Irie, or Not? 

If you don't pay close attention to what's going on in Southern Humboldt you may not have heard that there was some serious confusion last week regarding two SoHum events: last Saturday's Humboldt Hoedown and this Saturday's Irie Boogie. Both affairs were scheduled for Southern Humboldt Community Park, a lovely spot right outside of Garberville proper, both had been announced weeks if not months ago. On Tuesday (the day the Journal went to press) word went out that, in response to communication from the Humboldt County Community Development Services (aka Planning), neither event would take place at SHCP.

The park board sent out a press release saying in part, "Community Park was surprised early this week by a notification from the County Planning Division stating that two events scheduled to take place at the Community Park in the immediate future (the Humboldt Hoedown and the Irie Boogie) required special permits, as they went beyond activities allowable under the applicable zoning regulations."

The Mateel staff, organizers of the Hoedown, quickly made plans to move their all-day fest to the Mateel. The folks behind the Irie Boogie were still thinking about what they'd do when the county changed it mind on Wednesday and, realizing it was too late to stop people from showing up at the park, said they would not interfere with either event. The Hoedown went on at the park as planned and by all accounts was a success sans trouble.

This will be the Sixth Annual Irie Boogie, which grew from a little party at a cabin up on Bear Butte. It's the third time the Boogie will be held at SHCP as a benefit for the park. "People have been throwing events there for years, kind of under the radar, and we never had a single complaint," said I-Boogie organizer Joellen Clark-Peterson. That is, no complaints until this summer, when an August event called Outlawz and Angelz took thumping hip hop into the wee hours. The county heard from neighbors demanding action. Action followed, only to be modified. As it stands, the Boogie will be the last music event in the park until things are worked out between the park board and Planning. They're meeting later this week; we'll follow up with more on all this next week.

So what's actually happening at this Irie Boogie? Festivities begin at noon Saturday with SoHum songstress Swamimomi. Arcata a cappella queens AkaBella, conscious folky Francine Allen, SoHum rockers NPK, dubwise roots band Woven Roots and soul/ska band Soulevity are among those playing until dusk. That's when DJs and dancers take over the old barn, including DJ Touch from Deep Groove. Meanwhile outside it's S.F. roots reggae rock by Native Elements followed by flamenco/folk-rock/son/reggae combo LoCura, also from Frisco.

LoCura explains that their name translates two ways: as one word it's "madness," however, "Separated into two, lo cura: It cures it. Two words found within one, the cure within the madness. The idea that beauty and love can blossom from chaos, bringing dreams to life where another world is possible. A remedy is found in the craziness of this life, allowing the possibility for change. Through their music LoCura hopes to provide a catalyst for transformation and healing." Hmmm, that sounds appropriate.

The seriously nutty funkateers of Trulio Disgracias return to HumCo Friday for a party at Mazzotti's. Led by Fishbone bassman Norwood Fisher, T.D. is a massive 10-20 member spin-off from F-bone and P-Funk. Aside from Norwood, it's hard to say exactly who will be on this run, but the rotating cast includesDre Gibson and John McNight from Fishbone, Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh, guitarist Rocky George from Suicidal Tendencies, rapper Myka 9, vocalist Kim Manning (last seen locally as part of P-Funk) and The Skeletones horn section. SoHum's NPK open the show.

William "Ill Bill" Braunstein, a Brooklyn-born rapper from the Non Phixion and La Coka Nostra hardcore hip hop crews hits town this week for three shows along with rapper Sean Price. Thursday at Mazzotti's they're joined by locals LCA. Friday the action moves to the Red Fox with support from Hiway and Jo-B1. Saturday Ill Bill and Sean P. headline the Sasquatch Stomp out 299 at the Willow Creek Community Commons Park with LCA, Jo-B1, White Trash Country Club and Republican Duck Hunters joining the fun. And, according to the poster, "Sasquatch sightings promised."

If you like your hip hop more on the dubby conscious side, check the A.P.O.S.T.L.E. show at the Fox Saturday. The S.F. rapper is on the road with DJ Quest and a new album, Lyrical Activism. Also on the bill, Goddess Alchemy Project, who you might have heard at EarthDance.

The dancehappy Deep Groove Society has some special guests in town this week: First, Rob Paine, founder of Philadelphia's Solomonic Sound System is here for three shows. Rob is known for his fusion of reggae with house music and is credited as an innovator of "dub-house," which, says Dub Cowboy, is a favorite of Humboldt electronic music fans. If you picked this paper up Wednesday (Oct. 1) you can hear Rob spin tonight at the Jambalaya's weekly reggae night. On Saturday, Oct. 4, he's in Eureka for the monthly Sacred Palace Arts Alive! thang. There he will be joined by L.A.-based DJ/composer Blackliquid, aka The Funky African, whose specialty is funky-house. Sunday Deep Groove's Sundaze at the Jam features Paine and Blackliquid along with J-Sun.

Quick note to blues fans: The legendary Guitar Shorty is at the Riverwood Saturday. ’Nuff said.

Sunday marks Round 3 of the Fox's hip hop weekend, with Bronx-based rapper Percee P there for a show with Nac 1, Los Blooms, Thoth and DJs Blue Velvet, Chico and Kinetic Kutz. Monday the Fox switches to reggae mode with lanky singjay Eek-A-Mouse in the house.

KHUM's Monday open mike at Curley's shifts gears Oct. 6, with Port Angeles acoustic duo Deadwood Revival returning to play their favorite Humboldt haunt. (They're actually here all weekend. They're at Humboldt Brews Saturday night.)

Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster returns to the Van Duzer stage Tuesday, Oct. 7, for an evening of Cape Breton-style music, which is kind of like Celtic but, well, Canadian.

Tuesday at the Red Fox it's San Francisco indie jamrockers Tea Leaf Green. TLG is on a northwestern swing following a hometown gig Sunday as part of the truly awesome line-up for this weekend's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 8, a free festival in Golden Gate Park. Among the other 70 or so acts: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Steve Earle, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Gogol Bordello, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs and HSBG regular Emmylou Harris. The whole fest is paid for by zillionaire banker/philanthropist Warren Hellman, who must have sidestepped the current financial meltdown.

Can't make it down to the City or to SoHum? Arcata has it's own music fest Saturday, a benefit for Humboldt Free Radio we'll call the Hardly Strictly Rock-toberfest Boogie. It's in the parking lot behind Big Pete's in Northtown starting at noon, with The Common Vice, followed by hard-rockin' honky tonkers Side Iron (1:15), an S.F. blues-rock combo, Ride the Blinds (2:30), garage soul rockers The Ravens (3:45), and last but not least the psyche/folk-rock of Yer Dog (5 p.m.). It should all be all over by dark so as to avoid complaints from the neighbors.