While local events aren’t as plentiful in winter, it can be an excellent time to check out the area’s live music scene. With so many good options, why not inject some vitality into the slow season? A little bit of the blues, some acoustic folk tunes, the symphony and Celtic songs are just a few of the diverse types of live music to be found in Benicia, Vallejo and in Solano and Napa Counties in January and February. Here’s what’s playing at a few spots around town and in neighboring communities.

Empress Theatre

330 Virginia Street, Vallejo

707.552.2400, empresstheatre.org

James Garner

James Garner Tribute to Johnny Cash, Jan. 4, 7pm

The One Size Fits All – Tom Size Benefit, Jan. 7, 6:30pm

West Coast Songwriters, Jan. 9, 7:30pm

Blues Extravaganza, Jan. 11, 7pm

Bryan Bowman and the Vallejo Jazz Society, Jan. 15, 4pm

Nelson Illusions, 1/22, 1pm & 6pm

Joe Henderson Legacy Big Band, Jan. 28, 7pm

 

Fairfield Center for Creative Arts Downtown Theatre

1035 W Texas Street, Fairfield

707.940.0700, ext. 1, downtowntheatre.com

Solano Symphony Orchestra Salute to Youth, Feb. 11, 8pm

The Sun Kings

Symphony also performs at Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre.

The Sun Kings, Feb. 25, 8pm

 

Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre

1010 Ulatis Drive, Vacaville

707.469.4013, downtowntheatre.com

DRUMline LIVE! Jan. 13, 8pm.

Emmet Cahill’s Ireland, Feb. 23, 7:30pm

 

UpTown Theatre

1350 Third Street, Napa

707.259.0123, uptowntheatrenapa.com

The Everly Brothers Experience, Feb. 3, 8pm

Rufus Wainwright, Feb. 4, 3pm

Jake Shimabukuro, Feb. 18, 8pm.

 

Upstairs at the Café

First Street Café, 440 First Street, Benicia

707.745.1400, firststreetcafe.com

Dynamite Dave & The Detonators, Jan. 6, 8pm

Bryan Bowman

American Songbook, Jan. 13, 7:30pm

TuneRiders, Jan. 14, 8pm

Tito, the Harmonic Three, Jan. 20, 8pm

Mo B & Dick, Jan. 27 8pm

Marty Cohen & the Sidekicks, Jan. 28, 8pm

TuneRiders, Feb. 11, 8pm

 

Lucca Bar & Grill

439 First Street, Benicia

707.745.3749, luccabar.com

Her Sea, Jan. 6 & Jan. 20, 5:30pm

Foxcatchers w/ Chris Cole and Jeff Tamelier, Jan. 7, 5:30pm

Jeramy Norris and the Dangerous Mood, Jan. 13, 5:30pm

Blueberry Fields, Jan. 14, 5:30pm

GarageLand Rodeo, Jan. 21, 5:30pm

4th   Fridays Don Bassey and Friends, Jan. 27, 5:30pm

Wasted Rangers, Jan. 28, 5:30pm

 

Keslers Cocktail Lounge

125 Couch Street, Vallejo

707.642.1740, keslerslounge.com

Xtreme, Jan. 6, 8pm

Earley Riser Band Jan. 7, 8pm

Route III, Jan. 13, 9pm

Bobby Love Sugar Sweet, Jan. 14, 9 pm

Mere Image, Jan. 20, 9pm

Blues Night with Johnny & the B Goods, Jan. 21, 8pm

Johnny & Awesome Sauce, Jan. 27, 8pm

The 7th Sons, Jan. 28, 9pm 

DW Edwards & Lighting Up the Soul, Feb. 11, 9pm

 

Silos

530 Main Street, Napa

707.251.5833, silosnapa.com

Syria T. Berry, Jan. 4, 7:15-9:30pm

Mike Greensill, 5-7pm Wednesdays through March