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December 29, 2005
by
BOB DORAN
Yes, another year has come and gone, which means
it's time for the age-old question: What are you doing New Year's
Eve?
As with most questions involving social situations,
the answer usually depends on the clique or crowd you've been
running with over the course of the last year, which is to say,
you or yours may already have plans. Those searching for options
have a variety to choose from.
If you're part of the jamrock/funk crowd you may
want to stop by Humboldt Brews where the always funky Bump
Foundation opens for Arcata's favorite jamming song stylists,
Nucleus, who inform me that they have recently expanded
(or re-expanded) from a trio to a quartet, adding Brian "The
Swiz" Swizlo on keys.
Drummer Pete Ciotti tells me, "In 2006 the
band will once again buckle down in their farmhouse studio to
[record our] second record on our new label, Hellatite Records.
The new record will feature the new lineup as well as all brand-new
material never performed live before. The band has decided to
perform a few of these tunes on New Year's Eve."
For those who prefer jams more on the folk/rock
side, Six Rivers has enlisted Kulica for a groovin' NYE
experience. Note that this is a change from Kulica's earlier
announced plan to ring in the new at Kelly O'Brien's. Instead,
the Eureka night spot once known as Rumours has Big Earl and
the Cryin' Shame rockin' the night away with a taste of blues.
The new and very much improved nightclub formerly
known as Club West, now known as Indigo, shifts out of their
typical DJ mode with a live outfit, Internal Affairs,
a rock cover band out of the Bay Area that seems designed more
for corporate gigs than club dates.
Around the corner at the brand new trendy hotspot
the Pearl Lounge, the jazz they've been featuring makes way for
DJ Chad, but I'm guessing the music will be secondary.
Speaking of "formerly known as" nightclubs,
Marcus, the new owner of the place formerly known as Brogi's,
is changing the name to The Boiler Room, painting hot rod flames
on the outside and inviting all to "come feel our burn,"
whatever that means. The NYE party there is a "Black and
White Ball" -- follow the B&W dress code and get in
for half the cover. Resident music man DJ Ray provides
the tunes.
Want to dance to Motown and classic soul covers?
Vintage Soul is at BC's. Those looking to rock
in the New Year can skip Dick Clark on the tube (is he still
around?) and head over to Sal's Off-Broadway where Kids For
Sale play relatively hard music.
How about rockin' to the oldies and a bit of country?
Merv George is out at the Blue Lake Casino in the Sapphire
Palace, and if all you want is country, stroll across the casino
to the Steelhead Lounge where The Roadmasters hold court.
For the polar opposite experience, you could hit
the Red Lion Hotel Ballroom for the "2nd Annual Women's
New's Year's Eve Dance" (the extra apostrophe is theirs,
not mine), with The E.L.F.S. spinning dance music for
lesbians. (Is there a more P.C. way to put that?) They'll have
"Drag King & High Femme" contests and they invite
you to "Enter one contest or both!" Net proceeds benefit
the Humboldt Pride Festival in June 2006.
The Mateel has its Black and Red Ball with the
Earl Thomas Band and Aphrodesia. The phenomenally
eclectic Bayside Grange has a dinner party, a contra dance with
The Contra Band, musical comedy by Gale McNeeley
and friends and swing dancing to Gypsy jazz by Cuckoo's Nest.
(More details about both those shows in the Calendar section.)
The sedate Trinidad Civic Club's far simpler New Year's Eve dance
at Trinidad Town Hall features swing music by 24/7 Jazz Quartet.
You say you have to tend bar Saturday night and
were wondering if there's anything happening Thursday? The Alibi
is back in action Dec. 29, with shimmering dark metal by The
Hitch, and the first ever Humboldt appearance by Night
Wounds, a band from Los Angeles that recently added former
Arcatan Ryan Carlise as a saxophonist. Ryan explains: "Toby
[guitarist] and his girlfriend Sara [bassist] moved out here
from New Hampshire eight months ago and started auditioning people
for the band. They found a drummer and another guitar player,
then they kicked out the guitar player and went with a sax player."
That's where Ryan came in, six weeks ago. The musical genre?
"He calls it art gunk music," said Ryan. Part punk
and part art rock? I asked, and trying to appear hip added, Maybe
post-something? "No. I don't like that. Maybe Post cereal.
You can quote me on that," Ryan concluded.
And for the younger set, a note from Caleb of The
Dean informs me that the band is playing a house party in
Arcata Friday night. "The Dean is back for a while and we're
going to play music and you're going to [have] fun and have a
great time and buy our new CD that we are releasing. Word,"
says Caleb. Check www.thedean.tk for details.
My New Year's plans? I figure I'll try to take
in all of the above, or maybe I'll skip one or two, or party
at some friend's house, or perhaps I'll just curl up on the couch
with a good book, a bottle of champagne and someone sweet to
cuddle with, or maybe I'll fall asleep in front of the TV. Maybe
I'll see you somewhere, maybe not. Either way have a wonderful
New Year.
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