I remember immediately Googling “We Were Meant to Be Together” after hearing the song in the first episode of Netflix’s romantic comedy series Love. Hearing the tune set against a montage cutting back and forth between central stars Gillian Jacobs and Paul Rust was my fond introduction to folk singer-songwriter Tom Brosseau, who’s set to perform at Lompoc Wine Factory on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 8 to 9 p.m.
The majority of his discography is original material, but Brosseau chose to dedicate his newest album, In the Shadow of the Hill, to covering songs from fellow folk act The Carter Family, whose impact on the genre, and specifically the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s, is unquestionable.
“The Carter catalogue is full of songs that when listened to and when performed remind us that both good and bad times have happened before and they’ll happen again,” Brosseau said in press materials. “But above all, the Carter Family songs also remind us that we are not alone.”
Certain Sparks Music owner and SipMusic Club founder Randall Sena and his band, The Rad Shadows, will open for Brosseau, with a performance from 7 to 8 p.m. Admission to the concert is free for SipMusic Club members and $10 for non-members. The Lompoc Wine Factory is located at 321 N. D St., Lompoc. Call (805) 588-9479 or visit sipmusic.club to find out more.
Feel the break
You won’t need a crystal ball to predict Santeria’s future at Naughty Oak Brewing Company in Orcutt. The Chicago-based cover band is set to perform at the brewery on Friday, Oct. 4, from 7 to 10 p.m. This Sublime tribute features Bradley Hides on guitar and vocals, Adrien Covington on bass, and Evan Fahning on drums. Qualifying to represent the LBC all the way in Illinois sounds tricky, but at least as the “Doin’ Time” lyrics say: “the living’s easy.”
Admission to the concert is free, but grub from Barbecue in the Stix will be available for purchase between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. The brewery is located at 165 Broadway, suite 102, Orcutt. Call (805) 287-9663 or visit naughtyoak.com for more info.
Going south
The Roger Len Smith Band and Sim Ross and the Laughing Heart share the stage for a collaborative concert at the Cold Spring Tavern on Friday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. The tavern also hosts singer-songwriter Ian Jones (from 1 to 4 p.m.) and six-piece bluegrass band Salty Strings (from 5 to 8 p.m.) on Saturday, Oct. 5. Blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan play their regularly scheduled gig (almost every Sunday afternoon, with few exceptions) on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1:15 to 4 p.m., followed by Sean Wiggins and Lone Goat, who perform from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission to each concert at the venue is free.
Also in the Santa Ynez Valley, country band The Reserve performs at the Maverick Saloon on Friday, Oct. 4, from 8 to 11 p.m. The saloon also hosts fellow country acts Tex Pistols on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m., and Falcon Heavy on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. Entry to all three shows is free. Tales From the Tavern takes over the venue’s stage on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with a performance from New Zealand-based singer-songwriter Jackie Bristow, from 7 to 8 p.m. Tickets to the show start at $34 and are available in advance at talesfromthetavern.com.
More music
Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria presents dance band The Politics of Dancing on Saturday, Oct. 5, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Proceeds of this concert fundraiser will benefit the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society. Tickets are $20 for club members and $25 for non-members, but kids ages 10 and under can get in for free. Dogs are also welcome to this outdoor event, and concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Visit presquilewine.com for tickets and more info.
Vino et Amicis Wine Bar in Orcutt presents two solo singer-songwriters this weekend: Conner Cherland on Friday, Oct. 4, from 7 to 10 p.m., and Sherell Jane on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. Cherland’s influences include Hozier, Ed Sheeran, and Shakey Graves, while Jane’s songs cover themes of love, family, and dreams of the future. Both shows are free to attend. Also in Orcutt, Joe Daddy and the Sumthings performs at Blast 825 Brewery on Friday, Oct. 4, at 10 p.m. The brewery also hosts local artist Nathan Clay on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m., and fellow solo act Randy LeDune on Sunday, Oct. 6, at noon. Admission to all three performances is complimentary.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 3-10, 2019.