As is often the case during this time of year, I was watching a horror film recently — nothing special, a French rip-off of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 Dracula movie — when I found myself so bored by the stupidity of the whole thing that I slipped into a sort of dream state. I think this type of cheap mesmerism is why I, and I imagine other people, too, keep coming back to this type of crap. The low vibrations of dumb action and Grade-D meat that comes with impractical effects and a ZZZ-Grade script allows for a waking slumber that used to be a major selling point for the cultural and political mavens who filled the reading rooms and hot tubs of CIA-friendly outposts up and down the California coast in the summer years of the Me Generation. From Big Sur to Berkeley, people used to get very serious about the low-grade electric fevers they could catch in the company of fellow expanded consciousness/tightened turtleneck devotees.
Anyway, I got my thrills for free — or cheap enough to register as such — without involving spiritual mediums like Jane Roberts’ Seth or Sasha Shulgin’s Erowid vaults. And I really dug into one salient concept, which is the authenticity of counterfeit beliefs. Picture the most powerful and diabolical character in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. On the face of things, it’s the titular character of Wonka himself, but he settles for retirement and youthful replacement at the end of the story, so his avatar is masklike at best. The serious work belongs to his cat’s paw, Mr. Wilkinson, whose spycraft while disguised as Wonka’s nemesis Arthur Slugworth tees up the loyalty test that ultimately wins Charlie the big seat in the glass elevator. But while Wilkinson operates in the shadows, it is the candy shop proprietor Bill who operates as the true herald of Wonka consciousness, the St. John the Baptist of the coming age of candy. He sings the song about the magical abilities of the Candyman who, we are told, can synthesize all the visions of the world into bespoke personal flavors for every lucky boy and girl out there. He is the eternal shopkeeper, the priest who sits at the dispensation station between pure imagination and capitalism. He is the humble locus controlling the distribution and denial of confectionary wonder.
Something to think about on the eve of an election in which, for some perfectly sensible reason, I am sure, neither major party candidate for governor supports a tax on billionaires. Have a tasty week.
Thursday
Here’s something for the whole family: The Theatre Arts Program at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Curious Company presents A Silly Spooky Halloween at the Arcata branch of the Humboldt Library at 5:50 p.m. This is a free event for all folks.
For those of you of drinking age, the Logger Bar is hosting another honkytonk Thursday, with two-step lessons with Anna D starting at 8:30 p.m. and music by the Cowtown Sound rolling out a half an hour later. No cover, viva.
Friday
The Shanty is putting on a free All-Hallows Eve-eve show tonight at 8 p.m., with local combat thrash band Psyop Victim providing local support for Los Lonely Stars, a Los Saicos cover band from Los Angeles.
Meanwhile a half hour later at Humbrews, Poor Man’s Whiskey will be taking over with Dark Side of the Moonshine, a bluegrass and country-inspired rendition of Pink Floyd’s 1973 magnum opus. Or so context clues would have me believe and pass on to you, dear reader ($25).
Saturday, Halloween
Folks, the big spooky is finally here and I’m not talking about the midterms on Tuesday. There are plenty of doings transpiring under the waning gibbous moon tonight, so I have focused on a few musical treats before pulling my disappearing trick for the week: Find a goodie and enjoy.
The Miniplex is hosting an early show with a globetrotting master of modern Tuareg music. Left-handed Nigerien guitarist Mdou Moctar returns to Arcata for a triumphant gig featuring him and his band only, no openers. The bar starts humming at 6 p.m., the music starts at 7 p.m., and this gig will very likely sell out, so snag a ticket online asap for $25 plus any processing fees. Stick around after the show if you are so inclined for Dark Discoteca with Hispanic! At the Disco and Ratgirl, who will be spinning the dark vinyl arts beginning at 9 p.m. for a mere $5.
If you are in the mood to dance to a different beat, there’s an all-ages gig across town at the D Street Community Center at 6 p.m. Local masa growers Aquili Metzli are throwing a harvest celebration fundraiser for families affected by ICE featuring music by local cumbia masters Makenu and DJ Amaru Shia. There is a suggested donation of $20, but kids 13 and under are welcome to attend free of charge
Also kicking off at the much-earlier-than-witching hour of 6 p.m., Moss Oaks Commons is putting on one of those super fun shows where local bands interpret the music of famous bands. Tonight’s line-up includes Gingko with members of Stridor and Amanaka as Black Sabbath, some of the fellas from Fek and the Future Friends of Sound and Western Extra coming in hot as Neil Young and Crazy Horse, a set of Alice in Chains songs by — who else? — the mighty Sturgeons, along with many more local musicians cosplaying as The Germs, Hole, Type O Negative, AFI and more. The very flexible suggested door price is $5-$20.
Gazing eastwards at 9 p.m., you will find Heavens Taint and Clean Girl and the Dirty Dishes holding court for a free-for-all at the Logger Bar. I don’t need to tell you this show encourages costume-wearing.
And speaking of free, back over to the Shanty for some Eureka representation with the second annual Shantyween featuring DJs Nitey and Wooly Bully Bill at 10 p.m. Once again, not only are costumes encouraged, but there is a contest of sorts afoot as well. OK, I’m out. See you after the Dead Days.
Collin Yeo (he/him) prefers the ghost to the machine and it’s not even close. He lives in Arcata.
This article appears in ‘Crash Course’ A Halloween Comic by Liz Valasco and Collin Yeo.