Silent Nights 

It's no secret that our nightlife, bountiful as it may be for an area as remote as Humboldt County, ebbs and flows. Especially this time of year, when the holidays and the schools more or less dictate the terms regarding the potential audience numbers needed to lure bands, promoters and venues into production mode. That's not to say there aren't any gigs, there's a decent little diverse collection of various genres and performances this week, it's just a little quieter than normal. I have been going out a bit more, sometimes to listen to something live, sometimes in a professional capacity running live sound. Always in the periphery and not fully socially engaged, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Like I said, ebbs and flows. A more humanely structured society would recognize the natural rhythms and seasonal hibernations of its citizens and shift accordingly, allowing everyone to hunker down and come to terms with their coming winter while using what energy we have under the sun for more collective social goods, rather than the endless gnawing competition of the blind idiot demiurge of market capitalism. I remember a good Christmas ghost story from my childhood with more or less the same message getting hammered into the brain of a cruel miser by the damnation-chained shade of his former partner along with the help of some greater temporal spirits. Unfortunately, rather than reordering society from the ground-zero country of capitalism outwards, the monstrous blind idiot of the market just found a way to adapt the tale into several financially successful iterations. You can catch one of the more whimsical versions in Sunday's entry. Don't blame the artist or the stories, that's about the best we can hope art will achieve, some sort of inner change and feeling for the viewer, rather than a mass movement. It's too downstream of the material world for other results. This might not be a permanent placement — William Blake always gives me hope otherwise — but it's where we are at now.

Enjoy your week.

Thursday

Jeff Landen, singer, guitarist, and songwriter known locally as a member of the Bayou Swamis, returns to the Logger Bar tonight at 7 p.m. for a free solo set. Expect a lively mix of covers and originals all sung and played quite well.

Friday

There's a big metal show tonight at 7 p.m. at Savage Henry Comedy Club. Los Angeles powerviolence band ACxDC has had a large touring schedule lately and are headlining one with New Orleans newcomers Brat, whose style of punk and metal comes with a pink glam patina. On the undercard are local heroes Malicious Algorithm and Gooseneck. This all-ages show comes with a $10-$20 sliding scale door price and, as always, you need a valid I.D. to drink alcohol.

Saturday

There are two DJ-curated dance shows happening tonight and both cover a lot of ground, sound-wise, so you can have your pick.

At 7 p.m., it's the final time the Logger Bar will be hosting the Red Room, a darkwave and post punk dance party provided by DJs Zero One, Datura and Kreepeeo. This over-21 goth-friendly event is free at the door.

Two hours later at the Miniplex, it's Disco Night, with an emphasis on a suggested dress code of pajamas and underwear. Presided over by resident drag king Mr. Gino, the DJs for the evening are Pandemonium Jones and Dacin. Along with a free coat check, Los Giles will be selling food. Tickets are $10 at the door, with a limited run at $5 available online.

Sunday

The McKinleyville Community Choir is presenting the second of three holiday concerts today at 3 p.m. at the Arcata Presbyterian Church (the other concerts are booked elsewhere). Come enjoy the magic of multiple voices spreading good cheer for free, with donations optional if you're feeling the spirit.

Speaking of feeling the spirit, England's most enduring seasonal ghost story gets the felt and feather (and Michael Caine) cast treatment in 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol, which is showing this evening at 5 p.m. at the Arcata Theatre Lounge. $8 for admission, $12 if you want a poster that is (usually) designed by a local artist.

Monday

I can't say that I know much about comedian Pete Nelson, other than I have been seeing his name around town quite a bit hosting a variety of open mics and comedy shows. Tonight's gig at the Crisp Lounge is a multimedia affair called Pete's Projecting Again. If that piques your interest, show up at 7 p.m. with $5 in hand for the door.

Tuesday

Once again, you have the opportunity to enjoy the jazz stylings of the Opera Alley Cats at one of the group's weekly gigs. This one is at the SpeakEasy at 7 p.m., no door cover, so be sure to bring some cash to tip the band and bartender.

Wednesday

A lot of shows shuffle or evaporate this time of year to make way for the build-up to Christmas and New Year's Eve. This is a normal order of operations, and one planned for by our merchant and venue-owning class. However, you can still have fun on the town if you know where to look. The town in tonight's scenario is Blue Lake, and the fun is least 50 percent your responsibility to generate. I am, of course, talking about karaoke night at the Logger Bar, a free event that starts at 8 p.m. Free means at the door, it's still considered polite to tip your bartenders and KJ.

Collin Yeo (he/him) isn't feeling it this year. He lives in Arcata.