Newsletter: Hanging on the Telephone
I'm so damned busy this week that I can't make any of these events this weekend. If you're reading this, please do me a favor: Hit the streets this weekend. Go see a show. Get out of your comfort zone. You'll be better for it. I know I am. ;)
Intro: Welcome to SmartMouth, a weekly punk zine in an email newsletter form.
It was founded by freelance music writer & concert promoter "Dammit Damian" Burford. to discover and share what's happening in the North Bay, while working to strengthen community.
Every week we work to share with you news and upcoming show recommendations from the North Bay Alternative/Punk/Indie leaning community of events, along with the occasional interviews, profiles and other long reads.
Column-nism:
If you remember last week's enthusiastic e-mail, you'll remember a manic Damian pontificating about his love of writing. Luckily for you, my brain feels like jello and I'm not feeling as enthusiastic this week!
I'm feeling a bit like warmed over shitake mushrooms on a lukewarm Totino's pizza, so I'm phoning this week's newsletter in a little bit.
During the day, I've been working 40 hours a week for Mill Valley Film Festival. The film festival will run October 1-12 and I am the venue manager for the Outdoor Art Club festival hub and events space. It's a lot of work to plan all the parties, events and daily running of the space. I'm so tired of staring at spreadsheets.
On nights and weekends, I'm still working my regular gig as a bartender at Crooked Goat Brewing in Petaluma. Late nights I've been staying up super late reading and reviewing film grant proposals for a popular SF based non-profit film festival.
Oh and I got this damned summer cold that's been going around. I'm so sick of fucking coughing.
As tired as I am, I committed myself to putting out a new issue every week, and for once in my life I'm trying to stick with one of my goals. As tired as I am, I really really really do love this shit- just as I proclaimed last week.
And in spite of all this exhaustion, I still managed to get my ass off the couch and check out some shows this past weekend! No rest for the dumb or the wicked! (I'll let you decide which one I am.)
Friday night my darling Claire and I stopped by Shady Oak Brewing to honor 9/11 with a collaboration/battle between Sonoma County's favorite bluegrass infused punk band Redwood Chrome and the improvised Hip Hop stylings of the almighty Dark Matter Lives!
As we walked into Shady Oaks, I was greeted by Matt & James from Redwood Chrome. They both gave me massive hugs and thanked me for coming out. I could see a smile creep up on my lady's face. We moved here a year ago, and slowly but surely we're building a life here. We have friends. We have community. It's really fucking nice.
The night was super fun, but light on attendance. I have been itching to see Dark Matters Live for a long while now, and they did not disappoint! I'm really picky about my hip hop, I think Tribe Called Quest is the greatest of all time. DML hit my musical taste buds just right and we enjoyed his set, but I can't help but wonder what DML is like with a packed house.
Both acts would play individual sets and then combine their forces in an impromptu jam. It was a little rocky at first, but they settled into a hell of a groove in what proved to be a very special night. Claire said it reminded her of Run The Jewels.
You can check out some short clips of the night on our Instagram page, @SmartMouth707
Saturday night, I worked a comedy show with Pedro Gonzalez at Lost Church in Downtown Santa Rosa. Gonzalez is a well known Hispanic comedian from Colombia. Gonzalez packed the place! It was a damned near sold out crowd of (mostly) lively Latinos for a night of raunchy humor. (A very nice older woman walked out about 30 minutes into the set.) I had a blast, and got paid for it. Jah bless the Lost Church.
Sadly, I'm so damned busy this week that I can't make any of these events this weekend. If you're still reading this, please do me a favor: Hit the streets this weekend. Go see a show. Get out of your comfort zone. You'll be better for it. I know I am. ;)
Until next week...
-Damian
Quick Hits:
Submit news, links and other information to smartmouth707@gmail.com
⏺ Listen: Napa's premiere emo rock act, Zak Fennie & Friends have released their new single, "Kidz."
⏺ Listen: North Bay Americana act New Earth Farmers, featuring Paul Michael Knowles, Nicole Storto, Nigel Twist (The Alarm original drummer), and guitarist James DePrato (Chuck Prophet) have released their new single, "Atmosphere."
⏺ Just Announced: Sonoma Community Center presents: SCREAM 30 YEAR REUNION WEEKEND. Wes Craven's Scream film screenings & community Market - October 30th & 31st in Sonoma proper.
⏺ Read: Sonoma County's resident punk rock documentarian and Disturbing the Peace: Sonoma County's Early Punk Underground museum curator Gabe Meline write about my hero Mike Park for KQED: The South Bay Record Label That Changed Underground Music
⏺ Watch: From the Disturbing the Peace: Sonoma County's Early Punk Underground museum exhibit Green Day- Santa Rosa High School 1991 Transfer from Low Gen VHS Tape Lookout Records Billie Joe
CURATED EVENTS CALENDAR:
Looking for more Indie/Punk/Alternative leaning events? Make sure to check out our curated events calendar at smartmouthcalendar.com! It's an incomplete and always a work in progress. Please submit any upcoming events for consideration at: https://smartmouthcalendar.com/submissions/
Friday September 18:
Coyote Girls & Desert Hollow — Secret Garden at Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma - $25
Listen/Watch: "Golden Gun" (live) by Desert Hollow
My dear old friend Desi Garcia is returning to Sonoma and playing double duty with Coyote Girls & Desert Hollow. Desirae lived in Sonoma for a short time and ingrained herself in the community as a server/promoter for Buck's Place, as well as a member of the Sonoma Community Center's Ceramics family. She currently lives in Maui, but once upon a time she lived in Colorado where I would book her former band The Haunted Windchimes! She is wonderful human and I'm so excited to see her still pursuing the arts. Catch her this weekend back at her old Sonoma county stomping grounds!
Desert Hollow is where the open road meets the back porch. Blending the spirit of their roots in the California desert and West Virginia countryside, Maui-based traveling folk duo Xander Hitzig and Nicole Olney weave dusty harmonies, rootsy rhythms, and a touch of cosmic twang into songs that wander through heartache, hope, and the strange beauty of belonging everywhere and nowhere at once. Whether busking on the sidewalk for hundreds outside of Hardly Strictly in San Francisco, or playing their packed at-home Thursday night residency, the Desert Hollow live show leaves an impact. Having recently been featured in Rolling Stone following their performance at Healing Appalachia this past summer, Desert Hollow has been slowly building anticipation for their newly released full-length album, Music for the Folks. The much-awaited record delivers their signature blend of heartfelt storytelling, rootsy instrumentation, and folk music – music for the folks.
Down The Street Booking Presents: Psyopsy, Miffed, Sco2Rose, & OKOK! at Henhouse Brewery, Santa Rosa - Free
From Henhouse: To coincide with each new release from the Conservatory West Coast IPA Series, we’re teaming up with our friends at Down the Street Booking to bring you a monthly musical lineup featuring 4 local artists across all genres. This September, The Finale West Coast IPA is dropping, and we’re stoked to present the Finale Showcase: Psyopsy, Miffed, Sco2Rose, & OKOK!
Saturday September 19:
The DOGS + IFIC & FREAK ACCIDENT – Barrell Proof Lounge, Santa Rosa - $10/$15
Watch: The Dogs - "Ain't Going Nowhere" on Smelvis Records
Watch: The Freak Accident | “Blown Out” | Onstage with Jim & Tom | 2/5/19
Punk is back at Barrel Proof with the DOGS, IFIC and Freak Accident!
The DOGS helped ignite the pre punk scenes in Detroit, NY, Hollywood. They forged their legacy in the grit of the Motor City, explored the avant-garde realms of the New York underground. In LA during the late 70’s opening for Van Halen, Ramones, AC/DC.
The IFIC (thee iff-ick) have each individually woven themselves in and out of the San Francisco area scene fabric for decades like stray, weirdly mismatched, irregular threads that don't fit in with the overall textile of players and bands trying to either out-overdo each other or are loaded with schtick.
Jeff Jewhurst (The Clarke Nova, The Scramblers, Hampton Wicks) lead vocals, guitar, writing, Neil "Endy" Young on bass, vocals (Jonny Manak & The Depressives, Hot Laundry) Rob Vastano guitar (The Control Freaks, The Lewd, The Seagulls, Motorhome) and drum killer Matt Naworski (Kingdom of Dirt, WTF)
The Freak Accident is a Demented Vaudeville Punk collision led by Victims Family/Jello Biafra + GSM guitarist-vocalist Ralph Spight. They've made 5 LP’s and 2 EP’s of tragicomic genre-hopping smart-ass punk. Ralph, bassist Austin Lannan and Stark Raving Brad on drums will unleashed their seventh magnum opus "The Midnight Show" on February 6th,2026 on Nadine Records and Nerve Center Recordings.
Sunday September 20:
10th Annual Railroad Square Music Festival - Downtown Santa Rosa - Free. All Ages Family Fun Noon - 7:30pm.
Right off the tracks and into the party. The Railroad Square Music Festival turns Santa Rosa’s historic railroad square into your direct line to a high energy celebration of local live music. No ticket stubs neccessary, bring yourself, your friends, your friends’ friends, and your furry friends (on a leash preferably).
Expect music, vendors, and activities on 5th Street, 4th Street, Wilson Street, and the Depot Parking Lot from 12-7:30pm
Sideshow Music Fest 3 - Arlene Francis Center, Santa Rosa. Free. All Ages
With so much happening in old Redwood Square, we’re had to represent the cool stuff we do here at the Arlene Francis Center all the time. This year we have a fun lineup starting with Red Lion Band featuring Ilaya Malaya, Corina, I-One Angeles and Fyah Love, James from Redwood Chrome, Lyric Raven, Sunny Mitchell, The Sea Shells, Rival Plague, Jason Farnham, BOLO, Astral Static, Barious Areas, DJ Wolverine and Radio Esoterica. Tacos El Gran Mac slinging the best tacos ever! If you’re in the neighborhood, swing by September 20th 12-11pm FREE SHOW!!!
LOOKING FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS?
WHO EVER SAYS NOTHING HAPPENS IN THE NORTH BAY IS FULL OF SHIT. There's all of this and MORE happening this very weekend and every single weekend!
Make sure you visit SmartMouthCalendar.com! It's an ongoing project to help promote up and coming events. I've been slacking on adding new stuff, so please let me know what I'm missing! What shows and events are you looking forward to in the North Bay? Send them my way and let me know!
SmartMouth707@gmail.com!
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