PORT ANGELES — The all Native American blues/rock band, “Indigenous” will perform at Studio Bob, 118½ Front St., today at 8 p.m.
The band has shared the stage with B.B. King, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, the Indigo Girls, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews Band and Los Lonely Boys, among others. Indigenous also routinely headlines concerts.
Admission costs $18, and tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com.
Indigenous borrows influence and inspiration from Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana. Around the late 1990s, the band cultivated a following and name of its own.
In 1999, Indigenous won three Native American Music Awards for their debut record, including two top honors: Album of the Year and Group of the Year. The track “Now That You’re Gone” peaked at No. 22 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
Amazon also named Indigenous Blues Artist of the Year.
The band has been featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “CBS Saturday Morning” and “Austin City Limits.” B.B. King became a self-proclaimed fan and invited the band to join his Blues Festival Tour.
The band now includes Mato Nanji, Bronson Begay and Douglas Platero. However, the original family band included two brothers (Mato Nanji and Nanji Pte), a sister (Wanbdi) and a cousin (Horse).
The Nakota Nation members grew up on South Dakota’s Yankton Indian Reservation, and followed in the footsteps of Nanji’s father, musician Greg Zephier, Sr.
Zephier introduced his children to the great blues musicians and taught them to play their respective instruments. Indigenous’ latest CD, “Vanishing Americans,” pays homage to Zephier and all indigenous youth.
For more information about tonight’s concert, visit Upstage’s website, http://www.go2openlive.com/upstage-presents.html.
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Reporter Sarah Sharp can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at ssharp@peninsula dailynews.com.
