The SB Post

Culture Beat: From the Stage to State Street

Yesterday the 2^nd annual New Noise Music Festival & Conference opened up in conjunction with our monthly 1^st Thursday night of arts, culture and free interactive fun throughout downtown Santa Barbara. Part of the New Noise line-up, the Pianos on State "collaborative musical experiment" entertained, intrigued and engaged people walking along State Street enjoying the balmy Indian summer night. Pianos are set up along State Street in front of the Arlington Theatre, The Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, MTD Transit Station, Paseo Nuevo and the India House Bazaar through November 7. They are available for "musical exploration, impromptu expression and planned performances" morning, afternoon and evening. Amateur and professional musicians alike are scheduled to perform and the public is invited to sit down and play during non-scheduled hours. The exhibition is a collaboration between several non-profit arts advocacy groups to promote the 2nd annual Instruments 4 SB Youth drive December 31 during the Santa Barbara "Symphony's New Year's Eve on the Red Carpet" event. All six pianos from Pianos on State will be donated to local non-profit organizations and schools.

New Noise continues tonight with performances by Massive Attack and Thievery Corporation at the Santa Barbara Bowl, in addition to presenting numerous gigs at venues large and small throughout downtown Santa Barbara. The festival concludes Saturday night with Fitz & The Tantrums taking the stage at Velvet Jones and Nico Vega at Whiskey Richards. Tickets and passes are still available.

If you can't make it here this weekend, the performing arts season has only just begun so there will be many more opportunities in coming months to enjoy the sound of music, soak up some culture and take in a show. Check out the Performing Arts League website SBStage.org for current schedules, which showcases everything from theatre and ballet to classical music and rock concerts. Our weekly newspaper, the Santa Barbara Independent, is also an excellent guide to what's on stage.

Santa Barbara is the biggest cultural hub between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which allows us to attract touring artists, musicians and performers from around the world. In addition to visiting artists, our home-grown offerings are incredibly rich for a city of our small size. From the award-winning Ensemble Theatre Company and PCPA Theaterfest to Opera Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Symphony, we are spoiled with options. Dynamic programming presented year-round by The Granada Theatre, Lobero Theatre and UCSB's Arts & Lectures series, along with Nederlander Concerts, New Noise SB and Club Mercy, attracts patrons from throughout Southern California and the Central Coast. SOhO Restaurant & Music Club also brings in big names, creating uniquely intimate opportunities to see beloved artists and discover up-and-coming talents.