ON Culture: Roger Daltrey, Magnum P.I., Elsbeth, and Other Icons

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This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on May 15, 2026. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

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ON the Stage (Music)

Rock legend and recently knighted Sir Roger Daltrey — of the iconic band The Who — just announced that he’s coming to the Santa Barbara Lobero for a solo show on September 1. 

“Put Roger Daltrey on a stage and he’s going to rock,” said U.S.A. Today of his 2024 solo tour. The 2026 dates will spotlight Daltrey’s unmistakable voice and deep catalog, blending iconic selections from his remarkable solo material, reimagined cover songs, and Who rarities. 

Tickets will be on-sale June 2 online only via the Lobero App or the Insider Access E-Newsletter list. Please see Lobero.org to subscribe to the newsletter for first access to tickets. 

This is a particularly iconic year for music in Santa Barbara. Not only is Daltrey coming in the fall, but we just had the incomparable James Taylor at the Bowl (read Joe Woodard’s review here) and David Byrne just a few weeks earlier (see my review here). And the hits just keep on coming. Christopher Cross is coming to the Lobero on June 5, Shawn Colvin will be there August 9, the Cowboy Junkies on September 20, and the Wallflowers on October 14 — and that’s all in addition to Judy Collins, who will grace us with her wonderful presence on September 27 at the Lobero. (I have an interview with her coming when the show gets a little closer. She’s incredible.) 

The Lobero also announced, just as I was turning in this newsletter, that Rickie Lee Jones, one of my all-time favorite artists, is coming on October 4. Click here for info on those shows and more. 

The Palm Tree Music Festival returns in October with a two-day lineup including headliners Kygo (Palm Tree Crew cofounder), as well as The Chainsmokers, T-Pain, and Zedd, alongside additional sets by The All-American Rejects, Loud Luxury, Natalie Jinju, Frank Walker, and Myles O-Neil. 

Held once again at the Santa Barbara Polo Fields & Racquet Club, the October 10-11 festival also features bespoke cocktails, samplings of cool products, and other types of immersive activations from a variety of brands. See palmtreemusicfestival.com/events for information. 

Eddie’s back, doing not just one night solo but a second night with Pearl Jam at the 10th anniversary edition of Ohana Festival taking place September 25-27 at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. The lineup also includes Tyler Childers, Maná, Alabama Shakes, Billy Idol, the Pixies, Bad Religion, and Jon Batiste, among others. Click here for tickets and more information.

Marking the 90th birthday of the incomparable Philip Glass, UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Philip Glass and The Poets on Sunday, May 17, at 7 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. Celebrating Glass’s longstanding collaborations with poets, the evening features renowned Glass interpreter and composer Timo Andres and theater artist and MacArthur fellow Taylor Mac. Throughout his career, Philip Glass has drawn inspiration from poets’ words and lives. In particular, his friendship with American beat poet Allen Ginsberg spawned multiple collaborations, and this evening will include previously unreleased recordings of Ginsberg reading his poetry set to some of Glass’s most intimate chamber music, performed by members of the San Francisco Girls’ Chorus. Choreographer and performer Lucinda Childs performs poetry from Glass’s 1976 opera Einstein on the Beach. Click here for more information and listen to the Airtime Podcast interview here. 

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ON the Page

Iconic TV star Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I., Blue Bloods) joins Ted Danson, another iconic TV star (Cheers, The Good Place) in conversation about Selleck’s new book — a memoir titled You Never Know — in what promises to an interesting and entertaining conversation from these two heavyweight performers. They starred together in Three Men and a Baby and will reunite at the Granada on Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Click here for tickets, which include a signed copy of Selleck’s book. 

While we’re on the subject of books, our social media team of Maya Johnson and Andrew Migliaccio had some great coverage of the Culinary Storytellers panel at the recent Santa Barbara Literary Festival (view here). I was so impressed with the whole festival. It was a huge, ambitious undertaking and they pulled it off. Read my report, “Take-One: The Santa Barbara Literary Festival Delivers,” here. 

The melding of food and poetry takes center stage once again on Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at Chaucer’s Books, with featured readings from A Feast for Santa Barbara, the latest work edited by Santa Barbara Poet Laureate (and longtime Independent contributor) George Yatchisin. The book (see our story here) contains literary morsels from more than 100 Santa Barbara area poets, celebrating the diverse farming, dining, and drinking in our community.

Featured readers at the May 20 event are: Cie Gumucio, Rebecca Horrigan (another longtime Independent contributor), Simon Kiefer, Lillian Kurosaka, Monica Mody, Juliana Moore, Enid Osborn, Elizabeth Pérez, Ariel Phoenix, and Valerie Zell.

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ON the (Small) Screen

On my rare nights at home, one of my favorite shows to completely decompress with is Elsbeth — a howdunit, as opposed to whodunit, network procedural comedy show now in its third season on CBS. Based on Carrie Preston’s hilarious character Elsbeth Tascioni (originally from The Good Wife and The Good Fight), the show is set in New York, and the list of guest stars ranges from Matthew Broderick to Patti LuPone, Steve Buscemi, Steven Colbert, and on and on. They get such big names because the writing is so good! 

I recently listened to a Los Angeles Times Q&A with the creators (view here) that fans of the show will find fascinating. In addition, fun local tie-in: Elsbeth Showrunner Jonathan Tolins is the author of the play Buyer & Cellar, which opens Ensemble Theatre Company’s next season Oct. 7-25. It’s a one-man show about an out-of-work actor who lands the strangest gig of his life: working in the private shopping mall that Barbra Streisand built in the basement of her Malibu estate. What begins as a surreal job becomes an unexpected friendship as he navigates the absurd reality of playing shopkeeper to one of the world’s biggest stars. Read more about that here. 

ON the Air

Worth checking out: the New York Times’s collection of the 30 Best American Songwriters playlist on Spotify. Link here. Bob Dylan — who is coming to the Santa Barbara Bowl on June 17 — has five songs on this admittedly subjective best list: “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Tangled up in Blue,” “Isis,” “Every Grain of Sand,” and “Nettie Moore.” 

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ON the Horizon

Get into the sunny spirit while it’s still spring. The Summer Solstice Celebration hosts its second annual Summer Solstice Soirée on Friday, May 23. Held at a private Montecito estate, this colorful fun event brings together artists, supporters, and community members for an afternoon of art, performance, music, and fundraising in support of the organization’s year-round arts programming. In addition to a live and silent auction with items including artwork by noted artists like Larry Vigon and Stephen Holland, guests will enjoy live acoustic music by Quique Hernandez-Black, and performances by Electricirque and La Bohème, plus local wines, craft beverages, and curated bites from area restaurants. 

“This gathering is really about celebrating art, connection, and the spirit of Solstice,” said Executive Director Penny Little in a statement about the event. “It’s an opportunity for the community to come together in a beautiful setting while helping ensure this beloved tradition continues to thrive for generations to come.” For more information and tickets see solsticeparade.com/gala.

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ON the Walls

Organized by the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture (SBCOAC) and spanning both the Channing Peake Gallery and the Santa Barbara City Hall Gallery is a new multi-venue exhibition highlighting the past and present of muralism in Santa Barbara County. Scaling the Walls debuts seven new murals by local schools, nonprofits, and artists and examines muralism’s cultural impact and evolution over the last century and highlights its continued role as a community-centered artform. The dual-gallery format brings together artists and organizations from across Santa Barbara County and reflects on contemporary approaches to public art. 

“Throughout its history, mural art has served as a tool for cultural representation, community engagement, and the celebration of shared identity,” said curator Tom Pazderka of SBACO in a statement about the exhibit. “Scaling the Walls connects these roots to SantaBarbara County’s current public art landscape, where more than 100 murals exist in Santa Barbara alone and many more across the region.” Click here for more information. 

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ON the Stage (Theater)

Bodies Unbound, a one-woman theater piece written and performed by Cynthia Waring, tells the story of an unexpected life. “Powerful, expressive, and moving … the audience cannot help pondering issues of personal growth and transformation,” was the review from New Perspectives about the show, which is coming to the REH Contemporary Gallery (artist Ruth Hoag’s new gallery at 12 W. Anapamu St.) on Saturday, May 16, and Saturday, May 30, both at 2 p.m. 

Here’s the show’s description: “Without intending to do so, Cynthia’s career has included more than 30,000 massages. Hence, she witnessed a wealth of human dramas few people can claim. Her journey uncovered the subtle and often brutal forces governing each of us. These stories remind us of our own — and how revealing them leads to healing. Bodies Unbound demonstrates the universal paradox — the only way to freedom is not by escaping our demons, but by courageously taking them on. And the humor, without a trace of meanness, leaves us laughing out loud with each unexpected twist and turn of life. The show is pay what you can, with a suggested donation of $20-$40. For reservations call (805) 798-2930 or email cynthiawaring22@gmail.com. 

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ON the (Big) Screen

Santa Barbara International Film Festival just announced the third year of the Filmmaker Fund for Santa Barbara filmmakers. Offered in partnership with The Veraison Fund, this is a unique opportunity that helps foster independent filmmakers in Santa Barbara County. Four filmmakers will be selected to receive up to $10,000 each to help fund their film. The 2027 winners will be announced during the 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival February 3-13, 2027.

The deadline to apply is September 4. For more information, and to apply, visit sbiff.org/filmmakerfund. 

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ICYMI

Not Just Another Brick (and Mortar) in the Wall: Riviera Music rocks onto the Santa Barbara music scene.

Radio Daze: Zeb Norris, veteran KTYD voice dating back 50 years, returns to town and airwaves as “Morning Mojo” man.

Review | Charlie Puth’s a Crowd Pleaser in His New Hometown

Eye on the Eye of Jeff Bridges: Iconic Actor and Artist of Many Dimensions Takes His Photography Seriously, Appears with Exhibition at the Tamsen Gallery

Neo-Expressionist Painter Hunt Slonem Makes a Special Appearance at Seimandi & Leprieur Gallery

Review | ‘Hadestown’ Hits All the Right Notes

Falling in Love with John C. Reilly: Mister Romantic Comes to Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre on June 7

Review | ‘The Piano and Me’: Hershey Felder Turns Inward, Blending Storytelling and Masterful Performance in His Most Personal Work Yet

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ON the Calendar

There are still a few tickets available (standing only) for next week’s shows at SOhO with Glen Phillips and Sean & Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek. The shows start at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, and Thursday, May 21; click here for tickets and information. 

For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events/.