Friday, May 29
Beachy Keen
What is better than a sunset at the beach? Not much, really. However, if it came with music, that would be very cool. And thanks to the Sunset Music Series at Asilomar, it is. This week the day ends to the tunes of Matt Masih & The Messengers, perhaps the area’s ultimate party your ass off band. Their blend of funk, soul and ska will have you grooving old school, with originals and covers. There are food, drinks and s’mores kits for sale. As everyone knows, the combination of sunset, the beach and live music becomes even more awesome with s’mores involved. [DF]
6-9pm Friday, May 29. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Social Hall west deck, 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 372-8016, visitasilomar.com.
Get Psyched
Windows will play in Pacific Grove on Friday, May 29. This Los Angeles band borrows from two traditions - old California country and psychedelia.
Windows emerged from Los Angeles in 2018, the brainchild of musician Matteo Arias – a project steeped in old California country, classic surf rock and West Coast psychedelia. The band debuted with the 2019 single “The Ballad of Whiskey Pete” before releasing a 2024 EP, Raindrops on the Open Road. The record shows the bands influences – Canned Heat, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Relatively Clean Rivers – while pushing the sound forward with a modern psychedelic edge. In Pacific Grove, they play with Big Sur’s own representative in psychedelic rock, Richard Tripps. Tripps formed a band under his name in 2023, but has been writing and recording music for years before that, making him a local musical institution. [AP]
7pm Friday, May 29. Pop & Hiss, 215 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $5. (831) 275-3303, popandhiss.net/calendar.
Saturday, May 30
Power of Color
Time flies when you are having fun. It’s time for the fourth annual Chalk the Block community festival, open to anyone and everyone who likes to color. Inclusivity is baked in – the event is hosted by Art Abilities, a nonprofit which empowers neurodivergent people through art. This year’s theme is “My Neighborhood.” Participants will take over the sidewalks and turn them into a living gallery, promoting inclusion in Pacific Grove. “It’s honestly one of the most colorful and joyful things you will see on the Monterey Peninsula,” says Ritika Kumar, the organization’s founder. [AP]
10am-2pm Saturday, May 30. Throughout downtown Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 915-4611, artabilities.org.
Double Take
Monterey Bay FC forward Riley Bidois battles for possession of the ball during the club’s 2-0 win over Birmingham Legion at Cardinale Stadium on May 23. The victory broke a winless streak to start the young season (see p. 24).
Monterey County soccer fans will be treated to a doubleheader on Saturday. In the afternoon, the Monterey Bay Sirens – the new women’s club – host Oakland in USL W League action. Come evening, the men take the pitch, with Monterey Bay FC battling Loudoun United. MBFC has been struggling, at 1-7-2 on the season, 12th in the USL Championship’s Western Conference. But goalkeeper Fernando Delgado, with 23 saves, has been a bright spot, along with defenders Kelsey Egwu and Zackery Farnsworth (scoring has been the issue). Loudoun currently sits 11th in the Eastern Conference, so there’s an opportunity. Meanwhile, the Sirens are second place in the Nor Cal Division’s young season at 1-0-1. But the club can vault first place Oakland with a win. [DF]
3pm Saturday, May 30 for Monterey Bay Sirens vs Oakland; 7pm Saturday, May 30 for Monterey Bay FC vs Loudoun United. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $23-$86. (831) 324-2560, montereybayfc.com.
She Writes the Songs
There are great female songwriters out there but did you know that 90 percent of songs in the public domain are written by men? That’s why an organization called She Writes Songs was created, to champion original music written by women. The group is presenting an evening of women artists, in partnership with the Just Jazz Foundation, at the Wendi Kirby music studio featuring Kirby herself plus several internationally acclaimed performers: Sarah Gillespie, described as “Dylan on amphetamines”; Joanna Finnis, a recording artist whose work spans piano, pop and musical theater; and HOLYSEA, an artist project by the singer/songwriter Rachael Chloe Williams. [PM]
7-8:30pm Saturday, May 30. Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell St., Suite F, Monterey. $56. wendikirbymusic.com.
String Theory
Whether you’re a longtime classic guitar aficionado or just curious about the genre, internationally acclaimed guitarist Yuri Liberzon is sure to draw in audiences with his musical artistry and storytelling. Liberzon, born in Russia and now based in the United States, is a prolific musician with five albums under his belt, including early recordings with Grammy-award winning producer Nuhi Bronzini, and his latest, Music of Astor Piazzolla, released in 2024. In fact, Liberzon is such an accomplished performer that he was granted permanent residency in the U.S. under the Alien of Extraordinary Ability category. [AS]
7pm Saturday, May 30. Pacific Grove Art Center, 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. $40. (831) 375-2208, pgartcenter.org.
Saturday, May 30- Sunday, May 31
Feats of Strength
Is your idea of fun running - uphill both ways, schlepping heavy weights and navigating obstacles? Then the Spartan race at Toro Park is for you. If you (wisely) answered no to any of those questions, it can still be fun to watch others take it on, May 30-31.
For those dedicated everyday athletes and weekend warriors looking to test the limits of their physical and mental abilities, the Spartan obstacle race series is coming back to Toro Park. The obstacle course and race series, inspired by the legendary Spartan warriors of ancient Greece, consists of numerous competitions, from a 5K sprint to a super 10K obstacle course race and a Spartan trail marathon and half-marathon. Like the Spartan agoge of old, these races are not meant for the faint of heart, because in Spartan law, there is no retreat and no surrender. [AS]
6am Saturday-Sunday, May 30-31. Toro County Park, 501 Highway 68. Salinas. $32-$172/events; $22/spectators. spartanrace.zendesk.com. spartan.com.
Taco Time
Tacos are one of the most popular foods in the U.S., rivaling hamburgers. They are adaptable – served on corn or flour tortillas, and people eat them folded, rolled, fried or steamed. Fillings cater to any palate, from meat-eaters to seafood lovers to vegans. Tacos can be eaten anytime, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. All of this comes together thanks to What’s Grubbin’ Salinas, which brings all the styles and all the flavors to one place with multiple taco trucks, retail vendors, live music, lucha libre, a classic car exhibition, a beer garden and more. [CJ]
1-4pm Saturday-Sunday, May 30-31. Salinas Sports Complex, 1034 N. Main St., Salinas $13 per day. bit.ly/4dCLOrI.
Sunday, May 31
Dance On
Young people spend all school year learning things, culminating around now. They might tell you about the books they read or the scientific concepts they learned, but that sounds a little bit like sitting through school again. How about what they learned in dance? Now that’s entertaining. Students in The Dance Center’s rigorous programs spent the year practicing and refining their skills in everything from ballet to hip-hop, jazz to acrobatics, and now is their time to shine in a recital. The day begins with kinder/pre-K dancers from 11am-noon, followed by beginner-level/tween dancers at 1-2:30pm, and wraps up with advanced teens from 4-7pm. Celebrate local talent and take in the next generation of stars at this showcase. [SR]
11am-7pm Sunday, May 31. Sunset Center, San Carlos and 9th, Carmel. $23/kinder show; $34/beginner; $38/advanced. (831) 625-3262, dancecarmel.com.
Artists Unite
Calling all thespians, artists and musicians. This is your night to mix and mingle with other creatives in an analog record shop, no dating apps required. In a world dominated by AI and capitalism with questionable morals that gets cheaper by the day, New Canon Theatre Co. stands as a beacon of light and wants creatives to share with each other over drinks, music and love of the arts. The gathering is simple enough for anyone to join in: Just show up, order a drink if you’d like and enjoy the creative vibes put out by the other people there. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone who’s working on that script that’s perfect for the part you’re meant to play. New Canon loves to support independent artists, after all. [SC]
6-8pm Sunday, May 31. Pop & Hiss, 215 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. No cover. popandhiss.net.
Jazz Fusion
Monterey-based musician Gary Meek and Brazilian vocalist/musician Claudia Villela perform in Monterey on Sunday, May 31.
Saxophone player/pianist Gary Meek and a Brazilian singer Claudia Villela team up for an intimate jazz concert. Villela is a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist and poet, now based in California, known for grabbing listeners’ attention; her voice has been described as blistering. Her musical odyssey started at home in Rio de Janeiro, where she listened to the notes of her father’s harmonica and her mother’s singing. Meek, also a multi-instrumentalist (sax and keyboard), doesn’t need introduction among local jazz fans. He has appeared on over 200 records, has seven solo albums to his name, and lives in Monterey. [AP]
7pm Sunday, May 31. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey $40. (831) 655-2010, wavestreetlive774.com.
Monday, June 1
Hunky Takeover
Gemini ladies and - why not? - gents, this is for you. Celebrate your birthday with Magic Hunks of Australia on Monday, June 1, on Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday.
Monday nights can be boring, but they don’t have to be. Stop scrolling Tinder and get ready to “experience the thunder of Australia’s Ultimate Girls’ Night Out” here in Monterey. Magic Hunks of Australia are in town for one night only. Expect electrifying stage presence that will leave you breathless and begging for more. In addition to perfect bodies (according to a particular cultural idealization, yes) and bold looks, the hunks bring with them choreographed dance routines, costume themes and comedy. Crowd participation is expected. Among ticket options, one can find a “diva package” to become the center of attention. Be escorted onstage to get an up-close-and-personal performance from the Hunks and get a picture with the cast after the show. [AP]
8pm Monday, June 1. The Salty Seal, 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. $23. (831) 920-2327, tinyurl.com/HunksHunks.
Tuesday, June 2
The Masters
Hidden Valley Music Seminars has proven itself to be the place where some of the best musicians in classical music, masters in their craft, come to share their gift with others in intensive seminars. The benefit to the community is that we get to enjoy the masters performing while they’re visiting. This time around it’s an Oboe Master Class, featuring Elaine Douvas, considered an institution in the oboe world, an instructor at The Julliard School since 1982. She will be joined by Nicholas Stovall, principal oboe of the National Symphony Orchestra, and Christopher Gaudi, who has performed with many orchestras in the U.S. and internationally. Collaborative pianist Luiz Ortiz accompanies the masters. [PM]
7:30pm Tuesday, June 2. Hidden Valley Theatre, 104 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. $25. (831) 659-3115, hiddenvalleymusic.org.
• • •
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.