The national-touring band Troubaduo will perform its eclectic mix of acoustic rock, folk, blues, soul and more during a Brookings concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9.

The concert, presented by Stagelights Musical Arts Community, will be at The Event Center, 800 Chetco Ave., Brookings. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door and all proceeds benefit Stagelights and it’s music outreach and education projects. Tickets are available at Earl E. Books, 511 Fern Ave., and Chetco Music Co., 615 Chetco Ave.

After a decade of performing in bands and solo, musicians Jill Marie and Bryson VanCleve formed the soul-singing duo Troubaduo after meeting in Los Angeles in 2008.The husband-and-wife team are currently on a national tour, performing 150-plus shows this year.

The band’s website states, “Troubaduo writes mostly artistic Americana and folk with elements of blues, sunshine pop, rock, psychedelic, gospel, soul and jazz, placing an emphasis on lyrics.”The duo has recorded with world-renown musicians linked to artists such as Tom Petty, Alison Krauss, Johnny Cash, Sara McLachlan and Sammy Hagar. Their list of musical influences include Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Tracy Chapman, Van Morrison, Ryan Adams, the Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, and Blues Traveler.

Troubaduo supports non-profits including PreemptiveLove.org, a reputable non-profit that raises money and awareness for children in Northern Iraq “whose bodies have been highly affected by chemical warfare and need new hearts,” according to its website. Troubadouo’s accomplishments include being named featured vocalist of the month in the February 2009 issue of Songwriter Universe Magazine; and writing the Campaign song for the 2007 Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Watch the band’s latest video at

www.youtube.com/soulsingingduo

The BluesBox Bayou Band will return to the Stage Under the Stars at Azalea Park at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, for the final American Music Festival concert of the season.

The band, from Sonora, Calif., is known its mix of Cajun, Zydeco, blues and American roots. At previous Brookings concerts, bandmembers have invited children on stage to play small instruments as well as giving people a chance to play the rub board.

Band members are Pete Grimaldi, accordion and vocals; Julie Johnson, bass;  Frank Grimaldi, guitar; Jimi Hildreth, rub board; and Peter DeMattos; drums.  Grimaldi writes many of the bands songs.

The BluesBox Bayou Band has released several albums over the years including “Big Fun” in 2002, “Roadside Attraction” in 2004, “Rock a’Bayou” in 2007, “Magic of the Night – Live in Sonora” in 2008 and its recent release “Family Bayou.” It plays at numerous small clubs in Northern California and additionally do the festival circuit including The Isleton Crawdad Festival, The Gilroy Garlic Festival and, mentioned on the band’s website, The American Music in Brookings.

Concert-goers should bring their own seating or blankets. The Rotary Club of Brookings-Harbor will operate the Snack Shack to provide refreshments. All city park rules must be observed, including that dogs must be on leashes and no alcoholic beverages. In case of bad weather, the concerts move indoors to the Redwood Theater in downtown Brookings. The American Music Festival is a nonprofit organization under the umbrella of the Brookings Area Council for the Arts, operated by a volunteer board. For more information, contact Les Cohen at the Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce, 541-469-3181.

PISTOL RIVER – The Pistol River Concert Association presents 3 Leg Torso at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Pistol River Friendship Hall, 24252 Carpenterville Road.3 Leg Torso formed in 1996 as a violin, cello and accordion trio. In the following years the band expanded, the principal composers, founding members Béla Balogh, on violin and trumpet, and Courtney Von Drehle, on accordion, were joined by veteran percussionist-mallet player Gary Irvine and upright bass player Michael Papillo. Their original repertoire evolved into a combination of modern chamber music, tango, Middle Eastern and Eastern European folk music, band publicists said. The group has been profiled on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Artbeat.”Tickets are $15 and available at Wright’s Custom Framing and Art Supplies in Brookings, The Book Dock in Harbor and Gold Beach Books in Gold Beach. Tickets may also be reserved online at www.pistolriver.com or by calling 541-247-2848. A $5 student discount or refund available at the door with student identification.

Listen now: Frog …Secret_Agent

Over the years, Brookings residents may have seen Shalynn Doan around town performing her beautiful acoustic songs solo, with a friend or the now-defunct FreeFlight. But you’ve never heard Shalynn like this! The Brookings-Harbor High School graduate recently moved to Portland for school and subsequently joined up with Stark Heroes, a band that proves that rock and roll isn’t dead.  Check the band at www.starkheroes.com.

Here is a high-octane song for your listening pleasure:

Podcast: Download

Inside a cordoned off section of a darkened restaurant in Smith River the searing rock music of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” shook the room, then suddenly stopped. The music started again, and stopped. The cycle repeated itself a few more times until the five band members of Point Taken were satisfied with the song.

“We want to be the best band around,” drummer Jay Smith said during a break in rehearsal. His four band members nodded in agreement.

Sounds like the typical rock and roll dream of any garage band. Only thing is, this isn’t the typical garage band. Smith, at age 54, is the baby of the band. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist James (Anderson) Night is 56; lead guitarist Juwat is 59; bassist/vocalist Kurt Kessler is 57; and keyboardist/guitarist Tom Alderman is 55. The members hail from Brookings, Crescent City and Klamath Glen, Calif., and they all have regular day jobs and families.

All five musicians have been playing music since their teens, and most have played in various bands during the last 40 years. Their current band, Point Taken, came together to perform at a benefit concert earlier this year for Crescent City fisherman impacted by the March 11 tsunami.

“We got a call from someone saying they were looking for a rock band to play at the event,” Smith said.

Smith had recently jammed with Juwat and Night and asked if they wanted to form an impromptu band. Kessler, an acquaintance of the three, was invited to join, too. The called the band “Redwood” and played a two-hour set at the benefit that earned rave reviews from the crowd.

“We really got a great response; people couldn’t believe that we had only practiced a couple of weeks,” Kessler said.

The band will play 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 6) at the Boardwalk Arts Festival at the Port of Brookings Harbor, and Aug. 26 at the Brookings Elks Lodge.

Note: The full version of this story will be published in the Aug. 6 print edition of the Curry Coastal Pilot.