David Byrne, Carlos Santana, James Taylor, and Bob Dylan.
I could stop right there and the upcoming Santa Barbara Bowl season would be pretty impressive, but as a recent chat with the venue’s programming maestro Moss Jacobs revealed, those legendary big-name superstars are really just scratching the surface of the eclectic season of shows he’s got in store for us.
In developing the programming for Santa Barbara, which he’s been doing for more than three decades, Jacobs says his dominating impact or influence is the variety. “My attempts to make sure there’s a wide range of music being presented, and within the context of that, there would be certain things that, if I can go chase or get if it fits into that pattern. … It’s always a balancing act. December, January, February and March are this ongoing balancing act.”
This year’s season kicks off on April 7-8 with two shows from Disclosure, one of dance music’s most successful production teams. An English electronic music duo of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, they are known for their pop-oriented synthesis of multiple styles, including house, garage, dubstep, and bass, along with well-timed vocal collaborations. They’ll be playing Coachella the weekend after their Santa Barbara stop, which gives you some idea of the level of appeal this group has.
Another Coachella connection is David Byrne, who brings his Who Is the Sky Tour to Santa Barbara on April 14, the Tuesday between his two appearances at the festival in the desert. A Variety review of the former Talking Heads front man’s tour called it, “Essential…. In his oddly understated way, David Byrne is one of the most electrifying musicians of the last 50 years.”
“David Byrne is like a phenomenal event, and I’m super excited for that show,” says Jacobs.
Singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, whose sparkling melodies and danceable grooves yielded four multi-platinum hits on his debut album Nine Track Mind pays us a visit on April 25.
Charlie Puth (left) and James Taylor | Credit: Courtesy, Carl Perry
Then, on May 6, we get an evening with the legendary James Taylor, which, as Jacobs puts it, “is obviously such a cool show” that it hardly needs an introduction. Taylor’s warm baritone and distinctive guitar playing have been moving audiences for more than 50 years. As I wrote in my review in 2025, “Truly — it’s almost impossible to be sad at a James Taylor concert. He hits the sweet spot every time.” I look forward to singing along once again.
Comedic New Zealanders Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement bring their Flight of the Conchords to the Bowl the next night, May 7, followed by indie rock band Lord Huron on June 2.
Lord Huron (left) and The Black Keys | Credit: Courtesy
The ever-broadening musical palette of The Black Keys comes to the Bowl on June 13. They’ll be followed on June 17 by what is certainly one of the biggest coups of the season — Bob Dylan with special guests Lucinda Williams and her band, The John Doe Folk Trio. Not only is Dylan a legend, but Jacobs is particularly excited about the special guests. “I love John Doe and I love Bob Dylan. I would have never come up with it, but it’s a brilliant move. What a perfect match-up of similar personalities, but from a completely different end of the spectrum.”
More shows are coming in June, Jacobs assures me, but currently up next is an evening of comedy on July 17 with Gabriel Fluffy Iglesias. The multi-platinum Southern California favorites Young the Giant return on July 18, with special guests Cold War Kids and Kennyhoopla. The following night is Rainbow Kitten Surprise, an indie alt-rock band that was mesmerizing on stage at last year’s Ohana Festival.
Young the Giant (left) and Rainbow Kitten Surprise | Credit: Courtesy
Comedian Trevor Noah is up next, with two nights of insightful laughs on August 1-2. “Comedy does well in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara loves comedy,” says Jacobs. While in the old days, comedians didn’t like to play outdoors, “George Lopez kind of broke the mold, and his agent, who was kind of adventurous in putting George in this community a number of times, proved that that the Bowl is perfect for comedy. … Now, I try to have a couple of comedy acts every year. It’s just nice to have a little bit of a different thing.”
Roots musician Sierra Ferrell — who captivated Campbell Hall in 2024 (see Joe Woodard’s review here) and has only gone on to greater acclaim — will be here on August 6. She’ll be followed by the return of Tedeschi Trucks Band (who were here in 2024) on August 13. Also just added that week is the double bill of two eclectic bands, 311 (a fusion of rock, reggae, funk, and rap) and Dirty Heads (who mix hip-hop, reggae, and rock) on August 16.
Train (of “Hey Soul Sister” and “Meet Virginia” fame) celebrates 25 years of their multi-platinum 2001 album Drops of Jupiter on August 22 with special guests Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson.
September is jam-packed with great shows. I have it on good authority that as we go to press, it will be revealed that Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds (formerly Sturgill Simpson) are bringing their new Mutiny After Midnight tunes to the Bowl on September 9. Despite being released only in physical formats (vinyl, CDs, and cassettes) the album was number three on the Billboard 200 when it was released in March.
Then we’ve got two nights of Santana on September 12 and 13, which Jacobs was quick to point out as a season highlight. “Getting Carlos to come back after 18 years. That’s pretty phenomenal. And that he personally was as interested as we were in reuniting.”
He continued, “Carlos once described the Bowl as his temple. And so always in my pursuit of him for, like, the last 18 years was, ‘You’ve got to come back to the temple, man.’”
Just a few days later, on September 18, another iconic group hits the stage — Earth, Wind & Fire. More than just a band, Earth, Wind & Fire are a music institution and generations of fans have enjoyed their blend of jazz and R&B since they first rose to fame in the 1970s.
Adding some youth to the September mix (on the 19th) is 16-year-old Freya Skye, who first came to fame at age 13, representing the U.K. in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. This past year she’s amassed more than 1.5 billion streams of her music and garnered millions of new social media followers around the world. Her latest release, “silent treatment,” has amassed more than 40 million streams, securing a Top 20 position at U.S. Pop Radio and earning her recognition as iHeart Radio’s “On the Verge” artist. Her debut EP, stardust, arrived in February, just ahead of her sold-out, headlining Stars Align tour coming our way this fall.
Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile’s star continues to rise, and she’s now an 11-time Grammy Award winner as well as being named one of Time’s Women of the Year in 2026. She brings The Human Tour to the Bowl on September 20.
Brandi Carlile (left) and Alabama Shakes | Credit: Courtesy
Lighting up the stage on September 25 is Alabama Shakes, whose legacy continues to grow, as do the talents of vocalist/guitarist Brittany Howard, guitarist Heath Fogg, and bassist Zac Cockrell, who reunited in the studio and released a new single, “Another Life,” last year.
Santa Barbara favorite Jack Johnson gifts us with two shows, October 3-4, as part of his SURFILMUSIC TOUR, with special guest G. Love, celebrating his love of surfing, filmmaking, and writing many of the songs that shaped his career.
Just announced last week is the return of Jungle, on October 9. Their live performances are a dance party in and of themselves; they definitely bring the fun wherever they go.
Jacobs says there are several more shows still to be announced, so keep an eye out at sbbowl.com for additions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.