the hum / By Bob Doran

Fools

ATL opening, benefits galore, Habib Koité and don’t call them “Gypsies”

(April 2, 2009)  Woke up this morning with a tune in my head: an old Joe Jackson thing called “Fools in Love.”

“Fools in love, they think they’re heroes ’cause they get to feel no pain. I say fools in love are zeros; I should know. I should know, because this fool’s in love again.”

GALLERY >

Joe comes off all cynical, but you know he’s probably happy to play the fool for love. Since I’m writing this on the day before All Fool’s Day, I’ve been thinking about fools and why they’re important to all of us. I have a few foolish things on my calendar for tomorrow. I’m heading up to the studios of KHSU in the afternoon to help out with their fund drive. I always pitch on my friend Vinnie’s show, Fogou; he’s been volunteering as a deejay for as long as I can remember. Aside from a few overworked paid staffers, the whole thing is run by folks who work for nothing, but love it — fools who believe that public radio is worth giving up an afternoon or an evening. And the enterprise is paid for by fools like you who give the station money, even though they could just as well listen for free.

I’m also attending a couple of “soft” openings for new businesses. One is for a new record store set to open next week run by starry-eyed fools who are ready to ignore the fact that record stores are dying off since everyone seems to think music is a free commodity. (More about this hip establishment next week.)

Then there’s the Arcata Theatre Lounge. (Did you make it all the way through last week’s long, involved story?) Lara and Brian Cox are brave souls, dreamers who have invested their blood, sweat and tears — their lives, as Lara put it — in resurrecting an old movie theater, making it shine like a beacon once more. Is it a fool’s errand? I don’t think so. And I plan on being a regular patron, going there to hear music and to see movies that won’t play elsewhere. ATL celebrates its Grand Opening on Friday. Family business is taking me out of town, but I’d be there if I could, putting the new dancefloor to the test with two of Humboldt’s top dance bands: the swingin’ rock/country/blues/etc. band The Delta Nationals for swing dancers … and for salsa dancers, the hot AfroCuban rhythms of Ponche!

Incidentally, The Delta Nationals also have a gig Saturday playing for the Brain Dance atEureka’s Moose Lodge with another swing/rock band, Magnolia. Proceeds benefit Making Headway Center for Brain Injury. And Ponche! has a gig Sunday playing for Los Bagel’s Birthday Bash, a celebration of the business’ 25th anniversary at the Arcata Community Center that includes games for kids, dinner and who knows what else. Being a progressive community-minded biz, Los Bagels has turned the party into a benefit for Planned Parenthood, Humboldt Baykeeper and Green Wheels.

Community Alliance of Family Farmers gets part of the door Saturday at the Arcata Vet’s Hal when Humboldt Folklife has its monthlyContra Dance.Michael Mulderig serves as caller with the cleverly named Contraband providing appropriate music.

The Mateel plays host to yet another benefit Saturday night: The Hospital and Clinic Ball will help the Phelps Foundation buy medical equipment for Garberville’s hospital and clinic. There’s dinner music by Randy Ruland and the Sniff Unit and Classically Yours, then good old rock and soul (at 8 p.m.) with Jimi Jeff and the Gypsy Band doing their thing.

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