triceps seemed to be a warm annoyance, more than anything. It felt like a constant tugging on my skin.

The time passed quickly. Tom and I run in similar circles. He’s a former KDUR DJ and our paths crossed on occasion when we volunteered for adjacent shows on the station’s schedule. While our musical tastes are different, alternative rock provided enough artists for an intersection where we could swap stories and recommendations of concerts and vinyl. We also share quite a few drinking buddies, although we’ve never tipped back pints together.
Before long, I sported a beautiful, 2-by-3-inch orange aspen leaf with a green ribbon behind it and Gus’ name in sky blue outlined in black in a separate banner across the leaf.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Gus. I’m a 43-year-old man reduced to tears on a regular basis. But for the past seven days, all I have to do is look at my beautiful tattoo and I’m transported back to holding Gus in Patty and Larry Hall’s apple orchard, watching him reach out and touch the golden leaves on the trees. Thank you, Tom.

Ruthie Foster and Paul Thorn bring “Soul Salvation” to the Community Concert Hall at 7 p.m. tonight (Thurs., Feb. 16). Foster is no stranger to these parts, having played the Concert Hall and numerous Four Corners Folk Festivals in the past. This time around, she’s supporting her latest album, “Let it Burn.” Critics compare her voice to Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples — high praise, indeed.

Thorn has emerged as an authentic voice in the modern blues scene. His autobiographical “Pimps & Preachers” CD embraces the yin-yang of his Southern upbringing, including lessons learned from his Pentecostal minister father and his uncle, who was literally a pimp. The two will perform independently as well as together with Foster’s band.

The Babylon Collapse Sound System hosts a KDUR benefit at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Abbey Theatre. Acts include Colorado roots reggae pioneers Dubskin, New York reggae/funk act Thunder Body, plus Mikey Thunder and DJ I-Gene. The Fort Collins-based Dubskin has released a pair of albums and recently completed its third, “Release from Fear.” Thunder Body steeps its music in ambient noise.

Traditional Japanese drumming comes to the Community Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Monday in the form of TAO’s “The Art of Drum.” These veritable “rock stars” of Taiko are explosive drummers who incorporate contemporary costumes and innovative choreography into their shows.

The Durango Arts Center presents “Wild Horses in the Winds of Change,” a film screening and fund-raiser by local filmmaker Mara LeGrand from 6-9:30 p.m. Sunday. The film dispels myths that prevail about America’s wild horses and calls upon humanity to be guardians of the natural world as it makes clear the complex issues facing wild horse populations. Proceeds from the fund-raiser will fund editing costs for the film’s appearance on PBS.

The 6 p.m. reception includes music by the Lisa Blue Trio and vegetarian paella prepared on site by Café of Life practitioners Petra and Clay Sullwold and Jay Komarak. From 7-8:30 p.m., the film will be screened, along with a Q&A session with LeGrand and guest speaker Jonathan Ratner. The Sullwolds, who are chiropractors for people and animals, will share their hands-on healing experiences with horses from 8:30-9 p.m. The winning bids for the silent auction will be announced at 9 p.m.

Moe’s brings us such entertaining diversions as live music with the Intelli-Gents on Friday; the Fresh Jams presentation of “Bristol Style,” with DJs such as Ras Daws, Phantom Cloud and Mikal Dark on Saturday; and the weekly Musica del Mundo on Sunday and Moe’s Monday Movie Madness trivia contest.

Also on tap: Freeplay at tonight’s Ska-B-Q and Black Velvet at the Derailed Saloon at 8 p.m. Friday.

This week’s Top Shelf list is a simple wish that our community can reach out to two of my friends whose daughters tragically died Saturday night … just as they reached out to Shelly and me three months ago. Kimber Brown, the 5-year-old daughter of Mike and Raelynn Brown of Durango, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep. Audrey Dawes, the 21-year-old daughter of Monte and Keren Maxwell of Aztec, died in a house fire.

I swear I see my reflection some place so high above this wall? E-mail me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.