Paul Wellman

Good Day For a Memorial

Memorial Day is soon to arrive, a day on which we all have a chance to relax and unwind. It’s also a good time to remember those who are no longer with us, whether they were battling with foreign foes in far-off lands or simply battling that same struggle we all call life and soldiering on until the end.

Whether you knew him or not, you can head on down to SOhO Restaurant & Music Club (1221 State Street) to remember Goleta drummer Erik Herzog on Sunday, May 28, at 7 p.m. The celebrated percussionist who was known for his work in dozens of bands sadly passed away in November 2016 at the age of 47. The event will benefit his surviving son, Lucas Herzog, age 12, a musician who carries on his father’s legacy on the drums and on the stage.

The lineup for Zogfest — as it has been deemed — is great. There’s Bad Astronaut (featuring Joey Cape of Lagwagon, and Marko DeSantis of Sugarcult, plus Todd Capps and Thom Flowers), Buellton, Cory Sipper, MOAB, Sean McCue (of Summercamp and Old Man), Hughes & Wagner, Railer, The Distractions, and Anti War Heroes (with Zach Madden, Dean Dining, and Todd Capps).

More importantly, it’s for a meaningful cause: helping a young musician grow. It’s also a chance for all those who loved and played with Herzog to continue playing in his spirit. There are few more enduring legacies than in the power of song, and this weekend will be a great time to memorialize the music.

Soak Up the Sunset

Also at SOhO, the night prior, the lovable duo of Erisy & Raff will serenade with beer specials from the Greatland’s esteemed brewery M.Special and free tastings from rum brand Bacardi. The free event will start at 4 p.m. and last until sunset.

A President Comes to Town

Thankfully, not the president, or else we would all have to wear hazmat suits to endure that toxically blinding and skin-melting glow of fake tan and bad reputation. No, I mean Prezident Brown, the conscious roots-reggae artist from Clarendon, Jamaica. Even from an early age, the rock-steady reggae emcee would grab the mic at school-yard dances and unleash his rhymes, earning a moniker from his mother: Junior Ranking. Now he’s top ranking, as they say in reggae, having worked with reggae producer legends such as Jack Ruby. See the Prezident at Velvet Jones (423 State Street) on Saturday, May 27, starting at 8 p.m.

Good Times with Bad Suns

Also at Velvet Jones, on Wednesday, May 31, L.A.’s Bad Suns will give us a good time with Field Medic. The show is already sold out, and for good reason, with anthemic music burning bright with full-throttled emotion. But you know the thing about plans: Some people cancel them, so ticket-holders-to-be have hope.

Black is Beautiful

On Thursday, May 25, UCSB’s Black Student Union (BSU) and KCSB radio will present (93)106 & Park, an event offering a variety of performances with the stated goal of acknowledging all cultures within the black diaspora. The Storke Plaza festival comes as the penultimate event of BSU’s Black Culture Week, which also includes movie screenings, art showings, and a pool party. Celebrate the rich musical and creative expressions of the black experience in its endlessly wide spectrum. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate millions and millions of people and their histories, without whom our country — and world and souls — would be nothing, to say the least.

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