www.montereycountynow.com September 5-11, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 25 MUSIC The second session of Reggae on the Row, this time featuring I-Taweh and Kulcha Knox, just wrapped up at Wave Street Studios. Jazz pianist Javier Santiago is up next, scheduled to perform on Sept. 17. Santiago will be followed by an improv comedy troupe and then it’s back to music. The diverse lineup fulfills what Wave Street owner Rhett Smith has always recognized as the studio’s potential. “My goal is to be a mini Austin City Limits,” he says. “The goal is to have viewers around the world looking forward to this small club setting.” The multipurpose studio just above Cannery Row is not new. Neither is the broad range of artists. Through the Wave Street Live YouTube channel, Smith has presented everything from yoga classes to musical sets since 2008. What has changed is the emphasis on live acts for the general public. Preceding the reggae show in August was Scott Amendola’s SticklerPhonics, a trio that follows few genre rules—if any. There was a cabaret titled “Love is in the Air.” Before that, Destiny Muhammad, who styles herself as a “harpist from the hood” but is better known for sculpting feathery waves of sound, took the stage. The room can be set up without seats—as it was for reggae—allowing for an audience of just over 100, or as an intimate setting with 65 seated inside and another 35 on the patio. For Smith, the “music first” atmosphere sets Wave Street apart from the restaurant and bar scene. “There’s a lot of energy wrapped up in that audience,” Smith observes. The springboard for Wave Street’s steady entertainment offerings is the new Type 90 liquor license granted to Smith earlier this year that allows him to serve beer and wine during performances, something he was only able to do for private events in the past. He foresees Wave Street as a natural stop for national touring acts in all genres, as well as a stage for top local talent. “Some genres do well,” Smith says, noting that reggae sold out. One of his goals is for people to think, “Wave Street booked them, so they’re probably pretty good” and take a chance. “It’s a challenge,” Smith says of his want list. “But without the license, the answer would be ‘Not even possible.’” Features editor Dave Faries contributed to this report. Wave Street Studios is at 774 Wave St., Monterey. 655-2010, wavestreetlive.com, sites.google.com/view/ wavestreetstudios. DANIEL DREIFUSS Studio Audience Wave Street is finally able to expand its programming, enabled by a new type of liquor license. By Sloan Campi “The point of coming here is to see the music,” Rhett Smith says of Wave Street Studios, which he hopes to develop into a regular stop for touring groups. DTOHNE NB EL LALC YK S 8940 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel www.folktalewinery.com Tickets E mGmuyi nAe sws aWr do-rWl d i Rn ne ci no rg d& SEpTEmBER 12TH
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