MUSIC CALENDAR
LOVE YOUR
LOCAL BAND
FORMALDEBRIDES Formed in 2004, Santa Cruz’s Formaldebrides were the brainchild of Fiona Walker and Sandi Feddema. Alisha Barker would shop at the store Walker worked at, catching the drummer’s eye with her underground style. “She asked me if I sang, so I lied and said, ‘yes,’” Barker remembers with a laugh. From there, Barker found guitarist Mercy Vasseur on Myspace, and the four began playing in one of the Bay Area’s— indeed, the entire country’s—only allfemale psychobilly bands. But they quickly began blending their various influences from punk, horror, doo-wop, surf and straight-up rock ’n’ roll into a sound that was familiar, but unlike anything else in the subculture. They embodied the Bride of Frankenstein and Vampira on a Thelma & Louise bender cranked to 11.
DECEMBER 10-16, 2014 | GTWEEKLY.COM | SANTACRUZ.COM
Throughout the years, the band would see several lineup changes, with Celia Renteria joining on bass in 2005, Barker’s departure in 2006 and Alexis Coulson jumping on drums after Walker left in 2007.
54
Despite the changes, the band managed to release a self-titled demo and the EP Till Death Do Us Part, and even appeared in the 2010 local film The Jesus Factor. Fast-forward to this Saturday, Dec. 20, in the Catalyst Atrium. The Second Annual “Christmas With the Misfits”— an eight-band extravaganza featuring local acts all performing Misfits covers, with proceeds going to Grind Out Hunger—features the return of the Formaldebrides. “This time around, we’re here to have a good time,” declares Barker. “And that’s really it.” MAT WEIR INFO: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. Catalyst Atrium, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/door. Benefits Grind Out Hunger. 429-4135.
BEBEL GILBERTO
WEDNESDAY 12/10
THURSDAY 12/11
DRAGON SMOKE
BEBEL GILBERTO
FUNK
There’s a tradition at the New Orleans Jazz Festival called “superjam.” As you might guess, it’s where a bunch of musicians who don’t normally play together have, well, a super jam. It’s spontaneous, fun for both the players and the audience, and, best of all, unpredictable. Dragon Smoke is a product of this tradition. The four musicians—Eric Lindell, Ivan Neville and Galactic’s rhythm section (Stanton Moore and Robert Mercurio)—liked their 2003 superjam session so much, they made a band out of it. It’s a blend of ’70s funk, R&B and New Orleans Blues. The group doesn’t get out of town much—it’s a fun project more than anything. They make a point to play the New Orleans Jazz Fest every year, but every once in a great while, they pack up their van and hit the road. This is one of those times. AARON CARNES
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
BRAZILIAN/FUSION
In much the same way that Brazilian singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto lives in two places, dividing her time between Rio de Janeiro and New York City, she also inhabits two musical spaces. One is the traditional Brazilian music and bossa nova that her parents, Miúcha and João Gilberto helped popularize in the 1950s, and the other is a 21st century realm where languages overlap, cultures weave together, and music is created and shared on a global scale. Her latest album, Tudo, which translates to “everything” in English, showcases Gilberto’s ethereal and romantic vocal style and is her first studio album in five years. CAT JOHNSON
through his music, and people are listening. With well over 100,000 likes on Facebook, a generally positive outlook embedded within his songs, and a couple of well-received releases— last year’s debut, Walk the Night, and this year’s On the Verge—Nahko’s sound combines roots music with hip-hop, folk and reggae. BRIAN PALMER INFO: 9 p.m. The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $17/adv, $21/door. 423-1338.
BLUEGRASS/ROOTS
ROB ICKES & TREY HENSLEY
NAHKO & MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE
What does a well-traveled, muchcelebrated veteran dobro player do when he meets an enthusiastic, wildly talented young upstart singersongwriter? Collaborate, of course. Such was the case with bluegrass and roots dobro player Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, a relatively fresh face on the roots scene who first played the Opry at age 11. The two met in 2013, recorded an album that’s due out in early 2015, and are now out on the road showing folks what they can do. On Thursday, they hit Don Quixote’s. CJ
Portland native Nahko is doing the best he can to spread love and peace
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $12/adv, $15/door. 603-2294.
INFO: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $30/adv, $35/ door. 427-2227.
THUMP-HOP