"The guitar is a whole lot more than a guitar...
there's a whole attitude towards life wrapped up in it" (Charles Fox)
SB Acoustic ~ an Ongoing Series of Live
International Acoustic Music Concerts
& Annual Handmade Guitar Exhibition
Fingerstyle & Jazz
Gypsy & Flamenco
Americana & Blues
Slack Key & more
at the SOhO Listening Room in Beautiful Downtown Santa Barbara
"It’s one the most beautiful experiences I know. Someone has spent a lifetime learning how to get the most beautiful sound possible out of an instrument that someone else has spent a lifetime learning how to build those sounds into…and we come together to play what a similar human has done with writing music. And finally, the whole thing merges when fellow music lovers come to hear and see it all. Many good things happen in this life, but none better than this." (Michael Chapdelaine)
Santa Barbara
Handmade Guitar Show & Concert
Sunday 9/19/21 Noon - 9:00pm
Free Admission with Concert Ticket
Guitars, Ukuleles, Resonators, Weissenborns & more
Hang out & have fun with Luthiers, Musicians & Friends
Burgers, Brews and more all day & dinner on the patio at SOhO
We're hoping' and tryin'. Get your jab - proof of vaccination will be required for entry in the interest of the luthiers, musicians, staff and attendees feeling safe. More info soon...
"The Celebration was one of the all around most meaningful and entertaining experiences I have ever had and I thank you from the bottom of my heart..." (SBAIC'16 attendee)
Fall '21 Concerts
The fall season of 5 concerts is only $100 per person with reserved seating.
Individual concerts will be available through SOhO closer to concert dates.
Tickets will go on sale when we are assured of restarting.
Acoustic Club members from last year's aborted season receive credit for 3 concerts.
All shows start at 7:30pm.
Come early for dinner.
It's the best bargain for live acoustic music, anywhere, anytime.
Keep your fingers crossed for the resumption of live music!
Reopening Concert with Special Guests 9/19/21
We will kick off the return of live acoustic music with a fabulous pair of guitarists/singers - a sultry Janis Joplin blues voice followed by one of the premier singers of old songs. Once we are assured of reopening, the names will be announced and tickets available. You want to be there - it's going to be great!
Luca Stricagnoli (Italy) 10/17/21
Clive Carroll (Britain) 10/24/21
Marley's Ghost (USA) 11/7/21
double concert with Jon Wilcox & Friends
KoMaGa Trio (Japan/USA) 11/21/21
Winter/Spring '22 Concerts
The winter/spring season of 7 concerts is only $150 per person with reserved seating, and will go on sale once we get through covid restrictions. Individual concerts will be available through SOhO closer to concert dates.
All shows start at 7pm ~ Come early for dinner.
It's the best bargain for live acoustic music, anywhere, anytime.
Calum Graham (Canada) 1/23/22
Trace Bundy (USA) 2/6/22
Carl Verheyen Acoustic Blues Band (USA) 3/6/22
Andres Vadin Flamenco Trio (Cuba) 3/27/22
Sean McGowan (USA) & Pierre Bensusan (France) 4/17/22
TransAtlantic Gypsy Jazz Trio (USA/Germany) 5/15/22
Richard Smith, Joscho Stephan & Rory Hoffman
Joe Robinson (Australia/USA) 6/5/22
Past Concerts
Since 2016 we have been fortunate to host live music by many of the world’s great string players:
A Call 2 Peace
Don Alder
Muriel Anderson
Paul Asbell
Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan
Adrian Bellue
Claude Bourbon
Trace Bundy
Clive Carroll
Michael Chapdelaine
Nick Charles
Chucumite
Craig D’Andrea
Alex DeGrassi
Jerry Douglas
Antoine Dufour
Ken Emerson & Kimo West
Tommy Emmanuel
Vicki Genfan
Nina Gerber & Chris Webster
Teja Gerken
Goh
Trevor Gordon Hall
Mark Hanson
Rory Hoffman
The Hot Club of Nashville
The Idiomatiques
Claude LaFlamme
Michael Lorimer
Nick Johnson
John Jorgenson
Laurence Juber
Justin King
Alberto Lombardi
Sean McGowan
Tony McManus
Maria Muldaur
Kai Narezo
Kinloch Nelson
George Quirin
Donovan Raitt
Del Rey
Joe Robinson
Sam ’n’ Ash
Richard Smith
Tim Sparks
Joscho Stephan
Walter Strauss
Taimane
Sofia Talvik
The Transatlantic Trio
Hiroya Tsukamoto
Andres Vadin
Dani Vargas & Jenna Columbet
Carl Verheyen
Willie Watson
Doug Young
Andrew York
Acoustic Music & the Guitar
"Acoustic music is the timeless sound of nature and resonating materials – wood, bone, gourd, gut and skin. It predates the spoken language of modern culture, crossing all borders and barriers. It speaks to great, universal truths of very personal, yet familiar stories. Those stories keep legacies alive, allow them to be shared, and create new ones going forward".
(Derek Johnson aka Musicalist)
Music is unparalleled in its impact across civilization; it is infinite and evolving across time, place, religion and culture. It is the door to our souls, the balm for our spirit, an inspiration to feel deeply, our common language, and the heart of community.
The humble guitar is known for its enormous musical versatility across all cultures and genres. It has been the voice of people to tell their stories, attainable to anyone regardless of wealth or social status.
"The guitar can truly change the world...we've seen that in ministry and education;
it has affected international borders. It's a very dangerous tool." (Richard Hoover, with a smile)
Background image: Benedetto Guitars