Imagine being kids who’ve suffered staggering losses and are now being cared for by a senior guardian on a fixed income. Christmas isn’t looking great this year. Will there be a Christmas at all? Well, for one local family dealing with hardship, the answer is yes, all thanks to Up+Adam’s Breaking & Entering Christmas.
Media personality and podcaster Adam Montiel finds a family in need and, with the help of a relative, gets the family out of the house for a few hours and secretly makes their home Christmasy. He also raises money for the family with the Jingle Jam, a benefit concert on Friday, Dec. 13, at Rod & Hammer Rock (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $17.91 at my805tix.com).
“One of the best parts of Breaking & Entering Christmas is the ability to keep the family anonymous, which allows them the ultimate dignity in their celebrations,” Montiel explained. “Contrary to other broadcast promotions like this that normally end up with a picture moment or big check photo opportunity, since year one, we have always leaned into this way of doing things.
“That being said, I understand the idea of bringing the story home, so we actually tweak the names and ages to allow this anonymity to be preserved. So, this year we are saying 10-year-old Bryce and 8-year-old Olivia have experienced unimaginable loss, not just once, but six months later, they were struck again. A loving senior guardian has been taking them to school across the county to preserve some sort of normalcy for the little ones. This person is on a fixed income and doing so with a car that hasn’t passed smog in years.”
How did Montiel come up with this idea, and what has it meant for past recipients?
“I first learned about Breaking and Entering Christmas through my radio friend in San Diego, Tommy Sablan, who’s been doing it successfully for over 30 years. For the past 11 years, he’s mentored me to shape this into something truly unique for the Central Coast. The concept is simple: We work with the person who nominated the family to gain access to their home while they’re out. When they return, they’re met with the full spirit of Christmas: a tree, presents, stockings, food, gift cards, and more.
“I’ll never forget two years ago, when we arrived at a home still adorned with fresh flowers from the dad’s recent funeral, who had passed away in his 30s from cancer,” Montiel continued. “As for past recipients, the impact has been profound. We’ve brought Christmas to families facing unimaginable challenges, from a family of four spending what might be their last Christmas together due to a terminal illness to grandparents raising their grandkids. Every year, I’m reminded of the incredible strength and resilience of our community, and how a little holiday magic can make all the difference.”
You can do your part by coming to the Jingle Jam this Friday, which features a who’s who of local performers: soul and rock singer Damon Castillo, guitar master Kenny Lee Lewis of the Steve Miller Band, singer and guitarist Dante Marsh (of The Vibe Setters), Brianna Lee & Josh Barrett of B & The Hive, award-winning singer-songwriter Josh Rosenblum, alt rock band members Michael Venia and “Cello” Bob Liepman of Carbon City Lights, KB from IMVA, Kenny Taylor, and Colin Dean of Brass Mash.
“Come for the music, stay for the cause,” Montiel said. “Every ticket, every donation, every bit of support goes to giving this family a little more than just a holiday—it gives them hope. And it’s a reminder of the kind of community we all want to live in. It’s not just about gifts under a tree; it’s about showing a family that, even when everything seems lost, they’re not alone. We see you. More than charity, it’s about using the magic of Christmas to create a moment that will stick with them forever.”
Break tradition
Numbskull and Good Medicine present San Francisco act The Sam Chase & The Untraditional at Club Car Bar on Friday, Dec. 13 (7 p.m.; all ages; 22.35 presale or $24.41 day of show at goodmedicinepresents.com). Members of this folk-rock act grew up on “a healthy diet of punk rock,” giving their music and attitude and swagger that’s undeniable.
“The leader of the band is The Sam Chase himself, a natural storyteller with a voice that sounds as if it has weathered many an epic tale,” their bio reads. “With boot-stomping orchestration and lyrics that have been immortalized on the tattooed skin of their fans, The Sam Chase & The Untraditional doesn’t mess around. These are the warriors we need in these troubled times.”
The Shawn Clark Family Band opens the show.
Behind The Yellow Door
Damon Castillo and IMVA will be joined by New York-based recording artist Caleb Hawley for an intimate The Yellow Door Sessions No. 2 show on Saturday, Dec. 14 (1716 Osos St., SLO; 6 to 9 p.m.; all ages; $25 at eventbrite.com). Hawley lives in Harlem and says his two greatest influences are Randy Newman and Prince. He was raised in Minneapolis by a family of preachers and therapists.
“Growing up in an a cappella church, we weren’t allowed to use instruments,” Hawley explained on his website. “It forced everyone to learn how to sing harmony. We mostly sang old hymns, which is probably what drew me to gospel and eventually soul music.”
Castillo said, “Caleb is a favorite of mine. Don’t miss him!”
Two in the Bay
The Siren in Morro Bay kicks off their week with The Boys of Summer (a tribute to The Eagles) on Friday, Dec. 13 (doors 7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $30 to $63 at tixr.com). Hailing from SoCal, the band members “all have Eagles blood running through their veins,” they say, and they re-create many of The Eagles’ iconic hit songs such as “Desperado,” “Hotel California,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Witchy Woman,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” and many more.
(((folkYEAH!)))) presents Thunderpussy on Saturday, Dec. 14 (doors 7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $27.40 presale at eventbrite.com). “What if Thor’s Hammer of the Gods from ‘Immigrant Song’ landed in the hands of four wise, willful, and wild women?” Thunderpussy’s bio asked. “Well, it would sound something like Thunderpussy. The quartet do the most rock ‘n’ roll thing possible and quite literally fuck up every rock ‘n’ roll stereotype you know to be true, piercing the halls of Valhalla in the process.”
According to the band, “We play music, ride motorcycles, date girls, and lift heavy shit for a living. We also want to change the world, one concert at a time. Our mission is to gather, uplift, and empower those around us by creating a space where people can connect and express themselves freely.”
James and the Cold Gun opens.
Creole flavor
The Seven Sisters Folklore Society has two masters of the blues and creole music returning this Sunday, Dec. 15, when Corey Harris and Cedric Watson play The Milking Parlor at the Octagon Barn (old-time jam from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by the concert; $30 general and $20 for under 12 presale at eventbrite.com, or $35 and $25 at the door).
Harris was born in Colorado to parents from Texas and Kentucky, but his musical journey began as a street singer in New Orleans. From there, “he embarked on a transformative exploration of the blues throughout the southern United States,” according to his bio, and then spent a year in Cameroon, West Africa, during his early 20s, which “had a profound impact on his artistic development, shaping his unique approach to the blues.”
Watson is a four-time Grammy nominee who played the Seven Sisters stage with Joudan Thibodeaux and Joel Savoy earlier this year. He’s performed with a lot of the greats of Creole music, such as Dexter Ardoin and the Creole Ramblers and Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.
Jazz church
It’s time for the eighth annual Christmas Jazz Vespers this Sunday, Dec. 15, in SLO’s First Presbyterian Church (doors at 6:30, concert at 7 p.m.; a $30 donation at my805tix.com is recommended, and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the SLO Food Bank). On the bill is the amazing The Dave Becker Quartet featuring Becker on sax and flute, Marshall Otwell on piano, Dylan Johnson on bass, and Daryl Vandruff on drums, and they’ll be joined by internationally acclaimed vocalist and recording artist Inga Swearingen.
Expect original arrangements of classic Christmas carols and reinterpreted seasonal music that celebrates the beauty and diversity of the holiday season. A reception will follow.
Joy to your ears
There’s a long history of singing family acts from The Jackson 5 to The Osmonds to The Carpenters. Siblings have a lifetime to practice vocalizing together, and that can lead to amazing harmonies. Such is the case for Girl Named Tom, which features Bekah, Joshua, and Caleb Liechty—the only group to ever win NBC’s The Voice. On Tuesday, Dec. 17, they’ll present The Joy of Christmas at The Clark Center (7 p.m.; all ages; $55 to $69 at clarkcenter.org).
As they announced in press materials, “Small-town siblings with a wide worldview, we seek to create harmony in a society divided. We believe that as we share our music with our three unique voices, we can inspire the world with a common goal: to fly and help each other fly.”
Bekah is front and center and has an absolutely stunning voice, and her brothers Joshua and Caleb offer spot-on harmonies in cover songs from classics by Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills & Nash to pop songs by contemporary artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Adrianne Lenker. Their debut holiday EP, One More Christmas, reached No. 1 on the iTunes Charts and led to a massive arena tour opening for Pentatonix’s A Christmas Spectacular show.
In case you were wondering, Joshua used to call Bekah “Thomas” when she was a baby, hence their group name. Δ
Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 12-22, 2024.