Acoustic View
By Aaron Rowan
Photographer’s credit to Mikkel Elbech.
Dial L for Loves It!
Lordy f—ing lordy! The new Not An Airplane record, Unpredictable Fame, has found its way into this world, and it is sweet. The last effort by this homegrown trio was named editor’s pick in Rolling Stone, but this latest album is as explosive as…..well, that fellow who found his way onto the cover of the above named magazine recently, to much controversy. The opener ’Self Portrait’ is a stripped-down acoustic tune, but from there, the album wanders down a myriad of sonic pathways, all the while maintaining an Americana/old-timey feel. ‘It Was Probably Science’ and ‘Conventional Matters and Daily Smirks’ highlight the band’s hard-rocking side, as well as frontman Nick Shattell’s trademark philosophy-heavy lyrics. ‘You, Me and Everyone Else We Know’ goes from some Old West saloon piano to a medieval-sounding horn passage and back again. Not quite like anything I’ve heard before, but of course, that is true of most every tune by this unique outfit. www.notanairplane.com.
A few of the good times happening around town this month:
-Friday 9/6 – Appalachian/folk duo Loves It! are coming back to town, on tour from Austin. Local folk/Americana stars Heaven Lindsey-Burtch and Adam Bishop & The Young Guns are taking part in this exciting lineup as well. 7 PM at Café Deva (1202 J St.), $5 cover.
-Friday the 13th – a very lucky day! I’ve got some special headliners coming in – the kinfolk of the great Linda Ronstadt! The Ronstadt Generations trio consists of her brother Michael G. and his sons Pete and Michael J. They carry on not only Linda’s legacy, but a family musical legacy stretching back to the 1800’s. Michael J. is a virtuoso cellist, and will give a special solo set as an extra treat. Our very own Patty Castillo Davis will be getting things fired up with her Southwestern-infused, not-quite-country sound. We’ll be at Barkin’ Dog Grill, 940 11th St. Show at 7:30, $10 cover.
-Saturday 9/14 – new trio The Rainy Day Ramblers, led by local songwriter Rainy Escobar, will be playing their mix of country and swing at Barkin’ Dog from 7-10 PM. The band also features Bill Sharpe on standup bass and Eric Johnson on lead acoustic. -Thursday 9/19 – various live acts for the monthly Art Walk. Acclaimed singer/songwriter Elyse Miller will be visiting from Fort Collins, CO to perform at Peer Recovery Art Project (1222 J St.) from 5:30 to 8:30; and blues/rock/jam band Broken Injun headlined at Café Deva for ModestoSound’s monthly showcase, along with other artists. Music starts there at 6 PM.
-Friday 9/27 – my fellow house concert host Sue Cotter features David Nigel Lloyd, a stellar craftsman of British/Celtic/traditional-inspired tunes. Originally from Kenya (and he’s got the birth certificate to prove it), he’s performed all over the U.S., Canada and the UK, but has been a CA resident for decades. RSVP to Sue at cottersL@yahoo.com.
