the hum / By Bob Doran

No Rules

Bernie, I mean Berel, celebrates the release of Hooked with four different shows this weekend: Friday, Dec. 4, is the big one at the Red Fox with a 10-piece band; Saturday afternoon 2-4 p.m. he’ll be at The Works in Arcata playing acoustic and signing CDs, then he’ll do the same during Arts Alive!  at Plaza Design in Eureka. Sunday he’ll be at Eel River Farms Gallery in Loleta from 5-7 p.m. playing his songs while you sip apple cider.

The Absynth Quintet has sort of a pre-CD show Saturday at the Jambalaya. They note on their Facebook page, “We are ready to celebrate so many things that night. First, the band is in the process of making a new CD, and we are trying to raise money for its completion. Next, it is our drummer Tofu Mike‘s 36th birthday! And the Jambalaya is celebrating new ownership by Pete Ciotti, so you know its gonna go off.”

Across town at the Arcata Theatre Lounge that same night it’s another blast of bass-heavy electro-dance music with Ana Sia up from Oakland with some “dirty dubstep, grimy glitch and her personalized blend of global slut psy-hop,” plus crunked-out “future soundz” from Flying Skulls and T-dUb, all brought to you by Rebel Bass Collective. Need more dubstep? The Red Fox has DoJo and Cadence dubbing Sunday night

For old school roots reggae you’ll want to stop by Humboldt Brews Sunday night to hear The Melodians. The trio is best known for the Rasta anthem, “Rivers of Babylon,” used on the soundtrack of the seminal reggae movie, The Harder They Come, with lyrics based on “Psalm 137.” Original members Tony Brevett and Trevor McNaughton will be backed by Yellow Wall Dub Squad.

Those looking for a blues fix will head down to the Riverwood Inn Friday to hear harmonica legend Mark Hummel and The Blues Survivors, with the current iteration including Rusty Zinn, a true blues guitar hero.

Simon Legree’s in Hawkins Bar jumps again Saturday night with outlaw country band Kelli and The ShadowMen fronted by tough looking Kelli Lidell, daughter of country singer Johnny Lidell (remember “Primrose Lane”?) also known for her stint on The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams TV series.

You might know the fine flatpicking guitarist Larry Keel from his days with the Larry Keel Experience, a wild post-bluegrass combo that passed this way a few times working out of Keel’s home turf in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He’s currently on the road with Adam Aijala of Yonder Mountain String Band fame. Expect some serious picking when the two guitarists converge at Humboldt Brews Friday night.

Among your many holiday music/theater options: A Very Playhouse Christmas: A Televised Special, a faux access cable Xmas program (it’s not actually televised) with the The Tannenbalm Sisters (Jacqueline Dandeneau, Tinamarie Ivey and Zuzka Sabata) as hosts plus Andrew Phoenix and piano man Tim Randles. The show has a gala opening Friday, then runs this weekend and next with an array of “special” guests including local treasures Lynne and Bob Wells, Joan Schirle (from Dell’Arte), Siena Nelson (Lila’s big sister), Art Jones and the Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir.

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