Eric Cotton goes way back in the local music scene, to 1986—the same year this newspaper started. In the late ’80s and ’90s, his band Rock Steady Posse was a local favorite. He was frequently booked into D.K.’s West Indies Bar, and I met him while working there before I started writing for New Times in 1991. I played the hell out of Rock Steady Posse’s 1990 debut, Rhymin’ and Skankin’. The band’s follow-up album, fundamentals (1994), cemented Cotton as a machine gun-fast rhyme-throwing emcee.
He left the Central Coast for a while and moved to the Bay Area where he fronted The Cheeseballs, the premiere San Francisco party band—the kind of costumed and choreographed group with a cadre of backup singers that gets hired for corporate events.
Since returning to Morro Bay, he started fronting high energy The Upside Ska Band, and now he’s returned back to his reggae roots with Eric Cotton and One Love Bomb, that channels his Cali-reggae roots with former members of Rock Steady Posse, the Cardiff Reefers, and Militia of Love.
This Friday, March 28, they’ll open for Jamaica’s first dancehall superstar, King Yellowman, in The Siren (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $26.42 at tixr.com). Yellowman has deep Jamaican roots and was one of Cotton’s early inspirations.
“So many of the artists we grew up listening to and working with are going away,” Cotton lamented. “Not to mention [King Yellowman’s] influence on me because of my love of early dancehall from Jamaica and England. I used to emulate many things he did on the mic.”
What should people expect to hear from One Love Bomb?
“Well, I have songs that I’ve written 20 to 25 years ago that never saw the light of day because I haven’t been playing reggae live for so long,” Cotton explained. “It’s been crazy actually hearing them played out loud. Also, a couple of songs I’ve written recently including my single ‘Nice.’ That said, you’ll also hear some old Rock Steady Posse tunes as well as some Cardiff Reefers tunes. Rob Melendez, the old Reefers bassist, is part of this project as well.”
The new band also includes Gregg Ichikawa, Efrain Cantu, and Steve Sagero. It’s amazing to think Cotton’s been at this for 39 years and is still going strong. How does he do it?
“Stubbornness? I tell people all the time, it’s the only thing I ever learned how to do well! I love what I do, and I surround myself with great players and it keeps the juices flowing to want to create. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I’ve made the call to Robert many times over the last few years, and it never happened, but this time when I called him, everything fell into place and we all were available, and I have to say that the chemistry in this band is as good or better than any band I’ve been in.”
In addition to the Yellowman opening gig, One Love Bomb also plays a free show at Mulligan’s in Avila Beach on Sunday, March 30 (2 to 4 p.m.; all ages).
For those who don’t know, Yellowman was a very unlikely dancehall star. His upbringing at the Maxfield Home orphanage in Kingston and the fact that he’s an albino in Jamaica were two obstacles he overcame. He was also known for his rude lyrics—casual violence, sexism, homophobia, and worse. His frank and explicit words brought both detractors and fans, and at one point, he was arguably Jamaica’s most famous reggae star. He’s the O.G. rudeboy!
Also this week at The Siren, Southern rapper Afroman plays on Thursday, March 27 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $24.30 at tixr.com).
Local pop, soul, and R&B favorites Dante Marsh and the Vibe Setters play on Saturday, March 29 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $13.17 at tixr.com).
And racially diverse garage, folk rock, and psychedelia band Love featuring Johnny Echols plays on Wednesday, April 2 (6:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $36.25 at tixr.com). Echols formed Love in 1965 with Arthur Lee, and he continues to perform songs from Love’s first four albums Love, Da Capo, Forever Changes, and Four Sail.
Also at The Siren, Numbskull and Good Medicine present alt-country rockers The Old 97’s on Thursday, April 3 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $32.65 at goodmedicinepresents.com), with Grey Delisle opening. With more than 20 studio recordings since their 1994 debut, Hitchhike to Rhome, they have a deep catalog of amazing songs. “I have a time bomb, in my mind mom. I hear it ticking, but I don’t know why”—epic songs!
Numbskull and Good Medicine also present Brass Mash at BarrelHouse Brewing Amphitheater on Saturday, March 29 (6 p.m.; all ages; $17.51 presale or $22.66 reserved seating at goodmedicinepresents.com). The horn and drum band mashes up classic songs into a danceable stew.
Dance, mosh, and/or Americana
The Fremont Theater has a little something for everyone this week starting with Friday Night Fever: Dance Through the Decades on Friday, March 28 (doors 8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $26.24 at prekindle.com). DJ Jules will spin iconic hits in chronological order from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, and today—all while live musicians shred over the tracks.
Rocking ska and reggae act The Aggrolites play on Saturday, March 29 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $34.99 at prekindle.com). “With a sound that is equal parts Kingston and Motown, the band turns the heads of discerning music listeners everywhere,” according to their bio.
Drew & Ellie Holcomb will bring their contemporary roots music to the Fremont on Thursday, April 3 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $44.78 to $90.61 at prekindle.com). Drew is best known for his band Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors and their No. 1 Americana Song, “Find Your People.”
Ellie’s solo debut, As Sure As The Sun, landed her the GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year. She’s also a best-selling author, having “written three children’s books and a devotional selling a combined 500,000 copies,” according to press materials.
They’re touring in support of their first full-length duo record, and they’ve partnered with the anti-slavery nonprofit International Justice Mission to donate $1 from each ticket sale.
“We have more fabric, thread, and color to play with now,” Ellie said. “We’ve become better communicators and better musicians. Back in the day, we used to have this joke song called ‘We Always Fight When We Write Love Songs,’ and we can’t even play it anymore! We’ve grown and expanded since then, and I think we’ve actually gotten pretty good at writing songs together.”
Hammer time
SLO Brew Live at Rod & Hammer Rock presents Moonshiner Collective on Saturday, March 29 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $27.21 at ticketweb.com), with Brock Van Pelt opening. Nick Larson of Proxima Parada will be emcee for the evening that will start with Van Pelt from the soul band the Charities. Then expect the soulful folk and Americana of Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective. If I’m not mistaken, Curcio and Van Pelt will collaborate on a couple of songs.
Also at Rod & Hammer, Minka, DJ Grambo, and Samba Loca play on Thursday, April 3 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $12.56 at my805tix.com). “We have DJ Grambo opening the night with his infectious vibes and dance party beats,” the club announced. “The night will continue with a set by Samba Loca and lead us into a headlining set by Philly based funk group Minka. There’s really no way to fully capture the experiences and sounds of Philly-born band, Minka, but if you want to let your imagination run wild, let’s pretend some scientists got in the lab and crossed Bowie with Prince, and then sprinkled in some Talking Heads.”
Tribute fever
Valerie: A Tribute to Amy Winehouse comes to Cal Poly’s Spanos Theatre on Saturday, March 29 (8 p.m.; ages 5 and older; $37 to $50 plus fees at pacslo.org). Hear the hits performed by a live band and a vocalist who channels Winehouse’s sexy and soulful sound.
You Should Be Dancing: A Tribute to the Bee Gees comes to the Spanos Theatre on Sunday, March 30 (3 p.m.; ages 5 and older; $39 to $55 plus fees at pacslo.org). The vocal trio pays homage to the Bee Gees at the peak of their fame and emulates their soaring falsettos.
Also on Sunday, March 30, Bee Gees Fever comes to the Clark Center Sunday, March 30 (7 p.m.; all ages; $54 plus fees at clarkcenter.org). Presented by B2 Media Group Presents, the live septet delivers a Las Vegas-style spectacle that will transport you to a 1970s disco club.
No limitations
Cal Poly Arts presents the Brandee Younger Trio in the Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, April 1 (7:30 p.m.; $38 to $47 plus fees at calpolyarts.org). According to her bio, “Younger is revolutionizing the harp’s role in modern music. Over the past 15 years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and later, the winner of the 2024 NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz Album for her latest album Brand New Life.”
More music …
Power-pop act Lioneer returns to SLO Town with a show at Frog & Peach on Saturday, March 29 (9:30 p.m.; 21-and-older). Formerly known as Rosedale, the San Diego-based band features Mike Liorti and friends. Liorti, originally from Toronto, launched the band in November 2023 and released several singles including “Don’t Wait For Tomorrow,” “The Mood,” “Gone Too Soon,” and “Still Want You.”
The Basin Street Regulars Hot Jazz Club presents Kathryn Loomis & Co. plus the Early Risers and the Cal Poly Swing Dance Club at the Oceano Elks Lodge by the beach this Sunday, March 30 (11 a.m. jam with music until 4 p.m.; all ages; $15 at my805tix.com). A Cal Poly grad, Loomis sings pop favorites and vintage jazz standards. Δ
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 6, 2025.
I was introduced to crypto investment by an investor I met on Telegram. I liked the program and decided to join the investment platform. At the beginning, I invested and made profits which I continued doing until the website disappeared. I could not withdraw any funds before the incident happened but luckily a friend of mine that works with FBI introduced me to ( WALLET CONNECT (AT) USA (.) C O M) and they came just in time and assisted me to recover all the money. They did a great job and they were very professional to work with. It’s quite unbelievable but it happened. We got our money back through their system assistance.
..,