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ON the Stage
Carlos Santana’s return to the Bowl last weekend — after an 18 year absence (!) — brought out Santa Barbarians of all ages, and all walks of life, to groove together with one of the greatest guitarists and bandleaders of all time. While the lines were longer than usual for the trolley up the hill, it really was a multi-generational love fest.
It’s hard to describe the mixture of nostalgia and oh-my-god, what-a-great-song-this-is feeling of being back under the stars with Santana — and an audience that appreciates the music as much as you do. Santana’s first show at the Bowl was in 1979, and I was there loving it then, along with my high school pals, many of whom I ran into on Saturday. I was also there for at least 10 of his other shows at the Bowl over the years.
At 79 years old, Santana may be sitting down some now, but he still sounds great. From “Black Magic Woman” to “Evil Ways,” “Put Your Lights On,” and “She’s Not There,” it was one sensational song after another making for a magical evening I won’t soon forget. Read Joe Woodard’s review here.
Santana wasn’t the only classic performer in town recently. Roger Daltrey’s show at the Lobero was a sensational mix of his hits from The Who and fun covers of songs by Neil Young, Paul Simon, and Leo Sayer, among others. Daltrey’s cheeky sense of humor and excellent band are a great match for this 82-year-old icon. His opener, Amy Helm — talented daughter of the great Levon (The Band) Helm — was also a terrific surprise. Read Joe Woodard’s review here.
The stars of the dance world were also onstage in Santa Barbara this month. We truly do have a treasure trove of talent to enjoy in this town! María Bermúdez, Artistic Director of Flamenco Santa Barbara, brought a fabulous group of internationally renowned dancers and musicians to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum for Convivencias at Tablao Museo, an intimate performance on the beautiful museum grounds. The group — including acclaimed flutist Juan Parrilla, violinist Bernardo Parrilla, and guitarist Manu Hernandez, internationally celebrated singers Carmen Grilo and Ismael Fernández, renowned guitarist Andres Vadin and percussionist Diego Alvarez, and featured dancers Nino de los Reyes, Timo Nuñez, Sabrina Ybarra, Talia Vestal, Ysabella Yturralde, and María Bermúdez — also performed at The Ford theater in Los Angeles two days later. We’ll have a full review next week from our dance specialist Jatila van der Veen.
ON the Page
Surfing meets Silicon Valley mega corporations meets a near apocalypse (sounds like a perfect recipe for a summer blockbuster film) in the new novel Nearshore by Steve Hawk. The brother of skateboarding icon Tony Hawk, Steve is also the former editor of Surfer, Sierra, and Stanford Business magazines, and ofsurfline.com. He’ll discuss his new novel with award-winning hometown favorite filmmaker Chris Malloy at Chaucer’s Books on Sunday, September 27, at 4 p.m. Click here for more information.
Another intriguing premise — a college music student discovers a long-lost Mozart sketch and sets out to finish the piece and give its world premiere — sets the stage for yet another new novel, The Lost Mozart by David K. Israel. Chaucer’s Books hosts the author, an accomplished composer whose first job out of college was working as an editor for Leonard Bernstein, producing and publishing definitive editions of West Side Story, On the Town, and Mass, for a book talk and signing on Thursday, September 24, at 6 p.m. Click here for the scoop.
ON the (Big) Screen
Santa Barbara International Film Festival honors the always fabulous Emily Blunt with the 19th annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film at a black tie fundraising dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara on December 10. A Golden Globe and Actor Award winner and Academy Award nominee, Blunt earned her first Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Kitty Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar Best Picture winner, Oppenheimer, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award this past year for her role opposite Dwayne Johnson in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine (if you haven’t seen that film yet, she’s incredible in it). Earlier this year, Blunt reprised her beloved role as Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada 2, reuniting with Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci two decades after the original film helped launch her career.
And this summer, Blunt earned some of the strongest reviews of her life for her performance in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi epic Disclosure Day, starring as a Kansas City TV meteorologist whose increasingly inexplicable experiences draw her into a sweeping effort to reveal the existence of extraterrestrial life to the world.
“Emily Blunt takes risks most actors wouldn’t dare — moving between drama, comedy, and blockbuster spectacle with the same precision and commitment,” said Michael Douglas in a release. “That range and authenticity are exactly what the Kirk Douglas [Michael’s father] Award for Excellence in Film was created to celebrate. We’re proud to honor her.” For more information and tickets, see sbiff.org.
ON the Stage (Part 2)
The expansive Raíces y Sueños programming for Hispanic Heritage Month at Santa Barbara Public Library continues on Friday, September 25 with acclaimed singer-songwriter Alejandro Meola making his Santa Barbara debut in a free concert in the Faulkner Gallery from 6-7 p.m. Meola is an Argentine-American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and educator based in the N.Y.C. area since 2013. He performs a bilingual mix of rock, folk, blues and Latin/world sounds and was included on NPR’s World Cafe Best New Latinx playlist. Meola has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America and now joins us in Santa Barbara for a celebration of music, passion, and community.
The Cowboy Junkies’ breakout 1988 album, The Trinity Session, was a beautiful, contemplative fresh breath of sound, that meshed folk, blues, and rock in a new and original way that hadn’t been heard before. Siblings Michael Timmins (guitar), Margo Timmins (vocals), and Peter Timmins (drums), along with Alan Anton on bass have been grooving together ever since and now have 29 albums. Unlike many long-lasting groups, Cowboy Junkies have never had a break-up or taken a hiatus. There’s an appreciation of each other that keeps them constantly working. The tour for their recent critically acclaimed album — Such Ferocious Beauty! — makes a stop at the Lobero on Sunday, September 20. Don’t miss the chance to hear what All Music called “one of the most unique and enduring bands in alternative rock” live and in person. See lobero.org.
Later next week at the Lobero, on Wednesday, September 23, AJ Croce, son of the legendary Jim Croce (“Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” “Time in a Bottle,” “Operator”) plays his dad’s classics as well as his own original songs. AJ says he purposefully waited 30 years to perform his father’s music, only introducing his acclaimed Croce Plays Croce Tour when he felt there was a meaningful way to honor his musical legacy with depth, intention, and musical integrity. This should be a very special night. Listen to Croce play Croce here.
Singer, songwriter, businessman, and Montecito-based philanthropist Pete Muller performs songs from his new album, One Last Dance, at SOhO on Wednesday, September 23. One Last Dance is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2024 album More Time, which garnered praise from Consequence, Rock & Roll Globe and others. At the same time he’s making his own music, Muller’s philanthropic work has helped support fellow musicians in countless ways. The Live Music Society, an organization that he founded during the height of the pandemic, came to the rescue of independent music venues teetering at the edge of bankruptcy and continues to support local venues to this day. Click here for tickets and more info.
The next generation of jazz piano greatness (according to my Jazz-head pal Jim Buckley, who I trust implicitly) performs at The Grand on State on September 24 — The Caelan Cardello Trio. Although Cardello is only 25, has already shared the stage with the likes of Christian McBride, Bill Charlap, and Jimmy Cobb, and appears regularly at New York City’s best jazz clubs. He’ll be joined by Eytan Schillinger on bass and Isaiah Bravo on drums.
“We hope that Caelan and his trio are the first of many emerging jazz talents that we feature at The Grand,” said co-owner and musical director Brian Mann. “I think a big part of our mission here is to both honor the past while also embracing the future. And Caelan will be a big part of jazz’s future.” See thegrandonstate.com for reservations and more info.
Though much of this week’s Independent fall arts preview cover story is dedicated to the upcoming UCSB Arts & Lectures season, I do want to make sure to highlight the opening weekend’s performance by José González on Saturday, September 26, at Campbell Hall. Known as a subtle, reflective, and carefully crafted musician, in this intimate solo performance, the multilingual, Sweden-based artist blends intricate acoustic guitar textures with quietly searching lyrics to create what Billboard has called “one of the most recognizable sounds in indie rock.” He explores connection, uncertainty and collective responsibility through songs that are both deeply personal and unmistakably contemporary,alongside “gorgeously atmospheric, guitar-focused arrangements,” writes The Wall Street Journal. Click here for more information.
ON the Street
One of my favorite traditions comes downtown September 29-October 19, when State Street transforms into an open-air gallery and stage for Pianos on State. Library Plaza is a new piano location (woot woot!) and Adelante Charter School’s art class, led by Amber O’Rourke, will design and paint a piano for the first time this year as well. Keep an eye out for the 2026 commissioned piano artists: Rob Beedle, Drew Buchanan, Hannah Croshaw, Melanie Esver, Kasie Gurgiolo, Elisa Jay, Miriam MacMillan, Lily Palmer, Elzy Sherlock, John Snyder, Juan Trejo, and Jen Swain. For more information, visit pianosonstate.com, and we’ll have more details about this in the Independent soon.
ON the Podium
It’s hard to believe, but though it certainly still feels like summer, the UCSB Arts & Lectures series kicks off next week with Scott Galloway, in a conversation titled Notes on Being a Man on September 25 at the Arlington Theatre. A best-selling author known to millions through his Prof G and Pivot podcasts, this should be a fascinating talk about masculinity, loneliness, and purpose in modern America. For more information, see artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.
ON the Calendar
The eighth annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day takes place on Saturday, September 19 where you can visit a variety of farms and agricultural organizations all over the county to learn how fruits, nuts, produce, and wine are produced, harvested and delivered. This free event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and everyone is invited to experience behind-the-scenes farm tours, tractor rides, produce tastings and giveaways, and plenty of kid-friendly exhibits — all at no cost.
For more about Santa Barbara County Farm Day and to register, visit sbcfarmday.org or call (805) 892-8155. By registering — it’s free — you receive updates on new sites and a QR code for quick entry to all sites. To view the 2026 tour locations, visit SEEAG’s interactive Farm Day Trail Map (sbcfarmday.org/map). No pets allowed.
For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events/.
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