Perfect Pairings and Gender Genres

by Drew Mackie

THE WONDER TWINS: Even if you haven’t yet heard
of Matt Costa, putting him on a lineup that
includes the Watson Twins lends him a credibility
that no other indie rock backup singers could provide. Leigh and
Chandra Watson, of course, are the pair of perfectly harmonizing
voices that helped to boost Jenny Lewis to levels of alt country
greatness on the album Rabbit Fur Coat. Now, the ladies
are standing beside Costa, a Huntington Beach native whose album
Songs We Sing was released earlier this year on Jack
Johnson’s Brushfire label. Get introduced to Matt and marvel at
those Watsons on Wednesday, November 15 at 8:30 p.m. at UCSB’s
Hub.

PURPLE PEOPLE: Although many saw the
Indigo Girls as initially riding the coattails of
female-led rock phenoms like The Pretenders and 10,000 Maniacs, no
one can claim the two haven’t developed into a name in their own
right. Known off the stage as Amy Ray and
Emily Saliers, the Indigo Girls have remained
popular throughout the last two decades. Most recently, they
embarked on their first Hollywood-produced adventure. The album,
Despite Our Differences, hit stores in September and
featured the pair’s most pop-infused rock sound ever. Catch them at
the Majestic Ventura Theatre on Saturday, November 11.

NIGHTTIME IS FUN TIME: Homegrown indie outfit
Springtime Is Wartime will celebrate the release
of their new album with a free all-ages show. High-fives all around
for them as they are joined by The Hairbrain
Scheme, Kissing Tigers, The Hero
& The Victor, and automatic:automatic. Join in on
Saturday, November 11 at 6 p.m. at Brad’s Wood Shop on 520 Haley
Street. GET SAD, GET HAPPY: If only Billy Ray
Cyrus hadn’t made the phrase “achy breaky heart” sit like bile in
the back of our collective throats. As hokey as it sounds, those
words get somewhat close to describing the sound of Jon
Bartel, a talented local guitar man whose songs hit at
something dark, chilling, and buried somewhere in the canon of the
folk and country genres. Bartel’s first full-length effort,
Sixgun Loves the Street, was released this year. He will
be paired on Saturday, November 11 with the San Luis Obispo singer
Flo Paris for a show at Elsie’s at 9 p.m.

KITTY CLUB: The Wildcat Lounge, so often the
site of deejay-led dance parties, is offering a night of live rock
music that just might draw in an altogether different crowd of
revelers. Leading the pack is Orange County alt rockers Its
Revenge, whose singles “Nothing to Lose” and “These Times”
have been receiving play on MTV. Also in the lineup is the softer
fare of Santa Barbara’s own The Youth and Beauty
Brigade, who take their name from a song by The
Decemberists and share their namesake’s quiet and calm beauty.
Finally, Ventura indie rockers The (Real)
Turnstyles round out the pack. That parenthetical
adjective in their name differentiates them from a different band
called The Turnstyles, but this band boasts soft melodies with a
quick pace that should appeal to locals who like The Coral Sea.
Catch them Tuesday, November 14 at 9 p.m.

DOING GENDER: “Girls against boys” doesn’t just
refer to rules for a game of playground kickball. It’s also the
idea behind a collaborative musical effort that mixes genders and
musical styles. The Girls Against Guys Sextet
comes to SOhO with a group of performers from different jazz
backgrounds: Cuban, Brazilian, Latin Flamenco, and others. The
sextet plays at 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 16 on what just
happens to be the birthday of the group’s flautist and vocalist,
Rebecca Kleinmann. Don’t forget to stop by SOhO on
Friday, November 10 for The Messengers.

MEAN GIRLS: These girls really need no
introduction. They’re the only online community to also be a
traveling burlesque show, and they’re sure to make their appearance
in Santa Barbara a memorable one. Make friends with the
Suicide Girls on Thursday, November 16 at Velvet
Jones.