January and February are great months in Eugene for upcoming concerts. Whether you’re looking to see a reggae group originating from Hawaii or a blues and R&B band who started out small, I’ve got the low-down on venues, prices and some of my favorite songs (just in case you’ve never heard them). Enjoy.
The California Honeydrops are a blues and R&B band from Oakland, Calif., that formed in 2007, starting out playing in subway stations around the city. With their growing popularity, the band has moved from its original acoustic street trio to a full band with piano and keyboards, electric bass and additional percussion. The Honeydrops will be playing at the WOW Hall on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Iration may have formed in Santa Barbara, Calif., but the members first became acquainted in Hawaii where they grew up together. They started out playing reggae covers in college towns before recording an EP in 2006. The band continued to build a reputation for their live performances and in 2007 released their first full-length album, which topped the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart. Since then, the band has been regularly producing new and satisfying music. Iration will be playing at the WOW Hall Feb. 4 at 7:45 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $16 in advance and $18 at the door.
Toad the Wet Sprocket might sound familiar from your childhood. The American alternative band formed in 1986. They worked hard at getting their name out there and finally achieved fame with their third album Fear, which was released in 1991. Though the band was officially broken up in 1998, they continued to work together off and on. The band started touring again in 2009 and has since released a new album, New Constellation.  Toad the Wet Sprocket will be playing at the WOW hall Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Excision is Jeff Abel, a dubstep producer and DJ from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Excision’s 2007 release, “No Escape,” kickstarted his career, shedding a new, more forceful light on the world of dubstep. In 2011, Excision toured the U.S. on the “Subsonic Tour.” This month, Excision embarks on his North American and Canadian tour, alongside his “Executioner” video and light production. He’ll also be bringing his 150,000 watt bass sound system from PK Sound. Excision will be playing at the McDonald Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and will be $35 at the door (if not sold out). General admission is open to ages 18+.