Heaven or Las Vegas 

I'm making myself laugh imagining the story of a man who manages to completely ruin his life in next week's pummeling four-day gauntlet of Super Bowl Sunday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day. One could argue there's a break Monday but that's just for casuals. Win or lose, a team's fans need a day to come down/sober up and settle up with the bookies. And if you're in carnival territory, Lundi Gras is never a day off. The entire story of a life could be told starting with the orgiastic bloodsport of youth, the nihilistic partying of Mardi Gras afterward, followed by finding (and losing) romantic love, and solemn atonement and reconciliation with a greater moral order in a violent universe.

Not for me, though; I gave up heavy liquor drinking and, while I no longer live in New Orleans, the Saints remain my team. So while I'm rooting for the Niners, I won't be crushed either way. And this year, at least, I have a plan for love and penitence. Whether I stick the landing remains to be seen but it's (hopefully) a better ending than the guy I invented in the first sentence.

Have a safe one.

Thursday

The Basement hosts one of Humboldt County's musical oddities this evening at 8 p.m., a little trio-plus called The Blueberry Hill Boogie Band. I say "trio-plus" because in addition to the fine musicians on hand, there's a homemade jukebox that allows the audience to pick tunes from the group's expansive songbook of pop, rock and jazz through the decades. This band is a treasure and worth your time, which is all you have to pay to hear them, as there's no cover at the door.

Friday

Portland, Oregon's Fox Medicine is a metal band with bright imagery, referring to their genre as "bubblegum doom." Which is fairly on the mark, as far as I can recall from the last time I caught their act when they rolled through town. Tonight these glossy blitz-makers will be posted up at the Siren's Song Tavern, with support from It & I and Death Doula. Think of it as a metal show with pink frills. Doors open at 8 p.m., $10 to get inside.

If you're looking for a different scene, a noted face-tattooed rapper who caught fame in the last decade — when kids were putting out tracks on SoundCloud, eating benzos like candy and giving themselves the stage prefix "Lil" like they were emissaries from Munchkinland — is in town. I'm of course talking about Lil Xan, who has since cleaned up his pill issues but still holds onto everything else that made him popular six years ago. It's good fun for those who dig it and the Arcata Theatre Lounge is the absolute correct venue. Doors at 8 p.m., and the tickets are as follows: $45 general admission, $35 advance and $250 for bottle service spots.

Saturday

The Outer Space is hosting a Punks for Palestine benefit show tonight at 7:30 p.m., with bands Vegan Slaughterhouse, The Groomers, Brain Dead Rejects and Heart Eyes putting in their best effort for a good cause. The door is $5-$10 sliding scale, and the proceeds go to the American Near East Refugee Aid, providing relief for the affected civilians of Palestine and Lebanon, or as the government of Israel refers to them, "legitimate military targets."

Later on at Humbrews at 9 p.m., rough and sleazy rapper and street survivor Mickey Avalon is back in town to show us all that he ain't down yet. Singer Blake Banks is on board, too ($30, $25 advance).

Super Bowl Sunday

I thought about showcasing some of the jams and theatrical productions happening today, but with absolutely no offense directed at those live events or the people out there interested in anything other than football, I apologize. The home team is playing in the big game this year and I'd be lying if I said I had my mind on anything else. Forgive me for a lack of bandwidth, and for the disorientation caused by once again revisiting a Chiefs/Niners showdown during an election year with two of the worst candidates since "flayed alive" and "scaphism" were taken off the ballot.

Monday

Comedian Evan Vest is holed up at Savage Henry Comedy Club for one of his curated movie screenings. This evening's fare happens to be one of the worst films ever made, a movie so baffling and terrible that an entire cult industry has cropped up over the last two decades since its release. I am of course talking about director Tommy Wiseau's The Room, a true classic buttressed as much by the sheer oddness of Wiseau's presence as it is by the bizarreness of the flick. He lives in this movie, his presence is everywhere and no, this is not meant as a compliment. The show starts at 9 p.m. and there is no cover.

Tuesday, Mardi Gras

From the heavy side of the jam band world of yesteryear comes one of the few groups in that genre whose work made it into rotation in my truck when I was in my 20s. Gov't Mule is a powerhouse led by ace guitarist Warren Haynes, a man with the deft country-gentleman picking of an Allman Brother and the heavy low end riffage of Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi. This group is masterful, and will be doing its thing at the Van Duzer Theatre at 8 p.m. There's a wide range of ticket options, so keep an eye out for where you fit in: $30-$60 general admission, $10-$30 for Cal Poly Humboldt students.

Wednesday, Valentine's Day, Ash Wednesday

Depending on what your personal belief system involves, today is either just another hump day (I mean the middle of the week, not the other thing), the beginning of Lent and/or the most romantic day of the year. I make no judgment, only merely speculate that there are a lot of different ways to perceive today. For my own part, I'm staying indoors, with both solemnity and sweetness (any further description is none of your business). However, if you do want to go out, the Basement is hosting the broad collective and queer party troupe Trinidaddies, with music by DJ Anya, Chef Trev and live performances by Gliterous Cliterous and Garlic Bread. Fun starts at 8 p.m. and $10 gets you into the subterranean zone.

Collin Yeo (he/him) wants the 49ers to win and both presidential candidates to lose. He lives in Arcata.