The Devil Makes Three-the Santa Cruz-based Americana trio that will be headlining UCSC's April 17 Reunion Weekend celebration with an evening concert at the Rio Theatre-has been compared to everyone from Steve Earle to the Violent Femmes to the White Stripes.
"We like to say that we do to American music what The Pogues did to Irish music," said standup bass player Lucia Turino. "We take traditional music like country, blues, and bluegrass, put our own spin on it, and make it more rock & roll."
The Rio concert-capping the Saturday alumni and community celebration at UCSC-will be a homecoming of sorts for Turino, who tours with the band more than 100 dates a year. Now 29, she first moved to Santa Cruz from Vermont in 1998 to attend UCSC, and lived in town until 2005.
Turino noted that coming to UCSC was a big transitional step in her life as it was the first time she had ever left home.
"UC Santa Cruz was a great place to get my bearings and get on my feet as an adult," said Turino. "I felt very safe and comfortable there, even though I was 3,000 miles from home."
The Devil Makes Three formed in 2002 when her friends from Vermont--guitarist/frontman Pete Bernhard and guitarist Cooper McBean--had their truck break down while on a Pacific Northwest tour.
"I lent them my truck and when they returned it, they decided to stay in Santa Cruz," said Turino. "I had always toyed with the idea of playing bass, and I somehow managed to convince them to teach me how to play."
"I didn't really know what I was getting into," she added. "I just thought I'd learn to play an instrument. But Pete and Cooper had a lot of talent and drive, and the whole thing just took off."
After the release of their Do Right Wrong CD last year, the band has gone from playing bars and small venues to larger clubs, concert halls and theaters, as well as festivals such as South by Southwest.
Turino said the trio has plans to open for Trampled by Turtles at 1500-seat clubs in the Midwest in the near future, and is also set to play at the popular Bonnaroo music festival this summer.
"We just want to keep touring; we want to make traditional American music fun again," said Turino. "I love when we're playing a show where people are up dancing."
"We've never played a show for UCSC before, although we've played in Santa Cruz a lot," she added. "This will be our first time."
Luica Turino will perform with The Devil Makes Three in a special UCSC concert at the Rio Theater, Saturday, April 17, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 in advance, $23 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased at: ucsc.edu/daybythebay. For more information, call (831) 459-5003.
