Pop & Rock
Newer stories | Older stories
Looking At Him
It is a long way from Colin Hay’s birthplace of Kilwinning, Scotland, to his current residence in Los Angeles, California — and it gets even longer when you make the trek via Australia. Read story.
Red of Tooth and Claw
Consuming passion, love, longing, revenge, and destruction are just a few of the themes intricately balanced in Murder by Death’s latest release, Red of Tooth and Claw. Read story.
Asking For Success
When John Doe came through town a couple of weeks ago, he referred to Kathleen Edwards as “the Katharine Hepburn of music.” Read story.
At the Santa Barbara Bowl, Thursday, May 8.
This was the first of two well-attended nights at the Bowl for Michael Bublé, a Canadian singer of pop standards who has taken an early lead in the race to become the next generation’s Frank Sinatra. Read story.
Rikka Z Hits the Town, Heads Into the Studio
Rikka Z hits the town and heads into the studio to record her first full-length album. Read story.
At UCSB’s Hub, Wednesday, May 7.
What better way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence than with a performance by one of the country’s most popular trance techno acts, Infected Mushroom? Read story.
Positively State Street
Say what you will about the venue, but the folks behind The Wildcat’s ongoing Tuesday night music scene are sure working hard. Read story.
Positively State Street
With the Santa Barbara Bowl season officially off and running — and rumors of a late September Spoon stint still swirling around as of Monday — it seems that all signs are pointing to my favorite time of year. Read story.
At the Marjorie Luke Theatre, Sunday, May 4.
The Marjorie Luke Theatre made a great venue for this intimate and tuneful evening with singer/songwriter KT Tunstall. Read story.
A Soulful Journey
SOhO's booking agent for the past several years is moving on, and Los Angeles' finest musicians are coming to Santa Barbara on Friday night to say goodbye. Read story.
At the Santa Barbara Bowl, Saturday, May 3.
Last Saturday night, Duran Duran, the musical idols of my preteen years, kicked off the Bowl season with their first Santa Barbara appearance in five years. Read story.
At the Santa Barbara Bowl, Sunday, May 4.
About 25 guitars lined the stage of the Santa Barbara Bowl on Sunday night; Gibson Les Pauls in various colors, a row of Fender Stratocasters, a few different Martin acoustic guitars, all placed upright and ready to go. Read story.
Orbital Path
Having spent a good chunk of April playing solo shows throughout the East Coast and Midwest, troubadour Glen Phillips most recently embarked on a whirlwind tour of Japan Read story.
At SOhO, Thursday, April 24.
The floor at SOhO had a pulse Thursday night, and came alive when indie darlings Man Man led the packed club in sing-alongs, clap-alongs, and even key-alongs Read story.
Worlds United
Being the progeny of a Mixteca cabaret singer and a professor of art from Minnesota means that Lila Downs’s musical world isn’t so much about cultures colliding as it is about beautifully caressing two traditions into something that far exceeds the sum of their parts. Read story.
Newer stories | Older stories
Popular local musicians come together under one roof, one night only, for a rare and special concert featuring Lois Mahalia, Gigi, Lisa Lavie, Laura Schlieske, Tina Schlieske, Tina Sicre, Shawn Thies, Irene Fredericey of Soul City Survivors, Rachel Thurston from King Bee, and Mari Martin of Area 51. Performing to an All-Star Santa Barbara Band comprised of George Friedenthal on Keyboard, Jack Joshua on Bass, Dan Zimmerman on Guitar, Cary Hitsman on Drums, and Gustavo Lizarraga on Saxaphone.
May 22, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Girls, Inc., 531 E. Ortega St. ($30 - $35)
YouTube Video of "I Used to Dance with my Daddy:"
May 28, 10 p.m., Sandbar ($10)
Like Bob Dylan, the Mother Hips never create note-for-note replications of their studio work on stage. "We play spontaneously," says the quartet's vocalist-guitarist Tim Bluhm. "Live, our songs evolve into different creations, with different tempos and arrangements. We don't go for the realism of the records. There's no fun in that."
Mama's Cookin has emerged on the scene with a sound that could only come from the modern age. Hip-hop beats and conscious lyrics melded with a solid base of rock and delta blues. The four players generate sounds completely unique to this band.
May 31, 9 p.m., SOhO ($13 - $15)
Youtube documentary of Blue Turtle Seduction:
May 29, 9 p.m., Velvet Jones ($12)
Live music, cold drinks, and an awesome and relaxing atmosphere.
May 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
Enjoy an exciting blend of rockabilly, roots rock, insurgent country, surf and twang.
May 25, 2 p.m., Borders Books & Music on State (Free)
Fight the Quiet is playing at The Velvet Jones with Getting To Know You, The Next Step, and Ruby Manslaughter. It's gonna be a great night of Rock and Roll! Hope to see every one there.
May 22, 7 p.m., Velvet Jones ($10)
The band's 25th anniversary-alarmingly enough-Headless Household will survey songs from its so-far seven full-length albums (including the latest two, post-Polka and Blur Joan) and a few new items slated for an album-in-progress. All the albums are on the Santa Barbara-based Household Ink label.
June 3, 8 p.m., SOhO ($8)
June 1, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 6, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 7, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 13, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 14, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 14, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 21, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
Cold drinks and an awesome and relaxing atmosphere.
June 22, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 27, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
June 28, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Cold Spring Tavern (Free)
Keith Richards said humor was rock and roll's greatest weapon, Bob Dylan proved it and Todd Snider takes it to heart. For twelve years, Snider has been a satirist, class cutup and the rare artist who understands and celebrates the connections between the Stones, Dylan, Bill Hicks, John Prine, Mitch Hedberg, Kris Kristofferson, Hunter S. Thompson and Randy Newman. Snider's records are fun even when they aren't being funny, funny even when they're sad, and no less truthful for the laughs. With The Devil You Know, Snider has assembled a bag of songs that speak to the politics of the day without ever speaking politics; that talk to the wars being fought away from cameras or reporters and that balance truth, beauty and humor.
June 25, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Stateside Restaurant and Lounge ($20)
Del Castillo is comprised of five young guys with tatoos and studs, playing viciously gorgeous flamenco guitars against a big rock rhythm section with great vocals in Spanish and English.
Willy Porter has continued to stretch and change while maintaining his relationship with the song. His live show has morphed into performance art with improv comedy and live studio looping added to his mastery of acoustic guitar and gorgeous baritone. But it’s the songs that kill: equal parts rock muscle and folk-based intimacy, with a dash of power pop.
September 20, 8 p.m., Lobero Theatre ($42.50)
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