Ear Candle Productions

ECP1365 John Courage at the Lost Church, 082716

John Courage is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer based in Sonoma County. We captured this set at the Lost Church in San Francisco on August 27, 2016, when the venue was located in the Mission district before moving to North Beach.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1364 Community Center at the Hotel Utah, SF, December 2016

We captured this set at the Hotel Utah Saloon by visiting Baltimore band Community Center, who wowed us with a vast array of instruments and vocal harmonies. A decade later, it's difficult to find any trace of this band on the Internet, but their self-titled album is a gem, particularly the song Man On A Wire, which we keep in regular rotation on Ear Candle Radio.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1363 Mary Timony and Devin Ocampo at the Bottom Of The Hill, SF, 080305

Ear Candle Productions captures Mary Timony at the Bottom Of The Hill, SF, on August 3, 2005

Indie guitar virtuoso and singer-songwriter Mary Timony (formerly of Helium, later in Wild Flag and Ex Hex) performs a solo set with drummer Devin Ocampo at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill. We previously uploaded this as ECP0076, but found a very egregious spelling error of the drummer's name. Apologies to Devin Ocampo.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1362 Great American Robber Barons at the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert #6 

This is the third of 3 videos of the sixth installment of the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert series, held at Keith Dion’s groovy beach flat in San Francisco on July 11, 2026.

Keith Dion leads the Great American Robber Barons “Four Piece Trio” with Dave Doucet on bass, Willy Seekamp on lead guitar, and Corey Anderson Dansereau on trumpet through several of Keith’s originals (including a couple from his vast catalog we haven’t heard before!) and a favorite cover or two. Notably, Corey had not rehearsed and hadn’t played trumpet at all for months before this show. Nevertheless, he plunged right in gloriously.

Thanks to the Logic Pro stem splitter, we were able to boost Keith’s vocals, which were somewhat buried on the original video.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1361 Donovan Patrick Walsh at the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert #6 

This is the second of 3 videos of the sixth installment of the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert series, held at Keith Dion’s awesome beach flat in San Francisco on July 11, 2026. The second set features local folk singer Donovan Patrick Walsh, accompanied by his friend Cal Kaoola on violin on several original songs from his albums I Am An Irish Man and Living On The Run, plus an unexpected take on one familiar oldie.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1360 Lyra Blackthorne at the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert #6

This is the first of 3 videos of the sixth installment of the Dion Fortune Acoustic House Concert series, held at Keith Dion’s awesome beach flat in San Francisco on July 11, 2026. The first set features Lyra Blackthorne, aka Julietta Hay, singer-songwriter-guitarist of The Dead Sailor Girls playing solo and with Dead Sailor Girls lead guitarist Greg Ingraham. 

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1359 Jeff Belbey at the Rite Spot in San Francisco, CA on July 8, 2026, Tape 2

We captured a happy hour show at the Rite Spot Café in San Francisco with Jeff Belbey and Very Fine Company on July 8, 2026. This is tape 2 of 2. Sadly, our Hi-8 camera started losing battery power and the recording is imperfect and skips in places. But the spirit is there, so we present what we were able to capture here.

Jeff was one of our compatriots at the Hotel Utah open mic at the turn of the century. He specializes in deep catalog covers of his favorite songwriters across the spectrum of Americana and beyond.

His current band, Very Fine Company, consists of:

Jeff Belbey: Vocals and acoustic guitar

Felix Bannon: Lead guitar extraordinaire

Rick Walt: Bass guitar

Dean Cook: Drums

In this set, they performed:

1. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH (Stephen Stills/Buffalo Springfield)

2. CRY LOVE (John Hiatt)

3. GOOD THINGS (The BoDeans)

4. An original song by Felix Bannon

5. Part of FEELS LIKE RAIN (John Hiatt, made famous by Buddy Guy) (Tape cuts off prematurely)

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1358 Jeff Belbey at the Rite Spot, 070826, Tape 1

We captured a happy hour show at the Rite Spot Café in San Francisco with Jeff Belbey and Very Fine Company on July 8, 2026. This is tape 1 of 2.

Jeff was one of our compatriots at the Hotel Utah open mic at the turn of the century. He specializes in deep catalog covers of his favorite songwriters across the spectrum of Americana and beyond.

His current band, Very Fine Company, consists of:

Jeff Belbey: Vocals and acoustic guitar

Felix Bannon: Lead guitar extraordinaire

Rick Walt: Bass guitar

Dean Cook: Drums

In this set, they performed:

1. PANCHO & LEFTY (Townes Van Zandt) (Joined in progress)

2. CHILDISH THINGS (James McMurtry)

3. PROMISES (Richard Feldman-Roger Linn, made famous by Eric Clapton)

4. FOOLS IN LOVE (Joe Jackson)

5. RESTLESS (James McMurtry)

6. CLOSER TO FREE (The BoDeans)

7. PLEASE FORGIVE ME (David Gray)

8. BE YOUR MAN (Billy Strings)

9. LOVE THROW A LINE (Patty Griffin)

10. ANGEL (John Hiatt)

11. STOOD UP (John Hiatt)

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1357 Frightwig at Café Du Nord Sept 12, 2012, Camera 2

Ear Candle Productions presents Frightwig, San Francisco's premiere female punk band who first emerged in the 80s, reunited in the 21st century to bring their raucous, noisy challenging sound to a new generation.

Here they are on September 12, 2012 at the Café Du Nord in San Francisco, with original members Mia D'Bruzzi, Deanna Mitchell, and the much-missed Cecilia Kuhn, augmented by longtime collaborator Eric Drew Feldman on keyboards, and another founding member, Rachel Thoele, joining in for a song or two.

Here, on camera 2, we also get a brief appearance from opening act The VKTMS at the beginning.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1356 Frightwig at Café Du Nord Sept 12, 2012, Camera 1

Ear Candle Productions Presents Frightwig, San Francisco's premiere female punk band who first emerged in the 80s, reunited in the 21st century to bring their raucous, noisy challenging sound to a new generation.

Here they are on September 12, 2012 at the Café Du Nord in San Francisco, with original members Mia D'Bruzzi, Deanna Mitchell, and the much-missed Cecilia Kuhn, augmented by longtime collaborator Eric Drew Feldman on keyboards, and another founding member, Rachel Thoele, joining in for a song or two. This is camera 1.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1355 Erase Errata, Bottom Of The Hill, 102205, Cam 2

Ear Candle Productions captured Erase Errata at the Bottom Of The Hill on October 22, 2005. The three-piece lineup performed songs from their third album Night Life. J Neo Marvin handled Camera 2.

The band on this night consisted of: Jenny Hoyston Guitar and Vocals Ellie Erickson Bass Bianca Sparta Drums

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1354 Erase Errata, Bottom Of The Hill, 102205, Cam 1

Ear Candle Productions captured Erase Errata at the Bottom Of The Hill on October 22, 2005. The three-piece lineup performed songs from their third album Night Life. Davis Jones handled Camera 1.

The band on this night consisted of: Jenny Hoyston Guitar and Vocals Ellie Erickson Bass Bianca Sparta Drums

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1353 The Uptones at the Uptown, Oakland CA 080506 Camera 2

On August 5, 2006, several Bay Area bands came together at Oakland's Uptown to pay tribute to their former manager, Victor Ratto, who was also the co-owner of legendary East Bay venue Berkeley Square. Ear Candle Productions brought two cameras to capture the event. This is camera 2.

The Uptones began as a group of Berkeley high school friends who formed one of the first American ska bands in 1981. Fronted by guitarists Eric Din and Moose Lethridge and keyboardist Paul Jackson, the Uptones combine a conscious rootsy vibe with an exuberant party atmosphere and a three-piece horn section. Nobody bounce back like a skankin' fool!

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1352 The Uptones at the Uptown, Oakland CA 080506 Camera 1

On August 5, 2006, several Bay Area bands came together at Oakland's Uptown to pay tribute to their former manager, Victor Ratto, who was also the co-owner of legendary East Bay venue Berkeley Square. Ear Candle Productions brought two cameras to capture the event. This is camera 1.

The Uptones began as a group of Berkeley high school friends who formed one of the first American ska bands in 1981. Fronted by guitarists Eric Din and Moose Lethridge and keyboardist Paul Jackson, the Uptones combine a conscious rootsy vibe with an exuberant party atmosphere and a three-piee horn section. Nobody bounce back like a skankin' fool!

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1351 Penelope Houston and Pat Johnson at the Uptown, Oakland CA 080506 Camera 2

On August 5, 2006, several Bay Area bands came together at Oakland's Uptown to pay tribute to their former manager, Victor Ratto, who was also the co-owner of legendary East Bay venue Berkeley Square. Ear Candle Productions brought two cameras to capture the event. This is camera 2.

Penelope Houston is best known as the lead singer of pioneering San Francisco punks the Avengers, but she has also had a parallel career as a folk-rock singer-songwriter-autoharpist since the late 80s. Performing with Penelope was her sometime collaborator and solo artist in his own right Pat Johnson.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1350 Penelope Houston and Pat Johnson at the Uptown, Oakland CA 080506

On August 5, 2006, several Bay Area bands came together at Oakland's Uptown to pay tribute to their former manager, Victor Ratto, who was also the co-owner of legendary East Bay venue Berkeley Square. Ear Candle Productions brought two cameras to capture the event. This is camera 1.

Penelope Houston is best known as the lead singer of pioneering San Francisco punks the Avengers, but she has also had a parallel career as a folk-rock singer-songwriter-autoharpist since the late 80s. Performing with Penelope was her sometime collaborator and solo artist in his own right Pat Johnson.

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.

ECP1349 Thee Snake Charmers Variety Show at Muddy Waters, SF, Part 2, 061726

Thee Snake Charmers put on a show with loads of talented guests at Muddy Waters, a coffee house in San Francisco’s Mission District. The band played a set that ranged from their older material to some new numbers from their latest song cycle in progress. The members of the band are:

Jesse Walkershaw: Bass and vocals

Connie Walkershaw: Saxophones and vocals

Sam Kellereman: Drums

Joining the trio at various points in the second half of the show were:

Rado Randriamomonjy: Guitar

Sasha Waniewski: Accordion

Zach Mattocks: Guitar and vocals

Oliver Levi: Violin

Ear Candle Productions is a small music label, video production, and eLearning website. We also have a free, 24/7 global Ear Candle Radio program designed to bring creative ideas to the worldwide public at large.