St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just about four-leaf clovers anymore—it’s about four-leaf punk concerts too. The Last Gang is just one of four punk bands—the other three being The Lucky Eejits, Unbinding, and Genocide Jack—performing on Saturday, March 16, at O’Sullivan’s Pub in Santa Maria.
Made up of Brenna Red (vocals and guitar), Robby Wantland (drums), and Sean Viele (bass), The Last Gang has been touring and recording together since 2012. It’s only right for a group playing on St. Patty’s weekend to have its latest album, Keep Them Counting, available on green vinyl rather than black.
To tie into the holiday’s theme even more so, the band has openly credited happenstance and lucky coincidences as playing a huge role in their success. These Orange County-based punk rockers found their own pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in the form of producer Cameron Webb, known for his work with Motörhead, Alkaline Trio, and other acts. A chance encounter with Webb led to an impromptu meeting at his studio and to a record deal, Wantland explained in press materials.
“I played him the demos, and he was like, ‘Holy shit. Do you guys have a manager or anything?’” Wantland said. “It wasn’t really my intent to con him into liking my band or anything, but it was a dream … the kind of story you’d expect in a Hollywood movie … .”
Speaking of lucky, it just happens to be The Lucky Eejits’ middle name. Influences of this Oakland-based outfit include Flogging Molly, Street Dogs, Dropkick Murphys, and Flatfoot 56 among others. With two albums under their belt so far—For Life and Do It Again—the group strives to deliver original tunes that mesh catchy riffs with an in-your-face punk rock edge.
The March 16 concert kicks off with performances from more locally based groups though. Unbinding, a five-piece punk band out of Atascadero, will serve up its unique brand of emo and post-hardcore. Meanwhile, “everyone else is just a band” according to Santa Maria-based hardcore group Genocide Jack, who describes their sound as “the harmony of annihilation,” “the noise that’s in your head that you can’t ignore,” and “the sonic strike to your face that you oh so desperately need,” according to their Bandcamp page.
Calming the waters a bit, O’Sullivan’s also hosts acoustic/alternative group Mike Healy and The Canaries on Sunday, March 17, which might be the perfect way to recover from Genocide Jack’s sonic strike to the face. The pub is located at 633 E. Main St., Santa Maria. Call (805) 925-0658 or visit osullivanspub.net for more info.
Harmonic possession
Award-winning band leader, harmonica player, and singer R.J. Mischo brings his seamless combination of blues and boogie to Cold Spring Tavern on Saturday, March 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. Through guest spots on various albums over the last two decades, Mischo’s harmonica playing can be heard in the works of Jimmie Vaughan, James Cotton, Kim Wilson, John Mayall, Candye Kane, G. Love, and other artists.
Mischo’s résumé also has its fair share of film and television soundtracks, most notably those of several Discovery Channel documentaries. Accompanied by his Red Hot Blues Band, Mischo has toured 18 countries total, performing for major blues festivals in Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland as well as the International Harmonica Festival in Brazil.
The Tavern also hosts Santa Barbara-based folk ensemble Uncle Uncle on Friday, March 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., rock group Flight 805 on Saturday, March 9, from 5 to 8 p.m., and blues band Teresa Russell and Cocobilli on Sunday, March 10, from 4:30 to 8 p.m.
More music
The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez presents dance band Area 51 on Friday, March 8, at 8 p.m. This Santa Barbara-based ensemble performs an eclectic mix of funk, soul, Motown, disco, and rock. The saloon also hosts country group The Hollywood Hillbillies on Saturday, March 9, at 8 p.m. Like Area 51, this band performs tunes of the dancing and feet-tapping variety. Attendees can expect to hear covers of classic country favorites as well as more current Southern rock and blues hits.
The Swing Shift Band, a Lompoc-based oldies and classic rock group, performs on Friday, March 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Naughty Oak Brewing Company in Orcutt. Some of the band’s influences include Chicago; The Doors; The Eagles; The Isley Brothers; and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Admission to the concert is free, but don’t go empty handed—unless you wanna miss out on street tacos from El Sabor Latino.
Also in Orcutt, Santa Ynez-based singer/songwriter Kelly Irelan performs on Friday, March 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Vino et Amicis Wine Bar. Blast 825 Brewery’s music lineup includes solist Randy LaDune (6:30 p.m) and R&B group Anything is Possible (10 p.m) on Friday, March 8, and indie/folk artist Kevin Graybill (6:30 p.m.) and cover band That’s What She Said (10 p.m.) on Saturday, March 9.
Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Mar 7-14, 2019.