today
8:30 a.m. Audubon Society Field Trip See Event Description
read >9 a.m. Arcata Farmers' Market Arcata Plaza
read >9:30 a.m. Discovery Walk: Unknown Waterfront See Event Description
read >9:30 a.m. Manila Dunes Restoration Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Manila Dunes Guided Walk Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Library Book Sale Humboldt County Library
read >10 a.m. Dia de los Muertos and Mexican Folk Art Sale Private Eureka home
read >10 a.m. Final Arcata Farmer's Market Arcata Farmers' Market (off the plaza)
read >11 a.m. Donlin Foreman Dance Workshop Dell'Arte
read >2 p.m. Humboldt Coastal Nature Center Draft Trails Plan Walk Stamps House
read >5 p.m. Bati Zado and Show Redwood Raks World Dance Studio
read >6 p.m. The Tumbleweeds Chapala Cafe
read >6 p.m. Ali Chaudhary (jazz duo) Libation
read >6:30 p.m. Not Evil, Just Wrong Humboldt Area Foundation
read >7 p.m. Guitar Stan (country) Old Town Coffee & Chocolates
read >8 p.m. Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona Arkley Center for the Performing Arts
read >8 p.m. Stones in His Pockets Arcata Playhouse
read >8 p.m. A Christmas Carol North Coast Repertory Theater
read >8 p.m. Donna Landry Swing Dance Moose Lodge
read >8 p.m. North Coast Wind Ensemble Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU
read >8:30 p.m. The Last Minute Men (international) Cafe Mokka
read >9 p.m. Ian McFeron Band (folk rock) Six Rivers Brewery
read >9 p.m. The Michael Paul Band WAVE @ blue lake casino
read >9 p.m. The Generatorz (classic rock) Central Station Cocktail Lounge
read >9 p.m. Taxi Bear River Casino
read >9 p.m. VJ Itchie Fingaz Pearl Lounge
read >9 p.m. Jack Ruby Presents + Blue Street + Acufunkture (DIY rock) Jambalaya
read >9 p.m. 2nd Annual Scorpio Bash The Red Fox Tavern
read >10 p.m. Music by DJ Sidelines
read >10 p.m. DJ Icy Hot Aunty Mo's Lounge
read >10 p.m. Jemimah Puddleduck (rock) Humboldt Brews
read >10 p.m. White Manna + Midday Veil + The King Salmon Duo (rock) Jambalaya
read >11 p.m. Radio Moscow (psychadelic blues) + Mosquito Bandito (one-man surf/garage) The Alibi Lounge and Restaurant
read >previous columns
Jan. 29, 2009
Blood Bank/More of the Past
By Bon Iver and Vetiver
read >Jan. 22, 2009
Magnum/Side Iron
"Mission Accomplished," Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Alibi
read >Jan. 15, 2009
Cryland
By Don Cavalli. Everloving, Inc.
read >Photos
Unstable Table
Unstable Table. Sidenote Records.
By Jennifer Savage
What would you get if you mixed The Bump Foundation's funk, The Absynth Quintet's jazz and the jam-based sounds of Likwefi? Not what you might think, at least based on Unstable Table's debut eponymous CD. The band consists of Ryan Roberts (The AQ, Likwefi), Tim Lane (Likwefi, The Bump Foundation), Tommy FitzMaurice (Spank, The Bump Foundation) and the heretofore unknown "Amy," citing as influences Ween, Ziggy Stardust and The Flaming Lips. With the possible exception of "Ring of Brogar," those make sense -- even that track could flow alongside Ween's The Pod album and not sound out of place.
Mostly, the songs traverse the dance-pop-rock realm, fitting somewhere between Concrete Blonde and Santana. Or as KHUM Program Director Mike Dronkers says, "Unstable Table sounds like the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack blasting from Sammy Hagar's old car. In a good way, obviously." (KHUM's Larry Trask makes an even bolder comparison: "They are the Led Zeppelin of local bands in the sense that one of them is sure to choke on vomit. Until then, though, their record will be in high rotation on my show. In a word: Love it.")
The first track, "The Party's Over," definitely deserves to be a radio hit. The sultry vocals, the sexy semi-techno beat, the here-and-again rock moments -- and the song clocks in at under three minutes, all necessary ingredients in crafting the perfect pop song. It's also made for remixing into a dance party hit, so listen for the super-extended-dance-party version at a club near you.
Awash in fuzz, "Triumph Biker" stands as the album's "experimental track." The repetition hypnotizes as if Unstable Table's sole purpose is to bring back raves. Don't forget your glowsticks, kids.
In contrast, "Lepper Piñatas" slows things down a bit, allows some room to breathe without losing the pop beat that keeps the Adult Alternative crowd convinced they're still young. But just when you think you're safe, along comes the robot talk! Yes, Unstable Table channels all the retro cool of Rock ’em Sock ’em.
This mix of pseudo-innocent with slightly off kilter continues with "Splodin'," offering up a sort of stripped-down, minimalist new wave sound. Irresistible.
All these elements culminate in Unstable Table's final track, "Trans Am." Unavoidably catchy, inescapably silly, this is the one likely to inspire the loudest cheers and most drunken singalongs when they play it live at their very first public performance ever, even if it's the only song not up at the band's MySpace (myspace.com/unstabletable). The debut gig happens at the Jambalaya, Friday, Feb. 6. (Hopefully no one chokes on their own vomit before then.) Pick up the CD while you're there -- no matter whose old car you're driving, this is a disc you'll want to blast while cruising. You've never been so cool.



















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