For the last two years, Katie Jo & The Mijos continue to specialize in a sound that they lovingly refer to as bluegrass-infused California country with a Kansas kick. Based out of Long Beach and led by native Kansan, Katie Jo Oberthaler, Katie Jo & The Mijos are taking their two-step vibe to The Pike […]
Black Violin Bring Classical Boom to Orange
Will Baptiste and Kev Marcus started jamming together in high school, but it wasn’t in your typical garage band. The violist and violinist would team up in school hallways or parking lots and turn classical music on its head, throwing down hip-hop tracks like Busta Rhymes “Gimme Some More” via strings. Now globally renowned musicians that have […]
Catch the Rally Cries of These Performers at the OC Women’s March
The OC Women’s March will take over Downtown Santa Ana on Saturday, January 20, attracting throngs of sign-toting, slogan chanting, fist-pumping folks that are ready to march in solidarity into 2018 with their voices heard loud and clear. As the march winds around downtown and the rally begins, a handful of performers will take the […]
OC Funk Band Slapbak Rises From the Ashes
After nearly three decades of leading Slapbak through lineup changes, opening for artists from Snoop Dog to Bootsy Collins, and standing strong in one of Orange County’s few funk bands, founder Jara Harris was ready to lay his passion project to rest. On December 6, 2017, a structure fire consumed Harris’ home and studio, taking […]
How Coastal Country Jam Built Their Cowboy Beach Party From the Sand Up
Country music fans can ditch their boots for flip flops as the third installment of Coastal Country Jam hits Huntington State Beach for a weekend full of tipsy twang September 23 – 24. The two-day fest will feature country heavyweights Lady Antebellum and Nashville bred Old Dominion, and rounds out a summer concert series that […]
Shipkicker Throws Battle of The Bands at Gaslamp in Long Beach
If you’re looking for a way to discover new local country acts, grab your cowboy boots and head to Gaslamp in Long Beach for the inaugural Shipkicker Battle of the Bands. The showdown takes place on Thursday, January 26 and the prize is an opening slot for the headliners of the Shipkicker Country Music Festival […]
The Bash Dogs Throw A Benefit Show In Honor of Newport’s Most Loveable Beach Bum
Twenty-something rock musicians are generally concerned with finding a place to jam and booking gigs, but The Bash Dogs are on a mission to raise money in honor of a homeless man in Newport Beach named Harly. Known for his sunny disposition and love of the ocean, Harly’s arguably the most lovable beach bum in […]
Daniel Bonte and The Bona Fide Wrap 2016 With New EP, Easy Kind Of Livin
Daniel Bonte broke onto Orange County’s dormant country music scene in 2014 and started kicking up dust with a weekly country night at Big’s Bar & Grill in Fullerton. More than two years later he’s keeping his momentum alive with bigger shows, a new backing band, and the release of his sophomore EP, Easy Kind […]
Alice Wallace Shares Her Country Around the Country and Comes Back With Vinyl
Fresh off a mini-tour that hit the Americana Fest in Nashville, Tennessee and the Folk Alliance in Austin, Texas, Alice Wallace is back in OC and ready to play for a hometown crowd. The country songstress will perform at Don The Beachcomber in Huntington Beach on Thursday, October 13, for the vinyl release of her […]
SoCal Reggae All Stars Talks Supergroup Status, New Album and Weekly Wayfarer Shows
Reggae lovers looking for a weekly fix can convene at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa on Tuesday nights, where the stage bustles with a rotating lineup of musicians known as the SoCal Reggae All Stars. Comprised of members from Steel Pulse, Common Sense, and Big Mountain, the super group views the weekly gig as a […]
Hawai Finally Found Their Sound With Help From Cold War Kids Producer
Considering the majority of indie outfit Hawai started jamming together in middle school, it’s a relief that the south county-based twenty somethings are finally releasing an EP that truly captures their sound. Their debut effort, Working All Night, is comprised of four tracks filled with rich vocals and gleaming guitar lines. With the help of […]
Scottish Theatre Troupe Brings New Fire to a Santa Ana Speakeasy
Hidden inside the Empire Building in downtown Santa Ana is a speakeasy that never opened its doors. Last night the abandoned bar on Broadway finally came to life thanks to the National Theatre of Scotland, who gave a transcendent performance of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. The show, presented by the traveling art forum […]
Caitlin Lucia and The Daisy Train Create Songs For Free Spirits
Calling Caitlin Lucia a free spirit is an understatement. The twenty-year-old singer/songwriter turned down an opportunity to attend the London School of Business and Finance to pursue a career in music, and recently returned from a solo mini-tour that took her up and down the California Coast. After penning several songs leading up to the […]
Innovative Cellist Brings a New Side of Bach to Underground DTSA
When Ashley Bathgate began training as a cellist, she had no idea it would lead to performing in nightclubs. The native New Yorker was raised on classical music, learning from masters of the craft through prestigious music programs at Bard and Yale. However, she took a stylistic turn when one of her professors suggested she […]
Local Bands Take A Shot At NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest
A tiny desk isn’t generally associated with musicians, but NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series brought new meaning to the phrase. Since it’s inception in 2000 the series has invited a bevy of musicians to perform behind the desk of Bob Boilen, the host of NPR’s All Songs Considered and the mastermind […]
Local Bands Celebrate Bowie at The Wayfarer
The word “artist” gets thrown around recklessly in the music industry, but for David Bowie, it’s a well-deserved title that should be worn like a crown. He had the ability to connect with people, whether calling to casual admirers or hypnotizing diehard fans, and he did it for decades. His unexpected death triggered an enormous […]
The Ponderosa Aces Bring Outlaw Country to Long Beach
Nostalgic country bands aren’t exactly at the forefront of Southern California’s live music scene, but The Ponderosa Aces are one of the few acts bringing toe-tapping country music to local venues. The musicians not only partnered with Harvelle’s in Long Beach for a monthly country night, they attracted the attention of the Ameripolitan Music Awards (based […]
NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest Is A Gateway For Unsigned Artists
NPR Music is helping unsigned artists usher in the New Year with the Tiny Desk Contest, which gives musicians a chance to perform for the Tiny Desk Concert Series. The series is a staple for music discovery and has been attracting musicians from Rodrigo y Gabriela to Adele since 2008, capturing intimate performances at every […]
Manufactured Superstars Are DJs with Beatport Roots
For DJ duo Manufactured Superstars, dance music led to more than a stage, it led to creating the world’s largest electronic music store. Before Shawn Sabo and Brad Roulier were playing to thousands of fans at EDM mega fests like Ultra and EDC, they were part of the Denver-based team that founded the online music […]
Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade
For over a century the Newport Beach Boat Parade has given Orange County a nautical dose of holiday cheer, igniting the harbor with water crafts covered in twinkling lights. From the grandest yachts to the humblest dinghies, vessels of all sizes set sail at Bay Island and loop back around in all of their illuminated […]
Fleetmac Wood Remix Your Parent's Classic Rock
Considering Fleetwood Mac have achieved music royalty status over the last forty years, it's not surprising that Gen Xers and millennials can sing along to their hits. DJs Alex Oxley (Smooth Sailing) and Lisa Jelliffe (Roxanne Roll) are tapping into the iconic band's generational appeal with Fleetmac Wood. The husband and wife DJ duo serve […]