A cappella mavericks, The Bobs, will play Cal Poly’s Spanos Theater at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Student and adult tickets are $30.40 to $38 and available in advance at the PAC Box Office, Mondays-Saturdays, noon-6 p.m. Call (805) 756-4849 or online at: www.calpolyarts.org. The Seattle Times said The Bobs were, “a musical equivalent of a Gary Larsen drawing,” using only their voices and body percussion to fill a room with an orchestra of harmonious sounds. Hailed as the premier “band without instruments,” The Bobs have left an indelible mark on vocal music, expertly skewering standards and establishing their own hilarious norms. Sponsored by Tom and Susan Stenovec and The Apple Farm Inn.
Spring Into Summer, a new concert series hosted by Songwriters At Play, at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles from 6-8 p.m. every third Saturday of the month, April-September. Advance tickets are available now at Sculpterra for $15 per person, $10 wine club members and $20/$15 at the door. Wine sold by the bottle or glass; cheese plates and other food will be available for purchase. Longtime Central Coast favorite Jill Knight will headline the first concert on Saturday, April 18. Special guest Chi McClean will open the show at 6. Knight’s soulful sound delivers a Southern texture blending Americana, blues and weaving in a little R&B. Knight has toured with India Arie, Shawn Colvin, David Wilcox, John Prine, The Doobie Brothers, and many others. Sculpterra Winery is at 5015 Linne Rd., Paso Robles. Call (805) 226-8881. Future Spring Into Summer Concerts include Julian Temple, Darius Degher (May 16), The Lady Crooners, The Better Halves (June 20), Damon Castillo, Nicole Stromsoe (July 18), Little Black Train (Aug. 15), and The Salty Suites, Kristen Black (Sept. 19).
Acclaimed Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter, Boz Skaggs, will play the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 and advanced tickets are on sale now at the PAC Box Office. Call (805) 756-4849 or order on line at: www.pacslo.org. Skaggs, who got his start with the Steve Miller Band, went solo in 1975 and struck platinum with his debut album, “Silk Degrees” that had hits with “Lowdown,” which won the Grammy for Best R&B Song, “Lido Shuffle,” “What Can I Say” and “We’re All Alone.” Skaggs is touring in support of a new album, “A Fool to Care,” slated to be released March 31. The show is a co-production of Otter Productions, Inc., and Cal Poly Arts.
Indie music recording artist, Kristen Ford, is playing a free concert at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at Last Stage West, 315050 Morro Rd., (Hwy 41 half way between Atascadero and Morro Bay). Ford is on a “never-ending tour” promoting her new release, “Tighten It Up” which is available online at: www.kristenfordmusic.com. This is a free, all ages show with the artist playing for tips and selling CDs. A Massachusetts native, Ford’s one-woman-band performance includes guitars, percussion, and a variety of looping effects pedals, to create a unique musical experience that’s different every night. Her music fuses indie, folk, country, and blues with a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll.
The First Annual SLO Multicultural Music & Dance Showcase will be held Friday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo Grange Hall on Broad Street. The two shows feature music and dance from across around the world, including Ghana, Congo, Guinea, Mali, Hawaii, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, U.S. hip-hop and Indonesia. Tickets are $20 advanced and $25 at the door for each show. See: bigbigslo.com/showcase or call (805) 975-9663 for ticket information.
World-renowned choreographer, Paul Taylor, will bring his dance company to the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 25. Student and adult tickets range from $24 to $50 and may be purchased in advance at the PAC Box Office Mondays-Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Call 756-4849 or order online at: www.calpolyarts.org. The Paul Taylor Dance Company a dynamic contemporary dance program showcasing an extraordinary range of emotions and vitality, as well as including as a good dose of wicked humor. The pieces performed will be Syzygy, Beloved Renegade and Piazzolla Caldera. Sponsored by Barbara Bell, Jay & Carol Devore, Dr. Moon Ja Minn & Paul Suhr. Supported also in part by grant funding from Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF)
The aerial artists at Suspended Motion Aerial Arts are working on their annual showcase in June and will have a special sneak-preview performance of their Cirque-Style show set for 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday April 24-25. The performance is at the troupe’s SLO studio, located at 207 Suburban Rd. (off South Higuera). Advance tickets are $15 general admission, $10 students, youth and seniors, and kids 3-under free. Complimentary refreshments will be available, and BYOW (bring your own wine) is encouraged. The presentation will feature Suspended Motion performers as they climb, fly, free-fall, contort, and dance on aerial silks, ropes, poles, lyra, and other cirque-style apparatuses. Suspended Motion’s annual feature-length aerial ballet performance of Grimm Eventyr’s: Ivy’s Magical Adventure, at 2 and 7 p.m. June 6 at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. For more information about Suspended Motion, see: www.SuspendedMotion.net, or www.facebook.com/suspendedmotionslo.
Cuesta College’s Spring Gala Concert featuring students from the music department is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, April 24 in the Cuesta Performing Arts Center on the Hwy 1 campus. Tickets are $12 general admission, $7 for students, seniors, and Jazz Fed members. Reserve tickets by calling (805) 546-3198 or online at: www.cpactickets.cuesta.edu. Parking is free. The show will feature Jessanne Bulquerin, Griselda Cardenas, Max Eagle, Sam Fierro, Rainey Forzetting, Christopher Kamas, and Sierra Simmons among others. Accompaniment by Janis Johnson and Matthew Evans, with Jumi Kim directing.
Celebrate Los Osos is hosting a benefit house concert to raise money for future community projects at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17. Tickets are $25 a person and available online at: www.bigbigslo.com/inga. The show will feature vocalist Inga Swearingen and guitarist Guy Budd performing a combination of blues, folk, soulful jazz and original tunes. Guitarist, Dorian Michael, will also perform. The concert will be held in the private gardens on the estate of Bill and Monica Lee in Los Osos. Details, a map, parking directions are available with tickets. Seating is limited.
Newgrass folk fusion quintet, Susie Glaze & the HiLonesome Band, will perform the next Red Barn Community Music Series in Los Osos, taking the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Cost is $15 at the door and there’s a potluck supper at 5. Bring a dish to share, place settings and BYOB. The band plays an eclectic blend of mountain folk and exciting new grassy and Celtic-inspired originals, fronted by Glaze’s remarkable voice, the band will be celebrating the release of its new CD, “Not That Kind of Girl.” The Red Barn is located in the South Bay Community park, on palisades Avenue. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. See: www.susieglaze.com for more on the band.