Martyn Joseph

Thu. Feb. 2 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

Shades of Springsteen, John Mayer, Bruce Cockburn and Dave Matthews there may be – but Welsh artist Martyn Joseph stands in his own right, built on a reputation for giving what thousands have described as the best live music experience of their lives. The longevity of Martyn's thirty year career suggests he has something special to offer. Martyn's come a long way since the days when Epic signed him after selling 30,000 copies of his self-financed album ‘An Aching and A Longing'. Since those days he has had 5 Top 50 UK chart hits and has toured with, amongst others, Art Garfunkel, Ani DiFranco, Celine Dion, Shirley Bassey, Joan Armatrading, and Mark Cohn. In addition to being awarded Best Male Artist at the 2004 BBC Welsh Music Awards, he has also received many humanitarian plaudits and awards, with themes of social justice being a constant presence throughout his music. October 2010 saw the release of Martyn's 31st album release ‘Under Lemonade Skies' . Martyn's ability to transcend preconceptions about how one man and a guitar can sound is testament to his talent and stage presence.

Artist sites and sounds: www.martynjoseph.net

Tempest

Fri. Feb. 3 at 8pm $13 adv./$15 door dance ages 21 +

Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy folk rock fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. The last 22 years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area-based act release 12 critically acclaimed CDs and play more than 2,000 gigs. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, founding member and lead singer/electric mandolinist Lief Sorbye is recognized as a driving force in the modern folk-rock movement. Fiddler Michael Mullen, a favorite with the fans, is the original fiddler for the group. Bassist Damien Gonzalez, a native California fiddler Michael Mullen, a favorite with the fans, is the original fiddler for the group. His high energy stage performance and versatile style combined with his love for Scottish and Irish traditional music makes him a perfect fit for Tempest. Newcomer, bassist Brian Fox, is a dual citizen of the US and Ireland. With an advanced degree in Ethnomusicology and years of touring and recording experience, he is Editor in Chief at Bass Player magazine. Born in Colorado and brought up in small town Missouri, Gregory Jones is the latest in a long line of Tempest guitar greats! His fiery licks and hard-rocking approach to the instrument, combined with his experience and understanding of Celtic music is fast winning over new fans! Cuban-born drummer Adolfo Lazo, an original Tempest member, colors the band's sound with inventive percussion. Tempest's releases are acclaimed worldwide.

Artist sites and sounds: www.tempestmusic.com

JUST CREAM covering Cream& Eric Clapton 's Career

Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers The Ultimate ZZ Top Tribute

Sat. Feb. 4 at 8pm $10 adv./$10 door dance ages 21 +

JUST CREAM band formed as a tribute to the late 60's number one Super Trio Eric Clapton Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce. JUST CREAM which also pays tribute to the classic rock and blues of BLIND FAITH, ERIC CLAPTON SOLO, DEREK AND THE DOMINOS, STEVE WINWOOD, TRAFFIC . The British group Cream introduced the concept of the "power trio," which laid the foundation for the entire heavy rock genre. During their meteoric career, the group made just four best-selling albums, including their 1966 debut, Fresh Cream, followed by Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969). There are other tribute acts who attempt to replicate Cream and Clapton's music, but only Just Cream can perform the full range of Clapton's career LIVE!

Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers! The ultimate ZZ Top tribute. No fake beards here folks, these are the real McCoy's! Taking ZZ Tops greatest hits of the 70's to a whole new level. The blistering Guitar/Vocal antics of Tim Narducci. The thunderous Bass/vocals of Cornbread and pounding grooves of Ron Rodeen. Wrap it up in a great stage production/performance that leaves all other ZZ Top Tribute bands in the dust! If you crave ZZ Top, BEER DRINKERS AND HELL RAISERS is it!

Artist sites and sounds: www.justcream.net and www.facebook.com/pages/Beer-Drinkers-Hell-Raisers/207520389280109?sk=info

CANCELLED
Coyote Grace 7pm Concert

Sun. Feb. 5 at 7pm $10 adv./$12 door seated <21 w/parent

If you'd like to watch from a front-row seat as roots music reinvents itself, look no further than Coyote Grace. At once both radically progressive and unashamedly nostalgic, the trio is at the forefront of a growing movement to redefine the meanings of “roots” and “tradition.” “Coyote Grace plays with the heart of traditional country and Americana music, but tells their stories with a bold twist,” says the Indigo Girls' Amy Ray. “They write heartwrenching melodies and make such textured harmonies that I find myself enraptured and taken by their timelessness of song.” Armed with a bevy of acoustic instruments from guitar and upright bass to banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and accordion, Coyote Grace's Joe Stevens, Ingrid Elizabeth and Michael Connolly fill theater, club, and festival stages with a wash of sound seemingly far too expansive for three musicians, mixing bluegrass and blues, soul and Southern twang into a unique sound that hovers just beyond the edge of ‘familiar.' The sultry trio combines virtuosic musicianship combined with a humble, warm stage presence, all stemming from a history of self-invention – and re-invention. Artist sites and sounds: www.coyotegrace.com

Gretchen Peters CD Release from Grammy Nominated Artist

Tue. Feb. 7 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

Grammy nominated, Nashville folk-country singer-songwriter and writer of CMA Song of the Year 'Independence Day' has a brand new CD: Hello Cruel World . The title of Gretchen Peters' new Hello Cruel World is a pun on the famed exit line - a joke that, like the lovely melodies and deliciously textured arrangements framing these 11 songs - sweetens this captivating music spun from a year of turmoil. The Grammy nominated singer-songwriter from Nashville calls Hello Cruel World her "most close-to-the-bone work, written at a time when I felt absolutely fearless about telling the truth." Peters and her guest Rodney Crowell sing, "life is still a beautiful disaster," on "Dark Angel." But Peters keeps the accent on the "beautiful" throughout her ninth disc, with both her poetic language and the spare, evocative sounds she created in the studio to support her organic story-telling.

Artist sites and sounds: www.gretchenpeters.com

Andy Irvine

Folk Legend Of Ireland

PRESENTED BY THE CELTIC SOCIETY OF MONTEREY BAY

Wed. Feb. 8 at 7:30pm $16 adv./$18 door seated <21 w/parent

$14 at door to Members of The Celtic Society by way of $2 rebate

Celebrating the recent release of his critically acclaimed CD, 'Abocurragh,' and hailed in Dublin's 'Hot Press' as ' Woody Guthrie 's representative on earth' and in the 'Irish Press' as 'a tradition unto himself,' Andy Irvine has maintained a personal integrity and highly individual performing skills throughout a career that has spanned almost half a century. From the groundbreaking group Sweeney's Men in the mid-60's and the enormous success of Planxty in the 70's to the Irish super group Patrick Street since the 80's and currently with the world music powerhouse Mozaik, Andy has been an icon for traditional music. In solo concert, he plies his trade like an archetypal troubadour reflecting his traveling lifestyle and life-long influence, Woody Guthrie, with a repertoire encompassing Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes and a compelling canon of original material. As the 'Sydney Morning Herald' observed, 'What makes an evening with Irvine so special is that every note he picks and every line he sings comes straight from the heart. Everything he touches is performed with honesty and conviction and his playing is never less than breathtaking. By any measure Irvine is one of the towering talents on the international folk scene. Artist sites and sounds: www.andyirvine.com

Buy tickets now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211811

Dave Stamey Cowboy Entertainer

Thu. Feb. 9 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent
WELCOMED BY FIDDLING CRICKET CONCERTS

Cowboys and Indians Magazine has called him “the Charley Russell of Western Music.” Western Horseman Magazine has declared his “Vaquero Song”to be one of the greatest Western songs of all time. In 2010 True West Magazine named him Best Living Western Solo Musician. Dave Stamey has been a cowboy, a mule packer, a dude wrangler, and is now one of the most popular Western entertainers working today. He has been voted three times Entertainer of the Year, three times Male Performer of the Year and twice Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association, and received the Will Rogers Award from the Academy of Western Artists. He's delighted audiences in twenty states, and finds that he prefers this to being stomped by angry horses.

Artist sites and sounds: http://davestamey.com

Pride & Joy
Electrifying Motown Era Soul

Fri. Feb. 10 at 8pm $15 adv./$15 door dance ages 21 +

One of the most potent and polished acts in show business. Pride & Joy recreates the ensemble sounds of the Motown era with all four superb and spirited singers swapping vocal chores with equal passion and electricity. Everybody, everywhere, instantly relates to the music. During over two decades of phenomenal success, Pride & Joy has remained one of the most popular bands on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. They have achieved this by presenting the most timeless pop/soul music of our time in an electrifying high-style show that pulls the audience directly into the heart of their performance.

"One of the cliches about the Bay Area music scene is that the region is so rich in live music that you can walk almost anytime into any small club and have a reasonable shot at seeing a truly first class act. It would be difficult to imagine better proof of that maxim than Pride and Joy, without a doubt one of the most potent and polished acts this writer has ever encountered purely by accident. The four vocalists exchange lead chores like a relay team passing a baton and each seems continually to top the others as the sets unfold. All of Pride and Joy's tunes were re-created with equal passion and electricity in conjuring up an audio picture of the 60's era." - Billboard .

"Pride and Joy is a very hot number. Their performances sizzle. The club was packed to the rafters and the band responded to the continuous shouted requests and roaring encouragement with aplomb. The vocals were always slick and often astonishing. Pride and Joy recreates the ensemble sounds of the Motown era with all four superb and suitably spirited singers swapping vocal chores. Do go listen, dance and reminisce. It's great fun." - Phil Elwood, San Francisco Examiner. "The crowd was dancing themselves into a frenzy. This is a band dedicated to perpetuating vintage rhythm and blues. Pride and Joy plays the most partyin' music ever recorded. The band's music is turning yet another generation into dancin' fools."- Michael Snyder, San Francisco Chronicle-

Artist sites and sounds: http://www.pridejoy.com/

Lovefest 2012
Corduroy Jim, Grampa's Chili, George Heagerty & Never The Same

Sat. Feb. 11 at 8pm $8 adv./$10 door dance ages 21 +

Corduroy Jim: moving, ethereal, progressive, roots honoring, ambient, funky-groovy, torch lit, ethnically diverse, imaginative, shake your bon-bon, dreamy, stormy, out at sea, inside your mind, motivational, wide open, intense, relaxing, bittersweet, harmonic, unafraid, get down, liberating .

Grampa's Chili: mix their blend of psychedelic soup with a side order of blissful rock and a pinch of bluegrass that keeps you comin' back for more.

George Heagerty & Never The Same is the concept George created in the early 1980's by using a wide variety of musicians and playing a wide variety of music.Striving for an alternative to the cover bands and bands who recycle the same setlists and songs show after show. George has created a group of musicians who learn different songs from his over 200 song catalog of original material and perform them with ever changing arrangements with a constantly changing intense energy.

Artist sites and sounds: www.myspace.com/corduroyjim06 and http://grampaschili.net and www.myspace.com/georgeheagertyandneverthesame

John Batdorf plus Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon

1PM MATINEE CD Releases

Sun. Feb. 12 at 1pm $10 adv./ $10 door seated <21 w/parent
WELCOMED BY FIDDLING CRICKET CONCERTS

John Batdorf's uniquely passionate vocals and guitar playing landed him his first major record deal with Atlantic back in the 70's as the songwriting and lead vocal half of Batdorf and Rodney. His next project was with the band Silver, which toured the country with the likes of America, The Doobie Brothers, Poco and Hall and Oats. In the 80s he worked as a TV composer for the shows Touched by an Angel and Promised Land. .In addition to his four solo releases, he released two albums with fellow songwriter Michael McLean and the acclaimed“All Wood and Stones” with James Lee Stanley. John's new CD , “One Last Wish” is a collection of songs about things that really matter to him: transforming despair to hope, hate to love and fear/ignorance to tolerance/acceptance. When you hear John sing live for the first time, you'll understand why his music has meant so much to his fans that have now spanned nearly four decades.

Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon : Jumping the lines between folk, rock, blues and singer-songwriter soulfulness, the Bay Area's own Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon create a place where you can relax in the comfort of the groove - and know you're going to leave smiling and just a little more hopeful. The first thing you'll notice is the blend of their harmonies, along with rhythmic guitar that drives a compelling tension and release. Their third CD Release, Love Can Change The World, takes the listener from graceful acoustic to driving roots Americana, with a message of love, simplification and appreciation critical to the turning tide of our times. RootsTime Belgium calls it a “magnificent record”. Joining Barnett and Newlon for this CD Release event are Dan Robbins on bass, John Hasty on drums and Dave Allender on guitar. Artist sites and sounds: www.johnbatdorfmusic.com and www.bevandgreg.com

The Foghorn Stringband plus Suzy & Eric Thompson

7PM CONCERT

7PM CONCERT

Sun. Feb. 12 at 7pm $10 adv./$10 door seated <21 w/parent

The Foghorn Stringband features Stephen “Sammy”Lind's blazing fiddling and rough-and-tumble singing interlaced with Caleb Klauder's hard-driving mandolin picking and dry, dusty voice and adds French Acadian Nadine Landry on vocals, upright bass and guitar with intertwining harmonies throughout, and Reeb Willms, the newest member, on guitar and triangle. The Foghorn Stringband draws from the same repertoire that has always inspired their work: the tunes and songs of the American South, from the hollers of Appalachia to the bling of 1950s Nashville. Each member is a multi-instrumentalist, with Sammy Lind adding guitar and banjo to his fiddling, and Caleb Klauder adding fiddle and guitar to his mandolin stylings. It's a whole new world today for folk musicians, and these three traditionalists prove that they're still riding on the cutting edge, with one foot in the analog past and one foot in the digital future.

Eric& Suzy Thompson: These virtuoso roots musicians specialize in the down-home sounds of the American South. Their musical palette includes Appalachian story-songs and bluegrass breakdowns, classic country blues, Louisiana Cajun dance music, and paso dobles from Puerto Rico. Eric's flatpicking on guitar and mandolin is exceptional for its purity of tone, speed, and soulfulness; Suzy is a powerful singer, an award-winning fiddler and Cajun accordion player. Founding members of many influential roots music groups including the Black Mountain Boys, Any Old Time, the Klezmorim, and the California Cajun Orchestra, Eric and Suzy have also worked with Jerry Garcia, Maria Muldaur, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Darol Anger, Laurie Lewis, the Savoy Doucet Cajun Trio, the Texas Sheiks and many other fine musicians.

Artist sites and sounds: www.foghornstringband.com plus http://ericandsuzy.com/

Laurence Juber Grammy Winning Instrumental Guitar Giant

Mon. Feb. 13 at 7:30pm $18 adv./$20 door seated< 21 w/parent
WELCOMED BY FIDDLING CRICKET CONCERTS

Fusing folk, jazz,and pop styles, two-time Grammy-winner Laurence Juber creates a multifaceted performance that belies the use of only one acoustic guitar. The lead guitarist for Paul McCartney's Wings (with whom he earned a Grammy award), Juber is a world-renowned guitar virtuoso, composer and arranger.He has released 19 acclaimed solo albums. His solo arrangement of The Pink Panther earned him a second Grammy. Pop Goes Guitar includes his arrangement of Stand By Me that was heard nationally in a 'Diamonds Are Forever' commercial. His last CD is a Vol 2 follow-up to LJ Plays The Beatles, which is one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine's' all-time Top Ten acoustic albums. His latest release is his original soundtrack to the NBC Dateline documentary Children of the Harvest."He gloriously articulates the melodies and never succumbs to show-off playing. But the notes spin out of the songs with such finesse and musical agility, it's hard to believe he has only 10 fingers and six strings. Juber has made a rare acoustic guitar record with bark and bite. His playing is just short of sleight of hand and, like all magicians, he makes it seem effortless."  - San Francisco Chronicle.

Artist sites and sounds: www.laurencejuber.com/lj.html

An Evening With Storm Large

Valentine's Concert

An Evening With Storm Large Valentine's Concert

SBL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

Tue. Feb. 14 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

Storm Large will love you, delight you and abuse you with a wicked charm that will have you begging for more. With her one-of-a-kind shows, Storm blends cabaret class with rock-n-roll edge, creating her own kind of intoxicating chemistry. A performer of extraordinary gifts, Storm Large has been singing around the globe for 15+ years. Portland, Oregon club goers remember her as the lead singer of Storm and the Balls. She shot to national prominence in 2006 as a finalist on the CBS show Rock Star: Supernova. The following year she took a career departure and starred in Portland Center Stage's production of Cabaret with Wade McCollum. The show was a smash hit, earning Large glowing reviews. Storm made her debut as guest vocalist with Pink Martini in April, 2011, singing four sold-out concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. She has continued to tour as a guest vocalist with Pink Martini throughout Europe and the US to wide acclaim. Copies of her new Simon + Schuster memoir, Crazy Enough will be available at each show.

Artist sites and sounds: http://stormlarge.com/

Buy your tickets right now on line at http://www.sblentertainment.com/

Incendio plus HuDost

One Night, Two Band
World Music Festivalestival

Thu. Feb. 16 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

Incendio has had seven international CD releases. In addition to the romantic and passionate playing of their instruments, Incendio concerts balance rock-style enthusiasm and energy with a tremendous technical and improvisational sophistication. Incendio achieves the difficult task of appealing to both audiences who enjoy the super melodies, as well as that more difficult audience: other musicians, who have come to respect the group's vision and work ethic as much as their fretwork wizardry and amazing arrangements. Echoes of their predecessors like Strunz and Farah and the acoustic side of Al Di Meola are obvious. But the group has explored jazz, Celtic, middle-eastern and much more throughout their career, putting their own stamp on their self-produced music. They subtly bring influences as diverse as Weather Report, Jimi Hendrix, XTC, Paco de Lucia, Buddha Bar and Joni Mitchell to bear on their musical tapestry. 

HuDost: A rich, eclectic blending of Pop and Rock with traditional Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, Balkan folk and Sufi music; their sound crosses all borders and barriers, taking the listener on a journey they will not soon forget. HuDost is living proof that the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts, pulling together musical styles as diverse as the jellies in Marco Polo's kitchen cupboard. Their music weaves a seamless tapestry that renders tears and laughter in listeners, cultivating that nameless longing that abides somewhere in all our hearts.

Artist sites and sounds:  www.incendioband.com  and www.hudost.com  and www.sonicbids.com/hudost2

Led Zeppelin Live starring HEARTBREAKER

Fri. Feb. 17 at 8pm $18 adv./$20 door dance ages 21 +

Heartbreaker is, without a doubt, the world's most authentic Led Zeppelin tribute band. It takes a lot of confidence to make such a claim, but Heartbreaker lives up to it. In musicianship, sound replication, costume and stage presence, Heartbreaker is the closest to the real Led Zeppelin yet. From Zeppelin's 1969 debut album with the smash Good Times Bad Times , through the 1979 album In Through the Out Door , Heartbreaker's performance captures it all flawlessly

Artist sites and sounds: www.zeppelintribute.com

Diego's Umbrella

Are Ambassadors of Gypsy Rock

SBL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

Sat. Feb. 18 at 9pm $12 adv./$15 door dance ages 21 +

Diego's Umbrella are San Francisco's Ambassadors of Gypsy Rock. Internationally known and revered, their lively stage show, great songs, antics and humor have garnered them a cult following around the world. With a mix of Eastern European tradition, pop sensibility and punk rock energy, they have had crowds going wild for years. “Where Gogol Bordello meets Muse. These underground heroes will soon be international superstars.” (ap press)

Artist sites and sounds: www.diegosumbrella.com

Buy your tickets right now on line at http://www.sblentertainment.com/

The Sweetback Sisters plus Patti Maxine & The Saddle Pals

1PM MATINEE

Girl Powered Honky Tonk Bands from Brooklyn, New York & Santa Cruz, California
WELCOMED BY FIDDLING CRICKET CONCERTS

Sun. Feb. 19 at 1pm $10 adv./$10 door DANCE <21 w/parent

The Sweetback Sisters: Honky Tonk Band from Brooklyn, New York . The Sweetback Sisters' Emily Miller and Zara Bode may not be blood relations, but their gorgeous family-style harmonies recall the best of country music and their energy the best of rockabilly. Like the artists they admire, the Sweetbacks are concerned with the traditional subjects of heartbreak, revenge, remorse and staying strong in the face of relationships gone wrong, albeit with a contemporary sensibility. "We're a renegade retro band that mixes up country, swing and honky tonk," explains Bode. "Sometimes what we deliver is straight out of the 50s; other times it's BR549 meets The B52s. New CD is Lookin' For A Fight . Patti Maxine & The Saddle Pals with special guest Tracy Parker . Saddle Pals are Santa Cruz's premier western swing band. Matt Bohn on bass, Daniel“Mig” McLaughlin on drums and vocals, and Patti Maxine on vocals, lap steel and resophonic guitars.

Artist sites and sounds: www.thesweetbacksisters.com and www.myspace.com/thesweetbacksisters and www.pattimaxine.com

Kyle Alden & Athena Tergis
7pm Concert

“Songs From the Bee-Loud Glade”—poems of W.B. Yeats set to music

PRESENTED BY THE CELTIC SOCIETY OF MONTEREY BAY

Sun. Feb. 19 at 7pm $16 adv./$18 door seated< 21 w/parent

$14 at door to Members of The Celtic Society by way of $2 rebate

Kyle Alden is a San Francisco based singer/songwriter/guitarist with roots in the San Francisco Irish music community, whose songs and voice have been compared to Canadian songsters Ron Sexsmith and Neil Young. Since the mid 1990s Kyle has played guitar accompaniment for top Irish musicians (including Randal Bays, Athena Tergis, Todd Denman, Tommy Peoples, Gearoid O'hAllmhurain and Paddy Keenan) in concerts, dances and sessions, performing on stages from Palm Springs to Redding, from Berkeley to Honolulu. Athena Tergis is a talented fiddler/violinist born in San Francisco, currently living in Italy. She has worked with the Dublin Symphony, Mick Maloney, Bill Whelan, John Doyle and Sharon Shannon among many others. Don't miss this opportunity to hear new musical settings of Yeats' poetry, and sure to be a few fiery reels played as well!

Artist sites and sounds: http://kylealden.com and www.myspace.com/athenatergis

Buy tickets now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211866

Goitse From Ireland

Goitse From Ireland

PRESENTED BY THE CELTIC SOCIETY OF MONTEREY BAY

Wed. Feb. 22 at 7:30pm $12 adv./$14 door seated< 21 w/parent

$10 at door to Members of The Celtic Society by way of $2 rebate

Goitse (pronounced “Gwitcha”) is a flourishing, highly talented five piece band fast making a name for themselves as one of the most sought after bands amongst connoisseurs of Irish traditional music. Their fast paced energetic playing has seen them enjoying a growing fan base through show stopping performances in Ireland, America, Finland, Denmark and even Africa. The distinctive quality of their sound lies in the arrangement of well-known traditional tunes interspersed with their own compositions, which make each set entertaining and unique. The band adds their own distinctive contribution to their cultural inheritance with ease and style. Even with hints of continental playing and modern rhythms there remains the overwhelming presence of Irishness. "They have a big musical imagination and are not afraid to tear at the edges of the trad envelope".--Irish Music Magazine. Aine Mc Geeney, the vocalist, is also a well known singer, with songs in the English and Irish language. Her sweet, charismatic voice draws audiences into the music a way very few performers can achieve. Goitse's debut album which, was released in January 2010 , has gained much praise from critics with Hotpress magazine assuring Irish traditional music lovers "They play with an easy assurance that should cause those fretting about the future of Irish trad to rest more easily at night."

Artist sites and sounds: www.goitse.ie/home.html

Foreverland 14 Piece Tribute to Michael Jackson

Fri. Feb. 24 at 8pm $15 adv./$15 door Dance – ages 21 +

Foreveland is a 14-piece tribute to one of the most amazing entertainers in the world, Mr. Michael Jackson .
Based in San Francisco, the group was formed in March of 2009 to honor Michael's musical genius and legendary showmanship. With four lead vocalists, four horns and a six-piece rhythm section, the ensemble is best described as a "Remarkable and Rocking Michael Jackson Revue." Rather than be limited by a MJ impersonator and pre-recorded backing tracks, the band's unique approach is to celebrate the larger than life performances, imagination and infectious spirit of this legendary artist. The result is a fabulous and thumping 14-piece show band that pays homage to MJ's undeniable talent and timeless dance music. And as the band likes to say, "Don't Blame It On The Sunshine, Don't Blame It On The Moonlight, Don't Blame It On The Good Times, BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE!

Artist sites and sounds: www.foreverlandsf.com

Sidecar Tommy (of Beats Antique), Kitty D, Smasheltooth,
Little John + more

Sat. Feb. 25 at 9pm $10 adv./$12 door Dance – ages 21 +

ANDREW, KITE & RYAN PRESENT

Tommy Cappel, aka Sidecar Tommy is beatmaker, drummer, and co-producer of electro-gypsy trio known as Beats Antique. Drawing from many genres of live and electronic music, Sidecar Tommy creates music that brings the dirtier beats to the forefront. Using his 27 years of experience as a drummer (bands include Yard Dogs Road Show, Extra Action Marching Band, Eenormus Sidecar, Crash Worship, Breakfast, Mark Growden's Electric Pinata) fusing with state of the art production tools, the original score is vast, raw, and culminating in a collage of music that hits hard with original beats.

The sonic scientist known as "Kitty-D" began making music in the womb by adding a break beat to his mothers pulse. Since then he has embraced multiple musical genres and carved his own sonic styles along the way. Using an audio arsenal library of manipulated sampled recordings and self created sounds to initialize a universe of "sonic fiction", he was one of the original five members of the Glitch Mob.

Smasheltooth : There once was a dreamy-eyed lass and only punk rock and hardcore could make her shake her ass. One day she was walking around the block when she heard a boombox play hip hop. She started dancing and yelling YAAAAY but fell over and landed in a pile of dancehall-reggae. This music made her dance and shake her back until she thought she'd have a heart attack.

Little John, of Raindance, is a Santa Cruz favorite.

In the front room: The Pirate, DJ Balance, Noiz 23, Uh-oh

Artist sites and sounds: www.myspace.com/xsidecartommyx and http://soundcloud.com/kitty-d and http://soundcloud.com/smasheltooth and http://soundcloud.com/djlittlejohn

Buy tickets right now: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/222974

WESTERN BARN DANCE
The Heel Draggers plus The Hobnobbers 1pm Matinee

Sun. Feb. 26 at 1pm $10 adv./$10 door Dance <21 w/parent

The Heel Draggers recapture a brand of Western Swing that called the San Francisco Bay Area home throughout the 40's and 50's, blending traditional American fiddle music with upbeat and danceable swing rhythms. The band's three-part instrumental harmonies and energetic performances engage both the most critical musical listener and the drunkest of patrons. The band features steel guitar, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, drums, and showcases the lovely voice of Lady A.

The Hobnobbers carry on a California swing tradition, melding jazz , country and popular music as it was played by Bob Wills and many other musicians. The group features Dave McClellan on 5-string mandolin, Jay Bowyer on archtop guitar , Stan Meidinger( Larry Hosford, Bear Creek boys) on fiddle and special guest vocalist Vicki Coffis ( Jazzbirds).

Artist sites and sounds: www.reverbnation.com/theheeldraggers

Patrick Landeza with special guests
L.T. Smooth & Bill Griffin
7pm Concert

Sun. Feb. 26 at 7pm $17 adv./$17 door seated <21 w/parent

CD Release Party for Patrick's new CD: Kama'alua " Patrick Landeza is one of the best and most dedicated of the new generation of Slack Key players" George Winston. Hawaiian musician, songwriter, producer and educator Patrick Kahakauwila Kamaholelani Landeza is considered to be a leading performer of Hawaiian slack key guitar, or ki ho‘alu, one of the world's great acoustic guitar traditions. In a career that includes having his original composition featured on a Miss Universe Pageant television special, becoming the first slack key artist to perform the national anthem at a Major League Baseball game, opening for legendary Hawaiian musicians Israel“Bruddah Iz” Kamakawiwo‘ole, Keali‘i Reichel and HAPA, and cutting two albums, it's no wonder that Jim Harrington of the Oakland Tribune noted that “Patrick Landeza's mastery of Hawaiian slack key guitar” keeps him in heavy demand. Originally from New Zealand, the half-Samoan

L.T. Smooth is a virtuoso slack-key guitarist. Bill Griffin of the Cache Valley Drifters is the premier player and inventor of the Hawaiian Mandolin aka the Mandolele.

Artist sites and sounds: www.patricklandeza.com and www.mele.com/music/artist/lt+smooth/freedom/ and www.myspace.com/mandolele

Salvador Santana & Band
plus Blanca

Fri. March 2 at 8pm $12 adv./$15 door Dance – ages 21 +

Dr. Rock and LRI presents

Salvador Santana: Not only what note to play when and with what instrument, but whether to play a note at all. Salvador Santana, the 28-year-old keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and songwriter with strong Bay Area roots, knows what it means to navigate the infinite options of music. His 2008 project with the Salvador Santana Band–simply called SSB–pursued the scope of his ability. But for Santana, it wasn't enough. He has no choice but to push himself further. Collaboration has always been the centerpiece of his creations, and this passion manifested his solo debut“Keyboard City around the inspirations of a few legends: Bay Area MC/producer Del the Funky Homosapien who helped hone in Santana's writing skills, Beastie Boy studio wizard Money Mark, and GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. Music truly thrives in his veins. His maternal grandfather was blues pioneer Saunders King and his paternal grandfather was the internationally celebrated violinist and mariachi bandleader Jose Santana. And, of course, his father is 10X Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana-- who's also a frequent collaborator (Salvador co-wrote “El Farol” from 1999's smash album Supernatural).

Blanca: With a soulful voice and lyrics from the heart, Blanca Sandoval has captivated audiences. By means of an unrivaled sound that blends together her Latin musical roots with rock, funk, jazz, and up beat ballads, her style is extremely diverse. Known as "The Sweetheart of Latin Rock, Inc", Blanca recently brought together some very talented musicians to form the band "BLANCA" which includes Robert Zamora (lead guitar), Mike Juarez (drums) and Oscar Tablada (bass).

Artist sites and sounds: http://salvadorsantana.com/ and www.blancasmusic.net

Front Street with Stu Allen
Grateful Dead Tribute

PRESENTED BY TMP WWW.TMPSHOWS.COM

Sat. March 3 at 9pm $12 adv./$15 door Dance – ages 21 +

Front Street, a jam band based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, emulates the feel, excitement and energy of the Grateful Dead at their peak. Filled with jam band veterans and Grateful Dead enthusiasts, this band is sure please even the most discriminating dead head. Features Stu Allen on lead guitar (Melvin Seals & The JGB Band, Workingman's Ed), John "Stewball" Stewart on rhythm guitar (Jelly), Sam Johnston on B3/keyboards (Box Set, Buffalo Roam, Grapefruit Ed), Jeff Faust on bass (Dead Guise, Workingman's Ed) and Mark Corsolini on drums (Dark Star Orchestra, Outlaw Family Band, Workingman's Ed, Melvin Seals & The JGB Band).

Artist sites and sounds: www.frontstreetband.com

The Black Brothers
Ireland's First Family Of Song

PRESENTED BY THE CELTIC SOCIETY OF MONTEREY BAY

Sat. March 10 at 8pm $20 adv./ $22 door seated <21 w/parent

$18 at door to Members of The Celtic Society by way of $2 rebate

There's no better way to get in a merry mood for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day than by spending an enchanted evening with The Black Brothers Band featuring the singing siblings from Ireland's first family of song, Shay and Michael Black. Hailed in the 'Irish Echo' as 'one of the most impressive groups of Irish singers to be found anywhere; exquisite, exhilarating and nothing short of thrilling' the sheer joy of singing is everywhere apparent in Shay's robust baritone, Michael's thrilling tenor and their heavenly harmonies. The brothers' rich repertoire includes traditional Irish ballads, Dublin street songs, music hall ditties, sea shanties and works by contemporary writers. Joined in concert by fiddler Bobbi Nikles, button accordionist and Irish step dancer Aislin Roche, cellist Myra Joy and keyboardist Bryan Seet, performances include high-energy reels and jigs and dazzling dancing. With each show interspersed with comic stories, jokes and humorous childhood anecdotes, audiences invariably leave their concerts grinning broadly and humming song choruses.

Artist sites and sounds: www.black-brothers.com Buy tickets now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211886

Spanky and Our Gang

with Spanky McFarlane

1PM MATINEE

Sun. March 11 at 1pm $12 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

"Sunday Will Never Be The Same" and "Lazy Day" were huge hits for Spanky and Our Gang. Spanky also played decades with the Mamas & Papas and will play Mamas & Papas hits today! When the soul-stirring notes from "Like To Get To Know You" spring out of the radio, we're reminded of how the distinctive sound crafted by Spanky and Our Gang and their producer, Jerry Ross became an indelible imprint on the soundtrack of our lives. Just as the first top ten hit, "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" did the year before, "Like To Get To Know You" has irresistible staying power - and that it hasn't been heard in its original form in concert halls for years makes this music's return such an anticipated event. The incredible string of hits, 5 in the Top 40, stretched from June of 1967 into May of 1968, a collage of strong melodies and brilliant harmonies that established this band as a pop sensation for the ages.  Spanky has added legendary musicians to the Don Quixote's concert: Denny Dias-lead guitar (Steely Dan) and John Kito piano (Mama's & Papa's) plus Dinky Dawson (Sound Legend) .

Artist sites and sounds: www.spankyandourgang.net

The Bobs

A Cappella Entertainers

7PM EVENING CONCERT

PRESENTED WITH SNAZZY PRODUCTIONS

Sun. March 11 at 7pm $20 adv./$20 door seated <21 w/parent

A band without instruments?! The Bobs (prat)fall outside a cappella traditions, landing in a hot tub of humor and vocal prowess. What other band can headline The American Songbook series, open for Frank Zappa and The Dead, and perform for 700 million people on the Emmy Awards? They performed in the San Francisco area until a 1984 Grammy nomination for their unique vocal cover of the Beatles' “Helter Skelter” catapulted them into a national and international tour schedule.

Artist sites and sounds: http://bobs.com/

The Bobs

Karen Savoca

Tue. March 13 at 7:30pm $12 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

Born in northern NJ, the daughter of a big band singer, Karen Savoca's baby diary reads "20 months, knows 6 songs." She grew up singing, dancing and harmonizing around a piano, and by the age of five she was emceeing the school play. Savoca puts her heart into a song the way a great actor throws herself into a role, charming audiences with a supple alto and a boundless range of expression. A gifted songwriter, she draws you into her world of humor and compassion, telling stories with grace and ease, as though you've been invited to her table for supper. ?"If she were a Native American, her name would be Sings Like Two Birds." - Greg Brown . She first met Pete Heitzman at a jam session and immediately recognized him as an ideal musical partner. Described by an Alaskan reviewer as “the aurora borealis of guitar,” Heitzman's transcendent playing is central to their sound. With a broad pallet of tones and textures, he paints ideal landscapes for Savoca's engaging songs. Years of leading an all-original, dance-driven band imbued the duo with the power of a larger group.

Artist sites and sounds: http://karensavoca.com

African Showboyz

Wed. March 21 at 7:30pm $10 adv./$10 door Dance – ages 21 +

From the bush of Africa, Napoleon, Joseph, Issac, Mosses and JJ Sabbah emerge. The African Showboyz hail from Binaba, a tiny village in the northeast region of Ghana, West Africa. This tribal quintet is a unique blend and remarkable experience of African drum, dance, magic and adrenaline. In Binaba, the drum is a cultural symbol in child birthing, naming, marriage and funeral ceremonies, as well as festivities marking the planting and harvesting of crops. Dance is a story told. In Binaba, there is no electricity, nor an opportunity for education, but through sheer determination and an intense respect for humanity; the African Showboyz have bridged borders; mesmerizing and enchanting audiences throughout Africa, France, and Germany. When attending a Showboyz performance, prepare yourself for a world class raw-roots experience. From tribal drumming and dance to phenomenal glass eating and mystical music; from comic routines to“African Power” exhibits, these beautiful young African men entertain all ages with vibrant heart and soul, it's contagious!

Artist sites and sounds: www.africanshowboyz.com

The Refugees

PRESENTED WITH SNAZZY PRODUCTIONS

Thu. March 22 at 7:30pm $12 adv./$15 door seated <21 w/parent

The trio of women that is The Refugees emerged on the music scene as a verifiably unmatched force of talent, diversity, and experience. Each successful in her own right as a solo artist, Cindy Bullens , Deborah Holland and Wendy Waldman formed their unique and innovative group in 2007 and since that time have been wowing audiences, radio DJs, and music critics alike with their soaring harmonies, indelible musicianship, and unforgettably humorous stage presence. Individually, The Refugees have logged more than three decades in the industry, with nineteen solo albums and multiple Grammy Award nominations to their credit, featuring musical styles that blend country, rock, folk, blues and Americana. To describe them as eclectic would be an understatement. These three women have utilized their intense drive and relentless passions to create an entirely new sound.

Artist sites and sounds: www.therefugeesmusic.com

Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit
plus Tater Famine

Fri. March 23 at 8pm $10 adv./$10 door Dance – ages 21 +

Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit: Take two Americana singer-songwriters, an indie-rock veteran of a drummer, country-born bassist, and metal-bred pedal steel player, and what do you get: the rough-hewn yet driftwood-smooth; rebel-headed, but heart-of-gold sound of The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit. The outfit includes singer-songwriters Chris Doud and Will Taylor, bassist Taylor Webster, drummer Aaron Burtch, and master of all lead instruments, Matt Cordano. Any Outfit member may tell you that it's plenty just to be at the pinnacle of a local music scene embracing roots and Americana music, but, as one recent convert put it, “the rest of America needs to hear this noise.” Likened to anything from Old Crow Medicine Show and The Avett Bros. to Asleep at the Wheel, Bob Wills and even Neil Young (depending on which live set you happen to catch) they most often defy categorization, usually settling for some hybrid of Americana, folk, rock, bluegrass, and that sweet, old country & western. They describe their efforts as trying to make good, honest, insightful music, that's not afraid of a good time and a little fun, that people will move their feet to, and that also goes real well with a straight road and a long drive.

Tater Famine: Simply put, they rock. Tater Famine is a Four-piece acoustic band. The core instruments are acoustic guitars, mandolin, stand-up bass and drums.

Artist sites and sounds: www.reverbnation.com/tgltso and www.myspace.com/taterfamine

Jim Morrison Celebration featuring Wild Child

7PM EVENING CONCERT

An Amazing Recreation Of a Live Doors Concert

Sun. March 25 at 7pm $20 adv./$20 door dance <21 w/parent

THIS IS WHAT THE MEMBERS OF THE DOORS SAY ABOUT WILD CHILD:

"This is as close as you'll get to the real thing." RAY MANZAREK
"The best one I've heard is Wild Child " ROBBY KRIEGER 2003 Cleveland Free Times

"... the way they play the music is uncanny. I saw Wild Child and they know Jim's moves and raps as well as he did. " JOHN DENSMORE

Wild Child is still selling out The Whiskey, the legendary Los Angeles venue that was home base for the Doors. And they have been selling it out for years along with other huge venues in LA and around the USA. Oliver Stone and Val Kilmer checked out Wild Child shows when they made the Doors movie to get a feel for a live Doors show.

Artist sites and sounds: http://www.wildchild.mu/

Kavanaugh Brothers Celtic Experience

Thursday March 29 at 7:30pm $7 adv./$10 door seated <21 w/parent

PRESENTED WITH SNAZZY PRODUCTIONS

The Kavanaugh Brothers Celtic Experience (KBCE) performs a rollicking mix of Celtic, Folk & Americana music. The KBCE is led by brothers Kevin & Tim Kavanaugh and supported by fellow Kavanaugh brothers Tom, Nate & Sean, and friends Alan, Mark & Sal. The KBCE performs regularly in the Bay Area and is available for private & public events, parties & corporate functions.

Artist sites and sounds: www.facebook.com/KavanaughBrothers

Candyrat Guitar Night Tour
Ewan Dobson, Gareth Pearson, Matthew Santos, Craig D'Andrea

Thu. April 5 at 7:30pm $15 adv./$18 door seated< 21 w/parent

Ewan Dobson has established himself as one of Canada's most brilliant and exhilarating young guitarists, having won first prize in nearly every single Classical Guitar competition across the country. In the summer of 2009, Dobson was crowned the Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Champion at the prestigious 5th annual Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competition held in Kingston, Ontario. Shortly after this victory, he captured another first prize in the acoustic category at the 4th Montreal Guitar Grand Prix. Dobson has expanded his repertoire to include Bluegrass, Metal, Canadian folk, Techno, Trance, Video Game and Contemporary Fingerstyle music.

Gareth Pearson: Barely out of his teens, Welsh guitar phenomenon Gareth Pearson is already considered a virtuoso in the field of finger style guitar. He has developed a distinctive style to his playing that has earned him the greatest accolades from world renowned players; he has been called a genius by Jan Akkerman, and Tommy Emmanuel was inspired to write a song about him which he named The Welsh Tornado.

Craig D'Andrea is one of the younger faces you will find on the acoustic guitar scene, but he isn't playing like he's 24 years old. Craig has been receiving support from fans and critics alike since releasing his debut album "Crazy is Catching" on CandyRat Records in March of 2007 . The release of his album, along with his title of 2007 Canadian Fingerstyle Champion, has given him the chance to tour in the United States and Canada with respected artists Andy McKee, Don Ross, Antoine Dufour and more.

Matthew Santos: Currently based out of Chicago, 25-year old Matthew Santos has established himself as one of the rare and striking voices quickly emerging from the Windy City's music scene. With a growing fan base hailing him for his ethereal voice, Santos has secured his place in current music with his distinguished style and unique musical gift.

Artist sites and sounds: www.candyrat.com

House of Floyd The Pink Floyd Concert Experience

Sat. April 7 at 8pm $18 adv./$20 door seated <21 w/parent

new BIG production each time The Bay Area's HOUSE OF FLOYD performs the music of Pink Floyd, and has gained a strong following for their unique ability to enthuse both the hard-core fans of the early adventurous Floyd and those who enjoy the songs and soundscapes that later brought them widespread appeal. They capture the essence of each of the various Pink Floyd eras from the formative Syd Barrett days, through the 70's and the final post-Waters era. In the Pink Floyd tradition, a HOUSE OF FLOYD concert incorporates sound effects, moving lights, lasers and video projection - including many of the original, legendary backing films used by Pink Floyd. The set lists on any given night might be from an actual Pink Floyd concert, or a custom HOUSE OF FLOYD mix, but always includes rarely heard live arrangements used by Pink Floyd in concert –as well as the occasional obscure pieces that never made it to vinyl and were heretofore unknown to all but the serious collectors.

Artist sites and sounds: www.myspace.com/houseoffloydcom and www.houseoffloyd.com

King's X

SBL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

SBL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

Tue. April 10 at 8pm $20 adv./$25 door Dance – ages 21 +

Legendary rockers KING'S X will return to the North American tour circuit this spring for their first West Coast run in three years. Aptly named the "First Church of Rock and Roll" tour, KING'S X will spread their progressive fusion of hard rock, funk and soul on a 4-week trek starting March 28 in Austin, TX and extending through April 21 in Denver, CO. It will be the first time the band - bassist/vocalist Dug Pinnick, guitarist/vocalist Ty Tabor and drummer/vocalist Jerry Gaskill - have played most of these cities since 2009, and will mark their first West Coast dates in support of Live Love In London , the live CD/DVD follow-up to latest studio release XV . Live Love In London is the most expansive KING'S X live offering to date, a career-encompassing package featuring "It's Love," "Over My Head," "Black Flag," "Lost In Germany" and more. Recorded live January 22, 2009 at the Electric Ballroom, the 3-disc CD/DVD package (also available as a 2-CD set) showcases the amazing live performances that KING'S X have been delivering to fans around the world for the past 25 years.

Artist sites and sounds: http://kingsxrocks.com

Buy your tickets right now on line at http://www.sblentertainment.com/