ON Culture | California Poppies Pop Up in Buellton, Singalong with La Santa Cecilia, the Symphony, and More!
This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on January 17, 2025. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.
ON the Walls
Buellton has a lovely new piece of public art — the California Poppy Ceramic Mosaic — located on the eastern façade of the Buellton Post Office (140 W. Hwy. 246). Created by local artists Veronica Medina, owner of Community Clayworks, and Staci Curry, the mosaic celebrates the beauty of California Poppies and Buellton’s environmental heritage. It’s designed to serve as an interactive “selfie wall,” shared Curry. They want to invite people to engage with the artwork and share Buellton’s unique charm. “Creating this mosaic has been a wonderful opportunity to showcase how art can bring a community together,” said Medina.
There will be a ribbon cutting celebration on Friday, January 17, at noon.
Polar Opposites, is a new exhibition featuring the work of Macduff Everton and Mary Heebner in the Mountain Gallery at the UCSB Library. Photographer Macduff Everton and writer/painter Mary Heebner, both regular contributors to the Independent, have been collaborating for more than three decades and in this show “he takes on the Antarctic and I the Arctic,” said Heebner, whose Arctic Trilogy book will also be on view at Special Collections, 3rd floor during the exhibition, which runs from January 20 to June 20.
ON the Stage
The upcoming Bowl season just gets better and better. Recent announcements include Japanese Breakfast on August 23, with special guest Ginger Root, and Khruangbin with special guests John Carroll Kirby on May 21-22. Tickets for that one go on sale today at 10 a.m. Click here for details.
Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara kicks off the new year with three free performances by the Grammy-winning La Santa Cecilia. Named after the patron saint of music, La Santa Cecilia has become the voice of a new bicultural generation in the United States, fully immersed in modern music, but always close to their Latin American influences and Mexican heritage. La Santa Cecilia exemplifies the modern-day creative hybrid of Latin culture, rock, and world music. The group draws inspiration from all over the world, utilizing Pan-American rhythms including cumbia, bossa nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz, and klezmer music. Their unique sounds and the experience of their colorful, passionate performances continues to captivate both loyal fans and new listeners. Their free public performances are Friday, January 24, at 7 p.m. at Isla Vista School (6875 El Colegio Rd., Goleta); Saturday, January 25 at 7 p.m. at Guadalupe City Hall (918 Obispo St., Guadalupe); and Sunday, January 26, at 6 p.m. at The Marjorie Luke Theatre (721 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara). For more information about this free concert series, click here.
The Doublewide Kings and Friends are coming together on Saturday, January 25, at the Marjorie Luke Theatre to celebrate the music of Neil Young. This special event is a fundraiser for the theater’s LED lighting project. Known for their dynamic takes on classic rock, the Kings have dazzled audiences with tribute shows honoring Neil Young (2018), Crosby, Stills & Nash (2019), The Allman Brothers (2021), Van Morrison (2023, with the Santa Barbara Symphony), and The Band (2024, with the Santa Barbara Symphony). And they’ve got a stellar lineup of guest artists for this special event, including local guitar virtuoso Jackson Gillies, renowned fiddler Phil Salazar, master of the dobro Marc McKennon, and an opening set by Johnny Irion’s U.S. Elevator. For more information and tickets, see luketheatre.org.
The Santa Barbara Symphony is jumping into 2025 with a Mozart Marathon this weekend. Taking place on Saturday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, January 19, at 3 p.m. at the Granada, Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti has carefully curated two different programs over two days to highlight the prolific and prodigious nature of Mozart’s work. Solo artists include Jessica Guideri, violin; Amy Tatum, flute; and Michelle Temple, harp, on Saturday; and Natasha Kislenko, piano; and Lara Wickes, oboe, on Sunday. For more information, click here.
If you’ve ever longed to sing with the symphony, now’s your chance. The Santa Barbara Symphony just announced the launch of The Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus, featuring approximately 120 voices culled from across the community. The chorus will complement other local choral activities by operating within a concentrated time frame, with dedicated sectionals and full ensemble rehearsals to avoid conflicts with ongoing programs in the area. This new ensemble will debut during the Brahms’ Requiem concert weekend on April 26 and 27 at The Granada Theatre, performing Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem.
The Symphony invites singers of all backgrounds to explore this exciting opportunity by clicking here to review the chorus expectations, rehearsal schedule, and performance details. Interested candidates should submit an Interest Form online by midnight Sunday, January 19. Form submissions do not guarantee acceptance. All submissions will be reviewed. Selected singers will receive a confirmation email and may be invited to an in-person audition with Symphony Chorus Manager Steven Thompson. For applicant-related queries, email chorusmanager@TheSymphony.org.
Santa Barbara Chamber Players are back on February 1 with a program that blends the grandeur of orchestral music with the soul-stirring power of opera. The 7:30 p.m. concert, held at First United Methodist Church (305 E. Anapamu Street), will include: Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” Canteloube’s “Chants d’Auvergne,” Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi, Puccini’s “Quando m’en vo” from La Bohème, and Schönberg’s “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables. Tickets are just $20, with free admission for students aged 18 and under. For more information see sbchamberplayers.org.
ON the Page
[Click to enlarge]: From left: ‘How to Capture Carbon’ | Photo: Courtesy; Cameron Walker | Photo: Sara Prince
Former Indy Arts Editor turned Mesa Bookstore owner DJ Palladino is so enthusiastic about local author Cameron Walker’s new short story collection, How to Capture Carbon, that he is doing an interview with her at another local bookstore — Chaucer’s — on Thursday, January 23, at 6 p.m. Heidi Reimer, author of The Mother Act, described How to Capture Carbon as, “Hypnotic, surprising, and seductive. Walker’s stories are grounded in reality until — in an understated leap into the magical — they aren’t. The ride is a joy.” Palladino said of Walker, “She is the real thing. A terrifying voice wrapped in a calm persona. A great writer.” Click here for more information.
ON the Podium
I’ve been eagerly waiting to see Fran Lebowitz since her appearance was first announced by UCSB Arts & Lectures, and it’s finally almost time! The humorist — who’s known as one of the great raconteurs of our time — will be on stage at Campbell Hall on Saturday, January 25, for a short, off the cuff moderated conversation followed by a lively 60-minute audience Q&A and a book signing. Click here for tickets and more information.
ON the Calendar
If you’ve never seen STOMP, boy are you in for a treat! The international percussion sensation, which is one of the most vivid shows I’ve ever seen, comes to Santa Barbara’s Granada Theatre on January 21. These dynamic performers make rhythm out of everyday objects like supermarket carts, plumbing fixtures, Zippo lighters. It really has been seen to be believed. STOMP uses everything but conventional percussion instruments — dustbins, suitcases, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps — to fill the stage with a compelling and unique act that is often imitated but never duplicated. For more information click here.
For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events/.
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