April 30 A-E Source: Dirty Cello performing multiple shows in Napa

In the past 15 years, Dirty Cello has traveled to more than 12 countries, including China and Iceland, playing an array of genres from rock to Americana, from blues to bluegrass.

Dirty Cello returns to Napa County to make its their third appearance at Native Sons of the Golden West on Friday, at 7 p.m.

The performance will be a concert to kick off the "Not Loud Concerts" summer music festivals held at Napa Yard.

"We've performed at a lot of music festivals, and there are a lot of things not to like about them, said Rebecca Roudman, lead singer and cellist for Dirty Cello. "There are a lot of crowds, there are a lot of lines, and port-a-potties. At these (Not Loud Concert) summer festivals, it's gonna be casual fun without the crowds or the lines."

"Not Loud Concerts" - a set of concerts that are "not too loud, not too long and not too expensive" - will hold monthly themed shows throughout the summer on June 7, July 19, and Aug. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Each show will feature two bands, including Dirty Cello, where they will play on stage at the same time and trade songs back and forth.

"At most festivals, people will usually have to wait for each act at a time," says Rouman. "Here, we'll both be playing at the same time."

Dirty Cello's Friday performance will feature Roudman, Andrew Zuniga on drums, Jason Eckl on guitar, and Brandon Voss on bass.

Audiences can expect an eclectic mix of covers from fan favorites and original songs, including music from their latest album "By the Seat of Our Pants," released in February.

One of the songs Roudman will be performing is "The Roadie Song," which she wrote after multiple encounters with unruly audience members while on tour.

"We play a lot of summer festivals and summer concerts in the park. Recently, what we've noticed is that some of the audiences have been misbehaving," said Roudman.

She playfully added, "Not all of them, but some of them."

One of those instances came during their performance at a concert in a park in Sausalito. Roudman said while she was singing, a woman had approached the stage and held out a bearded dragon.

At first, Roudman smiled to acknowledge her but thought nothing of it. But then...

"She took the bearded dragon and released it on stage. We're in the middle of a song, I already move a lot on stage, so we had to stop what we're doing and chase this little frightened bearded dragon off the stage," she said.

Another instance Roudman recalled was when they were playing at a different festival, when she was lying out on stage.

"I was lying on stage, playing my violin, since I do a lot of stuff like that. A woman came up to me, shoved her fingers in my hair, and started massaging my head. It was very strange," she said.

Other songs that will be performed include "Don't Call Me Honey" - an original song that Roudman wrote after feeling demeaned by a loan agent who would call her "honey" and "sweetie" - and covers such as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

Her previous experience performing with the Oakland and Santa Rosa symphony orchestras has prepared her to play fast-paced bluegrass songs where she will play the cello and switch to the violin while singing.

"Without the technique I used as a classical player, I don't think I would have been able to do that," said

Most recently, she learned to play Van Halen's "Eruption."

Although Roudman is classically trained, she said she created Dirty Cello as a way of exploring a different avenue.

"I wanted to let my hair down and do something a little different. Classical wasn't really my first love," said Roudman.

With no setlist to dictate the performance, Roudman said they have memorized 80 songs ready to play on the fly. That way, each audience gets a different show every time.

"It's a mixed bag. If people are digging more Blues, then it'll become a Blues set. Or if people are enjoying more Rock, we'll do more of that. Each concert is a different experience, and you'll never get the same thing twice," said Roudman.

Tickets for the Friday performance are $28.52. To purchase tickets for the May 1 performance, visit: dirtycellonapa.eventbrite.com

Additionally, to learn more information about the upcoming summer "Not Loud Concerts" festivals, visit: NotLoudConcerts.com

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