Fantastic singer-songwriter James McMurtry plays The Siren 

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I'm just going to say it. Incredible singer-songwriter James McMurtry is so damn good at crafting immersive narrative songs that he's completely climbed out from under the shadow of his famous novelist father Larry McMurtry (Horseman, Pass By; The Last Picture Show; Lonesome Dove). That's saying something because Larry is a national treasure, but so's his son.

I just really admire an artist who will use his notoriety and soapbox in service to the good, which is why I was pleasantly flabbergasted to discover James played some shows in Tennessee and Texas in a red dress as an eff-you to right-wingers who seem to be spiraling into an anti-gay and anti-trans panic about drag queens that is fueling anti-LGBTQ-plus legislation around the nation.

In an essay for Rolling Stone about his act of cross-dressing civil disobedience in states that have banned drag shows, James recalled his youth: "Liberace, in his day, was so much prettier than I'll ever be. He was on network TV every week for a while, and later had yearly specials, if I recall correctly. I don't remember anyone feeling threatened by Liberace. No one worried about him influencing or 'grooming' their kids. Now the right is all in a wad about drag performers corrupting and possibly molesting children. Right."

In the essay, McMurtry incisively dressed down the right's misguided hysteria. I'm with him.

McMurtry's newest, 2021's The Horses and the Hounds, is his 10th studio album and among his best. In it, he inhabits his protagonists, singing in the first person and populating all manner of interesting characters.

For instance, on the record's title track, he sings as an outlaw lonesome for home: "When the white oak leaves are rustling 'round the courtyard/ Tell the cook to leave the kitchen window down/ Just don't lock it from inside, I might still need a place to hide/ When I turn to face the horses and the hounds// Sister says to come on back for Christmas/ Mama's wondering why I never come around/ Lord, I've been running for so long I just can't find a way back home/ So I'll turn to face the horses and the hounds."

Numbskull and Good Medicine are bringing James McMurtry to The Siren this Friday, July 21 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $27 at goodmedicinepresents.com). This one's going to be amazing.

Also, don't forget Numbskull and Good Medicine are bringing Color Green to The Siren on Thursday, July 14 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $13 at goodmedicinepresents.com). This LA-based cosmic rock duo—Noah Kohll and Corey Madden—describe themselves as "fleet-fingered guitar gurus" who "formed the group in 2018 after jamming their way through a lengthy modal excursion into a particularly kaleidoscopic stretch of the astral plane." Groovy, man. Groovy.

The Siren will also host Escape (The Ultimate Journey Tribute) with special guest Frampton Comes Alive on Saturday, July 22 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $25 at tixr.com). Hear Journey's hits, such as "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," and "Wheel in the Sky," as well as classic covers from Peter Frampton's seminal album like "Baby I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do."

Vina Robles gets red and white

When Tori Amos released her debut album Little Earthquakes in 1992, it felt like a revelation. Songs like "Silent All These Years," "China," "Winter," and "Crucify" flew up the singles charts. Rolling Stone magazine eventually listed it as 233 on the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Her follow-up album, 1994's Under the Pink, was another instant winner with its hit single "Cornflake Girl." It sold 2 million copies and proved Amos wasn't some flash in the pan.

She's now 16 albums into an enviable career of music and activism, and her most recent album, 2021's Ocean to Ocean, is her pandemic record, written while she was on lockdown in Cornwall, England, and recorded remotely by musicians collaborating in England, California, and Massachusetts. She's said the album is "a record about your losses, and how you cope with them." Its single, "Speaking with Trees," proves she can still write a hit.

When she finally got back on the road with the new record in 2022, it led to a soldout world tour, so this summer she's touring in support of Ocean to Ocean again, including a stop at Vina Robles Amphitheatre this Saturday, July 22 (8 p.m.; $49.50 to $75 at vinaroblesamphitheatre.com).

"I am truly excited to be coming back to the U.S. on the Ocean to Ocean Tour this summer with my amazing bandmates Jon Evans and Ash Soan," Amos said in press materials. "We are so looking forward to playing iconic venues once again, such as The Greek in LA, Red Rocks, and especially Wolf Trap, where I saw so many shows growing up in neighboring Maryland. As I write this, I'm training hard as we head to Europe in March before then heading back to the states in June."

A gifted pianist with an amazing voice, Tori Amos is one of a kind.

Also this week at Vina Robles, check out co-headliners Motionless In White and In This Moment next Thursday, July 27 (6:30 p.m.; $39.50 to $69.50 at vinaroblesamphitheatre.com), with Fit For A King and From Ashes to New opening the show. Part of The Dark Horizon Tour, the concert will feature this quartet of hard rock giants all in one location and all on one night.

Mid-State Fair fare

I haven't been to the California Mid-State Fair in years. It's hot, expensive, hard to find parking, and packed with people, which reminds me of the old Yogi Berra line: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." Well, I'm going this year to wallow in the nostalgia that is The B-52s, who play this Saturday, July 22, in the Chumash Grandstand Arena, with Lou Gramm (Foreigner's original lead vocalist) opening (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $40 to $130 at midstatefair.com).

Who doesn't love The B-52s and their fun, danceable hits like "Rock Lobster," "Dance This Mess Around," "Private Idaho," "Roam," Deadbeat Club," and "Love Shack"? The answer is nobody, because The B-52s may very well be the world's greatest party band. They've been at it for 40 years and sold more than 20 million records, including several to me. Speaking of Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums of all time, The B-52s' self-titled debut sits at 152.

It's been a while since they released an album, 2008's Funplex, but it climbed to 11 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and had a couple of memorable singles in "Funplex" and "Juliet of the Spirits." In an interesting sidenote, vocalist-percussionist Cindy Wilson is releasing a solo album on Aug. 25 called Realms on the Kill Rock Stars label.

Lou Gramm should be cool, too. He was lead vocalist on Foreigner hits like "Feels Like the First Time," "Cold as Ice," "Long, Long Way from Home," "Hot Blooded," "Double Vision," "Blue Morning, Blue Day," "Head Games," "Dirty White Boy," "Urgent," "Juke Box Hero," "Break It Up," "Say You Will," "Waiting on a Girl Like You," and "I Want to Know What Love Is."

There are a bunch of other shows at the fair this week, including Sammy Hagar on Friday, July 21 ($50 to $125), Luke Bryan on Sunday, July 23 ($50 to $175), Nelly on Monday, July 24 ($30 to $110), Parker McCollum on Tuesday, July 25 ($30 to $85), and Pitbull on Wednesday, July 26 ($35 to $125), so visit midstatefair.com and get your tickets.

Feel Mozaic

What began as a music festival dedicated to all things Mozart has morphed over its 52 years into a mosaic of genres, hence its name, Festival Mozaic, which runs Saturday, July 22, through Saturday, July 29 (visit festivalmozaic.org/summerfestival for a complete listing of events).

The opening night event, Appalachian Spring on Saturday, July 22, is sold out, as is Notable Dinner: Piano Quartets on Monday, July 24, and Baroque in the Vines on Saturday, July 29, but there are several other upcoming concerts in this popular series.

Americana singer-fiddler Rachel Baiman sounds especially interesting. She plays this Sunday, July 23, at the See Canyon Fruit Ranch (2 p.m.; $70 to $90 at ovationtix.com), which is a beautiful venue where my wife and I married.

Baiman appeared at Festival Mozaic and SLO Brew Rock's Late Night Series in 2022, and now the Americana singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist returns. Raised in Chicago, she's been recording and touring internationally with 10 String Symphony, Winnipeg-based folk band Oh My Darling, and Kacey Musgraves.

You can also see Lucia & Leo at Nipomo's Dana Adobe next Thursday, July 27 (5:30 p.m.; $70 to $90 at ovationtix.com). Lucia Micarelli is an incredible violinist and singer, and Leo Amuedo is an amazing guitarist, and they'll collaborate for an intimate night of jazz, classical, traditional fiddle music, Americana, and Latin music.

There are so many more great concerts, so visit the website and get tickets while you can.

More music (and comedy) ...

SLO's own Claiborne & Churchill Winery has started Friday Happy Hour every Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring live music, wine, and food. Reservations are recommended by calling (805) 544-4066. This Friday, July 21, see Ted Waterhouse & The Jump Jax playing jump swing, soul, and R&B.

Long Beach-based reggae singer J Boog plays the Fremont Theater this Friday, July 21 (8 p.m.; all ages; $28 at seetickets.us). The Samoan American became interested in reggae as a child when one of his sisters played Bob Marley's "Jamming" on the piano, and his six siblings nicknamed him "Boog," short for boogie because he couldn't sit still. He has three albums, most recently 2016's Wash House Ting.

SLO Brew Rock doesn't have any live music this week, but they are hosting Comedy Night with Steve Furey on Saturday, July 22 (7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $20 at ticketweb.com). The LA-based comedian was recently named Best of the Fest at The SouthLand Festival. Δ

Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at [email protected].