Britt Govea brings new folks to the forefront with (((folkYEAH!)))
Even at the most packed of rock shows it is the promoter who is easiest to spot. Purposefully striding to and fro across the room, weaving through dense pockets of blissed-out music lovers, the promoter is often the one to make sure all is running on schedule, that performers and audience alike are happy, and that the vibe is just right.
Britt Govea, founder and sole proprietor of the heavily punctuated, Big Sur-based production company (((folkYEAH!))), is the region's rising star of the profession. He is also just as easy to identify as, say, Bill Graham would probably be. Under a shock of frizzy brown hair and brandishing a reassuring, relaxed smile, Govea gives me a warm handshake as I arrive at one of his shows. "Hey man, make yourself comfortable. I'll be with you in 15," he says. A voice in the distance calls, "Britt!" and he hurries off to solve some hang-up.
(((folkYEAH!))), which Govea founded three years ago, has quickly become one of the premiere brands for independent shows on our slice of the central coast, as well as in the Bay Area. The aesthetic is clever and clear—shows Govea puts on tend to lean towards the psychedelic and eclectic, the weird and the underrepresented. Show fliers are always San Francisco acid-rock throwback, replete with trippy bubble lettering and natural imagery. The bands he books are a different story—from Will Oldham, the freak-folk progenitor who is the whole reason for Govea's operation, to the heavy, doomy stoners of Om, to Pixies ex-frontman Frank Black, the groups celebrate any number of musical traditions.
"It's basically just my record collection," Govea remarks on his guiding aesthetic, as soon as he has a moment to catch his breath. "That's who I'm willing to do this for, because it's a ton of work." Govea is also a supporter of local bands—groups like Birds Fled From Me, the Vox Jaguars, and El Sonido have all graced his lineups.
Though he insists that (((folkYEAH!))) is still "a hobby," Govea’s frequent local offerings and Big Sur festivals are starting to turn into something of an institution. His first outdoor festival at Big Sur (following several indoors at the Fernwood Resort), a benefit for stricken local fire departments after the devastating forest fires of this past June, was a success by all accounts. "The biggest thing is that everyone's really happy, really carefree, and able to enjoy the music," says Evan Reese, guitarist for San Francisco's Sleepy Sun (who Govea has hooked up with the legendary Sixto Rodriguez for a Great American Music Hall show). "Everyone was having a good time, the weather was amazing, and we got to play outside in front of this amazing backdrop of Big Sur, the mountains and the forest. It was a once in a lifetime experience."
Govea concurs. "The vibe at Big Sur is unbeatable," he says. "Doesn't matter where you're coming from or where you're going, it's just kind of a time to drop out and get in touch with a side of yourself that you tend to lose in the city. So yeah, it's a super special place."
As the show winds down, Govea seems content, if still busy. "Enjoying yourself?" he inquires over the Rhodes-y groove of Brightblack Morning Light. When I answer in the affirmative, he looks satisfied. "They're a whole other world," he says. That may or may not be—the Atlanta four-piece starts sounding a bit repetitive to a painfully sober music writer after a few songs. What is indisputable is that Govea has begun to create a musical world all his own.
(((folkYEAH!))) presents HeCuba with Pit Er Pat and Birds Fled From Me at 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel, Santa Cruz. $8/adv, $10/door. 429-6994. For more information check out FolkYeah.com.
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