#sugar-bear-band

#sugar-bear-band

Join us for a free night of DJ sets and a lively night market at "Pickin' on the Polk" After Hours on April 25, 2026, from 6 PM to 10 PM.

Gangstagrass occupies a lane that sounds unlikely on paper and surprisingly natural in practice. The collective blends bluegrass instrumentation with hip-hop rhythms, pairing banjo rolls and fiddle runs with sharp lyricism and boom-bap backbone.

Volti and Left Coast meet in a bold and dramatic new work by Chris Castro for storyteller and musicians, which delves into the ancient and universal human explanations for our beginnings. The human relationship to our environment forms a through-line from romantic to experimental musical sensibilities.

Keepers of the Steps, the living archive and cultural program at the United Irish Cultural Center dedicated to preserving generations of Bay Area Irish dancers, teachers, and families. Through stories, images, and lived experience, we'll reflect on how dance carries lineage, identity, and community forward.

Abingdon is easy to access just off Interstate 81. This little town has many charms-from its 20-block historic district to the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail. Add to that a thriving creative community, exceptional dining at The Tavern (the state's oldest bar), and homey accommodations, and you have a pretty darn close to perfect Blue Ridge Mountain getaway destination.

Taj Mahal looked out at his fans and stated the obvious: This is off the charts. Indeed, it was a very special night for the legendary Berkeley-based blues musician, who was being honored by an numerous high-profile musicians in concert at The Masonic in San Francisco on Saturday (Feb. 21). The role call featured a number of other Bay Area greats including Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Joan Baez and Van Morrison as well as many other notable artists

It's Sunday evening and dozens of people are ping-ponging around the room at Berkeley's Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center. It's the end of a three-day traveling music festival called " Dare to Be Square West," and folks are whirling, stomping and otherwise having a ball. A man who's perched like a shepherd eyeing his flock calls out instructions from the stage. "Take your partner and promenade!" he hollers, as people form lines, part and reintegrate.

In many ways, western North Carolina destinations-like Asheville, Highlands, Hot Springs, and Waynesville, to name just a few-are quite similar. There's typically a genuine appreciation of art, music, food, and craft beer, and life tends to revolve around the great outdoors. And why shouldn't it? The Appalachian Mountains have created a lush, green paradise in this region, complete with stunning views, amazing hikes, and plenty of fresh air.

Originally from Illinois and now based in Maine, where he has lived for the past four years, Pokey LaFarge brings a lived-in perspective to American roots music. Drawing from early jazz, blues, swing and folk traditions, his songwriting balances warmth, rhythm and emotional clarity without slipping into nostalgia for its own sake. Over the years, LaFarge has grown into a confident bandleader, known for performances that feel loose but intentional, with space for both musicianship and connection.

Raised in Scotland's remote and sparsely populated Outer Hebrides, folk singer Jule Fowlis was immersed in Scottish Gaelic language and traditions.

Jeff Hanna, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder and de facto leader, is tucked into a nondescript booth at El Palenque, a 30-years-plus local restaurant in a Nashville strip mall, talking about "Nashville Skyline," a pensive track from their EP, "Night After Night." The family-owned Mexican restaurant is the kind of place he's gravitated toward since starting a jug band with friends in Long Beach before migrating to Los Angeles' folk/rock scene.

The country music superstar who recently ranked in the Top 20 of Pollstar's Artists of the Millennium List (which is based on ticket sales) is bringing his Word on the Street Tour to the Bay Area. Bryan performs Aug. 14 at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Jan. 30, lukebryan.com. There is a Luke Bryan fan club member presale running 8 a.m. Jan. 27 to 5 p.m. Jan. 29, lukebryan.com.