Soundbytes
“Love Springs Eternal” is the name of the show for the Spring Equinox Concert that will be held Sunday, March 20, at the First Congregational Church at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the show will be donated to F.I.S.H and the day promises “soulful vocals, lilting harp, jazz flute and sax and pulsing rhythms.” The band is comprised of a number of local musicians, including Taras Lumiere, Carol Emanuel, Keith Ridenhour, Robert Young and Alan Claassen.
The group is headed up by Emanual, Carol Emanuel who is a contemporary harpist with wide-ranging performing and recordings credits in the classical, jazz, new music, pop, Brazilian and theatrical fields. She has performed with Cyndi Lauper, Anthony Braxton, Danny Elfman, Bill Frisell, and more, along with venues like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Village Vanguard, the Guggenheim Museum. She also is a member of the Threshold Choir which is a network of a cappella choirs of primarily women’s voices, whose mission is to sing for and with those at the thresholds of life, those ailing or dying.
Ridenhour is equally as benevolent in his retirement, playing many of the local convalescent homes in Sonoma and entertaining the residents with songs on the Saxophone. Lumiere has played electric violin with Olatunji’s African drummers, and a folk mass at the county jail on Christmas. Young taught drums locally since 1989 and played for Jewel Mathison’s 5-Rhythm class for 12 years, also leading a weekly drum class. Claassen is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who is the interim minister of Sonoma’s First Congregational Church.The church is located at 252 W. Spain St. and admission is whatever you feel like donating to F.I S.H
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The irony is not lost with us when one of the finest tattoo artists in the world is hosting an “Ugly Tattoo” contest. Back again this year is the Ugly Tattoo Contest sponsored by Kristine & Shotsie’s Tarot Card & Tattoo Gallery and held at B&V Whiskey Bar and Grill on Sunday, March 20, with judging, more than $1,000 in prizes and live music.
“The contest was created to make a compassionate space for those among us that have made poor choices on the tattoos in our lives,” said Shotsie Gorman. “There’s no humiliation, no degrading just a healing of poor choices.”
Music at the show will be laid down by Half People and the Shakedown Choir. Half people are one half of the band Static People, which is Dmitra Smith and Pascal Faivre. The local Sonomans spent time in Seattle where Smith was born, and were, and still are, a part of the music scene there. Both still play in the Seattle-based act Ex’s with Benefits. All their acts are edgy, you could say punk, but all have a social message from Smith’s lyrics. An actual member of the Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights as Vice Chair for the first district, combine that and her three octave vocal range and you have something to behold.
Faivre got his musical start in France, discovering punk rock at age ten and then putting a box of laundry soap in the town fountain, bringing him long-time local notoriety. Faivre is also somewhat of a thespian, having appeared in his first movie in 1973 in France called “Les Granges Brulees” with Alain Delon and Simone Signoret.
Opening or closing the night, as we’re not sure at press time, will be the Shakedown Choir. This is the latest act put together by Paulie Hips and Stevie Steele, from the Childbearers, along with Ian Hinckley from PHCB and the Bumblin” Bones with Zakk Murphy from the Whiskey Thieves and Wingo Moon.
The event kicks off at 6 p.m. and includes prizes and all the assorted debauchery that comes with it.
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Set List – The Rundown
Annex Wine Bar, 865 W. Napa St. Sonoma, 938-7779
Tonight, March 18: Voices in my Head. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: Sonoma Sound Syndicate. 7:30 p.m.
Barking Dog Roasters, 18133 Sonoma Hwy. Sonoma, 939-1905
Saturday, March 19: Hugh Gallagher 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 20: The Martinelli Trio. 2 p.m.
Blue Moon Saloon, 19380 Sonoma Hwy. Sonoma, 996-3055
Saturday, March 19: Karaoke. 9 p.m.
Sunday, March 20: Blues Jam – all welcome. 10 p.m.
B&V Whiskey Bar and Grille, 400 First St. E. Sonoma, 938-7110
Tonight, March 18: DJ Hi – C. 9 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: DJ Hi – Cal. 9 p.m.
Sunday, March 20: Ugly Tattoo Contest, Half People and Shakedown Choir. 7 p.m.
First Congregational Church, 252 W. Spain St.
Sunday, March 20, Love Springs Eternal! Spring Equinox Concert, 2 p.m.
Friday Farmers Market, Depot Park, 270 First St W. Sonoma
Today, March 18: Stewart Degner. 9:30 a.m.
HopMonk Tavern, 691 Broadway Sonoma, 935-9100
Tonight, March 18: Jaydub and Dino, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: Billy Manzik. 8 p.m.
Murphy’s Irish Pub, 464 First St. E. Sonoma, 935-0660
Tonight, March 18: Tommy Thomsen. 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: The Perfect Crime. 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 20: Michael Mullen. 7 p.m.
Olde Sonoma Public House, 18615 Sonoma Hwy. Boyes Hot Springs, 938-7587
Sunday, March 20: Karaoke. 7:30 p.m.
Plaza Bistro, 420 First St E. Sonoma, 996-4466
Tonight, March 18: Swing Fever. 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: The Drifting Rich. 6 p.m
Rossi’s 1906 Dancehall, 401 Grove St. El Verano, 343-0044
Tonight, March 18: Kevin Russell and the Rhythm Rangers, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: Train Wreck Junction, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 20: Acoustic Soul. 5 p.m.
Schellville Grill, 22900 Broadway, Sonoma, 996-5151
Saturday, March 19: Butch Engle and Styx. 12:30 p.m.
Sonoma Speakeasy and American Music Hall, 452 First St. E. ste. G. Sonoma, 996-1364
Tonight, March 18: Solid Air. 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 19: Wildflower Weed. 1 p.m.The Marks Brothers. 5 p.m. Les Amis Zydeco. 8 p.m.
If your gig isn’t in my column, you didn’t tell me about it.