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YOUR LOWDOWN HIJACKED: Let's Put Aside the Cheesy Hair Metal and Jell-O Shots and Do Grown-Up Things Instead

Hey, guess what? Your regular Lowdown correspondent is out today, which means that for once in our goddamn lives we can have a sophisticated view of Humboldt County cultural happenings. If you little creeps want to go do your drugs to blap 'n' whomp trance tracks, or whatever they're calling it these days, then hey: Have at it. Today, at least, we do not have to know all about it.

And this is a great day for the adults to take over! Because you've got not one but two worthy musical options tonight in Arcata. And when I say music, I mean people playing actual instruments with melody and rhythm and that sort of thing. Go look it up in a book if you have to.

Your temporary Lowdown is probably most excited about The Claudia Quintet, the avant-jazz outfit out of NYC that'll be blowing minds at the Arcata Playhouse tonight at 8 p.m. You can get a little taste of their deep polyphonic groove -- and their lead accordion soloist (whaaaaat?!?) -- in the following clip, recorded at the prestigious Jazz Baltica festival a few years ago. Click play and settle in, son:

But right across town, in newly restabilized Fulkerson Recital Hall, you've got Van Cliburn gold medalist Vadym Kholodenko giving one of his coveted recitals. If the clip below is anything to go by, your temporary Lowdown correspondent is not 100 percent sold. Sure, the kid has the moves. No doubt. But, as YouTube commenter "705JRC" notes:

Hm, interesting. I thought they taught "rubato" to young pianists? Is that going out of style? How about "arrival points" and "structure" ? Am I speaking a foreign language?

Oh, snapped. And let me add that his ultra-emotive showboating is disrespectful of the source material, indicating a want of maturity. Perhaps the show is worth attending just so you can say, in 40 years, that you saw him way back when.

Go to one of these shows! Either will serve as an adequate aperitif for this weekend's glorious return of hometown hero Ryan MacEvoy McCullough, who joins the Eureka Symphony for their debut concert of the season -- a sampling of Teutonic titans Schumann, Schubert and Haydn. Meaty stuff, here.

Or, I dunno -- you could go see people talk about their pee-pees, I guess.

-- Hank Sims

EVENTS (SUBMIT YOURS!)

Dogbone

Mad River Brewery Tasting Room / 6-8:30 p.m. / Free

Feral jazz. Woof.

668-4151 / julie@madriverbrewing.com / Web site

Vadym Kholodenko

Fulkerson Recital Hall / 8 p.m. / $45 / $15 HSU students

Winner of the coveted gold medal at the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

826-3928 / Web site

The Claudia Quintet

Arcata Playhouse / 8 p.m.

Formed by drummer/composer John Hollenbeck in 1997, this NYC ensemble’s sound continues to explore the edge without alienating the mainstream, proving that genre-defying music can be for everyone.

822-1575 / Web site

KWPT Classic Cover Contest Week 2

100.3/102.7 FM / 9 a.m.

The competition is fierce and the covers be rockin' and stuff. Tune in and choose your champion.

Web site

Eureka Farmers' Market

Old Town Gazebo / 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Locally grown produce and live music.

441-9999 /

Shelter Cove Farmers' Market

Machi Road / 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Locally grown produce.

Miranda Farmers' Market

Avenue Cafe / 2-5 p.m.

Located in front of the cafe. Sustainable farms sell local produce direct to the consumer. Runs from May through October.

943-3025 /

Happy Day

Redwood Curtain Brewing Company, Arcata / 3-11 p.m. / Free

826-7222 / Web site

Fortuna Farmers' Market

Fortuna / 3-6 p.m.

Located at 10th and L streets. Local farm-fresh produce.

Game Night

Crush / 5 p.m.

Don't be bored. Play board games.

Dale Winget

Cutten Inn / 6 p.m.

Local guitarist/vocalist.

Humboldt Cribbage Club

Moose Lodge / 6:15-9:30 p.m. / $8

Muggins! Get your weekly crib on.

444-3161 /

Shugafoot

SpeakEasy / 7 p.m.

Local jazz/blues band gets it done.

444-2244 / Web site

Buddy Reed

Libation / 7-9 p.m.

Local bluesman gets low down. Accompanied by Andy Fihn.

825-7596 / Web site

Karaoke w/ Chris Clay

Cher-Ae Heights Casino / 8 p.m.

Your Lowdown will go on the record as saying that Chris Clay is Humboldt's most pro karaoke jockey. We know this stuff.

800-684-2464 / Web site

Ba-Dum-Chh Open Mic Comedy

The Jam / 8 p.m. / $3 / 21+

Local comedy troupe opens the stage for others for other yuk hurlers.

822-5266 / Web site

Electric Gravy

Eureka Inn / 8-11 p.m.

Electronica, jazz improvisational trio.

497-6093 / Web site

Good and Evil Karaoke

Silver Lining / 8 p.m.

Karaoke. In an airport.

839-0304 / Web site

MOVIES

Broadway Cinema
Mill Creek Cinema
Minor Theatre