Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 26 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 4-10, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com regional classical musicians presenting masterpieces such as Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, called “a celebration of the human spirit” by the New York Times after its 1944 premiere. Also on the program is Jan Sibelius’ haunting and atmospheric tone poem “En Saga.” Conducting Espressivo for the first time is Michael McGushin, a veteran of the Santa Cruz music scene as a conductor, pianist and composer. [AP] 4pm Sunday, June 7. First Presbyterian Church of Monterey, 501 El Dorado St., Monterey. $18-$45. (831) 373-3031, espressorch.org. PUMP YOUR FISTS If your hair is currently long, keep it. If you’re hair-challenged, that’s OK too. Everyone can headbang, hair optional. And there will be lots of it when a full lineup of death metal bands growl their way into Salinas with their explosive drumming and equally hard-hitting guitar riffs. Barbarous, a quintet from Oakland, headlines the set. The band released its debut album Initium Mors in 2025, which “pounds and pummels with neck-snapping fury and brawny chugs,” as described in a review by angrymetalguy.com. They’ll be joined by Swanblood, Mercy Mine and Escaping Earth. Throw those horns up. [EC] 7pm Sunday, June 7. The Beerded Bean, 210 S. Main St., Salinas. $13. bit.ly/ BarbarousBeerdedBean. Wednesday, June 10 VINYL STOP With vast libraries of songs at your fingertips, online music streaming services are a boon for music lovers. However, real audiophiles appreciate the touch, feel and sound of physical media—tapes, CDs and of course, records. There is just something ineffable about digging through crates of albums, finding that diamond in the rough, taking it home, sliding it out of the sleeve and dropping the needle. To celebrate the magic of physical media, promote small businesses and give a middle finger to corporate America, indie-pop duo Whitney Tai and Mike Green are performing in vinyl shops along the West Coast. [AS] 6pm Wednesday, June 10. Recycled Records, 604 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. Free. (831) 375-5454, lighthousedistrict.net/biz/recycled-records. GAELIC FORCE Irish folk songs tug at your soul under normal circumstances. But when Gaelic singer Éilís Kennedy and guitarist William Coulter perform, traditional music resonates through the depths of your emotions. After all, Kennedy is an award-winning vocalist and Coulter has a Grammy. She brings the authenticity, he brings the artistry of classical guitar, blended into common folk tunes. There are others who perform Irish folk, but none like Kennedy and Coulter. [DF] 7pm Wednesday, June 10. SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $40; $25/students, military. sandboxsandcity.com. BAY SEASONING Has Monterey Bay FC turned things around after a woeful start to the USL Championship Western Conference season? Well, after going winless in their first nine matches, MBFC is back to the good, at 2-7-2 following a 4-1 win over Loudoun United, with new signings looking to strengthen their bench. They host Sporting Jax. [DF] 7pm Wednesday, June 10. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $23-$86. (831) 3242560, montereybayfc.com. Hot Picks by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and Aric Sleeper. HOT PICKS please, let the kids enjoy them first. [EC] 11am-1pm Saturday, June 6. Glorya Jean Tate Park, 3254 Abdy Way, Marina. Free. (831) 884-1278, cityofmarina.org. SIRENS SONG The Monterey Bay Sirens had a solid start to the club’s inaugural soccer season, scoring four goals over their first two matches. Now with a record of 2-0-1 in the USL W League’s Nor Cal Division, the Sirens play host to Marin FC, a team they blanked 3-0 earlier in the season. [DF] 7pm Saturday, June 6. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $17-$23. (831) 3242560, mbfcsirens.com. FAMILIAL TUNES So it happened that both mother and daughter are singers. Influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and Eva Cassidy, Julie Capili has been singing jazz in the Monterey area—and far beyond—for the last 15 years. Her daughter is Jewel Arianna, whose father happened to be a salsa dancer. This young singer-songwriter draws inspiration from sources as varied as jazz, Latin and Indian classical music. They both write original music, and for this show mother and daughter meet together, looking for parallels in their songs and lives. The venue seems perfect for this quite intimate occasion. [AP] 7pm Saturday, June 6. Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell St., Suite F, Monterey. $50. wendikirbymusic.com. Saturday, June 6-Sunday, June 7 SONGBIRDS AND STRANGERS The Western Stage launches its 2026 season with a musically rich theatrical feat. In Joanna Murray-Smith’s Songs for Nobodies, a lone performer inhabits 10 distinct souls: five legendary icons of the stage—including Billie Holiday and Édith Piaf—and five everyday women whose paths they happened to cross. Since its 2010 Melbourne debut and a subsequent Olivier-nominated run in London, the play has gained a reputation as a staggering vocal marathon. Tasked with this tour-de-force is Malinda DeRouen, a local treasure whose voice has graced everything from the Forest Theater to Sunset Center’s Studio 105, starring roles in Gypsy and Mary Poppins. And, as the company emphasizes, “Malinda isn’t flying in from New York. She’s ours. She’s been here all along, doing work at this level on stage in Salinas and beyond.” [AP] 7:30pm Saturdays and 2:30pm Sundays, June 6-June 28. The Western Stage, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. $28-$40. (831) 755-6816, westernstage.com. Sunday, June 7 SPRING TIME Founded in 2015 by conductor Michel Singher, Espressivo is a small, Santa Cruz-headquartered orchestra, now coming to Monterey with a selection of Copland, Mendelssohn, Sibelius and Milhaud. Hear some of the best Julie Capili is a singer-songwriter with solid background in jazz. Her daughter, Jewel Arianna, followed her mother’s footsteps. Hear them both on Saturday, June 6. The centerpiece of Glorya Jean Tate Park’s expansion in Marina is a massive play structure highlighted by equally impressive slides. Be the first to experience them during a grand opening on Saturday, June 6 (details, p. 24). ERIK CHALHOUB COURTESY OF JULIE CAPILI
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