When I was a boy, I had a recurring dream about a vast, white expanse, possibly snow, possibly fine sand, probably something entirely different. Across this ethereal tundra walked a procession of animals, creatures of all kinds from across the world. Giraffes, kangaroos, lions and cheetahs mingled with penguins, bright green frogs, tortoises, ostriches, butterflies and palomino stallions. Great big grizzly bears and little rabbits, red foxes and gray elephants. A curious rainbow of creatures, no hunting, fighting or stalking going on, just walking in a line across the whole of a diaphanous white expanse. Credit the picture books I had around me, or a carousel I had seen and ridden at the San Francisco Zoo, or the many characters — living and otherwise — in the Academy of Sciences in life-sized dioramas and habitats. Television probably helped provide some of the wiring for this dream machine, too, with nature programs sliding over my eyes like an unraveling telegram of visual language, spooling into the new ridges of my developing brain.
Brion Gysin, the early cut-up artist and visionary, created his own dream machine in the middle of the last century, impressing a generation of beatniks and psychonauts eager to find new terrain in the expanding sphere of the unconscious mind. Williams S. Burroughs quoted Gysin as saying, “Man is a bad animal,” and this is probably true, humans being the only species capable of naming itself after “sapience,” while remaining horrendous and world-annihilating in our stupidity. The animals from my dreams might not be able to transcend their nature for a peaceful migration through the real world but that is just so — nothing perverse about them. We, on the other hand, ought to know better, ought to make our mightiest tools for abundance rather than mega-death. Behind our sapience lies a landscape of terrifying pathologies, the only escape from which might be in dreams. Curled in our sleep, shaped like a section of the wheeled spiral of our galaxy, dreaming of the spaces where the universe animates our impulsive, electric minds like the glowing hearts of the infinite stars. Walking peacefully through an uncertain frontier, without fear. Living colors in the great white nothing. Dream on.
Thursday
Weird Al Yankovic is famous for a great many parody songs and as well as highly stylized original songs, like the Devo-inspired “Dare to be Stupid,” the title song from his massive 1985 hit album, the success of which allowed him to break into the world of cinema. Although never more than a cult film, UHF — originally titled The Vidiot by Yankovic — has proven over the years to have a high re-watchability quality, helped largely by a talented cast and sketch comedy-style plot. You can catch it tonight at the Arcata Theatre Lounge, with doors opening at 6 p.m., start time at 7 p.m., and a raffle in between. Just $8 gets you in, $12 lets you leave with a poster.
Friday
The Sanctuary is hosting a North Indian vocal concert in the Dhrupad tradition, a style that is as old as it gets for classical Hindustani vocal music. Dr. Sumeet Anand is the evening’s vocalist and will be accompanied by Amol Ghode on the pakhawaj, a two-headed, cylindrical drum. Tabla soloist Colby Beers will be opening the show at 7 p.m. The cost is $20 (cash only), but you can get a package deal if you want to attend Dr. Anand’s Dhrupad workshop on Saturday at the Outer Space at 10 a.m. Both events will run you $60 if tickets are purchased by Nov. 21, otherwise, the workshop alone is a $50-$75 sliding scale. For all inquiries and reservations, feel free to text (707) 499-9699. Enjoy.
Saturday
Speaking of the Sanctuary, James Zeller and friends will be putting on a special seasonal jazz show there this evening at 6:20 p.m. called Leaves and Sleeves: Songs of Autumn. There will be two sets, the first being the thematic one and a second running after a short break with a looser vibe. The door is $15-$30 sliding scale. Come mingle and jingle and mark the passage of time. Which brings me to tonight’s other event. Time, I mean, and its inexorable crawl forwards as perceived by the creatures in our dimensional latitude. It has now been 10 years since the opening of Richards’ Goat and the Miniplex, and the good folks over there are putting on a nice free shebang to celebrate. DJ Pandemonium Jones will be spinning wax for the dancing types, there will be some drink and beer specials, and T-shirts, a first for the beloved bar/tearoom/venue, will be available for purchase. The bar opens at 6 p.m. but I would expect things to start grooving by 9 p.m.
Sunday
The Humboldt Committee for Peace and Justice is putting on a walk and vigil for the victims of the ongoing collective punishment, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Palestine. People of conscience are encouraged to gather at the foot of D street at 11 a.m., where they will then peacefully walk to the Old Town Gazebo Plaza for a nonviolent gathering of reflection. “Participants are encouraged to dress in black to observe the solemnity of the event,” which will last until 1 p.m. At 4 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, Tenor David Powell and pianist John Chernoff will be performing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel and Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, a fine pairing of both performers and program pieces. There is a suggested donation of $20.
Monday
A quiet Humboldt night and the perfect time to reflect on another great musician who ducked out of this big old rolling ball ‘o dung right before a successful Trump election. In 2016 it was the master wordsmith Leonard Cohen, and this year it was the arranger, producer, songwriter and interstellar pop phenomenon Quincy Jones. Much to consider and enjoy in the vast library of either departed hero.
Tuesday
Another Tuesday night in the Northern 707, another chance to catch some jazz courtesy of the Opera Alley Cats at the Speakeasy at 7 p.m. It’s a free gig but bring some scratch for my buddy Brian and the rest of the boys in the band. Tip your bartenders, too, please.
Wednesday
Another free option for your jazz fix happens a day later in the week and a few hours earlier in the day. The Logger Bar is hosting Jazz Bros today at 4 p.m. and, although I haven’t had the chance to check out this gig yet, the name really kind of says it all. If I miss this week’s installment and it turns out to be something far different than what I expected, please feel free to report back.
Collin Yeo (he/him) has learned to stop worrying and love the bomb. He lives in Arcata.
This article appears in Bitten.