Best of This Week's Music 

There's a lot of music going on this week and with no real dull times to be had, so I won't waste your time with a long intro. Sun's out, guns out, boys and girls. It's the dog days of summer and there is fun to be had every night after the beaches and rivers are too cold to enjoy. Remember to travel safe, wear something warm in the evenings and enjoy yourselves whatever you are doing. And for those long beach days, don't forget the one indispensable accessory: a T-shirt. You'll never sunburn your shoulders and, in a just world, large tees would be all we'd ever need wear by the bright waves. Have a fine week.

"Big" Sam Williams is a trombonist — as I have mentioned in this column before, the eternal child in me prefers the term tromboner — who was a key player for many years in the legendary New Orleans group the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, as well as an ace session man tapped by superstars like Dave Matthews and Elvis Costello. For the last 15 years, however, he has toured with his superlative act Big Sam's Funky Nation, staffed by a crack team of NOLA heavies dedicated to the big horn funk gospel that makes that city an eternal beacon of greatness. You can gain access to that greatness at Humbrews tonight at 9:30 p.m. ($10). If you really want to dance your ass off like the lighthearted, mad and happy fool I used to be when I lived around the corner from Tipitina's on Tchoupitoulas Street, don't miss this one.

Kikagaku Moyo — whose name translates from Japanese to Geometric Patterns — is a Tokyo-based psyche band and I know what you are going to say: Japanese psyche bands are a dime a dozen these days, touring liberally since the heydays of the Boredoms and Zeni Geva. However, unlike those glorious noise-mongers, this group works more in the softer tone and arrangement arena of sound, going so far as to feature a sitar player in its string-heavy lineup. The results are like strolling through a stunning aural garden full of neon-candied bees and I really dig it. You can come find out for yourself tonight at the Miniplex at 9 p.m. ($10). Drag City Records act Wand opens.

At the same time, northeast of the Mad River, there is a free show happening at The Logger Bar with a trio of locals. The Monster Women join forces with Strix Vega and the crepuscular Mister Moonbeam for a starlit sock hop by the mythical lake of Blue.

It's a busy night in Arcata with a few shows to get through, so I'll take a deep breath and hey-ho let's go. First off at 7 p.m. at the Outer Space Eureka rock acts Leone and The Tweeners meet up with Arcata's palm tree pop band The Apollo Era for an early all-ages gig valued at $5.

Over at the Miniplex at 9 p.m. musical puppeteer David Liebe Hart returns to town to toss out outer limit laughs with local comedy coevals Dr. Foxmeat, Evan Vest, Joshua Barnes and Matt Redbeard. ($12/$10 advance).

At the same time at Humbrews, there is a collaboration between Hollow Down and local open mic collective Word Humboldt. ($5). Join DJ Goldylocks and various spoken word artists for an open mic recital that will morph into a rock show at a time indeterminant.

And, finally, at 11 p.m. The Alibi has a free show going down on the dark side of the bar with Portland's all homogametic hard rock act Blackwater Holylight. Come on out.

Olympia, Washington, is represented at the Sanctuary tonight as bluegrass trio The Pine Hearts opens the evening's musical entertainment at 8 p.m. ($5-$20 sliding scale). Headlining the night will be fellow Olys The Lowest Pair — I won't tell you what the eternal child in me thinks of this name — a folky banjo-ed duo known for intimate songs and sets.

The Outer Space hosts an East Coast rock showcase at 7 p.m. as Jersey City's Long Neck weds its lo-fi sound to the clashing and earnest noises of Brooklyn's Fern Mayo — whose name was maybe taken from Judy Greer's character in the late '90s cult flick Jawbreaker. Fine inhouse trio Blood Hunny is the local curio on display. ($5).

RampArt skatepark continues bringing the noise with another night of heaviness at 7:30 p.m. This time around it's a package tour of three bands headlined by the Bay Area's GWAR-esque death metal act Ghoul. San Francisco's War Bison fills out the undercard along with Portland's queercore act Clitterati. Unholy Oriface plays a song of local color. Admission is $15 and there will be a beer bar for those of you old enough to buy tobacco in California.

Marley mania is sweeping the 101 corridor this week as Rita and Bob's youngest son Stephen "Ragga" Marley performs tonight at the Mateel at 8 p.m. on the eve of his older brother Ziggy's concert at the Van Duzer. Joining him will be his daughter DJ Shacia Päyne. ($35).

Wednesday

The family tradition rolls on tonight at the Van Duzer Theatre as Ziggy Marley kicks of the 2018-2019 Center Arts season at 8 p.m. Continuing on the path of his father's legacy, the Jamaican musician has become an icon in his own right. ($66, $25 students).

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 forgot to include a tagline this week but surely meant to say his editor Jennifer Fumiko Cahill is a goddess walking among us. He lives in Arcata.