Coyote Music Festival Features Boondock Brothers, Curt Owen
Photo courtesy of Curt Owen.
Cuyamaca College presents the 5th Annual Coyote Music Festival with a line-up of local indie bands. This free event will be held on Saturday, May 4, from noon to 5 p.m. Bring a friend, pack a picnic and settle in on the Grand Lawn for an afternoon filled with live music, fun, food and prizes. The Coyote Music Festival is an outdoor festival featuring nine local bands and solo artists. It is planned, promoted, and produced by the students in the Music Industry Seminar class at Cuyamaca College.
Music Industry Studies is a transfer degree program at Cuyamaca College focused on the practical aspects of developing careers in the music industry. The program combines classes in music theory, literature, and performance with studies in music technology and business.
One of the classes, the Music Industry Seminar, produces the Coyote Music Festival every spring as a semester-length project. This year, one of the featured bands is Boondock Brothers; Michael Schenk, Alberto Sandoval and Shawn Peters. Boondock Brothers represents the raw, uncut side of rock and roll and delivers an energetic, exciting show each time. They have been referred to by many as “the future of Rock n’ Roll.”
Lead guitarist Schenk says, “We’re very excited to play this year’s Coyote Festival. If you haven’t heard us before, expect to hear a powerhouse Rock n’ Roll trio simultaneously paying tribute to artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Alice in Chains, David Bowie, Little Richard, The Doors and Nirvana to name a few. Our devotion to creating something new in the world of music is our most important calling. As Robert Plant once said, ‘The spirit of Rock n’ Roll lies in live performance,’ and we strongly abide by that principle.” You can also catch Boondock Brothers at Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio Street, San Diego, at 6 p.m., Friday, May 10, and at the Golden Acorn Casino at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 25. For sound samples of their driving music, see http://boondockbrothers.com/fr_boondockbros.cfm.
Also headlining at Coyote Festival is , , a singer/songwriter born and raised in La Mesa. His musical influences include Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, John Mayer and Amos Lee. His Facebook page describes his music as “Crowd-pleasing, acoustic music with a fresh organic feel.”
Although he’s been distracted by several hobbies and interests throughout the years, Owen always falls back on his love of music. At the early age of 19, he has been playing for more than four years in local clubs in and around the San Diego area, such as Downtown Café in El Cajon, 710 Beach Club in Pacific Beach and the House of Blues in the Gaslamp. As a minor, Owen is unable to enter the bars and clubs and has to wait outside until called to perform. In addition, many of his friends in the same age group are unable to listen and support him at the clubs.
One cold blustery evening in Pacific Beach, Owen was alone outside a club waiting to perform. “All of the sudden the temperature dropped, the wind kicked up and it started raining. I started shivering and began to bundle up. Then it started to hail, and then the water level started to rise. I felt like I was on the Titanic,” Owen relates. He had no choice but to cower under a very small awning that barely shielded him from the elements until he was allowed to perform. Nonetheless, Owen remains undeterred and maintains a positive uplifting attitude about his music. His enthusiasm is infectious. After all, didn’t Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder start the same way? Someday Curt hopes to play larger venues like the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (now the Sleep Train Amphitheatre) and the Sports Arena. Who knows, maybe someday he’ll open for Jason Mraz. To hear Curt Owen’s songs, see http://www.myspace.com/curtowen.
The lineup at Coyote Festival also includes Spero, Sydney Blake, Raelee Nikole, Kilo Hues, Human Crossing, Mittens and Take One. Cuyamaca College is located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway El Cajon, California. Phone 619-660-4000. For free tickets, see www.coyotemusicfest.com.
Category: Entertainment, Music
