Please join us as we harmonize with one of the most talented musicians the Bay Area has to offer - Maurice Tani! We are lucky to be joining the great John Hanes, Mike Anderson, David Phillips and Jeanine Richardson. Deborah Crooks and Kate Burkhart will be opening. Don't miss it!

Love,

On Saturday, Nov 2nd, Dia De Los Muertos, the strains of murder, misery, death, and despair fill the air at the 12th ANNUAL STARRY PLOUGH MURDER BALLADS BASH. As unfortunate as it is, murder is a human tradition and songs have been written about it almost as long as it's been committed. Put on your best bones (or anything else you'd like to scare us with) and come hear this musical review of great local acts put their spin on that classic favorite, the murder ballad.

Loretta Lynch is delighted to join in this year's festivities, and to be sharing the stage with so many talented others (in no particular order below). We'll be scaring you with some brand spanking new tunes. Rumor has it Loretta Lynch will play around 10, but do come early and stay late - you won't want to miss a single note!

12th Annual Murder Ballads Bash

Saturday, November 2nd

Doors open at 8 pm, show at 9 pm

cover: $6 in adv (http://www.ticketfly.com/event/395721)

$8 – $15 sliding scale at the door

Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, 510-841-2082

www.thestarryplough.com

The Unreal Band – The Eastbay's longest running psychedelic band, these Starry Plough stalwarts will arrive in some physical form to alter your peaceful reality.

Heartache Sisters - Heartache Sisters is the excitable younger sibling of Laura Benitez and the Heartache that was built streamlined for the road. Joined by Michele Kappel-Stone, this duo sprang from the magic created by the 5-piece electric Americana band to showcase their close female harmonies and let songwriting shine through unadorned. Passionate (yet deadly) takes on Country, Early Rock and Roll, and Folk-Pop.

The Phantom Limbs – Not to be confused with any defunct punk band, Amy Zing, Aislinn Harvey, and Eric Saxby hail from Oakland and are actually very nice people who hardly ever enact their elaborate plans of revenge.

Chonk and the Ghostfiddler - Gritty and infectious, Chonk & the Ghostfiddler create an experimental yet accessible- hell, even enjoyable soundscape, ranging from footstompin' country blues, to bootyshaking soul funk, to mindbending folk tunes. They will be showing their evil side.

Lucifer Meltdown - Lucifer Meltdown will purvey songs about killing, despair and redemption. Lucifer (aka Rev Screaming Fingers) will be aided and abetted by Girl Trouble imps Camilla, Max and Kat Meltdown.

Mike Glendinning – Named Best Local Musician by the Eastbay Express readers poll, Mike is one of a kind, a guitarist whose anger and sense of beauty run close to the surface, exploding from amplifiers or CDs a unique, edgy, fluid style he calls grunge jazz. It's outsider music finding its roots in two distinct zones: the intuitive, soulful poetry of jazz improv, and the edgy, dirty attitude of a metal guitar survivor flipping off the universe.

The Alegre Sisters - The Alegre Sisters are a real life ukulele playing, harmony singing sister band. They'll knock you dead.

Pope Paul Pot – Since the release of his EP, “Plastic TV Land on Acid”, in 1981 and numerous DIY music releases to KALX in the early 1980s, Pope Paul Pot has been playing music in a number of bands: Gail & the Fudgepackers, Don't Mind Us (nobody did), Poor Impulse Control, and the Happy Clams .

Rockzilla - "It's kind of like my version of Rockpile..you know, heavy rhythm rock and roll and features songs I've always wanted to do which lay down that Chuck Berry meets Dave Edmunds groove as well as a few originals combined with some of my major influences like Peter Green." - Harlan Hollander

Mugg Muggles - Mugg Muggles has been delighting Bay Area audiences on street corners, in sundry bars and dives, as well as radio and television for over 3 decades with his eclectic repertoire, irreverent demeanor and mellifluous bass/baritone. Simply accompanied by his pulsing acoustic guitar (or 1 stringed Gutbucket Bass) and awesome homemade kazoo, Mugg evokes distant eras of Prohibition Speakeasies, Minstrel Shows, Juke Joints, House Rent Parties, Barn Dances and Sock Hops.

Scare you there! BWAH HA ha ha HAH!

Love,

Loretta

Oh, yeah - please do "like" us on Facebook if you are so inclined and have not already. You can do so HERE!

Thanks for those of you who filled the Monkey House a week or so back for another fantastic show with Ira Marlowe! We do love that Monkey House, and it was fun fun fun not only to trade sets with Ira, but to sing some harmony vocals with him! Dreaming is free ...

More fun coming up - Loretta will be playing at the 40th - yes, the 40th - anniversary of the Starry Plough on Saturday, October 12th. It seems like only yesterday that we were playing the Plough's 30th! This celebration will be with the inimitable Naked Barbies http://www.nakedbarbies.com/ and multi award winning Disappear Fear http://www.disappearfear.com/ . What a night! It’s a reunion show for the Barbies, and part of Disappear Fear’s CD release tour. Loretta will be playing first, so come early, eat, drink and stay late for an evening fine, foot-stomping and unforgettable entertainment.

More soon,

Love,

Hope everyone is relishing the true Bay Area summer that is September/October! It is a touch sad that this warm and fogless season begins roughly at the start of the school year. We think of all the little - and big, for that matter - faces pressed against the classroom/office windows gazing longingly at the sun-soaked outdoors and its' songbirds and swimming pools. Sigh ...

We're gearing up for the hot fall, and in addition to some private and block parties (Hooray! Get in touch if you want us for one of yours!) we will be playing an early acoustic show at Ira Marlowe's Monkey House on Saturday, September 21st at 7:30. The Monkey House is an unmarked storefront at 1638 University Ave, near Sacramento, just three blocks from North Berkeley BART. Next to the Pole Dancing School (really!). It is directly across from the Super 8 Motel and parking is usually easy peasy. Please visit the MH site here: http://www.monkeyhousetheater.com/ ) for more information and to reserve seats (follow the calendar link for September 21st).

At this time the Monkey House does not serve soft drinks or alcohol, but you're welcome to bring your own. Need a map to the closest liquor store? Ours is but to serve: Ledger's Liquors is mere blocks away, as are myriad eateries. Mmmmmm.

This will be a night a true celebration as we’ll swap sets with the head honcho of the Monkey House himself, Ira Marlowe. Ari, Heather and Val have the added fun of singing back-up vox on a couple of Ira's choice tunes. Our fabulous drummer Nathan Moy will be playing the cajón this night to keep within the acoustic guidelines. As if this weren’t enough, there are some other surprise events to whoop it up for, so come out and enjoy the fun!

Doors will open at 7:00 and this early early show will start at 7:30. Do come early to ensure a seat! It's an intimate venue.

It's early, and all-ages! See you there, and stay tuned for October events!

Love,

Loretta

We miss you! Loretta has been busy busy busy this summer with various other projects and activities. Don't fret, though, and mark your calendars for Saturday, August 10th, as we'll be back on the stage at our old haunt the Starry Plough in Berkeley! We are happy as birdies with french fries to be reuniting with the fabulous Yard Sale - or in this case, Yard Stoop, as it will be the talented Melanie DiGiovanni and Denise Funari (Jill is out of town). Rumor has it that Loretta may collaborate with these fine and talented women for a couple of songs. Woo hoo! Reunion reunion reunion!

As if this is not enticing enough, the evening will be rounded out by the Lady Crooners. If you are unfamiliar with them, check out this sweet video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBhc9PbRIEQ

Loretta will be the sandwich filling for this one, which will start with Mel and Denise and round out with the Lady Crooners. Doors at 8:30, show promptly at 9:00.

We look forward to seeing your many smiling faces!

Love,