Gatos Trail Recording Studio Presents: Yucca Man Shakedown

Come celebrate the official start of summer at Gatos Trail Recording Studio's majestic desert property. Every year we showcase some of the artists that have passed through our studio doors plus a slew of other musician friends. So far this year we have BEL, Caleb De Casper, The Freeks, Brad Byrd, John Meeks , DJ Abe Tostado and The Xperimental Loungers featuring Algis Kizys (Swans), & Gatos Trail Owner - Dan Joeright (The Rentals) plus very special guests! Come gather with fellow fun seekers while listening to amazing music under the desert sun and stars ✨

Tacos and other treats will be provided by the fine folks at La Caguama

Please help us continue this annual event by donating a minimum of 25 USD for entry. Your contribution will help to offset production costs as well as show your love for the amazing musicians who will be performing. For more info or if you're interested in becoming a Sponsor CLICK HERE

PLEASE PRINT YOUR TICKET FOR EASY ENTRY

Carpooling is strongly encouraged and please respect the neighbors. Do not block anyone's driveway and please keep the noise down to and from your car. Thanks!

About this years performers:

BEL

Rarely does modern music earn the badge timeless, but BEL cuts through the noise. Hailing from the small town of Clovis, California, Isabel Whelan crafts nostalgic songs with honesty and attention to detail. She occupies the intersection of indie rock, pop, and folk, while taking cues from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Mazzy Star.

In 2022, BEL released her sophomore EP, Jet Lag, including collaborations with girlhouse and Boyish. The project received support from Sirius XM, Pandora playlist covers, Spotify, Apple, and several publications’ “Artists to Watch in 2023” lists. BEL spent all of 2023 playing her first festivals, touring direct support for artists Boyish, Gatlin, girlhouse, and more. She traveled to the UK and Europe in the summer, writing and playing shows across London and at the Reeperbahn Festival in Germany.

On November 10th, BEL released her latest EP, Read the Room, collaborating with producers Sean Silverman (Beach Weather), Day Wave, Jack Laboz, Jon Santana + more. The project received coverage from Rolling Stone, Ones To Watch, Raydar Mag and organic radio support from SiriusXMU, AltNation, and KCRW. The lead single “Are You Okay?” reached #1 on SiriusXMU in April/May 2023 and secured a spot on their top 41 songs of the year.

Along with new music underway, BEL is gearing up to support Cold War Kids and BAILEN in March 2024.

Caleb De Casper

From the horror cabaret and glam rock of his past to his current dark synthpop sound, Austin-based performer Caleb De Casper always brings a stunning in-your-face theatricality to his music and live shows. The classically trained pianist and vocalist stalks the stage in avant-garde gowns, vivid glam-on-acid makeup and the ever-present stiletto heels, confidently declaring that masculinity comes in many different forms.

Austin gave De Casper the space to flourish as a queer artist that he never found in his native North Carolina and immediately set to work proving wrong the former piano teacher who once told him, "As a gay songwriter, the world will never accept your voice or point of view". That voice and point of view was warmly received with 2019’s De Casper, which brought a glam rock feel (think Hedwig And The Angry Inch meets The Dresden Dolls with guitars) and the single “Good Boy” was a favorite Tiny Desk performance with NPR gushing, "This act will haunt your dreams for weeks."

The Freeks

• Ruben Romano; Drummer, creator of THE FREEKS and founding member of both stoner rock legends “Fu Manchu” & “Nebula”.
• Jonathan Hall; Lead guitar. The originator of LA’s smashing trio “Backbiter” as well as a hired gun for punk icons “Angry Samoans”.
• Ray Piller; On Bass, a Cleveland transplant, creator of the far out “Biblical Proof of U.F.O.’s”
• Robert Tripp; Keyboard warrior, synth oscillator who spent some time touring with Arcata, CA based Space Rockers “White Manna”
• And finally, the introduction of vocalist, for the first time ever, the Amazing Dancing Dr. Jackson Queens L.T.D. who we also some times call, Jason Huebner

Brad Byrd

Indie Rock, Alt Country, singer songwriter Brad Byrd already hit the ground running in '24 with a return to SXSW as an official artist for the second year in a row. Byrd's forthcoming single "Cold World" released on March 7th, and is garnering a buzz in the music community. It is poised to join the over 50+ tracks off Byrd's catalog to be featured on film & tv to date.

The songwriter and painter has logged many touring miles in his van in recent years, sharing the stage with the likes of Pete Yorn, Fantastic Negrito, Jesse Daniel, Jay Farrar (of Son Volt), and Paul McDonald to name a few. Along with consistent new releases and national touring; the songs off Byrd's extensive catalog have been receiving significant radio play, specifically on Nic Harcourt's morning show on KCSN in Los Angeles and on WXPN in Philly.

Be sure to stay tuned as Byrd continues to become an "Artist to Watch in '24".

John Meeks

It’s a lost and lonely road through desert nowhere. There are bleak reminders of what was. This town is a vacancy, faded sighs and signs, shadows of the voices that once filled the streets. The slow collapse of buildings, the languid march of time, clouds that threaten the blessing of rain. You’re driving, taming the escape of pavement. The pulse of music whispers out of your speakers. Loss and longing subdued on the southwestern canvas. Trumpets caress the landscape and set the scene for a voice, a voice familiar as the hard sun, it’s a voice as welcoming as home, yet as worn as travel. This is the music of John Meeks. – Alfred Howard