We could have had a mutiny on our hands: A sea of belligerent jazz purists with torches demanding that KRML return to the original jazz format that propelled it for over 50 years. Luckily, KRML’s 2012 transformation into a self-proclaimed “community-oriented, eclectic rock station,” never yielded a riot or even a spitball. In fact, the community has embraced KRML’s reconfiguration, particularly its popular—and free—Pop-Up Concert Series.
To commemorate KRML’s first anniversary, thank the community for its acceptance and give a little back—the $5 entrance fee will benefit Dorothy’s Place in Salinas—General Manager Mike Hale and his crew are presenting the Fearful Earful tonight at the Golden State Theatre along with a silent auction, a costume contest, grub from Turn 12, beers from Peter B’s and fuel from Acme Coffee.
In addition to local singer-songwriter Casey Frazier and the newly formed Michael Barry Band, The Inciters, an 11-piece Santa Cruz collective, will light up the theater with northern soul music.
“[Northern soul] is not Motown and it’s not Stax,” explains trumpeter/founding member Rick Kendrick. “It’s different because it’s not coming from those big record labels.”
It’s also a sub-genre of 1960’s soul defined by rapid tempos and heavily syncopated beats similar to early Motown—which initially drew Kendrick in as a record collector on the hunt for soul music’s most obscure offerings, like Frank Wilson’s “Do I Love You?”
“The covers we do are obscure. Unless you’re deep in the northern soul scene, you’re won’t know them,” he says. “We try to keep the originals in that same vein.”
From covers like Nolan Porter’s funky groove “Keep on Keepin’ On” to their original “Soul Clap,” seemingly every song by The Inciters is 100 percent northern soul music. But in 2005, the whole thing almost went away forever.
“We went to Europe a lot and were popular over and had three records out,” Kendrick says. “But it ran its course and got boring. If you’re not having fun, why do it? The music scene tears you down.”
Five years after the breakup, Kendrick began receiving offers for the band to tour again in Europe, so he decided to give it another go. In 2012, the ensemble released its comeback record Soul Clap.
“We’re growing a lot this time around,” he says. “The gigs are getting better so we’re still doing it.” And because it’s in their soul.
FEARFUL EARFUL begins at 5:30pm, Thursday, Oct. 31, at the Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $5. 620-7374..
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