MENDOCINO Co., 2/14/22 – Welcome to a special weekend edition of the Mendocino Setlist!
This weekend Mendocino County music lovers will welcome a new venue to the music scene: the Slack Tide Cafe in Fort Bragg. Located in the former Carine’s Landing building, the Slack Tide Cafe opened in September 2022. Operated by the Noyo Center for Marine Sciences, an nonprofit with the mission “to advance ocean conservation through education, exploration and experience,” the cafe overlooks Noyo Harbor. The cafe’s bright indoor cafe and sunny outdoor patio offers relaxing spaces to enjoy the scenes of a working harbor and its wildlife while sipping coffee, tea, wine, or beer, and nibbling on sandwiches, soups and pastries. All proceeds from the cafe’s sales, including the onsite gift shop, benefit the Noyo Center.
On Saturday, February 18, the Slack Tide Cafe will welcome local singer-songwriter Lauralee Brown to kick off the cafe’s On the River live music series, showcasing “modern acoustic singer-songwriter music.” Brown, a fixture of the coast music scene, says she will perform an “eclectic array of classic standards, as well as some very fine original songs of my own and songs which I’ve been fortunate enough to gather from many songwriters I’ve met over the years.”

Brown is not only excited to have a new venue to perform at, but to have a chance to support the Noyo Center’s educational mission. “It is a great honor to be part of the Noyo Center’s ongoing mission to educate the public about this area’s amazing marine life,” she says. “I’m thrilled to engage in this ongoing, worthwhile local endeavor!”
According to Trey Petry, Interpretive Facilities Manager for the Noyo Center, the On the River series will take place on select Fridays and Saturdays during the spring and summer. This weekend, the concert will take place inside, with future concerts taking place outside on the patio when weather permits.
In addition to Brown performing this Saturday, the On the River concert series at the Slack Tide Cafe continues this month with shows by All About Sally on Friday, February 24, and Jimmy Boy Thompson on February 25.
Finally, thanks to reader feedback, we’re shifting this column to the calendar week, meaning starting next week, the Mendocino Setlist will cover upcoming concerts Monday through Sunday indefinitely. Check back on Monday, February 20, for the next column.
Friday, February 17
Live local music – Local musicians and bands perform weekly. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), times vary, Noyo River Grill, 32150 N. Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, (707) 962-9050, noyorivergrill.com.
DJ Aline – Co-host of Alma Latina on KZYX, DJ Aline spins alternative Latin music including psychedelic Cumbia, electro tango, and more. All ages, no cover, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Anderson Valley Brewing Company, 17700 Boonville Rd., Boonville, (707) 895-2337, avbc.com.
Earl Oliver – Local musician Earl Oliver performs “hot blues, cool jazz, and bawdy love songs.” All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 5 p.m., Headlands Coffee, 120 E. Laurel St., Fort Bragg, (707) 964-1987, headlandscoffeehouse.com.
Dance Wave Up with Deep Pockets – Local band Deep Pockets performs a “blend of R&B, Blues, Funk, Rock and Motown sounds that will have you jump, jive, and wail, take you higher and higher, and make you feel some kind of wonderful,” as part of the Caspar Community Center’s monthly Dance Wave Up. All ages, $20, 7-10 p.m., Caspar Community Center, 15051 Caspar Rd., Caspar, (707) 964-4997, casparcommons.org.

Hot Buttered Rum – World-renowned Bay Area band Hot Buttered Rum (HBR) performs its signature blend of bluegrass, reggae, folk, and jazz. A festival mainstay nationwide, HBR has performed with Phil Lesh, Ben Harper, Bela Fleck and others. All ages, 7:30 p.m., $25 adults, $12 youth under 18, Arena Theater, 214 Main St., Point Arena, (707) 882-3456. Tickets on sale at arenatheater.org.
Noche de Enamorados – Love is the theme when Alan Y Sus Felinos headlines an evening of Latin pop and regional Mexican music. Los Kinos and Los Immortales Gamma de Enrique Mora also perform. 21 and over, $40, 8 p.m., Coyote Valley Casino, 77 BIA Rd. 288, Redwood Valley, (707) 485-0700, coyotevalleycasino.com. Tickets on sale here.
DJ En Vivo – DJ En Vivo spins Latin music every Friday. 21 and over, no cover, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Coyote Valley Casino, 77 BIA Rd. 288, Redwood Valley, (707) 485-0700, coyotevalleycasino.com.

Saturday, February 18
Steve & Rosie – Members of Ukiah-based Back Porch Trio perform acoustic Americana originals and covers while overlooking Noyo Harbor. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 12-3 p.m., Princess Seafood Restaurant, 32096 N. Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, (707) 962-3046, fvprincess.com.
Bluegrass String Jam – Bluegrass musicians from throughout the region jam every first and third Saturday. The event is sponsored by the California Bluegrass Association. 21 and over, no cover, 3 p.m., Shanachie Pub, 50 B South Main St., Willits, (707) 459-9194.
Lauralee Brown – Kicking off the Slack Tide Cafe’s weekly On the River music series, singer-songwriter and guitarist Lauralee Brown performs an eclectic array of covers and original songs. All ages, no cover, 4-7 p.m., Slack Tide Cafe, 32430 N. Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, (707) 962-8808, noyocenter.org.
Johnny Heldstab – Acoustic guitarist and singer Johnny Heldstab performs classic and contemporary rock and pop covers weekly. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 5:30-8:30 p.m., 5200 Lounge at the Heritage House Resort & Spa, 5200 N. Hwy 1, Little River, (707) 202-9000, heritagehouseresort.com.
Earl Oliver – Local musician Earl Oliver performs “hot blues, cool jazz, and bawdy love songs.” All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 6 p.m., Noyo River Grill, 32150 N. Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, (707) 962-9050, noyorivergrill.com.
Ukiah Symphony Orchestra’s Family Concert – The Ukiah Symphony Orchestra performs a family-friendly concert featuring works by Gabriel Fauré, Georges Bizet, and Nathaniel Stookey. The show’s highlight will be a performance of “The Composer is Dead” by composer Nathaniel Stookey about a murder mystery set in the world of Lemony Snicket. Local musician, librarian and Renaissance woman Roseanne Wetzel will provide the piece’s narration. All ages, $10-$30, 7:30 p.m., Mendocino College Center Theatre, 1000 Hensley Creek Rd., Ukiah, (707) 510-1793, ukiahsymphony.org. Tickets on sale here.
Helene Eve – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Helene Eve performs soulful originals and covers ranging from folk, funk, blues, country and more. 21 and over, no cover, 8 p.m., Shanachie Pub, 50 B South Main St., Willits, (707) 459-9194.
Pato Banton and the Now Generation – Grammy-nominated Reggae artist Pato Banton and the Now Generation performs with special guests Rising Signs and DJ Seshwann. All ages, $25, 9 p.m., the Thirsty Axe, (707) 238-8778, thirstyaxe.com. Tickets on sale here.

Sunday, February 19
Church of Boogie Woogie – Enjoy a little blues with your brunch when Wendy DeWitt and Kirk Harwood perform. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 12 p.m., Ukiah Brewing Company, 102 S. State St., Ukiah, (707) 468-5898, ukiahbrewing.com.
Helene Eve – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Helene Eve performs soulful originals and covers ranging from folk, funk, blues, country and more. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 1-4 p.m., Noyo River Grill, 32150 N. Harbor Dr., Fort Bragg, (707) 962-9050, noyorivergrill.com.
William Scott Forbes – Laytonville singer-songwriter William Scott Forbes performs with his band every Sunday. Grab a burger while you’re there. All ages, no cover, 2-7 p.m., The Peg House, 69501 Highway 101, Leggett, (707) 925-6444, thepeghouse.com.
Neave Trio – Chamber music group Neave Trio returns to the coast as part of the Symphony of the Redwoods Opus Chamber Music series. The group will perform pieces by Gabriela Lena Frank, Frank Martin, and Bedřich Smetana, as well as Irish folk songs. All ages, $25, 3 p.m., Mendocino Presbyterian Church, 44831 Main St., Mendocino, (707) 964-0898, symphonyoftheredwoods.org. Tickets on sale here.
Live local music – Local musicians perform every Sunday. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 3 p.m., The Brickery, 961 Ukiah St., Mendocino, (707) 937-5614, cafebeaujolais.com.
Ukiah Symphony Orchestra’s Family Concert – The Ukiah Symphony Orchestra performs a family-friendly concert featuring works by Gabriel Fauré, Georges Bizet, and Nathaniel Stookey. The show’s highlight will be a performance of “The Composer is Dead” by composer Nathaniel Stookey about a murder mystery set in the world of Lemony Snicket. Local musician, librarian and Renaissance woman Roseanne Wetzel will provide the piece’s narration. All ages, $10-$30, 7:30 p.m., Mendocino College Center Theatre, 1000 Hensley Creek Rd., Ukiah, (707) 510-1793, ukiahsymphony.org. Tickets on sale here.
Jazz Dudes – Barney McClure, Pierre Archain and Greg Hester perform jazz favorites every Sunday. All ages, no cover (food or drink purchase required), 6-8 p.m., Ukiah Brewing Company, 102 S. State St., Ukiah, (707) 468-5898, ukiahbrewing.com.
Submit your upcoming music events by each Friday for the following week’s Mendocino Setlist to [email protected].