It’s become a long-term tradition that outlaws gather in Seal Beach on the first Thursday of every month. It’s nothing that requires a response from police – these are outlaws of music. The Outlaws of Folk Music Series has been going on for 12 years and has a longstanding date in Seal Beach in front of Bogarts Coffee House.
Every first Thursday of the month, series founder Michael Ubaldini and guest performers gather at Bogarts to showcase some of their original work, as well as their takes on classic rock, blues and folk music songs. It’s not an open mic event, the singer-songwriters are invited by Ubaldini and they come from his lifelong passion for writing and performing music.
For Ubaldini, he said he had wanted for a long time to create something that was an alternative to what he calls on his website ‘pretentious showcase nights,’ at music venues. And he wanted it to bring back the spirit of New York City’s Greenwich Village early folk boom.
“I started thinking to myself, if I don’t start something it’s not going to happen,” Ubaldini said.
In addition to Seal Beach, the Outlaws have regular stops in Long Beach, Santa Ana and East Hollywood, as well as a fifth gathering that changes venues. While many of the performers are longtime singer songwriters, Ubaldini also invites young, up and coming performers he comes across in his tours.
In the December show, Chad Carrier, long time Orange County punk rocker joined the showcase to play some classics and some original songs. His song “Legend” tells of the legendary Fender’s Ballroom in Los Angeles, host to many punk rock shows in the ‘80s. He was joined by Bernie Deal and Dave Corradi, another former punk rocker.
The recurring shows are:
Bogarts Coffee House – Seal Beach first Thurs. each month-7 to 9 p.m.
Portfolios Coffee House – Long Beach, first Sat. each month 6 to 9 p.m.
Chads Barber shop – Santa Ana, second Sat. each month 7 to 9 p.m.
Sabor y Cultura Coffee House – East Hollywood, last Wed. each month 7 to 9 p.m.
For more on the outlaws visit rocknrollpoet.com.
