Celebrating artichokes and jade
Here in Monterey County, we have artichokes and jade to celebrate in two homegrown festivals guaranteed to bring smiles this weekend. I like to think of it as an exchange of green for green. Music is a big part of these celebrations, therefore
I'm called to action. I also want to catch you up on one of our area's newest music venues, The Urban Lounge.
Headlining the 62nd Annual Artichoke Festival at the Monterey Fair & Event Center Saturday at 4 p.m. is Santa Cruzbased rocker James Durbin, the young man who made headlines for his run at the American Idol prize in 2011. Durbin finished fourth on Idol, wowing judges and fans with his four-octave range in performance of hard rock and heavy metal, his music genres of choice.
As well, on the show's finale, he appeared with undisputed metal gods Judas Priest. Although usually only the top three contestants get a homecoming parade and salute, Durbin, a sentimental favorite, was awarded the privilege which then broke attendance records for his Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk performance.
He hasn't lost any shine in the ensuing years. His current band the Lost Boys has been going strong for over seven years with its blend of classic rock covers from the '70s and '80s. He has four full-length albums in addition to appearing on a handful of other band's recordings. And his latest, “The Beast Awakens,” was released in February, 2021.
Despite his diagnosis of Tourette syndrome and Aspergers at the age of 9, he's fared well in his music career. He received schooling at Dale Ockerman's Musicscool in Santa Cruz and became one of a few guest singers in the popular band that Ockerman co-founded, The White Album Ensemble, performing Beatles music as live readings of the legendary British band's albums. Furthermore, his youth was spent in musical theater, performing lead roles in “Grease,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “West Side Story,” and more.
He rode his popularity following his elimination from Idol, taking him into the big leagues, appearing alongside some of music's top performers and guesting on television programs. He continues to call Santa Cruz home where he lives with his wife Heidi and three children.
Music performances on the Main Stage at this year's festival with the theme “The Heart of the Harvest” will also include blues rocker Shane Dwight,
John Michael Band, The Money Band, Chicano All-Stars and Wild at Heart. On the Family Stage there's Pete the Cat, Bubble Diva, Curious George, Samz School of Rock, NCA Dance Stu
dio and North Monterey County High School Jazz Band. Festival hours are Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; music performances are included with the festival entrance fee. Online tickets in varying price ranges and festival details can be found at www.artichokefestival.org.
The Third Annual Monterey Bay Jade Festival, held Friday through Sunday at the Custom House Plaza Monterey State Historic Park in downtown Monterey has a “Jade and Jazz” theme this year. Festival music coordinator Steve Loebs filled me in on a few details about the music and how it plays out in the midst of all the jade vendors/artisans who will set up shop over the three days. Lots of folks come out to find new jade treasures, whether one-of-akind hand-tooled jewelry
or loose pieces and unprocessed natural rocks.
Loebs, aka The Living Drum, who was music coordinator at the legendary Big Sur Jade Festival usually held every October but on hiatus for now, will be omnipresent throughout. He'll lead a ceremonial welcoming drum procession at the start of each day and perform in the jazz band he's put together especially for this event.
Appearing Saturday and Sunday only, the formal jazz band aka Soul Creature & The Love Legends, features flutist Kenny Stahl, pianist Krista White, bassist Zach Westfall, drummers Steve Robertson and Loebs, with special guests slated to appear from time to time. There are no fixed set times, but music will be present throughout the day.
Hours for the event are Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free, and for more information you can visit www.montereybayjadefestival.org.
The Urban Lounge is one of our newer clubs where live music, food, a full bar and a dance floor, not to forget the pool table, all vie for your attention. But the real spotlight is on the music and entertainment, with scheduled events taking place Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I caught up with dynamic duo Brad Mallory and Jacqueline Kabat, who together work to manage, book and promote events at the spot.
“Just like anywhere, attendance is up and down,” Mallory said. “We're not trying to be just a bar, but a venue for people who want to come see a show.”
Located in a downstairs room as you enter the Red Lion Hotel at 1425 Munras Ave., Monterey, The Urban Lounge is an all ages venue as long as food is coming out from the Urban Kitchen, the hotel's restaurant. Mallory said most of the time that means up until around 10 p.m. when the music stops. It's not unusual he
said to see entire families come in to eat and enjoy the music when staying at the hotel, but for the most part you'll find a lot of local folks of varying ages, depending on the acts appearing.
This week's lineup has the weekly Tribe in the Sky Community Jam Session on Thursday, which features a music director to organize participating musicians and keep things running smoothly. Generally, every night the lounge gets going around 7 p.m. and it is a lively, and entertaining time, for both the jammers and the listeners. Friday night the John Michael Band performs a variety of contemporary rock music, including funk, soul, reggae, blues and '90s rock. And Saturday, Rosewood, a young band out of Marina, is set to play an entire evening of rock and roll. They mix up choice selections of rock from the genre's long history and a few of their originals. The group of mostly 17-yearolds
emerged from the local chapter of Guitars Not Guns and they've matured into accomplished musicians.
There's more coming up later in June and July. Starting with a June 18 ticketed specialty show, the first in a series, Mallory and Kabat present the Carmel Delights, a dance troupe doing light burlesque routines. They have become a popular local entertainment group and should draw a nice crowd. And on June 24 the BiG SuRCuS appears, a belly dance, ritual fire dance, burlesque cabaret troupe based in Big Sur. They appear for two sets, 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Also, the Monterey Comedy Improv group will appear every last Saturday of every month. Stay tuned for more details as the time approaches.
I think it's great that Mallory and Kabat have found each other and are working in an area they both love and have had plenty of experience. Mallory
worked with the
Three Spirits group and the production of the popular local events at the fairgrounds, the Erotic Art Show at Valentine's Day, and the Monterey Rock and Art Festival. Kabat is a newer addition to our local music scene who established the Tribe in the Sky gatherings and extended her service to booking talent for local events and restaurants.
“I kind of see where our life travels and experiences we both had separately in our lives has brought us up to this time where we can finally use our experience and talent and wisdom and put it to good use,” Mallory said.
“We both believe in bringing people together and that's what's great about the space, given the location, spirit, mood, and vibe of it,” Kabat said. “It's really a place for circles to connect. And also, what's refreshing is we're open from 7-10 p.m. and people really do come just for the music.”