home | nightlife | calendar picks | north bay
Sebastopol
Great Gig in the Sky It wasn't enough for the members of Poor Man's Whiskey to cover "Bohemian Rhapsody." It wasn't enough to learn the entire 10 minutes of "Freebird." No, the Santa Rosa string band finally reached their all-time novelty high by recording an entire bluegrass version of Pink Floyd's opus, Dark Side of the Moon. With innovative arrangements and three-part harmonies, the Poor Man's take on the classic album is more artistic than humorous, although this weekend they acknowledge two of the record's most enduring spawns: laser-light shows and the dubious but entertaining connection to The Wizard of Oz. The venue will be decked out in Oz décor, the band members dressed like the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow, and revelers can experience multiple meta-levels of cultural onslaught under a haze of laser-kissed fog when Poor Man's Whiskey perform Dark Side of the Moonshine in its entirety with an all-ages show on Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Sebastopol Community Center. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. 8:15pm. $20–23. 707.823.1511.
Santa Rosa
Get Ready for Love
You've got it all perfectly planned. The dinner reservation, the vase of roses, the handmade valentine, the box of chocolates. The stereo primed with some Teddy, some Luther, some Usher. There's just one thing left, and that's a good, hearty fitness warm-up for your Valentine's night workout. That's why, on Valentine's Day morning, Monroe Hall hosts its Zumba-Thon for Haiti. Lovers, take note! Ramp up that cardio while helping those in need! Train for your evening's mission(ary) by bouncing around to favela booty beats! Feel like a Brazilian person of unspecified gender on a Carnavale float while sending assistance down to those in need! With its resilient "sprung" wood floor and inception born from fundraising for the Red Cross in WWI, Monroe Hall is the perfect spot to spend two hours huffing and puffing to cumbia, merengue, salsa and more. Go home afterwards feeling like a million bucks, take a shower, splash on that Old Spice and you're ready for love on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Monroe Hall. 1400 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa. 10:30am–12:30pm. $15 donation. 707.570.0670.
Nicasio
Amour Cosmopolitan
Long drives through the rolling hills of West Marin can be utterly romantic on a clear night, and never more so than after having dinner and dancing to the Baguette Quartette. One of the first hot-jazz ensembles to hit the Bay Area, the group has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and Putumayo's French Café compilation for its authentic blowback to the espresso-and-Gauloises music of 1920s Paris. You might have even noticed their music in the smash-hit animated feature Monsters, Inc. Such exposure doesn't come without hard work, and since the early 1990s, the Quartette have been building their vast repertoire and honing their chops with Django Reinhardt tunes, valse musette styles, foxtrots, tangos and more. A special Valentine's Day dinner menu from the roadhouse's acclaimed kitchen will be in effect, and with European melodies in the air, romance should prevail on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Rancho Nicasio. Town Square, Nicasio. 7:30pm. $15. 415.662.2219.
Santa Rosa
The Men
Oh my god Taylor, look at these guys on this flyer. The 'California Bad Boyz.' Oh. My. God. Male strippers. Let's totally go. You have to come with me! Who cares about your stupid singles mixer that night?! This is girl's night out. I'm not sitting at home alone on Valentine's Day weekend watching TiVos of Days and feeling sorry for myself. Here, look at this guy. Total Rico Suave, with the bandana and the rosary. Audrey'd like him. This other guy's your type, the one three to the right, the fitness instructor. Shut up! He totally is! Remember that Atkins diet guy you dated for way too long? Or look, how about this guy? The "I'm using this black-and-white headshot from 1987 with my gelled hair and Local Motion tank top because I'm 44 now and not as hot" guy? Look look look look look. It's two hours long. Shut up. I wonder if they serve mojitos! We're totally going. Call Audrey and Michelle and tell 'em it's on Friday, Feb. 12, at the Last Day Saloon. 120 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 9pm. $15–$20. 707.545.2343.
