Send ideas to calendar@montereycountynow.com 26 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 7-13, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com AMERICAN DREAM Twenty years ago, Sam Reider and Jeff Picker met as high school students studying jazz, and later founded a piano trio. Their careers have since branched out, but still tied together by their love of American roots music. Reider, a Latin Grammy-nominated pianist, accordionist and composer, and Picker, a Nashville-based bassist, join forces to present a performance meant to capture the traditions and places of the American landscape in musical form. [EC] 7-9:30pm Saturday, Aug. 9. Henry Miller Memorial Library, 48603 Highway 1, Big Sur. $23. 667-2574, henrymiller.org. STRING ALONG Don’t ask Leo Kottke about his voice. First of all, he is known for his instrumentals. Second, Kottke’s own description of his voice includes the phrase “geese farts.” Yes, he occasionally chimes in. But it is his virtuosity with six- and 12-string guitars that keeps audiences spellbound. Keep in mind that he stood apart, even in the era of guitar gods. Kottke’s fingerpicking evokes classical and backwoods Americana and blues legends. [DF] 8pm Saturday, Aug. 9. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $52-$84. 6491070, goldenstatetheatre.com. DAMMA STRAIGHT The word “soundscape” was made for the musical collective known as Damma Damma. What does it mean? Hell, you kinda have to listen to them to sorta understand. They use rock instruments then layer in flutes, vibraphones and other instruments more familiar to the jazz stage. They are versed in ’60s, but do not stop there, for a lot has happened since to inform their music. And they like the sounds to envelop the audience, as in a cinema. So soundscape? Maybe psychedelic jazz-rock-punk-theater? [DF] 10pm Saturday, Aug. 9. Fernwood Bar & Grill, 47200 Highway 1, Big Sur. No cover. 6672422, fernwoodbigsur.com. Sunday, Aug. 10 BRUNCH BEAT Jazz drummer Leon Joyce Jr.’s instruments have taken him throughout the United States and Japan, having served as a field band musician and later drum major in the Marines in the ’80s and ’90s. The number of artists he’s worked with are just as varied as the cities he’s visited—Patti LaBelle, Ramsey Lewis and Smokey Robinson are just a few of them. Joyce will perform with his trio for the Just Jazz Sunday Brunch, complete with a meal prepared by Shearwater Tavern Chef Jae Moon and a selection of classic muscle cars from Reggie Jackson’s garage. Music, food and cars—it’s the perfect trifecta. [EC] 11am-2pm Sunday, Aug. 10. Shearwater Tavern, 3665 Rio Road, Carmel. Free to attend; paid reservations required for brunch. 624-1841, shearwatertavern.com. STORY TIME Everyone has a story to tell, but let’s be honest, not every story is gripping and/ or entertaining. The Folktale storytelling series (fittingly called Pour & Tell) brings the best of the best to this outdoor stage, featuring master storytellers from the likes of “The Moth,” “Snap Judgment,” HBO and more. This lineup includes Tonight Show veteran Don Reed; Gina Stahl-Haven of America’s Got Talent fame and who promises “a hilarious and honest take on everything from motherhood to surviving Costco”; Moth StorySlam winner JP Frary; and Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, who hosts “The Moth” in San Francisco. [SR] 7pm doors, 8pm showtime Sunday, Aug. 10. Folktale Winery, 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. $35-$55. 293-7500, folktalewinery.com. Hot Picks by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and David Schmalz. HOT PICKS Saturday, Aug. 9 READING FUN Kids love to be read to, but you know what else kids love? Petting cute animals. At the Marina Branch Library kids can experience both during the August edition of Dads Read! Each month a different member of the community comes to the library to read stories—this month it’s Kelly Barr, a CSU Monterey Bay College of Science faculty member. Also promised by the Friends of the Marina Library is time with a fluffy, kid-sized donkey and a cuddly kitten from Our Neighborhood Pet Project. Included in the event is a visit from Shea’s Gymnastics, a free clothing exchange hosted by Buy Nothing Marina, the Food Bank for Monterey County and lots of outdoor play with bubbles and toys. [PM] 10am-noon Saturday, Aug. 9. Marina library, 190 Seaside Circle, Marina. Free. 682-8016, friendsofthemarinalibrary.com. ASILO MEANS REFUGE The name Asilomar comes from the Spanish words “asilo” (meaning refuge) and “mar” (meaning sea). Asilomar Conference Grounds is celebrating its 112th birthday with an open house day. Tour buildings designed by celebrated architect Julia Morgan, and learn the story behind them. Enjoy a stroll through Asilomar’s restored Dune Habitat Natural Preserve. All tours begin at the bottom of the steps in front of Phoebe Hearst Social Hall, where music and refreshments will be available from 2-4pm. [AP] 10am-4pm Saturday, Aug. 9. Asilomar Conference Grounds, 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 372-8016, visitasilomar. com. UKULELE MELEE Ukulele Melee is a celebration of one of the world’s friendliest four-string instruments. Its bright, distinctly happy sound is steeped in Hawaiian culture, often characterized by higher harmonics and a cheerful, relaxed vibe. Fifteen years ago, Ukulele Melee was founded by Dixie Dixon to honor the legacy of her husband, Daniel Dixon—a beloved local author and musician in Monterey. This year’s celebration features performances by local musicians including Ukulele Dick, Steve Mortensen, Dixie Dixon and more. Whether you play or simply enjoy the music, all ukulele enthusiasts are welcome for an afternoon of fun and community. [KR] 2-3:30pm Saturday, Aug. 9. The Carl Cherry Center, 4th and Guadalupe, Carmel. $30. 624-7491, carlcherrycenter.org. GRAB THE MIC The Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium hosts its very first open mic. Everyone is welcome. “Instead of showcasing our usual two featured poets, we are opening up the spotlight to anyone who wants to share some original poetry in under five minutes,” says the group’s coordinator Kent Leatham. Keep the material family-friendly. The library will open at 5:15pm for sign-ups. [AP] 5:30pm Saturday, Aug. 9. Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-5760, pacificgrovelibrary.org. Annie and her girls singing about the hard knock life in a New York orphanage. Annie the musical previews Thursday, Aug. 7 at the Outdoor Forest Theater in Carmel. STEPHEN MOORER Asilomar Conference Grounds has been serving the community for 112 years. The photo (circa 1926) shows an audience observing a baseball game in the Asilomar dunes. CA STATE PARKS
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