Nada Rasta, a local, self-proclaimed “rock-reggae-ska” band, will perform with root-reggae group One Drop at San Luis Obispo Brewing Company (SLO Brew) on Oct. 22.
The members of Nada Rasta are Central Coast natives, and have played at SLO Brew a number of times before. This time, however, will be different, according to the band’s lead singer Rubin Urtiz.
“This is our coming out,” Urtiz said. “We’re about to show that we’ve really evolved into something, not just into a machine. This is meant to be a blow-your-socks-off show. We are going to give it everything we have.”
The group has been together for approximately three years and has spent the majority of that time touring the California coast in what Urtiz refers to as “our crappy RV.” He said all of the touring has been a refinement process to ensure the band will deliver a great show at SLO Brew.
“We focused our last nine months on trying to sell this place out,” Urtiz said.
Nathaniel Wallace, the band’s keyboardist and co-vocalist, said he agreed with Urtiz’s sentiment.
“I feel like we’ve done a lot of touring, you know, up and down the coast, all just for practice so we can come back here, headline this place and really blow them away,” Wallace said. “I’ve been looking forward to this for so long. Everything we’ve done up until now has been so that we can do this.”
Wallace said SLO Brew is one of his favorite venues.
“It’s the event we most look forward to out of all the bars around here,” Wallace said. “This place, SLO Brew, it’s known all over California and America as one of the greatest live venue acts around, so when we get a chance to play there, I mean, we get to see all our favorite bands. So we get to play on the stage that we grew up watching all our heroes on. It’s real exciting for us.”
Nada Rasta will team up with San Diego-based, roots-reggae band One Drop, for the show. Wallace said it is a double-headliner show.
“I can’t believe that they’re opening for us,” Wallace said.
Urtiz said One Drop exemplifies a different type of reggae sound than Nada Rasta.
“They’re a roots-reggae band, and we are not rastas,” Urtiz said. “So we have a lot of rock and ska and then some roots. They are amazing, and they are one of the top bands of San Diego. Anybody that pays that $10 (to get in) is going to get their money’s worth.”
James Alger, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for One Drop, said he is excited to expose audiences to both distinct sounds.
“Most shows, there’s too much similarity,” he said. “You kind of say the same thing over and over again, where in this case, it is a little bit more dynamic. It’s a good opportunity to cross-pollinate our fans.”
Alger said One Drop draws more on traditional reggae influences, whereas Nada Rasta puts a greater emphasis on the rock aspect of their music. Both bands are in the process of releasing new CDs.
“I think the most exciting part is double-fold,” Alger said. “We’re recognizing Nada Rasta for completing another record, and then also, we’re getting back into the Central Coast. We’re really excited about that.”
Both bands said their acts rely on crowd enthusiasm and audience participation. Concert-goers who have been to shows at SLO Brew say the venue is conducive to creating an enthusiastic crowd.
Kinesiology senior and frequent SLO Brew audience member, Kristin Costanzo said the size of the location contributes greatly to its atmosphere.
“I like that it’s a smaller venue,” she said. “I feel like it makes for a more intimate and personal concert experience.”
Tickets are available for presale at Boo Boo Records and online at TicketWeb for $8. They can also be purchased at the door for $10. The concert will start at 7 p.m.