Photo: Rebecca Roudman of Dirty Cello.

Article by Steve Hellman

​The San Francisco band, Dirty Cello, returns to Willits Community Theatre on Saturday January 28 at 7:30pm with its showcase mix of high-energy blues, bluegrass, and rock standards. With its most unique spin, Dirty Cello is certainly cello like you’ve never heard before. Led by the vivacious crossover cellist, Rebecca Roudman, the four-piece band plays familiar covers, with a virtuosic mix of down-home blues to the foot-stomping bluegrass and heart-thumping rock hits. Besides Roudman on cello, fiddle and vocals, the quartet includes Jason Eckl on guitar, bassist Colin Williams and drummer Cory Aboud.

From Italy to China, and all over the United States, Dirty Cello has been wowing audiences with their funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, fiercely rhythmic, and textured sounds. The band moves seamlessly between blues to bluegrass and rock in an uncommon way that shouldn’t make sense–but somehow does. Their rendition of the Jimi Hendrix “Purple Haze” has been termed “incredible.” Music journalist Nick Diamantides says, “When lead guitar is replaced by the sound of hot licks on a cello, blues, rock and bluegrass rise to a new dimension. Dirty Cello makes its style of string music to inspire audiences to swing, sway and dance.”

​Roudman says the band’s return engagement to WCT after sold-out shows in 2019 and 2018 is a moment for renewed excitement. “We hope to make our show a lot like the town of Willits itself — fun, casual, and a bit quirky!”

​Advance tickets are $20 and available online at: wctperformingartscenter.org or at the door until sold out. The WCT playhouse is located at 37 W. Van Lane (behind Shanachie Pub).