Whatever Forever is Santa Barbara’s decade-roving, live-music dance party. The band includes local musicians and guest artists performing a cabaret-style concert of reimagined covers and mashups from a particular era. From Sade to Shania, Whatever Forever’s upcoming SOhO show presents a lineup of ’90s favorites, including a moment of ska appreciation (with a live horn section) and a club medley that will transport the audience straight into a night at the Roxbury.
While the flagship musical era for Whatever Forever (named after Shakira’s 2001 hit) is the early 2000s, event organizers Jenna Tico and Sio Tepper appreciate great music from any time period. This concert series makes a point to provide a safe, fun, cross-generational mingling space. The band includes local musician (and Jenna Tico’s father) Randy Tico, bringing two Tico-family generations together on stage. “We want to create community value,” says Tico, “leaning into the deeper way that art services what is evolving in the community and culture. We create a space where people don’t feel as disconnected from each other, and can own their weirdness, queerness, and silly, dreamy child-self.”
With costumes, musical montages, and the thrill of hearing your favorite songs performed live, Whatever Forever is an immersive theatrical experience. “We think about this as an emotional journey, not just a concert,” says Tepper. “We are very intentional about the flow of songs, who is represented, and what kinds of feelings are represented.” Many song choices are driven by the rotating guest artists, who are assigned songs they wouldn’t typically choose for themselves, says Tico. “We want to get people out of genre. To push the edges in a good way.”
See Whatever Forever (’90s Edition) at SOhO on January 17, and be sure to buy raffle tickets to support this production’s partnering organization, S.B. Resiste, a nonprofit that helps families and communities affected by ICE.
See sohosb.com.
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