Recently, listening to the soundtrack to the seminal Jamaican gangster film The Harder They Come after a long time away from it, I flashed back to a long-forgotten nihilistic fantasy of dressing like a dandy, wearing some illegal weapons in my belt and dying in some flashy way before I reached an age where the government had any use for me. Obviously, none of that happened — except for some colorful aspects of the wardrobe — and however dumb and pointless it is, it’s hardly an uncommon sentiment for teenage dudes.
Revolt and revenge through the private politics of disaffection and personal grievances rather than against a larger political structure is a very motivating force for a lot of adults today and goes a long way to explain why so many things and people in our society are so painfully stupid. But it goes deeper. Because the slightly more informed “elections have consequences” people of the educated liberal are laboring in a quarry of delusions, too. It’s not really about the elections; it’s this gatekeeping version of elections that are anything but representative of public will. It all comes back to power, and no amount of liberal smugness will bestow actual power to anyone. In that sense, the reactionary urge to be an asshole for the sake of working out an oppositional grudge against one’s own existence isn’t much different than the “rational” position that all we need are competent administrators for this insane death machine we call the USA.
This intro isn’t just about the stench of expired youthful nihilism coming out of the ruling party, from the open fascists in congress to the street sweepers in ICE. That’s an inevitable process of a monstrous, decaying system and can be dismissed like the constant sludge that spews out of the president and into a microphone, social media post or his diapers. This is inspired by the recently late Wendell Berry, and the column’s title is taken from his “A Poem on Hope.” Read it and remember that when you are alone with the violence of your anger, the only — and lonely — pronoun is “you.” When you see others in that state and work together to lift each other up and straighten things out, it’s “we,” or “us” all the way until the road is lit by something new.
Thursday
There’s a fine double header at the Logger Bar today, with some acoustic blues courtesy of the Backseat Drivers happening from 4 to 6 p.m., and a nighttime set by Portland indie singer, songwriter and bandleader Tyler Berd at 9 p.m. Come as you like, when you feel like it. It’s always a casual atmosphere and both shows are free.
Friday
After Hours is a jazz group composed of drummer Ramsey Isaacs, pianist Matt Seno, bassist Lee Phillips and Russ Thallheimer on the tenor sax, all of whom are young and wildly talented local players. The band is starting a residency at the Arcata Playhouse tonight at 7 p.m. that will run five times on the third Friday of every month. Tonight’s show celebrates 100 years of John Coltrane, whose centennial birthday is on the 23rd of this month and coincides with the 18th birthday of young master Isaacs. I had to double-check that when the fella hit me up to tell me about the show because he has been killing it for a while on the sticks and skins. So happy birthday to the late ’Trane and many happy returns to Ramsey Isaacs as well. The show costs $20 for advance tickets, $25 at the door, and there will be an extra element of tap dancing provided by Miles Schmidt to help celebrate the music of the immortal John Coltrane.
If jazz isn’t your thing tonight, Moss Oaks Commons has a groovy eclectic show with a similarly high pedigree of musicianship, albeit with a more contemporary underground flavor at 8 p.m. For a highly negotiable $10 entrance fee, you can enjoy the sounds of Philadelphia’s Mesh, Liquid Cross from Eugene, and the ever-amazing local tonal machine called Fek and the Future Friends of Sound who have played many shows for my ears over the years and have yet to hatch a stinker.
Saturday
Let’s head back to the Arcata Playhouse tonight to eyeball an interesting gig at 7:30 p.m. The Black Feathers are a married duo from the southwest of England who play folk music with an emphasis on Americana sounds with the kind of skilled obsessiveness that only outsiders can cultivate. There’s a particular set of tunes coming from the other side of the mirror and they’re quite passable and lovely. Come through with $20 to hear for yourselves.
Sunday
Oh my, another Metal Sunday at Savage Henry Comedy Club, and the bill looks quite promising. Tonight’s contestants are Goetia, a death metal band from Washington D.C., San Francisco’s death grind act Cartilage, Hexenwald who are possibly from Germany and Colorado but I’m going to just say “parts unknown,” and locals Bloodspire and Heel. It’s a sliding scale $10-$20 to get in the door, and those doors should be fully open by 6:30 p.m.
Monday
It’s the last calendar night of summer and, according to the United Nations, the International Day of Peace. Both of those designations are clothed in various layers of human arbitrariness and wish-casting, don’t you think? Each one a ready-to-wear outfit styled to cover up for the hubristic desire to control the funky-butt flow of wild nature and the violent sins of our fallen human culture, respectively. Celebrate however you like, no one got back to my inquiries so I have nothing to offer tonight.
Tuesday
The Miniplex is showing The System, a 2025 documentary by Dutch filmmaker Joris Postema about three people trying to find a way to build a viable future in a world that values greed, corruption, and short term gains over a living planet. Grim stuff indeed, but the music is banging, mainly featuring works by master sound-maker Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth. There will also be a listening party for the film’s soundtrack, which is scheduled to be released on Oct. 2 by Silver Current Records, the label run by local hero Ethan Miller of Winter Band, Comets on Fire and many more excellent acts and works. The movie starts at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $10, while the listening party is an hour earlier and free. Dig it.
Wednesday
One more show at the Miniplex then I’m done for the week. Orchestra Gold are a psychedelic Afro-beat rock band with roots in the mystic-groove storytelling musical traditions of Mali. Based in Oakland, the band is making a stop here tonight to share the rumble with local cumbia masters Makenu. This is an early gig at 7 p.m., so your midweek night shouldn’t disturb Thursday morning. Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 advance. Come by.
Collin Yeo (he/him) is drinking out of a jug marked with three Xs, smoking a giant cartoon cigar with ACME on the label and thinking how nothing could possibly go wrong this time.
This article appears in Burger Week 2026.