A New Holiday 

I have been getting a lot of pushback for some of my opinions lately. This is good, people should talk. And if I'm right, I don't need to worry too hard about defending myself, assuming that there is such a thing as objective reality and the spin cycle of post-modernism hasn't melted us into insanity and solipsism. So I'd like to address something I should have said in last week's column and that I hope we can all agree on: Nov. 27 is the birthday of both Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Lee, two of the greatest Americans who ever lived, and should absolutely be a national holiday. Now go watch Enter the Dragon and listen to Are You Experienced?

And be thankful. Thursday (Thanksgiving)

No music today because of Turkey Day but if you want to do something good, may I suggest joining Centro del Pueblo's vigil in front of the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka at 10 a.m. It is for those in our community who are unable to be at the table with their loved ones today because of the escalating government-sponsored xenophobia against immigrants in America. Love your neighbor and welcome them, for they are more like us and much finer beings than those who seek to divide us. Friday

Portland comic Adam Pasi swings through the Savage Henry Comedy Club tonight at 9 p.m. Also on the tour is Alex Rios, while Jessica Grant opens and hosting duties are handled by Melo Rhae. How does one summarize the style of a comic for a (mostly) music-centered column? I can't answer that, so here's the second half of a highly stylized joke instead: "As the booking agent stared in numb horror at the finale of the act, which had contained the most hideous and morally obscene crimes against humanity from all history, unfathomable to decent and good people everywhere, he heard himself, as though from a distance, stammering out a whisper of a question. "What ... what do you call your act?" Prince Andrew, his voice bearing the full redolence of the horrific stench of monarchy, replied, 'The Aristocracy!'" Saturday

Mad River Alliance is having a Barn Boogie Birthday Bash to celebrate its ninth year as a clean water advocacy group for the Mad River watershed. The 7 p.m. event at the Arcata Veteran's Hall is free and music will be provided by The Striped Pig String Band. Expect dancing, raffles and other frivolities. If you have any more dancing fuel left in your tank, you can burn it all down to the "E" mark at Humbrews tonight starting at 9 p.m. with another round of Soul Party curated by DJs Red, JayMorg and Funky T-Rex ($5). Sunday

It's the first day of December, roughly 30 days into the soulless celebration of the commercialization of Christmas. How about a metal show to distract from the evil, smothering crush of late-era American capitalism? RampArt Skatepark has the goods for you tonight: San Jose's Exhumed links up with Oakland champs Necrot and the West Texas hardcore act Judiciary — now there's a scary word these days — to deliver a bone-chipping show worthy of any half pipe at 8 p.m. ($15). Monday

Pink Martini is a 12-piece pop orchestra returning to the 707 to fill the Van Duzer Theatre with the wild cocktail-ized sounds of world at 7 p.m. Imagine a soundtrack to the best mid-century cinema slideshow that finds a way to turn a disparate array of global sounds from "cacophony" to "consonantly sublime" on the aural graphics fader. Sounds good to me ($66). Tuesday

Word Humboldt is having an open mic and feature performance at Northtown Coffee at 6 p.m. Featured local writer Greg Bee is celebrating the release of his new book Goodbye to Toxic Boys. As a caustic man, I should maybe sit this one out, but I encourage those of you with less foul characteristics to enjoy or participate. It's free but donations are always appreciated. Wednesday

I recently went down an internet rabbit hole investigating the history of Peking duck. I did not expect its history to go as far back as that of imperial China and the Southern and Northern Dynasties of the first millenium (according to western calendars). Turns out the history of Chinese variety shows and musical balancing acts goes back even further, to the age that the occidental world refers to as "B.C." The tradition that survived the brutality of Mao's cultural revolution is now perhaps best performed by the The Peking Acrobats. It's an exhilarating mix of movement and live sound, and nothing quite like it exists in our cultural sphere, so if you can snag a ticket, you ought to treat yourself to the 7 p.m. show at the Van Duzer Theatre ($25-$39).

Full show listings in the Journal's Music and More grid, the Calendar and online. Bands and promoters, send your gig info, preferably with a high-res photo or two, to [email protected].

Collin Yeo knows that the corporate news is full of distractions that help the ruling class, and that if the working classes had the same solidarity as the ruling class, then there would be no ruling class. He prefers he/him pronouns and lives in Arcata.