Mat Kearney returns to rock the house at Solvang Theater grand reopening
May 2—Musician Mat Kearney is set to make a return to Solvang Festival Theater Saturday, July 16, to perform live onstage in combination with the grand reopening celebration of the newly renovated theater.
Kearney, a Nashville-based and Oregon-born multiplatinum-selling songwriter and producer, last performed in Solvang to a packed house in October 2018, prior to the theater's construction project which broke ground in September 2021.
Kearney will introduce his fifth and newest studio LP "January Flower" — written between an isolated retreat in Joshua Tree and his home studio — that he said represents "his rawest form, distilling the songwriting process and rediscovering the joy of making music."
The musician, according to reports, has claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes, topped multiple Billboard charts, made four entries into the Hot 100 and amassed over 2.5 billion global streams.
The theater's $5 million rebuilding project estimated to be completed on July 5 includes replacement of the theater's 47-year-old utility poles with new steel lighting columns, rebuilding of the rear wall and walkway that surrounds audience seating, and an increase of wall height to over 16 feet to improve audience experience through reduction of wind and noise. The project also includes installation of brand-new theater seats in the color Royal Copenhagen Blue.
The July 16 concert kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Solvang Festival Theater, located at 420 2nd St.
Tickets starting at $77 are available for purchase at www.solvangtheaterfest.org.
Lisa André covers lifestyle and local news for Santa Ynez Valley News and Lompoc Record, editions of the Santa Maria Times.
