FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
Have a MUSIC Feast Before Your Thanksgiving Feast, This November at The Bankhead
Livermore, CA – (October 28, 2025) – Livermore Valley Arts is delighted to bring some fabulous evenings of music for the delight of Tri-Valley audiences this November. Combining Bruno-Mars-caliber stage presence with top-tier vocals and choreography, UPTOWN will be a celebration of Motown & Soul on Friday, November 14, followed by multi-award-winning guitarists-musicians-producers, Luca Stricagnoli with Special Guest Meg Pfeiffer, on Saturday, November 15. A unique collaboration of Americana nostalgia will come to life at Dustbowl Revival & The Hot Club of Cowtown: A Celebration of Bob & Willie on Sunday, November 16, and acclaimed pianist and composer Keiko Matsui will play Livermore once again on Friday, November 21. With something for every music lover, Livermore Valley Arts will be filled with a feast of music concerts for every appetite this November. All of these sensational concerts will be at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
Fusing Bruno Mars-caliber stage presence with top-tier vocals and wall-to-wall choreography, the men of UPTOWN combine the smooth stylings of R&B with the fresh hits of today in a unique and modern show that gets every crowd on their feet, sure to include Downtown Livermore audiences on November 14. Born in New York City (the epicenter of contemporary pop and soul music), the group exudes unparalleled energy with their blend of contemporary radio hits and classic Motown music. Every single member of UPTOWN is a world-class soloist, with frequent comparisons to the artistry of icons like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye; when they come together as one collective, the resulting remix creates “the most electrifying show you’ll see this decade!” (Agua Caliente, Palm Springs, CA).
The following evening, back after his breakout showing in Livermore at International Guitar Night in 2024, with more than 200 million views on his music videos and concerts in over 30 countries, Luca Stricagnoli returns to Livermore, having established himself as one of the most innovative and unique guitarists in the world. Known for pushing the boundaries of the acoustic guitar, he has invented groundbreaking instruments such as the Reversed Triple Neck Guitar, the Reversed Slide Neck, and The Guitar Ring, each of which has contributed to redefining the modern acoustic landscape. Celebrated as both a phenomenon and a prodigy, Stricagnoli has been featured in major international outlets including NME, Guitar World, Der Spiegel, La Repubblica, Daily Sabah, and Frankfurter Allgemeine. His viral performances, including the world’s first guitar with a reversed neck, catapulted his career, leading to appearances at events for Nobel Prize winners and top CEOs, as well as features in countless television programs. His music has been shared by world-famous bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Muse, and Walk Off The Earth. Stricagnoli has released six albums to date: Luca Stricagnoli (2015), What If? (2017), Change of Rules (2019), Blue (2021), Unsent (2022), and Guitars for Nothing (2023). Each project showcases his unorthodox techniques and imaginative approach to the instrument, expanding both his reach and influence. Alongside his recording success, Stricagnoli has performed close to 100 shows a year, from intimate concerts in remote towns to major stages such as the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv. He has played sold-out concerts in prestigious philharmonics, theaters, and performing arts centers, as well as exclusive private events for clients including Formula 1, Hard Rock Hotel, Infosys, and BNSF Railways. His artistry has also brought him to perform at universities, international festivals, national television, and to be a judge at global guitar competitions. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including InterContinental Music Awards, Global Music Awards, Lit of the Year Award, and many others. Throughout his career, Stricagnoli has shared the stage with some of the most respected musicians in the world, including Grammy winner Jim “Kimo” West, Grammy nominee Debashish Bhattacharya, and German Critics’ Award winner Lulo Reinhardt. Born and raised in Italy, Stricagnoli later moved to Germany and, in 2023, relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, with Meg Pfeiffer to continue developing their vision at the heart of the music industry. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy and has also founded his own music label. In addition, he serves as a recurring host of International Guitar Night, where he continues to inspire audiences worldwide with his innovative musicianship and visionary spirit.
Joining Stricagnoli, Meg Pfeiffer is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, music producer, and video director whose creative independence defines her career. She writes, arranges, records, produces, mixes, and directs her projects entirely on her own, ensuring that every note, every word, and every image reflects her artistic vision. Previously signed to Sony Music and Universal Music Publishing, she later built a fully independent path that has brought her music to more than 25 countries. Along the way, she has reached the official charts, collected honors such as the InterContinental Music Awards, the German Rock and Pop Awards, Lit of the Year, and several international songwriting prizes. Her releases have gathered more than three million Spotify streams. Her seventh studio album, Red Wine Philosophy, was released on August 8, 2025, through her own Muca Label & Publishing and distributed worldwide via Virgin Music Group that belongs to Universal Music in partnership with Mesa Bluemoon Recordings. The album contains sixteen songs that are raw, unfiltered, and uncompromisingly honest, carrying the intensity of a first bold sip of red wine on an empty stomach. Pfeiffer created the entire work herself, from the writing and arranging to the recording, production, and mixing, while also producing sixteen lyric videos, one for each track. Her husband, Italian guitar virtuoso and inventor Luca Stricagnoli, added his unique artistry to several songs. Red Wine Philosophy is not only an album but also a declaration of authenticity, resilience, and independence. It reflects Pfeiffer’s personal journey, her strength in the face of loss, and her determination to create meaningful art outside the mainstream industry. On September 28, Pfeiffer presented Red Wine Philosophy live at the Grammy® Museum in Los Angeles at the Clive Davis Theater, performing in an intimate acoustic setting together with Stricagnoli. In 2023, Pfeiffer and Stricagnoli moved from Europe to Nashville to expand their creative vision in the heart of the music world. Both are voting members of the Recording Academy and continue to dedicate themselves to creating music that is meaningful, independent, and lasting. Audiences will not want to miss this amazing music couple at an incredible night of music at The Bankhead on November 15.
After making their solo debuts in 1962, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson went on to change how we listened to traditional folk music, rock n roll, and their own free-spirited brand of Americana soul. Coming together for a unique collaboration are Austin’s beloved western swing and string band masters The Hot Club of Cowtown (who once toured with Bob) and LA’s award-winning brass and harmony heavies Dustbowl Revival to bring you A Celebration Of 60 Years Of Bob & Willie, a journey from Bob and Willie’s earliest old-time roots, to their fearless modern sounds which have inspired millions. Hot Club and Dustbowl will play classics and deep cuts from Bob and Willie’s catalogue, and share their own originals too. Dustbowl Revival is going strong into their second decade, after starting from a humble Craigslist ad posted in Bohemian Venice Beach. Some would say their ever-evolving collective plays a spicy cocktail of folky-funk or booty-shaking jangly rock ‘n’ soul, expertly mixing their New Orleans-tinted brass section with their signature Laurel Canyon harmonies and fearless lyrics. Dustbowl is a testament to building a fan base and their own sound the old-fashioned way, with hard work and moving songs that stick to your bones when you leave the concert. There’s a reason they continue to get written up in Rolling Stone and Billboard, and get played on AAA radio 16 years after they set sail. After releasing seven acclaimed albums starting in 2008, including their beloved live record “With A Lampshade On” (2015) – recorded mostly at the Troubadour in LA – and their charting self-titled record (2017) produced by Grammy-winner Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Old Crow Medicine Show), perhaps their magnum opus is 2020’s deeply personal “Is It You, Is It Me,” produced by Sam Kassirer (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter). It showcases their penchant for orchestral brass and intricate string work with politically charged story-songs that unfold like mini-movies. It’s not surprising that Z. Lupetin was an award-winning playwright and screenwriter before music took the reins. “Get Rid Of You,” an ode to the courageous Parkland, Florida, students who stood up to demand common-sense gun laws be passed, is a heart-wrenching staple of each show. While staying proudly independent, the band has garnered over 10 million streams and counting, with romantic jams like “Honey, I Love You,” featuring Blues master Keb’ Mo’, and fan favorites like “Sonic Boom” and “Debtors Prison” leading the charge. Many first learned about the band after the now 98-year-old legend Dick Van Dyke let the gang shoot a music video with him dancing in his signature straw hat at his house. Of course, the quirky jam to “Never Had to Go” went viral. They’re long known for their knock-out festival performances, which often spill off the stage into the crowd. Recent notable appearances at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco, Rhythm N Roots in Rhode Island, Waterfront Blues in Portland, The Cambridge Folk Fest in England, and Tonder Festival in Denmark highlight a few of their favorite stops. Their state department tour of China also prompted a funny mini-documentary on YouTube. Indeed, founder Z. Lupetin’s quixotic Craigslist ad hoping to find like-minded music-makers to play songs inspired by Wilco, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, as well as Nina Simone, Fleetwood Mac, and Bill Withers, may seem confusing, but somehow it worked. Since the late 1990s, the Hot Club of Cowtown has captivated audiences with incredible musicianship and exhilarating live performances. As proud members of the Texas Commission on the Arts, they draw inspiration from the Western swing of Bob Wills and the culture of the American Southwest, as well as the European hot jazz popularized in Paris by Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt during the same era. The band skillfully blends vintage string music, three-part harmony singing, and lively dance tunes, all delivered with unmatched joy and virtuosity. Tri-Valley audiences will not want to miss taking the journey from Dylan’s and Nelson’s earliest old-time roots in Texas and Minnesota to their fearless modern sounds, live at The Bankhead on November 16.
November’s feast for the ears concludes on November 21 with the return of acclaimed pianist, composer, and humanitarian Keiko Matsui‘s transcendent and haunting melodies, which have made her a worldwide icon in contemporary smooth jazz. Known for her original compositions, Matsui’s music transcends boundaries, creating a unique melting pot of musical influences that have earned her a devout and enthusiastic international audience. A consummate artist at home in any musical context, she borrows from diverse idioms such as jazz, classical, rock, blues, and traditional world music to create timeless, passionate, and emotional melodies that speak a universally appealing language. Matsui made her US recording debut with “Drop of Water” in 1987 and was named Best Female Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year twice. Of the 20 albums she has released, seven have appeared in the contemporary jazz Top 10, including “Deep Blue,” which reached number one in 2001 and topped Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz charts for three consecutive weeks, making her the first Japanese artist to achieve this honor. Additionally, “Dream Walk” (1996) remained on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart for over 15 months and further cemented her reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Her release “Soul Quest” celebrated her 25th anniversary in the music business and was acclaimed by The Washington Post as “one of her most accomplished and appealing.” Over the years, Matsui has collaborated and shared the stage with numerous musical luminaries, including Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, and Bob James. Do not miss this dynamic, creative icon of music, coming back to delight Livermore audiences once again this fall.
Tickets for shows in the 2025—2026 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit LivermoreArts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: UPTOWN
Date/Time: Friday, November 14, 2025, at 8:00pm Almost Sold Out
Tickets: $50—$80 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Luca Stricagnoli with Special Guest Meg Pfeiffer
Date/Time: Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$60 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Dustbowl Revival & The Hot Club of Cowtown: A Celebration of Bob & Willie Date/Time: Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 7:00pm
Tickets: $25—$85 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Keiko Matsui
Date/Time: Friday, November 21, 2025, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $25—$65 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20% Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
