Review | Sharp Dressed Men, of a Different Color
Billy Gibbons, fresh off his main band ZZ Top’s Santa Barbara Bowl show, returns with “side project,” the BFG Band, at the Lobero.
Josef Woodard
Recent Stories
ON the Beat | Lifting Every Voice, On High and On the Ground
Last week’s MLK service at the Arlington spotlighted ongoing struggles for racial and social justice in a time of mayhem, with a classic hymn as official earworm.
To India with Love, and Hurdles
SBIFF 2026 kicks off with the U.S. premiere of “A Mosquito in the Ear.”
Happy Gilmore Grows Up: Adam Sandler in the Tribute Spotlight
Adam Sandler, a comedian with a serious-actor side, gets his close-up with SBIFF tribute night.
A First Look at SBIFF Films of Note
A small selection of recommended films at SBIFF represents the program’s built-in diversity of offerings.
The Perils of Carnivalia
The Brazilian Film The Secret Agent, anything but a standard Hollywood spy film, earns its acclaim through subtlety and cultural layering
Joyce DiDonato Channels Emily Dickinson, in Interactive Package
Medium-crossing Mezzo-Soprano Joyce DiDonato returns to town with another unorthodox Project, Kevin Puts’ ‘Emily – No Prisoner Be’.
ON the Beat | A Violin Virtuoso, a ZZ Topper, Master Orchestra, Accordion Times, and More
A big week in the little town brings jazz star Terence Blanchard, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, fusion guitar master Matteo Mancuso, the Chicago Symphony, and a violin-accordion classical pact.
Review | Weekending with Ludwig
Boldly played Beethoven piano scores occupied center ring over the weekend, with Camerata Pacifica and the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Film Review | Laughing Matters, Crying Matters
Bradley Cooper’s ‘Is This Thing On?’ wrestles with divorce and the therapeutic lure of comedy, in stand-up fashion.
