Dirty Cello at Sweetwater Music Hall

Hometown band Dirty Cello to rock Sweetwater Music Hall on Sept 16

Rebecca Roudman, leader of the band Dirty Cello grew up in Marin and still makes it her home base for her world traveling band. Recently back from their 13th European tour, the Dirty Cello band will be bringing their unique high energy version of rock, blues and Americana to the Sweetwater Music Hall.

The Dirty Cello band starts with Roudman’s highly skilled playing that has its roots in San Rafael. Growing up, Roudman was a cellist in the Dixie and Terra Linda School districts as well as the Marin Youth Orchestra. From there, she embraced a classical career as a member of the Oakland Symphony and Santa Rosa Symphony.

“After years of classical playing, I wanted to let my hair down, and do something with more passion, “ says Roudman. “The Dirty Cello band came from a desire to play music with less constraints, more energy, and frankly, more fun,” she says.

From very humble beginnings where the band played at coffee shops and were paid in pastries, the Dirty Cello band has gone onto extensive European touring, as well as tours to Asia and the middle east. Their recent Iceland tour began with an invitation from Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir, an Icelandic movie star, who had heard of the group, and wanted to feature them at her wedding. The wedding took place not far from the Arctic Circle, and the rest of the tour saw the band performing at traditional venues all over Iceland as well as a decidedly non-traditional show on a whale watching boat out at sea.

“We plugged a sound system into the boat’s power supply, dressed everyone in all weather gear and rocked out a show as we bobbed up and down looking for whales – we even had to tape the drumset down,” says Roudman. The band didn’t find any whales, but had a great time.

When the band performs, Rebecca’s virtuosic cello playing that got its start in Marin, comes to the fore with blistering fast solos, as well as her Janis Joplin-like vocals, all backed by a 5 piece band. “We play music people want to hear, 60’s covers, swanky blues tunes, and even a little Charlie Daniels.” says Roudman