Acoustic View
By Aaron Rowan
Support Your Local She-Riff
They tell me I’m musically sexist. And by ‘they,’ I mean one friend of mine who noticed my tendency to book lots of female talent, and sarcastically skewered me for skewing in that direction. Well, I make no attempt to deny it. Many of my headline acts have featured the lovely lilting of ladies. That’s the sort of sound which resonates with me the best. Go, girls with guitars! I’ll probably be in heaven, then, when the organizers of the Northern California Women’s Music Festival present their inaugural fest on Saturday the 18th.
The team behind this have assembled a large roster including some of the most accomplished lady singer-songwriters of our area: Francesca Bavaro, Marirose Powell, Patty Castillo Davis, Raylene Kemp and more; and several other visiting artists from elsewhere in California. Local female poets and painters will also be showcased. Full listings and artist bios can be found at northerncaliforniawomensmusicfestival.com.
There is also a songwriting contest which there is still time to submit to – final deadline is 10/10. Sister songwriters can send their original compositions in CD format with three typed copies of lyrics and $10 per entry via check payable to NCWMF, to P.O. Box 541, Ceres, CA 95307. Three finalists will be invited to perform their pieces, with the winner receiving a cash prize and recording time at Modesto Sound. Festival will be held at Prospect Theater, 1214 K St., from 5 to 11:30 PM. Tickets are $10.
The following Saturday & Sunday, 25th & 26th, I have the honor of hosting two showcases starring L.A.-based songwriter and actress Rebecca Pidgeon. You may recognize her from her film appearances, but it is her lovely serenading that I hope you will come to know her for. She had a Grammy-nominated album a couple years ago, and is touring in support of her new record ‘Bad Poetry.’ I like this lady’s style so much that I am offering up two chances to catch her. Both concerts will he held at Prospect Theater. Saturday at 7 PM with openers Patty Castillo Davis and award-winning cowboy/campfire musician Kerry Grombacher; and Sunday at 3 PM with Chris Farris and Josephine Johnson. Tickets for each are $15 advance/$20 at door; or $25 if you’d like to enjoy both days’ lineups. Email modestounplugged@yahoo.com<mailto:modestounplugged@yahoo.com> or call 209-543-5306.
The latest season of ‘Sunday Afternoons At CBS’ continues on Sunday 10/12 with featured group Cradle Duende, performing a sweet fusion of Balkan, Klezmer, Latin and other world sounds. Showcase starts at 3 PM at Congregation Beth Shalom, 1705 Sherwood Ave. Tickets are $20 adult, $15 senior/student, $7 for children.
Several nominees in the Americana and Singer/Songwriter categories of this year’s MAMA awards will be running around NorCal this month to share their music: Every Friday – Cottonwood Creek at Bett’s Gold Coin in Mariposa starting at 8:30. Saturday 10/11 – Sparrow Grove is among a country lineup at American Legion Post 521 in Rio Linda. This is a canned food & clothing drive sponsored by Honky-Tonk For Hunger. 12-6 PM. Sunday 10/12 – Alida McKeon & Patty Davis at the Riverbank Wine & Cheese Expo. Tuesday 10/21 – Francesca Bavaro at Alchemy Wine Bar in Murphys. 5:30-8 PM.
After the MAMA ceremony on Tuesday night the 14th, Modesto Unplugged will host an acoustic afterparty at Minnie’s Restaurant. The awards show should wrap sometime around 11 PM, so migrate over right afterward and enjoy some acoustic jamming and featured sets by some of the nominees and others. See you at the big night!
