Coming to steal the top spot in the ever-changing Your Favorite Band This Week category are the Caravan of Thieves, a Connecticut-based group that will exponentially enlarge their heretofore invisible local fan base when they play Zoey's in Ventura on Saturday night. The ensemble's raucous Gypsy swing will test the limits of what can be done with acoustic instruments. Don't worry -- your feet will know what to do. And the cerebral part of you can take a trip down memory lane when the Thieves interpret Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" and maybe even "You Are My Sunshine."

Carrie and Fuzz Sangiovanni began as a duo, but gradually expanded the Thieves project into a full-fledged caravan with the addition of two more players. Their third and latest album is "The Funhouse." The second album was a live effort and the first one wasn't. Imagine Gogol Bordello quieter but just as energetic, or something like that. Fuzz Sangiovanni, the dude with the fuzzy dome, discussed the latest during a recent phoner. Read more »

The new Caravan of Thieves us called "The Funhouse" and it on UFO Records - that's United For Opportunity. It's acoustic gypsy swing and a whole lot of fun. This should've been one of my interview victims for Friday the 13th in the Time Out section, so this glowing testimonial/review will have to suffice. It's a husband and wife team - Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni - plus a couple of helpers making these retro, old timey-sounding foot tappers and yet another reason why music matters. You'll love "Live Forever," "Raise the Dead" and "Eat You" the first time and many times to follow This band is playing at Zoey's on 14 April - if you're not at Coachella, you should go.