KALA

Harvest Moon Master Storyteller
2023-11-17 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Prepare to be captivated when Harvest Moon, an honored Quinault storyteller and Master Basket Weaver, comes to the KALA stage November 17th. A seasoned performer with decades of experience, Moon uses her voice, facial expressions, and body gestures to bring archetypal characters to life, transporting audiences through a veil of time into ancient realms.
Whether it be a campfire, library space, stage or movie set, Moon seamlessly adapts to her surroundings. She began TV and film work in the ‘90s, starting as a stand in for actress Elaine Miles on Northern Exposure. She’s appeared in 13 films since, including First Cow, Showing Up, and The Dark Divide. Moon was harvesting cedar bark in the woods she when got an audition call for The Dark Divide. “The audition was in Portland. I missed a day of getting cedar bark, but I got the part.”
Moon’s upcoming KALA performance is sponsored in part by the Astoria Visual Arts, and a grant by the Oregon Humanities, as part of the AVA’s exhibit (opening 11/11), Portrait of Eugene Landry, An Artist, A Time and a Tribe. Moon has a familial connection to Eugene Landry. “He was my uncle.”
Harvest Moon will be introduced by special guest author Robert Michael Pyle.
Doors open at 7pm. Show at 7:30pm. Tickets $20. Ages 16+ welcome. General seating. Full Bar. KALA is located at 1017 Marine Dr. in Astoria. 503.338.4878
Get Tickets to Harvest Moon!

WATER THE MUSICAL
2023-11-12 13:00 - 14:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA welcomes ensemble Your Song My Song performing “Water The Musical” Sunday, November 12th, 1pm, an environmental justice-focused children’s entertainment group from the central coast of Oregon that writes music about connecting to the planet. A Free event for kids! Don’t Miss It!
With unique, funky, and original songs and a fully interactive musical show with imaginative puppets, Your Song My Song celebrates the beauty and bio-magic of the third rock from the sun. Get ready to be inspired to dance and also to take action and claim your roles as integral crew mates here on Spaceship Earth!
Meant for kids, but loved by adults, this earthy and off-world musical adventure journeys through funky disco rollerskate jams, spacey dance tunes and sweet jazzy folk tunes. Your Song My Song encourages all to learn from the expertise of their conservation partner, Oregon Shores, CoastWatch, just how you can better become a steward of our planetary home.
Sunday, November 12. 1pm. Doors open at 12:30pm For all ages. A FREE event. Check out some of their great tunes on three albums and a sing-along songbook at yoursongmysong.com
KALA, 1017 Marine Dr. in Astoria. 503.338.4878

Uncle Mary Halloween Spook Show!
2023-10-28 19:30 - 23:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA Performance Space celebrates the thinning of the veils with Portland Trio Uncle Mary and the Juke Joint Revivalists. Costumes encouraged! Complimentary sweet and savory treats! Plus a few surprise guests.
We’ll hear from Big Mama Thorton, Tampa Red, Louis Jordon, Tommy Dorsey and more—great tunes from the 30’s played with authentic gusto by Uncle Mary featuring their double-bass, washboard, guitar and the sweetest 3-part harmonies. Plus Uncle Mary’s originals with a Halloween spirit like “Blood on the Accordion,” “Stabbah” and “Mr. Milton” based on an original Portland ghost story, and Charles Sheffield’s “Voodoo Workin”.
A Halloween Social Affair!!
Doors open at 7:30pm. Music at 8pm. Tickets $13 online. $15 at the door upon availability. 21+ Please. KALA, 1017 Marine Dr. in Astoria.
Tickets for Uncle Mary

What Water Holds: Four Fisher Poets
2023-10-21 19:30 - 21:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA Performance Space is going to be awash with words when four talented Fisher Poets share the stage on October 21st. Tele Aadsen, Clemens Stark, Holly Hughes, and Jon Broderick are familiar names for patrons of the Gathering, and this event offers a glimpse of all the annual fisherpoetry goodness to come in February.
Three originators of Fisherpoets are coming together to help fellow poet Tele Aadsen celebrate the release of her new book, What Water Holds, a collection of essays written in the decade between 2012 and 2023 for the Gathering. “What Water Holds is born of FisherPoets,” Aadsen said. “This book wouldn’t exist without this community. Jon, Clem, and Holly have all been generous mentors and sources of inspiration. I’m honored to share this evening together in the ever-magical KALA, no less. I can’t wait to be in their audience.”
Come celebrate the songs and sounds of the sea with four talented poets working at the height of their artistic powers.
Doors open 7pm. Show 7:30pm. Tickets held at will call. $10 online. $13 at the door. Full Bar. KALA, 1017 Marine Dr. in Astoria. 503-338-4878. Minors okay – 16+ please.
Tickets for FOUR FISHERPOETS

Mary Flower with Doc Stein and Spud Siegel
2023-09-09 19:30 - 21:30
KALA welcomes internationally known and award-winning picker, singer/songwriter teacher, and recording artist, Mary Flower. The Midwest native relocated from Denver to the vibrant Portland, Oregon music scene in in 2004. She continues to please crowds and critics at folk festivals, teaching seminars and concert stages domestically and abroad that include Merlefest, Kerrville, King Biscuit, Prairie Home Companion and the Vancouver Folk Festival, among many.

Flower embodies a luscious and lusty mix of rootsy, acoustic-blues guitar and vocal styles that span a number of idioms from Piedmont to the Mississippi Delta, with stops in ragtime, swing, folk and hot jazz.

Joining Mary Flower in an incomparable trio, is Hawaiian Steel Guitarist Doc Stein; specialist in country, western swing, ragtime and blues on guitar, banjo and dobro. And multi-instrumentalist and mandolin specialist, Spud Siegel, known for his music proclivities in these parts and throughout the northwest.
Show 7:30pm. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets $20.
Tickets for Mary Flower

Scott Strickland in Concert
2023-08-18 20:00 - 22:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Last March’23 Austin, TX artist, Rock/Folk/Soul singer songwriter, Scott Strickland’s performance at KALA struck a deep chord with audience members. His rich soulful voice, intimate songs and authentic love for sharing his music poured over. Take a break from the outside and go into the music with Scott on this August eve.
On the heals of two critically acclaimed EP’s, Scott Strickland made his debut album during COVID. Music was a sideline for Strickland, with a graduate degree in filmmaking. When he relocated to Austin, his part time music passion transformed to a full time creative endeavor. He released his first self-titled LP in 2022. Testament to his love of film making, his video accompanying the first track “L.A.” says music journalist Peter Blackstock for Austin 360, “ . . . might be the best video, and song, to come out of Austin in the first half of 2022.”
WATCH Scott’s video: “L.A.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCADNCCKGvI
Friday, Aug 18, 8pm. Tickets $15. Doors open at 7:30pm. Full Bar. Cabaret table seating. KALA Performance Space. 1017 Marine Drive in Astoria.
Tickets available at door upon availability. KALA 503.338.4878
Purchase Tickets online https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6103444

The Robin Gibson Band
2023-07-22 20:00 - 22:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA welcomes the Robin Gibson Band from Portland, Or. Originally from San Francisco, guitarist/vocalist Gibson has been on the guitar since 1966. His influences: Ray Charles, SRV, Allman Brothers, Link Wray, Big Brother & the Holding Co, Gov’t Mule, Tommy Castro, Kenny Blue Ray, Eric Clapton. “All the usual suspects that have been at the forefront of rockin’ blues,” says Gibson. You’ll hear a lot of these great tunes in Gibson’s sets. He’s joined by Ed Newton on bass and vocals, and Joey Sullivan, a Rhode Islander, on drums and vocals, both of which have been rockin’ since the cradle.

Blues is a great dance music. Dancing encouraged!
Saturday, July 22 at 8pm. Doors 7:30. $10 cover @ the door.

BIKINI BEACH Classic Surf Rock
2023-07-14 20:00 - 22:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA presents the North Coast’s one and only surf band, Bikini Beach on Friday, July 14 at 8pm. Lead by multi-instrumentalist and guitarist Lorenzo Carlson, Bikini Beach delivers the gorgeous vintage grunge and ‘verb of the surf instrumental, from the Ventures to The Shadows and Dick Dale to the more obscure, non- radio hits.
You’ll hear Misirlou, Wipe Out, Telestar and a lot more tunes.
LIMBO CONTEST! At the end of the first set, stay limber for the Limbo Contest. Cash Prize for the Winner!
Tickets are $10 at the door. Doors open 7:30pm. 21+please

Sturtz
2023-06-30 19:30 - 21:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA welcomes acoustic quartet STURTZ from Boulder Colorado, on tour, Friday, June 30 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20. Doors open at 7:30pm.
The acoustic quartet – Andrew Sturtz [vocals, guitar], Jim Herlihy [banjo], Courtlyn Carpenter [cello, and Will Kuepper [bass]– falls somewhere at the intersection of folk and soul, with lead singer Andrew Sturtz’s melodic vocals soaring over the lower string instrumentals. Sturtz is based in Boulder, CO, and has toured across the U.S. opening for groups like the Eli Young Band, Trout Steak Revival, Lillie Mae, and Smooth Hound Smith.
NPR’s All Songs Considered described the band as “a reassuring breath of fresh air that pulls me back to simpler times” in their April 2020 blog. Sturtz released their debut album You’ve Done this Before in August 2021, and now they’re hard at work touring on this album and writing songs for their next album. When they’re not playing music, you’ll probably find them milling flour, farming, laying in a creek, or eating native foliage.

Ticket Link: Brown Paper Tickets
Listen to Matty’s Song:

Dean Mueller Album Tour
2023-06-24 20:00 - 22:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
A professional musician for nearly 20 years, Dean Mueller has worked as a performer, producer, promoter, recording engineer and teacher. Now he begins a new phase of his career with Life Ain’t All Roses, his solo album debut. The first of several singles was released Oct 7th 2022 and the full album release is June 16, 2023.
The award-winning bassist-turned-singer-songwriter recorded his album of original Americana songs in Nashville with producer-pianist Kevin McKendree and members of John Prine’s band. Mueller recorded the album with the goal of creating “a cross between John Prine and Tom Petty.”
Mueller’s extensive previous performing and recording experience includes the Duffy Bishop Band, Blues Music Awards-nominated Insomniacs and the award-winning Julie Amici Band. As a promoter and producer, he staged more than 400 performances in the past decade, including tributes to Patsy Cline, Nina Simone and his favorite singer-songwriter, the late John Prine.
As part of his album release tour, Dean and his longtime bandmate Chris Carlson from the Duffy Bishop Band invite you to join them for an
intimate evening of storytelling through music.
Ticket Link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6024602
Listen to Sky Fallin’:

Author Alyssa Graybeal
2023-06-16 19:30 - 21:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Join KALA and HIPFISHmonthly in welcoming Author Alyssa Graybeal on Friday, June 16 at 7:30pm. Alyssa reads from her new release, FLOPPY, Tales of a Genetic Freak of Nature at the End of the World, winner of the The Red Hen Press Nonfiction Book Award, and recommended by Ms. Magazine, Booklist, and Library Journal.

Reading, Q&A, Booksigning and complimentary dessert.
Doors open at 7pm. $8 admission.

A hypermobile memoir about the emotional landscape of the connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos syndrome from a patient’s perspective. A playful story of falling down, getting back up again, and realizing you should have gone to the hospital sooner.
“Graybeal pulls us into the landscape of her ‘floppy’ body with precision and grace. Brimming with queer love, cats, and the awkwardness of being human, Floppy is a roadmap for how we must learn to fight for the truth of our experiences, and how we can love the broken, beautiful body-homes we all live in.” -Laraine Herring

KALA, 1017 MARINE DR. ASTORIA 503.338.4878

UNCLE MARY - Juke Joint Blues & Mad Carnival Folk
2023-05-27 20:00 - 22:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
KALA Stage welcomes Portland trio Uncle Mary, Saturday May 27 at 8pm, doors open 7:30pm.
They are Heidi Hodge on double bass, Kya Eckstrand on washboard percussion, and Pat Buckley on guitar. With their infectious energy they create a rich tapestry of sound; 3-part harmonies abound. Old blues from the 20’s and 30’s, originals and a variety of Americana, Uncle Mary light up the night! Dancing totally allowed!
Doors open 7:15pm and music flowing by 8pm.
Click here to purchase Early Bird tickets online: $13.
At the door $15.

Alice DiMicele
2023-05-20 19:30 - 21:00 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Folk/Americana Singer Songwriter

Tickets on sale NOW

Ticket Link: Brown Paper Tickets

Tickets purchased online are held at the door.

Doors open 7pm

KALA Performance Space presents Alice DiMicele, an Americana/Folk Singer-Songwriter based in Southern Oregon. Her voice is rangy, sometimes soft and intimate, other times bold and brassy, evoking a distinct mood in every song she sings. Alice built a dedicated fan base as an independent musician with stirring live performances spanning a three-decade career. Her new album, Every Seed We Plant, is her sixteenth release, a snapshot of life in these times—gut-wrenching, hopeful, vulnerable, intense.

As an accomplished songwriter, Alice draws on folk, jazz, blues, R & B, and rock & roll influences, landing her consistently on AAA, Folk, Americana, and Community radio stations around the country and internationally, including syndicated shows.

Her deep acoustic groove, unique vocal style, and heartfelt lyrics create and unmistakable sound that is all her own.

Alice has shared stages with Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, JJ Cale, David Grisman Quartet, Steve Winwood, Ferron, Peter Rowan, Richie Havens, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and so many others.

Alices music has that great combination of earthiness and groove that keeps it funky from the inside out. She’s for real.

– Bonnie Raitt

“Free” from the album Every Seed We Plant.
alicedimicele.com

Skamokawa Swamp Opera
2023-04-14 19:30 - 21:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Eclectic Folk, Rock, and Pop

Tickets on sale NOW

Ticket Link: Brown Paper Tickets

Tickets purchased online are held at the door.

Doors open 7pm

Band leader Andrew Emlen, founded folk ensemble Willapa Hills, in 2003, running for 11 years, before the creation of Skamokawa Swamp Opera (SSO.) While Willapa Hills was predominantly folk, SSO veers into the uncharted territory of new wave rock covers produced acoustically, and genres on the other end of the spectrum. Band member Kyleen Austin’s classical opera chops, Jillian Raye’s contemporary underground rock sensibilities, and the pop punk rhythm’s of drummer Erik Friend have dished out a smorgasbord of quirky lovable music, making SSO a household favorite on the banks of the Columbia. And to his great credit, post-pandemic, Emlen now leads SSO into further uncharted territories.

The band now features Andrew Emlen on cello, guitar, mandocello, banjo, and vocals; Kyleen Austin on guitar and vocals; Erik Friend on percussion, mandolin, and vocals; and Wren Hendricks on guitar and vocals. This band is known for their vocal harmonies and unique arrangements for guitar, cello, banjo, mandolin, percussion and voice.

No genre left unturned, well maybe a few— they’ve been a favorite act at the Finnish American Folk Festival of Naselle, and their performance history includes Oregon’s premier music festival, The Pickathon, and their tenure as house band for Portland’s highly popular storytelling stage show, The Seven Deadly Sins. You’ll hear many of their tunes on KMUN radio from their latest album release, Foxglove Streets, with tunes penned by all of the band members.

Austin Rock/Soul Artist Scott Strickland w/ Singer Songwriter Natalie Price
2023-03-24 19:30 - 21:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Tickets on sale NOW

Ticket Link: Brown Paper Tickets

Tickets purchased online are held at the door.

Doors open 7pm. Cocktails!

Relocating to Austin in 2013, forming the SCOTT STRICKLAND BAND and releasing two critically acclaimed EPs ‘Fly to the Sun: The Eastern Sun Sessions (2015)’, and ‘Try This Love (2016)’, both undoubtedly had comparisons to contemporaries Seal, or Dave Matthews – but trust that if you could sing this way, you would sing this way. Despite his aesthetic, when Strickland’s idiosyncrasies shine through the music, it’s so easily absorbed that one may overlook its sophistication, to that reminiscent of Ritchie Havens, Bill Withers, David Crosby or Joni Mitchell (albeit with a thoroughly modern sound).

Music was a sideline for Strickland, with a graduate degree in filmmaking. When he relocated to Austin, his part time music passion transformed to a full time creative endeavor. He released his first self-titled LP in 2022. Testament to his love of film making, his video accompanying the first track “L.A.” says music journalist Peter Blackstock for Austin 360, “ . . . might be the best video, and song, to come out of Austin in the first half of 2022.”

Scott Strickland – L.A. (Official Video)

Strickland will be presenting an acoustic/electric solo set at KALA, and supporting his tour is Austin singer-songwriter NATALIE PRICE. Texas Music Magazine describes Natalie Price as “one of Austin’s most dynamic new signer-songwriters, just as comfortable dabbling in Americana or folk as she is indie-pop.” You can download her 2019 EP “Through The Fog,” and catch her latest arrangement, “The Island” on NPR’S music blog, where she sings a beautiful new tune, accompanied only by her African thumb piano.

The Tiptons Sax Quartet
2023-03-10 19:30 - 21:30 | KALA, 1017 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon, 97103, United States
Tickets on sale NOW

Ticket Link: Brown Paper Tickets

Tickets purchased online are held at the door.

Doors open 7pm. Cocktails!

THE TIPTONS SAXOPHONE QUARTET & DRUMS are an internationally renowned all-female saxophone quartet with drums, celebrating over 30 years as a band.

The Tiptons’ material ranges from micro-Big Band to Gospel, Bluegrass to Balkan, whimsical Chamber Jazz, and nocturnal Funk to Free Jazz Improvisation using saxophones, clarinet, their voices, drums, and inventive percussion to create a genre-busting ‘world soul’ sound. The band takes its name in honor of Billy Tipton, a female-born saxophonist who lived their life as a man in the 20th century to realize their dreams as a professional musician.

The Tiptons have released 13 CDs on labels such as Knitting Factory, New World Records, No Man’s Land and Stockfisch, as well as their own label, Zipa! / Spoot / Sowiesound. Their engaging sound reaches the deepest corners of our musical imaginations with saxophones, clarinet, voice, and drums. On their newest CD ‘COOKBOOK’ (2017), The Tiptons take ingredients from their boundless pantries and spice racks, using flavors inspired by music from New Orleans to Azerbaijan, mixed with tangos, hymns and rollicking sea shanties. You will be entertained by funky grooves and ironic recipes, dynamic improvisations and tasty compositions. COOKBOOK was recorded in Salzburg, Austria, mixed and mastered in Seattle, WA, and is commercially available worldwide on CD and by digital download.

Amy Denio (alto sax, clarinet, voice) is joined by co-leader Jessica Lurie (soprano/alto/tenor sax, voice), Sue Orfield (tenor sax, voice), Tina Richerson (baritone sax, voice) and Xavier Lecouturier (drums, percussion) from Seattle. www.thetiptonssquartet.com
