Sun, Dec 27, The Vespertines

The Vespertines doesn’t stick too long with one genre in any of their songs. The group seems to float effortlessly from jazz to rock to reggae to dub. Vocalist Vanessa Acosta’s voice is powerful and soulful, with a bit of Gwen Stefani thrown in. Not the crappy 2006 version, more like the Tragic Kingdom Stefani, but more pensive. Plus she also plays the trumpet, and that’s just awesome. It’s hard to imagine how a group could feel raw and sound refined at the same time, but the Vespertines manage that duality. This is the perfect show to follow a long day of snowboarding in Tahoe or to zone out to after a family-infused holiday. 594 Main Street in Placerville; www.myspace.com/thevespertines.