Bankhead Presents Program | May 2025
Las Cafeteras
FRI MAY 2 @ 8 PM
Las Cafeteras have taken the music scene by storm with their infectious live performances and have crossed many genres and borders along the way. Their electric sound & energy has taken them around the world playing shows from Bonnaroo to the Hollywood Bowl, WOMAD New Zealand to Montreal Jazz, & beyond!
Born and raised East of the Los Angeles River, Las Cafeteras are remixing roots music as modern day troubadours. They are a sonic explosion of Afro-Mexican rhythms, electronic beats and powerful rhymes that document stories of a community seeking to ‘build a world where many world fit.’
From Afro-Mexican to Americana, from Soul to Son Jarocho, from Roots to Rock and Hip Hop, Las Cafeteras take folk music to the future.
Las Cafeteras honor the past by using electrifying traditional instrumentation like the 8 string Jarana, 4 string Requinto, Quijada (donkey jawbone) and Tarima (a wooden platform). Las Cafeteras sing in 5 distinct languages, English, Spanish, Spanglish, Love and Justice … and they believe everyone understands at least one of those languages.
They’ve performed in the good company of Mexican icons Café Tacuba, Natalia LaFourcade, Lila Downs, Gypsy Kings, Colombian superstar Juanes, Hip Hop artist Common, Los Angeles legends Ozomatli and Los Lobos, performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and many more.
Mariachi Herencia de México
SAT MAY 3 @ 8 PM
The historic tradition of mariachi music has its roots of origin in cities such as Guadalajara and Mexico City. As the ever-evolving genre’s influence spread, it reached Chicago and birthed Mariachi Herencia de México. The 2x Latin GRAMMY®-nominated band has issued five chart-topping albums and has performed all across the North American continent paving the way for a new generation of mariachi musicians. Nuestra Herencia, their 2017 debut album, topped the Latin streaming charts and earned the band their first Latin GRAMMY®-nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album. 2018’s Herencia de la Tierra Mía and the two-volume series, Esencia and Esencia, Vol. 2 issued in 2019 and 2020, respectively, charted atop all major streaming platforms and industry charts. In 2022, Herederos appeared as the band were performing a wildly successful North American tour. Herederos received a 2023 Latin GRAMMY® nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album. The young, virtuosic band is composed of 14 musicians, ages 18-32, representing a new bicultural generation in the U.S.
Sponsored in part by Jean King
Dr. Erin Macdonald
Rae Dorough Speaker Series
SUN MAY 4 @ 3 PM
Erin Macdonald (PhD Astrophysics, Star Trek Science Advisor) hails from Fort Collins, CO and did her undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she dual-majored in Physics with Astrophysics (cum laude) and Mathematics. She earned her Ph.D. at 25 years old from the University of Glasgow in Gravitational Astrophysics.
Her post-doctoral research with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration on gravitational waves from dead and colliding stars and black holes contributed to the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics (though she left the collaboration before their discovery).
She has taught at the college level, worked with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and written and narrated numerous popular science podcasts including an Audible Original series produced by The Great Courses on “The Science of Sci-Fi” which reached the March 2020 Audible Non-Fiction Top 10 bestseller list and in October 2022 she published “Star Trek: My First Book of Space”, a baby board book.
Since 2019, “Dr Erin” has been the science advisor for the entire Star Trek franchise. She is an internationally sought-after public speaker, educator, STEAM advocate, writer, and technical consultant who explains complex physics and astronomy ideas to varied audiences.
She is also the founder and owner of Spacetime Productions, a film company dedicated to lifting and sharing marginalized talent and stories.
The Robert Cray Band
50th Anniversary Tour
2025 Out Driving Around Tour
MON MAY 5 @ 7:30 PM
Since 1974, The Robert Cray Band has been touring and recording their unique groove, born from a love of Soul, R&B, Gospel, Blues and Rock n Roll. The five-time Grammy winner has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned the Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. “Having had the opportunity to play with some of our heroes was more than we could have ever imagined,” says Robert. “Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and the big stages with The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, and Eric Clapton.”Cray’s producer Steve Jordan adds, “People gravitate to his guitar playing first, but I think he’s one of the best singers I’ve heard in my life.” The Robert Cray Band has released over twenty acclaimed albums and has sold millions worldwide. “The Band continues with the same enthusiasm and joy in what we do, and no matter the accolades,” says Robert.
“Today is all that matters!”
The Robert Cray Band features:
Robert Cray—Guitar & Vocals
Richard Cousins—Bass
Dover Weinberg—Keyboards
Les Falconer—Drums
Red Hot Chilli Pipers
FRI MAY 9 @ 8 PM
Bagpipes with attitude. Drums with a Scottish accent. A blazing rock band and show so hot, it carries its own health warning!
It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock. AC/DC meets the poet Robert Burns. Where rock anthems sit comfortably alongside the great tunes from the glens and the mountains of Scotland.
It’s The Red Hot Chilli PIPERS – (NOT the Peppers!) — a 9-piece ensemble consisting of pipers, guitarists, keyboards, and drummers — who have been rocking the world from New York to Beijing to Melbourne and everywhere in between with musicianship of the highest order and a passion for pipes that will leave you breathless. The band has four music degrees from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and all the pipers and drummers have played at the top level in bagpiping.
Since they walked away with the top prize on the primetime TV talent show, “When Will I Be Famous” in the U.K. in 2007, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers haven’t stopped for a breath, other than to inflate their bagpipes! Formed in 2002, The Chillis have fast become a global phenomenon, taking their signature ‘Bagrock’ sound to the masses with their unique fusion of rocked up Bagpipes and clever covers of popular songs from all genres. Their trademarked sound is a unique fusion of traditional pipe tunes – like “The Flowers of Scotland”, “The Hills of Argyll”, and “Amazing Grace” (done Chilli-style, of course!) — and contemporary anthems like Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, “Clocks” by Coldplay, “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, “Let Me Entertain You” by Robbie Williams, and a fantastic rock medley of “Deep Purple”, “Smoke on the Water”, and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”.
Fun facts about the Chillis:
—Over 2.5 million views on YouTube of their viral cover of the Avicci track ‘Wake Me Up’
—Gold record for over 100,000 UK sales of their first album “Bagrock to the Masses”
—Triple platinum album status for third album and DVD – “Blast Live”
—Awarded twice for “Best Live Act in Scotland”
—Sold out tours in the UK, USA, China Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Ukraine, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and India
—Regular performances for A-List showbiz, sports stars and royalty – including Ewan McGregor, Sir Paul McCartney, Gary Player, Samuel Jackson and Her Majesty the Queen
—Over 350,000 Facebook followers and a very active Twitter following of thousands of fans
The Chillis have never been more in demand for their infectious style of feel-good music which appeals right across the age range to people all over the world. Theirs are the very best musicians from Scotland and across the globe – many holding World Champion titles and all serious players with impressive credentials and qualifications. There has never been anything quite like The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Feel the Chilli heat: It’s time to come closer to the fire!
Chris Perondi’s Stunt Dog Experience
SUN MAY 11 @ 3 PM
Stunt Dog Productions is proud to be America’s original Stunt Dog Show, capturing hearts while leaving audiences on the edge of their seats since 1999. In over 750 live shows annually, our meticulously choreographed performances showcase the exceptional talent and training of our canine athletes. With a remarkable track record of more than 20 years and over 15,000 shows, we’ve never missed or canceled an event. We’re committed to surpassing expectations through the use of positive training techniques, and highlighting the incredible potential of rescue and shelter dogs. We now have four touring units across the nation, each providing the same premium, theme park-level entertainment.
Michael Carbanaro
Lies On Stage
FRI MAY 16 @ 8 PM
Best known as the star and executive producer of the hit series, THE CARBONARO EFFECT on truTV, Michael Carbonaro has also made frequent television appearances in shows such as Happily Divorced, 30 Rock, Grey’s Anatomy, and CSI Miami. A performing magician since his youth, Carbonaro went on to study experimental theater at New York University with the aspirations of entertaining audiences through a variety of theatrical mediums, including hidden-camera magic, which he later showcased frequently on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Following Carbonaro’s frequent late-night appearances, Michael was presented with the opportunity to launch his hit comedic series, “The Carbonaro Effect,” which has run for over 100 episodes on truTV. A trickster at heart, Michael performs inventive tricks on unsuspecting members of the public who are unaware that he is a magician. Jaws drop when he causes a car to disappear from under a security guard’s nose or makes alien crabs transform into kittens in a science lab. Whether posing as a coffee shop barista, museum curator, or seemingly unremarkable store clerk in the REAL world, Carbonaro’s illusions – along with his absurd, matter-of-fact explanations – leave REAL people bewildered and families at home laughing out loud.
Michael regularly showcases his bizarre antics and mind-blowing magic at corporate events and through his highly-acclaimed national theater tours.
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater
Saddle, Brush, and Art: A Cowboy’s Poetic Canvas
Now thru July 27, 2025
Thursdays — Sundays, 1 pm — 5 pm
FREE & OPEN to the Public
Except for Private Events
*Closed on May 10, May 18, & May 22
A ruggedly authentic & adventurous new exhibit, “Saddle, Brush, and Art: A Cowboy’s Poetic Canvas” will have visitors immersing themselves in the vibrant traditions & enduring spirit of the California West, celebrating the artistry, resilience, & legacy of modern-day cowboys & cowgirls. The exhibit showcases an array of visual & literary works, including vivid paintings, dynamic sculptures, & compelling cowboy portraits that tell the stories of life on the range. Through these carefully curated pieces, visitors will journey into the heart of cowboy culture, exploring wide-open landscapes, bustling ranches, & quiet campfires that form the backbone of the Livermore-Amador Valley’s rich heritage. Learn More …
Calling all Livermore Lovers!!
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