Rinse, Don’t Repeat

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I’m staying in a place in the remote coastal hinterlands of Bolinas, legendary for its semi-reclusive countercultural values and a village for whom thinking globally while acting locally isn’t just a feel-good bumper sticker you see on a Volvo—it’s a rite of passage for any would-be resident.

My new landlords gave one admonishment when I moved in: Do not waste water. There is a drought, and the water is getting more expensive by the minute.

They are monitoring residents’ water use down to the gallon, and all of us who live in the compound have to scale back our usage next month by about five gallons.

To that end, I’ve mastered the art of the one-minute shower.

There’s not much to master: turn on the shower; get in the shower; soap yourself up; rinse yourself off; get out of the shower.

Do not rinse and repeat. Do not linger.

I’ve always been a guy whose daily shower stood as a kind of Zen retreat in microcosm. I would zone out with my head under the precious hot stream of water while singing that favorite shower song and attempting to get grounded for the day ahead. I have rinsed and repeated, repeatedly.

But despite the momentary mindfulness it provides, a luxuriously long, hot shower is utterly indefensible in these drought-afflicted times.

Every moment of shower-stall meditation wastes gallons of water that could and should be put to much better use by people whose livelihoods depend on water: the farmers who suffer and worry and take steps to maximize whatever scant flow is coming their way.

There’s a saying I’ve always loved that says the key to a happy life lies in our ability to “dance between the raindrops”—but the drought has turned the raindrops proverb on its head.

The rain that arrived last week and over the weekend gave a critically needed reprieve to a bone-dry region—so go out and dance in the raindrops with your bottle of Dr. Bronner’s if you really need to extend that shower with an extra rinse-and-repeat.

A more natural and responsible Zen bliss will ensue.

Tom Gogola is a writer living in Bolinas and a contributing editor to the ‘Bohemian.’

Open Mic is a weekly feature in the ‘Bohemian.’ We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write op*****@******an.com.

Of Trout and Drought

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The rain blew through the North Bay over the weekend, just days after the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGG) issued emergency rules to shut down the salmon and steelhead trout fishery in parts of the Russian and American rivers. The recent rain won’t undo the drought-prompted closure, but may factor into the commission’s decision on whether it will continue past April 30.

On Monday, CFGC deputy executive director Adrianna Shea told the Bohemian the regulations would be in effect “in a few days,” pending an administrative law review.

The drought lowered water levels in the rivers to the point where “there are many places where spawning salmon and steelhead can’t migrate to their spawning grounds,” says Jordan Traverso, spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), which is charged with enforcing the commission’s rulings.

“Recent rain, while good, isn’t enough,” she adds, citing research that “we would need it to rain heavily every other day through the end of May to reach average precipitation.” Still, the recent deluge may (emphasis on may) mitigate against extending the emergency closure beyond April.

“As of last week, before the rain, there was concern about having to extend the closure,” Shea says. “We anticipate revisiting the regulations.” Traverso says CDFW director Charlton Bonham will give a recommendation to the commission when it next meets on April 16.

In the meantime, Fish and Wildlife will “continue evaluating the streams, flows and migration of the fish,” Traverso says, “but in order to reverse the decision the commission made, we would have to go through a process that wouldn’t likely open the streams much earlier than the April 30 end date already put into place.”—Tom Gogola

Trending Trebuchet

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On a recent Saturday morning, the only denizens in this Petaluma office park are gathered in a conference room with doughnuts and apple juice. The whiteboard in the small room shows song titles and chord changes, and the room is cluttered with guitar amps, drums, keyboards, microphones and speakers. Trebuchet are about to get down to business.

The four band members are veterans of the Sonoma County music scene. But Trebuchet, arguably the most popular group any of them has been in thus far, sounds nothing like their previous endeavors. So what do they sound like? “We get that a lot,” says Lauren Haile, who plays keyboards. “I don’t know how to answer that.”

Guitarist Navid Manoochehri chimes in. Since each member sings on nearly every song of their latest release, Carry On, he suggests maybe a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young connection, but shakes his head after a second thought. It’s Eliott Whitehurst, another guitarist, who makes the analogy they all agree on. “You wanna know what we sound like?” he asks. “Just search YouTube for ‘Scott Stapp singing the national anthem at NASCAR.'”

Laughter erupts in the conference room at the comparison to Creed’s lead singer, whose bravado and frat-boy attitude couldn’t be further from Trebuchet’s sound and demeanor. But the question remains unanswered, so the band answers in a song. Rehearsal starts with the a cappella “How Can I Keep from Singing” before launching into “Lay It Out,” a three-minute powerhouse driven by pounding drums and a catchy guitar riff. Haile’s rich alto takes the lead, with the boys’ voices, including that of her husband, Paul Haile, supporting her above and below her vocal range.

These are the first two tracks on Carry On. It’s their second album, and, as one might expect, it’s more mature though less definable, as far as genres are concerned. It might end up in the catch-all “indie” section at a record store, next to bands like Grizzly Bear, the Decemberists and Mumford & Sons, or be given a label like “post-folk” or “harmonious indie” by trendsetting webzines like Pitchfork.

It’s a total change from the group most of them had previously been in. The long, experimental instrumental songs of Not to Reason Why, a band that included all members of Trebuchet except Whitehurst, are conspicuously absent. “We thought, ‘Let’s do the complete opposite of that,'” says Manoochehri. The voices of all four are central parts of Trebuchet’s unique sound, with the band trading off lead vocal duties song by song.

The four studied music at Sonoma State University, singing together in choirs for many years. “We’re music nerds,” says Lauren Haile. That might explain the wide variety of instruments on Carry On. Drums, acoustic and electric guitars, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, piano, organ, bass and, of course, voice. “Eliott changes instruments on, like, every song,” says Haile.

Carry On is rich and dense with texture. Like Brahms or Sufjan Stevens, Trebuchet’s music is thick and layered. This makes parts like the vulnerable ukulele and voice that open the track “Stay Close” stand out even more. And for the 30 seconds when it explodes with big drums, guitars, sweeping mandolin and vocals that sound like they were recorded in a concert hall, the song can evoke tears.

This is a theme on Carry On. Many songs that start out calmly or delicately turn into all-out sing-alongs by the last minute or so. “The End” is one of those sing-alongs. With a powerful, wordless vocal melody sung in unison, it grabs the audience when played live, and it doesn’t let go. The ending refrain, “And in the end you’re all alone,” is surprisingly cathartic to sing. We can’t predict for the future, it says, but we can at least plan for the worst.

And with that, the worst that can happen is we end up being pleasantly surprised.

Pliny the Younger Release Draws Crowd Despite Rain

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The annual release of Pliny the Younger by Santa Rosa’s Russian River Brewing Company was not dampened by rain today, with hundreds lining up around the block to taste the triple IPA style beer many refer to as “the best beer in the world.”

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The line stretched around the block, with the first die-hard beer fans plopping down their chairs at 10pm, when the brewpub was still open the night before. A strict one in-one out policy was enforced, with patrons waiting for to be saddled with the blue wristband that grants access to the legendary brew. One group waiting to enter at noon said they had lined up at 7am. Many others around the block may not even get a chance to sample the beer on its first day of availability because the brewpub has a set limit on how much it will serve per day to ensure there will be enough for the entire two-week run.

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Russian River was ready for this annual melee with popup canopies in front of the pub and extra security on hand. A line at the back door was a dozen deep, and that was just for folks looking to fill a growler and leave—no Younger allowed. Inside, the scene was jovial, with 10-ounce glasses of the 10.25% ABV brew (at $4.25 a pop) clinking and emptying down into the gullets of smiling patrons. The beer has caused quite a stir each year for the past four, with lines getting longer with each passing year.

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Live Photos: Bob Weir & Ratdog at Sweetwater Music Hall

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Bob Weir and RatDog performed a “warm up show” at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley Wednesday night. The band, which included guitar virtuoso Steve Kimock, performed for around three hours. The intimate, sold out show included favorites like “Estimated Prophet,” “Cassidy” and a unique cover of Miles Davis’ “Milestones.” Photos by Jamie Soja.

Bottlerock Confirmed for 2014 with New Local Ownership

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Bottlerock, the biggest concert to hit Napa since, well, ever, will once again take place in the city.

The four-day festival brought big names like the Black Keys, Flaming Lips, Alabama Shakes, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and others to the Napa County Fairgrounds last year much to the delight of music fans, both local and traveling from abroad. But it was more than just tinnitus left by the fest, with up to $10 million in debts owed to vendors, stagehands, cleanup crews, booking agents and many others totaling 174 debtors. It’s future was in doubt until now, with the announcement today of a new ownership group and new dates: May 30-June 1.

The festival director is Steve Macfadyen, who served most recently as entertainment director at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa near Palm Springs. The ownership group, called Latitude 38 Entertainment, confirmed that the event will be held again at the Napa Valley Expo, but will feature only three days of entertainment as opposed to last year’s five day bonanza.

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“As new producers of Bottlerock, our vision is to keep the best-of-the-best from the 2013 festival-goer experience while taking this up another notch,” says David Graham of Latitude 38 Entertainment in a statement.

Over 40 acts are lined up for this year’s event, but the full list won’t be announced until next month. “Offers are out and we are getting a great deal of positive response,” says spokeswoman Tara Murphy.

The founders of the festival, Bob Vogt and Gabe Meyers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning for their company, BR Festivals. According to documents from the court, the company has between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities and assets between $500,000 and $1 million.

The festival will be held once again at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds, a venue some thought was too small for such an event. Parking was also an issue, with several complaints from attendees about the unorganized shuttle service from a construction site over a mile away. “[Festival producers] have been meeting with the city and are addressing some of those past concerns in certain areas and the shuttles are one of them,” says Murphy.

Tickets for the 2014 event went on sale immediately after last year’s event, without so much as one act announced at the time. The date have changed since those original tickets went on sale, and those will be honored at this year’s event or refunded. Tickets will go on sale to the general public in March.

Latitude 38 Entertainment is owned, operated and managed by Napa Valley-based entrepreneurs David Graham, Justin Dragoo, Jason Scoggins and Joe Fischer.

Feb. 9: Engelbert Humperdinck at the Wells Fargo Center

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For almost half a century, legendary Vegas crooner Engelbert Humperdinck has made one heck of a name for himself—literally. The stage name, adopted by British singer Arnold Dorsey after the 19th century German composer, at first made his manager break out in tears. Yet somehow the name stuck and propelled “Humpy,” as he’s affectionately called, to international stardom through a slew of No. 1 hits and even a short-lived TV show. Before the Hump’s latest duet-filled album—featuring everyone from Willie Nelson to Gene Simmons, drops in March—he makes a special appearance to sing the love songs in an appropriately intimate evening on Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Wells Fargo Center. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 7:30pm. $45—$65. 707.546.3600.

Feb. 9: Mark Cohen Talks About Alan Sherman at the Osher Marin JCC

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“Hello Mother, Hello Father, here I am at Camp Granada” will always live on in my head as that one time the Simpsons did it. Its where Homer mistakes the heavy Chicago accent of comedy writer and novelty song man Allan Sherman for eight-year-old Lisa on the family’s voicemail machine. I never really got that reference, but Sherman’s funny bit still gets a giggle every time. Nevertheless, now may be the best time to learn all about the man and his legacy when author and Sherman biographer Mark Cohen shares stories and lost recordings on Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Osher Marin JCC. 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 4pm. Free. 415.444.8000

Feb. 9: Sausalito Herring Festival at Cass Gidley Marina

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As Bubba once said, “Herring is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. There’s herring-kabobs, herring Creole, herring gumbo. Pan-fried, deep-fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple herring, lemon herring, coconut herring, pepper herring, herring soup, herring stew, herring salad, herring and potatoes, herring burger, herring sandwich. That, that’s about it.” While I might have gotten that slightly wrong, come find the real story on this delicious, nutritious fish at the Sausalito Herring Festival. Taste the action from the best chefs around, plus music and general merriment. The festival happens on Sunday Feb. 9, Gabrielson Park, Sausalito. 11am. Free. 877.809.1659

Feb. 7: Conspiracy of Beards at 142 Throckmorton

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What began as a plan for a one-off performance of Leonard Cohen tunes sung a cappella by a couple of friends has turned into a 10-year odyssey of fine suits, dynamic singing and beards, naturally. Originally imagined by the late performance artist Peter Kadyk, and now counting upwards of 30 members, San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards combines the smoky poetic folk of the enigmatic songwriter with the harmonic punch of a large choral ensemble. Already a fixture at festivals like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the conspirators take their a cappella styling out of the choir hall and into bars and bookstores alike. This time they perform Friday, Feb. 7, Throckmorton Theatre. 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 8pm. $21—$26. 415.383.9600

Rinse, Don’t Repeat

I'm staying in a place in the remote coastal hinterlands of Bolinas, legendary for its semi-reclusive countercultural values and a village for whom thinking globally while acting locally isn't just a feel-good bumper sticker you see on a Volvo—it's a rite of passage for any would-be resident. My new landlords gave one admonishment when I moved in: Do not waste...

Of Trout and Drought

The rain blew through the North Bay over the weekend, just days after the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGG) issued emergency rules to shut down the salmon and steelhead trout fishery in parts of the Russian and American rivers. The recent rain won't undo the drought-prompted closure, but may factor into the commission's decision on whether it will...

Trending Trebuchet

On a recent Saturday morning, the only denizens in this Petaluma office park are gathered in a conference room with doughnuts and apple juice. The whiteboard in the small room shows song titles and chord changes, and the room is cluttered with guitar amps, drums, keyboards, microphones and speakers. Trebuchet are about to get down to business. The four band...

Pliny the Younger Release Draws Crowd Despite Rain

The line gets even longer this year for the Triple IPA.

Live Photos: Bob Weir & Ratdog at Sweetwater Music Hall

Bob Weir and RatDog performed a "warm up show" at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley Wednesday night. The band, which included guitar virtuoso Steve Kimock, performed for around three hours. The intimate, sold out show included favorites like "Estimated Prophet," "Cassidy" and a unique cover of Miles Davis' "Milestones." Photos by Jamie Soja.

Bottlerock Confirmed for 2014 with New Local Ownership

Bottlerock will go on, stay tuned for lineup and details

Feb. 9: Engelbert Humperdinck at the Wells Fargo Center

For almost half a century, legendary Vegas crooner Engelbert Humperdinck has made one heck of a name for himself—literally. The stage name, adopted by British singer Arnold Dorsey after the 19th century German composer, at first made his manager break out in tears. Yet somehow the name stuck and propelled “Humpy,” as he’s affectionately called, to international stardom through...

Feb. 9: Mark Cohen Talks About Alan Sherman at the Osher Marin JCC

“Hello Mother, Hello Father, here I am at Camp Granada” will always live on in my head as that one time the Simpsons did it. Its where Homer mistakes the heavy Chicago accent of comedy writer and novelty song man Allan Sherman for eight-year-old Lisa on the family’s voicemail machine. I never really got that reference, but Sherman’s funny...

Feb. 9: Sausalito Herring Festival at Cass Gidley Marina

As Bubba once said, “Herring is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. There’s herring-kabobs, herring Creole, herring gumbo. Pan-fried, deep-fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple herring, lemon herring, coconut herring, pepper herring, herring soup, herring stew, herring salad, herring and potatoes, herring burger, herring sandwich. That, that’s about it.” While...

Feb. 7: Conspiracy of Beards at 142 Throckmorton

The choir sings at 142 Throckmorton on Feb. 7
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