Volume 3, Issue 16
August 2 - August 15, 2001

OH, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

Yes, it does get lonely up here in our ivory tower. Or it did, before we had neighbors. Our world-famous headquarters on Colfax and Marion has been largely vacant since we moved here last September. Sure, Chloe's was open downstairs for three or four months (or was it three or four days?) and there was this nice lawyer guy next door who coughed a lot. Other than that, we had the run of the place.

Just this month, however, some friends moved in to keep us company. Dress For Success, a wonderful charity dedicated to providing low-income women with high-income clothing for job interviews, took over the other half of our floor, and we couldn't ask for a better neighbor. Meanwhile, our old chums at Urban Renewal took over the awesome corner plot on the first floor, as well as the entire basement. Besides being one of the best hair salons on Capitol Hill, Urban Renewal is expanding its massage and spa facilities. You should have seen the dreamy look on our art director's face when she found out a massage was only an elevator ride away.

But we're not hogging all the glory. Floyd's Barbershop opened a satellite franchise just across the street. Down in Urban Renewal's old strip on 14th and Ogden, Twisted Sol recently took advantage of N'Motion's sudden departure to expand yet again, meaning the waiting list for Denver's top tattoo shop could finally be shorter than six weeks.

Serina Gray, the subject of a recent Style section in these pages [ www.gogomagazine.com/0313/style.html], finally fought her way through the usual delays and headaches of opening a new store, and propped open the door to the most classy and beautful boutique to ever crouch on Colfax's curb. The store's at Colfax and York, and houses several fashions for women (with men's stuff coming in any day now) and a tailoring room in back, ready to go for custom designs.

So this whole corridor of Colfax, particularly between Downing and York, is undergoing something of a renaissance. Property values are soaring, storefronts are getting their windows washed, new businesses are moving in every month (and there's still plenty of prime real estate available), and there are even pretty potted plants popping up on every corner. And all this was set in motion when we dropped anchor here nearly a year ago. Coincidence? You make the call.

LOATHING 'DEER AND LOATHING'

Hey guys,
I am certain that despite the fact that Andrew Wells was given a "simple assignment" to see what Artwalk [ www.gogomagazine.com/0314] was all about, he still had to make an interesting piece for your publication. I am also certain that as a writer, finding the right angle to satisfy your readership was not so simple. I am even three times as certain that as a relatively "green" writer, Andy had to give it all the synapse he could fire up.

But good lord, paralleling Salida with a road trip to Vegas?

C'mon. You should have at least given him some good drugs.

I am a writer and gallery owner here in Salida. I guess the only thing I can say is I am dissapointed. One, I think a better piece could have been written ... and not just in terms on content. Say what you want, but make it fresh ... or at least original. I'm guessing Andy was up all night with a deadline ... lost a few notes ... remembered a bit ... and made up the rest.

He missed the Mud Fest, a plethora of excellent food, the night scene (I was up until 2 am with three different bands on the streets), six new galleries, a whole ton of shit I could have pulled out of my ass. What was that shot of the sidewalk all about? The skate park is over there. It seems obvious that the boy's creativity is showing (dropped its pants in fact) ... unfortunately, it has cannibalized the article.

Drop me a line and let me know what your audience is. Maybe I'll shut up.

Otherwise, show us the story, not your armpits.

Thanks, and I do like your 'zine...
--James Brown

Yes, our fans do have a funny way of showing us love. "Deer And Loathing In Salida" has generated the most varied response of any cover story in our history. Some people loved it; some people hated it. Everyone had a detailed analysis of what was right-- or wrong-- about it. (This is just one of many letters we received regarding the quality of Andy's work.)

Regardless of how good or bad the story was, however, from my standpoint, it has been a complete success. Our goal here at Go-Go has been to test the boundaries of alternative journalism, and experiment with ideas and methods that have been discarded for ages by more hardline (and therefore boring) publications. By definition, experiments either succeed or fail, but they always lead to an increase in knowledge. "Deer And Loathing" certainly succeeded in engaging our readers, whatever its failures, and by that measuring stick, I'd say you'll see a lot more of Andy and his creatively dropped pants in the future. I just hope he doesn't miss the Mud Fest next time.

--Chris J. Magyar