Traversing the cosmos, voodoo rockabilly and raspberries

by Chris Aaland

Kalya Scintilla brings his universal shamanic sounds to the ACT at 10 p.m. Fri., Feb. 7.

Well, that just sucked. Super Bowl XLVIII was a horrible experience right from the time Bill O’Reilly insulted Barack Obama in his pregame interview through the opening safety, the botched kickoff coverage and three Peyton Manning turnovers. Hail Peyton, my ass. Let’s just move past that.

Beatlemania was born 50 years ago when the Fab Four arrived in New York. Fittingly, “Yesterday – A Tribute to The Beatles” takes the stage at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Concert Hall. Founded by John Lennon impersonator Don Bellezzo, Yesterday’s shows are complete with vintage video and authentic accents, costumes and instruments. They take the audience on a rousing tour from Liverpool’s Cavern Club, the “Ed Sullivan Show,” the historic Hollywood Bowl and Shea Stadium performances, right on into the Sgt. Pepper era.

“Saturday Night Live” veteran Colin Quinn tackles 226 years of American Constitutional calamities in “Unconstitutional,” which is staged at 7 p.m. tonight (Thurs., Feb. 6) at the Community Concert Hall. In 1787, 55 delegates in wigs and tights sat down to create a country from scratch. In 2014, Quinn offers his unique comedic perspective on the U.S. national character. From predator drones to the Kardashians, he pulls no punches in asking if this is what the founding fathers envisioned.

Up-and-coming rockabilly band Voodoo Swing plays Crash Music at the historic Aztec Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday. While they’ve been around 20 years, I just recently discovered them through their 14-song “Fast Cars, Guitars, Tattoos & Scars” CD, which the band says represents their “thoughts, angst, joy and trials of living music.” It’s dirty, greasy rockabilly that crashes, thrashes and stumbles in glorious, drunken abandon.

If you ever swayed to Clint Black’s many Top 40 radio ballads back in the ’90s, then you’ve surely purchased tickets to see the country superstar in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Farmington Civic Center. When Black broke onto the airwaves in the late ’80s, Alan Jackson still worked in the mail room at The Nashville Network, Garth Brooks was a songwriter whose tunes had been turned down by virtually every record label in town, and Miley Cyrus wasn’t even a twitch in her then-unknown daddy’s pants yet. But Black’s songs like “State of Mind,” “Killin’ Time” and “Put Yourself in My Shoes” were ripping up the charts.

Opera sensation Renée Fleming returns to one of her signature roles, the title character in Dvorak’s soulful fairy-tale opera, “Rusalka,” when The Met: Live in HD continues at Fort Lewis at 10:55 a.m. on Sat., Feb. 8. It’s presented in the Vallecito Room of the FLC Student Union, just down the hallway from where Kynan & Rags crank truly obnoxious hogjaw on KDUR each Saturday morning … so you can get your fill of Dvorak and Slim Cessna by standing in the hallway halfway between the two.

Carvers remembers Peter Carver, who would have turned 25 this Sunday but was killed in an avalanche north of Silverton a year ago. The kitchen will close early at 7:30 p.m. and the birthday bash takes place from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Hoppy Birthday Peter, an English cream ale concocted with guest brewers Colin and Clair Carver, will be tapped, while Waiting on Trial plays high-energy bluegrass. Light appetizers will be served, while an auction of Peter’s Pablo James Carver photography and a cash bar will raise money for the Peter Carver Memorial Forest at Chapman Hill.

Hot times are in store for the drinking class at 3 p.m. Friday at Steamworks when this month’s firkin gets tapped. The February firkin offers a new twist on chile beer, Flaming Willie. With a base of Steamworks’ McDammit’s Wee Heavy Scotch Ale – already brimming with malty caramel and roasted malt flavors – gets kicked up a notch with ancho, guarillo, habañero, poblano and New Mexico’s famous green chiles. “The cask ale will be both sweet and spicy with flavors of the chile blend and rich-toasted toffee goodness,” said Brewmaster Ken Martin. “Cask-conditioned ale is considered by many to be the genuine article,” said brewer Spencer Roper. “Real beer for real people who appreciate quality, character and distinction … the Flaming Willie is all about that.”

Elsewhere: Jack Ellis does acoustic blues and more at the Derailed Pour House from 6-10 p.m. tonight (Thurs., Feb. 6) and the Office Spiritorium from 7-11 Friday; the Black Velvet duo plays 6512 Restaurant & Lounge at 7 p.m. Friday; and Sky Pilot brings its jazzy jam to the Miner’s Tavern in Silverton from 8 ‘til midnight Friday.

And coming to the Animas City Theatre at 10 p.m. Friday is Kalya Scintilla & Kaminanda, with an opening set by Z-Ride. World music and meditation aren’t my strong suits, so I’ll delve straight into the artist’s bio. I shit you not, this is what it says: “Traversing the cosmos, gliding across dimensions beyond time and space, Scintilla brings universal shamanic journeys through his music to planet earth straight from his heart. His music paints sacred soundscapes with world fusion beats from ancient futures hidden amongst our forgotten memories to bring forth lush healing vibrations to activate the dormant codes within us. Infusing his love for nature, tribal healing, sacred geometry, and Hathor wisdom; Kalya is able to birth heart-opening crescendos that open doorways into our personal and collective awakening.” I must confess: I haven’t heard a note of his music. But I did eat my first piece of legally procured, edible raspberry candy during the third quarter of Sunday’s Super Blowout. It took me to a nice, mellow, groovy, smiley place. Scintillating, in fact. I have one raspberry left. I might have to visit the ACT on Friday after dessert.

This week’s Top Shelf list is my annual recap of my Wild Game Super Bowl menu, with their creators. Dirk Lang owes it to Durango to open his own Cajun restaurant … or bring back his annual spring crawdad boil, at the very least:

1. Alligator and crawdad pie, by Dirk Lang
2. Smoked pheasant and elk sausage gumbo, me
3. Quail taquitos, Aaron Hyder
4. Elk sausage and queso-fresco-stuffed, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, me
5. Prosciutto-wrapped pheasant tenders, Jerry McBride
6. Smoked pheasant and chipotle tamales, me
7. Ginger snaps, Marie Jarvis-Rolfing
8. Spice cake, Steve Miller
9. Keg o’ Pinstripe, Ska Brewing

Yellow mother custard dripping from a dead dog’s eye? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.