I was late to the Live Oak Music Festival game. Sure, I previewed the festival over the years in this column, but I didn’t attend in person until 2010, long after its 1989 start. After my first year, I was hooked. I haven’t missed a year since. Sadly, I learned that the festival organizer—local public radio station KCBX 90.1FM—won’t be mounting the festival in 2027.
And its future beyond that remains in limbo.
According to KCBX President and General Manager Chris McBride, the decision was not reached lightly. A combination of factors has made the festival unprofitable and untenable.
Since the Trump administration targeted public broadcasting with Executive Order 14290, federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) has dried up, and what that’s meant for KCBX is a loss of $420,000 a year.
Live Oak was a fundraising event for the station, and in years past, it raised significant money, but not lately. Staff time would be more productively spent fundraising directly from the public rather than organizing an unwieldy and increasingly expensive festival that may or may not break even.
McBride also mentioned steadily declining attendance and festival income over the past five years as well as rising costs of supplies, talent, services, and insurance.
The festival has also lost two key organizers. KCBX Operations Manager Hank Hadley, who’s worked at KCBX since 1988 and was instrumental in coordinating the festival, recently passed away, and former KCBX President Frank Lanzone, who started with the station in 1980, retired as Live Oak executive director.
“The bottom line is that it doesn’t provide enough support to the station based on what we’re putting into it,” McBride explained. “It’s just a tremendous amount of effort for our staff who now has to raise an additional $420,000. Costs for everything are rising. Even though we have a tremendous number of volunteers, that still doesn’t address so many things that need to be taken care of on a staff level that volunteers just simply can’t handle.”
‘The bottom line is that [the Live Oak Music Festival] doesn’t provide enough support to the station based on what we’re putting into it. It’s just a tremendous amount of effort for our staff, who now has to raise an additional $420,000.’
—Chris McBride, KCBX president and general manager
McBride estimated that staff devotes more than 3,800 hours of time to festival planning, time that could be used to fundraise more efficiently.
“Our first responsibility now must be to secure the stability of KCBX. The station is a 51-year community treasure, and preserving and stewarding it has to come first,” McBride said, adding that she hopes the festival might return in one form or another in the future.
The camping aspect is particularly expensive and carries a lot of liability, and “the infrastructure, setup, and security that it takes for those three camping days is enormous,” she said. “We’ve talked about [finding] a location that has adjacent camping that we don’t manage.”
Everything is on the table, including adjusting the genres of music that might be included, how many days the festival might last, and whether it might be a no-camping day festival.
For many longtime Live Oakies, this will be a blow.
“There’re a few upset people,” McBride admitted. “I mean, it’s been around for 38 years. People love Live Oak. They have strong feelings about it. It’s not an easy thing to say goodbye. My hope is that they understand the importance of KCBX and the reasons we’re doing this.”
If you love KCBX as much as I do, the best thing you can do for the publicly funded, nonprofit, commercial-free station is to become a sustaining member. Visit kcbx.org to learn how.
Get your festival fix
If you’re sad at the thought of Live Oak going away, assuage yourself with Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival coming up on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19 and 20, at Templeton’s Castoro Cellars Vineyards and Winery. If my math’s mathing, this is the festival’s 13th anniversary.
Saturday night’s headliner is Local Natives, an Orange County indie rock act that formed in 2005 (originally named Cavil at Rest before changing names in 2008). Their sixth studio album, 2024’s But I’ll Wait for You, was—like everything they’ve released—critically acclaimed.
Sunday’s headliner is Larkin Poe, featuring sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, playing roots rock and blues with Southern harmonies and ripping electric and steel guitar riffs. They often draw comparisons to the Allman Brothers.
Visit whalerockmusicfestival.com/lineup26 for a complete listing of bands.
Three at Club Car Bar
Good Medicine presents The Sam Chase & The Untraditional at Club Car Bar on Saturday, Sept. 5 (doors at 7, show 8 p.m.; all ages; $24.41 at goodmedicinepresents.com). This San Francisco band killed it at Live Oak earlier this year, delivering their mix of rock and folk with a punk attitude. The Crying Hearts open.
Numbskull and Good Medicine present Tylor & The Train Robbers on Wednesday, Sept. 9 (doors at 7, show 8 p.m.; all ages; $15.66 at goodmedicinepresents.com). This roots country and Americana band has been touring relentlessly, honing their band into a tight machine. Expect outlaw country, red-dirt rock, folk, and Western soul.
Good Medicine and Numbskull also present Wanderlodge on Thursday, Sept. 10 (7 p.m.; all ages; $9.99 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Hailing from Portland and Joshua Tree, the duo—Matt Cadenelli and Kris Stuart—spend most of their time on the road playing classic rock and country covers mixed with their own tunes.
The Siren roars
This week Morro Bay’s sizzling hot night club is coming armed for bear. Reggae legends Black Uhuru open the week on Friday, Sept. 4 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $35.41 at tixr.com). Formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1972, the group has been a stalwart in the reggae scene for more than five decades. Nada Rasta opens.
Cover band Studio O’ Rhythm Section plays on Saturday, Sept. 5 (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older; free), playing ’70s, ’80s. and ’90s hits “with a beautiful ballad, blues, and jazz feel to it,” their bio explains.
Escape: The Journey Tribute Band plays later that evening on Saturday, Sept 5 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $23.77 at tixr.com). Featuring five talented musicians, they play everything live with “no backing tracks or ‘sweeteners’ of any kind,” their bio reads.
The Sinners hit the stage the following night for a free Labor Day Sunday night show. Show up ready to dance (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free).
“You’ve got to love The Sinners,” the band announced. “Like a finely mixed cocktail, this six-piece band swirls rhythm and blues, a sprinkle of rock, and down and dirty stories to create a smooth, danceable concoction.”
The Bone Shakers play on Thursday, Sept. 11 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15.29 at tixr.com). The band is led by world-renowned guitarist Randy Jacobs of Was (Not Was), and his band and its members have toured and recorded with Bonnie Raitt, BB King, Seal, Keb’ Mo’, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Mindi Abair, Bootsy Collins, Tears 4 Fears, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Iggy Pop, and more. American blues-rock and soul act Darnell Cole & The Vibe open.
Fantastic folk and Hardcore score
SLO Brew Live, Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival, and Camp Natoma present The Cate Armstrong Band at Rod & Hammer Rock on Saturday, Sept. 5 (3 to 6 p.m.; free). Armstrong, a singer-songwriter who frequently performs solo, is preparing her band for Whale Rock, so as a warm-up and teaser, they’ll play the patio “to bring together folks of all ages to savor the end of summer and local music,” Armstrong said. Singer-songwriter Hayli Carleton opens.
SLO Brew Live and Numbskull present Hail the Sun at Rod & Hammer Rock on Tuesday, Sept. 8 (doors at 6 p.m.; 18-and-older; $42.13 at numbskullshows.com). The Chico-based post-hardcore act formed in 2009 and are touring in support of their seventh studio album, 2025’s cut. turn. fade. back.
A Lot Like Birds, Blight Town, and Murals open.
Blues legends
Cal Poly Arts presents TajMo—Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’—at the Performing Arts Center SLO on Tuesday, Sept. 8 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $57 to $86, or VIP $225 at calpolyarts.org). Their 2017 collaboration album TajMo won Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards, and now the legendary duo reunites with Room On The Porch, their 2025 Grammy-nominated follow-up.
“Recorded in Nashville, Room On The Porch showcases two of America’s most influential roots musicians at the height of their powers,” organizers said. “Blending blues, folk, jazz, country, and soul, the album is filled with songs that celebrate community, family, love, and optimism.”
Film and funny
Good Vibez presents the documentary film Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul at the Fremont Theater on Sunday, Sept. 6 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $22 at prekindle.com). The feature-length doc explores the life and work of the late, great musician. Two dollars from each ticket benefits the Gregg Allman Scholarship Funds or a local charitable organization dedicated to supporting live music.
Also from Good Vibez at the Fremont, if you were hoping to see Silversun Pickups and opener Pure Hex on Monday, Sept. 7, it’s sold out. However, if you want to get your laughs on, tickets remain for Pete Holmes on Friday, Sept. 11 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $32.93 to $57.14 at prekindle.com), but not many! Holmes is the creator and star of HBO’s Crashing, TBS’s The Pete Holmes Show, CBS’s How We Roll and two HBO stand-up comedy specials.
More music …
It’s the last hurrah for Concerts in the Plaza 2026 this Friday, Sept. 4, when original soft rock duo Forever Green opens at 5 p.m. for headliner R&B act Hot 45 at 6 p.m. Join your friends and neighbors for one final concert in the front of the SLO Mission.
Nederlander Concerts presents the return of Yachtley Crew on their Seas the Night tour at Vina Robles Amphitheatre on Friday, Sept. 4 (doors at 6:30, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $66.20 to $144.55 at ticketmaster.com), If you love soft rock, this will float your boat and top off your fruity cocktail. Santa Barbara singer-songwriter Hunter Hawkins opens,
Hard rocking all-female powerhouse Hot Tina and alt-country and Americana band Longstraw play SLO’s Libertine on Friday, Sept. 4 (8:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). “It should be a really fun locals show,” Hot Tina’s Ali Wenzl said.
The SLO Symphony returns with its annual Pops by the Sea concert at Avila Beach Gold Resort on Saturday, Sept. 5 (gates at 3:15, show at 4:30 p.m.; all ages; $25 adult lawn, kids 13 to 17 $15, 12 and under free; $80 table seat at my805tix.com). This year’s show is Symphony Remix, “featuring beloved pops classics with one-of-a-kind mash-ups of iconic hits, with local powerhouse horn band Brass Mash,” organizers announced.
Do you want your MTV? The Clark Center presents Neon Nostalgic on Thursday, Sept. 11 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $45 to $69 at clarkcenter.org). The band syncs their performance in real time with original music videos of the ’80s. Expect music by The Cure, Prince, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, U2, INXS, and more. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sept 3-10, 2026.
