The Coffis Brothers know how to have fun. Take “Ramona,” their 2022 single that borders on novelty: “Hey Ramona I met you in Tacoma we stayed up talking/ ’til the early morning/ Holy toledo I think it’s pretty neato/ Your first name rhymes with the town that you were born in.”
Towards the end of the song, the rhymes keep coming: “Hey Fernando I met you in Orlando/ Holy toledo I think it’s pretty neato/ Your first name rhymes with the town that you were born in/ Hey Samantha (I met you out in Tampa)/ Bye bye Felicia (that must’ve been Benicia)/ Hey Valentino (we had some fun in Reno).”
Some bands just have an infectious energy that makes their shows an instant party, and that’s these guys in spades. The band is unique in that it has two songwriters and straddles the fence between rock and Americana. The band mentions acoustic folk, roadhouse R&B, and roots music as other elements of their sound.
Their most recent record, Kaw-Fis Bruth-Urs produced by The Mother Hips frontman Tim Bluhm, finds Jamie and Kellen Coffis “letting their guard down, enjoying the creative ride as much as the destination itself,” their bio explains. “For every signature-sounding song like ‘Cut Right Through’—a heartland rock anthem built for highway drives and long horizons, as sunny as the band’s Golden State homeland and as hook-driven as a Tom Petty classic—there’s another track that stretches the band’s sound into new territory. The result is The Coffis Brothers’ widest-ranging album yet, running the gamut from bluesy, blue-eyed soul (‘Face the Music’) to jangling, harmony-heavy power pop (‘Do You Want To’).”
“This is what we do, and we’re giving ourselves license to evolve and get better at it, too,” Jamie said.
He and Kellen were raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains by their mother—a children’s musician. Decades after the brothers made their stage debut alongside their mom, singing three-part blood harmonies, “their musical bond has only grown stronger, sharpened by hundreds of live shows as much as their shared DNA.”
‘We didn’t set out to make anything in one particular direction—we just wanted to make a batch of really great songs.’
—Kellen Coffis
“It’s the natural evolution of us performing together and spending so much of our lives together,” Kellen added. “We didn’t set out to make anything in one particular direction—we just wanted to make a batch of really great songs.”
Good Medicine and Numbskull present The Coffis Brothers at The Siren on March 12 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $23.90 at goodmedicinepresents.com).
Their quintet includes childhood friend, Kyle Poppen on lead guitar, and the rhythm section of Aidan Collins (bass) and Cory Graves (drums). Taylor Rae opens.
If you like old-school punk, Numbskull and Good Medicine have you covered when Social Distortion tribute Total Distortion and Rancid tribute Rancid Radio come to Club Car Bar on Friday, March 6 (doors at 8 p.m.; all ages; $19.26 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Expect “Story of My Life,” “Ring of Fire,” and “Ball & Chain” from Total D and “Ruby Soho,” “Time Bomb,” and “Roots Radicals.”
A tribute, some covers, and swingbilly
The Siren has three more shows this week starting with all female Iron Maiden tribute Iron Maidens on Friday, March 6 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $29.59 at tixr.com). Formed in 2001, this SoCal rock act covers Iron Maiden material from all eras of the band’s career, so expect the biggest hits as well as fan favorites. “The stage show includes appearances by Maiden mascot Eddie, the grim reaper, the devil, and more,” the band said.
Enjoy a couple of free ones on Saturday, March 7, starting with Bridges Band (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older) playing blues, R&B, jazz, and rock covers. Later that night, The Mojo Combo (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older) plays vintage soul, R&B, and rock.
There’s another free one when swingbilly act Five Mile Mountain Road plays bluegrass and Western swing on Wednesday, March 11 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older). This powerhouse string-band has a fresh but fiery take on hillbilly music. Hailing from Moonshine country, Franklin County, Virginia, the band’s lineup features Fiddlin’ Billy Hurt, Brennen Ernst, Conner Vlietstra, Trevor Holder, Josh Gooding, and Austin Janey.
Indigenous music and Dead adjacent
Rod & Hammer Rock has two shows teed up this week starting with Cochemea on Friday, March 6 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $29.27 at ticketweb.com). He’s an indigenous performer of Yaqui ancestry.
“Music is in multi-instrumentalist and composer Cochemea Gastelum’s blood—he comes from a long line of musicians on both sides of his lineage,” his bio explains. “For over 25 years, Cochemea has built a distinct career as a soloist, section player, and composer/arranger, collaborating with artists across genres—from his long tenure with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings to work with Kevin Morby, Run The Jewels, Jon Batiste, Amy Winehouse, The Roots, Archie Shepp, Mark Ronson, and Quincy Jones, among many others.”
The Garcia Project: Re-creating Full, Classic Jerry Garcia Band Shows from 1976 to 1995 comes to Rod & Hammer Rock on Tuesday, March 10 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $32.26 at ticketweb.com). Each performance re-creates a complete set list from a specific moment in the Jerry Garcia Band history, “delivered with the same arrangements, instrumentation, gear, and emotional power that defined those original shows,” according to the band.
Bluegrass and two tributes
The Clark Center has three shows lined up this week, but let’s start with the middle one. Steep Canyon Rangers play on Saturday, March 7 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $45 to $65 at clarkcenter.org). Known for their signature blend of bluegrass, Americana, and “rich Carolina storytelling,” these Grammy winners and North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductees have been entertaining audiences for more than two decades.
Their latest album, Morning Shift, is filled with “heartfelt songwriting and bold arrangements recorded in the Appalachian foothills,” according to the band. On the album’s first single, “Circling The Drain,” the band sings, “One false step is all that you get/ When you’re living out on the edge/ Feeling strong as a speeding train/ Flying full steam ahead.”
“2026 is lining up to be a very exciting year for the Rangers,” bassist Barrett Smith said in press materials. “We’ve got a great touring schedule coming together that includes a lot of our favorite festivals and venues. The band feels as fun and strong as it’s ever been. The vibe is good, and we’re all very excited about another great year of making some good music together for our people!”
Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Tribute starring Rick Schuler plays on Friday, March 6 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $69.50 to $86.25 at clarkcenter.org). You’ll hear favorites like “Sunshine on My Shoulders,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Annie’s Song,” “Calypso,” and “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” performed by the premiere John Denver tribute artist.
Electric Elton—A Tribute to Elton John plays on Wednesday, March 11 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $59 to $69 at clarkcenter.org). Led by accomplished vocalist, pianist, and star performer Sean Trombley and backed by a spectacular live band, expect a multimedia event with costumes and dancers.
Be green
In conjunction with Art After Dark, SLO’s Growing Grounds Downtown is hosting “an after-hours blend of live local music and lush greenery” on Friday, March 6 (5 to 8 p.m.; all ages; free). “Enjoy a cozy, plant-filled atmosphere as the shop transforms into an inviting evening space for creativity and community,” organizers announced. Local singer-songwriters Cate Armstrong and Ynana Rose will offer stories and songs “with additional opportunities to learn about the mental health resources offered by Transitions-Mental Health Association.”
To be or not to be …
Will the Fremont Theater have shows this week? Good question! The answer? As of March 4, things are very much up in the air. Good Vibez, the promoter, is awaiting word from the venue owner, Rob Rossi, and the city of San Luis Obispo. I can tell you what they have planned, but you’ll have to do your due diligence to see if the shows go on, are rescheduled, or moved to another venue.
“We know this historic building is important to many in our community, and our goal is to move forward safely, responsibly, and as efficiently as possible,” said Whitney Szentesi, spokesperson for the city of SLO. “The community can expect the temporary closure of the Fremont and the adjacent portion of Monterey Street, sidewalk, and pedestrian tunnels until the building is deemed safe. We will provide more updates as they become available.”
Good Vibez moved its Brash Mash show to the Odd Fellows Hall in SLO on Friday, March 6 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $29.84 general or $24.69 student at prekindle.com). This horn band mashes up various songs into a danceable party mix.
Neko Case is scheduled to return on Saturday, March 7 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $65.89 at prekindle.com). She’s a firebrand singer-songwriter, what Rolling Stone called, “One of America’s best and most ambitious singer-songwriters,” and who NPR called “essentially peerless.”
She’s also a member of the Canadian group The New Pornographers. She’s the author of The New York Times bestselling memoir The Harder I Fight the More I Love You and the weekly Substack newsletter Entering The Lung, and she’s currently composing the musical theater adaptation of the Academy Award-winning motion picture Thelma & Louise.
One dollar from every ticket will go to Peer Solutions to support their positive youth leadership and development program. Destroyer opens.
Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez is scheduled to play on Sunday, March 8 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $44.78 to $69.50 at prekindle.com). This Grammy Award-winning bandleader is a world-renowned musician.
Alt-rockers Silversun Pickups is scheduled to play on Tuesday, March 10 (doors at 6:30, show at 7:30 p.m.; all ages; $46.32 or $171.98 VIP at prekindle.com). They’re touring in support of their sixth album Physical Thrills. Pure Hex opens.
Heated Rivalry Night has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 11 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $42.20 at prekindle.com), so if you bought tickets, they will be honored.
Finally, see the Billy Idol Should Be Dead movie screening scheduled for Thursday, March 12 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $15.42 at prekindle.com). This feature-length documentary traces the life and career of the punk pioneer turned rock ’n’ roll icon through never-before-seen archival and personal interviews with Idol, his family, peers, and collaborators. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in March 5-12, 2026.