Dr. Zarcon Jug Band - East Coast Performance, November 28

The East Coast version of The Amazing Dr. Zarcon's Breathing Machine will take the stage at The Breaktime in Jamestown, New York on Saturday, November 28. Performing at this show are Stan Eckel, Jug, Dave Berner, Gutiar, George Kobas, Guitar/Mandolin, John Merino, Guitar, Kim Reeves, Washboard, Harmonica and other things what make noise, Tom Sharpe, Gut Bucket and expected to appear David Frumkin, Violin/Banjo. Copies of the band's first album, The Amazing Dr. Zarcon's Breathing Machine Jug Band Music will be available for purchase at the show. For more information please write to doctorzarcon@aol.com.

Appearing with Dr. Zarcon is Last Stop Willoughby that includes 10,000 Maniacs founders Dennis Drew and Steve Gustafson along with their current guitarist Jeff Erickson. Rhonda Harp sings, TR Mckotch is the percussionist and John Merino guitar/accordion.

The show is for the benefit of WRFA which is the local Arts Radio Station (heard on the web at WRFALP.COM) in Jamestown, N.Y.


Past Performances - West Coast


Much to the chagrin of local music fans, The Amazing Dr. Zarcon's Breathing Machine jug band will be traveling to the bay area again this year for two performances in mid August. The band performed last year at the GOF Festival in Holister and in Mountain View at the Dana Street Roasting Company. Both appearances were acclaimed as being "appalling, distasteful and vulgar" but critiques claimed it was the "best show of the summer," (they missed). Just love those guys! Actually, the jug band was right-on their performance mark for the shows, evident from the renegade video clip from the GOF Festival, below. A quote from Stan Eckel, virtuoso jug player sums up the bands effort last year, "the cows in Holister haven't milked since we played there." As the FTA goes into overdrive to clear some of the band members to fly, folks at Dana Street Roasting Company (August 14) and the San Francisco Jug Band Festival in Golden Gate Park (August 15) are prevailing of Robo-call Irene's offer to have their red carpets cleaned in anticipation of Dr. Zarcon's house calls.




Friday, August 14 - 8PM
Dana Street Roasting Co. 744 W. Dana Street Mountain View, CA94041 650 390 9638

The Amazing Dr. Zarcon's Breathing Machine will reunite for a performance at the Dana Street Roasting Company on Friday, August 14 at 8PM. The group, hailing from Western New York, roamed the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 70's and 80's performing at popular venues including Paul's Saloon, Chuck's Cellar, Turk Murphy's Earthquake McGoon's, Miramar Beach Inn and at concerts including Kate Wolf. The band performs jug band classics with Stan Eckel on the jug and flavors their performances with blues favorites by David (Frog) Berner and bluesette, Donna Federico. The nucleus of the group, John Feldmeyer-guitar/mandolin, Dave Williams-bass, George Anich-violin and Charlie Gibson-drums/washboard reside in the bay area while the others travel from New Hampshire, Kansas and Oregon, respectively. Several members of the band recorded at the Levon Helm's Studio in Woodstock, N.Y. in what hopes to be an album release in the near future.

2009 San Francisco Jug Band Festival Saturday, August 15 - Bandshell, Golden Gate Park, 10 am - 6 pm,
DR. ZARCON @ 4 PM
http://www.jugfest.org/jugfest/

This is Zarcon's first appearance at a California Jug band Association event and the first performance in San Francisco in many years. The group is very excited about playing with many other west coast jug bands at a venue as special as the Spreckels Temple of Music located on the concourse between the De Young Museum and the newly renovated California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park (see map below). Be sure to check the festival's web site for performances times for the bands (Dr. Zarcon plays at 4 PM) or better yet, get there early and stay all day. Admission is free.



We hope to see you at one of these upcoming performances. Here's a video of the band performing "Washboard Wriggles." Ready. Set. CLOG!



Z-Wear Coming Soon

A limited supply of The Amazing Dr. Zarcon logo T-shirts will be on sale at the gigs coming up in August. The shirts are "band black" with white lettering and logo. "Dress like the band and get thrown out of public places too!" - Dr. Z

A LOOK BACK


Dr. Zarcon at the start of the three-day Los Robles la Batalla del Orbe (Battle of the Orb). Sadly, there were no survivors. (photo circa 1978)

The Amazing Dr. Zarcon's Breathing Machine on Facebook

What They're Saying

Zarcon Post

I am one of those who is both chagrined and pleased at the return of the Dr. Zarcon band to the local music scene this summer. Actually the past two years represents a heyday (as well as a nadir) for this multi-layered, but oddly one dimensional group. Chron critic Phil Elwood once said they demonstrated qualities of Joe (and Ben) Venuti – with hints of blackcherry, oak, and 5 cent cigar. One rainy night in San Francisco the public had a choice between two unknown bands, Dr. Zarcon and Cheap Trick. And while Cheap Trick has done everything possible to live up to it’s name, Dr. Zarcon remains pure, untouched by the decadence and debilitating ennui of conventional success, yet somehow continuing to embody all that is low and unholy. Unquestionably (although it is quite open to debate) this band will continue to breathe life into the great jugband swingband repertoire while simultaneously ensuring that this music remains safely entombed.

Conflicted in Concord