On An Open Fire

November 20, 2019 - December 29, 2019
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

When Kelly and Dan finally decide to tell Max that Santa isn’t real, it creates a whirlwind of doubt, funnels of fury and gales of laughter. Belief, as we know it, may never be the same.

SBL entertainment Presents – Jen Kober w/ Diana Hong

November 23, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

This show has been cancelled. Please contact the box office at 916-443-5300 ext. 1 for a refund.

Jen Kober has been featured on incredible TV shows including Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Middle, The Real Husbands of Hollywood, and most recently appeared on the hit Netflix series Dead to Me. You can spot Kober on several shows coming out later this year including RuPauls’s new Netflix sitcom AJ & The Queen, The Righteous Gemstones for HBO and The Purge on USA.

You may also recognize Jen from her award winning stories featured on NPR’s Snap Judgment. Her Girl Scout Cookie Caper story was named Best Comedic Performance of 2017, and her Skydiving for Love story was named Best Comedic Performance of 2018.

Don’t miss your chance to see fast rising star Jen Kober LIVE on stage as she weaves story after story, engaging her audiences with uproarious events from her real life. Kober is the real deal - funny and down to earth, trying to bring folks together by sharing a laugh.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Hidalgos (featuring David Hidalgo from Los Lobos) w/ Katie Knipp

November 24, 2019
Music Series

The Sofia welcomes THE HIDALGOS featuring David Hidalgo of Los Lobos for a very special intimate performance performing as a trio with his sons David Hidalgo Jr. of Social Distortion on drums, & Vincent Hidalgo on bass. 


As lead guitarist and vocalist of the legendary East LA band Los Lobos, Hidalgo has been a creative force straddling the border of rock, R&B, cumbia, Tex-Mex and country for four decades.



Hidalgo's songs have been covered by the Jerry Garcia Band, Waylon Jennings, Bonnie Raitt and others. He has performed in Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival since its inception in 2004.

In addition to his work with Los Lobos, Hidalgo frequently plays musical instruments such as accordion, violin, 6-string banjo, cello, requinto jarocho, percussion, drums and guitar as a session musician on other artists' releases.

Upstairs at The B Presents – New Play Brunch

November 24, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Join us for brunch, drinks and a play reading! Food will be provided complimentary.

Tender Age
by George Brant – playwright of critically acclaimed B3 Series production Grounded!
Desperate for work, Martín applies for a position at the local Walmart-turned-Immigration Detention Center — and finds himself charged with the task of supervising child refugees who have been separated from their parents at the nearby southern border. When a terrifying epidemic begins to spread throughout the center, Martín has no choice but to break with protocol.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Jane Monheit Duo w/ Rabbit Quinn

December 5, 2019
Music Series

Blessed with “a voice of phenomenal beauty” (Stephen Holden, New York Times), Jane Monheit has had plenty of milestone moments in establishing herself as one of today’s best and most important vocalist-musicians.

Jane Monheit was born on November 3, 1977. She was raise din Oakdale, New York, on Long Island’s South Shore. Her aunt and grandmother were professional singers. Her mother performed in musical theater and currently performs in local choirs, and her father plays banjo and guitar. His love of bluegrass and folk music (Bonnie Raitt and Maura O’Connell were among his favorites) shaped her musical sensibility. “It all came down to storytelling,” she says.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Rob Bell: An Introduction to Joy

December 6, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Rob Bell is the New York Times best selling author of Love Wins, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, The Zimzum of Love, How To Be Here and What is the Bible?. His podcast, called the RobCast, is the #1 spirituality podcast and iTunes named it Best of 2015. He’s been profiled in the New Yorker, toured with Oprah, and in 2011 Time Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. He has a regular show at Largo, the legendary comedy and music club in Los Angeles, where he lives with wife Kristen and their three children.

Wizard of Oz

December 7, 2019 - December 26, 2019
Theatre Series

FAMILY FRIENDLY THEATRE

Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, finds herself in the magical world of Oz in this adaptation of the classic story we all know and love. The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion all help Dorothy in her quest to meet the Wizard and find her way home, but the Wicked Witch of the West will do everything in her considerable power to stop her. The B Street Theatre's lauded acting company takes on one of the most adored children's stories just in time for the holidays!
Recommended for ages 5 and up.

SBL Entertainment Presents – John Doyle Duo w/ Mick McAuley

December 7, 2019
Music Series

Impossibly in demand in the studio and on the road, immensely talented and blessed with an acute ear, a wicked sense of rhythm and seemingly endless stream of magic in his playing, composing, performing and producing, John Doyle is solidly establishing himself as one of the most versatile, creative and prolific voices in folk and traditional Irish music.

In 1994 John Doyle brought his brilliant and innovative guitar stylings to the nascent Irish super-group Solas, which soon took the folk and Celtic music worlds by storm. In the years since going out on his own, John has recorded two solo albums, including Wayward Son, which The Irish Edition hailed as “a contender for Album of the Year;” and has become a highly sought-after accompanist and session player for the likes of Joan Baez, Eileen Ivers, Tim O’Brien, Linda Thompson, Seamus Egan, Alison Brown and Kate Rusby; and has developed compelling duo performances, first with fiddler Liz Carroll and more recently with Solas’ co-founding vocalist Karan Casey. Their new CD is Exiles Return.

Upstairs at The B Presents – Maximum Occupancy

December 8, 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!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Joni Morris: A Tribute to the Music of Patsy Cline

December 8, 2019
Music Series

Joni Morris has been critically acclaimed as the "most authentic Patsy Cline Music Tribute Artist ever known!" Her 25 year career as a nationally touring vocalist and entertainer proves her excellence.

Joni has performed in over 1000 venues (in close to 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii). Her unforgettable shows include classic, beautiful renditions of the songs Patsy was most known for, like "Crazy," "Sweet Dreams," "Walkin' After Midnight," "I Fall To Pieces," and so many morre. Joni's "Legendary Ladies Show" includes songs of Kitty, Loretta, Dollie, Tammy and Patsy too. You'll enjoy Joni's beautiful costumes, love her audience interaction and comedy, too! Her performances are a must see for any country music fan.

Upstairs at The B Presents – A Night with Buddy Wakefield featuring the Creation District

December 11, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Join us for an evening of laughter, tears, and heart-bursting performance poetry benefiting artistic accessibility to young adults experiencing homelessness.

Featuring BUDDY WAKEFIELD, three-time world champion spoken word artist, inaugural author on Write Bloody Publishing, and the most toured performance poet in history. Celebrating the release of A Choir of Honest Killers, his first book of new work in eight years. Buddy will be joined on the B-Street stage by local slam poets AndYes, Andru Defy, Grace Loescher, and Tiffany Gold.

All show proceeds go to support the Creation District, a non-profit arts and music program serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in Sacramento.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of passionate poetry and Sacramento community that we guarantee you have never experienced before. Come exactly as you are and join B-Street Theatre, the Creation District, and Buddy Wakefield for an unforgettable evening.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Monica Pasqual CD Release Party w/ Dear John Love Renee (featuring Renee from Blame Sally)

December 13, 2019
Music Series

Best known for her work in the Bay Area’s female band Blame Sally, of whom rock critic Joel Selvin wrote: “…one of the most powerful word-of-mouth success stories I’ve heard in recent years.”, Pasqual has managed to maintain an impressive solo career both before and during the Blame Sally years. Already the winner of five Independent Music Awards and six Emmy Awards, she currently has two songs from her soon-to-be released album in the finals of the 2019 Independent Music Awards. In 2017 Pasqual’s political song and video "You Can't Kill Light" garnered her radio play and views on stations across the US and Germany and was performed live by Pasqual at the 2018 Bay Area Women's March. Her songs have been used on numerous network television shows and she has composed soundtracks for PBS, The History Channel and National Geographic Television. This fall she is releasing her sixth solo album, also titled “You Can’t Kill Light”. Pasqual will be accompanied by her band, The Handsome Brunettes.

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

Upstairs at The B Presents – Sam Kebede Stand-Up Comedy

December 14, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Sam Kebede's "I'm Ostracized because I'm Ostrich-sized"

Meet Sam. Sam is gangly. Impressively gangly. He's so gangly that at a young age it became clear that he would either have to get funny or get incredible abs. Well, six-packs are hard to get so here we are. "I'm Ostracized Because I'm Ostrich-Sized" is his hour long set that covers everything and anything his mind can comment on. Whether it be Star Wars, Sharknado, or 19th century presidents, Sam has an opinion. And he will tell it while looking like an inflatable tube man outside of a car dealership come to life.

Sam Kebede is an Comedian/Writer/Actor that has performed across the globe. This past summer he was at the world-famous Venice International Film Festival where his crowd work was put to the test as he attempted to improvise comedy with audience members from around the world. He's performed his stand up routine at multiple locations in NYC, and has performed everything from shakespeare to wacky modern comedies all across the nation. You may also recognize Sam as Golden Thunder from Airness, Vic from Ironbound, and he's soon to grace the stage as Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz.

Upstairs at The B Presents – Seekers of The Strange

December 15, 2019
Other Entertainment Series

Seekers of the Strange is a fictional, paranormal investigation team that embarks on a perilous and sanity-sapping foray into the unknown each month. Based on the model of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, company member John Lamb and other familiar faces bring live role playing to the stage. Part game, part improvisational storytelling, and all strange, the Seekers invite the audience to help them navigate a supernatural mystery. Whether you want to be an observer or create a character and become an active participant, Seekers of the Strange offers a truly unique theatre experience every month. Perfect for those who enjoy HarmonQuest or classic RPGs.

SBL Entertainment Presents – An R&B Christmas: Soul 4 The Season! Featuring Lydia Pense (Cold Blood) and Fred Ross (Tower Of Power) plus Dana Moret and Paula Harris

December 19, 2019
Music Series

“Soul 4 the Season” is a holiday journey that will take you from moving spiritual numbers to light hearted impudent favorites. Even a few naughty selections will be offered. This concert makes a deliberate effort to stay away from the “childrens aspect” of the Christmas season. And while it is aimed at a more mature and musically discerning audience the show is suitable for all ages.

The 2019 cast of “Soul 4 the Season” features Tower of power singer Fred Ross. Also in the 2019 series is the equally legendary lead singer of “Cold Blood”, Lydia Pense. Lydia has been enthralling audiences for more than four decades. Her raspy unique voice is instantly identifiable and her soulful bluesy numbers will delight her fans with this new facet to her talent. Paula Harris is a world class act who has gained international attention and acclaim in the blues world. She has been featured on more than 3000 stations globally and was nominated for multiple blues and music awards for her debut album. And rounding out the show is Dana Moret, a dynamic, versatile singer who’s band “Mr December” is known to deliver everything from rock to funk in their immensely popular concerts.She has worked with artists like Stoneground, Cold Blood, Frank Hannon (Tesla) and more.

SBL Entertainment Presents – A Night In Portugal featuring Ramana Vieira

December 20, 2019
Music Series

Take a journey to the world of Fado, often described as the Portuguese version of the blues. This concert presents Fado as interpreted by Ramana Vieira, a northern California native of Portuguese descent who has been described by The New York Times as an American at the forefront of the Fado resurgence. The San Francisco Examiner calls her “the Rising Star in World Music." Her authentic and individual style, brilliant musicality, and colorful heritage appeals to a wide audience. Following her recent performance of the TAP Airlines inaugural flight out of SFO, her performance will reflect her original compositions along with beautiful Fado pieces by Amalia Rodrigues the legendary Fado singer from Portugal. Joining Ramana will be Brad Bivens on guitar, Leslie Thorne on bass and Stephen LaPorta on percussion.

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.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Billie Holiday Project featuring Stella Heath

January 3, 2020
Music Series

The Billie Holiday Project, led by Stella Heath, celebrates the music of Lady Day! Shrouded in mystery, as she was draped in furs, Billie was quintessentially multi-faceted, possessing the sensitivity and ability to make the songs she sang as personal as if she was singing them softly in your own very ear. Featuring some of the Bay Area’s finest Jazz musicians, The Billie Holiday Project evokes the electric and intimate feeling of experiencing Lady Day live in a 1930s Jazz Club. Drawing from some of Billie’s most recorded tunes, such as Blue Moon, Billie’s Blues, God Bless the Child, and Strange Fruit, to name but a few, the band also revives some of the earlier and lesser-known tunes that Billie interpreted. In performance, interspersed with the music are stories of Billie’s life and musical artistry. The Band features Stella Heath, invoking the vocal stylings of Billie Holiday; Neil Fontano, piano virtuoso from Sonoma County; Jason Bellenkes, rich and inventive on tenor saxophone and clarinet; Trevor Kinsel, interchanging between upright bass and cornet.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mania! The Live Beatles Experience

January 4, 2020
Music Series

MANIA! is California's Premier Beatles Tribute Band, capturing the imagination of both old and young with their attention to detail: from authentic Beatle instruments and costumes to the way they move, sing and play. Taking the audience from the youthful energy of The Ed Sullivan Show through the majesty of Pepperland and into the final days of the Beatles on the Abbey Road rooftop, MANIA!

SBL Entertainment Presents – I See Hawks In L.A.

January 10, 2020
Music Series

"Hawks With Good Intentions," an all acoustic folk experiment with The Good Intentions from Liverpool, UK has an official release in September 2019 and is already garnering good advance UK/Europe airplay and reviews. 5 stars - MOJO; 8 stars - UNCUT; "I See Hawks In L.A. delivers more timeless twang," -L.A. Times; "Live And Never Learn is a balm for the soul," - Rock & Reel UK.

The Hawks are noted for their lyrical celebrations and lamentations of earth and ecosphere, odes to the endless highway, and wry social commentary. Rob Waller's soulful baritone is augmented by rich three part harmonies, and traditional yet very experimental electric and steel guitar textures from Paul Lacques, layered with fiddle, dobro and accordion. Bassist and vocalist Paul Marshall (Strawberry Alarm Clock, Wanda Jackson), brings a deep understanding of Americana from bluegrass to psychedelic country rock, to the Hawks landscape.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Danielle Nicole w/ Alastair Greene Band

January 11, 2020
Music Series

Founding member, lead singer, and bass player of Kansas City blues-rock band Trampled Under Foot, Danielle Nicole stepped out on her own in 2015 with her debut album “Wolf Den.” In 2018, Nicole returned with a follow-up release via Concord Records.

"I grew up playing the blues, and the blues is still a big part of what I do. But now I'm reaching out more and trying different things. It still sounds like me, but I'm stretching out a lot more than I have previously."

"When I started doing my solo thing," she continues, "someone asked me if I was gonna hire a bass player. No, of course not! I originally picked up the bass to keep Trampled Under Foot a family band, but I really fell in love with it. It was a huge challenge, and it still is. But I really love being part of the groove and getting to sing on top of that. I had learned some stuff on acoustic guitar before I started playing bass, but I never really felt connected to it the way I do with the bass. It's empowering, walking onto a stage full of grown men who can play their asses off, and it's 'OK, I'm gonna play this bass, we're gonna do this, and it's gonna rock.'"

Rounding out her band are longtime Danielle Nicole Band guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Miller, and her older brother Kris Schenebelen [Trampled Under Foot] on drums.

Popcorn Falls

January 14, 2020 - February 23, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

The quaint, little town of Popcorn Falls is reeling when a corrupt politician threatens to turn the village into a sewage treatment plant. Options are closed and hope is lost until the arrival of an Arts Council check brings a glimmer of hope. To save its beloved town, Popcorn Falls must put on a play! Two actors play over twenty roles in this feel-good, hilarious romp.

On sale November 19, 2019. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Spencer Day

January 18, 2020
Music Series

Spencer Day, the #1 Billboard charting pop/jazz singer and songwriter, has headlined venues from Birdland and Lincoln Center to the Hollywood Bowl and London’s West End. Known for his unique sense of humor and distinctive original songs, his upcoming project “Broadway by Day” celebrates the unlikely friendship between jazz and musical theatre with swinging numbers from “A Chorus Line,” “South Pacific,” “Hello, Dolly!,” and more. Spencer has been called “prodigiously talented” by The Village Voice, "Compelling” from Time Out NY, “Brilliant” by The San Francisco Chronicle, with raves for his “cool jazz sensibilities, cleverly crafted tales” from The Washington Post.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Shaun Martin Trio (Three-O)

January 23, 2020
Music Series

Yes, Shaun Martin has a natural gift that has been evident since he began playing drums in church at the age of 4. Yes, his mother had the vision to arrange piano instruction from Carolyn Campbell and guide him on his path. Yes, he has several Grammys from his work with Kirk Franklin and the gospel powerhouse God’s Property. and Yes, he has a Grammy that crowns his many years with jazz fusion phenomenon Snarky Puppy. But you will not find this information in discussion with this gently powerful man because he wears none of this on his sleeve.

Shaun Martin has been playing, creating, and collaborating for most of his life, yet his contributions go much further than just playing. When you move through the projects that Shaun has been a part of you can feel his style and influence; you can sense his presence throughout the compositions. Shaun’s willingness and ability to be a subtle part of each band have allowed him be part of the very foundation.

SBL Entertainment Presents – The Paperboys

January 25, 2020
Music Series

Celebrating their 25th anniversary year, Vancouver Canadian musician Tom Landa, is looking back on the legacy of his much-loved folk rock band The Paperboys. For a quarter century, The Paperboys have been touring the world and lighting up stages with their freewheeling blend of influences from Celtic and bluegrass, to Mexican son jarocho, brass bands, and Canadian roots. They have been called everything from Cajun slamgrass to worldbeat, they’ve received a Juno award (Canadian Grammy), plus two Juno nominations, two West Coast Music Awards, released nine albums,
and regularly play two-night bills in the Pacific Northwest.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Joe Craven & The Sometimers

February 7, 2020
Music Series

There is no label to accurately describe the music of Joe Craven and the Sometimers. Acid-rockgrass? Jazz fusion Americana? To try to box it in would be to crush the exuberant creative spirit that happens when Craven,
Jonathan Stoyanoff, Bruce MacMillan, Barry Eldridge and Hattie Craven play together. “No genre left behind” is their musical motto, and they accomplish the task with joyful abandon, playing paradigm-shattering free
range music that entices and excites. Joe Craven is a creativity educator and prankster savant and, while a multi-instrumentalist proficient with strings and percussion from mando to canjoe to bongo, he is also a eulogist, wordsmith and fashion insultant.
“Everything Joe touches turns into music” says mandolinist David Grisman, with whom Craven played for almost 17 years. Craven has rubbed creative elbows with Jerry Garcia, David Lindley, Alison Brown, Jason Marsalis, Inga Swearengen, Roy Rogers, Howard Levy and many others. Joe is equally grateful to have also been inspired and furthered by incredible, inspiring souls that most folks have, or perhaps never will, known of. Joe’s creative genius sparks and ignites his fellow musicians, who travel to other worldly musical destinations not explored by many others.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Women Of A Certain Age

February 8, 2020
Other Entertainment Series

Direct from Showtime, Join Carole Montgomery and some of the funniest women in comedy!

Funny Women of a Certain Age is a show straight from the unfettered mouths and uninhibited minds of the funniest, most daring, most experienced people in comedy: the women that have seen it all.

They’ve raised children both on and off the road, having club bouncers watch their babies while onstage. These women have stayed in comedy condos where you don’t want to use a blacklight on anything. They’ve been told women aren’t funny and asked to trade sexual favors for work.
Trust us, they have A LOT to say and they say it hysterically.

“Funny Women Of A Certain Age gives the floor to brilliant, deserving comics who are all too often cast aside by the entertainment industry.” - AV/TV CLUB

“It’s the kind of funny you don’t see very often - raw, smart, no holds barred.” - Evan Shapiro: National Lampoon

Ride Sally Ride

February 8, 2020 - March 7, 2020
Theatre Series

The story of Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride!
In this thrilling story, young Sally Ride is visited by her idol. Amelia Earhart. Together, they explore the history of aviation, the breaking barriers and the role women had in the obliteration of the patriarchy. This electrifying play will illuminate these fearless icons and inspire children of all ages!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Under The Jello Mold

February 9, 2020
Theatre Series

Her mother hid her post-mortem instructions in a very specific spot – it turned out, she was also hiding a secret! Jennie Fahn’s award-winning solo comedy returns to the Sofia after last year’s hit engagement. Winner of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival’s Best Solo Show, Producer’s Encore Award, and Named Pick of the Fringe, “this is the show that will imprint your eyes, your imagination, and mostly your heart, in the most loving, humorous way... Fahn’s story is deeply moving as it is funny” – GiaOnTheMove.com. “Rich in imagination, humor and color, it fills the heart! Make a beaten path to Under The Jello Mold!” – The Tolucan Times. "It is like watching a match at Wimbledon with Fahn playing both sides of the net…a joy to watch!” – TheTVOlution.com NAMED BEST OF LA THEATRE 2017! A must-see comedy about love, loss, and being of sound, mind, and body!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Avery*Sunshine duo

February 11, 2020
Music Series

Some people have a calling that is undeniable and Avery*Sunshine is no exception. Yet the former church pianist/musical director, who scored a #1 Billboard chart hit, was at once a reluctant warrior. “I had no idea that my work in the church would prepare me to do what I do.” Bringing people together through her riveting stage performances, candid and often humorous stage banter and optimistic anthems about love and life is what Avery*Sunshine does best. In fact she does it so well, that she has garnered praise from iconic musical figures like The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who raves, “I love Avery*Sunshine!” The Atlanta based singer’s no holds barred signature soul/R&B sound has also made believers of such luminaries as Patti LaBelle, Berry Gordy and Boy George who proclaimed on twitter “@averysunshine love this woman’s voice”.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

February 13, 2020
Music Series

The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, "the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling", and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 18 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mumbo Gumbo’s 30th Anniversary Party

February 14, 2020
Music Series

Mumbo Gumbo is a septet from Sacramento that has been playing together for 30 years! With nine albums they have made a name for themselves mixing rootsy grooves, great songs and powerful playing that you can shake your booty to! This 30th anniversary show serves as both a special Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day event.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Dennis Johnson and the Mississippi Ramblers

February 15, 2020
Music Series

You would say San Francisco native Dennis Johnson is one of the hardest working musicians with a deep passion for preserving and innovating roots music.

Dennis realized at a young age music was his calling. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dennis heard the music of Chuck Berry and it struck a chord with him. As a teenager, he taught himself the guitar and discovered his passion for slide guitar. He discovered the music of Robert Johnson, Roy Rogers and Norton Buffalo and was hooked. Dennis recalled “seeing Roy play the first time really blew me away. A huge influence on my music.”

Robert Johnson’s approach to guitar was the blueprint for Dennis’ evolution as a guitarist. Dennis explained “Robert‘s guitar playing sounded like two guitars. It’s a blend of rhythm and slide phrases that sound like two guitarists are playing when it’s really one guitarist. I approach guitar in much the same way.”

The road to becoming a professional musician was paved when Dennis met delta blues legend Honey Boy Edwards. “I was at a personal crossroads in deciding whether to be a musician. Honeyboy said 'if you like to play the blues, play the blues!' The eloquence of that statement was in its simplicity. When I shook Honeyboy's hand I felt an energy there. This was a profound moment in my life. It was fate”

Honeyboy's advice turned out to be a risk that paid off. In 2010, Dennis Johnson released his first album Slide Show to critical acclaim. Slide Show rose to the Top 50 blues CDs worldwide and No. 21 on the California Roots Radio Charts.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Waipuna

February 16, 2020
Music Series

With dramatic musical arrangements and progressive instrumentation, Waipunaʻs one-of-a-kind sound combines the traditional teachings of their mentors and expands the boundaries and expectations of todayʻs Hawaiian music. The group consists of founding members Kale Hannahs and Matt Sproat, as well as David Kamakahi, who joined the group in 2011. The eclectic collaboration of these three uniquely talented individuals not only provides for an innovative sound, but allows the group to successfully cross-over (as well as combine) various genres of music with ease.

Waipunaʻs music has been widely appreciated and enjoyed not only by the people of Hawaiʻi, but also a wide spectrum of audiences around the world. They have provided inspirational accompaniment for hula dancers, touched hearts through their poetry and earned seven Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards (Hawaiʻiʻs version of the Grammy Awards) for their first four albums.

As full-time musicians, the trioʻs active tour schedule keeps them busy throughout the year, with shows from Japan to North America and even Europe. Kale, Matt and David take pride in the responsibility of sharing the Hawaiian culture in their travels, and enjoy reshaping and redefining peopleʻs understanding and expectations of Hawaiian music.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Marcia Ball & Sonny Landreth’s Mardi Gras party

February 20, 2020
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.”

After a dozen acclaimed albums, virtuoso slide guitarist and bandleader Sonny Landreth found himself at an artistic crossroads. He wanted to finally create the full length acoustic collection his fans had long requested. But he was also itching to capture the sound of his stalwart electric trio augmented by a couple of his favorite collaborators. And the time was certainly right for an elastic, career spanning double live album.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Barry Zito (from the San Francisco Giants)

February 21, 2020
Music Series

Barry Zito had a career with Major League Baseball that spanned 15 years and featured a Cy Young Award (as the American League's best pitcher in 2002), three All-Star Game appearances and two World Series rings with the San Francisco Giants in 2010 and 2012.

In 2015, after retirement, Barry settled down in Nashville, TN where he turned his focus to his family and music. As a songwriter, his songs have been recorded by other artists and have been featured in both film and television. In 2017, he released his debut EP No Secrets that debuted at number 15 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Album chart and number 39 on the Billboard Country Album chart. In 2017 and 2018 Zito was a featured guest on LeAnn Rimes' annual Christmas tour.

In 2019, Barry release his first book, a memoir appropriately titled Curveball.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Ed Asner – A Man And His Prostate

February 22, 2020
Other Entertainment Series

Based on a true-life experience, a man discovers his inner self in more ways than one. A near tragedy is masterfully transformed into a one-man comedy, perfectly portrayed by Ed Asner in his hilarious visit to the hospital in preparation for surgery he doesn’t want.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Sammy Miller and The Congregation: Leaving Egypt Tour

February 23, 2020
Music Series

Sammy Miller and The Congregation are on a mission, crisscrossing the country like a vaudevillian revival show with evangelic fervor for music. The seven-piece band is pulling people out of their solitary lives and putting them in the moment with a bracing dose of joyful jazz performed with infectious theatricality. The New York City-based, familial collective has captured its frenetic energy and unflinchingly optimistic songwriting on its debut album, Leaving Egypt.

“We want to get people back in a room together,” Sammy Miller says. “I love the idea of being unhinged, sincere, vulnerable, and breaking down walls through humor. Music is an uplifting gift, and I want to be generous in sharing it with people.”

Sammy Miller and The Congregation has been described as a mashup of the sensibilities of Ben Folds and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The band freely mixes vocal and instrumental tracks live and on record, asking the audience to go along for the ride with the lead melody being carried by vocalists half the time, and instruments the other half.

The seven-piece group is a community of adventurous and charismatic superstar musicians who are conservatory-trained but who have not lost their childlike wonder and awe for playing music. The band lineup is Sammy Miller, drums and vocals; Sam Crittenden, trombone; Ben Flocks, tenor sax; Sammy’s sister Molly Miller on guitar; Alphonso Horne, trumpet; Corbin Jones, bass and tuba; and David Linard, piano. Independently, the band members have performed and recorded with notable artists including Wynton Marsalis, Lady Gaga, Jason Mraz, and Beyoncé.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Tom Paxton and The DonJuans

February 26, 2020
Music Series

Collectively, their songs have been covered by: Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Nancy Griffith, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Faith Hill, B.J. Thomas, Blake Shelton, Peter, Paul & Mary and Bob Dylan… just to name a few! Within days of writing and playing together, they knew they were onto something. Now they’re taking it on the road!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Frank Vignola’s Hot Jazz Guitar

February 28, 2020
Music Series

Frank Vignola, born December 30th, 1965, is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Wynton Marsalis, Tommy Emmanuel, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignole to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List: for the Wall Street Journal. Vignola’s jaw- dropping technique explains why the new York Times deemed him “one of the brightest stars of the guitar”.

With over 1000 engagements in the last five years alone, Frank Vignola has become one of the most popular and sought after guitarists on the international music scene. His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 14 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.

Often featured on National Public Radio, Frank Vignola has also become a familiar figure on Public Television, featured previously on three popular shows, including the heavily programmed Tommy Emmanuel and Friends. His own PBS special, “Four Generations of Guitar” produced by Peter Berkow, premieres in the 2015 season as part of the forthcoming 13 episode series “Music Gone Public”, where he will be joined by special guests, Vinny Raniolo, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Craven and Tommy Emmanuel.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Aubrey Logan

February 29, 2020
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.

Byhalia, Mississippi

March 3, 2020 - April 12, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

Byhalia is a an edgy new comedy from Evan Linder, writer of the smash B Street hit, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche. In Byhalia, Jim and Laurel are a young married couple, struggling with employment,
parental interference and the impending birth of their first child, but when something happens that turns their world upside down, can they find their way back to each other? This southern fried merry-goround will have audiences rooting for our heroes while wiping away tears of laughter.

On sale January 14, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

Concert of Maestro Anoushirvan Rohani and Reza Rohani along with amazing surprises

March 6, 2020 - March 8, 2020
Music Series

Anoushiravan Rohani is one of the greatest Iranian pianist and composer.Many of his songs have been performed in different languages in several countries. Among the many international honors that Anoushiravan has received, he was awarded the first prize in Spain's Music Festival for his song Mi Destino (Spanish version of Soltan-e-Ghalbhaa). More recently he has been working with Hannover Opera & Ballet Orchestra in Germany and Czech Symphony Orchestra in Prague.
http://www.anoushirvanrohani.com/

SBL Entertainment Presents – Special EFX featuring Chieli Minucci

March 13, 2020
Music Series

Guitarist, composer, and arranger Chieli Minucci is longtime leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group SPECIAL EFX featuring Chieli Minucci, a major force on the jazz and world music scene for over 35 years. Chieli has just recently released his 35th anniversary CD, “All Stars” (Trippin N Rhythm Records). Chieli & Special EFX’s previous release saw title track, “Deep as the Night”, won Billboard Magazine’s 2018 top honors, best-song-of-the-year.

Besides writing and performing his own music, Chieli shares his guitar brilliance throughout the entertainment world. He has recorded and performed with many top artists, such as Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Mark Anthony, Michael Bolton, Eartha Kitt, Eddie Fisher, Anastasia, as well as jazz artists Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Bernie Williams, Marion Meadows, Lao Tizer, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Gerald Veasley, Omar Hakim, and many others. Although renowned in the jazz and pop world, Chieli is also a gifted television and film composer. He has won 3 Emmy Awards and been nominated 10 times for his eclectic compositions. His music can also be heard on the soundtracks of the films Bowfinger, No Country for Old Men, Legally Blonde, American Made, and others. Chieli's original scoring work can be heard in live stage productions of Peter Pan, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego Go, Thomas the Tank Engine, and others.

Keyboardist Lao Tizer is one of today’s rising stars of the world-fusion genre. Tizer’s original music has spurred comparisons of a modern twist to the 1970s and early 1980s heyday of jazz fusion, when trailblazing ensembles like Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report set the aesthetic standard. Lao’s music has a multi-genre, multi-national appeal and his group, The Lao Tizer Band, has toured the USA and the world while being nominated “Jazz Group of the Year”! Their new 2018 CD/DVD combo release, Songs From The Swinghouse has received acclaim across the industry while debuting near the top of the Billboard Jazz Album Chart!

Also joining the Special EFX Allstars will be drummer extraordinaire and 2x Grammy winner Gene Coye (Seal, Larry Carlton, The Lao Tizer Band, Richard Bona) and virtuoso bassist, 3x Grammy nominee, Ric Fierabracci (Chick Corea, Blood Sweat & Tears, Yanni, Frank Gambale, Billy Cobham)

Sacramento Masters Singers Presents – Songs in the Key of Life

March 14, 2020 - March 15, 2020
Music Series

From birth to death, through joy, loss, and sorrow, the Sacramento Master Singers will celebrate our lives, their benchmark moments, their ups and downs, with song. Patrons will be moved by pieces that range from the traditional Spiritual Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child to Szymko’s It Takes a Village. We have a slew of special features for this concert as well: talented guest soloists, a World Premiere of an SMS commissioned piece by Ron Kean focused on the theme of life’s journey. You’ll enjoy audience pleasers such as Cole Porter’s I Get a Kick Out of You arranged by Falker and Fly to Paradise by Eric Whitacre. Join us as for our first performance at the stunning Sofia and hear popular songs such as Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life. It’s a concert brimming with musical delights that you won’t want to miss.

SBL Entertainment Presents – CJ Chenier

March 18, 2020
Music Series

CLAYTON JOSEPH CHENIER is Creole music royalty. His father, the legendary Clifton Chenier, invented the style of music we know today as Zydeco and was the first Creole musician to be recognized with a Grammy Award.

Raised in this indigenous American culture with its’ own distinctive language, cuisine and music, C.J. delivers soulful vocals along with jaw-dropping masterful accordion-driven Rock, Zydeco and Blues.

After spending his childhood in the tough tenement housing projects of Port Arthur, Texas, C.J. joined his Father’s band on his 21st birthday. His first gig was playing for the opening of the now world-renown Antone’s, Home of the Blues Nightclub in Austin, Texas.

On the road his father showed him how to front a world class touring band, teaching C.J., a multi-instrumentalist, how to run the family business and how to develop his lifelong passion for music into a career. When Clifton died in 1987 his son, C.J., adopted the Red Hot Louisiana Band and recorded his debut album for the great American independent label Arhoolie Records.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Duo Quartet

March 21, 2020
Music Series

Duo Quartet - the truth is, this is a band that wasn’t supposed happen. It started with four old friends thinking, ‘hey, let’s do a couple of shows as a double-bill’: Nina Gerber & Chris Webster in concert with The Pam & Jeri Show (Pam Delgado and Jeri Jones of Blame Sally). Given that all four women already had stellar reputations in the greater Bay Area, it wasn’t hard to book some high profile venues followed by full houses.

At first each performance stuck to the program – one duo followed by the other duo, with a grand finale of all four playing together. The duo part was great, but the quartet thing was downright exciting. Before long the shows featured the four of them playing together, with an occasional duo “breakout” section. Hence the band, and the name “Duo Quartet”.

From an audience point of view there is something richly satisfying in experiencing these four women onstage with a dynamic ranging from tender, ethereal songs to raucous barn-burners. Webster and Delgado sing most of the leads – Chris often expertly playing a washboard while Delgado drives the band with her percussion. But if this were a boxing ring you’d see coming in from opposite corners the dueling energy of Jones and Gerber egging each other on with their guitar-Goddestry – whipping the band and the audience into a veritable frenzy.

With a beautiful set of original music mixed with surprisingly original takes on a few choice covers, Duo Quartet brings to the stage a band that is greater than the sum of its already impressive parts.

Sacramento Ballet Presents – Homegrown: A Festival of New Works

March 26, 2020 - March 29, 2020
Other Entertainment Series

Our inaugural “Homegrown” presents world premieres by a trio of exciting emerging artists: Jennifer Archibald, Nicole Haskins and Isaac Bates-Vineuza.

Archibald, Resident Choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet, was a Choreographic Fellow for Alvin Ailey’s New Directions Choreography Lab. She has choreographed for major dance companies such as Atlanta Ballet, Kansas City Ballet and Stockholm’s Balletakedemien, as well as commercially for Tommy Hilfiger, NIKE and MAC Cosmetics.

Haskins, a Sacramento Ballet alumnus, has graced the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Choreography XX and the New York Choreographic Institute. She has choreographed for Richmond Ballet and Smuin Ballet, among others.

Finally, Sacramento Ballet artist Isaac Bates-Vineuza further develops After All, his offering from our 2019 Beer and Ballet.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Greg Adams & East Bay Soul

April 4, 2020
Music Series

The sound of Grammy and Emmy nominated trumpeter, arranger Greg Adams is one of the world’s best-known musical signatures. As a founding member of Tower of Power, legendary for his arrangements that made the TOP horn section a sought out entity all its own. With countless collaborations in the studio and live on stage, Adams has made his mark on a broad stretch of today’s musical landscape that includes jazz, pop, rock, R&B,
soul, and funk.
It has been nearly a quarter century since the genre chameleon trumpeter and arranger became a leader in his own right with his ground breaking 1995 debut Hidden Agenda. With Greg Adams’ approach that music is a language... the CONVERSATION continues. You will sense a direct connection with the live feel of the music, the open breath of each note and the collaboration of each player.

SBL Entertainment Presents – David Victor’s SUPERGROUP

April 18, 2020
Music Series

David Victor’s SUPERGROUP is former BOSTON vocalist/guitarist David Victor's all-star San Francisco Bay Area rock band. SUPERGROUP features a stellar lineup of musicians including former members of Y&T (bassist Brad Lang), Creedence Clearwater & Montrose (guitarist Tal Morris) and drummer Jeff Campitelli formerly of Joe Satriani's band. This band packs a punch with a powerhouse repertoire and captivating stage performance, performing the hits from their former bands and original music. SUPERGROUP beautifully weaves multiple genres and eras of music together into one cohesive, powerhouse performance. Expect stellar musicianship, and harmony-heavy, epic vocals.

A Year with Frog and Toad

April 18, 2020 - May 9, 2020
Theatre Series

Based on the classic stories by Arnold Lobel, A Year with Frog and Toad leaps from the B Street stage! Follow two best friends, the cheerful Frog and the grumpy Toad, as they hop, sing, and dance their way through a year of adventure. As the seasons change from spring to fall, these beloved characters learn lessons about life and the importance of friendship.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mary Gauthier w/ Jaimee Harris

April 19, 2020
Music Series

Every day, on average, twenty-two veterans commit suicide. Each year seventy-four hundred current and former members of the United States Armed Services take their own lives. Every day. That number does not include drug overdoses or car wrecks or any of the more inventive ways somebody might less obviously choose to die. It seems trivial to suggest those lives might be saved — healed, even — by a song. By the process of writing a song.

And yet.

And yet there is nothing trivial about Mary Gauthier’s tenth album, Rifles and Rosary Beads (Thirty Tigers), all eleven songs co-written with and for wounded veterans. Eleven of the nearly four hundred songs that highly accomplished songwriters have co-written as part of Darden Smith’s five-year-old SongwritingWith:Soldiers program.

None of the soldiers who have participated in the program have taken their own lives, and there’s nothing trivial about that. Something about writing that song — telling that story — is healing. What Smith calls post-traumatic-growth.

Gauthier’s first nine albums presented extraordinary confessional songs, deeply personal, profoundly emotional pieces ranging from “I Drink,” a blunt accounting of addiction, to “March 11, 1962,” the day she was born — and relinquished to an orphanage — to “Worthy,” in which the singer finally understands she is deserving of love. Maybe that’s where the confessional song cycle ends, for she has midwifed these eleven new songs in careful collaboration with other souls whose struggle is urgent, immediate, and palpable. And none are about her.

Each song on Rifles and Rosary Beads is a gut punch: deceptively simple and emotionally complex. From the opening “Soldiering On” (“What saves you in the battle/Can kill you at home”) to “Bullet Holes in the Sky” (“They thank me for my service/And wave their little flags/They genuflect on Sundays/And yes, they’d send us back”), to the abject horror of “Iraq,” and its quiet depiction of a female mechanic’s rape, each song tells the story of a deeply wounded veteran.

Straight White Men

April 21, 2020 - May 31, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

Straight White Men, the celebrated and lauded comedy from Young Jean Lee, is a searing examination of privilege and family dynamics. It’s Christmastime and the Norton brothers have assembled at their childhood home to celebrate with their widowed father. Now in their 40’s, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to slip back into old rhythms. Gleeful fraternal hazing peels away the frustrations of who they were raised to be and who they’ve become. With sympathy, gut busting humor and razor sharp insight, Young Jean Lee has created a perfect snapshot of America.

On sale March 3, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Keiko Matsui

April 21, 2020
Music Series

“Creating this album was like going on a soul quest, as I tried to figure out how to express the things I was thinking and experiencing during this past year,” confides pianist, composer and humanitarian Keiko Matsui (pronounced Kay-Koe, meaning ‘happy, celebratory child’ in Japanese). “This music energizes me and I am overwhelmed with emotion when I listen to it. I hope people will allow themselves to go inside the music and become a part of my journey,” says the stunning, profound pianist and world citizen who is celebrating a triumphant 25 years of recording in the US. In the words of Duke Ellington, Keiko Matsui is ‘beyond category.’ The courageous, spiritually-driven and consummate artist who enjoyed the distinction of being an invited guest and performer at the second International Jazz Day, sponsored by UNESCO and held in Istanbul in April 2013, transcends boundary. Her unique melting pot of musical influences have garnered her a devout international following. The eloquent and soft-spoken but yet deliberate musician tours relentlessly and seeks to make a genuine connection with her audience. “Everybody has so many things going on in their lives but my concerts are special for me. The music creates a oneness. The exchange I share with my audience is the root of my energy. It’s like my mission.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Shelley Burns

April 24, 2020
Music Series

Shelley Burns has been performing professionally virtually all of her life, and is regarded as one of the premier jazz vocalists on the west coast. Her recordings have been heard on jazz radio stations across the nation, and she has appeared at many jazz festivals in the U.S, as well as in Scotland and Canada.

Shelley has entertained on cruise ships, with Bill Dendle and Eddie Erickson, and has sung with Les Paul, Bucky Pizzarelli, and shared the stage with many other jazz greats, such as Bob Draga, Abe Most, Johnny Varro, and Jimmy Smith.

Shelley has conducted vocal workshops in conjunction with jazz festivals in the U.S. and Canada. Throughout the 2000s she appeared yearly in Greece at leading jazz clubs, even conducting a jazz vocal camp in Athens. She is the staff vocal instructor at two jazz camps in Northern California, and in 2013, she received the "Great Lady of Jazz" award from the Sun Valley Jazz Festival. She is also a marvelous comedic actress and has often been compared to Carol Burnett and Imogene Coca. Like them, she can fracture an audience with laughter, or mesmerize them with a beautiful song.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Wake The Dead

April 25, 2020
Music Series

Wake The Dead is the World’s Only Celtic All-Star Grateful Dead Jam Band. Since 2000, this hot Northern California septet has been blending Celtic traditional music and the songs of the Grateful Dead—at first impressing the Dead themselves enough for them to release the début CD on Grateful Dead/Arista Records. Now, ever more inventive and ever more energetic, WAKE THE DEAD spreads their reach to embrace the entire Summer of Love, keeping it alive for Deadheads and Celtoids alike as only they can.

SBL Entertainment Presents – John Brothers Piano Company

May 1, 2020
Music Series

Formed by a pair of former Cal Berkeley students who shared a love of early jazz and barroom blues, the band began as humbly and seemingly incongruous as possible, with the pair dragging their Wurlitzer spinet around to busk on street corners around San Francisco and the East Bay. The John Brothers Piano Company have built a devoted fan base one show at a time, blending timeless classics and original compositions with nearly irrepressible energy, and the lineup has expanded to a quartet of prodigiously talented multi-instrumentalists. They’ve graduated from performing on the street to headlining many Bay Area venues The Chapel, Great American Music Hall, Bimbo’s 365 and performing at a multitude of festivals and events SFJAZZ, Stern Grove Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Oakland Art + Soul, Outside Lands, Le Festif!. In addition to headlining there own shows they’ve performed alongside phenomenal artists like Karen O, Booker T, Joan Osborne, Sugar Pie Desanto, to name a few. Asked to describe their sound and approach by The Bay Bridged, the band responded, “This group is a punk band with jazz instruments and classical inclinations.”

SBL Entertainment Presents – Mick Martin’s Birthday Bash featuring The Mick Martin Big Band

May 2, 2020
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 – Peter Petty & his Titans of Terpsichore

May 8, 2020
Music Series

Let's go see what "Da Man wit' Da Flop" is doin'! The incomparable Jazz tumult that is Peter Petty & his Titans of Terpsichore! orchestra is goin' be mad-muggin' you upside your head, and rattlin' your bones back down the other side when they turn the Sofia Theater into the jumpin'est, jivin'ist, great-gosh-alive-in'-ist Swing spot in town! Come tear it up to the most sinfully scintillated splendiferosity you EVER hoped to syncopate.

Peter Petty is a Sacramento-based nationally performing "personality" who, locally, has notably worked with The Capital City Stage, the Music Circus, starred in a series of Tower Records training films (alongside Jack Gallagher, no less), and in the independent GIG Ventures feature film Jump-Cut. He has appeared on albums with Elektra recording artists Papa’s Culture and Columbia Records’ Cake, and has plied his 3 1/2 vocal range for the Sacramento Opera through 8 seasons. As a bandleader he has garnered four Sacramento Area Music Award (SAMMIE) nominations, won the 2018 Live Performer SAMMIE award, and has performed repeatedly for the Sacramento French Film Festival, the Sacramento Ballet, the Crocker Art Museum, the Mondavi Center, and the Sacramento Music Festival & Jazz Jubilee. He coins the term Hep-Hop-era to describe his infectious, eclectic, historical musical mash-up that connects the dots between seemingly disparate genres through an adventurous and hilarious theatricality that entertains the “swell” out of audiences of all ages. Peter Petty also serves as a director on the boards of both the Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy, and BTU Arts. He lives in East Sacramento with his wife Theresa, and two hermit crabs.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Capital Jazz Project

May 9, 2020
Music Series

The Capital Jazz Project was formed in April 1997 by seven Sacramento area musicians. Since then, the ensemble, has been renewed with Sacramento’s must talented young jazz stars, Brenden Lowe piano, Jacam Manricks saxophones, Joe Mazzaferro trumpet, Tim Metz drums, Henry Robinett guitar, Matt Robinson bass, and Levi Saelua saxophones round out this stellar ensemble. Having performed concerts featuring the music the likes of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Mulgrew Miller, CJP looks to the past masters to bring new breath to the music.

The performances, programs and services of CJP have been planned and developed to meet our mission statement and fulfill our artistic vision: To create an atmosphere of respect for jazz as a high level art form, equal to classical music and other ethnic musics, and to present repertoire that is diverse and representative of the complete history of the genre.

Sacramento Ballet Presents – Fast Forward

May 14, 2020 - May 17, 2020
Other Entertainment Series

Fast Forward highlights the strength and innovation as it features the future of ballet. Three distinct works by highly acclaimed choreographers showcase ballet’s cutting edge.

Sacramento Ballet Artistic Director Amy Seiwert opens the performance seamlessly blending dance with interactive technology developed by software artist Frieder Weiss. The work paints backdrop images matching the dancers’ movement, lending a surreal air to the art. From The San Francisco Chronicle: “Seiwert’s neoclassical vocabulary is seen here at its most elegant.” Val Caniparoli, whose The Bridge was such a poignant hit on Sacramento Ballet’s series last Spring, challenges classical technique and speed with humor and his distinctive choreographic style. Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino, by the way, is Italian for “Everything But the Kitchen Sink.” It’s easy to see why. He also served as guest Choreographic Mentor for Beer and Ballet last season. He will do that again this year. Trey McIntryre, founder of the famous Trey McIntyre Project, explores the iconic sounds of the Fab Four. The Washington Times called A Day in the Life “a thrilling evocation of (the Beatles’) music and its moods.”

This Might Be True
Choreography: Amy Seiwert
Music: Nils Frahm and Anne Müller
Utilizing the interactive technology of Frieder Weiss

Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino
Choreography: Val Caniparoli
Music: Antonio Vivaldi

A Day in the Life
Choreography: Trey McIntrye
Music: The Beatles

SBL Entertainment Presents – Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe

May 22, 2020
Music Series

To say Tim “Flan” Flannery is a baseball man is an understatement. But those who know Flan understand how much music has always meant to him. So while he is beyond proud, and certainly humble, about being part of three World Series championship San Francisco Giants teams (2010, 2012, 2014), as well as his thirty plus years in the Major Leagues and his current TV work as a baseball analyst, Tim Flannery has consistently toured and played shows in support of his original music usually backed by his amazing band, The Lunatic Fringe. The music now also serves another purpose: the revenue from CD sales, merchandise, and ticket sales benefits his non-profit, the Love Harder Project (501(c)(3)), for anti-bullying and anti-violence programs across the country.

Tim Flannery is currently performing and booking dates to support his 14th album, “The Light” which is a journey to find, hope, faith, love, and light in a world where darkness seems much easier to see.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Hot Club of San Francisco

May 23, 2020
Music Series

CINEMA VIVANT
Imagine yourself in the idyllic French countryside in the 1930’s. Sometime before dark, a gypsy caravan sets up camp in a field outside of town, luring the locals out for an evening’s fun. The wanderers travel with a film projector, pointing it at the side of a barn. As the images flicker to life beneath the stars, gypsy musicians play their guitars and fiddles, matching every movement on the screen with characteristic virtuosity, passion and humor. Reviving this lost entertainment, The Hot Club of San Francisco presents Cinema Vivant, an evening of vintage silent films accompanied by live gypsy swing.

Cinema Vivant is a celebration of imagination and innovation. Before World War I, European filmmaker Ladislaw Starewicz pioneered stop-action animation, creating a never-before-seen movie experience. A gifted storyteller who used the new medium of animation to illuminate his fantastic imaginings of the secret lives of ordinary objects, Starewicz has become an obscure cult hero. Two Starewicz films are featured in Cinema Vivant—The Cameraman’s Revenge, a charming piece about the marital troubles of beetles and The Mascot, an adventure story about lost toys. On the other side of the Atlantic, American Charley Bowers revolutionized the industry in the 1920’s by combining animation with live action. There It Is, a recently rediscovered film by Bowers, is a whimsical comedy about a mysterious occurrence investigated by Scotland Yard.

SBL Entertainment and KVIE Proudly Presents – Lucia Micarelli

May 28, 2020
Music Series

Over the last ten years, Lucia’s profile has continued to soar. She’s been a featured soloist in two of Josh Groban’s world tours, toured extensively with Chris Botti and was featured in his “Live From Boston” PBS special (from which the duet they performed together, “Emmanuel” has received over 5 million YouTube views), and was featured in Barbra Streisand’s 2013 international tour. She also released two solo albums, “Music From A Farther Room” and “Interlude”. But 2009 saw Lucia broadening her career even further when she was cast in the starring role of “Annie” in HBO’s critically acclaimed series, “Treme”, created by David Simon and Eric Overmeyer, which ran for four seasons and won a Peabody Award as well a Primetime Emmy Award.

Lucia has just completed the recording of her third studio album, which is an eclectic journey through her many musical influences - from classical to jazz to traditional fiddle music and Americana - all bound together by her trademark emotional vulnerability and technical wizardry.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Jacam Manricks Band CD Release Party for ‘Cumulative’

May 29, 2020
Music Series

As a composer and ensemble leader, Jacam has recorded six albums to date. Labyrinth (2009) for jazz quintet and chamber orchestra was praised by DownBeat as "an impressive collection of pieces". Trigonometry (2010), Cloud Nine (2012), Chamber Jazz (2016), and GilManricks (2017) present Manricks’ compositions for jazz trio, quartet, septet, and a piano/saxophone/electronics duo, respectively. Each album has been highly lauded as exemplified by the consistent four and five star ratings in respected jazz media publications such as DownBeat, Jazztimes & All About Jazz.

Jacam’s works have been performed at renowned concert venues throughout North America, Europe, Australia and at many international jazz festivals.

SBL Entertainment Presents – Stroll Down Penny Lane: A multimedia concert celebrating the life & music of Paul McCartney

June 5, 2020
Music Series

Stroll Down Penny Lane is a live performance with beautiful accompanying films of the music of the most iconic songwriter of our age: Paul McCartney. The show includes songs spanning McCartney’s career – from early influences, to the Beatles, through the Wings period, and beyond. You’ll also hear songs that have never been performed in concert – anywhere, by anyone!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Uli Jon Roth Interstellar Sky Guitar Tour

June 8, 2020
Music Series

Welcome to Starship Uli! Experience an evening of true musical passion and inspiration! Uli takes us on a 360-degree journey into his world of artistic imagination.
Uli Jon Roth has always been a man with a mission, and in 2020 he is embarking on a truly epic one man solo tour around the world. This time, the trail blazing German-born guitar genius of Scorpions fame presents us with a very different way of experiencing his music. Supported by an integrated multi-media show - which is combining no less than 3 screens with synchronized images, lasers and holograms with a powerful spectrum of orchestral and ethnic music - Uli is firing on all cylinders simultaneously like a passionate scientist who is totally dedicated to his unrelenting quest for manifesting beautiful music with the power to be uplifting, inspirational and spell-binding. The choice of music for INTERSTELLAR SKY GUITAR is inspired and guaranteed to create an exciting journey through Uli's intriguing musical world. The journey crosses over from both classical and baroque master pieces- such as Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Mozart, Bach and Beethoven - to new music by Uli written for his 9-string Flamenco Sky Guitar as well as excerpts from a new Sky Guitar Concerto. The seated concert finishes with several pieces from Uli's Scorpions and Electric Sun days, complete with exciting new orchestrations and different arrangements. Uli's signature tool of expression is the legendary Sky Guitar which he invented and on which he will perform.These stunningly designed six-octave instruments have a far greater tonal range than traditional guitars, allowing Uli to equal the range of the violin and the cello. The main star of the collection is the stunning state-of-the art Excalibur 7-string Sky Guitar and the new 9-String Flamenco Sky Guitar, for which Uli has recently written a whole series of beautiful new pieces and which he showcases for the first time on this tour. Due to popular request and as a special treat - Uli will also improvise on the piano - something which he has never done before in live concerts. This epic musical journey is bridging the creative worlds of classical, ethnic and rock music in an unprecedented way. Experience the pinnacle of great guitar playing of the first order and allow yourself to be transported into other dimensions of music on Starship Uli. WELCOME TO INTERSTELLAR SKY GUITAR!

Proclivity For Kiting

June 9, 2020 - July 19, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

Imagine if a city the size and character of Omaha, Nebraska was transported to North Korea. Now imagine a married couple, living under the yoke of totalitarianism, struggling to address their
collective paranoia. There are no eggs in the supermarket. The word “effervescent” has been outlawed and the police are on the lookout for a kite-manufacturer (a capital offense). When a mysterious tapping starts to emanate from the northwestern wall of the couple’s apartment, they contact the authorities. As their suspicions multiply, their constantly controlled world turns upside down.

On sale April 21, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

Lovers and Executioners

July 28, 2020 - September 6, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

An unhinged romp, adapted by John Strand from Montfleury’s 17th century poetry to 20th century verse tells the story of Bernard, a nobleman who suspects his wife Julie of infidelity and strands her on an island to die. But with the help of her steadfast servant, she escapes and returns three years later, disguised as a nobleman who quickly becomes a judge. Her first order of business is to try Bernard, now pursuing a new spouse, for the murder of his wife! This thrilling production, featuring commedia dell’arte gymnastics and devilishly funny shenanigans will leave the audience in stitches.

On sale June 9, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

SBL Entertainment Presents – Antsy McClain & The Trailer Park Troubadours

September 5, 2020
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 – Iona Fyfe

September 9, 2020
Music Series

Aberdeenshire folksinger, lona Fyfe, has become one of Scotland's finest young ballad singers, rooted deeply in the singing traditions of the North East of Scotland. Winner of Scots Singer of the Year at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2018, lona has been described as "one of the best Scotland has to offer." (Global-Music.de) lona has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra as part of the World Premiere of Disney Pixar's Brave in Concert at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. With a number of high profile appearances under her belt, at only 21, lona has performed extensively in the UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Czech republic, France, Poland, Australia, and Canada. lona was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year and won the Molloy Award at the Birmingham Trad Irish Fest. In 2018 lona performed at Interceltique Festival Lorient, where she was described as "a Scottish folksinger, magical and charismatic." (Rolling Stone, France). lona's debut album Away From My Window was held to critical acclaim and received nationwide airplay on programmes such as BBC Radio 2 The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk, Take The Floor, and BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal. lona's new Ep, Dark Turn of Mind, released in 2019, features the connection between Appalachia and Aberdeenshire, with six of the same songs found in both areas. lona has studied at the prestigious Royal Conservatouire of Scotland, and holds an FLCM in Traditional Voice from the London College of Music, and is one of six directors of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland.

Thrills on The Hill

September 15, 2020 - October 25, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

B Street turns its focus on the tumultuous and ever shifting political landscape at home and nationwide! With sketch and music, this original variety show will leave no scandal unturned and no leader un-lampooned! When the world already seems like a burlesque, what better time to find a way to laugh at it all? From the minds that brought you B Sketchy and House on Haunted Hill, Thrills on The Hill will be the show that promises to find the funny in the ridiculousness of modern life.

On sale July 28, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!

Cricket on The Hearth

November 17, 2020 - December 27, 2020
Theatre Series

THEATRE FOR GROWNUPS

Love, a doting father, a mysterious stranger and a little bit of magic. Weave a touching and humorous quilt of holiday cheer to keep us winter warm.

On sale September 15, 2020. Subscribe for guaranteed seats today!