An incredible day was had at Dos Picos spent listening to local music and enjoying our great local scenery!

Play Times

2 stages for non-stop music | Approximate start times:

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http://ramonamusiccenter.com/category/bands-and-venues/

Oct. 22nd 2011

Louisiana blues singer, songwriter and guitarist Tab Benoit came to Ramona and played a truly wonderful show at the Main Stage Theater, which he commented on numerous times throughout the show how much he liked the sound quality of. Besides being an outstanding showman and musician he did one of the best jobs of connecting with his audience that I’ve ever seen. For a little historical prospective my older brother took me to my first concert to see Stevie Wonder when I was 11 in 1963 and I have been to over 500 concerts since as well as worked in the record business from 1973 to 1986. All throughout the night Tab told numerous stories about growing up in his small hometown of Houma, La., his musical influences and how he plays his guitar plugged straight into his amp and sings without any effects added to either. He said something to the effect that if he couldn’t play and sing well enough to make it so it sounds good without the effects he had no business up on the stage taking our money to listen to him. I can tell you that Tab with just his bass player and drummer had absolutely no problems sounding good.
He played for over 2 ½ hours and played songs spanning over his 17 album career that started in 1992 for the now defunct Justice label. He has recorded for several labels over the years and his new release, Medicine, was recently released by the Telarc label which has a reputation for being one of the highest quality recording companies available. Telarc is the premiere label for classical and jazz artist and has started recording blues in the past few years, thank you Telarc!

Tab played numerous cuts from some of his older releases including Night Train and Shelter Me-which some of you may know as the lead in music to the Discovery channel’s Sons of Guns show. He played a cut from the Whiskey Store release he recorded with Jimmy Thackery on guitar and Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica, both of whom are outstanding blues players in their own right. If these three where not enough on their own they were backed up by Stevie Ray Vaughn’s band, Double Trouble. He asked the audience several times for request and played many of those then finished up by playing some cuts off his new release, Medicine.

I had the pleasure of taking my oldest son to this show for his 21st birthday and first major concert experience. I am guessing that by the smile on his face throughout the show that he enjoyed it as much as I did.

-PunkFist

I met this young traveler and songwriter early in 2009. His brothers band was recording a demo and he had a guest vocal spot but I quickly learned that his vocals far surpassed just one  genre.

Mention of his name went silent for the next couple of years until our paths crossed again in fall 2011 at the Julian folk festival. Dawned in army green with his six string on is back, he seemed to recognize me and pulled out the demo in his back pocket.

This, what I believe to be his first release, is an eight track, live sounding, cross section in time. With songs covering a wide spectrum of genres and emotions, I was surprised what he could accomplish with such little instrumentation. What the recording lacks in frills, he’s made up for in honesty. This is a bare bones recording and really allows his performance to shine.

A couple tracks really seems to stand out to me.

Track three, Look high, Look low opens up with a very somber rhythm and very come to mill year but comforting melody line. Very simple but well placed guitar riffs set against a sorrowful vocal is a nice warm up to some more aggressive songs later on the album

Track five, Farther Down and Further Off, seems the most unique musically, instrumentally, and poetically. Some of the guitar work reminds me of my favorite European composers like Dick Annegarn. Wavering vocals vibrato and the frantic strumming ads in a very nice way to it’s live feel. Tempo changes and multiple key changes hint off to a very buckley-esk song structure ( of which I am quite fond. Kudos)

Track eight, Northern Lights, is also another stand out. It to me has the most commercial viability becauseit incites such vivid situational images . This often makes for good movie and video clip soundtracks.

Overall his voice catches my ear in a very unique way. The natural confidence set against a wild vibrato combined with great back-ccountry lyrical content ensures that I will keep listening. I will be very eager to catch his next performance and to pop in his next CD. Best of luck wherever you are!

-the wizard

All the way out from St. Louis, Philip came in like whirlwind to our little country town. A very lucky group of open micers had the chance to hear his age-defying songwritting skills and an even luckier group of musicians got to jam with him. This little jem is the product of one such lucky jam session. With no forewarning of the magic about to fill the room, we all grabbed instruments at 2 Am for a final little jam before passing out in our respective abodes. Travisa Dahl on lead guitar, Daniel Riveroll on Drums, Phillip Twitchell on vocals and guitar, Derrick Streibig on piano, and myself on cello. This was recorded live at the Afterhours studio in 2010.

Twitch%20-%20Something%20About%20It.mp3