preview / By Andrew Goff

The Big Two-Oh

(July 1, 2010)  It was 20 years ago today…  uh, 20 years ago this year anyway…

As you may have noticed in our pages in recent weeks, the North Coast Journal, founded in 1990, turns 20 this year. As far as decade-rounded birthdays go, for humans, 20 is kinda weak when compared to the life-crisis causing 30, 40 or 50. 20 suffers from being surrounded by the liberating years of 16, 18 and 21. But in a newspaper’s lifespan, 20 is the big one. With this milestone behind us, the North Coast Journal can now, legally, make liberal use of “ain’t.” We’ve been waiting a long time for this, and we ain’t taking our newfound freedom lightly, dammit. (We can also say “dammit.”)

To celebrate, you ain’t gonna want to miss out on the North Coast Journal’s 20th Birthday Bash. The NCJ is invading Arts Alive! on Saturday, July 3, from 6-9 p.m. on the Eureka Boardwalk at the foot of F Street. The night’s shenanigans will be broadcast live on KHUM. This ain’t your great-grandfather’s newspaper party either. Check out the lineup.

The Sounds: You may have heard somewhere (cough, Hank) that the night will feature the “Greatest Bill in HumCo Music History.” I can confirm (as I write this with a gun to my head) that that statement is a 100 percent scientifically proven fact. Ain’t no joke. If your ears are empty, we will cram them full of love.

Headliner Magnum continues to battle The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the title of Most Important Band Ever. Don’t believe me? Recently, the city of Arcata was deprived of its beloved Theatre Lounge when the band, opening for Zepparella, inadvertently burned-the-mother-down with the sheer force of their rawk. Sad night for Arcatians, for sure, but a testament to the power of Magnum’s aural blitzkrieg. Kiss Old Town goodbye.

Before Magnum melts your face off, you’ll have the opportunity to get down to the toe-tappin’ rootsy rock ’n’ roll sounds of The Delta Nationals. If there’s a more good times/dance/smile-inducing band on the North Coast, show them to us. Between sets, local singer/songwriter Josephine Johnson will hit the stage and entice you with melodies and authenticity. [Editor’s note: Josephine’s stellar guitar accompanist is the Journal’s own Seven-O-Heaven cartoon character Andrew-G.]

The night begins with the colorful party-on-demand that is Samba na Chuva. I’ve heard rumors floating around NCJHQ that the plan is for them to parade through Old Town and seduce Arts Alivers, like a samba-ing Brazilian Pied Piper of Hamelin, luring the unsuspecting to the party locale. If you happen to be wandering that night, trust me, you will be caught in their percussive tractor beam.

The Eats: We in the NCJ’s editorial gang are often just as surprised by the adverts that appear on our pages as anyone. At this week’s editorial mixer, we gawked at the tally of local tastebud tinglers that have allegedly agreed to supply the grub for this shindig. If this list is to be believed, someone up front has pulled off a cuisine coup of epic proportions. In advance, the NCJ would like to thank (deep breath) Avalon, Chapala,Hurricane Kate’s, Kyoto, The Lobby, The Looking Glass House, Mazzotti’s, Old Town Coffee & Chocolates, Ramone’s Bakery, Venlo Chocolates, Lost Coast Brewery and Fieldbrook Winery. Great Googly Moogly, ain’t that an impressive list!

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