Presqu’ile Winery is home to not one, but two formidable acts touring to celebrate the release of their latest albums this weekend. The festivities begin with Southern rocker Paul Thorn, who performs at the winery on Saturday, July 6, at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $30.
“This is the culmination of my whole life in music, coming back to my gospel roots,” Thorn said in press materials, describing his most recent opus, Don’t Let The Devil Ride, which was released last year. The album marks Thorn’s first time recording gospel music after nearly a dozen of roots rock-, country-, and Americana-based ventures.
Raised in Mississippi, Thorn spent a lot of time in church growing up, as his father was a Pentecostal bishop. Thorn was only 3 when he began singing and playing tambourine during Sunday services. It was through church that Thorn first became entranced with gospel music.
Rising Appalachia bring their blend of folk, soul, and world music to the winery the following evening, Sunday, July 7, at 6 p.m. The group initially began as a duo, founded by sisters Leah (vocals, banjo, and bodhran) and Chloe Smith (guitar, fiddle, and banjo), who were soon joined by David Brown (bass and guitar), Biko Casini (percussion), and Duncan Wickel (fiddle and cello). Attendees can expect to hear songs from the band’s latest folk album, Leylines, which was released in May. Advance tickets to the show are $23 for wine club members and $25 for non-members. All tickets on the day of are $30.
Both concerts are open to all ages, and children ages 10 and under get in for free. Food and wine will be available for purchase during both performances as well. The winery is located at 5391 Presqu’ile Drive, Santa Maria. Call (805) 937-8110 or visit presquilewine.com for tickets or more info.
Harmless harmonies
A weekend’s worth of live music leads up to Do No Harm’s performance at Cold Spring Tavern on Sunday, July 7, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., which concludes the venue’s weekly lineup. Lead vocalist Irene Fredricey fronts this Santa Barbara-based blues group that also includes Tom Woliver on guitar, Roger Runjavac on bass, Jim Thomas on keyboard, and Barry Birmingham on drums. The band is known locally and beyond for their unique blend of blues, Motown, rock, and soul. Blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan will open for the group, performing from 1:15 to 4 p.m.
But let’s backtrack to the start of this weekend’s lineup, which begins with local rockers RML on Friday, July 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. The tavern also hosts The Hoodlum Friends, who perform a mix of folk, rock, and surf instrumentals on Saturday, July 6, from 1 to 4 p.m. Country group Dusty Jugz performs the same day from 5 to 8 p.m. Each performance is free to attend. Visit coldspringtavern.com to find out more.
More music
Stars from the original cast of Broadway’s Jersey Boys have reunited to form a 1960s tribute group, The Midtown Men, who perform at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez on Friday, July 5, at 8 p.m. As expected, the band covers hits from Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. But attendees can look forward to hearing selections from other ’60s acts as well, including The Beatles, Chicago, The Beach Boys, and other artists. Tickets to the concert range from $10 to $20. Also in Santa Ynez, country rock group Pull The Trigger takes over the Maverick Saloon on Saturday, July 6, from 8 to 11 p.m. The saloon also hosts pop artist Bear Redell the following afternoon, Sunday, July 7, from 1 to 5 p.m.
The Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale presents a free holiday concert at Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall on Thursday, July 4, from 2 to 3 p.m. Student musicians from SYV Jazz Studio will join the Chorale to perform a celebratory blend of Americana and patriotic music, including familiar anthems and folk songs. Also in Solvang, The Soul Cats will be providing a lion’s share of soul music at Solvang Park on Wednesday, July 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. The show is part of the city’s free summer concert series, which runs every Wednesday evening at the park through Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Speaking of cats, founding member of the Acousticats, Cyrus Clarke, performs a solo concert at Vino et Amicis Wine Bar in Orcutt on Friday, July 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. Although known for collaborating with several acts, including The Expedition and The Cache Valley Drifters, Clarke is on his own for this acoustic Americana show. Admission to the performance is complimentary. Also in Orcutt, reggae rock band BombaFiya takes center stage at Naughty Oak Brewing Company on Friday, July 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. Entry is free, but AR Catering will be serving up some grub for guests to purchase during and before the concert (from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.).
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 4-11, 2019.