While its next performance at the Lobero Theatre will be entirely comprised of songs by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, Santa Barbara-based rock band Doublewind Kings is not a tribute band. The quintet often performs concerts of its own original music, and when it doesn’t, dives deep into the catalogue of its favorite groups, with past concerts dedicated to classic bands like The Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. When guitarist Palmer Jackson, guitarist Cord Pereira, drummer Charlie Crisafulli, bassist Robert Teneyck, and lead vocalist and harmonica player John Simpson take the stage of the Lobero on November 16, they will forego tribute band tropes like costumes and purely shoot for musical authenticity, playing not only CSNY’s hits, but deep cuts as well.
In an interview with the News-Press, Mr. Jackson said the upcoming CSNY show is a natural follow-up to a concert the band performed last year featuring the songs of Neil Young, the “Young” in the band’s title who throughout the group’s career would come and go from the lineup and in his absence, leave the band as simply Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Featuring both an electric and acoustic section, the November 16 show will be the first time Doublewide Kings has performed the music of CSNY. According to Mr. Jackson, learning CSNY songs has greatly pushed him and his bandmates as singers.
“We knew that it would challenge us vocally. The harmonies are really great with Crosby, Stills, and Nash,” he said.
Mr. Pereira, who along with Mr. Teneyck sings backup vocals to support the lead voices of Mr. Jackson, Mr Crisafulli, and Mr. Simpson, concurred.
“The music is reasonably accessible. The harmonies are more complex and require a lot of work,” Mr. Pereira said.
While singing is the hardest part, Mr. Pereira added that he has particularly enjoyed working out guitar parts with Mr. Jackson, whose precise playing has enabled him to be more “interpretive” with his guitar work. For the most part Mr. Jackson serves as the band’s rhythm guitarist and Mr. Pereira plays lead, but the two will from time to time swap duties and blur the line between the two roles. Mr. Pereira and Mr. Jackson first started playing together when attending high school at Cate School in Carpinteria. After attending college in Boise, ID, Mr. Pereira resided there for 20 years before returning to Santa Barbara. Upon his return, he once again started playing music with his old bandmate.
“When I got back, Palmer graciously allowed me to sit in with his band, which eventually became the Doublewide Kings,” he recalled.
Because Doublewide Kings performs both sets of original music and cover songs, there is debate within the lineup on exactly which should take precedence in the band’s career. While Mr. Jackson enjoys doing both equally, Mr. Pereira admitted that he prefers playing original songs. However, when the band delves into the discography of a classic rock band, Mr. Pereira abides by what a former “American Idol” judge once said about covering other people’s songs.
“I subscribe to what Simon Cowell made famous, ‘Make it your own,’” he said.
Though Mr. Jackson called the debate between performing originals and covers “an interesting tension and a healthy one,” in his opinion the band sounds like Doublewide Kings either way.
“You can’t help but sound like yourself,” Mr. Jackson said.Tickets for Doublewide Kings’ November 16 concert can be purchased online at www.lobero.org. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E Canon Perdido St.
