Trans Van Santos in Silverlake, Los Angeles

• The SF debut for the new trans band will be taking place on 11/11/11 at the Brick & Mortar Music Hall (Mission District).  The night will kick off with a performance by one of our favorite local songwriters, Ms. Indianna Hale.  The closing set will be by long time running mates Buxter Hoot’n.  In the middle we will introduce the new group:  master percussionist/drummer/marimba-ist Sinsai Dave Mihaly (of Mushroom, Jolie Holland, Shimmering Leaves), The Girls (Annie Girl and Lu Lu of Family Folk Explosion along with my baby doll, Pony Girl, of Lutra Lutra) & a yet undetermined violinist to fill out the project.  The Girls will  sing to the stars and propel the songs into the cosmos with acid angel harmonies and full feathered swaying.  I hope you can come out and experience it if you are in town for 11/11/11.
• Family Folk Explosion will be holding the floor all evening at the Elbo Room (SF, CA) on Nov.1, in a celebration of Day of the Dead.  There is going to be some hep-cat, magical mystical shit going down.  You can count on acoustic and electric sets and plenty of shape shifting and technicolor sunsets.
• Family Folk Explosion will be recording an album on location at the other side of the moon (Joshua Tree) this December with a full family roster in tow. look out for our love.
• The new MM/Os Beaches album will be available on Future Eagle Records (our in house imprint) on February 14th.

VIDEO: WHERE THE GATES ARE GOLDEN

check out this video for gates are golden shot at Radical Studios in San Francisco, CA by Pictografia Films.  Song recorded by the radical doctor Charles Gonzalez.

on the road with santos

I spent last week down in Tucson, AZ doing the final mixes for Coyote & The Crosser Vol.1:  The Rise of Santos with Nathan Sabatino at Loveland Studio.  Nathan will be leaving Tucson for a while, heading out to Philly to work out of the Dr. Dog studio, I  caught him heading out the door.  The mixes sound great and as soon as we have them mastered I will get some downloads available to you all.

I have spent the better part of the last few years writing, recording (year and half), and conceptualizing Coyote & the Crosser… a psychedelic allegory/rock ‘n’ roll space opera that tells a story of  transformation through the sacred use of psychedelic medicine.  I am working with a crew of amazing film makers and artists to bring the show to life, several of whom got together with me on the weekend for two days of filming and communing in Joshua Tree, where we got our hands dirty and spirit cleansed.

Howe Gelb’s Rolling Monsoon Revue:  A few weeks ago I took part in a memorable evening as a member of a spaced out super group of sorts pieced together by the incomparable Howe Gelb.  The one night only (though we also did some recording…) group consisted of Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Victoria Williams, Howe Gelb, Jacob Villanueva (Calexico), Fenn, Thoger (Giant Sand), John Parrish, Sylvie Simmons, and me.

The proceedings took place at Tucson’s historic Rialto Theater and all the funds raised went towards funding music education programs for children at Miles Elementary in Tucson.  Before closing out the night with the desert love super group I opened the show with help from the lovely Victoria Williams.  The evening closed with Jason Lytle leading us through covers of Neil Young’s Harvest and Heart of Gold.  Nice touch, wrap of the bow.

Upcoming Concerts:  May 20th I will be performing at a West Oakland, CA house concert/dinner series at the Oakland Chainsaw Massacre house on 8th and Peralta (just a stones throw from the West Oakland BART). Sharif Ali’s place.

June 1st I will be giving the last Mark Matos & Os Beaches concert, after which I will be performing as Trans Van Santos at future shows, as well as doing the Coyote & The Crosser spectacular, and playing with the Family Folk Explosion.  Come out and say goodbye to old times and dead skin shedded. Click on Santos’ Story at the top of the page if you want a fuller explanation.

June 10th, 11th, 12th:  I will be performing at the Harmony Music Festival in Santa Rosa, CA with Classical Revolution.   The line-up features the Flaming Lips, Primus, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, and a lot of others.  Come out if it works out.