RETURN ENGAGEMENT: Vaud and the Villains have become something of regulars at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club in recent months, and it’s no wonder why. The L.A.-based band makes music ideal for the dinner club. Their setup is a complex and many-membered affair, complete with lead-vocal-swapping singers and a whole lot of brass. If you’ve happened in on one of the band’s live shows, you also know that describing the music doesn’t come close to doing them justice. Vaud and the Villains trade in the lost of art of big-band revue — think part three-ring circus theatrics, part French Quarter pomp and circumstance — and perform with the kind of infectious energy that makes a room light up. Their set lists are unpredictable joyrides of originals and covers (ranging from Leonard Cohen to some of the oldest African-American folk songs in our country’s history). And the reactions they elicit out of their fans are, well, floorboard-shaking. In short, it’s the kind of concert experience that makes you want to run home and tell all your friends. The band returns to town for a headlining show at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club on Saturday, March 21, at 9 p.m. The event is 21+. For more info, call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
#LADYBOSSES: Also at SOhO this week, the girls of Girls Rock S.B. take the stage for a fundraising showcase on Sunday, March 22. The young ladies of GRSB range in age from 6-17, and all worship at the music altar. Over the course of the nonprofit program’s after-school intensives, they learn instruments, form bands, work on and write songs, and practice, practice, practice. They also get a fair share of confidence boosting and some real-life lessons in teamwork, to boot. In addition to showcasing the many talents of the GRSB students, Sunday’s show will raise some much-needed bling for the ever-growing organization. For those intrigued by the thought of discovering the Next Big Thing, this event is one to catch. The all-ages show starts at 6 p.m. For more on Girls Rock Santa Barbara, visit girlsrocksb.org.