Horrorville 

There are so many shows this week that I had to be a lot more discerning than usual and carve my list down to a manageable size. An embarrassment of riches I'll gladly take. My social battery isn't where it used to be but it's slowly recharging, and beyond everything else, I'm sure we could all use a few distractions. Having to confront the horrors of the world is one thing but we're in a uniquely bad place where worldwide information is within easy reach, while vetting the veracity of that information is nearly nonexistent. Critical thinking is a pastime that enjoys about as much popularity in our country as the game of cricket, and observing or reading about past events as a means of understanding the current state of things is as rare a skill here as using a slide rule or sculpting by hand with marble. It's not quite extinct but there's a definite drought. Anyway, there are enough horrors out there to overwhelm, so I can't really blame anyone who abstains from viewing. Maybe it's good to take a vaccine-dose of the stuff in the form of movies to toughen our psyches for the reality of war. On that front, I suggest maybe one of the greatest anti-war films ever made, Come and See, which leaves no space for heroics and valor. If that grim Soviet World War II bunker buster seems too heavy, maybe check out the 1966 Alan Bates film, an absurdist comedy set during World War I called King of Hearts.

Or you can skip movie night and check out the music scene below. Cheers.

Thursday

The Sanctuary is continuing its run of unique gigs. Tonight's show is part of the Cozy Classicals series, where, if you come at 6 p.m., you can enjoy a nice vegetarian soup and salad supper before the music. If you have other dining plans, you can enjoy the latter at 7 p.m. Tonight's artist is the classical guitarist and instructor Jennifer Trowbridge, who has had a good working relationship with this space since the pandemic days of streaming-only gigs. The cost is a sliding scale $20-$50, with the former price buying the "show only" package. I believe there's a mid-tier compromise at $30, but I suggest you swing by and find out for yourself because this is a bargain any way you slice it.

Friday (the 13th!)

It's Halloween Jr., and the last Friday the 13th of this year, in the void shadow of a new moon, no less. There are so many shows happening tonight, so I'm going to snag a few and give you the most basic info because, like the Allman Brothers song goes, I "Ain't Wastin' Time No More." At 8 p.m. the Arcata Playhouse is the rendezvous to see bluegrass pioneer Laurie Lewis and her band The Right Hands ($18, $16 for Playhouse members). An hour later brings you three more show options: Reggae masters Kabaka Pyramid at the Arcata Theatre Lounge ($30, $25 advance). Wild and caustic comedian Eddie Pepitone at Savage Henry Comedy Club ($20). And finally, the Miniplex is hosting a Los Angeles synth goth expo, with headlining group RIKI presenting tourmates Dream_Mega, with local DJ Satanica spinning in the main bar room all night ($15). Got it? Good.

Saturday

As we ramp up to a weekday Halloween — a Tuesday, no less — we must remember that the entire month of October is open spooky season, and the weekends are our quarry. Tonight is no exception, with local odd pop outfit Cemetery Boys throwing a costume-friendly party at the Miniplex at 9 p.m. Advance tickets are going for $5, double that if you pay at the door, which is still a bargain price for a decent Monster Mash.

Sunday

Hanneke Cassel has returned to our area with her band. What does this mean for the listening public? Well, quite a lot if you have an interest in hearing the Cape Breton fiddle-style of Gaelic folk reels mixed with the soulful Americana of traditional string sounds found everywhere from the Canadian Maritimes to the Cajun Prairies of Louisiana. The Boston-based Cassel is a master on the fiddle, and extremely well-versed in the deep roots of her preferred style. This is an excellent show for an autumn evening and a treat for us all at 7 p.m. ($18).

Monday

Hey ho, let's go, hey ho, let's go. Another Metal Monday at Savage Henry, an all-ages gig, too, I.D. to drink. A $5 to $10 door fee, at 7 p.m. now, I can't keep this up though, the Blitzkrieg Bop. Yeah, enough of the novelty of trying to fit this entry into the cadence of a Ramones song (I still love you, Joey!). Most of the bands tonight are from Eugene, Oregon, with power violence band Prager Youth joining crust punks Ausekara and — now this is interesting — a ska/crust band called Wake of Disaster. Sounds like a fitting name but who knows? Local support from queer noise merchants The Groomers.

Tuesday

Oh boy, this one's a delight to announce. To his many fans gained over his decades of rap innovation, he needs no introduction, but for everyone else, listen up. Kool Keith is in town tonight at 8 p.m. at the Arcata Theatre Lounge. With his incredible discography filled with plenty of guest spots and aliases — my personal favorite alter-ego is Dr. Octagon, and everyone should hear the Dr. Octagonecologyst record at least once — Kool Keith has built his eternal throne in the pantheon of hip hop innovators. This midweek show is going for a steal, too. It's $20 at the door, $15 if you buy in advance. Even if you're just curious, that's a bargain for a legend.

Wednesday

Movie night! Two features but you have to pick one because the 7:30 p.m. showtimes clash. The Arcata Theatre Lounge is playing Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which is a certified kult klassic. Get there a bit earlier if you want to snag a seat, and 6 p.m. is a good time to settle in for the pre-show and raffle. Just $5 gets you inside, but $9 gets the same and you leave with a poster. Over at the Miniplex, there's a remix of the classic dystopian anime Akira with a new, live spun soundtrack courtesy of DJ Pandemonium Jones. This one should be interesting, although I can't imagine how to re-track this film. I was so obsessed with the original soundtrack that it was the house music for my truck for nearly a year. I trust in our DJ, though. He's good.

Collin Yeo (he/him) is not particularly proud of his species, let alone his race or nationality. He lives in Arcata.