By Mary O’KEEFE

“Without music, life would be a mistake.” ~ Friedich Nietzsche

Local bands will have a chance to showcase their music on Saturday and again on Aug. 3, performing in Tujunga. It’s Pit Time Baby! and YALL Fest are two venues that will host the bands and the public is invited to attend.

For Saturday’s concert, four bands will be playing: Alan’s Breakfast, Sketch Orchestra, 100 Onces and The Verm. On Aug. 3, the bands performing are Alan’s Breakfast, Sketch Orchestra, 100 Onces, Ghost Noise, The Closers and the Anti-Job.

Several of the bands are part of Mother Turf, a music collective for local musicians based in Crescenta Valley.

“They refer to it as a musician-run label,” said Taylor Rodiger.

Rodiger is part of Alan’s Breakfast and is a member of Mother Turf and Mountair, both in the business of networking musicians. Mountair was organized out of Tujunga and was formed by bands that were playing at parties on Mountair Avenue. Mother Turf gathers bands and organizes a venue where they can perform. Member bands are local as well as from other areas in California and some are from out of state.

“They help bands get recorded, have parties where [bands can be showcased] and [organize] events,” Rodiger said.

Through Mother Turf, Rodiger said, he has been able to meet other musicians that he otherwise may not have met. He came to realize how far-reaching the circle of musicians is.

Rodiger had been performing at an event at Pedrini’s Music in La Crescenta when a trumpeter joined in and began improvising with the band. He later found that the musician was a friend of those who started Mother Turf.

The organizers have gathered most of the same artists for these two new dates.

Alan’s Breakfast has been together for a little over a year. All of the members of the band went to Verdugo High School together.

“We are instrumental, with a jazz and psychedelic rock influence, “ he said.

The Sketch Orchestra and 100 Onces are “math rock,” a complex rhythmic type of rock.

“It’s technical and complicated,” Rodiger added. “The Verm is psychedelic and the other bands are more [independent].”

It’s Pit Time Baby is on Saturday at The Steel Pit, 7279 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga. Admission is free and it is open for all ages. The first band begins at 7:30 p.m.

YALL Fest is on Aug. 3 at the American Legion Hall, 10039 Pinewood Ave. in Tujunga. Admission is $3; doors open at 4:30 p.m. All ages are welcome.

There will be a bar available for those 21 years old and older.

For more information visit the websites below:

Alan’s Breakfast:
https://www.facebook.com/alansbreakfast

The Steel Pit Event Page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/174052549437475/

The Yall Fest Event Page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/287613371375474/

Mother Turf:
http://listen2yourmother.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MotherTurf

Mountair:
https://www.facebook.com/Mountair

  Mary Okeefe