Hey, check out this quote from the Library of Pseudo-Apollodorus regarding Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and the reason for the season which we are just now leavin’ — according to the ancients, anyway:
“But when Zeus ordered Pluto to send up the Maid, Pluto gave her a seed of a pomegranate to eat, in order that she might not tarry long with her mother. Not foreseeing the consequence, she swallowed it; and because Ascalaphus, son of Acheron and Gorgyra, bore witness against her, Demeter laid a heavy rock on him in Hades. But Persephone was compelled to remain a third of every year with Pluto and the rest of the time with the gods.
Such is the legend of Demeter.”
Whether ancient people took the mysteries and cults surrounding these myths at face value or otherwise, the time has come once again for Persephone, eater of the seed of the Dead, to return to the Earth as the day and night are equally divided, while we all wait to discover if she sees her shadow to inaugurate the seasonal change … hmm, I may be getting my myths and folklore messed up. Anyway, however you choose to see things, spring has now sprung, as old gods, groundhogs, and all sorts of other critters and plants start filling up the landscape here and abroad. The world is changing again, too fast for some, not fast enough for others, and too late for too many. What can you say? Spring showers bring forth flowers, but so do shit, rotting things and the dead. Another year means more of everything and this one is lining up to be titanic, especially in the breadth of its sacrifices, the backend deal of the Rite of Spring. Or am I mixing that up, too? Whatever, enjoy the first week of the new season.
Thursday, Spring Equinox
The springtime has come again to our hemisphere, and where better in our little chunk of the planet to celebrate the equal split between night and day than in bonny Blue Lake? Specifically, the Logger Bar at 8 p.m., where you can enjoy a solo show by Vanishing Pints and Miracle Show-man Jeff Kelley.
Friday
Spring is a good time for something old returning and something new blooming. And so I offer you two gigs in that order. Music has returned to Cafe Mokka, and tonight’s intimate show will be courtesy of Irish music trio Ceo, featuring locals Blake Ritter, Alina Lawson and Chris Hinderyckx. No fee and the tunes start at 7:30 p.m.
As for the new thing, it’s a fun night at the newest iteration of the old Jambalaya, the Wild Hare Tavern, where you will find former local hero-turned New York City rocker Ellis Wallace with his latest group Uppies. This packed bill features support courtesy Darren Dunn from The Sugar Boys, The Velvet Worms and Clean Girl and the Dirty Dishes. Talk about a rockin’ line-up. Music starts at 8:30 p.m. ($10).
Saturday
If you have been online lately looking around for local acts that have broken Humboldt containment into media virality, the odds are even you’ve heard of the country folk act Brett McFarland and the Freedom Riders. Weaving spells of old county tales for the masses out there, this group has garnered enough attention to launch a proper tour and are rocketing off from the Arcata Theatre Lounge tonight at 7 p.m. The early bird tickets are already sold out, so if you want to catch the worm, you’ll have to cough up $35. Enjoy.
Sunday
This evening’s movie sells itself, so I’ll just stick to the facts and lay down the deal like tonight’s gumshoe anti-hero Eddie Valiant, played by the late, great Bob Hoskins. It’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, of course, a formative film for many in my generation for its mix of madcap cartoonery and gritty noir, all threaded together expertly by the master direction of Robert Zemeckis. Door time is 5 p.m., the Arcata Theatre Lounge is the place and $8 gets you a seat, while $12 lets you leave with a poster.
Monday
Mondays can be hard to nail down for a lot of people and often go overlooked as viable entertainment nights. However, when the right show comes through, it’s like fishing on an empty pier and bagging a monster. And monsters are on the docket tonight at the Miniplex. Ak’Chamel, The Giver of Illness is a duo whose heavy presence, odd instrumentation and rotten shaman stagecraft makes for an unforgettable experience. I did sound for them some time back and was utterly locked into the strangeness of the spectacle for the entire set. Also on the bill is Derek Monypeny, a desert soundscraper who is no slouch either. This one’s worth going out on the deep end of the work week. It’s an early one starting at 7:30 p.m. as well ($10-$15 sliding scale, but bargaining is on your side as no one will be turned away).
Tuesday
Recalling viral music trends and archiving them in the mind seems at odds with the transient nature of the medium — and the flashbang attention span economy it represents — but for those of you who remember, there was a sea shanty thing kicking around about a while ago, starting with a cover of “The Wellerman” sung by a young Scotsman named Nathan Evans backed up by internet friends. That sensation turned into a group, appropriately called The Wellermen who have since expanded their repertoire into more areas of traditional folk and recorded some music for a more lasting approach to a career. This international group is now touring, and will make a stopover at Humbrews tonight at 8 p.m. ($20).
Wednesday
Seattle duo Yaima has been making multi-instrumental world music with vocals and electronic features for the last decade, and represent a sort of staying power to a music scene that has seen a lot of losses and a few lasting groups, like Beats Antique, who rolled through earlier this month. The Arcata Theatre Lounge has also shown its staying power by keeping the lights on for such acts to have a venue and, while this music is not always to my taste, kudos to that as well. The doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets for this all-ages affair are going for $28.46 online.
Collin Yeo (he/him) almost knows just enough to know he knows nothing at all. He lives in Arcata.
This article appears in Youngest North Coast Condor Dies of Lead Poisoning.