Three to Stream: Anton Barbeau’s ‘Manbird’ takes flight; ‘Gin & Jazz’ benefit
We’re devoting our usual “Three to See” concert space to rounding up some info on what local and out-of-town artists are up to as we continue to fight Covid-19. Hosting a show online or releasing new music? Message us on Instagram with details: @adavis_threetosee.
New double album “Manbird” from Anton Barbeau: “As soon as the ‘Manbird’ idea hit me, I knew it’d be a concept album, a bird/travel/music-themed affair,” explains psych-pop scientist and native Sacramentan Anton Barbeau, who now resides in Berlin, in the liner notes of his new double-sided mindbender. He took his cue for the album from the film “Lady Bird” — as much a nod to Sacramento itself as it is an ode to the (eventual) notion of home — letting the idea flutter and eventually nest into a wildly-inventive transcontinental maelstrom of love and longing. The album’s songs are played out in a windblown stock of fearless, fuzzy and avian-themed power pop that lurks just on the other side of the barrier the Beatles didn’t quite feel the need to cross in their late-career psychedelic trysts. After teasing a couple of singles (you can check out the title track video on YouTube), the full album officially takes flight Friday, Sept. 18. manbird.antonbarbeau.com.
‘Gin & Jazz Virtual Gala’ benefit for the Center for the Arts (6 p.m. Friday September 18): Grass Valley’s crown jewel celebrates its 20th birthday this weekend with an inventive homeward-bound “Gin & Jazz” gala to benefit the center, which has been shuttered since March after having just completed a major renovation. VIP tickets net you a catered dinner and gift bag (available for curbside pickup the evening of the event), and community tickets are available on a give-what-you-can basis — those tickets also get you access to the auction, which is open now. If you’re feeling fancy, there’s also ways to Zoom yourself onto the virtual red carpet as the Center looks to eschew the typical one-way event streams that have become the new norm. Your streaming musical entertainment for the evening comes courtesy of the venerable Pop Rocks and Le Jazz Hot. thecenterforthearts.org/virtual-gala. Once everyone has recovered from the Friday festivities, the Center also hosts slide guitar royalty Roy Rogers for a rare solo performance (also streaming, of course!) at 5 p.m. Sunday, September 20, as a benefit for MusiCares. thecenterforthearts.org/event/roy-rogers-musicares-benefit.
Lounge Around Sounds Variety Hour with Lake Street Dive (5 p.m. Monday September 21): Stirring indie pop-soul-jazz-folk powerhouse Lake Street Dive, anchored by the gravity-defying vocals of Rachael Price, are setting up shop at their Lounge Around Sounds Variety Hour. It’s a three-part series “celebrating the arrival of fall with all your favorite September jams” and discussing issues such as voter registration and the like. They’re teasing the possibility of some new music as well. October 28 and November 23 are the other two dates in the series. onlocationlive.com/category/loungearoundsounds.
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 8:34 AM.