Santa Barbara-based singer-songwriter Will Breman gained international attention while competing on NBC’s current season of The Voice, making it to the top eight finalists. Although Breman was eliminated at the end of the Dec. 10 episode, the live-looping soul musician feels extremely thankful for the opportunity of being on the show, he explained in a heartfelt post on his Instagram page.
“Lesson learned: Sometimes things don’t exactly go as you may have hoped,” Breman said in the post. “But that’s okay, because what a friggin ride being on The Voice was.”
The Central Coast musician went on to say, “I’ll be real, my initial goal here wasn’t necessarily to win, although that would’ve been awesome. My goal was to prove to myself I was good enough to turn a chair. My goal was to fulfill a childhood dream of being on a singing competition like this one.”
Breman goes on to describe the moments he’s most likely to never forget—singing two duets with John Legend and having candid encounters with Usher, Taylor Swift, and other artists, etc. The vocalist concludes the post with comments of gratitude to his family, mentors, fans, and God and a promise of new announcements in the very near future.
“This is only the beginning of so many wonderful things to come,” Breman said in the post. “I’m gonna announce some big things happening in the next few days. New shows, new tours, new projects, everything. Everyone get ready.”
In the meantime, Breman will be performing at the Cold Spring Tavern off of Highway 154 on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission to the concert is free. Visit willbremanmusic.com for more info on the artist and other upcoming shows.
Tavern tunes continue
The Voice royalty aside, Cold Spring Tavern’s weekend lineup also includes a Yuletide performance from The Yules on Friday, Dec. 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. Roots rock band Claude Hopper will present his annual Hollerday Hootenanny at the venue on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. This Santa Barbara-based ensemble features David Cowan and Andy Webb on guitar, John McInnes on bass, Chris Ulep on keyboards, and Chuck Hammel on drums. Influences of the group include Neil Young, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and the Grateful Dead.
Speaking of the dead, the Tavern’s terminal act of the weekend, The Cadillac Angels, are falling from heaven for a performance on Sunday, Dec. 22, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. (immediately following blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan, who play their weekly set from 1:15 to 4 p.m.). All shows at the Tavern are free to attend.
More music
Certain Sparks Music (CSM) will host its annual Winter Recitals weekend at the Lompoc Wine Factory, with performances taking place on Friday, Dec. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. (adult student recital), and Saturday, Dec. 21, from 5 to 9 p.m. (youth student recital). Proceeds of both concerts will benefit the CSM Foundation, which helps provide music lessons to students who otherwise couldn’t afford them. The foundation also offers free ukulele classes, open mic nights for youth, and other opportunities throughout the city of Lompoc. Pre-sale tickets to the recitals are $8. Tickets at the door are $10. Snacks, wine, and other beverages will be available to guests during both shows. Visit csmfoundation.org to find out more about the event.
Before segueing north to the Santa Maria Valley, the Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez hosts dance band The Politics of Dancing (PODs) on Friday, Dec. 20, from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. The saloon also hosts The Caverns on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 8 to 11 p.m., and tribute band The Johnny Clashers on Sunday, Dec. 22, from noon to 4 p.m. Entry to all three performances is complimentary.
Up in Orcutt, punctuality is key when it comes to catching About Time at the Naughty Oak Brewing Company on Friday, Dec. 20. Husband and wife Aaron and Caitlyn Vassaur Salazar perform originals as well as covers of folk, pop, country, blues, and rock hits. The duo is scheduled to play from 7 to 9 p.m., but vegan cuisine from the Plant Ivy food truck will be available for purchase to attendees starting at 5:30 p.m. Admission to the concert is free.
Meanwhile, Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria hosts alternative-folk singer-songwriter Albert Kass on Friday, Dec. 20. This Los Angeles-based solo artist will take the winery’s center stage from 4:30 to 7 p.m. This free concert is part of the venue’s Third Fridays Live series, which hosts complimentary live music once a month. The show takes place in Presqu’ile’s tasting room. Visit presquilewine.com to find out more.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 19-26, 2019.
