Holmes and Watson

April 16, 2019 - May 26, 2019
Theatre Series

MAINSTAGE SERIES

An all new Sherlock mystery! In the year following the assumed death of the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes at the falls of Reichenbach, his most trusted companion, Dr. Watson is called upon to discredit a number of “false sightings.” With each call, Watson must travel to expose them as fakes until one day when he is summoned to an insane asylum on an island, in the middle of a storm, where there is not one man claiming to be Sherlock Holmes, but three! With the shocks and surprises that we expect from a Sherlock Holmes story, playwright Jeffrey Hatcher puts us on the edge of our seats until the final moment. Don’t give away the ending! #dontgiveawaytheending

SBL Entertainment Presents – Oleta Adams

April 25, 2019
Music Series

Since the runaway success of her 1990 debut album Circle of One (which went Platinum), and the impassioned hit single "Get Here"; (which became an unofficial anthem of the 1991 Gulf War) Oleta Adams has inspired a growing legion of fans around the world with journeys of the heart via songs that draw deeply from her roots in gospel, while crossing effortlessly into the realms of soul, R&B, urban, and popular music. Her success was first nurtured by worldwide tours with Tears for Fears, Phil Collins, Michael Bolton and Luther Vandross and was solidified by four Grammy nominations and more than two and a half millions records sold.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom

April 26, 2019
Music Series

Amy's role as a cultural force for Hawaiian Culture stems from composing in Hawaiian Language and bringing her language to the world with a current blend of diverse musical stylings.
Hanaiali'i's talent emerges from a disciplined classical training, fused powerhouse vocals, and honoring her family's worldly heritage and rooted ancestral responsibility.
Amy's albums have also garnered 18 Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards – Hawai’i's equivalent to the GRAMMY® awards.
Hānaiali'i's range of multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano wins, showcases her varied musical depth over the years prevailing in the following categories: Female Vocalist of the Year, Hawaiian Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Group of the Year, Christmas Album of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, and many others.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Friends! The Musical Parody

April 27, 2019
Theatre Series

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody is the hilarious new musical that lovingly lampoons TV’s Friends celebrating the wacky misadventures of your favorite group of 20-something pals as they navigate the pitfalls of work, life, and love in 1990s Manhattan. It’s a seemingly typical day at New York’s only coffee shop, Central Perk, until an unexpected runaway bride with beautiful hair enters the picture and kicks the whole gang out of second gear! This delightfully naughty confection plucks the best moments from the show’s ten years and recreates the moments through an uncensored, fast-paced, music filled romp. You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll Unagi!
Recommended for mature audiences.

Upstairs at The B Presents – Maximum Occupancy

April 28, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Company Members Dave Pierini, Tara Sissom, Stephanie Altholz and guests perform classic long-form improvisation for a late-night audience. Coming out of Chicago’s comedy scene, the Harold has been used by famous improv groups like Second City which developed comedic talent such as Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Based off an audience suggestion, performers will create a one-night-only improvised play, so every performance will be unique! As an exciting caveat, if we do achieve “maximum occupancy” aka a sell out show, we buy everyone pizza!

Upstairs at The B Presents – New Play Brunch

April 28, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

This month's play reading is kid friendly!!
Join us for brunch, drinks and a play reading! Food will be provided complimentary.
The Great Race of Clearwater Wood - The True Story of the Tortoise & the Hare by Peter Story
This show deftly explores issues of class and race with the Hares as the haves and the Tortoises as the have-nots. Best friends Kit, the Hare, and Shelly, the Tortoise, are gearing up for the Great Race, the must-see annual event of their home — Clearwater Wood.
Kit, son of the mayor and favorite to win, is less than enthused about the race. Shelly is obsessed with running but is unable to compete due to the race being a “hares-only” event. After Shelly discovers that, ages ago, the Great Race used to be open to animals of all kinds, he uncovers a loophole that allows him to enter the race. Not wanting his friend to embarrass himself, Kit tries to talk Shelly out of running in a race where he will surely be destroyed. But Shelly’s passion and hopefulness is too strong and a rift is soon driven into their best-buds bond. As Kit feels the pressure to beat Shelly and make his family proud, Shelly is out to prove — once and for all — that the Great Race should be a race for every creature.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott

April 28, 2019
Music Series

Ramblin' Jack's life of travels, performances and recordings is a testament to the America of lore, a giant land of struggle, hard luck and sometimes even of good fortune. Ramblin' Jack takes us to places that spur us on to the romance and passion of life in the tunes and voices of real people.

At 84, Ramblin' Jack is still on the road, still seeking those people, places, songs and stories that are hand-crafted, wreaking of wood and canvas, cowhide and forged metal. You'll find him in the sleek lines of a long haul semi-truck, in the rigging of an old sailing ship, in the smell of a fine leather saddle. Better yet, find him in your local concert hall or on one of his many albums.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Kelly Finnigan & The Atonements

May 2, 2019
Music Series

After touring the world for over a decade with Monophoics, 37-year-old, Bay Area-based singer, songwriter, engineer, and producer, Kelly Finnigan will release his first solo album, The Tales People Tell on Colemine Records, in the first quater of 2019. Raw and gritty, tender and emotive, lush and symphonic, the ten-song collection is Finnigan’s most complete work to date. With Kelly guiding these songs from their conception all the way to the record pressing plant, the new release provides the singular voice missing from soul music.

“I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel. I just want to remind people why the wheel was such a good invention in the first place,” says Finnigan. He might be invoking a golden era of soul music, but Finnigan captures a timelessness on this album that transcends the “retro” label so often cast on music with a gritty aesthetic. Partnering with Terry Cole and his rising label Colemine Records was a key part of this project for Finnigan who has been involved in over a dozen Colemine releases as an engineer, producer, instrumentalist, and singer. Finnigan plans to tour heavily in 2019 behind the album release.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Goapele

May 3, 2019
Music Series

That diversity has defined the Oakland-born singer, songwriter, producer, actress, and designer since the start of her career in 2001. Her influence and impact can be felt throughout R&B, soul, and hip-hop. Even Closer yielded the iconic anthem “Closer.” To date, it’s impressively racked up over 6 million Spotify streams and been sampled by everyone from Drake to YG. In between touring the world, she has released four full-length albums and collaborated with a diverse array of heavy hitters such as Snoop Dogg, E-40, Eric Benét, Soulive, and Jeff Bhasker. A film and television mainstay, she’s landed high-profile syncs in Sparkle, Honey, 90210, and many more. Along the way, The Washington Post fittingly described her as “soulful as always,”Huffington Post called her “a driving motivational force for many women,” and Essence claimed, “her voice is the stuff of dreams.” In 2016, she made a conscious decision to return to her roots while composing the music that would comprise this latest offering. Recording in Los Angeles and Bay Area studios, she re-teamed with longtime friends and collaborators such as producer/keyboardist Mike Tiger, guitarist Errol Cooney, and Bedrock who all contributed to some of her earliest material. Now, the sensual first single “Secret” introduces Dreamseeker. Produced by BedRock and AE, a ringing phone, shimmering keys, and a jazz-y beat give way to Goapele’s sexy delivery, yielding an artful bedroom anthem.

As she continues to evolve as an artist, Goapele further devotes herself to activism, acting, and fashion. She’s partnered with Aids Healthcare Foundation in 2017, launched a lifestyle product line Dreamseeker, and starred in a short film entitled Where Is Beauty. In the midst of everything, motherhood remains the highest priority.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Goapele

May 4, 2019
Music Series

That diversity has defined the Oakland-born singer, songwriter, producer, actress, and designer since the start of her career in 2001. Her influence and impact can be felt throughout R&B, soul, and hip-hop. Even Closer yielded the iconic anthem “Closer.” To date, it’s impressively racked up over 6 million Spotify streams and been sampled by everyone from Drake to YG. In between touring the world, she has released four full-length albums and collaborated with a diverse array of heavy hitters such as Snoop Dogg, E-40, Eric Benét, Soulive, and Jeff Bhasker. A film and television mainstay, she’s landed high-profile syncs in Sparkle, Honey, 90210, and many more. Along the way, The Washington Post fittingly described her as “soulful as always,”Huffington Post called her “a driving motivational force for many women,” and Essence claimed, “her voice is the stuff of dreams.” In 2016, she made a conscious decision to return to her roots while composing the music that would comprise this latest offering. Recording in Los Angeles and Bay Area studios, she re-teamed with longtime friends and collaborators such as producer/keyboardist Mike Tiger, guitarist Errol Cooney, and Bedrock who all contributed to some of her earliest material. Now, the sensual first single “Secret” introduces Dreamseeker. Produced by BedRock and AE, a ringing phone, shimmering keys, and a jazz-y beat give way to Goapele’s sexy delivery, yielding an artful bedroom anthem.

As she continues to evolve as an artist, Goapele further devotes herself to activism, acting, and fashion. She’s partnered with Aids Healthcare Foundation in 2017, launched a lifestyle product line Dreamseeker, and starred in a short film entitled Where Is Beauty. In the midst of everything, motherhood remains the highest priority.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Kahulanui

May 7, 2019
Music Series

There is a new wave coming from Hawaii, a blend of traditional music and the Big Band Swing brought to the Aloha State by U.S. servicemen during World War II. Its leading exponent is Kahulanui, a nine piece band—four horns plus guitar, bass, ukulele, drums and steel—whose energy and dynamic arrangements have caused a sensation throughout the Islands. Their debut CD, Hula Ku’I, was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award in the Regional Roots category, and soon Hawaii’s Kings of Swing will be bringing their unique style to audiences across America.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Flor De Toloache

May 8, 2019
Music Series

Latin Grammy® winning, New York Based all-female ensemble and beloved press-darlings, Flor de Toloache continue to win the hearts of both progressive and traditional mariachi music fans alike through their distinct artistic vision and sophisticated, enlightened interpretation of traditional mariachi instruments. The female quartet’s diverse ethnicities and musical backgrounds have also transcended culture and gender by forging new paths. Like the legendary Love Potion the Toloache flower is used for in Mexico, the ladies of Flor de Toloache cast a spell over their audiences with soaring vocals and physical elegance. The group is led by co-band directors Mireya I. Ramos on violin and Shae Fiol on vihuela. Together, they have graced international stages from Chenai, India to Paris, France and have extensively toured the U.S. as supporting act for Dan Auerbach of “The Black Keys”’ new project “The Arcs", as well as Cafe Tacvba, La Santa Cecilia, and Natalia Lafourcade. Upcoming shows include the ACL Festival in Austin TX, Alaska tour with Ozomatli and dates with Ana Tijoux.

Sacramento Women’s Chorus Presents – #FreeToBe

May 11, 2019
Music Series

The Sacramento Women's Spring concert, “# Free to Be”, honors those qualities that make each person unique and encourages everyone to be truly who they are.

Sacramento Ballet Presents – Fast Forward

May 16, 2019 - May 19, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Where else can the classical ballet language lead? See three short ballets that express how this art form is evolving and thriving.

Written and Forgotten
Choreography: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music: Various artists
A humorous, sometimes poignant look at childhood memories, through the lens of internationally celebrated choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.

The Bridge
Choreography: Val Caniparoli
Music: Dmitri Shostakovich
“…the work seems more powerful now than in 1998, when it was made in tribute to the media-created ‘Romeo and Juliet of Sarajevo.’……Like the Shostakovich string quartet it’s set to, the piece is relentlessly somber, but within the darkness skeins of deep color swirl.” Seattle Weekly, March 22, 2006 - Roger Downey

Elpis
A world premiere by Artistic Director Amy Seiwert, with live music composed and performed by violist Christen Lien.
Lien has constructed a concept album exploring the Greek myth of Elpis. The personification of Hope, Elpis is one of the evils created by Zeus to punish humanity. Because Elpis was the heaviest, most grievous evil, she was ordered to be the last to leave Pandora’s Box. But soon after Pandora opened the lid and the evils began to fly out, Pandora knew she made a mistake and quickly put the lid back on just when Elpis was trying to leave. In consequence, Elpis became trapped, where she has been imprisoned for thousands of years.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Blowout w/Curtis Salgado, Jon Nemeth, Aki Kumar, Andrew Alli & Golden State Lone Stars w/Anson Funderburgh

May 23, 2019
Music Series

Grammy nominated, two time BMA( Blues Music Award) winner Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout, is in its 28th year! Along for the ride on this short one-off are soul singing/harp blower ,Blues Brother inspiration, Alligator recording artist & multiple BMA winner Curtis Salgado, Double BMA winning soul vocalist/harp blower John Nemeth, now in Memphis. Bollywood bluesman Aki Kumar is returning alongside Richmond, VA resident Andrew Alli, who is making his debut.

BMA winner & Texas guitar legend Anson Funderburgh will appear in the backing band of TX-CA masters, Golden State Lone Star. Salgado, Hummel & Funderburgh are all nominated for BMAs this year!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Che Apalache

May 24, 2019
Music Series

Che Apalache is a four-man string band based in Buenos Aires with members from Argentina, Mexico and the United States. The group's founder is Joe Troop (fiddle), a North Carolinian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and composer who moved to Argentina in 2010. While patiently carving out a niche in the local music scene, Joe taught bluegrass and old-time music for a living. That's how he met Pau Barjau (banjo), Franco Martino (guitar) and Martin Bobrik (mandolin), his most dedicated students. They quickly became picking buddies and in 2013 decided to form Che Apalache and hit the stage.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Blame Sally

May 31, 2019
Music Series

BLAME SALLY is a San Francisco folk-rock quartet with an attitude, combining acoustic textures with Americana harmonies and an independent spirit. In 2011, Blame Sally rose from “Bay Area phenom” (-Santa Cruz Sentinel) to “a remarkable success story” (San Luis Obispo New Times) with the release of "Speeding Ticket and A Valentine", Alternate Root Magazine’s People’s Choice Awards “Best Album of the Year” out of 14,000 voters. The CD's “sensual vocal blend and...agile instrumental prowess ª (- Blurt) earned them two sold out release shows at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA, NPR's "song of the day", an appearance with John Oates on Mountain Stage, and a live for Public Television concert taping for Music Gone Public (http://www.musicgonepublic.com/), curated concerts for Public Television.

SBL Entertainment Presents – John Waite

June 1, 2019
Music Series

John will be performing his catalogue of hits from his 40 year career as a solo artist, with The Baby’s and Bad English and presented in a unique electric-acoustic format with his band.

John Waite’s catalogue of hits features some of the most loved songs of the 80s and 90s – the #1 Worldwide hit ‘Missing You’, The Baby’s ‘Isn't It Time’ and Bad English's ‘When I See You Smile’ rank amongst some of his biggest international hits and are still heard on radio today. Others include ‘Tears’, ‘Change’ and ‘These Times Are Hard For Lovers’. ‘Every Step Of The Way’ and ‘If Anybody Had A Heart’ appeared on the soundtrack to the 1986 Demi Moore film About Last Night. ‘Deal for Life’, penned by Martin Page and Bernie Taupin, was featured in the Days Of Thunder soundtrack.
As a solo artist and as the lead singer of The Baby’s and Bad English, John Waite was a fixture of album-oriented rock radio stations during the '70s and '80s. John Waite had a talent for power ballads and driving arena rock, occasionally touching on new wave-styled power pop as well.

His most recent recordings, The Wooden Heart-Acoustic Anthology Volume 1 and Volume 2, released in 2015 and 2017, respectively, features Waite in stripped back format – vocals and acoustic guitar only – and highlights the core essence of the songs themselves, threading newly penned original compositions, reworkings of some of Waite’s favorite material from his solo career and The Babys alongside smartly chosen covers by the likes of Bob Dylan (“Girl From The North Country”), Donovan (“Catch The Wind”) and Richard Thompson, into an authentic and soul stirring musical statement.

The Forever Question

June 4, 2019 - July 14, 2019
Theatre Series

MAINSTAGE SERIES

The 2018 New Comedies Winner!
Life comes at you fast. For young couple, Carolyn and Mike, life has been a series of questions that have led them to the biggest one yet: should they have a second child? In this hilarious and inventive new comedy, winner of the inaugural B Street Theatre New Comedies Festival, playwright James Christy examines the small and not so small occurrences that build our lives and lead Carolyn and Mike to a question that could affect their lives… well, forever.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Louis York

June 6, 2019
Music Series

Louis York is the musical creation of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, who’ve worked with everyone from Celine Dion and Michael Jackson to Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Bruno Mars; their music is not one genre. Or influence. Or thought. It’s an exploration of it all. When stepping behind the mic for the first time in their careers, the Grammy nominated songwriter and producer threw out every rule the business has told them to follow. It doesn’t matter how long, how many transitions or how many genres. Kelly and Harmony found themselves searching for one thing, and one thing alone - GREAT ART.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Sven & The Masterful Majestic Orchestra

June 7, 2019
Music Series

The San Francisco Bay Area is a major breeding ground for an abundance of musical talent, and with this movement came Sven Soderlund, who has 35 years of playing live locally under his belt as a rock & metal guitarist turned crooner vocalist in his newest project. A native of San Francisco, Sven came from a musically talented family as his father played clarinet and saxophone, and his mother played piano and vocals in a local rock band in the mid 70's.

Sven has been surrounded by music his whole life either by singing Beatles songs at a mere 5 years old, or learning the guitar 4 years later only to have it be his main focused instrument for the next 4 decades. "I strongly believe that having parents that played music and listening to several types of music, made me adjust my musical prism many years later to do what I do at this point. After recording and playing live in multiple different metal, rock, & punk influenced projects as a guitarist, Sven decided to branch out a bit and start singing a style of music he heard as a young child, and wanted to front an orchestra ideally for many years. "Some people couldn't believe I would do this, so here we are." Also recording a debut album in March for a June release this year. Stay tuned folks, I'm only getting started!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums featuring Miss Carmen Getit

June 8, 2019
Music Series

Called “Consummate musicians and entertainers” by New York City’s Lincoln Center, and “Instant Crowd Favorites” by the San Francisco Blues Festival, Steve Lucky and Miss Carmen Getit really shine before a live audience, bringing an intense energy and sheer personal magnetism to the stage, exercising wit in a continuous battle of the sexes. They’ve earned their reputation as captivating entertainers with “superior musicianship”, engaging audiences at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Half Note Jazz Club in Athens Greece, the San Francisco Blues Festival and many venues around the world.

The fireworks started when Steve Lucky added Miss Carmen Getit to his San Francisco band, the Rhumba Bums. Lucky was used to stealing the spotlight with his natural showmanship, and was in demand for his soulful and exciting piano style. Lucky saw the potential of Carmen as a powerhouse woman vocalist, and how she draws in an audience, intrigued with her fiery guitar solos. The musical chemistry between Lucky & Getit is evident, and the two never miss an opportunity to take advantage of the sexual tension when they ‘spar’ on-stage.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Aubrey Logan

June 14, 2019
Music Series

The media refer to #1 selling artist, Aubrey Logan, as “The Queen of Sass.” And it’s easy to see why. Her concerts are a mix of excellent musicality, jaw-dropping vocals, virtuoso trombone-playing, a breathtaking array of originals and original takes on cover songs and, well…fun! Aubrey Logan loves music, loves performing and loves her fans. And it shows. “My relationship with the audience is the most fun I can legally have!” she says. Very few artists can concentrate so fully on the music and yet be so connected to the people who have come to hear her. And that connection is magic.

Aubrey has seen a lot of recent success, with two albums in the top 10 within the last year. Her debut album, Impossible, immediately shot to the top 10 on the iTunes, Billboard and Amazon charts. And her next appearance on Summer Horns II, from A to Z (as a special guest of Dave Koz on Concord Records) became the #1 selling Contemporary Jazz Album on Billboard. Aubrey has spent more time at the top of the charts lately than she has in an airport, and travel has been a permanent fixture for her in the last couple of years.

SBL Entertainment Presents – SonoMusette

June 15, 2019
Music Series

SonoMusette recaptures the moody, melancholic sound and spirit of mid twentieth-century Paris. Inspired by the great performers of the era, such as Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and Django Reinhardt along with contemporary artists such as Zaz. This music has retained it’s power to charm and transport audiences, and SonoMusette taps that nostalgia with artistry in vocals and instrumentation.

The band features French singer Mimi Pirard whose rendition of these timeless French classics provide a freshness and excitement that is contemporary, yet faithful to the spirit and tradition of the original versions. Few singers are capable of doing justice to Piaf and Brel, and even fewer can match Pirard’s mesmerizing interpretation and delivery.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Blues Mothers (all female Blues Brothers tribute)

June 21, 2019
Music Series

The Blues Mothers are the Bay Area’s all-female tribute to the one and only, Blues Brothers! With a love of the blues and made up of seasoned professional musicians, the 10-piece Blues Mothers brings back the look and feel of the Blues Brothers performances. The musicians in the band have played with such notable bands as Sly and the Family Stone, the Tubes, the Johnny Otis Show, Quicksilver Gold, the Stone Family Experience, M8trix, Full House Band, Crüella, the Hormones, and the Soul Section. Founded in late 2017, the band is taking the Bay Area by storm in 2018! Get ready for – the Blues Mothers!

Lead Vocals: Joliet Jane Blues
Harp and Vocals: Ellie "Mayhem" Blues
Guitar: Gail "Mojo" Muldrow
Bass: Donna "Duckling" Duhdunn, aka Triple D
Keyboard: Carrie Streeter
Drummer: Windy Wild
Vocals: Paulette Hayes
Saxophone - Jane "Blue Louise" Fossgreen
Trumpet - Ella Steinberg
Trombone - Sara Moore Cummings
Characters: Karey Marengo

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Chris Cain Band

June 22, 2019
Music Series

Chris Cain has received several nominations for 2018, including BMA Blues Guitarist of the Year, BBM Male Blues Artist of the Year. Cain offers up a soulful stew of Memphis style electric blues. His powerfully deep vocals and jazz inspired, blues guitar riffs are unforgettable; uniquely his own, while reminiscent of the legendary BB King and Albert King. As a child, Chris Cain attended concerts with his father to hear many of the great blues artists of the time. When Cain burst onto the blues scene in 1987 with his award winning debut album, he soon found himself sharing the stage and trading licks with a few of those legends, including Albert King and Albert Collins. Chris Cain has released a dozen albums, each filled with soul-stirring songs pulled from his own blues drenched heart. His latest, released in 2017, has been nominated as BBM Best Contemporary Blues Album of 2018. Chris Cain's brand of blues is unforgettable.

SBL Entertainment Presents- Paul Thorn w/ Bonnie Bishop

June 29, 2019
Music Series

Paul Thorn has created an innovative and impressive career, pleasing crowds with his muscular brand of roots music – bluesy, rocking and thoroughly Southern American, yet also speaking universal truths.

Among those who value originality, inspiration, eccentricity and character – as well as talent that hovers somewhere on the outskirts of genius, the story of Paul Thorn is already familiar. Raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, among the same spirits (and some of the actual people) who nurtured the young Elvis generations before, Paul Thorn has rambled down back roads and jumped out of airplanes, worked for years in a furniture factory, battled four-time world champion boxer Roberto Duran on national television, signed with and been dropped by a major label, performed [on stages with Bonnie Raitt, Mark Knopfler, Sting, and John Prine among many others, and made some of the most emotionally restless yet fully accessible music of our time.

He’s also appeared on major television shows such as Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live, been the subject of numerous National Public Radio (NPR) features and charted multiple times on the Billboard Top 100 and Americana Radio Charts.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Acoustic Alchemy

July 9, 2019
Music Series

Acoustic Alchemy have spent thirty years making music and in that time they have not only received critical acclaim for their albums (including three Grammy nominations), but have built a reputation for being one of the most exciting live bands in the business.

For the last decade, the band lineup has featured Greg Carmichael on nylon guitar, Miles Gilderdale on steel string acoustic & electric guitars, Fred White on keyboards and the powerhouse rhythm section of Greg Grainger on drums and his brother Gary Grainger on bass.

Since 1987, Acoustic Alchemy has pushed the limits of the acoustic guitar’s potential by embracing a spectrum of musical styles ranging from straight-ahead jazz, to folk, to rock, to world music and beyond.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Ruthie Foster

July 12, 2019
Music Series

If you do, word gets around. And one day, you find yourself duetting with Bonnie Raitt, or standing onstage with the Allman Brothers at New York’s Beacon Theater and trading verses with Susan Tedeschi. You might even wind up getting nominated for a Best Blues Album Grammy — three times in a row. And those nominations would be in addition to your seven Blues Music Awards, three Austin Music Awards, the Grand Prix du Disque award from the Académie Charles-Cros in France, and a Living Blues Critics’ Award for Female Blues Artist of the Year.

There’s only one Austinite with that résumé: Ruthie Foster.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Element Brass Band w/ City of Trees Brass Band

July 13, 2019
Music Series

SBL Entertainment presents the 3rd Annual Battle of the Brass Bands featuring Element Brass Band and City of Tree Brass Band! A New Orleans second line showcase that has been years in the making. Sacramento's longest running brass bands will finally go toe-to-toe LIVE at the Sofia.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Le Vent du Nord

July 18, 2019
Music Series

Since its inception in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 1,800 concerts over 5 continents and racking up several prestigious awards, including a Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros, two Junos (Canada’s Grammys), a Félix at ADISQ, a CFMA & “Artist of the Year” at the North American Folk Alliance Annual Gala.

The group exhibits great finesse and flexibility, appearing regularly on Canadian, American, French, and UK television and radio, and participating in a wide variety of special musical projects. They’ve collaborated and performed with a diverse range of artists including: Harry Manx, Väsen, Dervish, The Chieftains, Breton musical pioneer Yann-Fañch Kemener, Québecois roots legend and master storyteller Michel Faubert, the Scottish folk band Breabach, singer Julie Fowlis, and the trans-Mediterranean ensemble Constantinople. Not content with standard approaches to tradition, Le Vent du Nord has also created a symphonic concert that, according to Voir Montreal, “puts all traditional folk naysayers to shame.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mandy Harvey

July 23, 2019
Music Series

Her message is universal….Hope, Dream, Believe, no matter what…
Mandy Harvey is a deaf American singer-songwriter. A Vocal Music Education major at Colorado State University, Mandy lost her residual hearing in 2006-2007 at age eighteen due to a connective tissue disorder, and left the program. She pursued several career options, including education, but returned to music in 2008. She quickly became a regular performer at Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins and then branched out to having regular concerts at Dazzle Jazz Lounge in Denver (Top 100 Jazz venues in the world).

Mandy’s music attracts the attention of those around the world, adding to her message of hope, dream and believe. As you have seen, Mandy has made a tremendous impact by way of America’s Got Talent having reach the finals and was Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer Winner, and in addition, CNN’s Great Big Story captured over 10 million hits on social media, Burt’s Bees signed her up for their “Remarkable Women” campaign, NBC Nightly News profiled her, and she has started performing at the world’s most prestigious clubs, concert stages and festivals.

The Last Match

July 23, 2019 - September 1, 2019
Theatre Series

MAINSTAGE SERIES

It is the quarterfinal of the U.S. Open and rising Russian tennis player Sergei faces the former six-time champ, aging All-American Tim Porter. In Anna Ziegler’s incendiary play, we witness the entire match through the minds of these fierce warriors. As each point is played, we learn what goes on in the heads of the players, the relationships and life decisions that focus them to win or cause them to stumble. In this exciting and whip smart play, the tennis match becomes more than just a game and becomes an insight into the mind of the elite athlete.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Guitar Masters with Andy McKee, Mike Dawes, Trevor Gordon Hall, and Calum Graham

July 28, 2019
Music Series

Andy McKee is among the world’s finest acoustic guitarists. His youthful energy and attention to song structure and melodic content elevates him above the rest. He entertains both the eye and the ear as he magically transforms the steel string guitar into a full orchestra via his use of altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits and a signature two-handed technique.

McKee’s crossover success has helped him to achieve millions upon millions of YouTube viewers, underscoring his emergence as one of today’s most unique and influential artists. He has been featured as a cover story in both Acoustic Guitar Magazine in the U.S. and Acoustic Magazine in the UK, and is also the figurehead of the unique Guitar Masters tours. McKee’s tour dates have taken him through Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, including tours with legendary acts including Prince and Dream Theater.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Marcia Ball

August 3, 2019
Music Series

“Fifty years have passed in a flash,” says Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist, songwriter and vocalist MARCIA BALL of her long and storied career. Ball, the 2018 Texas State Musician Of The Year, has won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she takes the stage. Her rollicking Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. With each new release, her reputation as a profoundly soulful singer, a boundlessly talented pianist and a courageous, inventive songwriter continues to grow. Her love of the road has led to years of soul-satisfying performances at festivals, concert halls and clubs. The New York Times says, “Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.” The Houston Chronicle says simply, “She’s as perfect as an artist can be.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Waifs

August 4, 2019
Music Series

Just one look at the beautiful cover photo on The Waifs’ new album Ironbark says a lot about who they are and what they are about; friends and family bound together by their love of music, of performing and of Australia.

It’s 25 years since West Australian sisters Donna and Vikki Simpson (now Vikki Thorn) joined forces with Josh Cunningham to create one of the country’s best-loved bands. That cover shot, taken near Cunningham’s home on the NSW south coast, marks The Waifs’ quarter of a century together, but it’s also a nod to Australia itself, its nature and its people, essential ingredients in the extraordinary body of work The Waifs have created in that time.

One can’t imagine a better way to commemorate this significant landmark in the band’s career than with a double album of 25 original songs, one for each year, all of them recorded in the kitchen of Cunningham’s home near Moruya, where he grew up. That’s the amazing _ and unexpected_ harvest from a couple of weeks of recording late last year, when the trio assembled with regular collaborators David Ross McDonald (drums, percussion) and Ben Franz (bass, dobro), not really knowing what they were about to record, other than maybe some covers of other artists’ material.

SBL Entertainment Presents – ¡Cubanismo!

August 13, 2019
Music Series

Jesús Alemañy , founder of Latin orchestra ¡Cubanismo!, came to fame as a brilliant 15 year old trumpet player for the iconic Cuban son group Sierra Maestra. The all-star ¡Cubanismo! orchestra play sizzling dance tunes full of swaggering horn charts and wild polyrhythms that recall the vintage big-band son sound, traditional rumba, cha-cha and lesser known danzon and pa’ca rhythms arranged in the descarga (jam) tradition developed by Cuban jazz players of the ‘40s.

The expression cubanismo designates something specifically Cuban, or unique to the island and not common to the general Spanish culture of Latin America. Utterly different from the genre known as Latin jazz, ¡Cubanismo! features danceable music from beginning to end, celebrating the legacy of Cuban music in other dance styles from around the world. The Cuban son, which dates back to the turn of the century, is the root of much of the up-tempo international pop music, from African soukous to New York salsa.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Mick Martin Big Band with special guest Jackie Greene and guitarist Ryder Green

August 17, 2019
Music Series

Most people in Sacramento probably know Mick Martin as the host/producer of "The Blues Party" on Capital Public Radio and the leader of Mick Martin & the Blues Rocker for over 40 years. An award-winning harmonica player and singer-songwriter, his accomplishments include over 20 CDs (four in Europe), performing with jazz organist Jimmy Smith and other jazz and blues icons at Carnegie Hall's "Blues in Jazz" event in 1994 and topping his 17-year association with guitar innovator Harvey Mandel (Canned Heat, the Chicago Blues Reunion) at West-Fest, the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. For the Mick Martin Big Band, he has assembled a group of accomplished musicians with pedigrees as impressive as his own: Danny Sandoval (saxophone), Andrew Clayton Little (guitar), Russ Skarsten (organ/piano), Aj Joyce (bass), Ralph E. Davies (trombone/arranger) and Johnny Stone (drums). All of these men have played and recorded with a list of world-famous artists that can be considered the Who's Who of the music business. As Bill Champlin has said, "There are harmonica players who play music and musicians who play harmonica. Mick is in the latter category." Martin himself has said, "This is my dream band; a group of gifted musicians I have long admired and never thought I would be able to assemble into a band. And, man, do we have a great time when we play." And so does the audience.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Popa Chubby

August 30, 2019
Music Series

Popa Chubby, born Ted Horowitz, has been hard rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 25 years. Over the course of a career that dates back to 1994, he has been a force of to be reckoned with on the guitar, and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. An imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee and a performance style he describes as “the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motörhead meets Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson,” Popa Chubby is an endearing character who is one of the genre’s most popular figures.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Antsy McCLain & The Trailer Park Troubadours

August 31, 2019
Music Series

Antsy McClain is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter and humorist with 18 albums under his belt. Hailing from Pine View Heights, the little trailer park that time forgot, Antsy combines his unique mix of masterful storytelling and catchy, unforgettable songs with a warm, self deprecating sense of humor. Master musicians like Lindsay Buckingham and Tommy Emmanuel have shared the stage with Antsy McClain or played on his albums, and lent their support in immeasurable ways. Tommy Smothers, who has performed on stage with Antsy, appearing on his albums, etc., has said, “Antsy McClain is one of America’s great poets. We may not realize that til after he’s dead, but he’s a great poet.”

McClain has toured for twenty years with the California-based Trailer Park Troubadours, a band of friendly outlaws who play to the beat of a different drum, blending humorous antics with masterful musicianship and creating a carefree and fun-filled experience for all ages.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Majickat – A Tribute to Cat Stevens

September 7, 2019
Music Series

George Papailias and band recreate the music of Cat Stevens. George has performed Cat's music since seeing him perform in Berkeley, CA in July 1971. Band members include: George Papailias ("Cat Stevens", vocals and guitar), Shayne Sutton (2nd Guitar), Jill Ferreter (Keyboard), Louis Rebello (cellist), Nick Docous (bass, bouzouki, vocals), Bud Chatterley (drums, guitar, vocals).

SBL Entertainment Presents – HighTime Irish Band

September 10, 2019
Music Series

This fresh new trio from the heart of Connemara, Ireland combines Irish music and an intriguing blend of modern folk influences to produce a rich sound and exciting experience to delight listeners.

Featuring an unusual line-up of flute, whistles, harp, bodhrán, guitar and vocals (with some Irish dancing steps thrown in!), HighTime make a youthful and energetic statement.

Equal measures of music and tradition from old Ireland coupled with bold new arrangements make for a tasty platter of story, music, song and dance from these three young men; All hailing from the village of Ardmore on the rugged west coast.

Ciarán Bolger - Guitar and Vocals
Conall Ó Flatharta - Flute, whistle & vocals
Séamus Ó Flatharta - Celtic Harp, whistle, bódhran drum, Irish dancing & vocals

A Stand Up Guy

September 10, 2019 - October 20, 2019
Theatre Series

MAINSTAGE SERIES

For years the B Street Theatre audiences have come to know Jack Gallagher. In his previous one man shows, Jack has covered all parts of his history and life except the one that he made his name on: his experiences as a professional stand-up comedian. In his new show, A Stand Up Guy, Jack will dive deep into his past and present. After 40 years as a professional comedian, Jack has some stories to tell…

SBL Entertainment Presents – Funky Feat

September 13, 2019
Music Series

Three original members of Little Feat Paul Barrere (guitar, vocals), Fred Tackett (guitar) and Kenny Gradney (bass) are joined by long time Feat drummer Gabe Ford for a raucous evening of all the Little Feat hits like “Dixie Chicken,” “Willin’,” “Down on the Farm,” “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” and so much more.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

September 14, 2019
Music Series

Wildly fun, musically fearless and bursting with bravado, 2018’s Blues Music Award-winning Band Of The Year Rick Estrin & The Nightcatshave created one of the blues’ most instantly recognizable sounds and no-holds-barred styles. Featuring the world-class talents of harmonica master, songwriter and vocalist Rick Estrin, guitar wunderkind Chris “Kid” Andersen, keyboard wizard Lorenzo Farrell and dynamic drummer Alex Pettersen, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats serve up sharp and incisive original blues and gritty roadhouse rock ‘n’ roll. With his wily and unforgettable original songs and his hipster, street-smart vocals, no one on the blues scenewrites or sings like Rick Estrin. DownBeatsays, “Rick Estrin sings and writes songs like the brightest wiseguy in all of blueslandand blows harmonica as if he learned at the knee of Little Walter.” Live, the band is simply unbeatable. They deliver a high-energy show capable of bringing any audience to its feet. Rick Estrin & The Nightcats’ latest Alligator album, Groovin’ In Greaseland, features 13 original songs, 11 by Estrin (including one co-written with Andersen), and one each by Andersen and Farrell. The band’s dazzling performances bring the songs to life as richly detailed characters spill their secrets and share their stories. The Chicago Sun-Timessays, “These are serious musicians having a hotter than hot good time. It’s tough to stay in your seat when Estrin and his musical cohorts get cooking.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Adrian Belew w/ Saul Zonana

September 16, 2019
Music Series

Adrian Belew is a legendary guitarist well-known for his diverse travels around the musical map. He is a multi- instrumentalist whose solo records are critically acclaimed. His moving singing voice and prolific songwriting has endeared a loyal fan base of music lovers. His music is being discovered everyday by more and more listeners thirsty for great music with a creative standard not often pushed by the commercial music industry.

For more than a decade the Adrian Belew Power Trio stunned audiences around the world. Now Adrian is ready to re-invent his live show with a new quartet which includes Jordan Perlson on drums, Saul Zonana on keyboards, guitar, and vocals, and bassist extraordinaire Julie Slick. The tour dates will be in support of Adrian's newest release "POP-SIDED," coming March 2019. Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy master musicians playing great songs and having a ball!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Herb Alpert & Lani Hall

September 19, 2019 - September 20, 2019
Music Series

A legendary trumpet player, Alpert's extraordinary musicianship has earned him five #1 hits, nine GRAMMY® Awards, the latest from his 2014 album, "Steppin' Out," fifteen Gold albums, fourteen Platinum albums and has sold over 72 million records. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass propelled his sound into the pop music limelight, at one point outselling the Beatles two to one. In 1966, they achieved the since-unmatched feat of simultaneously having four albums in the Top 10 -- and five in the Top 20. Herb Alpert also has the distinction of being the only artist who has had a #1 instrumental and vocal single.

Some of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' fourteen Top 40 singles include; The Lonely Bull, Mexican Shuffle, Spanish Flea and the GRAMMY®-winners "A Taste Of Honey" and "What Now My Love," and the #1 hits "This Guy's In Love With You" and "Rise." Shout! Factory recently released deluxe re-masters of the entire TJB catalogue plus Lost Treasures, a compilation of vintage rarities, and Rewhipped, featuring hot remixes of every track from Whipped Cream & Other Delights. In all, Alpert has recorded over thirty albums and produced for many other artists, including Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Stan Getz, Michel Colombier, Gato Barbieri, and Alpert's wife, GRAMMY winning vocalist Lani Hall, to name a few.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Coco Montoya

September 24, 2019
Music Series

The old Willie Dixon adage, “blues is truth,” perfectly describes the searing, contemporary blues-rock of world-renowned guitarist and vocalist COCO MONTOYA. Taught by the “Master of the Telecaster,” Albert Collins, but with a hard-edged sound and style all his own, Montoya mixes his forceful, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals with memorable songs, delivering the blues’ hardest truths. He earned his status as a master guitarist and soul-powered vocalist through years of paying his dues as a sideman with Collins (first as a drummer) and then with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, before launching his solo career in 1993. Five years of constant touring with Collins and ten years with Mayall turned him into a monster player and dynamic performer. Montoya has released eight solo albums—including three for Alligator between 2000 and 2007—and has played at clubs, concert halls and major festivals all over the world. Guitar Player says Montoya plays “stunning, powerhouse blues with a searing tone, emotional soloing, and energetic, unforced vocals.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Leyla McCalla

September 28, 2019
Music Series

Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from a variety of sources, whether it is her Haitian heritage, living in New Orleans or dancing at Cajun Mardi Gras. Leyla, a multi-instrumentalist, is a cellist and singer whose distinctive sound is impossible to replicate.

Leyla’s music reflects her eclectic and diverse life experiences, projecting a respect for eloquent simplicity that is rarely achieved. Born in New York City to Haitian emigrant parents, Leyla was raised in suburban New Jersey. As a teenager, she relocated to Accra, Ghana for two years. Upon her return, she attended Smith College for a year before transferring to New York University where she studied cello performance and chamber music. Armed with Bach’s Cello Suites, Leyla moved to New Orleans to play cello on the streets of the French Quarter.

SBL Entertainment Presents – John Gorka

October 17, 2019
Music Series

John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential iconic singer-songwriter of the 80’s folk scene. Hailing from New Jersey, but forged in the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene, he honed his craft and persona into an unmistakable image. The shy, wry, insightful, and yes, sensitive singer-songwriter has been copied and parodied. But the old coat he wove still fits, and still suits him well. The old songs ring as true as they ever did, and the new ones are just as good.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet

October 25, 2019
Music Series

Since forming in 1975, Grammy winners BeauSoleil have claimed their undisputed role as the most esteemed Cajun group in music. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet take the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana and artfully blend elements of zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more into a satisfying musical recipe. From The Grand Ole Opry to Newport Folk, from concert hall to dance floor, the music of BeauSoleil continues to captivate audiences the world over.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Steelin Dan’ (Steely Dan Tribute)

October 26, 2019
Music Series

Steelin' Dan is the recipient of Sacramento Magazine's Best of Sacramento Award: "Best Show Stealers" and multiple SAMMIE awards

"Heads up, Steely Dan fans: Instead of waiting for their next tour, get your fix with local tribute band Steelin' Dan. From the straightforward pop/rock of Reelin’ in the Years to the quirky, jazz-infected Green Earrings, even the most discriminating Dan fans will be hard-pressed to find flaws in Steelin' Dan’s amazingly accurate arrangements and marks manlike musicianship!"- Sacramento Magazine

Steelin' Dan also won the 2011 Sacramento Area Music Award ("SAMMIE" Award) for "BEST COVER BAND" and 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 SAMMIE awards for "BEST TRIBUTE BAND", demonstrating once again the band's tremendous popularity.

Steelin' Dan presents a memorable experience, one that continues to excite fans throughout California and the western states.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Subdudes

November 7, 2019
Music Series

Over the course of 25 years and ten albums, the Subdudes have quietly become one of America’s national music treasures.
The New Orleans-formed group is a living encapsulation of American music, a vibrant cauldron of sounds that stirs together meaty grooves and jazzy dynamics, soulful R&B swagger, easy vocal harmonies, cheeky rock ‘n’ roll attitude and folky social consciousness — not to mention some of the sharpest musicianship and ensemble playing you’ll ever hear from any five musicians.
Led by singer/guitarist Tommy Malone and accordionist, John Magnie, The Subdudes draw most of their inspiration from the sounds of their native New Orleans, blending blues, gospel, funk, and R&B with their own harmony vocals; their sound is also notable for the band’s substitution of a tambourine player, Steve Amedée, for a drummer. Tim Cook rounds out the band on bass.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Susan Werner

November 9, 2019
Music Series

After writing twelve albums of songs in styles ranging from folk/rock to Tin Pan Alley to gospel, country and chamber music, what might a woman deemed by National Public Radio as “The Empress of the Unexpected” try next?
And as audiences will testify, Werner’s been knocking it out of the park – or concert hall – all around the US for twenty years. Renowned as a charismatic performer, she’s known above all for challenging herself to conquer new styles, almost like mountaintops, every few years.
From her 1995 major label debut, the folk/rock gem “Last of the Good Straight Girls,” to her 2004 collection of Tin Pan Alley styled originals “I Can’t Be New,” to her 2007 “agnostic gospel” hymnal “The Gospel Truth”, to 2013’s tribute to agriculture and her Iowa farm roots “Hayseed” to 2018’s Cuban flavored collection “An American In Havana” Werner’s creative restlessness has become her defining characteristic.
“I like concept albums, because they provide a place for the audience and the artist to meet. You may not know me and I may not know you, but we both know something about a farmer’s market, about what it is to sit in a pew at church and wonder what life means, we both know something about falling in love and maybe falling back out again. I like to have a starting point for an evening’s conversation with an audience – it’s a great icebreaker.”
She first arrived on the national stage when her 1995 BMG debut earned her national concert tours with Joan Armatrading and Richard Thompson. In 1996 Werner was featured as part of the “next generation” in Peter Paul and Mary’s PBS special LifeLines. She has performed on NPR’s World Café, NPR’s Mountain Stage, and in 2016 Nebraska Educational Television broadcast “The Land Will Outlive Us All,” a one hour special on Werner, agriculture, and her 2015 concert tour across the state.
Her songs have been recorded by Tom Jones and Michael Feinstein, Broadway stars Betty Buckley and Christine Ebersole, and countless individuals and ensembles. But Werner says she’s just getting started: “I just released an album of songs inspired by a trip to Cuba. And I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland – hey, maybe I could learn the bagpipes. It’s not impossible….is it?”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Dirty Cello

December 14, 2019
Music Series

From China to Italy, and all over the U.S., Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues and bluegrass. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. From down home blues with a wailing cello to virtuosic stompin’ bluegrass, Dirty Cello is a band that gets your heart thumping and your toes tapping!
"Dirty Cello’s music is all over the map: funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, tangled, electric, fiercely rhythmic, and textured, and only occasionally classical." Lou Fancher, Oakland Magazine.
"The band plays every style imaginable, and does some fantastic covers. (Their rendition of “Purple Haze” is incredible.) But what is most spectacular about them is hearing the depth of soul in Roudman’s playing—it goes beyond what most people would expect from the instrument. She plays it with so much heart, you’ll wonder why more bands don’t have a cellist." Good Times Santa Cruz
"The group seamlessly careens from blues to bluegrass and rock in a way that really shouldn't make sense but somehow does." LA Times

SBL Entertainment Presents – Irish Christmas In America featuring live performance during sets by McKeever School Of Irish Dance

December 21, 2019
Music Series

Produced by Oisín Mac Diarmada of award-winning lrish group Téada, the hugely popular Irish Christmas in America show features top Irish musicians, singers and dancers in an engaging performance rich in history, humour and boundless energy.