"In Concert: Rocking their own bigtop"

Santa Barbara News-Press

Josef Woodard, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Though equipped with a quirky name, Gandalf Murphy and The Slambovian Circus of Dreams dishes out a rootsy American sound akin to The Band, with some circus moves thrown in. They stop at the Lobero Theatre on Saturday.

Despite impressions of Eastern European psychedelia conjured up by its mouthful of a band name, Gandalf Murphy and The Slambovian Circus of Dreams is your basic all-American enterprise.

Well, "basic" is the wrong word: they mix up a range of rock 'n' roll and roots musical colors, humorous asides and jamming, all with a fun-loving attitude implying both an actual circus and rock theatrics. Making its Santa Barbara debut at the Lobero Theatre on Saturday, as part of the "Sings Like Hell" series, the New York-based band promises to deliver a show with a twist or two.

"This should be a magic night," says the band's ringleader and lead singer Joziah Longo. "We're ready to give people their money's worth and a little more."

Said "little more" comes in the form of music which makes its strongest impact in the heat and antics of live settings. They've been together since the late '90s, but have preferred the stage to the studio so far.
Like The Grateful Dead and NRBQ, bands they share values with, the Circus "thrive on live performances," confirms Longo. "We love playing together and a direct connection with the audience really works with this band. We've had some amazing experiences this year, new levels of interaction and transcendence with our audiences. [read more...]