Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 26 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 6-12, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 9am-3pm Saturday, Nov. 8. 1150 Pico Ave., Pacific Grove. Free to attend. jandhbeach@comcast.net. OPEN (MUSIC) BOOK Local record stores are becoming venues for live music, giving bands in the area extra places to entertain and music fans more ways to pick up new favorite performers. Bookmark Music in Pacific Grove is hosting two local bands: The Mystic Souls and Mother of Pearl. The Mystic Souls is a Chicano soul band inspired by ’70s Motown and East Los Angeles soul, with some cumbia and psychedelic music thrown in for good measure. Mother of Pearl is an eclectic four-piece band that takes inspiration from rock bands like King Crimson and jazz groups like the Dave Brubeck Quartet. You’ll want to dance the evening away. [PM] 7:30pm Saturday, Nov. 8. Bookmark Music, 307 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $10, $8/ students with valid ID. (831) 648-0508, bookmarkmusic.com. FORGING AHEAD Y La Bamba’s latest album, Lucha, “is a symbol of how hard it is for me to tackle healing, live life and be present,” lead vocalist and producer Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos said in an interview. It explores themes of healing and identity, a topic the band explores through indie folk and traditional Latin sounds. Mendoza Ramos, a San Francisco native who was raised in Oregon, leans into her experience as a first-generation Mexican-American, drawing on influences from rancheras and cumbia. Y La Bamba will be joined by Salinas’ own Flaco el Jandro, who blends regional Mexican music with indie rock, in this 21-and-over performance. [EC] 8:30pm Saturday, Nov. 8. Live@Heirloom Pizza Co., 344 Main St., Salinas. $27.50/ in advance, $32.50/day of show. (831) 9988824, heirloompizzapie.com/salinas. Sunday, Nov. 9 RUN FOR IT Maybe you walk your dog or jog regularly along some of the most scenic stretches of coastline on the continent. Maybe you train for big races and your focus is more on your mile split times than on the scenery. We’re not saying you should focus more on the scenery, but race day is here for runners entering the Monterey Bay Half Marathon (that’s 13.1 miles), and the scenery is some of the finest there is. The out-and-back route begins along the bay in Monterey, follows the Rec Trail to Asilomar State Beach, then returns to Custom House Plaza. Bad news for prospective racers is that this event has been sold out since August, but spectators can join in to watch the triumphant finish, or any phase of this race—and maybe get inspired to train yourself for next year. [SR] 7am Sunday, Nov. 9 (runners must finish by 10:30am). Start at Del Monte Avenue across from Lake El Estero, finish at Custom House Plaza, Monterey. $109-$179/runners; free/ spectators. (831) 625-6226, montereybayhalfmarathon.org. COMEDY TIME Comedian Aziz Ansari is a controversial figure. First known as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation, in 2015 he was praised as one of the first Indian-American comedians with a big comedy show, Master of None, on Netflix. In 2018, Ansari was accused of sexual misconduct, disappeared from public life for a year and then returned with the 2019 stand-up special Right Now, which attempted address the issue. Currently, he is touring again with a show called “Hypothetical Tour,” with a stop in Monterey. Ansari won two Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Writing. His latest special Nightclub Comedian is now streaming HOT PICKS and Wayne Wildrik (lead guitar, back vocals). The group is joined by Neverlyn from the East Bay, Salinas’ Bitter Days, Dreaming of A Day (a post-hardcore band from L.A.) and Perch from Santa Cruz. It’s quite a lineup for a small-town coffee place that clearly punches above its weight. [AP] 6pm Friday, Nov. 7. The Beerded Bean, 210 South Main St., Salinas. $19. (831) 202-0966, tinyurl.com/overboardsalinas. MEMORABLE JOY Verse 19 of the Tao Te Ching implies that we should find simplicity in life, for there we will find joy. Simplicity comes in several forms, but for the Carmel Bach Festival it may come as Rachel Podger’s violin. Anything baroque has the luxury of being not only simple but also memorable. That’s how the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra rolls and how they make memories for their audience. That and the magic of four strings seems simple enough, but will be sure to make you remember why they’ve played in over 350 cities in 32 countries. You might say Carmel is a lucky village to be one of them. [SC] 7:30-9:30pm Friday, Nov. 7. Sunset Center, San Carlos and 8th, Carmel. $46-$110. (831) 624-1521, bachfestival.org. Friday, Nov. 7-Saturday, Nov. 8 FLOWER POWER Orchids are beautiful and beguiling but can also befuddle those of us who want to successfully care for them once their blooms have faded. The Carmel Orchid Society has just the place to come and learn: the annual two-day Fall Orchid Market. In addition to hundreds of different orchids on display for admiring and purchase, there are also presentations dispelling the mystery of how to care for them. One good example: On Friday, expert grower Dennis Olivas teaches “How to Keep Orchids Alive.” Besides orchids they also have succulents, carnivorous plants and ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arrangement, among other offerings. Whether you’re an orchidophile or a newcomer to the world of orchids, the Fall Orchid Market is for you. [PM] 9am-4pm Friday-Saturday, Nov. 7-8. Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 4590 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. Free to attend. (831) 626-1120, carmelorchidsociety.org. Saturday, Nov. 8 CRAFTY NEIGHBORS For 15 years, local artisans have gathered in the front yard of a Pacific Grove home to sell their wares. With the holiday season now in full swing, here’s a chance to buy something unique and local for those on your shopping list at the Asilomar Neighborhood Craft Fair. Nearly 20 artisans will be offering up all sorts of creations, including woodworks, ceramics, rugs, pet toys, candles, jewelry, clothing and more. Sales from baked goods and hot cider will go to Hitchcock Road Animal Services. There’s nothing better than shopping locally and supporting our furry friends at the same time. [EC] Y La Bamba is an indie alternative/experimental band from Portland, Oregon. Luz Elena Mondoza (above) is the group’s vocalist. The band plays in Salinas on Saturday, Nov. 8. JEN CARRILLO Mother of Pearl is a Monterey band that opens an evening of music at Bookmark Music record store in Pacific Grove on Saturday, Nov. 8. Their set will be followed by a Chicano band, The Mystic Souls. ANA MENDEZ
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