music: Boho Beat, North Bay Bohemian

May 18: Alpha Bitch Soup at the Redwood Cafe

Leilani Clark — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:29:00 -0700

John Cougar Concentration Camp. Brian Jonestown Massacre.…

May 15: Ash Reiter at Lagunitas Tap Room

Leilani Clark — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:22:00 -0700

Back in the days when cassettes ruled the world, if I really liked a song, I would record it over and over in order so that I could listen to it on repeat without rewinding. “I’ve Got Something I Can Laugh About,” by Bay Area indie pop band Ash Reiter, is a song that bears repeating, and would have definitely had a cassette entirely to itself back in 1986.…

May 11: Ruthie Foster at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center

Leilani Clark — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:26:00 -0700

Ruthie Foster has come a long way since her days of singing Top 40 covers in a Navy ensemble band. The Texas-bred blues and soul singer has released six albums, performed with a fantastic roster of musicians—including blues firebrand Paul Thorn—and, without the help of any major label, forged a career that’s netted two Grammy nominations.…

May 4-5: Cloverdale Fiddle Festival at Cloverdale Fairgrounds

Gabe Meline — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:06:00 -0700

Before popular music became impregnated with the bizarre old-timey decree that every hot new band must (a) have a banjo player, (b) dress like they’re associates of the Artful Dodger or whatever, and (c) embrace the patina, but not the core, of The Grapes of Wrath, there was the Cloverdale Fiddle Festival. Now in its 38th year, the festival awards prizes for competition in a variety of styles (Old-Time Style, Texas Style, Waltz, Twin) and age brackets (last year’s entrants spanned from age seven to 78).…

May 3: David Sedaris at the Wells Fargo Center

Gabe Meline — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:03:00 -0700

At this point, in the year 2013, everyone knows the deal on David Sedaris—so much so that his new book Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls (the most David Sedaris-y David Sedaris title in the history of David Sedaris titles) is subtitled “Essays, Etc.” In it, the celebrated NPR contributor and chronicler of his own little life, etc., writes about his unsupportive father, etc., his new job picking up trash on the side of the road, etc., nasty thoughts he writes daily in his journal, etc., drinking, etc., and, yes, owls, etc. With all this et cetera flying around, how can a diehard This American Life fan possibly experience it best? With an in-person appearance, naturally, in the company of similarly obsessed Sedaris fans.…

May 3: Kyle Martin Band at Aubergine

Gabe Meline — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:59:00 -0700

In the heyday of the never-forgotten Boogie Room, a house-garden-commune-barn-venue in Southwest Santa Rosa, it wasn’t uncommon to find a hardcore band like M.D.C. playing inside the barn, while outside, around the fire pit—always—a group of people jamming together on acoustic instruments. One resident campfire standby at the Boogie Room, named Kyle Martin, has just released a solo album that encapsulates a special, rural brand of idealism.…

April 20: Travis Tritt at the Lincoln Theatre

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:38:00 -0700

Before Randy Jackson sat though hundreds of off-key singers for American Idol, he was producing albums for someone who could sing, Travis Tritt. Performing since the early ’90s, Tritt started his career as somewhat of a bad boy with a heart of gold, his outlaw image a contrast to the honky-tonks and cowboy hats of the Billy Ray Cyrus era.…

April 19: Blue Sky Riders at Sweetwater Music Hall

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:36:00 -0700

What happens when three big names in music come together to create music? The answer: Blue Sky Riders.…

April 18: Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom at 142 Throckmorton

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:34:00 -0700

Over the years there’s sadly been a deficit of successful female drummers. Meg White from the White Stripes, Janet Weiss from Sleater-Kinney and Gina Schock from the Go-Go’s come to mind, but Allison Miller deserves to be on the list as well.…

April 7: Anne-Marie McDermott at the Kanbar Center

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:46:00 -0700

One word describes Anne-Marie McDermott’s fingers while playing the piano: manic. McDermott is a classical pianist with virtual power tools for hands, and her fingers move with such proficiency and energy that if you blink, you risk missing something.…

April 5: Gurf Morlix at the Sebastopol Community Center Annex

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:40:00 -0700

Gurf Morlix isn’t only the producer who helped deliver top albums for Lucinda Williams and others; he’s also a terrific songwriter and guitarist in his own right, with a sense of humor to boot. In his song “Your Sister,” he shares a story about getting a “blister” after sleeping with a friend’s sister.…

April 4: David Correa and CASCADA at Lagunitas Tap Room

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:25:00 -0700

IPA lovers won’t need any chips for this salsa: David Correa and CASCADA offer listeners the perfect mix of Latin folk, salsa and rumba rhythms. The instrumental band has been together since 1999, spreading true Latin and Spanish guitar techniques.…

March 24: Kermit Ruffins at Sweetwater Music Hall

Gabe Meline — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:14:00 -0700

When he steps up to play his trumpet, Kermit Ruffins spills passion from every pore. But he spills a little barbecue sauce, too.…

March 23: Paul Reiser at the Napa Valley Opera House

Gabe Meline — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:13:00 -0700

Paul Reiser loves a good laugh. Starting out in standup, Reiser later moved on to film and television, known best for his roles in My Two Dads and Mad About You.…

March 23: HeWhoCannotBeNamed at the Russian River Brewing Co.

Gabe Meline — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:11:00 -0700

At first glance it’s hard to tell if HeWhoCannotBeNamed is a hardcore wrestling fan or perhaps a power rangers enthusiast gone wild. After all, he’s the punk guitarist famous for playing in a Mexican wrestling mask and little (sometimes very little) else.…

March 16: Wynton Marsalis at the Napa Valley Opera House

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:11:00 -0700

He received a trumpet on his sixth birthday, and simply could not put it down. New Orleans—born Wynton Marsalis, with more Grammys than Lindsay Lohan has arrests, joins forces with 15 of jazz’s leading soloists in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.…

March 15-16: Poor Man's Whiskey at Hopmonk Tavern

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:10:00 -0700

This week, Poor Man’s Whiskey take a break from their Dark Side of the Moonshine tour—in which the band performs a bluegrass interpretation of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon dressed in costumes from The Wizard of Oz—to grace their hometown with a two-night stand in order to record a new live album. Each night offers three sets and starts with an acoustic performance, followed by the band’s “high octane hootenanny.” There’s never any telling what this kooky band has up their sleeve—see them Friday and Saturday, March 15—16, at the Hopmonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol.…

March 14: Richard Buckner at Sweetwater Music Hall

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:09:00 -0700

The last time Richard Buckner made a record, he was held up in a murder investigation when a headless body was dumped in his car. On top of that, Buckner’s laptop containing his music was stolen.…

March 10: Gordon Lightfoot at the Wells Fargo Center

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:37:00 -0800

A Canadian national treasure, singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot takes the stage this week for his 50 Years on the Carefree Highway Tour. Lightfoot’s provided a soundtrack to life for many of those 50 years: his song “If You Could Read My Mind” is so well written, it traveled to the Grand Ole Opry (via Johnny Cash) and Studio 54.…

March 8: David Gans at the Redwood Cafe

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:36:00 -0800

Deadhead David Gans has made quite a name for himself. Well known in music journalism, he’s published two books and co-hosts The Grateful Dead Hour, but his first love his making music.…

March 2: Bone Thugs n Harmony at the Phoneix Theater

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:16:00 -0800

Layzie Bone, Wish Bone, Flesh-N-Bone, Krayzie Bone and Bizzy Bone are back to represent, respect and recognize as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Together for longer than most marriages last, the group is celebrating their 20-year anniversary reunion with a show this week at the Phoenix—and a new record set to be released in May. With songs featured in soundtracks for famous movies like Batman and Robin and blaring out of every single car on the cruise in 1993—“Crossroads,” anyone?—the group plays on Saturday, March 2, at the Phoenix Theater.…

March 5: The Expendables at the Mystic Theatre

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:11:00 -0800

Ready for summer to begin? Since 1997, the Expendables have offered a pleasant, sunny blend of reggae, ska and surf rock, from the Warped Tour stage to headlining venues coast to coast.…

March 3: Aaron Lewis at the Uptown Theatre

Taylor May — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:08:00 -0800

He truly is a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n roll: Aaron Lewis, lead singer of the hard-rock group Staind, is following in the footsteps of Lionel Richie, Bon Jovi, and Darius Rucker (of Hootie and the Blowfish) and crossing over into Nashville. To Lewis, a transition to country “is full circle because, this is the first music I was ever exposed to as a child.” Lewis dropped his first full-length solo country album, The Road, last November; he has hit the road and is touring all over the U.S. Drive him crazy by loudly requesting Staind songs on Sunday, March 3, at the Uptown Theatre.…

Feb. 24: Uli John Roth at the Last Day Saloon

Estefany Gonzalez — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:03:00 -0800

Guitar god Uli Jon Roth not only played with the Scorpions for five albums, but also gave birth to Sky guitars, a signature custom line made with additional frets in order to emulate the sounds of a violin. Infamously sporting Hendrix-like headbands, scarves and bandanas, the German guitarist is a true music innovator and professor, often called the “father of Neo-Classical guitar.” He performs a 40th anniversary Scorpions set on Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Last Day Saloon.…

Feb. 23: Paco Peña at the Marin Center

Taylor May — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:57:00 -0800

If you’ve never heard Paco Peña, your ears have been sorely deprived. Peña is the legendary flamenco guitarist from Spain that has been dazzling and mesmerizing audiences with his skill for close to five decades.…