News
| Rowdy crowd forces The Vista to go 21+ | |
It's the time of year when the only way to make it through the Slug Festivities Guide in anything close to two minutes, is to talk really slowly. Save for Dragged By Horses playing an all-ages show at Mosgo's on Friday night and The 3 Heads' annual return to the Indigo Nightclub with Strix Vega on Saturday, there was already so little happening until the new year. Now, there's even less. Read More
| |
| The Lonely H's at The Vista | |
| Four of the five members of The Lonely H just graduated high school in June of '07 and went on their first ever U.S. tour for two months. Now they're back at it - and dropped out of college to pursue the rock 'n' roll dream. So they mean it! And have the sound to back it up.
Swaddled tight in the electrified buckskin of their classic rock-n-roll forefathers, our five Washington braves set out to blanket America in a hot winter blizzard. Don't be fooled by the silk strands tucked behind their ears: what the maps don't tell you is that all-night drives make for better lives, deer come out of nowhere, and what parents don't know (night after night) won't kill them.
The Lonely H spent their graduation summer [2007] touring coast-to-coast in support of their new record and got a glimmer of the mission they were born to undertake. Tour is a magical place where every stage, no matter how high, is a new opportunity to deliver the goods. Armed with melodies that sound like letters to Penthouse etched on colored vinyl, the band lifted, lightened, and gave rise to every technical challenge. Bulletins started coming in over the wire from fans and bloggers [MSNBC, The New York Post, CMJ]. So, from Memphis to Manhattan went pockets full of picks, licks, pianos, and the living-loving swagger that has happily intoxicated the Pacific Northwest the last few years.
Thanks to these starlit marauders, Port Angeles can sometimes sound like the good parts of 1970's Los Angeles depending what Saturday night they're home. Idling the van for a wise fall quarter at the University Of Washington, the H cracked books and fantasized with giddy relief about their soon-to-be-months out on the road in 2008. They can handle it, mama. Not only did they survive the twelfth grade riding ferries to play rock shows on school nights, they simultaneously penned and released two albums with heart and heat to match [Kick Upstairs (2006) and Hair (2007) The Control Group].
See you next year...without a signed permission slip.
"The achingly epic vocal and lead piano belongs in a stadium full of bell bottoms and lighters raised heavenward." MSNBC
"Taut live shows swirled with swank three-part vocal harmonies earned the band a 'don't miss this' reputation." SPIN
"Truly infectious old-school rock n' roll." The New York Post
"Talk about overachievers." CMJ
| |
| Unfair! Not the same old North Country Fair | |
The "Same Old People" who'd run the fair more or less since the start were gone, replaced by new management in the person of Washington Vera, a local concert promoter with a less-than-stellar reputation among those in the local live music scene -- a reputation for cutting corners and promising things he doesn't deliver.
Read More
| |
| Beautiful anachronisms at the Synapsis | |
There is music you stick on in the background while you do the dishes, and there is music that arrests your attention and demands you do nothing but soak it in. Read More
| |
| The 3 Heads return to play last show at Indigo | |
| The 3 Heads have come a long way from the punk group that formed in the late '90s in Eureka.
When we started off we were doing it for fun. We mainly got by on our stage antics, Lead Guitarist and Vocalist Heath Francis said. We didn't even know how to tune our instruments.
Read More
| |
| AS PRESENTS TEGAN AND SARA | |
| AS Presents Tegan and Sara on Saturday, April 19th at 9 p.m. in the Kate Buchanan Room, Humboldt State University. Folk-rock duo Tegan and Sara first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 1998, when they earned the highest score in history at Calgary's "Garage Warz" competition. Their quick rise didn't stop, for their melodic acoustics and charming stage personas led to a slew of dates with Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair that same year and a record deal with Neil Young's Vapor Records. In 2007, Tegan sang backup on a song on new Sire labelmate Against Me!'s album New Wave, and the twins, who had by now moved far from the singer/songwriter mold and were more interested in exploring pop, punk, and indie rock, came out with Christopher Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie) who produced The Con. Tickets are $25 general and $20 HSU students. Tickets are available at the University Ticket Office at HSU.
For more information and credit card orders call CenterArts at 826-3928
| |
| Notable upcoming events | |
In January, 1957, three months after the Soviets launched Sputnik, the U.S. launched its own satellite called Explorer 1. The space race had begun. Meet Daria Topousis, NASA Solar System Ambassador and hear about Explorer 1, the people who built it, the subsequent projects that led to humans landing on the moon and other solar system exploration.
Read More
| |
| Excelling in music | |
More than a few jaws dropped when Mike Mills, bassist for the group R.E.M., confessed to being a closet tuba player.Read More
| |
| Indigo sold but will soon reopen in new form | |
The only dance club in Humboldt County is closing its doors. Although many people may still think it's Club West, Indigo functioned for two and a half years trying to get out from under the reputation of the former venue. Indigo's owner Geoff Brandon said even the people who knew better would still call it Club Indigo and didn't realize it's not owned by the same people.
Read More
| |
| What's up at Mateel? | |
Tickets are now available for the first two Mateel Community Center-produced events of 2008.
Read More
| |
| Classical guitarist to play Fortuna Concert Series | |
The Fortuna Concert Series returns following a break for the holidays, so be sure to mark Jan. 12 on your calendar. The first three concerts had casts of between four and six performers, which filled the stage with color, class and musical magic, but in the spirit of the Monday Club, the series is bringing an entirely different style to its hallowed hall, a solo performer.
Read More
| |
| Humboldt County bands of MySpace -- round three | |
Myspace has pretty much jumped the shark at this point -- bands have realized that the fine print actually allows Rupert Murdoch to steal your songs, the ads are out of control, passwords are about as secure as a credit card in a lost wallet.
Read More
| |
| Be still my beating, broken, bloody heart ... | |
In a cramped living room, packed in so tight with two couches and musical equipment that the slightest wrong step would shut down the music, they practice.
| |
| Red Fox Tavern presents bluegrass pickers party | |
The Red Fox has been the scene of some exciting musical shows featuring many quality performers. These shows were held during the week and on Friday and Saturday nights, but what about Sundays?
Read More
| |
| Bess Dove 2007 (according to the Journal) | |
Tis the week before Christmas and through most of the county, not much is stirring with a few exceptions. Well run through a handful of notable shows and then move on to some ideas for last minute Solstice/Xmas/Kwanzaa/belated-Hanukkah holiday shopping for music lovers yes, the annual best-of lists.
Read More
| |
| Karaoke review, Karaoke is my release. | |
People thought it was going to be a fad, but I dont think its going away, declares DJ Leonard Smith. Youd be hard pressed to argue otherwise last Thursday night at Blue Lake Casinos Wave nightclub. Leonard is keeping a steady rotation of singers running through the night. This isnt a weekend night, yet the crowd continued to build, pushing 1 a.m.
Read More
| |
| Radio days | |
Pete Meyer listened to baseball on the radio while growing up in Seattle, Wash.
As a teenager, he and his friends assembled a radio station in his bedroom. They went to an electronics store and bought a small broadcast kit/transmitter.
We hooked up a microphone and some turntables to it and actually put it together and had shows for me and a few of my friends, Meyer said.
Read More
| |
| North Coast piano prodigy returns home in concert | |
A gifted young pianist who is making an indelible mark in the music world is coming back to where it all began -- Humboldt County. His name is Ryan McEvoy McCullough, and although the 20-year-old was born in Boston, he was just a little more than 2 years old when his family moved to Eureka.
Read More
| |
| Humboldt Brews reopens | |
| After years of wear and tear, Humboldt Brews received a much-needed remodel.
On Dec. 6, 2007, the business will reopen. It has been closed since May. The remodeled interior will be a music-centered venue. It will have a bigger stage and dance floor as well as a redesigned restaurant area.
Read More
| |
| (Re)introducing the 3 Heads | |
Something is brewing in Los Angeles right now. No, it's not Nicole Ritchie on the wrong side of the highway, or Britney Spears' lack of lady-like unmentionables, but it is just as serious -- in a kick butt sort of musical way. Read More
| |
| Music for a Cold Winter Night - The Hum by Bob Doran | |
They dont call themselves Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band because they have a lot of members, its just a trio, but the sound they make raw, bold blues played on acoustic instruments is big and loud as can be.
Read More
| |
| Finely tuned | |
Geoffrey Daugherty set a goal for himself at the age of 14: to become a bassist and a photographer and to work with stringed instruments, just like his dad.
Read More
| |
| THE VISTA - update | |
| An email from the Vista nightclub follows (ed) -
Due to a series of horrible events that transpired last Saturday (i.e. someone throwing a bottle through the window, breaking and/or carving the restaurant tables, tagging the bathrooms, kids getting caught drinking outside by the police and someone stealing my microphones and stands and yet again breaking my P.A., etc.), The Vista will no longer be all-ages. I tried my best, but the management is not budging on this and to be honest I can't really blame them.
Jon Fussell
Booking Agent
The Vista
| |
| The comforts of home | |
Driving up the dirt road leading to Thomas James' home, you would not expect the small two-story, wood-shingled tower to be both a home and a recording studio. Walking inside, egg cartons line the walls absorbing sound, and musical and recording equipment cover most of the second floor. It is here where Light Factory Studios was born. Read More
| |
| Standard Time best of 2006 | |
Was that it? 2006 is over, and musically, I feel like we never even got a chance to say hello. Inevitably, I barely even got started on my musical New Year's Resolutions this year, like: Go to more shows featuring local bands, make sure to get CenterArts tickets early, check out open mics, better explore local hip-hop, get my own radio show. Maybe next year, right?
Read More
| |
| Sara Bareilles' return is rowdy, rapturous | |
Host Jose Recendiz worked annoyingly overtime Friday night lathering the crowd for Sara Bareilles' small-town-girl-becomes-overnight-sensation show at the Eureka Theater. He needn't have bothered. Not only did the opening acts -- Mario Matteoli and Raining Jane -- create a cozy, copasetic sense of enthusiasm and empathy in the audience but once on stage, Ms. Bareilles pummeled them. Just whacked 'em.
Read More
| |
| The Savage Eye Jan. 8, 2008 | |
Proving once again that shes as fearless as she is clever, Arcata songstress Lila Nelson has incorporated a new feature, Write Your Own Damn Songs, into her Sunday radio show on KHUM 104.3 FM.
Read More
| |
| Fire marshal orders Synapsis to close doors; Placebo could be next | |
The city of Eurekas industrial area is at a development crossroads, and Synapsis Performance and Art Space and The Placebo organizers hope they will be part of that areas future formulae.
Read More
| |
| Happy Merry - the Hum | |
| The Hum 12/13
Happy Merry
Xmas shows plus the usual rock, jazz, punk etc.
There are 12 shopping days until Xmas, but don't start counting those partridges yet, not unless you're part of the Christmas bird count. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" you hear about in song this time of year start on Christmas Day and run until Epiphany (the day the wise guys came to call).
What with the proximity to the big day, the entertainment is rolling into full holidaze mode with diminishing club action amid dancing mice and visions of sugarplums. (What other time of year do people attend ballet performances?)
Up at the Van Duzer Friday, they have Tomáseen Foleys A Celtic Christmas, with Xmas stories and all sorts of Irishness pennywhistles, stepdancing you get the picture. Unfortunately Riverdance has permanently spoiled Irish dancing for me, and I can't hear a pennywhistle without thinking of those horrid Irish Spring soap commercials.
I'm thinking A Very Playhouse Christmas may be more my speed. If you haven't heard about it, it's a holiday-themed music/comedy review going into its second (and final) weekend at the Arcata Playhouse. The director is David Ferney who runs the Playhouse; his wife, Jackie Dandeneau, is one of three stars of the show, which David explained is a direct result of Jackie's feelings for the holiday season.
"Jackie loves everything about Christmas," David told me, admitting that he just kind of likes it. "And she's always wanted to do a Christmasy show," he continued.
In the show Jackie is Mrs. O.R. Ganize, an obsessive/compulsive type who organizes a Christmas show with help from her aerobics instructor Babbette LeJoie (Elizabeth Masters), an '80s New Jersey type who David describes as "over-the-top bubbly." Dell'Arte vet Tyler Olsen plays Mr. S.K. Rooge IX, who, as you might guess, is the Scrooge-ish anti-Xmas foil, in this case one who's intent on a politically correct holiday. The interactions of the trio provide a framework for slapstick, silliness and songs, with the always-amazing Tim Randles at the keyboard providing soundtrack and backing. They've also worked in a collection of guests including Tara Caraiso, Sarah Cory, Lewis Armin-Hoiland, the Blue Lake Children's Choir and the Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir. (The AIGC will be at the Playhouse Friday night; they're also singing on the Arcata Plaza earlier for Arts! Arcata. And they have their own holiday show in at the Presbyterian Church in Eureka Saturday evening.) The always enchanting Lila Nelson is in the Playhouse show Saturday, and, notes David, just confirmed for the Sunday matinee, "the lovely and talented Beti Trauth," who saw the review last weekend and was recruited on the spot. Come early or stay late for eggnog, hot cider and cookies.
The lovely, talented and tattooed alt. chanteuse Universalia Jane writes saying, "Jane here to let ya know that we (Universalia Jane and the Jet Set) are playing the Logger Bar with Tanuki (Tanuki is playing last) on the 15th of December. It will start directly after the Dell'Arte holiday show, The Hunting of the Snark, which probably, means around 9:30-ish." I've heard good things about Dell'Arte's musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's strange nonsense poem and about Deric's new band Tanuki. And Jane is just plain great. The combination should make for a fine Saturday night.
More seasonality: The theatrical folks from Shake The Bard are taping Static and Starlight: A Holiday Radio Show by Tim McDermond at the Accident Gallery Friday and Saturday. If you miss it or want to relive the experience, tune to KGOE (1480 AM) or KKDS (97.7 FM) on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m.
The Pearl Lounge celebrates its second anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 15, with a performance by the band that opened the place, Humboldt Time with Michael Curran on drums, Jim Wilde guitar, Sam Maez trumpet, Jimmy Durchslag trombone and Geoff Daugherty bass. If you haven't heard of them and can't figure it out from the array of instruments, Humboldt Time is a jazz band. They also play the night before at Cecil's. "The world tour," says Michael, who's feeling just fine a year after heart surgery laid him low.
Since entertainment at the Pearl veers from jazz to alt. rock to DJ dance music, the second anniversary weekend also includes a Friday night party with DJ Danny and Zanapod.
More jazz? Are you a player? The Graves hosts another Sunday Open Jazz Jam Session on Dec. 17 (starting at 2 p.m.) with a core trio, Al Macy on piano, Shao Way Wu bass, Simon Lucas drums, and whoever else shows up. (They're looking for vocalists in particular.)
If you're a fan of the Compost Mountain Boys and have been jonesing for the return of their once-a-month bluegrass-Thursday at Humboldt Brews, well this is it. They're back Dec. 13.
Friday at Humboldt Brews, it's a new band, Humboldt Buds (new name anyway) with the master guitar jammer Rubin Diaz, his old friend from Tunesmiths Tim Stretton on keys and a rhythm section with Marty Holland on bass, and Mike Meyers on drums.
Saturday Humboldt Brews jumps to another genre with a show featuring the fine local world beat/hip hop/funk fusion band WoMama with special guests Bloco Frimeza adding a spicy taste of samba.
I got a couple of reminders about that show, one from WoMama frontman Jesse Jonathon and another from Bloco drummer Melody Walker. Melody was worried that I was "offended by [her] uppityness" last week re: the trouble at Muddy's (I wasn't) and says she's resigned to an end to music at Muddy's. "Now I'm trying to think of more creative long-term solutions to the ultimate problem of a lack of venues (esp. all-ages) in Arcata, and where the hell the Menstruals will wander along to now." And she wanted me to know about her senior recital this Thursday at Fulkerson Recital Hall (at 5 p.m.). "I'm doing a mix of classical art song and opera, and South Indian classical, plus a pre-looped presentation of Meredith Monk's "Panda Chant II". In the second half of the recital I will be joined by AkaBella and then Bloco Firmeza to do some folkloric singing and playing." Eclectic enough for you?.
Anna Banana Hamilton celebrates her 60th birthday Saturday at the Riverwood Inn singing and rabble rousing with her band, The Wild Cattahoulas, named for a breed of dogs that interbred with wolves. Joining in for the fun, local folkies The Hohstadts and SoHum swingers Off the Charts. Happy birthday Anna! (Are you still mad at me?)
Along with an announcement of Saturday's show at the Mateel, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (see calendar section for details), the Mateel sent along a teaser for next year's events, among them a Feb. 8, blast of psychedelic wildness from George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic. Tickets are on sale now.
Now that The Common Vice have moved from 19th century rock opera, bandleader Lord Brett Baily (of Que La fame) is celebrating the release of a Victorian Modesty as Performed by The Common Vice CD with a gala event at the Jambalaya Friday night (post-Arts! Arcata). They invite you to "party like it's 1899." And as noted on the poster, "In addition to their gracious performance you will be astounded by the musical delights of the stately gentlemen of Strix Vega." Sounds delightful.
The Rubberneckers count down continues: Friday's show at Big Pete's is their third to last performance ever. (Didn't Led Zeppelin say they'd never perform again 27 years ago?) Joining the 'Neckers for the show at Pete's is Ghostwriter, aka Steve Schecter, a country blues/punk songwriter from Oregon/Texas. I dig his song "People," from a recent album he did with Boxcar Satan. It's a bit scary however as he growls, "People. You can't live with 'em and you just can't kill 'em 'less you want to go to prison."
Saturday night's show at the Alibi is the last rock thing there until next year. What with this being the year of the Portland invasion, it features a doom-psyche-metal trio from the City of Roses called Paranaut along with locals Dragged by Horses. The Arcata rockers have a new album in the can. Deep in the Woods is due out on Chicago's High Wheel Records (home of Walking Bicycles) on Feb. 5, and no, it's not a new CD it will be pressed on 180g vinyl (that's heavy) and released as an MP3 collection. (For preview tracks check the DbH MySpace.)
The Vista continues its role as home of all ages punk and/or metal with a four-band show Thursday including This Moment In Black History from Cleveland, Kill The Switch, Sick Bitch, and Instant Asshole (mostly tending toward punk). Saturday they have a more metallic lineup with Slaughterbox, Conducting From The Grave, Killgasm, Fate and Dungeon Master. In between (on Friday) it's something slightly different, a show featuring SHIM from Seattle, a band with a neo-classic rock sound and vocals that are sung rather than shouted. There's a bit of grunge in there, a touch of metal, kind of garage rocky, but not lo-fi. Since no one goes to shows without a local opener (or so I'm told) the earthy Arcata/Manila-folk/punk quartet Henpecker is also on the bill. (Not that they are not worthy in their own right.)
It's the time of year for Xmas parties. The Metro is having theirs at Six Rivers Sunday, Dec. 16, and inviting friends and supporters. Gini (the owner) notes, "Our three in-house Djs: Itchie Fingaz, DJ Red and Masta Shredda will all take turns on the tables and battle for the title of best DJ. (They've been talking about doing this since they were all hired.) God only knows what they'll come up with to play, but no matter what it's gonna be fun!" Hey, isn't that what the holidaze are all about?
And as Little Jimmy from Henpecker says, "Merry Max Consumerism!" (Be careful with those credit cards.)
| |
| PINBACK AND MC CHRIS | |
| AS Presents Pinback and MC Chris on Saturday, April 19th at 9 p.m. in the Kate Buchanan Room, Humboldt State University. San Diegos Pinback create some of the most complex, postmodern indie pop happening on the West Coast. Tickets are $17.50 general and $12.50 HSU students. Tickets are available at the University Ticket Office at HSU, the Works in Eureka/Arcata and The Metro.
Pinback is a band comprised of two principal players: Armistead Burwell Smith IV (Zach) and Rob Crow. Pinback started as a part-time endeavor back in 1998, when Zach's band Three Mile Pilot went on an extended hiatus and Rob found time away from his other musical interests (mainly Thingy and Heavy Vegetable). After recording their self-titled debut, released by Ace Fu in 1999, Pinback became a fully realized project.
The next few years saw an increase in Pinback activity. The released a number of albums and EPs on a variety of record labels most notably Blue Screen Life in 2000 and Summer in Abaddon in 2003. Abaddon hit the scene like high tide gliding in, whirling around listeners, full of beautiful intensity. It found its place in the hearts of a crazy amount of people worldwide following the success of the single Fortress, and rightfully so. Between record releases, Pinback toured as a full band, hitting points across North America and Europe.
The bands latest release, Autumn of the Seraphs, pushes forward and upward. Its melodies are more dynamic and aggressive, while still gently pulling you back in again and again. While entirely recorded in the bands home studios once again, this record is tighter, the drumming more immediate and crisp. Those duties were shared by Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket from the Crypt) and Chris Prescott (No Knife), and its a marked difference from Pinbacks previous releases. Good to Sea is the jam of Indian summer. Walters saunters its way to a buzzy guitar breakdown while Subbing for Eden works steadily toward each climactic chorus. Its Pinbacks best yet, and its going to take you over.
Returning to Arcata from a recent sold out gig at Humbrews and warming up the stage is MC Chris. From voicing characters on the Cartoon Network (MC Pee Pants on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and various characters on Adult Swim amongst others) MC Chris is now one of the leading lights in the Nerd Core hip-hop movement.
For more information and credit card orders call CenterArts at 826-3928
Note: This event is restricted to those who are at least 18 years old
or a current HSU student with ID
| |
| Hello, 2007! | |
Did yall know just how good Bucky Walters is?
Read More
| |
| Hello, 2008! Thanks for the good times, 2007 | |
Another year done gone... Things started off beautifully this time last year with Bucky Walters and the Absynth Quintet at the Jambalaya.
Read More
| |
| Iceage Cobra at The Vista | |
| http://www.myspace.com/iceagecobra
Iceage Cobra are known in and around Seattle for being rock purists. Always growing tighter as a band with each show, these guys are sure to inspire fist-pumpin' and drink-spillin' all over the place. And with "Brilliant Ideas from Amazing People", their debut full-length, released on Seattle-indie Heavy Soul Records, they plan to extend their reach and get people all over the U.S. talking up their ferocious, sweaty brand of rock.
Here's a bit more information on the band Iceage Cobra. The name alone evokes the sort of bent creativity and tongue-in-cheek self confidence you might hope to find in a new band, but it doesn't tell you everything you need to know... Iceage Cobra came roaring into Seattle from Spokane, WA like the other Northwest rock greats from outta nowhere. Melvins, Malfunkshun, Nirvana... Iceage Cobra. They don't grow this kinda stuff in the big city. Small towns often breed the bands that start modern revolutions - and Iceage Cobra has what it takes to incite a movement. Iceage Cobra could never have existed before now. Their influences span the decades before them, but their popular live show is far from being a retro revue. It's a blast of youth and rhythm and charisma and humor and overdriven riffs - an irresistible rock n' roll gumbo with fat chunks of soul that get stuck in your teeth and follow you home. Iceage Cobra. Revolution. Rock n' Roll. Soul.
One of the more entertaining new bands in Seattle, Iceage Cobra bring the rock in a big way with a high-energy mix of garage-rock, punk, metal, and even a bit of rap, powered by gonzo guitar riffs, multiple time changes, and ass-shaking beats.² - Don Yates, Music Director KEXP 90.3
". . . shamelessly spastic blend of classic rock riffage, '70s soul, and dance-inducing backbeats" -Hannah Levin, The Stranger
"Iceage Cobra has what it takes to incite a movement." Matt Brown, NadaMucho.com
| |
| CENTERARTS PRESENTS JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR | |
| CenterArts presents Jesus Christ Superstar, the groundbreaking theatrical masterpiece by legendary writing team Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 8th and 9th at 8 p.m. in the Van Duzer Theatre, HSU. The first collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be performed on the professional stage, Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the most popular and enduring works ever created for the musical theatre. Featuring such notable songs as Superstar, Everythings Alright and I Dont Know How to Love Him, Jesus Christ Superstar earned five Tony nominations. The national touring Broadway production will feature Ted Neeley from the original Superstar movie as Jesus and Corey Glover (from the hit rock band Living Colour) as Judas. Tickets are $65 general, $65 Senior/child, $55 HSU students. Tickets are available at the University Ticket Office at HSU, the Works in Eureka/Arcata and The Metro.
For more information and credit card orders call CenterArts at 826-3928
| |
| Upful Jamdown: Bringin' the good vibes for 2007 | |
Humboldt's foremost reggae DJ is coming out of a state of semi-retirement. On the last Saturday of 2006, DJ Dub Cowboy is back with a special message for the New Year by spinning strictly positive reggae music. Read More
| |
| Ryan MacEvoy McCullough Piano Concert | |
Ryan MacEvoy McCullough, 20 year old native and international piano competition winner, will be giving a solo piano concert at the Arkley Center in Eureka at 8pm, 1/12/08. Tickets are $15 at the door, online, or by mail. Seating is reserved, so earlier purchase will guarantee better seats.
| |
| Packin' heat | |
The Eyes new columnist, Dan Lewis (see B2) loves rock n roll. Last Saturday at the Alibi was a perfect example of this. The evening began with Tanuki, writes Dan.
Read More
| |
| A Cup o Kindness THE HUM 12/27 | |
Well, weve survived another year. To paraphrase (and reverse) Dickens, 2007 was neither the best of times nor the worst of times. So well take a cup of kindness yet, and make plans to celebrate the coming of a New Year.
Read More
| |
| Dressing up | |
It could potentially remind one of the opening scene of the lavish Broadway production The Phantom of the Opera, except the new chandeliers are not part of a special effect meant to startle audience members.
Read More
| |
| Mateel Announces a Taste of 2008 | |
| With fundraising efforts ongoing and a fair distance to go before the Mateel Community Center reaches its year end goal of $75,000, which will be used to hire four part time staff positions and guarantee all rental events and annual program through June 2008, planning is still in the works for Mateels 2008 Season and lots of great programs, events, and festivals are in store.
Thanks to the generous financial support of a collection of concerned community members who are underwriting expenses on these events without risk to MCC and for the full benefit of the Mateel, it is possible to present this Season even given the community centers current financial and staffing status. Still a work in progress, many confirmed events are already on tap for 2008 and will offer a diverse array of arts and entertainment that is both local and world-renown. A sampling of these events includes:
- January 19- Just Another Hangover Tour (comedy from Seattle)
- February 8- George Clinton & Parliament/ Funkadelic (tickets on sale now)
- March 1- Delta Nove (Latin funk in a dual benefit for MCC & KMUD)
- March 15- 4th annual Irish Gold Peace Benefit & Brew
- March 21/22- Random People Monologues Project
- April 4- Katchafire & Tchiya Amet (indigenous reggae from New Zealand)
- May 2 or 3- Homegrown Hip Hop vol. 5
- May 9/10- Aging Project
- May 31/ June 1- 32nd annual Summer Arts & Music Festival (Benbow Lake)
More events, programs, and festivals are also in the planning stages now and will be announced as confirmed. Tickets are currently on sale for Just Another Hangover Tour with professional Seattle-based comedians, Heneghen, Scot Shields, and Roger Lizaola on January 19th. These tickets are available only at Redway Liquor, Wild Horse Records, and online at www.inticketing.com for a price of $10 in advance. Tickets for George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic on February 8 are also on sale now at the usual local outlets and online at www.inticketing.com for a price of $75. Mateel Community Center members receive a $5 discount when purchased in advance at the Mateel office only. This show is expected to sell out quickly so dont delay if you want to guarantee your place in the audience when the legendary George Clinton and P-Funk tear the roof off the sucka in this exclusive North Coast appearance.
For more information on the events and programs of the Mateel Community Center, visit www.mateel.org or call 923-3368. To help in supporting Mateels $75,000 year end fundraising goal, mail your tax deductible donation to MCC, POB 1910, Redway, CA 95560 or make a deposit in the Mateels donation account (#13010) at the Community Credit Union in Garberville. Community support is critical to ensuring another successful year of Mateel rentals and programming in 2008.
| |
| Burgeoning partnership | |
Singer-songwriter Jenifer Breeze Doyles idea for a musical reunion with guitarist Ruben Diaz grew into a plan to include another of her favorite local musicians, keyboardist Mike Kapitan.
Read More
| |
| FREE RIDES HOME FOR NYE IN HUMBOLDT | |
| FREE RIDES HOME FOR NYE IN HUMBOLDT 442-4537 HUMBOLDT TOWING YOU AND RIG!!!
THE ABOVE FREE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE UNTIL 6 AM ON THE 1ST,NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE AND THIS YEAR YOU AND YOUR CAR GOES HOME FOR FREE TAKE THIS HAND NUMBER WITH YOU
442-4537
| |
| Merry Melodies channels '40s for holiday benefit | |
Looking back on the 1940s the era reads like a novel. There's the ultimate war between good and evil pulling the U.S. from a depression the likes of which has never been repeated, followed by a period of great hope for the future. In fact there are many novels out there that aren't nearly as compelling. Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! Jan. 9, 2006 | |
Premiering at the Metro this week is Eustace, a newer Humboldt band that sounds as well practiced as those who've been around for years.
Read More
| |
| THE HUM - Footloose? | |
Melody Walker and friends call the Ladylike Open Mic at Muddys Hot Cup Menstrual Monday, providing fodder for all sorts of bad puns I wont repeat here. On Monday of this week Melody was not singing at Muddys, nor was anyone else. She called me that evening to explain that live music at Muddys is suspended until further notice.
Read More
| |
| Hard Love - The Hum by Bob Doran | |
You wouldn't say that Bob Franke is a household name, and I'll admit I hadn't heard of him before a week or so ago when a friend called to tell me he is coming to town for a Humboldt Folklife show.
Read More
| |
| Manifest Destiny | |
"What's up with Manifest robbing that casino?" was the question asked. When I reread the story it came to me: Peter Collins, aka Pistol Pete, is also known in Humboldt hip hop circles as Manifest, one of the most audacious rappers around, notorious for grabbing the mic at every hip hop show possible.
Read More
| |
| Festival time again | |
Eureka artist Duane Flatmo created the poster for the 17th annual Redwood Coast Jazz Festival, which will be held March 29-April 1 in Eureka.
Read More
| |
| Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker dies at age 57 in NYC | |
NEW YORK -- Michael Brecker, a versatile and highly influential tenor saxophonist who won 11 Grammys over a career that spanned more than three decades, died Saturday at age 57.
Read More
| |
| A ruckus brews in Redway | |
Hip hop headliners dish up hard-hitting concert
Read More
| |
| Ooh we ooh, I look just like Rivers Cuomo | |
CJ Stewart is fan club member 1,137 for the Weezer fan club.
And you can print that 'cause it's true, Stewart said.
Read More
| |
| Getting 'classical' | |
Martha Johansens longtime fantasy has come true.
She now has a classical music program.
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! Jan. 16, 2007 | |
About a year ago my sister was convinced that I needed to get out of the house some more, so she started dragging me with her to open mic sessions at Sacred Grounds. That spring they were hosted by local HSU student and singer-songwriter, Devin Farren, who would often showcase his own material. I remember the first night he invited Andrea Zvaleko onto the stage with him for a few numbers to close out the night, and I was riveted to my seat watching the duo beautifully blend their voices together. Needless to say all of this got me hooked on open mics, and you could find me in there every week enjoying not only Devin Farren, but a number of other talented musicians and poets.
Read More
| |
| Off And Running - The Humb by Bob Doran | |
It's been a while since Thad Beckman lived here in Humboldt. The blues guitarist/songwriter left for Texas a few years back -- Austin to be specific -- and then moved on from there to Portland, Ore., home to a substantial Humboldt ex-pat community, not that he's exactly part of it.
Read More
| |
| Mateel forever: A benefit for the MCC | |
The Mateel Community Center has been a source of pride and a place of gathering in the SoHum neighborhood for years. It was conceived, built and maintained by the members of the area for the members of the area. Much like the little engine that could the Center has chugged along for years thinking that it could and up until recently that has been the case.
Read More
| |
| Jamine Loucks: Station! Jan. 23, 2007 | |
Its a running joke among my friends that the Humboldt music scene population is slowly migrating to Portland.
Read More
| |
| Savage Eye Jan. 23, 2007 | |
What happens is this: someone 1.) wants publicity and/or 2.) is convinced their music or writing is so good that Ill be blown away and launch their career into the superstar orbit (because, yes, we here at the Eye wield that kind of power).
Read More
| |
| Forever - the Hum by Bob Doran | |
The metaphor was unfortunate, even if it did declare itself a metaphor. The subhead in the Times-Standard preview of Wednesday night's Winter Ruckus 4 promised "six exciting acts that plan to metaphorically burn the place down."
Read More
| |
| Dimmick attempts to end Reggae land lease with Mateel | |
A multiple-contract dispute whose centerpiece is Reggae on the River has inadvertently become a reminder that Southern Humboldt residents care deeply for the Mateel Community Center, a nonprofit organization.
Read More
| |
| STREAMGUYS:HITTING HOME RUNS IN MEDIA STREAMING INDUSTRY | |
Jonathan Speaker is in utter disbelief over the recent breakdown in telecommunications services that has plagued the North Coast over the past month and rightly so.
Read More
| |
| The Wolves Returen - THE HUM by Bob Doran | |
Not long after Los Lobos' Louie Perez called me last week, we got to talking about our kids. He has several, and spoke of his oldest son who, when he graduated from high school, announced that he was moving out of the house. His plan was to spend a couple of years "concentrating on the band."
Read More
| |
| Nucleus keeps it fresh after seven years | |
Their studio lies hidden down the long stretch of South G Street next to the 330 Club. As you enter the studio, you navigate a path weaving through musical equipment -- speakers, amps, drums -- stacked high.
Read More
| |
| Time of your life | |
Its about trying to get that blues feel.
Jon Turney, bassist/vocalist, explained his bands name Mojo Brown is meant to spark images of the Deep South black magic, kind of Louisiana blues, the Delta-blues side of it.
Read More
| |
| Humboldt hip-hop skips a beat, gets back on track | |
Can this typically urban-based genre truly flourish in a place where the only high-rises are trees? Read More
| |
| Kulica is Back and Better | |
Kulica is a home-grown groove band with its roots firmly planted in Humboldt soil. In an attempt to find out a little more for my reading audience I looked them up on the internet.
Read More
| |
| Feel The Pulse - the Hum by Bob Doran | |
Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945 at Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica. Legend that he is in the world of reggae, his birthday is still commemorated long after his death, and most years the Bob Marley celebrations stretch through the entire month. The Ragga Muffins Tour is one such Marley-esque congregation, a string of shows by top reggae bands from Jamaica and elsewhere that worked its way up the coast last week with stops in Long Beach, Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Among the headliners were two bands, Steel Pulse and Morgan Heritage, who play Friday night at the Mateel in Redway.
Read More
| |
| Savage Eye Feb. 13, 2007 | |
Thursdays show at the Jambalaya marked some sort of official Arcata rock moment. The cementing of the Jam as a rock venue in its own right? The reinforcement of Matt Marek (now playing with The Ravens) as the areas premier rock drummer?
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! Feb. 13, 2007 | |
This coming Saturday is a busy night for the Arcata music scene. Sacred Grounds is beginning to host shows again...
Read More
| |
| Academy debuts series | |
The goal is to go beyond textbooks.
High school history books are a good example of where some students settle for the truth, but they really ought to look further, said Keri Gelenian, principal of Academy of the Redwoods.
Read More
| |
| AFI comes to light a fire in Eureka | |
AFI is coming to Humboldt County. Yes, you heard right. And, no, they didn't just have trouble with their tour bus or need a little gas money. They actually planned a concert right here in Eureka; they'll be here tomorrow. Read More
| |
| Whose Blues? - the Hum by Bob Doran | |
The blues. Who's the audience for it in this day and age? Who are the players? At a time when plenty of young musicians are sawing on fiddles and picking up and picking on mandolins and banjos old timey style, a scant few seem interested in playing the blues, and if they do, it's more likely to be old gutbucket blues rather than the post-war electric kind.
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! March 6, 2007 | |
Most people are by now very aware of the show coming up on March 9. If youre not aware, AFI is coming to town. Theyre playing at the Muni in Eureka with a couple other large acts. However, thats by far not the only thing happening this Friday
Read More
| |
| All things Irish | |
The first thing that catches the eye is an impressive collection, whose forms look like works of art, but, thats just part of their value.
Read More
| |
| Reggae wars | |
People Productions and Dimmick Ranch this week issued a news release for the premiere of what it calls Reggae Rising, a three-day festival Aug. 3-5 at the Dimmick Ranch and Frenchs Camp in Piercy; however, they have chosen the same location and days as are scheduled for Mateel Community Centers 2007 Reggae on the River.
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! March 6, 2007 | |
Most people are by now very aware of the show coming up on March 9. If youre not aware, AFI is coming to town. Theyre playing at the Muni in Eureka with a couple other large acts. However, thats by far not the only thing happening this Friday
Read More
| |
| Eye editor to host KHUM Zappa show | |
FERNDALE Arcata Eye Editor Kevin Hoover has been tapped to host the new Frank Zappa show, Zappas Grubby Chamber, Friday nights at 10 p.m. on KHUM 104.7/104.3 FM beginning April 6.
Read More
| |
| Too Much - The Hum by Bob Doran | |
Considering the fact that we're something of a rural backwater, Humboldt County certainly plays host to a lot of music in a wide range of styles. Sometimes there are just way too many choices of where to go and what to do. Check this week's calendar section for a rundown on this weekend's classical overload. The same is true in other genres.
Read More
| |
| McKinleyville musician releases new album | |
The blues have come down on musician Jesse Goplen.
Read More
| |
| Explanation owed for shutdown of show | |
The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is keeping mum, so there may be hidden reasons why their agents cleared out the Red Fox Tavern in Eureka and shut down a show by Vallejo rapper Celly Cel. But the episode causes us to wonder why such drastic tactics were used.
Read more
| |
| Bar raid costs thousands, upsets owners | |
EUREKA -- Everything was going well at the Celly Cel show at the Red Fox Tavern March 16.
Owners Rick Crum and Sam Magruder were patrolling the venue, along with about five of their own security personnel and another 10 provided by the show's promoter, Diamondback Entertainment.
Read more
| |
| 17th Jazz Festival features fresh faces | |
Once again, it's time to take in all of the musical delights offered annually by what has been called the best jazz fest in the west -- the Redwood Coast Jazz Festival in downtown Eureka.
Read more
| |
| KHUM-FM announces podcast debut | |
Podcasting differs from webcasting in how content is transmitted, a news release stated. Instead of having to go to the Internet to retrieve audio, a listener subscribes to the podcast and, thereafter, the audio is automatically delivered to a listeners computer whenever a new episode is available.
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! March 27, 2007 | |
What Im really excited about this week is on Saturday. Im not much for shameless self-promotion, but as Ive never really talked about myself or what I do in this column Id like to divulge a bit of my life to you readers. This Saturday is my birthday. Or rather, the birthday of my e-mail newsletter. Read more
| |
| On Tour March 27, 2006 | |
A list of stuff from the Arcata Eye
Read More
| |
| Mateel Announces Membership Goal for 2007! | |
The Mateel Community Center would like to thank all the members who have joined us so far this year. Our goal is to reach 1,000 members for 2007.
Last year many people signed up at the November annual membership meeting so they could vote in the December election for the Board of Directors. Memberships are annual and expire on December 31st of each year. Renewal for the new year begins after the annual membership meeting which is held annually in November.
The Mateel offers for members for this year including email accounts for example yourname@mateel.org. Other benefits include:
1 vote in the annual Board of Directors election (w/ 1 year member History)
Run for the Board of Directors (w/ 1 year member history)
Nominate candidates for the Board of Directors at the annual membership meeting
Discounts on all MCC produced events (inc. Reggae on the River)
Discounts on all Mateel merchandise Hats, T-shirts and Sweatshirts
Bi-annual member news bulletins
Monthly event emails
Free admission to the Winter Arts Faire
Welcome packet with thank you, membership card, sticker and coupons
Premier volunteer opportunities
Member savings, discounts and benefits can total over $42 value with the purchase of a $30 individual or $15 teen/senior membership
Support the programs of your Mateel Community Center Priceless
Come by the office in Redway, log onto the website www.mateel.org to download the membership form, or simply send your name, address, phone and email with a $30 check made payable to the MCC and mail it to the Mateel Community Center, PO Box 1910, Redway, CA 95560.
To help reach the goal there is a challenge for all members to sign up five new members for 2007.
| |
| Getting 'fest'ive | |
It is for young people.
That might run contrary to what many people would think in terms of a jazz festival, particularly the 17-year-old Redwood Coast Jazz Festival.
Read More
| |
| The 17th Annual Redwood Coast Jazz Festival Kicks Off Today! | |
Once again, it's time to take in all of the musical delights offered annually by what has been called the best jazz fest in the west -- the Redwood Coast Jazz Festival in downtown Eureka. And, this year, the 17th annual event has even more to offer fans.
Read More
| |
| Luminescent - the Humb by Bob Doran | |
The p.r. e-mail hooked me with its description of The Luminescent Orchestrii as: "a gypsy tango klezmer punk acoustic string band from New York City." There was a link to the band's webpage; I spared no time and immediately downloaded a few luminescent MP3s -- brilliant shimmering songs with complex driving rhythms, amazing East-Euro-style harmonies on the vocals, a perfect fusion of old and new sensibility --
Read More
| |
| KHUM series earns Edward R. Murrow award | |
A two-part series titled Picking Up: Meth on the North Coast, has earned KHUM 104.3 and 104.7 a distinguished Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio-Television News Director Association (RTNDA).
Read More
| |
| Too Much To Do On a Thursday Night? | |
Last weekend was a busy one for local shows, but the one that stuck out the most was the Rubberneckers with Eustace and Pete Ciotti at the Jambalaya. Ciotti's freshly married glow was followed by Eustace, who played on my KSLG show earlier in the day, and did another great set that night. Read More
| |
| Local hip hop band inspires documentary | |
A hand-painted sign on the side of a Fortuna road planted a seed in the mind of Sabrina Ross Lee a few years ago that's now beginning to see fruition.
Read More
| |
| Jamine Loucks: Station! April 3, 2007 | |
This all goes down at Muddys this Friday, although Be Brave Bold Robot is playing Saturday at 1 p.m. live on KSLG 94.1 FM and again on the streets of Old Town Eureka for Arts Alive! with The Professional Superheroes. Read More
| |
| Golden? the HUM by Bob Doran | |
For some reason the band portrait from San Francisco-based jamband New Monsoon had me feeling a bit nostalgic. I was a teenager living in the Bay Area when the Summer of Love rolled around 40 years ago. I know there's some sort of kinship between modern jambands and the bands I heard that summer, at what one might describe as the dawn of the jam era.
Read More
| |
| KHSU holds 'Record Swap' | |
KHSU 90.5 FM will present its first Record Swap on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Goodwin Forum, Nelson Hall East, Humboldt State University.
Read More
| |
| Music in an 'Instant' | |
Improvisation is a creative endeavor that could be considered fleeting; however, Michael Moore, clarinetist and alto saxophonist with the 40-year-old internationally acclaimed Instant Composers Pool Orchestra, said he believes it can survive as long as a formal written composition.
Read More
| |
| FLOATING ON A STREAM OF PIANO JAZZ | |
Beverly Ritz's new CD, By Rowdy Creek, is piano music that takes the listener on a journey through the wiles of wildlife nestled next to the Pacific. The point of my music is to create tranquility, to help people find peace, Ritz explains. According to fans, this music is soothing, reminding them of another time when popular music was dominated by composers like Mancini and Jobim, and creating an ambience that is hopeful and serene. Composer/pianist Jessica Williams exclaims, I love what I am hearing. Youre playing with passion and heart, and its just beautiful!
Critics, other jazz artists, and the 40 plus radio stations -- all over the world -- that are playing Ritzs music agree. Its a harmonious pairing between jazz and nature, writes Heidi Drockelman of Indie-Music.com. Tim Merritt, jazz record producer, says Ritz sounds like McCoy Tyner and Marian McPartland.
By Rowdy Creek could be the ultimate palette of music for dreaming. Pianist/composer George Kahn elucidates in his review on www.cdbaby.com/cd/beverlyritz2, "You can feel the stream, and see the redwoods towering overhead. Very much in the style of George Winston, Ms. Ritz delivers a beautiful set of evocative solo piano pieces..."
Since the release of By Rowdy Creek, Beverly has performed in two notable events in Brookings, Oregon, (a few miles up the road from Rowdy Creek). In December of 2006, she worked in a jazz festival with world-class sax player, Paul Biondi, and his band (including Buster B. Jones on guitar). Then, in March of 2007, she played piano in the concert given by Tower of Powers Mick Gillette.
Ritzs performances have graced jazz clubs, cultural centers, educational facilities, and many a dinner table at top-notch country clubs. She has also played at senior centers where her tunes have been known to work wonders. One performance was powerful enough to rouse a man who was suffering from Alzheimers out of his silent isolation. Beverly reports, Now he calls and asks when Im coming back! I think music touches people in a way that nothing else does
. And I would like to follow my music around the world, reaching as many people as I can.
Beverly Ritz is available for concerts, other performances, and interviews.
Her recordings are available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/beverlyritz2
| |
| Are You A Humboldt Honey? by Kevin Hoover | |
ARCATA Youve seen her on the Plaza, at Co-op or HSU the flower of Humboldt womanhood, festooned with any number of countercultural cues calculatedly proletarian garb, buttons espousing causes sweet and snarky, a sage smudge or patchouli aroma and a faraway look in her eye.Read More
| |
| Reggae on the River court ruling | |
[Thursday, April 26, 2007. Redway, CA.] The request made by the Mateel Community Center to have the courts intervene in a timely manner to stop the take over by Tom Dimmick and People Productions of our twenty-three year old fundraising event Reggae on the River has been denied today. The courts ruling explains that it cannot establish at this time that a monetary settlement made on the merits of the lawsuit, once that lawsuit has been heard in court, will not successfully mitigate the losses the community center will suffer because of the coordinated actions of the private landowner and the previous production company, People Productions.
It is the Mateels position that it will ultimately prevail in the lawsuit and that the referee will rule that the Mateel has a right to hold its event per Mr. Dimmicks original promise to the Mateel when we entered that contract. It is furthermore the position that the Mateel is the only applicant under the conditional use permit and remains the only applicant until it no longer has a right to possess the property or assigns the permit to another. Until then, the Commission should only be dealing with the Mateel as the applicant. Continuing to treat Mr. Dimmick as an alternate applicant only exacerbates the confusion and frustrates the Mateel in trying to protect the communitys asset from being turned over to the hands of private individuals for their own private commercial gain.
The Mateel will continue to fight the hijacking of our equipment, records, infrastructure, intellectual property and investment, made by this community for over twenty-three years, by private individuals wishing to reap the gain. We will discuss the current circumstances with our members on May 7th at 6:00 PM at the Mateel Community Hall in Redway. Until then we hope to see our community at the Thursday, May 3, 2007 planning commission meeting to help us ensure the Mateel permit stays with Reggae on the River.
| |
| Judge denies Mateel injunction | |
A motion for a summary adjudication filed in Humboldt County Superior Court Thursday could be the deciding factor on whether the Mateel Community Center can use Tom Dimmicks Piercy parcel for the 23-year-old Reggae on the River festival this year.
Read More
| |
| Support the scene in my absence | |
As I sat down to write my column this week, I was also transferring music to my MP3 player to provide a soundtrack for the 14-hour drive to the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival in Indio this weekend. Even though I'll be out of town, I started scanning my Slug Festivities Guide online, and figuring out which shows I'll be bummed to miss while I'm away.
Read More
| |
| THE HUM The Coco Benefit | |
It was one of those phone calls. The caller ID on my phone said St. Joe's. Not a good sign. It was my good buddy Gregg calling from a hospital room where he was visiting our mutual friend Coco Hogan (pictured at left), a longtime Humboldt resident, someone I've known since I started going to Reggae many years ago. Coco was a SoHummer back then, one of the guys who helped build the Mateel. He's been living in Eureka for a few years, for reasons I needn't go into here, but he's always been a constant at Reggae, one of many hardworking volunteers who do what's needed: haul garbage, recycling, whatever, always with a warm smile. I just talked with Coco for a little while -- it was a difficult thing for him to do. He's been diagnosed with throat cancer, a serious bummer and, no, he doesn't have health insurance. What he wanted me to know was that he has a way to bring together the dueling forces down SoHum way: The Coco Benefit.
Read More
| |
| Arcata's best bands | |
Best Straight Up Rock and Roll Band: The Ravens...
Most Missed Band that Is Not The Cutters: The Hitch...
Band Most Likely to Have a Crush On: Dynamite Sweater...
Read More
| |
| Jasmine Loucks Station! April 24, 2007 | |
Despite the momentum that Im usually privileged to witness in the Humboldt scene, there are certain times that, for whatever reason, everything seems to slow down. But just because things are slowing down with the scene overall, it doesnt mean that there still arent plenty of things to do around town on almost every night of the week.
Read More
| |
| Mika Sun, from backup to star | |
Subliminal Sabotage emcee Mika Sun refers to himself as a background man. It is a good indication of the humble approach this rapper takes to everything he does. Read More
| |
| A Plastic Vodka Bottle THE HUM by Bob Doran | |
I caught Jason Webley's act a few years ago in an unlikely place: a sports bar behind the now defunct Arcata Denny's. (The Placebo put on shows there for a spell.) What I remember most is him jumping up on a table with his accordion to lead the crowd in one rollicking sing-along after another.Read More
| |
| On Tour April 24, 2007 | |
Melvin Seals, JGB
MCC, Thursday
Melvin Seals and JGB play a benefit show for Dancin in the Dunes, Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Manila Community Center, 1611 Peninsula Dr., Manila. Doors at 6 p.m. Food and drinks will be available. This show is all ages. Tickets are $20 advance/$25 at the door. For more information, e-mail dunes dance@gmail.com, visit myspace.com/dune dance or call (803) 528-1537. Read More
| |
| Reggae on the River PSA | |
| PRESS RELEASE: Immediate Release
EVENT: Reggae on the River (festival)
DATE: August 3rd, 4th and 5th
CONTACT: 2b1 Multimedia Productions (415) 861-1520 or Mateel Community Center (707) 923-3368
REGGAE on the River Victory on Control of Festival Permit
REGGAE on the River moves forward to save event for local community
[Humboldt County, CA May 4, 2007]
The Humboldt Planning Commissioners held steady in their support for the community last evening by confirming through actions, that the Mateel Community Center is still the applicant and holder of the permit for this years festival. We appreciate the planning commission taking the action necessary to maintain the integrity of the decision making process to help guide the community through this controversy. said Boots Hughston of 2b1 Multimedia, the producer for Reggae on the River. This clears the way for the Mateel, owners of the festival-- for over twenty three years, and its production partner, 2b1 Multimedia to successfully confirm its right to produce the festival this year and beyond.
The festival is a crucial part of the social and economic goodwill for the local Southern Humboldt community, a community which has much pride in their support over the years for building and maintaining a healthy nonprofit sector in a rural area with limited governmental services. For over twenty-three years the Mateel Community Center has used their largest fundraiser to distribute the goodwill of the festival by developing diverse cultural arts, theater, and music programs for the surrounding communities. Programming includes items like the Mateel Meal for those without resources and acclaimed theatrical performances by local youth through Recycled Youth.
Taunya Stapp, Executive Director of the Mateel Community Center said, We are grateful to the commission and acknowledge the difficulty of the job, the changes requested, and we are fully up to the task. We have taken their words to heart and we hope to have any remaining issues resolved prior to the deadline set with the Mateel and Reggae on the River prevailing.
2b1 Multimedia has an excellent reputation and track record for safe large festival events. The Mateel is very appreciative of 2b1s support and continued willingness to assist in this years production. The Mateel commends 2b1 Multimedia for stepping up to ensure this festival stays with its community and music roots.
| |
| Will Reggae on the River happen? | |
'Probably not,' says 2B1 Multimedia Inc., but the legal battle isn't over yet
| |
| Ian Fays - Where are they Now? | |
Media Credit: The Ian Fays
The Ian Fays ready for the EU tour
The Ian Fays got signed to a small Italian label over a year ago, what's next for the hardworking lo-fi indie band from Humboldt County?
Read More
| |
| Rural Rock'n Roll comes back to It's roots | |
Rural Rock'n Roll is a one-hour movie filmed about Humboldt and it's music scene. Focusing primarily on the punk, rock, and indie scenes, Jensen Rufe showcases all the trials and excitement of playing in a small town band, featuring bands such as, The Ian Fays, The Ravens, The Buffy Swayze, and Eureka Garbage Company.
Read More
| |
| Wanna Hear Some Cow-Punk? | |
Cow-punk; it's a breed rock n' roll and bluegrass, sometimes country but will always make your head bob. That's what the Rubberneckers play, a group of friends that enjoy writing and performing music together.
Read More
| |
| Summer Festival Guide | |
You might think that Humboldt State University's summer recess means the town of Arcata dies. But to the contrary, the beautiful weather and fun-loving people come out en masse, making the Humboldt summer like none other.
Read More
| |
| Reggae on the River canceled | |
There may be reggae music heard on the Tom Dimmick Ranch in Piercy Aug. 3-5, but it wont belong to the Reggae on the River festival.
Mateel/Dimmick settlement talks failed this past weekend and the sticking point, both said, was the trademarked name Reggae on the River.
Read More
| |
| --jASMiNE | |
| Hey everyone, first of all, a happy birthday to Chris Parreira who's turning 21 today, and happy birthday in advance to Emily who's turning 18 on Saturday. Milestones each, hope they treat you well. Happy Mother's Day in advance to my mom, who's currently counting down the days 'til her wedding later this month. Exciting! Secondly, an update on what The Placebo (and the other 47 west 3rd groups) has been up to: our project descriptions got approved by the city, meaning we can go ahead and apply for the permitting we need. We're hoping to get a waiver on the fees, so we have to go before City Council... this next Tuesday. Please, if everyone could come and help support us, it would help a lot - you don't have to do much, just be a warm body sending good vibes. You can check out more info at theplacebo.net.
Alright, so TONIGHT, as it's Thursday, there is free live jazz at Big Pete's at 8. There also is open mic at Sacred Grounds at 8 (come earlier to sign up), as hosted by birthday boy Chris Parreira. Youn Joo Sim is playing a free show at the Fulkerson at 6, and Afromassive is playing at Muddy's at 9 for $3. The Empty Bottle Boys are playing at Old Town Coffee and Chocolates at 7.
This FRIDAY The Bucky Walters in conjunction with The Freelove Circus is hosting a end-of-semester bash at Muddy's at 8 for $7. Skipper is playing at Sacred Grounds at 7:30 ($2 to $5 suggested donation), and Autumn Royals and The Little Still Not Big Enough are playing at Big Pete's at 7. I'll be out of town, but if I were around you could bet I'd be at the Six Rivers High School Ballroom Blitz benefit at the Bayside Grange. There will be auctions, booths, and music by The Rubberneckers, The Ravens, AkaBella, Power Toast, and 8/01 Warning. The event starts at 7 and costs $10 for adults and $3 to $5 for students. Seabury Gould is hosting another kirtan and sacred singing workshop at the Community Yoga Center at 7 for $8 to $12 on sliding scale. This is your last chance to see HLOC's "The Full Monty," which plays at the CR Forum Theatre at 7:30 for $12 general and $10 for students. Earlier in the day there the CR dance classes are giving their final starting at 3, and that performance is free. "Ghost of the Hart" continues at the Ferndale Rep, call 786-5483 for reservations and information. "But We Digress," a Bollywood performance, starts at the D Street Community Center at 8 for $5. Anslinger is playing with Tsu Tain Guu Faitaa at Out of the Sun at 7:30 for $5, and The Retroactives are playing at Mosgo's at 6:30. Plinny the Elder, Craig Peters, Paul Baribeau (last show before he moves!), Shelby Sifers, and more are playing at an end-of-the-semester beach party at Moonstone Beach at 7.
If you're looking for something to do this SATURDAY and you can't/don't want to go to a bar, check out Japanese band Bleach03, Lozen from Tacoma, and locals The Baby Arms at The Accident Gallery. Doors open at 8, music starts at 9, and admission is $7. The Dancing Outlaws are playing at Mosgo's at 6, and the Green Life Evolution Center is hosting a family concert with storytelling by Seabury Gould. That starts at 7 and costs $5. The Arcata Vet's Hall is hosting an Old Fashioned Square Dance at 8 with music by The Striped Pig Stringband and calling by Michael Ismerio. Earlier in the day Magnolia is playing Farmer's Market on the Arcata Plaza. Steve Lloyd is playing at Mosgo's at 7. Has Beans is hosting an open mic at 6:30, and Ali Harter and Ryan McClellan are playing at Sacred Grounds at 7:30.
Of course on SUNDAY Mosgo's is holding it's regularly midday movie at 4, and subsequent open mic at 7. Muddy's is hosting Celtic Music Sessions at 7 with Scatter the Mud and Seabury Gould, and later that night DJ Echo is spinning at 9 for $3. There's a Mother's Day Brunch at the Bayside Grange starting at 9 am with music by Blue Jayz Band which costs $15. Jordaan Mason, Craig Peters, and Green Hills Alone are playing at Das Gasthaus at 8 (bring money for the touring bands!). The Westhaven Center for the Arts is hosting a spring fling from 1 to 5 with music by The Compost Mountain Boys, a BBQ, and art. Chamber Ensembles are playing at the Fulkerson at 8 for $8 general and $3 students.
| |
| Reggae on the River canceled | |
There may be reggae music heard on the Tom Dimmick Ranch in Piercy Aug. 3-5, but it wont belong to the Reggae on the River festival.
Read More
| |
| KHSU-FM, First Street Gallery get cuts | |
Two Humboldt State University programs are facing substantial cuts following announced decreases to the university budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year.
KHSU-FM will take a $20,000 cut, while First Street Gallery will lose $15,000, or 13 percent of its current budget. Both fall under the Office of the President, although KHSU also reports to University Advancement, which operates on private funding.
Read More
| |
| Performance claim disputed by reggae artist's manager | |
2B1 Multi-Media Inc.s owner/Reggae on the River producer Boots Hughston faxed The Eureka Reporter several contracts on Friday, which, he said, proved he had performers commitments; however, one performers management has said that is not the case.
Read More
| |
| Woodstock with more Wiffle, hopefully less mud | |
ive music and wiffle ball may seem like a funny pairing, but someone once said the same about pork chops and applesauce.
Read More
| |
| 'Rural Rock' returns to rural roots | |
Rural Rock & Roll, that definitive rockumentary on the underground, yet vital, Humboldt scene, is coming back to the North Coast for its first screening in more than a year and this is a good thing.
Read More
| |
| THE HUM East Nashville | |
I'd never really heard of East Nashville before reading something on songwriter Amelia White's webpage about one of her songs showing up on a double-disc compilation called The Other Side: Music from East Nashville. Amelia is not strictly from Nashville -- she moved there from Boston a few years back to make her way in the music world, and lately she's been on the road with her guitar about half of any given year playing finely crafted alt. country/neo folk songs.
Read More
| |
| 'Steel-toed' harmony | |
It might have been better if he had been wearing toe protection, but if he had, Will Nicoll wouldnt have been inspired by a unique albeit rather bizarre name for his band.
I used to wear these sort-of slippers. One day I dropped something heavy on them, Nicoll said. I assumed it would be good to have reinforced shoes.
Read More
| |
| Summer Arts: A SoHum summer rite | |
In 31 years, it's exploded into one of the largest festivals Humboldt has to offer, yet it's still managed to retain its Southern Humboldt charm. It's none other than the Mateel Community Center's Summer Arts and Music Festival.
Read More
| |
| The Hum - Peace and Love from Comoros | |
Unless your knowledge of geography is far greater than mine, it's likely you have no idea where the Comoros Islands are, and thus would also have no clue what it means when the singer Nawal is described as "the voice of Comoros."
Read More
| |
| THE HUM by Bob Doran | |
| It may be obvious if you follow this music column, I'm a sucker for Gypsy-ish violins, accordions, café music, retro-Euro stuff and for mixers and mergers who leapfrog genres. That said, I love Portland's 3 Leg Torso, who touch all of the above to craft a sound that defies categorization.
From the title of the band's most recent album, Astor in Paris, I'd initially guessed that the concept might be something like tango nuevo master Astor Piazzolla teaming with the Hot Club of Paris.
Not exactly, according to accordionist Courtney Von Drehle, who explained that the album was named for a tune on the record. "For that tune, I imagined what it would be like if Astor Piazzolla were born in France, and played nuevo musette or something lie that."
In the beginning the band was a trio with Courtney on accordion, violinist/trumpeter Béla Balogh, and a cellist. Courtney and Béla had been playing together in Lobe, an "art rock" band, up until 1996. "We had learned some Eastern European tunes," said Courtney, "and I convinced Béla we should go out busking."
Truth is, if 3 Leg Torso reminded me of any bands I've heard, it would be the street bands that played for tips at various points on our Italian vacation. (The guys were relieved that I was not reminded of Borat.)
"I didn't really want to force our music on strangers," said Béla, but in a moment of weakness he agreed. For some reason while arranging the gigs, the guys would adopt faux accents in imitation on Béla's Hungarian grandmother.
"I'd call and say, 'Hello, meester,' and we'd go out. We'd dress in hokey clothing..." said Béla.
"And we'd use those accents whenever we'd talk with people," interjected Courtney.
"So we called it meestering," Béla noted.
Courtney continued, "It did have some Borat elements although this was way before Borat, and sometimes people would press us asking, 'Where are you from?'"
"Ve are not from here," concluded Béla.
They may not be from here, but 3 Leg Torso is coming here -- for a show at the Jambalaya on Tuesday, June 12. Be there. I will.
It's a grey drippy morning, doesn't really feel like summer (and technically it's still spring), but for nightclubs that rely on the college crowd, the post-graduation summer lull is kicking in. Humboldt Brews is closed until August, using the slow time for a remodel. Others are curtailing their hours. The Red Fox Tavern for example, is only open weekends except for special occasions. (There's one this week and we'll get to it.) It may not be summer-related, but Sacred Grounds is closing for good after one more week. Having said all that, there's plenty going on this week.
We'll start with Sacred Grounds, but first a correction: When I mentioned the pending closure in recent column, I suggested that former barista Deric Mendes (the talented musician who starred in the Hedwig thing) might be looking for other employment. Well, the day that Hum hit the street, I bought some books from Deric at Northtown Books, where he'd just started working. Without really complaining, he let me know that he has not worked at Sacred Grounds since last year.
Sacred Grounds has at least one more show, an all ages Placebo thing on Friday (early) with a couple of cool out-of-town bands. I caught Kickball last time they played Sacred Grounds and loved them. They're a bouncy alt. pop combo from Olympia with that Olympian kind of sound (and a great drummer) who suggest, "be your own fucking rainbow." They recently toured Europe with a French band, clara clara, who are now over here touring with them. That one's a trio: keys/drums/bass, with a semi-crunchy dance-friendly sound or as they put it, "Une basse, une batterie et un bontempi leur suffisent à distiller une noise bordélique et ma foi étonnamment dansante."
As noted above, the Red Fox Tavern is closed most of the week this summer (Sundays through Wednesdays) except for special occasions, and this Monday's show is truly special. Anyone who pays attention to country music has heard of The Tennessee Three, typically used as a suffix, as in: Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three. Actually, in the very beginning it was the Tennessee Two, which was guitarist Luther Perkins and bassman Marshall Grant. Drummer W.S. Holland joined in 1960 making Three. Luther died in a fire in 1968, just before Johnny got his own network TV show and hit his second wind. Guitarist Bob Wootton took Luther's place, and that was the Cash band until Marshall left in 1980. Bob and W.S. were with Johnny until he died in 2003 (not long before they were supposed to play Arcata BTW). Today's "Three" still includes W.S. Holland on drums and Bob Wootton on guitar -- with help from Bob's wife Vicky Wootton on rhythm guitar and vocals, their daughter Scarlett on vocals, and Lisa Horngren on upright bass and vocals. The five of them play Johnny's material and some of their own including a song, You Walked Tall, which has gotten some airplay of late. Guess who it's about. The Rubberneckers open the show, and I imagine they're jazzed about it.
Despite the student exodus, the café closest to campus, Muddy's Hot Cup, has an almost full schedule. This week it's improv comedy benefiting the Shakespeare company Shake the Bard on Thursday, Feminasti DJ Blancatron spinning house Friday (she's also at the Alibi Sunday), Rooster McClintock getting all twangy and shit on Saturday with Jay Dirt opening, Scatter the Mud's Celtic session Sunday, the usual Wandering Menstruals Monday and a songwriter night on Wednesday with Gregory Alan Isakov, Reed Foehl and Curtis Thompson from Kulica. Wait, what about the Tuesday jazz thing with Susie and Shao Way? That's moving to Thursdays.
What local musician do you suppose has had the most national (and international) press in recent months? My educated guess says it's Saint John Hunt, leader of the blues/rock outfit St. John and the Sinners, who play Friday at the Red Fox, and twice Saturday: at the veteran's North Coast Stand Down and at Blue Lake Casino. And no, he's not in the papers because of the band. It's because he knows who killed JFK, or at least he knows what his dad told him -- his dad being E. Howard Hunt, "a 27-year career CIA executive officer and covert operative most well-known his role in the Watergate affair," as St. John puts it on his website (www.saintjohnhunt.com), where you can buy his book, Bond of Secrecy, and a DVD interview revealing some big secrets. Not having heard the Sinners yet, I'm not sure what secrets are concealed or revealed in their music.
The Redwood Run is the ticket for power-packed rock/blues this weekend with Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Joan Jett and Molly Hatchet among those playing for bikers and just plain music fans down in Piercy.
You may have heard that young blues guitar ripper Corby Yates has taken up residency somewhere east of here out Highway 299. He's on the coast Friday and Saturday shredding at Cher-Ae Heights. (On second thought, is he still considered young?)
My favorite local shredders Dragged by Horses get heavy at the Alibi Saturday, joined by Santa Cruz psyche rockers, El Sonido, who describe their crashing sound as "liquid."
Jazzy/jammy guitarist Will Bernard plays that same night (Saturday) at the Red Fox. I signed up for Will's e-list at some show long ago and since have followed his rise in the jam world gigging with the heavies, Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, Lonnie Smith, John Medeski, guys like that. For this show he's fronting his own band, Motherbug. Should be good.
You'd think the Reggae biz would calm down, but it hasn't. I ran into Mateel board member Bob Stern at the Summer Arts Fest Saturday and asked him what's up with Reggae on the River vs. Reggae Rising. "They're going to try to put on a festival; we're going to try to stop them," is how he put it. Next salvos will be heard at the Planning Commish this Thursday.
The latest: Mateel supporters calling for boycotts of any nonprofit planning on having a booth at Reggae Rising. And how do you boycott a nonprofit anyway? Maybe when your house is on fire you don't call the local VFD? Sorry if this sounds like a broken record, but how about a little peace in the neighborhood?
| |
| Sacred Grounds closing | |
SEVENTH & F STREETS Arcatas biggest coffee house is grinding to a halt. Sacred Grounds Organic Coffee Roasters at the corner of Seventh and F streets, will close on June 16.
Read More
| |
| Mateel to shut its doors this week | |
The turnout for this past weekends Summer Arts and Music Festival was sizeable; however, the nonprofit Mateel Community Center cannot meet its operations expenses and will, in effect, shut its doors on Friday.
After more than two and a half years without our regular financial needs being met for operations, we have been forced to severely restrict all our programming and staff, Executive Director Taunya Stapp wrote in an e-mail on Tuesday.
Read More
| |
| Scotia Band donates to Fortuna High | |
In April, Scotia Band board of directors President Tom Merrill, on behalf of the Scotia Band, donated a computer and recording software to the Fortuna Union High School music program, led by Jonathon Souza.
Read More
| |
| Get your wild on at Brew at the Zoo | |
We are fortunate to have a zoo in Eureka and the Sequoia Park Zoo is a quality one. It's a safe and organized grounds that feature a fine variety of animals. The zoo has expanded and improved in the last several years. It is bigger and better than ever. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly and will guide you to the various exhibits.
Read More
| |
| Festival Gets the Green Light from Planning Commission | |
| Humboldt County, California June 8, 2007 People Productions and the Dimmick Ranch are pleased with the outcome of last nights Humboldt County Planning Commission meeting at which the Reggae Rising Music Festival was given the green light to move forward, despite the Mateel Community Center's attempt to have the planning commission revoke the CUP. "I'd just hate to see this thing die" stated Commissioner Bruce Emad.
Reggae Rising Music Festival is a benefit for the Southern Humboldt community and will carry on the 23 year tradition of being one of the largest fundraiser for its non-profits. To date there are 20 non-profits signed on including; all of the volunteer fire departments, Beginnings Montessori School, KMUD Radio, Schools Foundation, Garberville Town Square, Trees Foundation, Vets For Peace and the Veterans of Foreign War to name a few. In addition to the support of the local non-profits the festival also has been given the green light from county agencies including; the Mendocino and Humboldt County Sheriff's department, Cal Trans, California Highway Patrol, Army Corps of Engineers, Forestry Service and Cal. Fire (formerly known as CDF).
Reggae Rising Music Festival will take place on August 3rd, 4th, 5th and features 3-days of camping and world renowned reggae music on 100 acres that includes; The Dimmick Ranch and French's Camp, situated along the picturesque Eel River.
This year's festival is dedicated to the "Music" and the lineup promises to be unparalleled, and includes:
FRIDAY AUGUST 3rd
ANTHONY B
FANTAN MOJAH
COLLIE BUDDZ
ABYSSINIANS
HEAVYWEIGHT DUB CHAMPION
QUEEN OMEGA
STREETSTOTHEHILL
WISDOM
SATURDAY AUGUST 4th
SLY & ROBBIE AND THE TAXI GANG with HORACE ANDY
ZIGGY MARLEY
CHERINE ANDERSON
MORGAN HERITAGE
TANYA STEPHENS
RICHIE SPICE
SOUL MAJESTIC
SUNDAY AUGUST 5th
DAMIAN MARLEY
STEPHEN MARLEY
STEEL PULSE
FREDDIE MCGREGOR
RICHIE STEPHENS
ISHI DUBE
More Artists to be Announced!
TICKETS AND CAMPING ARE ON SALE NOW and can be purchased online with a credit card by visiting our website at www.reggae rising.com. For more information on Reggae Rising call the hotline at 707-923-4583.
| |
| Zoo fundraiser to benefit primates | |
| The Sequoia Park Zoo will hold Brew at the Zoo Saturday to raise funds for an expansion of the primate facilities.
The event will feature live music from Dr. Squid, local beer and beverages from Six Rivers Brewery and a gourmet barbecue catered by the zoos new executive chef, Michael Lyle.
Read More
| |
| Whild in the Streets - The Hum by Bob Doran | |
| The Hum 6/14
Whild in the Streets
Whild Peach guitarist David Whild wasn't quite sure what the band was doing in Bozeman, Montana. "We're further and further from home everyday," he said when I called him at a Bozeman motel. Home is Atlanta, Georgia, and has been since Whild and his musical partner Peach moved there from Dallas in 1994. "The thing we did in Dallas, we were called Deep Elem, it was an original thing with our own songs, just totally alternative anything. At that time there was nobody doing what we was doing and we ran into a lot of resistance, people who didn't understand a black band playing this alternative rock funk kind of thing. It was funky, but didn't fit any certain category."
Whatever it was, someone at Capital Records liked it and the label brought the band to Georgia -- unfortunately the deal went south before there was a record in the can. "They had some changes, staff shakeups," said Whild, "so we got out of our deal, but we stayed in Atlanta."
The timing was right. While west coast and east coast hip hop factions still ruled, the dirty south was on the rise and Atlanta was at the heart of things with producers cranking out hits. "We started playing around town and evolved more toward hip hop and people started asking us to do sessions and that kind of thing. That's how we hooked up with Organized Noize and The Dungeon Family, then Goodie Mob and Outkast. We ended up playing on their records, writing with them and singing and touring. Once Outkast started going on tours and doing all these TV shows and going around the world, that took up two years at least, so we didn't do anything as Whild Peach for a while."
Whild and Peach worked with André Benjamin (aka Dre) and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton of Outkast from their second album on, a whirlwind period that culminated in the 2004 double-disc, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which sold 5 million copies, and became the first rap album to win a Grammy as Album of the Year. It also marked a transition point for Outkast.
"Once Speakerboxxx/ Love Below came out Dre didn't really want to tour," said Whild, "so we had to do our own thing. That's when we started gigging again. And here we are out on the road."
The road brings Whild Peach to Eureka this Thursday, June 14, to play some slunky music at Red Fox Tavern. If soul/funk/rock is what you're into you should check it.
The second year of Jazz In June At Benbow Inn begins this weekend. In some ways it's a direct descendent of something called the Rites of Spring Jazz Festival, put together almost three decades ago by the Backwoods Jazz Association, a group SoHum jazz fans and players. That evolved into Jazz on the Lake, a big event at Benbow that fell by the wayside a few years back.
"Last year the idea came back. John Porter asked about seeing Jazz on the Lake revived," said Jim Wilde, who works by day as accountant for the Benbow Inn and plays jazz guitar at nights, at least when there's somewhere to play. Needless to say, Jazz on the Lake was good for business at Benbow. Plans were hatched, and a major headliner was lined up, then the Backwoods Jazz folks got cold feet. No one was ready to put up the required cash. Instead, Wilde explained, "We decided to do music on the patio instead." It went well and this year it's back with two almost solid weeks in June and more to come in August.
Wilde handled the booking. "I just called my favorite people, they all said, 'Heck yeah,'" said the guitar player. Things kick off Saturday, June 16, with guitarist Bruce Forman leading a trio including scatting bassist with Kristin Korb and veteran drummer Joe La Barbera. The jazz keeps rolling Sunday, June 17, with the Sheldon Brown Quintet featuring Brown on sax and clarinet and guitarist Dave MacNab.
Tuesday, June 19, it's SoHum's own Humboldt Time with Wilde on guitar, Michael Curran on drums, Geoff Daugherty on bass, Jimmy Durchslag on trombone and Sam Maez on trumpet.
The Sam Maez Quartet plays Wednesday, June 20, that's Humboldt Time minus the trombone, then next Thursday, June 21, catch the latest incarnation of Equinox, a combo drawing on Backwoods Jazz members, formed to open a Jazz on the Lake show years ago, which includes all of Humboldt Time plus Francis Vanek and Les Scher on saxophones. The jazz series continues every night except Mondays through the end of June. Wilde recommends reservations since some shows will sell out. Call the Inn for details.
Things are looking up for the building at 47 West 3rd Street, home of Synapsis, Empire Squared, and The Placebo. Plans are afoot to bring the currently shuttered warehouse up to code so it can once again become a performance space, and the city seems to be going along with their ideas. They take the plans to the planning commission some time this summer. Of course the work is going to cost money, thus the benefit this Friday, June 15, at 321 Coffee, something they're calling an "Instant Art Show" with a crew of artists creating (and selling) work on the spot while DJ Raj spins arty music. Bring cash so you can take some art home.
Live music in Fieldbrook? That's right, the Fieldbrook Store begins a summer series this Friday, June 15, with those ubiquitous youngsters Steel Toed Slippers. Next Friday, June 22, is open mic night, Wrangletown plays old timey June 29, and there's more to come.
Saturday is the annual Arcata Bay Oyster Festival on the plaza with too many mollusks, and music by those ragin' Cajuns The Bayous Swamis, bluesman Earl Thomas (who is also singing at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday; see calendar for details) and Kulica. The always-groovy Kulica also plays Friday night at Red Fox Tavern opening for ekoostik hookah a relatively venerable jamband out of Ohio (15 plus years old) with the usual mix of psychedelic rock, blues, funk, jazz and bluegrass. The band is at the Fox for a two night run with local reggae rockers Mobile Chiefing Unit opening Saturday night.
Alert all Scandinavian Celtic rock fans: Your favorite band, Tempest, is playing Saturday night at the Blue Lake Casino's Sapphire Palace -- for free.
Apple Barner from Gold Beach offer "cow-tipping, sheep-poking funk" Saturday at Six Rivers. They explain that growing up on the extreme southwest coast of Oregon in the shadow of the Siskiyou Mountains meant, "There is no underlying regional musical style such as those found in the Deep South, farm country, or the inner-city. It's kind of a no-man's land down here. The rest of Oregon forgets about us, and we don't belong to northern California. We just do our own thing." The result is music that they promise, "is somewhat based on reality or a form of it," including, "some songs you might find you even like."
Norm from Bad Kitty Productions is at it again, this time bringing Detroit-based psychobilly/gothabilly madmen the Koffin Kats to the Boiler Room Sunday, June 17. Wear black.
With all due respect to KHUM-FM, the only local commercial station I tune in regularly, I have to say that the "radio without the rules" slogan is pretty much a relative thing. The deejays abide by less rules than most, but there's always the FCC regulations to think of and the potential fine for saying fuck or shit or some other arbitrarily banned word is huge. The pirates of the Humboldt Free Radio Alliance on the other hand ignore all rules. Fuck that. Since the low-power broadcasters at 99.9-FM don't have pledge drives like public stations, they throw the occasional benefit, typically at the Alibi, like the one Saturday night with renegade hillbilly Jay Dirt and Henpecker, who are either an anti-war folk punk band, an anti-folk war punk band or an anti-funk polka band, allegedly from Manila, but in truth from all over the map. Wherever they're from they're funny. Support your local pirates and be there.
| |
| Benbow Inn presents live music | |
Historic Benbow Inn is getting jazzy.
For two weeks starting Saturday through June 30, Benbow Inn presents Jazz in June.
Read More
| |
| Rock on the Boardwalk | |
The only thing that might put a hamper on tonights kick-off of the 10th annual Eureka Summer Concerts Series is rain.
Weve got some great bands this year, said Pete Meyer, Power 96.3 morning show host. We have such nice community support from Old Town and from Eureka merchants and, of course, the fans have just turned out in droves.
Read More
| |
| Saints, sinners and spies | |
Scanning the rearview mirror of his blue Corvair Monza for the 20th time, Saint John Hunt looked for anyone tailing him. He knew the FBI was watching his family, but he hoped they weren't following him now. He had a job to do. His father needed his help, and he intended to succeed.
Read More
| | |