MOODY MUSE: If you go to a Cat Power concert with any fixed
expectations, you’ll probably be disappointed. Chan Marshall may
launch into your favorite song only to trail off into an extended
guitar tuning session or a rant about how much she hates herself.
She may tearfully flee the stage. She may play only covers. She may
not show up at all. But for someone with such intense stage fright,
Marshall manages to sell out an astounding number of venues. After
her February tour was canceled due to mysterious health problems,
Marshall quietly hit the road again at the beginning of June.
Luckily for us, she included Santa Barbara in the new lineup.
R&B lovers will be disappointed that Marshall will play SOhO
without her new Memphis band — featuring longtime Al Green
guitarist Teenie Hodges — but old fans may be relieved we get her
all to ourselves. Besides, her latest album’s, well, normalcy may
bode well for this performance. And even if it doesn’t, what Cat
Power fan isn’t curious to see the indie queen of tortured art
break down? Isn’t that fragility and near insanity what attracted
us to her music in the first place? She’ll be playing an early set
(from 6 to 8 p.m.), but don’t be surprised if the lights are
awkwardly low — she doesn’t want you to see her face. — Hannah
Tennant-Moore
BAND UPDATES: Santa Barbara’s homegrown bands are faring rather
well these days. The Coral Sea — led vocally by Rey Villalobos —
had one of their songs on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy and, more
importantly, just signed a domestic record deal with Hidden
Agenda/Parasol to release a remastered version of their debut
Volcano and Heart on June 27. It’s their first national deal, and
they’re touring in support of it with about 30 dates between N.Y.C.
and here. They play The Neighorhood this Saturday, June 24, with
Springtime Is Wartime and Oso and also at Legends on July 15. …
Gina Villalobos’s — yep, Rey’s sister — recent release Miles Away
is annihilating competition on Europe’s “Americana” charts, posting
at number four for May, above such worthy competition as Hank
Williams III and Kris Kristofferson. She recently played to rave
reviews at the Kilkenny Festival in Ireland. … Latin jazzman Luis
Muñoz — who’s working on his next album PAZ, which will be released
at SOhO in August — was awarded the equivalent of a Grammy in his
home country of Costa Rica in April. — Matt Kettmann
ONE YEAR LATER: Jamaica’s Junior “One Blood” Reid returns to
Santa Barbara this year, this time accompanied by his sons Wada and
Andrew Blood, alongside the One Blood Band with the Reggae Angels.
The Grammy-winning, former lead singer of Black Uhuru has been busy
establishing roots-y works like the 2005 Lost Vinyl Classics and
his recently completed his new album Clean Up Your Heart, which
should be released soon. The East Bay’s Reggae Angels meet up again
with Junior Reid to back him at this show, which goes down on the
Cooney’s stage next Tuesday, June 27, at yet another spritually
comforting KJEE Reggae Tuesday. — Lady J
SOUL MUSIC: Flamenco guitar legend Ottmar Liebert and the Luna
Negra band dropped in at SOhO last week for a sold-out show, an
exercise in soul affirmation as Liebert and his band delivered more
than two hours of music that simply makes you smile. At his worst,
Liebert sounds so polished and smooth that you wonder if he’s a
mirage with music being piped in from a sound studio in light jazz
heaven. But when he is at his best, his music sounds exactly like
falling in love. — Ethan Stewart
YOUNG PUNKS: Friday, June 16th was the last day of classes for
Santa Barbara high schoolers, and what better way to celebrate than
with loud, furious rock ’n’ roll? The kids got their wish and then
some that evening as metal veterans Annihilation Time headlined
with backup from Cropduster, Covered In Scars, Mars, and Masisin on
Casa del Raza’s historic stage. The Eastside venue was once a
staple of the SoCal music scene, enjoying a punk rock renaissance
throughout the 1980s. During its golden era, the venue was graced
by nearly every seminal punk act, including the Ramones, GBH, and
TSOL. The Casa has recently reopened its doors after remaining dark
for more than a decade — and it may be just in time. With all-ages
venue The Living Room long gone, and Goleta’s The Hard to Find
Showspace rumored to be next, Casa’s revival may be the light at
the end of the tunnel the teen angst set’s been waiting for. —
Alison Meeder