Indie-folk act The Lone Bellow plays Cal Poly's Performing Arts Center Feb. 15 

The Lone Bellow, a trio of Southerners who converged in Brooklyn and are now based in Nashville, have grown into a dazzling indie/folk/rock/Americana act whose songs can lift your spirits and break your heart, sometimes simultaneously. They're currently touring in support of their fifth studio album, Love Songs for Losers, and there are still great seats available when Cal Poly Arts brings the band to the Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Feb. 15, (7:30 p.m.; $35 to $55 at calpolyarts.org).

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• Photo Courtesy Of Eric Ryan Anderson
• 'WONDER' Brooklyn indie Americana act The Lone Bellow plays Cal Poly's Performing Arts Center on Feb. 15.

"One of the reasons we went with Love Songs for Losers as the album title is that I've always seen myself as a loser in love—I've never been able to get it completely right, so this is my way of standing on top of the mountain and telling everyone, 'It's OK,'" lead vocalist Zach Williams said in press materials. "The songs are looking at bad relationships and wonderful relationships and all the in-between, sometimes with a good deal of levity. It's us just trying to encapsulate the whole gamut of experience that we all go through as human beings."

The trio includes guitarist Brian Elmquist and multi-instrumentalist Kanene Donehey Pipkin, and on this new album, they were joined by longtime bassist Jason Pipkin and drummer Julian Dorio. Their previous record, 2020's chart-topping Half Moon Light, spawned the Triple A radio hits "Count On Me" and "Dried Up River."

The band sketched out their new record's 11 tracks in a Hendersonville, Tenn., church before holing up for eight weeks at "possibly haunted" Roy Orbison's house on Old Hickory Lake, where they recorded the album. These are beautiful songs from an amazing band at the peak of its power. Tall Heights, a Boston duo, will open the show.

Twist and crawl!

Even though I've seen them a dozen or more times, it's always fun to pogo and skank myself into a frenzy with The English Beat, who play the Fremont Theater this Saturday, Feb. 11 (9 p.m.; all ages; $34.61 with fees at seetickets.us).

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• Courtesy Photo By Jay Gilbert
• 'MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM' The English Beat with Dave Wakeling plays the Fremont Theater on Feb. 11.

Still led by founding member Dave Wakeling, the band plays all the hits. During a January concert, they performed "Rough Rider," "Hands Off ... She's Mine," "Twist and Crawl," "Tenderness," "Save It For Later," "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Doors of Your Heart," "Ranking Full Stop," "Mirror in the Bathroom," and more. Wakeling still sounds amazing, and his band kills it!

Also this week at the Fremont Theater, The Emo Night Tour returns Friday, Feb. 10 (8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $26.41 with fees at seetickets.com) to spin classics by Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, and many more.

Numbskull and Good Medicine hat trick

Your favorite booking agents and promoters have three shows coming your way this week at The Siren, starting with high energy dance cover act The Cheeseballs on Friday, Feb. 10 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Where else can you hear Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" and ABBA's "Dancing Queen" in the same show?

Get romantic with a Valentine's Day show with Ballyhoo! on their Sleepin' on the Couch tour with special guests Mike Pinto and Joint Operation on Tuesday, Feb. 14 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $20 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Hailing from Baltimore, Balloyhoo! is "a rock band with punk energy and pop reggae grooves."

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• Photo Courtesy Of The Elovaters
• SHARKS WITH FRIK'N LASERS Numbskull and Good Medicine present Boston-based reggae rockers The Elovaters at The Siren on Feb. 15.

They also bring reggae rockers The Elovaters on their Sharks with Frik'n Lasers Tour with Surfer Girl and Claire Wright on Wednesday, Feb. 15 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18 at goodmedicinepresents.com). The Elovaters' newest is Castles, which according to drummer Nicholas Asta "definitely catered to us being the most creative that we've ever been in the studio."

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• Courtesy Photo By Renee Cornue
• AMERICAN ROOTS On Feb. 9, enjoy an evening of bluegrass and Americana with Stillhouse Junkies at The Siren.

Also this week at The Siren, settle in for an evening of bluegrass and Americana with Stillhouse Junkies and Head for the Hills this Thursday, Feb. 9 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15 plus fees presale at eventbrite.com). Stillhouse Junkies formed in a Colorado distillery and "play a delirious, head-spinning mixture of original roots, blues, funk, swing, and bluegrass music," according to their bio.

Also see Bluegrass, Americana, and "cosmic rock" act Boot Juice during a free show on Saturday, Feb. 11 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older).

From stand-up to EDM to punk

Get your ha-ha on when Comedy Central Roast Battle Champion Frank Castillo stands up at SLO Brew Rock for Comedy Night this Friday, Feb. 10 (7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $25 at ticketweb.com). Colin Casados hosts and Jake Rizzly, Rick Storer, and Kazeem Rahman will do sets

EDM/rave fans get ready: SLO Brew Live and Luvlab present the Surreal Series with Life on Planets, Tropo, and Nozu this Saturday, Feb. 11 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15 presale at ticketweb.com). "Dance on down to SLO Brew Rock and join us for our first gathering of 2023!" Luvlab announced. "In unconfined honor of Valentine's weekend, we invite anyone and everyone to join our ever-growing Luvlab community to celebrate the new year and all that we luv. Together, for a night of unique and original music, live art, and performance!"

Finally, SLO Brew Live and Numbskull present Poway-formed surf punk act The Frights next Thursday, Feb. 16 (7 p.m.; all ages; $25 at ticketweb.com). Get your tickets before they're gone!

More music ...

Cal Poly presents "A Night of Chamber Music" this Friday, Feb. 10 (7:30 p.m.; free). Featuring student performers from a variety of majors, all of whom have been involved in at least one of the department's large, premier ensembles (Cal Poly's Arab Music Ensemble, Choirs, Symphony, University Jazz Bands, Wind Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble), they will perform traditional and contemporary chamber music in the Spanos Theatre.

Cool Notes plays a reunion concert at Harmony Café this Sunday, Feb. 12 (5 to 7 p.m.; $25 cover; call (805) 924-1219 for reservations; there's also a $10 minimum food and beverage charge). Expect contemporary bebop, blues, and Latin jazz favorites with Thomas Brown on drums and vibraphone.

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• Photo Courtesy Of The Clark Center
• 'CATHY'S CLOWN' The Everly Brothers Experience with brothers Zachary and Dylan Zmed standing in for Don and Phil Everly comes to the Clark Center on Feb. 12.

The Clark Center brings The Everly Brothers Experience to Arroyo Grande this Sunday, Feb. 12 (7:30 p.m.; $38 to $53 at clarkcenter.org). Brothers Zachary and Dylan Zmed stand in for Don and Phil Everly, the groundbreaking rock duo known for their steel string guitar playing and tight vocal harmonies. The Everlys had more than 30 Billboard top 100 hits and sold 60 million records in their heyday.

Singer-songwriter Emily Franklin will play a special Valentine's Day concert this Tuesday, Feb. 14 (5 to 8 p.m.), at Lunada Garden Bistro in Cayucos. The food's terrific, the garden's lovely, and Franklin's a gifted performer. Should be very romantic!

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Atascadero is hosting a Mardi Gras FUNdraiser on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and I'm telling you about it now because tickets will go from $85 each to $100 after Feb. 14, so get 'em while they're hot (online at zeffy.com). Expect music by Burning James and the Funky Flames, food from Cahoots Catering, great local wines, a silent auction, and beads ... all included! Laissez les bons temps rouler! Δ

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