We have certainly entered the part of the summer where our nostalgia for the bright and lazy days of late June is colored by the scent of wood smoke and over-ripened fruit. The kind of sensation that curls over our nostrils and into our brains like the tendrils of cigarette vapors from Rick Blaine’s ashtray in Casablanca while Sam plays “As Time Goes By” on the piano at the request of a long-ago lover from not that long ago, but still unreachable by the rules of time and the many flaws of mankind (yes, “mankind” for the tragedies of life ultimately caused by my gender).
It’s not all bad, though. September is a wonderful month around here, a time of warmth and compromise with the sun. A time of longer nights that carry that warmth over past the sunset, along with an occasional bit of wet to make our night rides more exciting. This is a harvest time, not just in the agricultural sense, but in a fashion that causes us to cull the best parts of our recent memories to feed the gentle decay of the near future. The world is indeed beautiful in September, more so because we are reminded life isn’t all sun and leisure, but something more poignant. A beautiful day without a sunset is a terrible, incomplete curse, a slur on the act of living. A summer without a September easing us into the grandeur of autumn is similarly incomplete.
Thursday
Tristan Norton is a local guitarist, and the Tristan Norton 3 is a power trio built around a funk and trippy jazz fusion sound in a manner similar to the way vines curl up and around mighty redwoods or ivy covers an old brick house. A solid foundation with some vibrant and curly coverings. You can check it out for yourself at 7:30 p.m. at the Kaptain’s Quarters for the unbeatable price of free-ninety-free.
Friday
Speaking of free, here are two fabulous gigs on two sides of Humboldt Bay that won’t cost you anything other than the effort of showing up, which you can probably do for both depending on your energy levels. First up at 5:30 p.m., the Arcata Friday Night Market is ditching the pyrotechnics for some real fire in the form of a scorching set by local cumbia masters Makenu. Hearing these folks churn out the beat under the late summer sky sounds like a treat worthy of Apollo, so don’t sleep on it as the sun edges out into the wet western part of the horizon.
Later on at 8 p.m. at the Shanty, Ukesperience is bringing its ukulele-fueled jam machine back from the dead for two sets that are bound to bring some good vibrations to the Swan Room. I have watched older videos of the long-dormant group doing its thing, and I was utterly charmed by the inclusion of a ukulele-bass guitar hybrid in the line-up. Sensational.
Saturday
This really is a great weekend for electrifying acoustic music played absurdly well, as Humbrews is hosting the full line-up of Absynth Quintet at 9 p.m. tonight. Those in the know already know how good this one is going to get, but for the uninitiated, imagine a jamming paradise just over the evening clouds of a Django Reinhardt moon. Perfection for a mere $10.
Sunday
For those of you looking for a full multi-media experience, please refer to my Art Scene piece about the Wildfur film premiere at the Eureka Theater, with showings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
If, however, you happen to be stuck in Arcata for some reason, please consider enjoying a tribute to the recently late Dolly Parton at the Arcata Playhouse, with music performed by Harmonic Howl, Ponies of Harmony and others, starting at 3 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $25 for what is certain to be a fine goodbye from some of our finest local music makers.
Labor Day
It is once again time for the I Block Party in Arcata on that lovely stretch of the map where Los Bagels and Wildwood music have called home since I was a boy. This year’s event is unique in one way: Some proceeds from the fun will go to Centro del Pueblo, which seems just and right. When we reflect on the work we do, we should always consider how it improves not only our own lives, but the community, and the lives of those who we may commit the sin of considering strangers if we forget about the unity of our shared humanity, and the obligation to preserve each other’s dignity that comes with the recognition of that connection.
The fun kicks off at noon with lots of food and music by many artists, including The Latin Peppers and The Mighty Dynamites. If you feel like just hearing some music and moving yourself around a bit, that part is as free as it ever was.
Tuesday
It’s yet another opportunity to remind you, dear reader, as well as myself, to roll through the Basement sometime after 7 p.m. to hear some of the best jazz improvisers in our area gather under the moniker Strange Meeting and play something really special. There is a suggested donation of $5, which is an absolute steal of a deal.
Wednesday
I don’t have any musical recommendations tonight, but if you are in the mood to see some vintage kaiju action on the big screen, come to the Arcata Theatre Lounge between 6 and 7 p.m. for a showing of 1964’s Mothra vs Godzilla. Same drill as before: Pay $6 to get in, or $10 to get in and leave with a poster of the showdown. And just in case you have forgotten or were unaware, there are some weird tiny twins in this one who make the sisters in The Shining look almost boring by comparison.
Collin Yeo (he/him) is ready to go over the garden wall and into the forest of fallen leaves and frost.
This article appears in ‘More of the Moment’.