Page 62 - Sonoma County Gazette - October 2017

DDgiin
uring an interview from his Penngrove home, Gabriel Pirard, leader of the
band Dgiin, indicates the word is from the Koran. They’re angels or genies who can choose to be good or evil. Bad ones are put in a bottle.
Pirard, born in Saudi
Arabia in 1978, followed
his family to homes in Egypt, Gabriel Pirard
Malaysia, and Paraguay, where his dad worked as an engineer of buildings. Arriving in France at age nine, Pirard learned guitar, playing baroque because his parents thought he needed classical training. He didn’t like it. His own listening tastes focused on people like Joan Baez and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
At 19, he moved to America on his own, precipitated by a romantic breakup and his desire to play music. He arrived with a bankroll of $20. He joined Mimi, one of two older sisters who had preceded him here, in creating Dgiin in 2000. She has since left to sing with another local French band, Sono Musette, with a more traditional sound than Dgiin’s music, which Pirard calls “interpretational.”
Dgiin’s shows are celebrations. “It’s a goal I want,” says Pirard, “to be festive and happy, a release from the tensions of life.” Dancers proliferate, due to his wildly relentless, rapid strumming, with excellent rhythms from the bassist and drummer. “When people move to the music it’s a compliment.”
Songs are in English, French, and Spanish, but only Pirard has a background in international music. He looks for musicians who have a good ear and can catch on to his style quickly. At smaller venues, their tryout may be a stage performance to see if they t and understand the dynamics. All members live in Sonoma County.
Pirard, who uses an acoustic guitar with nylon strings, handles all vocals and writes about 35% of the songs, he says. Jimmy Inciardi, on sax and clarinet adds a dimension, and has been with Dgiin for years. “I like how the sax and voice can harmonize,” Pirard says. “When you play you create an environment. I love that. Part of it is the interaction with the band and the crowd. It’s a special moment where you can separate from everything in life. It’s a bit of a trance.”Dgiin has traveled to Northern California, Oregon, and Arizona, using a trailer that ts
the whole crew with instruments, “and the dog” Pirard adds. But these days he sticks close to home where he works part-time at Oliver’s Market, and, when
not performing, stays home nights to be with his ve-year-old daughter. Pirard, along with Inciardi, also play with the French Oak Gypsy Band, which focuses on swing music and a jazzier sound. This gives Pirard a chance to learn new chords and expand his musical horizons, while also studying music theory.
Dgiin plays regularly throughout the county. Twice voted “Best Band” by the North Bay Bohemian, their array of styles includes Flamenco, Latin, French Café, Reggae, and Funk.
By Date
Sep 28, 29, 30, Oct 1~ Sideways Left Edge TheatreA wine tasting road trip to salute the final days as a bachelor careens woefully sideways as two friends hit the gas en route to mid- life crises. Th, Fri and Sat at 8p and Sunday at 2p; Start at $25; Left Edge Theatre, Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa, leftedgetheatre.com/tickets/single- tickets, info@LeftEdgeTheatre.com
Sep 30~ National Theatre Live - 2017 Fall 3 Play Season - Rialto Cinemas - Yerma by Simon Stone after Federico Garcia Lorca; directed by Simon Stone starring Billie Piper 10a; 6868 McKinley St, Sebastopol, 707-525-4840, rialtocinemas. com, sebastopol@rialtocinemas.com
Story Slam - Tell true personal stories. Toss your name in the hat. 10 tellers max tell a 5 Minute-True Story based on evening’s theme or Ramdom Acts of Kindness. Everyone has a story. $10 / doors open at 7p, Sonoma Portworks, 613 Second St., Petaluma, 707-477-4416, davepokornypresents. com/west-side-stories
Oct 6 - Oct 15 ~ SRJC Theatre Arts Presents “It Can’t Happen Here”A cautionary dark satire about the fragility of democracy and how fascism can take hold even in the land of liberty; Tix: $10-$18 Parking $4, Santa Rosa Junior
College, 1501 Mendocino Avenue, Newman Auditorium, Emeritus Hall, Elliott Ave, Santa Rosa, 707- 527-4307, theatrearts.santarosa.edu/
Oct 13 – 15 ~ Dave Pokorny Presents: The Inaugural Wine Country Spoken Word Festival starring author Sarah Vowell, storyteller Bil Lepp & poet, Steve Connell. For dates and time .davepokornypresents. com/featured-events 613 Second St., Petaluma, 707-477-4416,
Oct 13 - Oct 29 ~ Quartet ~ Cinnabar Theater - From the author of The Dresser comes wickedly funny, joyous play about art, the eccentricities of age, and celebratory power of the human spirit. Fri & Sat 8p; Sun at 2p; $15 - $35, 707- 763-8920, tix4.centerstageticketing.com/ sites/cinnabar6/event-details.php?e=894
Oct 13 - Nov 5 ~ 6th Street Playhouse to Present Steel Magnolias -well-known story celebrating Southern sisterhood. $20 - $33, G.K. Hardt Theatre, 52 W 6th St, Santa Rosa, 707-486-7896, Anna Hecht, 6thstreetplayhouse. com/new-201718/gk-hardt-theatre/ steel-magnolias/?no_cache=1
Mystic Theatre - Study after study has proven that compassionate giving and benevolence are not only great for the recipient, but the giver as well. $10, 7:30p; Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, tickets.vendini.com/ticket-
62 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 10/17
Tezkatlipoka is a traditional Aztec dance circle and a community based performing arts dance group that promotes an appreciation and understanding of pre- Colombian art forms through traditional Aztec dance and music. Tezkatlipoka works towards integrating all dimensions of Mesoamerican dance, music, and performance art while honoring the cultural traditions left behind by our ancestors. Tezkatlipoka celebrates cultural diversity by exploring common links that bring and connect all people together in a celebration of movement, art, and life.
Tezkatlipoka will share indigenous Meso American culture through Aztec dance and drumming. The program begins by honoring the four directions, north, south, east and west and includes 4-5 dances.at Sonoma County Library.
Sep 30, 12p, Healdsburg, 139 Piper St. 707-433-3772.
Sep 30, 2p Windsor, 9291 Old Redwood Hwy 707-838-1020.
Oct 14, 11a, Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E St. 707-545-0831.
Oct 14, 2p, Rohnert Park Cotati Library, 6250 Lynne Conde Way 707-584-9121. Oct 20, 2:30p, Petaluma Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr 707-763-9801.
Oct 21, 12p, Sebastopol Library 7140 Bodega Ave, 707-823-7691.
Oct 21, 2:30p, Guerneville Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Rd, 707-869-9004. Oct 28, 12p, Roseland Library, 779 Sebastopol Rd, 707-548-7873.
Oct 4 ~ West Side Stories Petaluma -
Free, sonomalibrary.org/blogs/news/aztec-dance-and-drum
Oct 14 ~ Random Act of Kindness -