Santa Rosa
Matt The Electrician
Sure, he may sound like a bud coming over to rewire the breaker box, but Matt The Electrician is one of the hardest working voices in contemporary folk-pop. The Austin-based songwriter returns to his former home of Sonoma County to deliver his signature mix of wit, sincerity and finely crafted storytelling to Art Alley for a benefit concert supporting the Santa Rosa Urban Arts Partnership. Since the late 1990s, Matt Sever has quietly built a devoted following through a steady stream of albums filled with thoughtful observations and melodic warmth. Proceeds from the evening help support murals, workshops and other efforts aimed at keeping public art vibrant, accessible and woven into the fabric of Santa Rosa life. 6–8pm, Friday, June 19, at Art Alley, 312 South A St., Santa Rosa. $35. More information at bit.ly/mte-srua.
Novato
Moments in Marin
History has a way of hiding in plain sight, which is precisely what Marin historian Scott Fletcher explores in his talk, “More Moments in Marin History: Familiar Tales & Untold Stories.” Presented as part of the Novato Historical Guild quarterly meeting, the program draws on Fletcher’s years researching local history, including more than 130 “History Watch” columns for the Marin History Museum. Expect a mix of well-known episodes and lesser-known stories from the county’s past, delivered by someone who has spent decades teaching, cataloging archives and connecting historical dots that most people drive past without noticing. Local history, when done well, reveals that the strange and fascinating rarely happened somewhere else. 10am–noon, Saturday, June 20, at Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Ave. Free admission. More information at novatohistory.org.
San Rafael
Time and Water
What happens when a disappearing glacier becomes a family story? Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Sara Dosa explores that question in Time and Water, a visually stunning new documentary screening at the Smith Rafael Film Center. The film follows Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason as he assembles a cinematic time capsule from family archives, photographs, folklore and memory while confronting the loss of Iceland’s glaciers and the passage of generations. Rather than a conventional climate documentary, the film approaches environmental change through the intimate lens of home, ancestry and what we choose to preserve when the world is transforming around us. Dosa will appear in person for a post-screening conversation, offering audiences a chance to engage directly with one of documentary cinema’s most thoughtful voices. 7pm, Thursday, June 18, at Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael. Tickets required. More information at cafilm.org.
Sebastopol
Songs for the Living
Music and mourning share the stage at Songs for the Living, an intimate songwriter-in-the-round gathering presented by Supernova Support founders Katie Phillips and Karen Joy Brown. The afternoon blends acoustic performances and storytelling with a community ritual honoring loved ones who have passed. Joining the event is Chelsea Coleman of You’re Going to Die, whose work uses music and writing to foster conversations about loss, remembrance and connection. Attendees are encouraged to bring a photograph or memento for a public altar, with a communal grief-release ceremony closing the program. 3–5pm, Sunday, July 26, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St. More information at supernovasupport.com.
