Bands We Love

McKenna Faith, one of the most popular in our reader's choice of Bands We Love. (Beth Schlanker/PD)

Music is everywhere now, hurtling through space from satellites, bursting out of the iPod cradled in the palm of your hand.

But somehow, nothing tops a live band. Real musicians, performing in a room crammed with people, generate an energy nothing else can match.

When The Press Democrat’s new 707 entertainment site invited readers to name their favorite local bands, the response was immediate. Nominations rolled in by the dozens, prompting an ongoing series of online profiles entitled “Bands We Love.”

Here is a taste of that crop, 10 beloved local musical acts, ranging from new to veteran, hard rock to pure country, in alphabetical order. For more bands, go to 707.pressdemocrat.com. If you don’t see your top bands listed, go ahead and post your own choices.

Brothers Comatose — No, they’re not all brothers, and their spirited Americana, blues and roots sound shows they’ve come out of any coma they might have been in. The current lineup features singer and guitarist Ben Morrison and his brother Alex, on vocals and banjo, bassist Gio Benedetti of Toast Machine, fiddler Phillip Brezina and new mandolinist Ryan Avellone.

Coast Pilots — This Santa Rosa contemporary rock fivesome has been building a solid audience base. The line-up: Adam Menconi, vocals and guitar; Erik Erickson, bass; John Crowhurst and Justin Leonard, guitar; Matt Hennen, drums and percussion.

The Crux — Front man Josh Stithem works behind the scenes as the the producer of the popular local North Bay Hootenanny and Roots: Americana concert series. Onstage, he’s an eclectic performer, backed by an evolving lineup of seven or more musicians and crossing musical genres. The group’s path has taken them from shows in barns and backyards to Petaluma’s Mystic Theatre.

McKenna Faith — The Ukiah teen made her public singing debut in a shopping center at age 6. While working the rodeo circuit as a barrel-race rider, she got tapped to sing the national anthem. Now she has recorded a CD of her own country songs and plays major shows, like this year’s Sonoma Country Music BBQ. She sang her own song,  “Not My Time To Go,” during a ceremony Dec. 7 at Pearl Harbor, on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese bombing attack that brought the United States into World War II. For a video of her, click here.

The Pulsators — The veteran Santa Rosa blues, ska and rock quintet has been jump-starting Sonoma County’s musical pulse since 1989, building a following and repeatedly winning local popularity polls. The lineup: Johnny Campbell, singer-songwriter and drummer; Douglas Ian McKenzie, guitar; Mick Whittington, bass, vocals; Rick Clifford, saxophone, vocals; Glenn Sullivan, trumpet, vocals. And everyone plays percussion.

Skitzo — Here’s a heavy-duty, industrial-strength, metal band with showmanship. Front man Lance Ozanix has a memorable trademark: vomiting green slime on cue, onstage. The upchucking may be a gimmick, but after 30 years of performance and 19 albums, this group is no flash in the pan.

The Sorentinos — After a quarter-century, the straight-ahead rock quartet led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Danny Sorentino still plays to packed houses. Sorentino’s songs have found their way to the soundtracks of the cable series “Melrose Place” and Tori Spelling’s ‘96 TV movie, “Co-Ed Call Girl.” But bassist and singer Rob Ruiz, guitarist Steve Lee and drummer and singer Kenny Susan make this much more than a one-man show. It’s a tight quartet with a solid sound.

Pete Stringfellow — The Santa Rosa native is still a presence in Sonoma County music, even though he’s also established in Hollywood as a creator of music for TV, films and advertising, and in Nashville as a writer, musician and producer. He played to a crowd of 7,500 last August at Sonoma Country Music BBQ at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

The Volker Strifler Band — The German-born blues guitarist and his band always rock the house when they play clubs throughout Sonoma County and Northern California. He also has recorded both solo and group CDs, and has worked as a sideman for top blues players like Robben Ford.

The Whitetrash Superstars — Led by singer and guitarist Drew Ratzloff, the Ukiah power trio sums ups its style in one word, the title of its second CD: “LOUD.” They’re into Deep Purple, and a lot more. Bassist Jacob King and drummer Davey Olmstead fill out the threesome.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com.

Staff writer Heather Irwin and freelance writers James Marshall Berry and Michael Shufro contributed to this story.