Classically trained violinist Adam DeGraff will perform at the First United Methodist Church in Lompoc on Friday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m., as part of his Rock Violin Neat tour. After spending years as a professional orchestra musician, DeGraff recently began dabbling in experimental rock, which serves as the basis for his current touring show. Aside from music, another area DeGraff fiddles about in is traditional permaculture farming. Hailing from “America’s coolest small town,” Lewisburg, West Virginia, DeGraff also hosts various educational workshops at his studio, the Lee Street Listening Room.
Presented by the Lompoc Concert Association, admission to the upcoming show is $25 for adults and $5 for students. Call (805) 588-5971 or visit lompocconcert.org for more info. The First United Methodist Church is located at 925 N. F St., Lompoc.
Going south
Tesla just went from electric to eclectic, in the form of the genre-bending Mark Tesla Band, who will hang their collective hats at the Cold Spring Tavern on Friday, Feb. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. This cover group performs its own unique renditions of blues, country, and rock hits, ranging from the 1960s up until now. Local Americana band The Reserve is up next on the tavern’s docket, playing on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 1 to 4 p.m., followed by Same Mother, Same Father, who perform from 5 to 8 p.m.
The venue’s weekend lineup concludes on Sunday, Feb. 9, with blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan (1:15 to 4 p.m.) and rock trio Teresa Russell and Cocobilli (4:30 to 7:30 p.m.). Admission to every show at Cold Spring is complimentary. The tavern is located at 5995 Stagecoach Road, Santa Barbara. Call (805) 967-0066 or visit coldspringtavern.com for more info.
An album release party for pop-folk singer-songwriter Kathleen Sieck’s new album, Goodnight America, takes place at Standing Sun Winery in Buellton on Saturday, Feb. 8. Sieck and her band, The Paradise Road, will start performing at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m., and guests can look forward to catering from Tacos Amigos. General admission is $15, while reserved seating starts at $20. To find out more about the concert, call the venue at (805) 691-9413 or visit standingsunwines.com. The winery is located at 92 Second St., unit D, Buellton.
Also in the Santa Ynez Valley, the Maverick Saloon presents Live Wire … well … live in concert, literally, on Friday, Feb. 7, from 8 to 11 p.m. Then local country-rock act The Jimi Nelson Band occupies the saloon’s stage for two slots in a row, performing on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 8 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. Entry to all three performances is free. To find out more about upcoming artists at the saloon, call (805) 686-4785 or visit themavsaloon.com. The venue is located at 3687 Sagunto St., suite D, Santa Ynez.
More music
Valentine’s Day arrives about a week early this year, at least for attendees of Music from the Heart, an upcoming dance concert featuring live music from the Riptide Big Band. Hosted by the Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens Club, the show takes place at the Elwin Mussell Senior Center on Sunday, Feb. 9, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Special guest vocalist Bob Nations will accompany the ensemble for this Valentine’s-themed performance. Admission to the concert is free, thanks to funding from the Community Foundation of SLO County. To find out more about the event, call (775) 813-5186 or visit riptidebb.com. The Elwin Mussell Senior Center is located at 510 E. Park Ave., Santa Maria.
NBC’s The Voice alumnus and Central Coast local Will Breman returns to Old Town Orcutt once again for a concert at the Naughty Oak Brewing Company on Friday, Feb. 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. This Santa Barbara-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist uses live looping to create a one-man-band effect. Admission to the show is free, and Barbecue in the Stix will be on site serving up dinner options for purchase (starting around 5:30 p.m.). The brewery is located at 165 S. Broadway St., suite 102, Orcutt. Call (805) 314-2368 or visit naughtyoak.com for more details.
Interesting to note: On the very same evening, just a stone’s throw away from Breman’s show at Naughty Oak, another former Voice contestant, Lauren Hall, will perform at Vino et Amicis Wine Bar (Friday, Feb. 7, from 7 to 10 p.m.). Dueling Voice alumni? Cue the banjo theme from Deliverance! I’m not exaggerating when I say stone’s throw, these two venues literally share the same parking lot. And just like Breman’s show, admission to Hall’s performance is free. To find out more, call Vino et Amicis at (805) 631-0496 or visit vinoetamicis.com. The bar is located at 165 S. Broadway St., Orcutt.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 6-13, 2020.
