Hawaii’s Jake Shimabukuro is about as close as one can get to complete mastery of the island’s famously understated instrument, the ukulele. In his hands, the diminutive, four-stringed campfire and beach accessory becomes a thing of wonder, as his fingers pick and strum away at chord voicings and melodic passages that seem out of this […]
Music
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Photos: Tubas, Chocolate and a Flaming Octopus
For many, it’s not officially the holiday season in Humboldt County until you’ve attended one of the all-brass TubaChristmas performances, which have been led locally by Fred Tempas since 1988. So we headed out early Saturday afternoon to near the gazebo in Old Town in Eureka for the 33rd annual concert and Christmas carols sing-along […]
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Music Tonight: Tuesday, Dec. 6
Now is as good a time as ever to remind you of Word Humboldt’s excellent and ongoing open mic at Northtown Coffee at 6 p.m. You really do get the entire range of what’s possible out there, from the truly sublime to the edge of cringe, and the cost is nothing but your time, an […]
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Music Tonight: Monday, Dec. 5
Los Angeles’ Goon has been around for less than a decade but in that time has built a unique, nocturnal sound around a line-up that includes a member of indie rock minimalist masters Spoon. The sound, like the name Goon, seems so catchy and obvious I’m surprised it hadn’t been snatched up already: Thoughtful songs built […]
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Music Today: Sunday, Dec. 4
The Cal Poly Humboldt Wind Ensemble is putting on a matinee performance at Fulkerson Hall today at 2 p.m. ($10 general, $5 children, free for students). The program will be heavy on American composers, and will include pieces by Aaron Copeland, John Barnes Chance, William Schuman and others. I like a good wind ensemble, beyond […]
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Music Tonight: Saturday, Dec. 3
The Eureka Symphony is presenting its Winter Festival program at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts tonight (and last night) at 8 p.m. I’m always happy to juice up the Symphony’s performances and this one looks like a real corker, with pieces by Rimsky- Korsakov, Prokofiev, Samuel Taylor-Coleridge and more. There will even be […]
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Music Tonight: Thursday, Dec. 1
New venue alert, for this column, anyway. Here’s a cozy restaurant gig to ease you into the last month of the year. The Boardroom in Ferndale is hosting Deckhands, a mostly acoustic trio featuring guitar, mandolin and pedal steel. If you’d like to know more about the band’s sound, roll through at 6 p.m. to […]
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Holiday Haps This Week
O little towns of Humboldt … It’s December and cities and towns across the county are hosting hospitality or open house events this month with many starting this week. Here’s where you can go to feel all aglow. McKinleyville says hello to Santa at its Christmas Celebration, happening Thursday, Dec. 1 from 5 to 7:30 […]
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Music Tonight: Wednesday, Nov. 30
Multi-instrumentalist Grahame Lesh, son of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, has become a dependable figure in the Dead-adjacent jam scene. Tonight at Humbrews, you can catch Midnight North, the band he fronts, as the group supports its newest release, There’s Always a Story to Tell. Along for the ride is RIVVRS, whose sound falls squarely […]
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Music Tonight: Tuesday, Nov. 29
Indie rock star Doug Martsch is bringing his influential band Built to Spill to Arcata tonight, for an 8 p.m. gig at the Arcata Theatre Lounge ($34). Having remained consistently popular both live and in the studio for the better part of three decades, there’s a better-than-decent chance the band’s gig tonight will sell out, […]
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Music Tonight: Sunday, Nov. 27
It’s your last chance to head off to see the Wizard. Which wizard? Why the wonderful Wizard of Oz. I once read that L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece is unique among fantasy works because while there are plenty of women in positions of power, (including some rather famous witches named for the cardinal directions), there is […]
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Music Tonight: Saturday, Nov. 26
Jamaica’s legendary albino emcee and toaster King Yellowman will be posting up at the Arcata Theatre Lounge tonight at 7 p.m. His appearance altered by jaw cancer surgery, Yellowman still cuts a truly unique figure among the few living veterans of the island’s OG dancehall scene. Expect catchy hooks and ribald lyrics about everyone’s favorite […]