Leave it to the winery with the most difficult name to pronounce in the entire Sonoma Valley to come up with a music festival with an even more difficult name to pronounce. Huichica (pronounced “Wha Chee Ka”) is actually the name given to the soil that is in the ground where the winery currently is, and has been since 1858. Now in it’s third year, the Huichica Music Festival to be held at the Gundlach Bundschu Winery has added additional hours to the Saturday, June 2, event and added an event tonight, June 1, in the 90 year old barn on the property that will feature a dinner catered by the Fremont Diner and will present the Occidental Brothers Dance Band Internationalfor dancing. The night kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 2, the event kicks off at noon and will have the entire winery grounds closed to the public with music all day, as well as the “wine city” where concert-goers will
enjoy food and wine pairings, along with “food city” that features multiple food trucks. There will also be a “kid zone” during the day to keep the children occupied. The music starts at noon, on two different stages, with Pure Bathing Culture, Old Light, Sea of Bees, Little Wings, Cotton Jones, the Donkeys, Papercuts, Sonny and the Sunsets, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, Poor Moon and Beachwood Sparks. The shows are expected to sell out, but for tickets and more info, point your browser to www.huichicamusicfestival.com.
The Sonoma Community Center will be the place for a series of fundraisers for the Silver Moon Theater called Saturday Nights in June, with the first one taking place Saturday, June 2, with an amazing line-up of local singer-songwriters. On the bill will be Jason Huybers, Dan Martin, Michael Lounibos, Tom Martin and Tony Gibson. The shows are a benefit for the theaters performance of Agatha Christies “And Then There Were None” to be presented later in the summer. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door.
The Sonoma Sinatra, Stan Pappas will be making an appearance at the tasting room of Muscardini Cellars and Ty Caton on Saturday, June 2, as part of the wine club appreciation party. The evening kicks off at 5 p.m. and is free for wine club members, but a cover will apply to the general public. There will also be barbecue available from Jeremy with his famous tri-tip. The tasting room is located in Kenwood in the Kenwood Village Plaza.
Sebastiani Winery and Vineyards continues the Friday night music series tonight, June 1, with the Rolling Blackouts. The show is a homecoming of sorts for member John Calmeyer, who was the Vice President of Marketing for the winery when it was run by the Sebastiani-Cuneo family. There is no cover for the show, and there will be food available as well. Showtime is 6 p.m.
The Plaza Bistro has jazz tonight, June 1, with the Mike Zilber Duo, kicking off at 7 p.m. Jazz legend Dave Liebman calls Mike Zilber, “one of the best composers and players around anywhere, period!” Zilber has performed and-or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Smith, Sonny Stitt, , Eddie Henderson, John Handy, James Genus and many others. Tonight, he will have with him Mimi Fox on guitar. Saturday, June 2, the bistro welcomes the Jeff Massanari Duo, with Massanari on guitar and Peter Barshay on bass. That show also kicks off at 7 p.m. and there is no cover either night.
The Sonoma Springs Brewery welcomes Matthew Edwards and the Unfortunates for a one-set, one-night show on Saturday, June 2, at 6 p.m. Edwards and the band describe themselves as a “melancholy pop-baroque-folk group.” There is no cover for the show.
Murphy’s Irish Pub welcomes Liz Brown and True Grit tonight, June 1, for an 8 p.m. show. Saturday, June 2, it’s the return of the popular Larry Carlin and his act Mostly Simply Bluegrass, also for an 8 p.m. show. Sunday, June 3, it’s an early show with the Beth Whitley Duo. There is no cover for any of the shows at the pub.
Local bluesmen the Hell Hounds are all over this weekend, and starting early on Sunday, June 3, in the Sonoma Plaza as part of the Hit the Road Jack entertainment. The band will be set up and ready to go at 8 p.m. The day before, Saturday, June 2, the boys will be at Miriam Vineyards in Healdsburg for a 1 p.m. show and then in Napa at Uva Trattoria for an 8 p.m. show.
Local musician Bren Wrona Norris has announced a series of music classes for children, to be offered all summer long at locations throughout the Valley. Norris is an award winning singer-songwriter and a tenured K – 12 music teacher. Some of the classes she is offering are even suited for children as young as three months, with parent-child involvement, all the way up to improve classes for teens. For more info, point your browser to www.teach-me-music.com.
The Ledson Lounge welcomes back the Jess Petty Duo on Saturday, June 2, for an evening of trumpet and flugelhorn, and vocals with a strong jazz vocal style. Showtime is 7 p.m.
The Blue Moon Saloon has karaoke on Saturday, June 2, kicking off at 9 p.m. Sunday, June 3, it’s the Sunday night blues jam, kicking off at 10 p.m. There is no cover either night.
Mad and Eddie Duran are on the road on Sunday, June 3, in Kensington, playing with the Montclair Women’s Big Band, kicking off at 3 p.m.
The Whiskey Thieves will be at Grant and Green in San Francisco tonight, June 1, for a 9:45 p.m. show. Saturday, June 2, has the boys at Peri’s in Fairfax, for a 9 p.m. show.
Hot 45s – Shows within a 45 minute drive from the Island
Melvin Seals and JGB – Saturday, June 2
Mystic Theatre – Petaluma
765-2121
Pride and Joy – Saturday, June 2
Last Day Saloon – Santa Rosa
545-2343
Sol Horizon – Saturday, June 2
HopMonk Tavern – Sebastopol
829-7300
Jerry Jeff Walker – Friday, June 1
Uptown Theater – Napa
259-0123
The Tubes – Saturday, June 2
George’s Nightclub – San Rafael
415-226-0262