The 94941 is chock full of incredible live music all year long – it’s built into the fabric of who we are as a community.
That fabric includes major live music festivals like the incredible Mill Valley Music Fest, Sound Summit, one of the biggest and most locally beneficial live music events in town, set in one of the Bay Area’s most spectacular and intimate venues at the historic Mountain Theater, a 4,000-seat natural stone amphitheater atop Mount Tamalpais. Mill Valley also showcases thrilling live music at long-cherished festivals like the Homestead Valley Music, which returned on August 24th at the Homestead Meadow, as well as the Creekside Fridays at the Tam Valley Community Center.
And don’t get us started on the venerable nonprofit Sweetwater Music Hall, which has top-notch live music just about every night of the week, as often does the Throckmorton Theatre.
And while the buskers and the bands keep playin’ year-round, one of the most exciting live music events returned September 7-8, as the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s brought back the Concerts in the Plaza series with two full days of live music featuring an array of acclaimed local bands, as well as a few exciting special guests.
For those who want to learn more about the artists who performed last weekend and possibly buy their music, here are the details:
Meggy Travers: 11am-12:30pm
Marin County singer-songwriter Meggy Travers blends folk, bluegrass, and pop influences to create a unique Americana sound. Inspired by the serenity of the redwoods and the electrifying energy of nearby San Francisco, her music reflects the contrasting beauty of her environment. Meggy’s debut EP, “High Like This,” co-produced with local banjoist Tim Weed, showcases her powerful vocals and guitar skills alongside emotionally resonant songwriting. It leaves listeners eager to explore the evolving musical landscapes she’ll create next.
Iko Yaya: 1pm-2:30pm
Pronounced I – KO – YAH-YAH – since 2013, we’ve been flooding dance halls with the Louisiana-influenced music that gets folks on their the feet – what we like to call “swamp ‘n roll!”
Enjoy a full plate of our favorite New Orleans flavored dance gumbo-blues & boogie, Cajun/Zydeco, R&B, Second Line, and even a lil’ Country-all delivered with a Mardi Gras vibe!
From the San Francisco Bay Area, Iko YaYa’s members are longtime veterans of some other bay area favorite dance bands, including California Cajun Orchestra, SwingThing, CZ & The Bon Vivants, The Poyntlyss Sistars, Medicine Ball Band, and Mark St. Mary.
Forest Sun: 3pm-4:30pm
Forest was born in upstate New York to folksinging back-to-the-land hippie parents. His dad used to chop wood with neighbor Garth Hudson of the Band and literally built the floor that Bob Dylan stood on at manager Albert Grossman’s Bearsville studios in Woodstock, NY. His mom heard Pete Seeger and Joan Baez play when they filmed a TV show in her uncles living room in Boston, and dated one of the Chambers Brothers before she met his dad. Weaned on a diet of Jackson Browne and Toots and the Maytals, some of Forest’s earliest memories are of his dad playing “Poncho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt and his mom singing Elizabeth Cotton’s “Freight Train”. Forest wrote songs with Rory Block when he was six years old, learned to juggle with WavyGravy when he was 9, and studied drumming with the late African master percussionist Babatunde Olatunji as a teenager. In college he played in a band with SNL star Maya Rudolph. They opened for No Doubt at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz before Forest left to study art in Spain.
A pioneer of the DIY movement he recorded his first record in his bedroom in San Francisco with bassist Seth Ford Young (Tom Waits, Edward Sharpe) and toured Europe for the first time, including playing at the Rally on Dam Square in Amsterdam for the Tibetan Freedom Concert where he first met Ben Harper, Alanis Morrisette and Thom Yorke.
Forest’s songs mine his deep folk roots and embrace his love of gospel, soul, reggae, and country.
Roberta Donnay: 5pm-6:30pm
Award-winning singer and composer ROBERTA DONNAY & the Prohibition Mob Band are celebrating their brand new release, “My Heart Belongs to Satchmo”, on the Blujazz label.
Donnay has recorded with legendary producer Orrin Keepnews and was a touring member of Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks. Donnay and her “Prohibition Mob Band” joyfully deliver 1920-30s swing, blues, and roots music in the jazz tradition. Touring the U.S. since 2012, their first album, “A Little Sugar”, spent nine weeks on jazz radio charts, and the follow-up “Bathtub Gin” was named one of the Best Albums of 2015 by Downbeat Magazine. Donnay’s songs and voice can also be heard on fi lm and TV.
Sunday, September 8th | 11am-7pm
Bourbon Street Brass Band: 11am-12:30pm
Direct from the New Orleans French Quarter, Bourbon Street Brass Band brings true NOLA funk and jazz to the West Coast!! With a burning 4-piece horn section anchored by tuba and drums playing music made famous by legendary performers such as The Meters, Dr. John, Rebirth Brass Band, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band, this group really knows how to bring the party to life!
More information at: https://bourbonstreetbrassband.net/
Sean Carscadden: 1pm-2:30pm
From deep pocket New Orleans funk to desert-infused surf reverberation, Sean Carscadden knows how to make his six-string guitar reach through space. The wingmen in his trio – Gator Nation’s drummer Mikey Cannon and Cliff Hugo, the trail-blazing bassist for Supertramp and Ray Charles – bring a thoughtful flow to the rhythm they put under each of Carscadden’s bending notes and blue eyed soul singing. Carscadden is a three-time winner of the North Bay Bohemian Norbays Award for Best Americana Artist and three-time winner of the Sonoma Index Tribune’s People’s Choice Award for Best Local Performer.
Meels: 3pm-4:30pm
In the lush landscapes of Mill Valley, California, Meels, a songwriter, discovered her voice amidst towering redwoods. Her music, infused with the charm of a small town, is an intimate journey from nature’s grandeur to NYU’s Tisch’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, establishing her as a fresh voice in indie folk. Meels’ debut album, “Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom,” blends abstract lyricism akin to Fiona Apple with Regina Spektor’s melodic touch. Produced by Peter Groenwald and Mark Campbell in Nashville, the record is an innovative and timeless soundscape, allowing Meels’ vocals to navigate personal yet universally relatable themes. The album weaves nostalgia, nature, and intricate human connections, transcending mere songs into stories and confessions. Meels articulates these moments with a wisdom beyond her years. “Time to Rise” from Meels resonated in the ABC show “Grown-ish,” showcasing her ability to capture the zeitgeist. Beyond music, her voice has adorned global narratives, from a 3M ad campaign to contributing to a commercial for the Biden 2020 Campaign. In a world where the term ‘artist’ is overused, Meels embodies its essence—a creator immersed in shaping soul-touching expressions. “Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom” isn’t just an album; it’s a portal into Meels’ world, painted with the hues of her hometown’s redwoods and the vibrant patchwork of experiences. It’s more than a debut; it’s an invitation to witness a narrative that will echo for years. Stay tuned—Meels is a name destined for recognition. MORE INFO.
Nancy Fawson: 5pm-6:30pm
Born from the vibrant music scene of the San Francisco Bay Area, Corner Pocket (formerly, “Fawson”) is a powerhouse band that’s taking the local music scene by storm. Combining elements of blues, soul, and funk, the band delivers a high-energy, soul-stirring sound that’s guaranteed to get audiences moving. The band’s tight-knit chemistry and undeniable talent shine through in every performance. Known for their ability to stay “in the pocket” and groove effortlessly together, Corner Pocket creates an electrifying atmosphere that transports listeners to the heart of the music. Corner Pocket’s infectious energy and soulful sound have earned them a dedicated following throughout the Bay Area. Get ready to groove to music by artists such as Susan Tedeschi, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Black Pumas and Joss Stone, among others, as well as their own funky originals. Corner Pocket are the ultimate purveyors of pocket-perfect music.