The rain might be coming down but the temperature is going up, at least in the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom on Friday, Dec. 6, when 98 Degrees claims center stage at 8 p.m. From 1997 and 2002, this quartet of Ohio natives—brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons—sold an estimated 10 million records, scoring their chart-topping single, “Thank God I Found You,” in the process. It was during this stretch that the popular boy band collaborated with one of their collective idols, Stevie Wonder, on “True to Your Heart,” which they recorded specifically for inclusion in Disney’s Mulan soundtrack in 1998.
Between 2003 and 2012, however, the four musicians disbanded to pursue respective solo careers. Cue the chirping crickets. The curse was lifted and the hiatus was broken August of 2012 when the band reunited for a one-time performance at the Mixtape Festival in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The four regrouped on and off again throughout the following years, collaborating most prominently in 2017 to release a new Christmas album, Let it Snow. The success of the album led to a 36-city tour—98 Degrees at Christmas—in 2018.
This year, Santa Ynez is on the docket for the group’s current national tour, referred to as An Evening with 98 Degrees. Attendees can expect to hear some of the group’s biggest hits from its heyday, including “Because of You,” “I Do,” “The Hardest Thing,” “Revelation,” “Give Me Just One Night,” “My Everything,” and “The Way You Want Me To.” Tickets to the concert range from $49 and $79. For tickets and more information, call the casino at (805) 686-0855 or visit chumashcasino.com. The resort is located at 3400 CA-246, Santa Ynez.
Seasonal sounds
The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society presents its December showcase, Sounds of Jubilant Holidays, at the First United Methodist Church on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will begin with some lively movements from Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 1.” Sections of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 will also be performed. Guests can expect to hear additional baroque music from Handel and Boyce as well.
Admission to the performance ranges from $15 to $45 (with a special $60 per family rate at the door). Call (805) 925-0412 or visit smphilharmonic.org to learn more or reserve tickets. The First United Methodist Church is located at 311 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.
Going south
David à la Mode, a Santa Barbara-based indie-pop rock band, performs at the Cold Spring Tavern off of Highway 154 on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. The group strives to switch things up during a single set, shifting from high-energy crowd pleasers to relaxing folk tunes. The tavern presents Alice Bradley, Sio Tepper, and Friends the following afternoon, Saturday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. This ensemble performs a variety of genres, including bossa nova, classic rock, folk, and jazz.
Bluegrass band Sycamore Strings follows the group with a set from 5 to 8 p.m. The tavern’s weekend lineup concludes with blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan (from 1:15 to 4 p.m.) and rock trio Teresa Russell and Cocobilli (from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.) on Sunday, Dec. 8. Admission to all concerts at the venue is free.
Also in the Santa Ynez Valley, country band Tex Pistols performs at the Maverick Saloon on Friday, Dec. 6, from 8 to 11 p.m. The saloon also hosts the Jimi Nelson Band for two sets: Saturday, Dec. 7, from 8 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m. Entry to all three shows is complimentary.
More music
Seventeen-piece jazz band Central City Swing presents its Christmas concert at the Unity Chapel of Light Church in Orcutt on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Attendees can expect to hear a wide assortment of holiday jazz and swing tunes. This local ensemble is usually equipped with four to five saxophones, trumpets, and trombones and a full rhythm section (piano, bass, guitar, and drums). Admission to the performance is free. Visit centralcityswing.com for more details.
The Naughty Oak Brewing Company in Orcutt presents singer-songwriter David Segall on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. This Santa Barbara-based artist specializes in rock, roots, and soul. Segall’s style is mainly inspired by the upbeat mood of artists like Jason Mraz, Bob Marley, and Paul Simon. Entry to the concert is free, but food from Lido’s will be available for guests of the brewery to purchase (from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.).
Also in Orcutt on the same evening, solo artist Steve Shape performs at Vino et Amicis Wine Bar, with his Friday, Dec. 6, set from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission to the show is complimentary.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 5-12, 2019.