I was tremendously bummed out when I realized that I was going to be in LA on the night of the Cheap Suit Serenaders’ annual show at Freight and Salvage this past weekend in Berkeley. I’m a huge fan of early twentieth century string band music, and very few do it better than the Cheap Suits.
One band that comes damned close is Osaka, Japan’s Sweet Hollywaiians. The Hollywaiians play very authentic early thirties style slack key guitar in the manner of Sol Hoopii and Roy Smeck- great stuff! Even that most curmudgeonly of music snobs, Robert Crumb, raves about them… so much so that the Hollywaiians got the opening slot for the Cheap Suits at Freight and Salvage. Lucky for us, the Hollywaiians booked some tour dates around the Berkeley show, and even luckier, two of the Cheap Suits live in Davis and encouraged the boys to play down here.
Nora Cary was kind enough to put together a house show for them this Thursday, January 29, 8PM at 1312 Tulane Drive in Davis. it’s $10 to get in, $5 if you’re a student. There’s a chance this may sell out, so if you (like me) must go, email Nora to RSVP: nlcary at ucdavis dot edu.