TREAT Local music fans seemed to have a rousing good time at last year’s covers show. Photo by Jim Agius.
The Phoenix Theater, besides being a safe haven for teenagers and adults alike, has been producing annual Halloween shows that feature some of the greatest talent in the area.
For the uninitiated, it’s an all-night affair featuring some of the best local musicians from a handful of different eras. Each group of musicians picks their favorite band and plays a spirited handful of songs of their choosing and adds their own distinctive flair.
Featured acts this year include The Killers (as interpreted by Brandon Hendrickson & Trebuchet), The Adolescents (Tiger Brown and friends), Lady Gaga (Tisha Coates and friends), Stone Temple Pilots (Gas Money), The Cure (James Ryall, Michael Weldon, Derek Nielsen, Tony Ferronato, Campbell McIntosh), Alice in Chains (The Jellyfish Method), Ozzy Osborne (Eric Lee, Lance Brown, Billy O’Donnell and more), Gwen Stefani (MOGGS) and Pink Floyd (Dylan Baltazar, Alex Fabian-Davies and friends).
Phoenix Theater’s talent buyer Jim Agius offers some background on the tradition.
North Bay Bohemian: When was your first Halloween Covers Show?
“Our first Halloween Covers Show took place in 2016. It was originally booked to be a house show in Santa Rosa, but the venue could no longer host it, so we took the lineup at the Phoenix and then started booking it ourselves as an annual tradition. This will be our eighth year,” says Agius.
Highlights of that first show included Cara LP doing Post Malone, which Agius calls “a wild one.” Down Dirty Shakes doing Spice Girls was “a lot of fun,” according to Agius. And Bad Thoughts doing Sex Bob-Omb “is our most popular YouTube one, with over 150k views,” Agius continues.
“We like to do a mix of older and younger bands. We have veterans of the show who are pros who always get a slot if they want it. Tisha Coates/Moon Sick, Trebuchet, Brandon Hendrickson and James Ryall are among them and have some incredible moments on our YouTube playlist,” says Agius.
Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased at thephoenixtheater.com. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the show starts promptly at 7pm. The Phoenix Theater is located at 201 Washington St. in downtown Petaluma. All ages are welcome. Costumes are encouraged.
Each group of musicians picks their favorite band and plays a spirited handful of songs of their choosing.
Clockwise from front: Jay Schellen, Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe. Photo by Gottlieb Bros.
Fans of progressive rock staple YES, have suffered through myriad line-up changes due to health issues, death, and personal issues. Whatever the case may be, the end reward has always been the same: new music and touring by YES is always good news.
The band is currently knee-deep on their ‘Classic Tales Of Yes’ that finds the band revisiting some lesser-known but equally compelling YES tracks. What started in Bethlehem, PA, towards the end of September will carry on until the first week of November in Riverside, CA.
The current line-up is original member Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), along with mainstays and longtime members Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals, acoustic guitar), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar, vocals), and new (er) member Jay Schellen (drums). Together, they will be also supporting YES’ latest record, ‘Mirror To The Sky,’ on InsideOut Music.
Additionally, each show will commence with a presentation by English artist and designer Roger Dean, whose striking art has been featured on classic album covers by YES and, of course, Asia (which featured Howe and Downes).
North Bay Bohemian: There were many skeptics but also many who rallied for you. What kind of pressure did you feel even though Jon Anderson had been out for some time?
Jon Davison: On day one of agreeing to join Yes, the press announcement widely spread online. Right away, there were heated discussions among Yes fans. I remember thinking there was really no need to pay attention to it all. I was more concerned with getting my voice trained up and fit to go onstage and give the music everything I could give. That’s really the only “pressure” worth applying. Such discipline transforms into motivation, whereas the pressure you referred to can only be limiting.
North Bay Bohemian: Your newest album is a massive leap from the ‘Heaven & Earth’ LP. What made this album better than ‘The Quest’ aside from possibly preparation time?
Jon Davison: Since the making of the ‘Heaven and Earth’ album, we’ve greatly evolved as a performing and writing unit, having grown from so much personal loss, inside and outside the band. We lost Chris and then Alan. Steve had an extremely tragic personal loss as well. As a result, the band has found a renewed strength, and its creative efforts are exponentially expanding toward greater heights of productivity.
‘The Quest’ was a rewarding experience for us, but to a large degree, one of uncertainty. Because it was created during the Pandemic—which was such an incredibly strange time – it meant not being able to convene much and only writing remotely. There was a lot of file sharing from our respective places of isolation.
Nonetheless, the process was successful and it therefore gave us the confidence and momentum to then leap into the creation of our latest album, ‘Mirror to the Sky.’ Whenever I listen to it, I can smile and hear that we were truly inspired. I feel we possess a renewed sense of appreciation for being in a band and having the ability to express ourselves creatively.
North Bay Bohemian: You have written songs with Howe, Sherwood, Squire (RIP), White (RIP), and Downes. Does any particular member make the songwriting process easier?
Jon Davison: As a true Yes fan, I can say all the varying writing processes with different members past and present have all been fulfilling in their own unique ways. It’s thrilling just to be invited to the creative table with those you have deeply admired. I also love the challenge of taking on another’s musical style which is so unique to that of the others, and finding a voice or character in that style. For example, the mood and shades of Geoff’s writing are very different to that of Steve’s, yet as the lead vocalist, I’m the common denominator. This allows me to wear slightly different hats of compositional approach. I really enjoy having that challenge of creative diversity.
North Bay Bohemian: Were all the current members of YES involved in this year’s ‘Classic Tales Of Yes’ setlist?
Jon Davison: What generally happens is Steve will first propose an outline of a set which we can all then help tweak. For the longest time he’s had a heartfelt desire of doing a ‘Tales of Topographic Oceans’ medley. He played a massive role in the conception of the four-song double album and therefore wanted to find a way of portraying much of its musical essence without taking up too much of the show. The rest of us wholeheartedly decided to take on this endeavor and help realize his vision. Currently on tour, the medley has really been a fun experience to share with so many surprised and delighted fans.
As well, we all voted on what new songs we should perform from our latest studio effort, ‘Mirror to the Sky.’ I also suggested we do “Turn of the Century” which is one I had missed singing since it last appeared in a set in 2014.
North Bay Bohemian: Any songs you particularly enjoy playing / singing live more than others from the classic YES years? What about songs from the last three studio records?
Jon Davison: It’s been a real rush to perform the new material and witness just how supportive audiences are. Then of course, I love singing all the classics as well. As I mentioned earlier, “Turn of the Century” is one that is so rewarding to sing. I’ve also been enjoying singing and playing guitar on, “Time and a Word,” which is from the 60’s album of the same name.
North Bay Bohemian: How do you cope with the long travel days and 22 hours you’re not playing?
Jon Davison: It can all feel quite grueling a lot of the time. The secret for me is to stay engaged in diversions which help for a time to escape the pressures of tour life. Hopefully to this end I can enjoy watching inspirational or often humorous films or series. Lots of rest is vital, as is moderate exercise to help boost the immune system. Then at other times, I feel inspired from performing and so desire to create music. I actually work in GarageBand on my iPad, which means I can create music during the long hours of riding in the back of a car or van.
It’s a mad life, I realize. Although it can also be one of excitement and adventure. I reckon, once a road dog always a road dog.
YES plays The Meritage Spa & Resort located 875 Bordeaux Way in Napa. Live Presentation and Art Gallery outside at 850 Bordeaux Way. Tickets can be bought in advance at www.bluenotejazz.com/napa/shows starting at $69 for Bronze seating and topping out at $244 for the YES VIP Tour Package – Gold Ticket. Doors open at 5:30pm and the show starts at 7pm. Ages 8+ are welcome. No babes in arms.
Back in 1999, I was Pink’s BMG distribution representative and involved with promoting her debut record on Laface / Arista records, “Can’t Take Me Home.”
To help launch it, Pink visited one of the biggest record one-stops, Valley Media in Woodland, where I walked her around the marketing and sales departments. She carried no instruments but, rather, sang acapella versions of songs from her yet-to-be-released collection for anyone who would listen. A handful of employees brushed her off, staying on their phones to take orders from accounts instead of giving her a minute of their time. It was a tough task for the then-20-year-old, but she barreled through it.
Nearly six months later, after her album blew-up on the radio, Pink played a sold-out show at Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa. Upon arriving backstage to say hello to the newly-minted pop star, she immediately said, “Hi Eddie, thanks for coming out” before I could even get a word in. I could not believe that, with her busy tour and record promotion schedule, she still remembered her Sacramento BMG rep.
That is the kind of artist who Pink was and still is today.
From my vantage point, she’s one of the hardest working ladies in the business and brings a magnificent stage-show and band when she tours. The now-44-years-young Alecia Beth Moore Hart, a.k.a. Pink, released “Trustfall,” her ninth studio album, in February. It has already yielded four singles and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
Pink visiting the Sacramento area in 1999.
In a recent article in Women’s Health, Pink said of her new album, “I had time, because of a worldwide pandemic, so I went really, really slowly.”
She added of the three-year endeavor, “I was able to take more chances. COVID slowed down life in a ‘what matters’ kind of way for me. Now all I want is to put things in the world that are meaningful and see my kids grow up.”
To date, Pink has sold a whopping 135 million records worldwide and is one of RCA Records’ biggest acts. Additionally, she won numerous accolades, including a couple of Grammy awards and coming in 10th on VH1’s Top 100 Greatest Women In Music.
Pink brings her show to Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center on Thursday, Oct. 12. Grouplove and KidCutUp open the show. Doors for this all-ages show are at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m Visit www.golden1center.com or www.livenation.com for tickets. Golden 1 Center is located at 500 David J Stern Walk in Downtown Sacramento.
It’s been 22 years since the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released in theaters across the globe. The fantasy series has been a huge success for all involved.
For those Harry Potter fanatics who can’t ever get enough, the initial film will get some special musical treatment this week from Sacramento’s own Philharmonic orchestra, which will perform John Williams’ original score for a limited run this week at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
SN&R reached out to Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera’s executive director, Giuliano Kornberg, to get the lowdown on the upcoming show.
SN&R: As executive director, do you have as much pull for the film choices?
Kornberg: In January 2023, we were approached by the promoting company of the Harry Potter series, Innovation Arts & Entertainment, to see if there might be the possibility for the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera to provide the live music for the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. After a bit of back and forth, we agreed and got to work. We’ve developed a great rapport and collegial collaboration with them, both with production planning and marketing, that has everyone excited about the concerts taking place. I think those that will attend are in for a real treat.
For this concert, we were approached with the choice to participate on this film specifically, and generally, for partnership opportunities such as this, the movie, music, production, etc. is pre-determined. That doesn’t make it any less interesting – this concert will be a great way for our musicians to get more performance opportunities, our organization to get a little more exposure, and most importantly, our community to engage with amazing music in this manner for the first time that I can recall.
SN&R: What are some of the past movies that have included the Sacramento Philharmonic?
Kornberg: While we haven’t performed other full movie concerts like this Harry Potter opportunity (to my recollection), we have performed other movie soundtrack performances featuring music by John Williams; superhero music (we performed a ‘Superhero Scores’ concert in June 2022); and other film concerts such as ‘Hooray for Hollywood.’ These performances are quite fun and great for both musicians and concert attendees, and I’m confident that everyone will really enjoy themselves with the full HP1 movie.
SN&R: How many members of the orchestra can we expect for the Harry Potter installation?
Kornberg: There will be about 80 musicians on stage – a full complement of string instruments (12 first violins, 10 second violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, 6 basses), 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, 5 percussionists, harp, piano, and 2 synthesizers. It will be one of the biggest orchestras that we’ll have ever put on stage at one time.
SN&R: Have you ever considered doing a horror, sci-fi, or dystopian drama score like The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey or 1984?
Kornberg: Possibly. With the Harry Potter performances taking place next week, I’m really looking forward to seeing how they go, what the audiences and our community think of the performances, how our musicians enjoy performing this music, etc. These sorts of performances and partnerships are a wonderful way for our subscribers, patrons, and donors to engage with our music in a different way than our other performances at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, and are a wonderful point of entry for families, younger individuals, and first-time attendees. From people that I’ve spoken with, there is a great buzz around these Harry Potter concerts, and if they’re the hit that I think they will be, we can certainly explore the potential for producing more performances like these.
SN&R: What other performances are you looking forward to in 2023 and beyond?
Kornberg: This Harry Potter concert will be a great way to start the season, but there a quite a few other musical opportunities for the community to engage with this season. Our Opening Night concert will be on October 21, just a couple weeks after Harry Potter; November will be our first performance with Maestro Ari Pelto as our Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor; we’re providing live music for all performances of “The Nutcracker” in December 2023 with the Sacramento Ballet; and we’ll again produce two operas with Die Fledermaus in February 2024 and Don Giovanni in May 2024. We’re also already sketching out what our 2024-25 season will look like, and are assessing if we can produce other concerts like these Harry Potter performances.
The show plays on Saturday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, October 7 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $47 and premium seats are $150 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com in advance. SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center is located at 1301 L Street in Sacramento.
The Elders will be one of many musical acts performing at Nevada County’s Celtic Fair.
Now in its 25th year of bringing national and international acts to the Sierra foothills, the KVMR Celtic Festival is back for three fun-filled days to close-out late September.
Whether one’s a fan of music from Ireland and Scotland, this curated festival delivers something for everyone, featuring attractions that range from falconry to living story guilds. But, of course, the musical acts on this year’s docket are a mainstay and include Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, Talisk, The Elders, The Jeremiahs, On the Lash, The Moxie Strings, Cassidy Joy, Eamonn Flynn & Dublinesque and San Miguel Fraser.
The non-musical experiences KVMR is providing bring attendees face to face with jugglers, story tellers and athletes competing in Highland Games. There will also be a plethora of Celtic food and craft vendors. This family-friendly event typically draws well over 5,000 each year who are connecting with their ancestry or getting a fresh taste of the shamrock culture. It has multiple demonstration stages, a youth arts program, open sessions, magic, art, dance and singing. Additionally, it is the largest fundraising event of the year for KVMR Community Radio which operates as a not-for-profit.
Tune in to KVMR for updated schedules of live broadcasts at www.kvmr.org.
Friday’s activities feature a free Youth Arts program and, of course, camping is available all weekend long.
Tickets can be purchased at www.kvmrcelticfestival.org in advance or at the door for an extra charge. Single day options are available for both Saturday and Sunday. The 2023 KVMR Celtic Festival takes place at the Nevada County Fairgrounds and is located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.
Formed in England in 1967, Jethro Tull has since amassed an immense body of work that’s caused it to headline myriad festivals and play arenas and stadiums all over the world. Led by the boundless energy of Ian Anderson, the group released 11 Gold and 5 Platinum-plus records and also won a Grammy award for their 1987 opus, “Crest of A Knave.”
Tull’s ever-evolving sound, which blends blues, progressive rock, folk, jazz, classical and Celtic tones, has won fans over with its over-the-top arrangements that change with each successive album release. The band’s highly regarded 1972 outing, “Thick as A Brick,” featured only two tracks (divided into Part 1 and Part 2) clocking in at 22 minutes and 21 minutes, respectively.
“RökFlöte” is the group’s 23rd record. It just recently came out on progressive rock-leaning label, Inside Out Music. The album’s 12-tracks are based on Norse mythology and find Anderson further exploring the rock flute, a.k.a. the RökFlöte. The song collection comes on the heels of Tull’s 2022 release ‘The Zealot Gene.’
Today, bandleader Anderson is the only original member of Jethro Tull that’s left, but this is not necessarily a bad thing: The flute virtuoso will be joined by longtime bassist David Goodier, veteran pianist and organist John O’Hara, and new (er) additions drummer Scott Hammond and guitarist and mandolin player, Joe Parrish-James.
As luck would have it, Lincoln was included on the band’s limited-run US tour which started on August 18th in Highland Park, Ilinois and will inevitably wrap up on November 4 in Albany, NY. Tickets start at $54.95 and top out at $114.95 and can be purchased at www.thundervalleycasino.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 8 p.m. This is a 21-and0over only performance. The Venue is located inside Thunder Valley Casino at 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln.
For those Earth, Wind and Fire fans who missed their last area tour dates in June, the upcoming show with the Pacific Northwest’s greatest R&B export, Kalimba, should appease their fans and then some.
Taking on the vocal styling of EWF singer Philip Bailey is no easy task, but the band plays their catalog like it’s their very own. And while tribute acts today may seem a dime-a-dozen, this collective provides a show worthy of any venue’s stage.
Expect fan favorites such as “Reasons,” “Shining Star,” “September,” “After The Love Has Gone,” “Let’s Groove,” “Serpentine Fire,” and a handful of other dance-able EWF hits. For those still on the fence, visit Kalimba’s website to see and hear the band live in all its magical splendor.
Kalimba already played a handful of shows in the area recently, including (but not limited to) Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, Ripon, and San Francisco, and play up and down the coast with semi-regularity. And while most folks need to work on buying tickets for winery shows of this ilk, it would be wise to reserve your spot before the tables are gone.
Come hungry, as Fred’s Barbeque will be cooking up a storm. The day’s menu includes tri-tip sandwiches, BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken, hot links, hot dogs, tacos with beans & rice, chicken & shrimp pasta, and a handful of vegetarian options.
This “Fall Dance Party” lasts for three hours and will be a great way to burn off some calories you’ll rack up by eating the venue’s food fare beforehand.
The show starts at 1 pm, Sunday, Sept. 17. And all ages are welcome (sorry, no babes in arms). Tickets are $40 in advance and can be purchased here. For those who wish to try their luck at the door, tickets will be $45 the day of the show. The Vino Godfather Winery is located at 1005 Walnut Ave. in Vallejo.
The music collective Snarky Puppy is knee-deep in its Fall tour to support a new record, ‘Empire Central.’
Led by bassist and bandleader, Michael League, the band’s mellifluous sound is something he describes as “a pop band that improvises a lot, without vocals.”
And while every night might reveal a handful of unexpected Easter eggs, the group never comes off as disjointed, or derivative of other like-minded jazz-influenced groups.
With a roster of rotating artists that numbers as high as 25 active members, the Snarky Puppy touring machine utilizes its players based on availability and the musical direction of its latest undertaking. What started in Texas 19 years ago with less than a dozen core members has now blossomed into something far beyond the ensemble and League’s expectations. Today, members can be found playing with other notable acts such as Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and D’Angelo.
In addition to its touring feats, the band successfully launched its own GroundUP Music record label imprint. Now distributed by music giant Universal Music Group, the records are more easily found, including such disparate artists as Charlie Hunter, David Crosby, Bokanté, Mark Lettieri (solo) and Breastfist.
New York’s own House of Water will open for Snarky Puppy when it plays the Mondavi Center in Davis on Sept. 21. Tickets start at just $12.50 and top out at $65, and can be purchased in advance at www.mondaviarts.org. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. Jackson Hall is located inside the Mondavi Center on the UC Davis campus at One Shields Avenue in Davis.
Grammy award-winning Dire Straits’ bandleader Mark Knopfler hasn’t toured under that moniker since the ‘On Every Street’ tour in 1992, and officially disbanded his famous group for good in 1995. Thankfully, for those fans still yearning to hear the band’s biggest hits, the Dire Straits Legacy collective fills that void and then some.
Its line-up features original Dire Straits band member Alan Clark on piano and keyboards, as well as Dire Straits musicians Danny Cummings on percussion, Mel Collins on saxophone and Phil Palmer on guitar.
Dire Straits Legacy is important because, outside of playing a few charity concerts, Knopfler has offered no talk of a new album or tour. Dire Straits rose to mega-stardom after their release of their “Brothers In Arms” record in 1985. The band would only make one more album, the less-received but equally compelling “On Every Street” in 1991. That song collection still went Platinum in a handful of countries. After only six records, the blues-rock band from England would cease to exist as Mark Knopfler took on a fruitful solo career.
Dire Straits Legacy, which will play The Crest in Downtown Sacramento on Sept. 16, also features musicians Marco Caviglia on vocals and guitar, Primiano Di Biase on keyboards and Cristiano Micalizzi on drums.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the two-plus hour show starts promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets begin at $44.50 and go up to $66.50 and can be purchased at www.crestsacramento.com. The Crest Theatre is located at 1013 K Street.
Pixies are back touring with a new album and renewed vigor. But don’t bother consulting Setlist.fm since the band plans to break out a few rare morsels at every tour stop. September 15.
Doggerel is Pixies’ eighth and latest album, which came out last year in late September. And while Kim Deal is no longer with the band (she exited in 2013 and is currently touring with The Breeders), the album is proof that the band can produce a lively batch of new songs that stand up against their storied back catalog.
From the opening salvo of the lead track, “Matterday,” which parlays nicely into the album’s lead single, “Vault Of Heaven,” it’s obvious that Black Francis and company came to their last recording session prepared. And while tracks like “There’s A Moon On” may seemingly get lost in the shuffle being placed mid-record, the album functions like a complete meal if consumed in one sitting. Other standout tracks like “Haunted House” and “Thunder And Lightning” demand your attention as much as they showcase a band unwilling to rest on their laurels.
Expect to hear a couple of fan favorites, including (but certainly not limited to) “Where Is My Mind,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Here Comes Your Man,” “Hey,” “Bone Machine,” and “Wave of Mutilation” among other deeper cuts.
There’s a reason for Pixies’ staying power even after elongated hiatuses and that’s most likely why one hears hints of their songwriting from artists as far-reaching as Radiohead, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. Without a playbook, Pixies’ latest should fit in nicely live among their earliest late 80s output.
At present, Pixies remain Black Francis (lead vocals and guitar), David Lovering (drums), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), and new (er) bassist Paz Lenchantin, who became a full-fledged Pixie in 2016. Known for their “loudquietloud” signature sound, the quartet is finally winding down their ambitious tour, which started in 2022.
It’s been four years – five if you don’t count last year’s touring cycle – since Pixies last toured and, as luck would have it, Napa’s show in one of the last three dates of their US tour before heading overseas next March.
Modest Mouse and Cat Power round out this completely stacked bill.
Although the show is largely sold out, many resale tickets start at $148, top out at $450, and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 5 pm and the show starts promptly at 6 pm. All ages are welcome. The Oxbow RiverStage is located at 1268 McKinstry Street in Napa. It’s never too late to join the party.
Eddie
Pink. Photograph by Andrew McPherson
Photograph by Assunta Opahle
Courtesy photo
