Because I make it a point to listen at home to the music of as many of the artists that I cover here, the algorithms on all the sources and apps I use are completely wrecked, a situation I actually find delightful, even if I don’t personally enjoy all of the music. Another nice byproduct of this practice is that I have to consider the new songs I hear every week as being diegetic, that is to say, music that exists in the plot of this column that is both heard and shared by the protagonists, myself and you, dear reader. It might not seem like much, but one of music’s many functions is to aid the private narrative of the listener, more so now than ever for all of us who were born after the massive human culture explosion of the 20th century known as Hollywood. It’s just an inescapable element of our experience.
Which got me thinking about the newer frontiers of social expression in the vast landscape of the internet. However you might feel about Tik Tok, and I tend to view its attention flattening with mild revulsion (although I did really enjoy its extinct predecessor, Vine), it does have the interesting component of allowing its users to soundtrack other people. Videos of anything from annoying social messages to fights to the awkward public fumblings of politicians and celebrities, all set to trending song chunks, are a form of expression, I guess. I’m not trying to get all old guy Andy Rooney about an emerging phenomenon here; I’ve always regarded mass culture of any era with distrust. I’m just interested in considering the ability we all suddenly have to take a video of a stranger and rewire its narrative meaning with the addition of chopped and screwed music or sound effects. The vast dream machine of mass culture rolls blindly from slumberland to nightmare alley with an ease and trajectory as frictionless as it is chaotic. As more people live mostly online in the wake of the last few years and deep fakes become more tightened, reality has never seemed more Balkanized, and the contradictions never deeper. That’s all fine in my view. We have been long overdue for some kind of mass shift anyway. At least the (less critical) members of the older and younger generations now have something in common: a complete divorce from consensus reality.
That brings me back to the micro field that I started this preamble with: this little weekly column. I don’t know how many of you get out and listen to these groups, but it does make me happy to know that we’re sharing something, anyway. It feels good.
Have a nice week.
Thursday
Oryan Peterson-Jones continues his recent tradition of playing a solo set of flamenco and folk music gathered from his various world travels at the evening dune-land beautyscape of the Humboldt Bay Social Club. It starts at 6 p.m. and it’s free.
Back in Arcata at the Jam, it’s Reggae night again. Join live bands Wisedem Band, Seed N’ Soil and DJ Sarge OneWise for a night of grooves. It’s $5 but ladies get in free before 10 p.m., so factor that in.
Friday
Given the widespread coverage and ad campaign for Jay Leno’s double set at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, I probably don’t need to carry any water for those gigs, but may I suggest a double headlining appearance of a less famous but certainly no less funny comic? Tonight and tomorrow night at 9 p.m. at Savage Henry Comedy Club, you can enjoy the delightfully personal humor of Saul Trujillo, a Stockton native and West Coast road dog ($15).
Saturday
Local funky juggernaut Object Heavy is putting on an album release party in the Sapphire Palace at Blue Lake Casino for its latest long player Love & Gravity. The event is a smorgasbord of top-tier local talent, with hosting duties by Eli Fowler, visual effects by Marmalade Sky, interstitial sets by Soul Party DJs Red and Maxwell, and support from The California Poppies ($25, $15 advance).
Sunday
The latest installment of the Cal Poly Humboldt Recital Series finds father and son music professors Rex Woods (piano) and Garrick Woods (cello) at Fulkerson Hall at 2 p.m. performing a program of, well, music for the piano and cello ($15, $5 children and CPH students). Included on the musical menu will be pieces by Tchaikovsky, Poulenc and America’s own Samuel Barber, whose Cello Sonata in C-minor is worth the price of admission alone.
Monday
RampArt Skatepark has another all-ages noisefest tonight at 8 p.m. ($10). Come see San Diego’s punk collective Human Issue share the stage with locals Racket and Malicious Algorithm, whose grindcore I have enjoyed in the past.
Tuesday
The Outer Space is hosting Portland’s dream pop distortion dealers Nonbinary Girlfriend this evening at 8 p.m. Two Arcata bands, the surfy Miazma and the folky Blood Hunny will also be on the bill. A suggested donation of $5-$20 is requested but not demanded, however, masks are required for this all-ages show.
Wednesday
John Craigie is a true raconteur, a rambling singer/songwriter whose stage presence evokes the balance between heartfelt tunes and comedic stories and non-sequiturs. He makes his return to the 707 this evening at 7 p.m., when he’ll be posting up at the Van Duzer Theatre with roadmates The Ballroom Thieves, who will hopefully not be stealing our recently remodeled venue — a bad joke that I am sure the group has heard before, but you get what you give with a name like that ($35).
Collin Yeo (he/him) would like to thank his buddy RJ for coming in on the clutch and lending him a pair of crutches with no notice. Hopefully they will be returned very shortly. He lives in Arcata.
This article appears in the Journal’s 2023 Pet Photo Contest.