Bakersfield dreaming

California and country music go together like, well, certainly better than whiskey and car keys do. One songwriter who has a profound appreciation for the Golden State’s fine country-music tradition (Buck, Merle, Wynn) is Dave Alvin, formerly of the Downey-based roots-rock act the Blasters. Since leaving that esteemed band, Alvin has recorded a skein of fine albums for the HighTone label, including his latest, Public Domain, on which he covers 16 classic folk songs old enough to be in, well, the public domain. Alvin comes to the Palms Playhouse, 726 Drummond in Davis, Tuesday, Nov. 14., with his acoustic band, which includes Rick Shea (a fine songwriter himself who opens the show, solo) on guitar, mandolin and pedal steel, Brantley Kearns on bass and Bobby Lloyd Hicks on drums and percussion. The show starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $16 at the door. For info, call (530) 756-9901.