Midnight Music 

Years ago, I used to listen to more esoteric, dark music. This was probably something to do with age, as one of the ironies of youth is that it often allows for a grim fascination with death and decay because the observer is still cloaked in the bloom of vitality. Or maybe I'm wrong and it's actually a closer proximity to birth; maybe the void from which we were pulled screaming into this reality allows a mellow relationship with the domain of the reaper, the eternal footman and the ferry master. Perhaps middle age, where I am told I do not, but definitely feel like I do reside within, is the worst place from which to view the macabre dance party tickling the senses and pricking up our ears from just out of frame. A few blocks away from the party, where you can start to hear the crowd and the bass, is often the most exciting, anxiety-inducing location. Either way, I've never been one to forget about old tricks entirely and as it is October, I will probably be listening to a bunch of that spooky shit again soon. Maybe even something as frightening as Coil's Musick to Play in the Dark (Volumes 1 and 2) or Suicide's Frankie Teardrop, as listened to in the dark, something that supposedly drove Bruce Springsteen to a bleak enough location to write his cold masterpiece Nebraska. Or The Ghost Song (Horses) by David Byrne. The list goes on, and I'm only talking pop and electronic music so far. Anyway, light a candle, drop the needle (or press play) on something real haunted, and blow that candle out when you are ready for the black.

Or, look below and go have some fun with the laughing, living public while you still can. No judgment here.

Thursday

Tonight sees the kick-off of not one, but two local culture festivals. First up, it's the 12th annual Savage Henry Comedy Festival. There will be shows scattered around quite a few local venues, so instead of getting lost in the outfield with the details, let me give you my pick. Kyle Kinane headlines the gig at the Savage Henry Comedy Club with two gigs at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m., featuring a line-up chock full of local chucklers. It's $15 for the early show, $20 for the night time session and $80 for a bracelet that allows you access to all 13 venues like a traveling ambassador.

Meanwhile at 8 p.m. at the North Coast Repertory Theatre, the Festival of Dreams: Outer Fringe presents a performance of CTRL+ALT+DELETE, a mature-audience-only retelling of the Genesis story set during the 1990s. Fifteen bucks gets you into this individual performance, but $80 ($64 for students and seniors) is the price for the entire three-day shebang.

Friday

The Eureka Symphony presents its 2023-2024 season premiere at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts at a new, earlier time of 7:30 p.m. The main attraction is a performance of Händel's Water Music Suite No. 2. Also on the program are pieces by Danish composer Niel Gade and Rainbow Body, by the American Christopher Theofanidis. Tickets are $19-$49, and rush tickets will be available at the door at 7 p.m., $10 for students, $15 general. As a regular attendee, I can assure you this is quite a deal.

Saturday

So it turns out that Jerry's Middle Finger is yet another talented Grateful Dead tribute band of note, named in reference to the missing digit on the late guitarist's right hand, and not (as I had first assumed) a spectral message from that same late guitarist, aimed toward his endless hordes of imitators and fans as an invocation to knock it off, find a new obsession, and let him rest in peace. My bad. Anyway, the group is on the second and final night of its engagement at Humbrews, where the jams will commence at 9 p.m., with a door charge of $30, $25 for advance tickets. Honestly, anyone going to this gig probably didn't need any input from me to hear about it. But just in case, you have been notified by Collin's middle fingers, which I have used in conjunction with a few of the rest to type this out. Carry on.

Sunday

Portland's astro-funk trio Sweet N' Juicy is back in town to spread its fruity jams across the stage at Siren's Song Tavern at 8 p.m. ($8, plus it's the eighth of October, a month named after the eighth month of the old Roman calendar, so if you like eights, listen up). The three lads are very good musicians, whose humor translates to stage names and fruit costumes. As the band's YouTube page states, "Sweet is a banana, N' is a pineapple, Juicy is a strawberry. We just want you to party." Seems pretty straightforward to me.

Monday

Rehab is a Georgia hip-hop, rap and country rock band built around rapper and singer Danny Boone. The group came out of the same general cultural gestalt that gave us hybrid white boy/honky rap groups like Bloodhound Gang and I.C.P. If that genre and vibe is of interest to you, head on over to the Arcata Theatre Lounge at 6 p.m. and pony up $25 (if you didn't snag the $15 early bird or $20 advance tickets).

Tuesday

The Miniplex is hosting Latin dance classes with instructor Selma Angelina every Tuesday this month at 8 p.m. for a drop-in price of $20 per class. Then afterward, you can try your moves out during the free dance party hosted by DJ Amaru Shia. I believe they are still doing a pretty mean Taco Tuesday at the bar at Richards' Goat, so you can fuel up beforehand and make a night of it.

Wednesday

Midweek shows are tough to track, but this one at the Miniplex seems promising for any electro audiophiles and found-sound curators out there. Ironing is a solo act out of Gainesville, Florida, whose sound is built on a mixed-media creative process of manipulating various recorded mediums like vinyl records, cassettes and tape loops to create organic sonic collages. Two decades of practice have made for some very interesting and impressive results. Also on the bill at 7 p.m. are similarly minded local support acts IDYL, and Sterile Garden. The door price is a sliding scale suggested donation for the touring act and Florida is a long ways away, so dig deep if you can.

Collin Yeo (he/him) ain't afraid of no ghosts. He lives in Arcata, where the specters generally cohabitate amicably.