Hot Picks 01.29.26

 Friday, Jan. 30-Saturday, Jan. 31

Childlike Wonder

We may grow older, and technically become adults, but let’s face it, the child in us never leaves. It just gets buried as we take on adult expectations. Daniel Troia premieres his latest film, The Child Within, that encourages us to find ways we can reconnect with the kid we once were. The film follows Troia’s quest to search for the “Wise Man” that takes him across Italy and the Swiss Alps. Troia will hold a question-and-answer session after the screening. All proceeds will be donated to Gathering for Women in Monterey. [EC]

7pm Friday-Saturday, Jan. 30-31. Lighthouse Cinema, 525 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. $15. lighthousecinema.fun.

 Friday, Jan. 30-Sunday, Feb. 1

Around the Valley

Oberlin Conservatory has been hosting student and faculty shows at Hidden Valley Music Seminars for a while, but this show is part of a brand-new program launched by Oberlin in the fall of 2025. The 11 student performers are members of Oberlin’s first-ever Music Theater cohort. The World Goes ’Round is a revue of the songbook from the multi-Tony award-winning team Kander and Ebb, with the original production winning three Drama Desk Awards. From Cabaret to Chicago, the hit-parade features such gems as “Mr. Cellophane” and “New York, New York.” [AP]

7:30pm Friday-Saturday, Jan. 30--31; 3pm Sunday, Feb. 1. Hidden Valley Music Seminars, 104 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. $25. (831) 659-3115, hiddenvalleymusic.org.

 Friday, Jan. 30

Support the Surf

The Surfrider Foundation is throwing a shindig. They’re hosting a fundraiser at S.A.G.E. Collective, a Marina record shop that doubles as a venue and pop-up space. Expect food trucks and a locally curated selection of libations – beer and wine to be specific – to enjoy. Local duo Ruby Slippers featuring Greg Freeman and Kimb Massey perform live while attendees sip and snack for a good cause. Proceeds support the Surfrider Foundation’s work protecting coastlines and oceans from pollution and ensuring public access to our favorite beaches, including efforts led by the local Monterey County chapter through initiatives like the Blue Water Task Force, a citizen science water-testing program. [KR]

6-8pm Friday, Jan. 30. S.A.G.E. Collective & Harmonie Vibes, 3074 Del Monte Blvd., Marina. Free; RSVP. (831) 402-3980, sagecollective.biz.

Words and Music

When a show is given the title “Music and Lyrics by John Morris,” you know what to expect – or at least you should. The Bay Area musician has performed internationally with a who’s-who list (think Buddy Guy, Johnny Lee Hooker, James Brown, Joan Baez). He brings original ballads and love songs (no, they weren’t ruined by Paul McCartney) to the stage, with a jazzed up set thanks to Jeff Meyer on sax, Patrice Wallace on contrabass and the drumming of Kevin Di Noto. In combination, Morris’ lyrics cast a potent spell. A special guest joins the quartet. Trumpet virtuoso Matthew Simon travels from Barcelona to make it a powerful quintet. Simon has also played with the likes of Tito Puente, Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick and others in his award-winning career. It’s a one-time collaboration and a must see. [DF]

7pm Friday, Jan. 30. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey. $25. (831) 655-2010, wavestreetlive774.com.

Feel the Funk

DJ Gavin Hardkiss entered the electronic music scene in the 1990s, helping pioneer the electronic dance movement through his record label, Hardkiss Music, quickly joining the ranks among the international DJ elite. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, he later moved to San Francisco, where he went on to produce experimental albums and remix tracks by well-known artists such as Elton John and Mazzy Star. Over the years, he has performed alongside artists including Snoop Dogg and the Buena Vista Social Club. He’ll be bringing his electronic sounds – heavily influenced by funk, house, techno and trance – to the fun, micro-club atmosphere of Compact Disco. [KR]

9pm Friday, Jan. 30. Compact Disco, 420 Tyler St., Monterey. Free/before 10pm; $10/ after 10pm. Ages 21 up. (831) 920-2518, oldmonterey.org.

 Saturday, Jan. 31

Coming Up Roses

There’s a misconception that roses are fussy and difficult to take care of, but with a little know-how they aren’t hard at all and the reward – an abundance of beautiful blooms – is sweet. Knowing how to prune roses is key, which is why expert garden consultant and horticulturist Isabella de Sibert of Stuck in the Mud, a Carmel garden management service, is offering a class in exactly where, how and when to snip. She’ll also demonstrate how to make rose babies, or clones of your favorite rose bushes. [PM]

11am-noon Saturday, Jan. 31. Cooper-Molera Adobe, 506 Munras Ave., Monterey. $25. (831) 259-4513, coopermolera.org.

Grand Opening

Community spaces are key for groups to gather, to learn new skills, organize and socialize. After a long wait, the new Hebbron Family Center will open its doors. The facility was designed with Salinas residents’ needs in mind. The space has two assembly areas, multipurpose classrooms, a teen lounge, a kitchen, outdoor sport courts and a courtyard area. To celebrate, the city hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by music, folklorico dances and free food (while supplies last). [CJ]

11am-4pm Saturday, Jan. 31. Hebbron Family Center, 683 Fremont St., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7328, salinas.gov.

Words Matter

It’s time for the 2026 Poetry Out Loud competition. High school students from across Monterey County bring powerful poetry to life through performance and public speaking. Cheer on the next Monterey County champion as they compete for a chance to advance to the California State Finals and – hopefully – beyond. Participating schools include Alisal High School, Monterey High School, Pacific Grove High School, Palma School, Rancho San Juan High School and Trinity Christian High School. The event is hosted by the Arts Council for Monterey County in partnership with the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Monterey County’s new poet laureate, Marie Butcher, will be there. [AP]

1pm Saturday, Jan. 31. Black Box Theater, Monterey County Office of Education, 901 Blanco Circle, Salinas. Free; RSVP encouraged. info@arts4mc.org, bit.ly/polrsvp2026.

All Together Now

Size matters. That’s the premise of many compositions and arrangements for musical ensembles of various sizes. Soloists are just one pure voice; duets are a conversation; quartets a more layered conversation; symphony orchestras a big bold series of parts and layers. Of course that is not an exhaustive list, but there is a sweet spot in-between that is often overlooked – chamber groups between eight and 25 musicians, allowing listeners to hear every voice but creating a cohesive sound. It’s that sweet spot that Ensemble Monterey occupies. In this concert, they play Sergei Prokofiev’s colorful Quintet in G minor, opus 39, as well as works by Malcolm Arnold, Reszö Kókai and Ruth Gipps – if you haven’t heard them, here’s your chance. [SR]

7pm Saturday, Jan. 31. First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado St., Monterey. $60; $50/seniors; $20/students; $10/children. (831) 333-1283, ensemblemonterey.org.

Winning Combination

Fans of bricks, beer, barbecue and belly laughs can find all of the above at XL Public House in Salinas at the end of the month. Hosted by local comic and emcee Michael Booth, who hosts a slew of comedy nights around Monterey Bay, the Bricks N Beer comedy night features three rising comedy stars from the San Francisco Bay Area, including Noah Guerrero, Meera Patel and Jamar Pitts. For those looking for a base layer before the show, Casa de Humo BBQ of Salinas will be there at 8pm to satisfy your savory tooth. [AS]

9-10:30pm Saturday, Jan 31. XL Public House. 127 Main St., Salinas. $12. (831) 800-7625, facebook.com/XLPublichouse.

 Sunday, Feb. 1

Resort Vibes

The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina is a place known more to tourists than locals. But at times, the vacation-oriented industry has something of interest to the local community. Among a variety of services you can take advantage of at the Sanctuary other than using it as a hotel, from yoga classes to group reading, is a class in Tarot reading. This 15th century set of cards has been used for probing past, present or future, intriguing generations of people. The hands-on workshop will introduce each card and explain its role as a symbol, followed by discussing the rules of interpretation. [AP]

11am Sunday, Feb. 1. The Sanctuary Beach Resort, 3295 Dunes Drive, Marina. $55. (831) 883-9478, thesanctuarybeachresort.com.

Connect the Dots

Music may have many different genres, but they all share some elements. Music is interconnected, if you will. An acoustic fusion quintet takes this idea not only musically, but also aims to show that humans themselves are all interconnected through its work. Mark Vickness Interconnected comprises composer/guitarist Mark Vickness, wind player Matt Renzi, violinist Mads Tolling, cellist Joseph Hebert and upright bassist Dan Feiszli. The quintet blends rock, funk, jazz, folk, classical and world music to create one seamless experience. [EC]

3-5pm Sunday, Feb. 1. SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $50; $30/students, military. sandboxsandcity@gmail.com, sandboxsandcity.com.

 Tuesday, Feb. 3

The Power of Ten

Audiences certainly like their tenors – several groups have found commercial success although perhaps none as long lasting as The Ten Tenors out of Australia. The group formed in 1995 and is currently on its 30th-anniversary tour. Over 90 million people around the world have enjoyed their performances. Along the way they’ve headlined more than 2,000 concerts and collected six platinum and gold records. Their lineups range from the classical composers to contemporary music in powerful performances sure to thrill. [PM]

7pm Tuesday, Feb. 3. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $35-$90. (831) 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com.

 Wednesday, Feb. 4

With Gratitude

Do you have something or someone to feel grateful for? Megan Mayer developed Gratitude Bump, a method she described in her book, Gratitude Bump: Four Steps to Joy and Success, which she will be signing in Carmel. The methodology is designed to be a simple, four-step process for improving various aspects of life. It is designed to improve mental/physical well-being, personal relationships, parenting and professional success. [AP]

4pm Wednesday, Feb. 4. Edi Matsumoto Art & Design, Mission and 5th, Carmel. Free. (831) 596-5757.

HOT PICKS by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and Aric Sleeper.