Lars and In Charge
Oakland
Afro Brazilian
5
violin, acoustic guitar, clarinet, hand percussion, upright bass
Lars and In Charge plays high energy Turkish and Greek influenced dance music. Led by violinist and vocalist Lars Tergis, the group has played headlined shows from San Francisco's historic Golden Gate Park Bandshell, to Berkeley's Starry Plough nightclub and El Sobrante Stroll to San Francisco's Summer of Music. The band's infectious performances regularly turn into dance parties, with audiences breaking into traditional dances, or just improvising their own. In addition to Tergis the acoustic-based band features percussion master Faisal Zedan, guitarist Chris Reid, clarinetist Greg Jenkins, upright bassist Joe Rosato Jr. and percussionist Sean Tergis. The group is known for its live shows, and often backs some of the Bay Area's top belly dancers.
Laura Benitez and the Heartache
Richmond, CA
Country
4
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Full Drum Kit
Laura Benitez and the Heartache use the three chord tools of country music to tell the simple, unvarnished truth about love, too much whiskey, and the call of the road. Their new album, "California Centuries," finds the band delving deep into themes of collective denial ("Bad Things"), gaslighting ("Invisible" and "Gaslight") and romantic lessons learned ("I'm the One" and "Are You Using Your Heart"). Storyteller, content creator, songwriter and all around creative force, Benitez has been making her mark on stage and screen for more than two decades. She recently wrote the theme song for the Dingus of the Week podcast created by popular author and activist Lyz Lenz, and her song "Our Remember Whens" received an honorable mention in the American Songwriter lyric contest in January of 2016.
"The album has a larger-than-life sound, with bedrock rhythms complimented by washes of steel guitar and reverberating electric guitars that take up an immense sonic space." --j.poet, EAST BAY EXPRESS
"A fresh classic country remains her bedrock, to which Benitez has added layers of rock and bluegrass. While never shirking from tough subjects, she is drawing more on personal experience here. Ranging from the joyous to the somber, Benitez is always completely frank. California Centuries is a tight sounding and complete album.", --Lyndon Bolton, NO DEPRESSION
Lisa Graciano and Friends
Oakland, California
Pop
3
electric guitar, bass, drums
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Lisa Graciano grew up in 3 South East Asian cities, spending some years in the alternative music scene of Manila. She lived in the Netherlands with her mother and played in the folk, jazz and blues music circuit of Amsterdam. Now in Oakland, she leads the gamelan-infused band Purnamasari. Lisa also performs her non-gamelan songs as Lisa Graciano & Friends with a line-up of seasoned musicians. At the Jazzschool in Berkeley, Lisa studies and performs well-known music along with a community of musician friends. She is a self-proclaimed citizen of the world and cultivates the Earth identity.
LOLAH & The Travelers
San Jose, CA
Rock
5
Lead vocals, guitar, bass, drums
LOLAH & The Travelers is a dynamic band based in San Jose. The band’s sound is a testament to its diverse backgrounds, with influences ranging from rock and reggae to alternative and pop.
LOLAH & The Travelers’ journey began with a standout performance at Noise Pop's Summer of Music event in San Francisco. This initial show created a buzz that led them to perform at notable venues and events, including the Ever Higher event at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, 2024 NYE at Alameda Theater, Bandshell at Golden Gate Park, annual North Beach Festival in SF, to name a few...
LOLAH & The Travelers
San Jose, CA
Rock
5
Lead vocals, guitar, bass, drums
LOLAH & The Travelers is a dynamic band based in San Jose. The band’ sound is a testament to its diverse backgrounds, with influences ranging from rock and reggae to alternative and pop.
LOLAH & The Travelers’ journey began with a standout performance at Noise Pop's Summer of Music event in San Francisco. This initial show created a buzz that led them to perform at notable venues and events, including the Ever Higher event at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, 2024 NYE at Alameda Theater, Bandshell at Golden Gate Park, annual North Beach Festival in SF, to name a few.
Loma Alta
Fairfax, California
Rock
6
Drums, Percussion, Bass, Keys, Guitar, Sax, Vocals
Loma Alta is an original music Jam Band known for deep dance grooves and extended improvised jams that build up to huge, energetic peaks. Our shows feature melodic interplay between lead guitar and saxophone, sets with smooth segues between songs, sweet vocal harmonies, all anchored by a rhythm section with an outrageously deep pocket. Our sound is built for festivals and late-night parties.
Lorin Rowan & the Deep Blue Jam
Marin/ East Bay
Americana
5
Vocals, 2 electric guitars , keyboards, bass & drums
Americana Roots/ Rock featuring songwriters Lorin Rowan (lead vocals, guitar mandolin) and Kirk Casey
9guitar, vocals) with bassist Eric McCann (Santana, Clarence Clemons Band, Bonnie Raitt) and drummer Matt Willis (Maria Muldair/Nick Gravenites.) The band performs their original songs in energy-pulsing dance grooves.
Los Cochinos
Vacaville, CA
Latin
10
Two vocalists, two guitarists, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, sax, Timbales and congas
Los Cochinos is an established Latin rock and Soul band, said by many to have been “passed the torch” from Carlos Santana as one of the few original, Latin Rock and Soul bands that continue to create and perform original Latin Rock and Soul music. Los Cochinos has developed a large following and has released two CDs, most recently “Los Cochinos” in 2017.
The band has just completed our latest album titled "Patricia", in honor of Alfonso's mother Patricia. The official album release show is on Saturday, April 4th with Richard Bean's Malo at Journey downtown in Vacaville, CA! The following day the show travels to San Jose, CA for another performance!
Los Cochinos' musical style is a fusion of Latin rock and soul, drawing inspiration from legendary bands such as Santana, El Chicano, War and Tower of Power. Their sound is dynamic, energetic, and infectious, blending Latin rhythms with rock, soul and jazz elements. Los Cochinos have performed with El Chicano, Malo, Ozomatli and many other notable bands and have developed a significant following throughout the U.S., and internationally.
The band is led by song writer and guitarist, Alfonso Portillo, followed by talented and seasoned player "The Professor", Donald Osborne (Etta James) on keyboards. On Sax is the spectacular Ric Alexander. Ric plays two saxophones at one time and also performs with Tony! Toni! Toné! Up front, is the talented singer, percussionist and saxophonist John Marin. Also on vocals is the dynamic Daniel Martinez. On bass is the talented Fauss Gamulo and on rhythm guitar is the phenomenal Raj Gopal.
Our talented Latin percussion section is led by Tomas Montano, timbalero. Tomas also performs with his brother's band "Carlos Montano Band", which tours with George Lopez. On congas from East Oakland is the talented conguero Miguel Martinez. Our sensational drummer is Richmond native Lorenzo "Lonnie" Macon. Lonnie also is a talented singer, and plays guitar, bass and keyboards!
The ballad “Feel the Same” from our last CD "Los Cochinos" has been a hit song for the band and receives radio airtime in both Northern and Southern California markets.
Come to a live performance to see why the music of Los Cochinos is so loved by those that hear it... Listen to us on Spotify, Apple Music, I-Heart Radio and most of the major music distribution services...
Los Nadies
East Bay
Latin
6
Lead vocal, Lead/Rhythm Guitar x 2/Violin/Bass/Drums/Percussion (depending on venue can be 5-7 members, usually 6)
Hi- we were selected by you in 2025 for the July concert, but very sadly we couldn't do the date we were offered! 🙁
I sent a request for this year, responding in the 2025 thread with Kim, and am applying here again as well. We REALLY hope to be considered again.
Thank you
About us-
Los Nadies plays Latin fusion* music.
We do a mix of originals and covers, have a big catalog and can tailor to the mood or vibe. Casual listening, dancing, or concert setting.
We are in regular rotation at the Sailing Goat, and Del Cielo Brewery in addition to other public, civic and private gigs around the Bay.
We emphasize fun and celebration, and we enjoy playing and being together- like a family, not a bunch of hired guns.
Our singer/frontman Juan Cuba delivers powerful vocals, supported by rich harmonies, and the rhythm section and soloists deliver also.
Members origins hail from Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia and the Bay Area.
We released a 10-song album of original music "Tiempo de Desembarcar" in August of 2025- I will add streaming link, and Instagram link below.
*So, we are a Latin fusion/rock band- meaning... well, not a salsa style Latin with horns and a lot of percussion, but not exactly Santana-like Latin rock either- more of a guitar/violin and vocal driven blend of rock and some modern/traditional Latin styles like- Cumbia, Rumba Flamenca, Boleros, and Bossa Nova, mixed with Reggae, and some African and Middle-Eastern and funk flavors sprinkled in too, a lot of variety. Most songs are sung in Spanish. Some of our English covers include Cumbia versions of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", and Pink Floyd's "The Wall", a Rumba version of Johnny Cash/NIN "Hurt"... etc.
https://onerpm.link/losnadies
https://www.instagram.com/musicalosnadies/
LOUIZA
Oakland
Rock
4
synths, drums, guitar, bass, 1 lead voc, 1 back up vocalist
Bay Area native LOUIZA is one of indie music’s best rising pop singer-songwriters. She's released several albums, including Party Trick, Swim at Night, On, Off, White Light, Blood, Sweat, Rinse, Repeat and continues to receive glowing press for her music. Her discography questions and captures the spectrum of human essence in all its playfulness, boldness, and beauty.
LOUIZA's forthcoming EP, Like a Queen, revisits an idea posed in White Light: that we are able to hold a spectrum of feelings the way white light is able to hold a spectrum of colors, all at the same time. Like a Queen acts as a prism for LOUIZA's experience of grief. Each song represents a shade or phase of processing loss. "Like the Moon" reveals a desire to abandon this life and start over. "Now I Don't Know How" invokes a pervasive listlessness.
LOUIZA identifies her sound as alt-pop with a grunge hiss. Fans have likened her to a Kurt Cobain and Joni Mitchell love-child. Her influences include early St Vincent, Paper Castles era Alice Phoebe Lou and Wye Oak. Her voice carries range and emotionality like Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins) and bares an oboe-like depth via Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood).
LUHTAKiZZ( Luh-TaKizz / LOVE 2Kiss)
RiCHMOND, CA
Rhythm & Blues
5
Vocalist, guitar, bass guitar, Keyboards, drums
Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Dejonii Desai and driven by guitarist Ryan Schaeffer.
LUHTAKiZZ is a genre-defying band from Richmond, California, blending soulful R&B, hip-hop grit, rock energy, gospel spirit, and pop hooks into one explosive live experience. DID THEY COVER IT ALL??Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Dejonii Desai and driven by guitarist Ryan Schaeffer. The group turns every stage into a high-voltage, crowd-moving moment that feels equal parts concert and revival. Their sound crosses lines, but their mission is simple: make you feel it, and make you move. At the end of the day, YOU’VE GOT TO “LUH” SOMETHING IN LIFE, and LUHTAKiZZ IS A GRAND STARTING POINT!!!
—Why Book LUHTAKiZZ?
They deliver a show, not just a set. With cross-genre appeal and undeniable stage presence, they turn first-time listeners into lifelong fans.
Booking & Press:
Luhtakizz@gmail.com
https://beacons.ai/luhtakizz
Makuru
San Anselmo and Berkeley
Afro Funk
5
Vocals,Guitar,Bass,djembe/conga,drumkit
Makuru is created by Peter Warren and features Mandjou Kone, renowned African singer, dancer and Griot from Burkina Faso, and Mali West Africa.
She shares the rich cultural Herritage of West Africa through traditional music, dance and storytelling performances. She has performed with Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead and many other luminaries in the tradition of world music.
Makuru features top Bay Area world musicians on bass, guitar, drum set and traditional African instruments.
Special guests who have joined Makuru on stage include Joan Baez and Miriam Diakite.
Malphasia
Richmond/San Pablo
Rock
3
Guitar, bass, drums, vocals
Hello, we are Malphasia, a hardcore band from Richmond, we play aggressive yet progressive hardcore style music aimed to catch the listeners ear. We are a relatively new band with our youngest member being 16 but we can assure a professional skill level on the business and musical side of things. If you're into bands that would play at local venues such as 924, Gilman or stay Gold deli, we would be right up your alley,
Mannequin Planet
Richmond/El Cerrito/Oakland/Hayward
Rock
5
guitar, bass, drums, vocals, laptop sound effects
Music! Models! Movies! Mannequins! & More!
A live out of this world sci-fi experience that can't be missed!
The mothership landed in the East Bay and we never stopped rocking the world!
Vocals: Sigyn Meijer & Dave Barrett
Guitar: David Razzano
Bass: AOL
Drums: Ruby Sinn
Mark McLay & The Dustdevils
Santa Rosa, CA
Rock
5
Drum set, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Digital Piano, Vocals, Harmonica
Mark McLay & The Dustdevils play original rock and Americana songs. The songs and performance style come from the same palette as artists like John Hiatt, Jackson Browne, and Bruce Springsteen.
Singer/songwriter Mark’s nuanced vocal style delivers tuneful melodies within tasty, sophisticated arrangements of real songs with meaningful words.
The Dustdevils are veterans of the stage and studio and provide a vehicle of dynamic music in a variety of styles-sometimes hard-nosed, sometimes tender, but always sensitive to the song presented.
The band has extensive experience performing at concerts, fairs, and festivals including KRSH-FM (Santa Rosa) Backyard Concert, opening for Poco at The Mystic Theater, and 13 years performing at the Sonoma County Fair. Please see website for resume and accolades.
Mark's voice and the band’s songs have been featured in movies, TV, and radio.
Matt Jaffe Band
San Francisco
Rock
4
Guitar, keyboards, bass, drums
My music honors classic rock through modern originals. Think Tom Petty meets Johnny Cash meets David Byrne. You will dance!
Matt Jaffe is an indie rock & roll singer/songwriter from San Francisco. Cutting his teeth on countless open mics around the Bay, Matt started taking music (a little bit) more seriously when Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads offered to produce his first record. Since then, Matt has continued to churn out more songs than he can remember the words to, perform on stages throughout the land (opening and/or touring with the likes of Mavis Staples, Wilco, Bob Weir, Jackie Greene, Chuck Prophet, Alejandro Escovedo, Melissa Etheridge, and Blues Traveler), and collaborate with Tom Higgenson (Hey There, Delilah). Inspired by the likes of Elvis Costello, Tom Petty and Stephin Merritt, Matt is continuously writing and recording to build a songbook that honors his heroes. Most folks, including Boy George, compare Matt to David Bowie, but we think Tom Petty meets Johnny Cash meets David Byrne is a better descriptor. Matt is currently rolling out his 8th studio album, Rooms By The Sea.
Menagerie Bay
Pacifica/SF
Soul
5
Two guitars, bass, drums, and vocals
Menagerie Bay is an original psychedelic soul group formed in 2021 by two high school friends from New Jersey who reunited in the Bay Area! They play a blend of roots rock, reggae, and R&B.
Mission Delirium
San Francisco
Jazz
10
Trumpets, Trombones, Saxophones, Drums
A love letter to your feet from the dance floor, Mission Delirium is an invitation to revel in pounding drums and face-melting brass. Let your hair down, get delirious and shake your ass. If it moves you, MD plays it: Bollywood, Balkan, Brazilian, Ethiopian, Tango, Afro-pop, Middle Eastern, Salsa and more- all served with a unique twist of San Francisco. Featuring the Bay Area’s Best, this 18 piece is ready to party!
Mission Delirium
San Francisco
New Orleans
10
trumpets, trombones, saxophones, drums, tubas
A love letter to your feet from the dance floor, Mission Delirium is an invitation to revel in pounding drums and face-melting brass. Let your hair down, get delirious and shake your booty. If it moves you, MD plays it: Bollywood, Balkan, Brazilian, Ethiopian, Afro-pop, Middle Eastern, Salsa and more - all served with a unique twist of San Francisco. This 18-piece band is ready to party!
MONKEY
San Jose
Reggae
5
Drums, bass, guitar, sax, trumpet, singer
For over 25 years, this California Music Award winning band has toured the world, playing major festivals in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the UK!
MONKEY has 7 full album releases of high energy horn-driven Ska, Punk, Rock, and Reggae toentertain any crowd that loves to dance to the big beat sound.
Morchestra big band
Berkeley
Jazz
10
5 saxes, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, bass, guitar, drums, vocals if desired
I have the good fortune to be the leader and Lone Arranger for the Morchestra, a 17-piece jazz orchestra of top Bay Area players, based in Berkeley. We've been a going concern for over 10 years, having played at the Jazzschool Le Peña, Ashkenaz, Bach Dancing and Dynamite, Pacifica Performances, La Peña, and several times as part of Berkeley's Music in the Parks series. Our programs include a full evening of Brazilian music featuring the great Brazilian singer Catia Machado, and concerts featuring wonderful guest singers including Jackie Ryan, Clairdee, Nicholas Bearde, Morning Nichols and Downbeat poll winner Ed Reed. We'd love to be a part of your lineup. People love a big band, and this music is a crowd pleaser!
Namorados Da Lua
Oakland
Afro Brazilian
6
Guitar, drums, Viola, bass, vocals, percussion
Namorados Da Lua is number one
Bay Area’s Brazilian band.
Led and produced by Nilo Ayele, a California resident from Bahia, Brazil. The band brings together musicians from North and South America (Brazil), Africa and Europe, with the common love of creating music with positive messages.
NDL’s music is a provocative fusion of styles, incorporating influences from reggae, jazz, pop, rock, and funk, as well as uniquely Brazilian rhythms of samba, forró and axé.
With a repertoire composed mostly of original songs, the liveliness of the lyrics brings an atmosphere of tropical love that allows you to feel the sun on your face and your feet in the sand. NDL’s songs speak of love, spirituality and family, promote a musical communion with the masses, a harmonious experience and respect for differences.
Nashville Honeymoon
Berkeley / San Francisco
Americana
5
Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Acoustic Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar
Mainstays of the Bay Area Americana scene for nearly a decade, Nashville Honeymoon has traversed country, rockabilly, bluegrass, and pop across four albums, writing songs that uplift the tangled mess of day-to-day life and investigate universal themes of love and loss – often at the same time. Their latest album, Sidewinder, is true to its title, offering a collection of songs that are grounded in classic country while edging into different sounds, genres, and themes that run through American pop music.
Born in Berkeley and nurtured in live music venues on both sides of the Bay, Nashville Honeymoon is a honkytonk band that plays free-spirited, open-hearted California country & Americana music. Led by songwriting duo Hank Maninger & Lynne Maes, along with bandmates Leor Beary, Tim Wagar, and frequent collaborator Joe Goldmark, you’ll find Nashville Honeymoon on stages all over northern California, from the iconic Ivy Room in the East Bay to Santa Cruz’s legendary Moe’s Alley. You can keep up with them at their residencies at The Riptide (San Francisco), and frequent appearances at neighborhood honky-tonks, such as Little Hill Lounge (El Cerrito).
Nathan Bickart Trio
Oakland, CA
Jazz
3
Keyboard/piano, bass, drum kit
The Nathan Bickart Trio composes and improvises from a deeply collaborative aesthetic, valuing folk-song melodies that hold audience members in rapt attention, recognizing that three notes played in unity are stronger than 300 played apart. They build upon the piano trio traditions of artists ranging from Ahmad Jamal to Robert Glasper, recognizing the ways in which musical and spiritual practices can be folded into our complex and busy modern existence. The trio released their debut album ‘Poem’ on March 28th, 2018, and toured the West Coast of the United States in support of the album. Most recently, the Trio composed and premiered a 4-movement piece entitled ‘Gravity Sweet’, a multi-media reflection on human relationship to land, in April 2022, with support from InterMusic SF.
Nathan's compositions and improvisations navigate the inner spaces between jazz, folk, and soul musics, melting together discarded records and old baseball cards and browning Bay leaves to create a heartening night of tunes, good for dancing or lounging or lingering in the moonlight just a little longer. You can find Nathan performing with a diverse array of Bay Area artists, including vocalists Christelle Durandy, Lilan Kane, and as part of the duo DADÉ with drummer/producer Marshall Williams. He is also cares for creeks and rivers alongside the good people of Urban Tilth, an environmental justice non-profit in Richmond, CA.
Noema
Napa
Funk
4
Bass, drums, lead guitar, guitar/vocals
Noema: The objective aspect of, or, the content within, an intentional experience.
We choose this name for our band because it defines our outlook towards our music.
We put 100% positive energy into our art form. The result is a fun, lively, exciting
musical experience. We play an eclectic mélange of all original, authentic, healing
neo-cultural music. Our songs are a balanced mix of The Funk, Reggae, Downtempo,
World-Beat, Culture-Rock, Acid Jazz, R & B, Neo-Soul, Nor-Cal Country and other groove
based styles. We're Napa Valley's premiere party band entertaining folks for over 25
years!
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