Tha Dirt Feelin Brings a Positive and Upbeat Blend of Soulful Music to Davis

Marque Cass is the lead vocalist and songwriter of local band Tha Dirt Feelin. He is backed up by Evan Daly on lead guitar, Colin “CJ” Borges on rythm guitar and flute, Ali Sakkal on saxaphone, Alex Reiff on bass, Kevin Martinez and Martin Castillo on percussion.

How would you describe your sound?
Our music is, in my opinion, a very original and eclectic amalgamation of hip-hop, soul, and rock & roll. It is always upbeat, positive, and danceable. Our lyrical styles range from rapid-fire raps that may remind you of Bone Thugs ‘n Harmony or Three Six Mafia to soulful crooning that evokes Sam Cooke or Bill Withers.

How do you like playing in Davis, California?
Davis, California has opened its arms and hearts to us, and we are incredibly grateful. We have played at , G street Wunderpub, , , , , , Picnic Day, Whole Earth Festival, Theta Sorority, and countless house and block parties.  We could have never have gained so much experience and fan support without the unwavering love that Davis has shown us.

What are your favorite places to play live?
Sophias Thai Kitchen has such an intimate environment that it sometimes feels like the crowd is putting on a dance show for us! The Farmers Market is a lot of fun because the crowd is constantly refreshed by new people. But my all time favorite place to perform is Ciocolat on 3rd and B street because of Tony Villanueva's hospitality. I never get to eat as well as I do at Ciocolat gigs.

How would you describe the energy at shows in Davis compared to other places?
On a Saturday night, especially if it’s anywhere near finals time, Davis is way more happening than an outsider could possibly know. I have discovered that Davis is only as fun as the people that you meet, and I have been fortunate enough to have met people who know parties, throw parties, and are glad to bring the party with them.

Explain the name of your band. Do you plan on keeping it?
Funny story: a few years ago I bought a turtle and we wanted to decorate his terrarium to make him feel like a rockstar, but we only had so many letters left in our package of stickers. The only words that we could spell with what we had was "Tha Dirt Feelin," and it made us laugh so hard that we kept it. Nowadays, Tha Dirt Feelin strives to represent all things natural and organic, especially the human spirit. 

Do you have big plans for your band?
Our next big goal is to commit our 30 original songs to record. We have intentionally saved our material to give listeners what we hope to be the very best 80 minutes of music and videos to ever originate in Davis. We have already started recording.

Anything else you would like to add?
To see samples of our performances go to ThaDF.com or Facebook.com/ThaDirtFeelin, and thank you DavisPatch!