Country music carnivores
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since Red Meat emerged from the Mission District to inject the San Francisco music scene with a welcome dose of honky-tonk twang.
The band wasn’t the first to champion the Bakersfield sound of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens in Bay Area bars, but they’ve done it better and longer than anyone else in these environs.
They earned praise from the likes of Stephen King, who name-checked bassist Jill Olson’s song “Thriftstore Cowgirl,” saying he heard it on the radio and was “electrified. It’ll get you out of your seat and on your feet.”
Olson’s fellow carnivores include Smelley Kelly, Les James, Michael Montalto and Scott Young. Young is the band’s primary songwriter, but Olson has penned some Red Meat’s highest-profile material, like “Broken Up and Blue,” which was featured prominently in the 2001 film
“Monster’s Ball.”
There are several opportunities to catch the band, including Saturday night at Armando’s nightclub in Martinez. The band also plays the Aug. 12 KWMR Block Party in Point Reyes Station and Aug. 18 at Kensington Pub near Berkeley.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday; Armando’s, Martinez; $20; 925-228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.