‘Living Local’ is the theme for this year’s Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Festival and by the looks of the free music lineup; organizers are really taking that theme to heart. On Saturday, April 18 at the Village at Squaw Valley USA attendees will be rocked by the sounds of local bands including Neva, Jeff Jones, Downbeat and Truckee Tribe. Beth Ingalls, an Earth Day committee member who is producing the music portion of the day, is stoked. ‘This year’s performers reflect everything that is wonderful about our community and I can’t wait for the big day. Everyone should come early, stay late, and be prepared to dance the day away. With Blake Beeman doing our sound engineering, the quality will be stellar!’
Opening the day’s festivities is local singer/songwriter Neva. It is her first performance at the Earth day event and with it holds the promise of her unique alternative pop/rock style developed from a diverse upbringing and years of classical training. In the middle of her power and passion, her guitar parts tell their own story, making it hard to believe that it’s all just one girl and her guitar. Neva will hit the stage at 11 a.m. and will play a full set including songs off her newly released album ‘One of the Days.’
Tahoe favorite Jeff Jones will take the stage at 12:30 and won’t disappoint. Performing with his usual intensity and upbeat style, audiences have come to know that Jones makes his words count. His lyrical prowess and vocal delivery highlight his mature, memorable lyrics. With a voice ranging from gentle to gritty as hell, Jones directly connects his guitar to his voice in a mirror of the emotion and rhythm in the moment. He croons. He growls. He gets down and his audience follows suit.
At 2 p.m. be prepared for Downbeat, a newer band who came together late last year bringing a much-needed dose of funky, nasty, booty-shakin’ soul-jazz to the Tahoe/Truckee music scene. Downbeat blends together musicians from local groups Nautilus, Quartet Minus One and Truckee Tribe to create flat-out funky grooves inspired by the soulful sounds of late 60s and 70s jazz greats. The group’s live performances feature thick harmonies, tight break beats and infectious grooves guaranteed to make you get up and move.
Headlining this year’s event is the soulful Truckee Tribe, who will be blending dub, hip hop, ska, funk and rock into their own original brand. Though fairly new to the regional music scene, Truckee Tribe has cultivated an explosive fan base by breaking new ground and delivering fun, powerful and engaging entertainment show after show. That Truckee Tribe is a family band, which includes father Pete Charles, sister Jenni and son Stan Charles, only adds to their appeal.
Don’t forget, in addition to the free music, Earth Day will also feature interesting speakers and two performances by the Earth Capades Planetary Circus in the Kid’s area across from the Cable Car building. Come early to take part in the Push, Pull Pedal Eco-Parade! A complete list of event s and schedules can be found at tahoetruckeeearthday.org.
