Sunday October 6 @ 7 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts welcomes Barbara Higbie and Cris Williamson! Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist and singer, Barbara Higbie, in duo with iconic women’s music pioneer, singer/songwriter, teacher and activist Cris Williamson (The Changer & The Changed), bring their uplifting mixture of new material and old favorites to one of their favorite venues! The very real friendship binding these two brings a powerful mixture guaranteed to delight, inspire, cheer and comfort. $28/Advance; $34 at the door (if available).Fine refreshments, wheelchair accessible, Art Gallery. Reservations advised (via BrownPaperTickets)@ www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
Saturday, Sept. 28 @ 8pm. Occidental Center for the Arts presents SonoMusette! This exciting Sonoma county-based ensemble features vocalist extraordinaire Mimi Pirard, with Robert Lunceford on accordion, Jan Martinelli on piano and bass, Issac Vandeveer, guitar/bass and Richard Andrews on drums.
Inspired by Piaf, Brel, Trenet and Django, SonoMusette will charm and transport you as they expertly recapture the moody and melancholic sound and spirit of mid twentieth-century Paris. $20 Adv/$23 at the door. Cabaret and concert seating. Fine refreshments. Wheelchair accessible. 707-874-9392. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
Sunday Sept. 22 @ 4 pm.Jim Kweskin & MeredithAxelrod at Occidental Center for the Arts. We welcome back 1960’s Jug Band legend Jim Kweskin in duo with rising Americana star Meredith Axelrod to OCA’s acoustic sweet spot. Kweskin is a well known and beloved singer and bandleader who also created one of the bedrock guitar styles of the folk revival, and he continues to explore traditional folk and blues with the sophisticated sensibility of a jazz musician. He has found a youthful kindred soul in the authentic and engaging Vintage Americana singer/guitarist Meredith Axelrod. Don’t miss this delightful fusion of the best of Americana talent! $25 Adv/$30 at the door. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
Sat. Sept. 14 @ 7:30 pm. The Musers & Late for the Train. Occidental Center for the Arts.! The Musers -Tom Kuhn on vocals/bass/percussion plus singer/songwriters Megan Mclaughlin and Anita Bear Sandwina make up this high energy multi-instrumental trio who can make you laugh, cry or stomp your feet with pure joy. Late for the Train is a San Francisco-based 4-piece modern string band that weaves folk, funk and bluegrass into powerful arrangements of original/traditional music that feels both fresh and familiar. $15 Adv/$19 at door. Fine refreshments, dance space. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. OCA is wheelchair accessible.
Sunday September 8 @ 4 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts. Paul McCandless/Christian Foley-Beining Collaboration. Enjoy a Sunday afternoon concert with this sterling Sonoma County-based jazz quartet, featuring Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist McCandless and guitarist Foley-Beining with Tom Shader on bass and drummer Tom Hayashi playing original instrumental jazz compositions. $18 Advance/$22 at the door. Cabaret/concert seating. Fine Refreshments. Wheelchair Accessible. Art Gallery open. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct, Occidental, CA. 95465. www.occcidentalcenterforthearts.org; 707-874-9392.
Friday Sept. 6 @ 8 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts. First Friday Live! The Dream Farmers. OCA’s local talent showcase presents The Dream Farmers. Headed by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Randall Sequeira, this versatile band features mostly original and highly danceable roots, blues, soul, jazz, funk and world music with thoughtful lyrics and a positive attitude. Amanda Kirkland delivers the vocals. $15 at the door. Fine refreshments include wine and beer. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465.
Lil Nas X has made history by being the first-ever openly gay man to be nominated for a Country Music Award (CMA).
He was nominated for the Musical Event of the Year award for his song ‘Old Town Road (Remix)’ with collaborator Bill Ray Cyrus, with the awards ceremony taking place on November 13.
Although ‘Old Town Road’ was originally booted off the US Billboard country charts because the company said the song “does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music”, it made its way back into the charts after a remixed version featuring Cyrus was released.
The song then became the longest-running US number one of all time.
Country music has a reputation for being conservative, and the musician has previously spoken out about anti-LGBT+ stigma in country music, explaining: “Within the country and hip-hop communities, it’s not really accepting in either.”
He tweeted: “Thank you guys for this nomination!!”
The CMA nomination means Lil Nas X has made history twice this week, after becoming the first openly LGBT+ artist to take home Song of the Year at the VMAs on Monday, August 26.
Dressed in a red cowboy suit, he took to the stage with Cyrus to collect his first-ever award for his chart topping single.
The singer thanked Cyrus in his speech for helping him take his career to “the next level” and then he pulled out a fake scroll and became an instant meme on social media.
The awards highlight how much has changed for Lil Nas X in a year.
Last month the singer revealed that a year ago he had no money and was struggling to get his music played.
He wrote on Twitter: “Wow man last year i was sleeping on my sisters floor, had no money, struggling to get plays on my music, suffering from daily headaches, now i’m gay.”
Taylor Swift opened the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday with performances of “You Need to Calm Down” and “Lover.” The performance began with Swift, Todrick Hall and Dexter Mayfield sitting on lounge chairs as she sang the opening lines to “You Need to Calm Down.”
Dancers dressed in colorful ensembles moved around the stage before the drag queens featured in the music video appeared next to Swift as she sang the anti-hate anthem. The first number concluded with the words “Equality Act” largely written behind the performers.
Swift has been an advocate for the Equality Act and has urged her followers to sign a petition in its favor on social media. The House of Representatives passed legislation in May that protects those living in states where it’s legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity when it comes to housing, employment and other services.
Sunday June 23 @ 5 pm. Occidental Center for theArts presents Claude Bourbon – Medieval & Spanish Blues. French/Swiss classically trainedfinger-picking acousticguitarist and singer based in U.K. has travelled the world over offering his unique fusion of blues, jazz, classical guitar and his own soulful vocals with Middle Eastern, Russian, Spanish/Latin elements and a dash of folk. Don’t miss this world class performer at OCA! $18 adv/$22 door. Cabaret and concert seating. Wine, beer and fine refreshments available. Art Gallery open during events. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
