It wasn’t much of a summer, was it? The weather stayed far too hazy and cool, and the kids are already back in school. Yet everyone in and around Sonoma County knows that fall is the best season as the weather often stays warm if not hotter, and a new season of local arts is always intriguing and fun.
The slate for fall arts in Sonoma County appears to show another potpourri of the interesting and entertaining, the thought-provoking, the wildly creative and the just plain fun, so let’s take a tour of some upcoming events. This is by no means comprehensive, but a representative list of the offerings available.
The Spreckels Performing Arts Center, at 5409 Snyder Lane in Rohnert Park, has two very different shows lined up for fall.
First up, Playwright Bill Cain’s all-too-timely Equivocation invades Spreckels Aug. 28-Sept. 13. The plot involves an insecure king in 1600s England who claims a terrorist plot is brewing to take him out of power. Sigh. Please note, aside from being all too current, this play is not recommended for children.
The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, located at 50 Mark West Springs Rd. in Santa Rosa, always offers a deeply diverse range of programming and its fall schedule is no different. Living legend Roger Daltrey, of the Who, gets much more intimate playing solo on Friday, Sept. 4. Then, a few weeks later on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 1-7pm, is the 17th Annual Fiesta de Independencia. A free family event organized by the Center’s Latino Advisory Council, the festival honors Latin American countries that recognize their independence during this month.
Other fall highlights include the 50th Annual San Francisco Comedy Competition Semi-Finals on Saturday, Sept. 19; author Kristin Hannah in conversation with local author Ellen Sussman on Saturday, Sept. 26; another rock-and-roll hall-of-famer, Pat Benatar, performing alongside Neil Giraldo on Tuesday, Sept. 29; and the great Lily Tomlin on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Sonoma State’s Weill Hall, in the Green Music Center at 1801 E. Cotati Ave. in Rohnert Park, keeps its lively entertainment lineup rolling right into fall. Saturday, Sept. 5, New Orleans funk meets Delta Blues as Trombone Shorty and Keb’ Mo’ bring their tour to Sonoma County. Then, a few weeks later on Friday, Sept. 18, Bay Area legend Boz Scaggs brings the “Lowdown” and more with his Rhythm Review show.
Other highlights include author Anne Lamott in conversation on Wednesday, Sept. 23; jazz great Wynton Marsalis on Saturday, Sept. 26; 24-year-old Mexican singing sensation Lucía on Friday, Oct. 2; and Grammy- and Emmy-nominated singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson on Sunday, Oct. 18.
A much-anticipated exhibition takes place Jun. 27-Nov. 8 at the Museum of Sonoma County at 425 Seventh St. in Santa Rosa, with “Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Running Fence at 50 Years.” The 4-year journey to bring the living art project to life will encompass an immersive design, powerful visuals and firsthand accounts. It invites visitors to experience a one-of-a-kind moment in Sonoma County history.
Starting Aug. 14 and running through Oct. 31, downtown Santa Rosa hosts a very cool new pilot program with Ross Street Live. Taking place on and around Ross St., the event closes off a section of the block behind the Corner Store Collective down to Mendocino Avenue, with a stage, food trucks, games and more.
Speaking of fun sprawling and inspiring art-related treks, the Santa Rosa Open Studios fall lineup happens Sept. 12, 13, 19 and 20 from 10am to 4pm each day. A preview of who is involved runs from Jun. 29-Sept. 2 at the Finley Center, at 2026 W. College Ave. in Santa Rosa, and a complete list of participating artists is available now at sropenstudios.com.
The Occidental Center for the Arts has really stepped up its already impressive programming and this fall one of its signature events, Occidental Jazz Festival, returns Sept. 18-19. This year’s lineup features Glass Brick Boulevard, Paul Hanson, Michael Manring and Scott Amendola, Ken Cook Trio, Junior Jazz All-Stars, Jaycie Grady 4Tet, and Jose Neto and Netoband. Tickets are available for the whole weekend or for individual days.
After a lengthy search for a new location, the Sebastopol Gallery is now open at 186 North Main St. in Sebastopol. The new location merely means the same great, locally centered shows where one can meet and check out original artwork by some of Sonoma County’s finest artists, as well as join a class, a demonstration or an artist talk through the fall and beyond.
Healdsburg’s Raven Theater, at 115 North St. in Healdsburg, continues to knock out an impressively mixed schedule of live performances this fall. Ravi Coltrane—son of John—arrives in town with his quartet on Sunday, Sept. 20, while Tuesday, Sept. 22, sees the United States Air Force Commanders Jazz Ensemble hit the stage. The theater veers again on Sept. 25-27 with the annual Healdsburg International Short Film Festival and then guitar legend Bill Frisell and his Harmony Five ensemble come to town on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
What better way to cap off this round-up of fall arts than to mention the Railroad Square Music Fest? It returns on Sunday, Sept. 20, to celebrate its 11th year running in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square. The free event is open to all ages, and a sampling of acts includes the Sam Chase & the Untraditional, Second Hand Funk & Friends, Dark Matter Lives! with Kayatta, Erica Ambrin, LBZ, Toast Machine, Grapevine Line Dancing, Kalei Yamanoha, LBC, Mariachi, Ballet Folklorico, Nick Otis Orchestra, sicksentz, Pazifico, Kemist, ulyssescfm, Princess Boutique Fashion Show and XO_Chips_XO. Want to really see how we do it in Santa Rosa? Take the SMART Train and enjoy everything the festival has to offer.
Clay Mauritson’s family has farmed here for six generations. But equally notable is Project Zin, the event he and his wife founded in 2011 with chef Charlie Palmer after their son Brady was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
That first year raised $25,000 for the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area and the event’s been going strong ever since, culminating in over $4 million in donations. Brady won’t attend this year’s event, which happens Aug. 22 at Appellation Healdsburg. But that’s actually good news; he was accepted to ClemsonLIFE at Clemson University and starts college this week!
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Clay Mauritson: My family has been growing grapes in the Dry Creek Valley since 1868, so I guess you could say I was born into it. Starting the winery was a way for me to expand our family legacy but still be deeply connected to our roots.
Did you ever have an “aha” moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
Two stand out: In 2000 I was traveling through France with my friend, Ian Blackburn. We had the incredible opportunity to spend a day with Jacques Lardiere, “the master of Burgundy.” He pulled a 1962 Clos des Ursules from the Louis Jadot cellar. It was dusty and full of cobwebs. The bottles did not have labels on them. I could barely understand a word Jacques said, but the wine transcended language and time.
On my wife and I’s first anniversary, we ate at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen. A few years earlier I had been gifted a bottle of Krug Clos du Mesnil … what better occasion to open that special bottle than your first anniversary? To this day, it is one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted. That night also cemented a friendship with Charlie that a decade later became Project Zin.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
We always have a bottle of sauvignon blanc open in the fridge—it’s what I sip on when I’m cooking. We drink more zinfandel than any other varietal—it’s such a dynamic food wine. And I love a bourbon after dinner.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
I love Dry Creek Kitchen’s focus on Sonoma County wines, and I think they have one of the best collections of Sonoma wines in the world. Baci and Catelli’s also have good by-the-glass programs that are hyper-local. It’s hard to beat the Matheson’s wine wall, and the clarified margarita upstairs at Roof 106 is dangerous. On the rare occasion that wine isn’t the focus, the Gun Club in Geyserville and Lo and Behold in Healdsburg are some faves.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking—besides fresh water?
Champagne seems fitting for the one drink till the end of my days!
Mauritson Wines, 2859 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg. 707.431.0804. mauritsonwines.com
People are lame, but tourists are lamer. This is what I sing to myself (sorry Mr. Morrison) when I’m stuck behind a giant Rivian doing three miles an hour while its driver hawkeyes yet another tasting room on what was once an arterial thoroughfare. Now it’s a permanent sidewalk sale for the “experience economy.”
I hate Millennials. Call me ageist. Don’t care.
I’ve lived in this county long enough to remember when “farm-to-table” was called dinner. Now I’m a stranger in a strange land, called “my home town.”
I expect to be stopped at the county line and asked whether I have reservations.
I do have one advantage over our visitors: Eventually, they go home.
Then again, judging by the real-estate prices, apparently some of them don’t.
Cassady Caution Petaluma
Where’s the beef?
Well, ain’t this delicious! The Secret Service hid Donald Trump in a catering truck while in Ankara, Turkey, to get him off his Qatari Bribe Airlines jet and safely home on an Air Force C-32A military plane.
When was the last time that catering truck carried 280 pounds of baloney?
A chorus of political rants both online and on cable news so loud and discordant that truth is MIA.
Media continues to frequently underreport grassroots campaigns to extinguish authoritarian wildfires. Where to turn for cogent insights—especially with the midterms around the corner? Political analyst Robert Hubbell stands out as a critically important voice worth listening to now.
Since January 2017 he’s published a newsletter on Substack, Today’s Edition. But it started accidentally, Hubbell says, as an email for family: “my effort—as a father and husband—to provide hope and perspective … after the unexpected results of the 2016 election.”
Soon, Hubbell recalls, what he wrote to his family was being forwarded to friends. It “became a community of like-minded citizens devoted to preserving American democracy.” Today, upwards of 80,000 people read Today’s Edition.
Rather than stoking outrage or unsubstantiated assertions, three consistent pillars guide Hubbell’s writing, the Daily Next reported:
Careful sourcing of claims from credible news outlets
Legal and constitutional context for major political events
A tone of cautious optimism, even when the news is difficult
Where Hubbell particularly excels is in capturing the depth and breadth of the grassroots resistance movement—especially contextualizing its successes. He stands out for consistently exposing the mainstream media’s blind spot in regularly failing to cover citizen activists’ tireless efforts to protect U.S. democracy under attack.
At the end of each day’s edition—which one can also listen to him narrate—he posts dozens of pro-democracy protest photos: people on highway overpasses, in small-town squares and on big-city streets holding an array of colorful banners and clever signs. It’s proof positive that a democracy brigade is alive and well.
But here’s what all of us can do: take 15 minutes to read Today’s Edition. Then forward it to a sister-in-law, a coworker, a city councilor—to anybody in one’s life who is aware of the dire threat facing our democracy.
A five-alarm autocratic wildfire rages. It isn’t necessary to be an activist to feel the hot flames of fascism licking the edges of the Constitution. Robert Hubbell has donned his firefighting gear and stepped into the fray. What about the rest of us? What are we going to do?
Rob Okun is editor emeritus of Voice Male, which has long chronicled the profeminist men’s movement.
Healdsburg artist Jake Messing turns his attention to the narrow sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum humans can actually see in “Visible Light,” a new exhibition of paintings exploring color, perception and the mysteries hiding in plain sight. Flowers, birds, bubbles, crystals and reflective surfaces become vehicles for studying how light transforms the natural world, with Messing drawing inspiration from the Dutch Masters’ use of illumination to suggest deeper emotional and spiritual meanings. A Parsons School of Design graduate and former NYU instructor, Messing has exhibited internationally and created work for clients ranging from Tiffany & Co. to Nike. The opening reception includes light hors d’oeuvres and wine available from Grapeseed. 5-7pm, Friday, Aug. 21. ‘Visible Light’ runs Aug. 21-Oct. 4 at Paul Mahder Gallery, 222 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. paulmahdergallery.com.
San Rafael Queerly Spoken
Poetry gets personal at “Queerly Spoken,” an evening celebrating LGBTQ+ identity through verse at the Marin LGBTQ Center. The lineup features Shelley Wong, whose As She Appears won the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Poetry; poet, attorney and librettist Karen Poppy; and Marin Poetry Center Youth Poet Laureate Ambassadors Ezra Buell and Frances Sveinson. Poppy will also honor the late Marin County Poet Laureate Joseph Zaccardi with a photo presentation and readings of selected poems. An open mic invites attendees to share their own LGBTQ+ poetry, making the evening as much community gathering as literary showcase. The free event includes light snacks and beverages. 6-8pm, Saturday, Aug. 29, at Marin LGBTQ Center, 709 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. Free. marinlgbtqcenter.org
Ross Stone Stories
The gardens become a gallery at Marin Art and Garden Center, where a collection of contemporary Zimbabwean sculpture brings the work of 10 artists into the landscape. At the heart of the exhibition is Dominic Benhura, one of Zimbabwe’s most celebrated sculptors and a mentor to a new generation of artists. Each piece is carved by hand from Zimbabwean stone, with works ranging from intimate sculptures tucked throughout the gardens to monumental pieces. Presented by the nonprofit House of Stone in collaboration with Slab of Africa, the exhibition also supports efforts to sustain artistic communities in rural Zimbabwe. On Aug. 25 House of Stone founder and Executive Director Arnd Herz leads a free Art Walk and Talk exploring the artists, their materials and the traditions behind the work. 6:30pm, Tuesday, Aug. 25, at Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. Exhibition continues through September. Free. maringarden.org
Napa Raise a Glass, Wag a Tail
Wine tasting goes to the dogs—in the best possible way—at “Wag, Wine & Dine,” a Napa Valley fundraiser pairing regional vintners with four-legged philanthropy. More than 20 Napa and Sonoma wineries pour throughout the afternoon at the Meritage Resort & Spa, while a VIP hour offers premium wines and elevated bites. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, naturally, and can strut their stuff in a Pooch Pageant offering prizes and canine bragging rights. The all-inclusive event benefits Waggin’ Trails Rescue Foundation, which rescues at-risk dogs and cats from overcrowded shelters and supports their transportation, veterinary care and placement. In other words, drinking wine here may actually help save a puppy. Finally, a compelling argument for that second glass. 1-5pm general admission, Sunday, Aug. 23, at Meritage Resort & Spa, 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa. Tickets at waggintrailsrescue.com/events.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider this your official alert that you’re close to getting too much of a good thing. To safeguard the lovely momentum you’ve built lately, be vigilant that genuine abundance doesn’t bloat into plain old overload. Say no to becoming indentured to your own brilliant ideas. Don’t let your victories drag you into depletion. Steer clear of grand gestures of generosity that are driven mostly by the urge to dazzle onlookers. You really can keep every delicious reward you’ve earned, dear Aries, as long as you begin installing some graceful new boundaries right now.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1925, Taurus astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900–1979) discovered that stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Famous astrophysicists of that era rejected her conclusions because she contradicted the prevailing theories. Nevertheless, she persisted in her claims and was eventually proved correct by other experts. Sound familiar, Taurus? If it doesn’t yet, I expect it will soon. Naysayers may insist you’re wrong when you know and I know you’re right. My advice: Be faithful to the truths you’ve directly observed even if they don’t match consensus reality. Your understandings are valid even if they’re inconvenient.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’re ready and able to commune intimately with the hidden source of power that fuels your life. Hallelujah! But first, acknowledge a humbling truth: You’re not entirely sure what that source is. You’ve made assumptions, of course. You’ve told yourself stories about where your vitality comes from: your work, your relationships, your creative projects, your spiritual practices. And while these channels do transmit energy, they’re tributaries of the ultimate spring. In the coming weeks, you’ll have exciting opportunities to trace these streams back to their headwaters. Start this way: Be alert for mini-breakthroughs when you feel unexpectedly energized or mysteriously restored.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The GPS system requires Einstein’s theory of relativity to work correctly. Satellites in orbit experience time slightly differently than we do on Earth’s surface. Without accounting for that time dilation, your phone would be off by 6.8 miles every day. Moral of the story: The practical requires the theoretical and the mundane needs the cosmic. I bring this to your attention as a useful metaphor, Cancerian. I suspect you’ve been trying to solve ground-level problems with ground-level thinking. But your current challenges require you to factor in some relativity: to recognize that different parts of your life are operating in different timeframes, under different rules. What works in one context doesn’t necessarily work in another. In the coming weeks, refrain from trying to apply universal solutions. Calibrate for context.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional textile making, the selvage is the strong edge that holds the fabric together and keeps it from unraveling. It’s braided more tightly than the rest so it can do its guarding work. I think that’s a helpful metaphor for your life in the coming weeks, Leo. Your main weave is pretty gorgeous, but the edges aren’t sufficiently taut. What should you do, practically speaking? For starters, create firm boundaries around your work time, your rest and your availability to others’ demands.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I am nursing a hopeful dream that you will give yourself a fun surprise or two in the coming days—maybe even more than two. Not necessarily the most expensive delights, but those that would inspire your nervous system to relax and your spirit to celebrate. Possible options: a few hours of free time with no obligations, a hike where you adore and praise the sky, a conversation you’ve been craving, a daring yes, or a long-overdue no. Or how about finally starting a fun project you keep postponing, or setting down a burden you’ve been carrying for too long? You might ask yourself: “If someone who loved me dearly were in charge of my rhythm, what would they arrange for me?”
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The first maps of Antarctica contained blank spaces labeled simply “unexplored.” Cartographers didn’t pretend to know what wasn’t yet revealed. This was a gift to future trailblazers, who didn’t have to overcome the confusion of false certainties. You could benefit from adopting a similar practice. Instead of explaining every mystery with confident opinions, designate a few regions of your inner world as magnificently unexplored. Your willingness to say “I don’t know yet” will be a fertile form of wisdom. The unanswered questions will be better allies than premature conclusions.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In architecture, the keystone is the central, wedge-shaped stone positioned at the top of an arch. It’s often the last piece placed, and it’s what holds everything together. If it’s removed, the entire structure collapses. But the keystone itself is held in place by the pressure of the other stones. I love the fact that it’s both the most crucial piece and yet totally dependent on everything else. This is an excellent metaphor for you right now. You’re like a keystone: holding everything together and also being held by everything. Please accept my personal thanks for accomplishing the amazing feat of being both powerful and vulnerable! The structure needs you, and you need the structure. PS: Don’t overestimate your independence or underestimate your importance.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t reorganize your junk drawers anytime soon, Sagittarius. Please? Refrain from scrubbing the oven, organizing your kitchen cupboards and untangling old extension cords. I’m begging you to believe me when I urge to allocate your energy toward the most interesting and important matters. The cosmic indicators are unambiguous. You will be happiest and most successful if you: 1. dare to access secret wisdom you’ve been hiding from yourself; 2. immerse yourself in almost too much beauty and truth; 3. let your imagination run wild as you visualize future scenarios that thrill you even if they’re also a bit unnerving.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The Grand Canyon in Arizona is 277 miles long, as wide as 18 miles and a mile deep in some places. Through persistent erosion for millions of years, the Colorado River carved it. This massive creative project happened entirely through subtraction, not addition. I suggest you regard it as one of your role models in the coming months, Capricorn. Your goal is to wear away resistance and eliminate what’s unnecessary. The magnificence you produce will be very gradual and incremental.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In engineering, redundancy refers to the practice of building multiple layers of support into a system so that if one part falters, others keep functioning. Airplanes and spacecraft rely on this principle for safety. I urge you to adopt a similar strategy in the coming weeks. By creating backup plans or additional reinforcement, you can move forward with more daring and flair, which I highly recommend. Artful preparation will strengthen your ability to experiment and improvise.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The ocean has different layers. Each has its own temperature, pressure and ecosystem. Many sea creatures are adapted to one specific stratum and don’t wander far from their chosen realm. But there are transition zones where the layers meet, and they’re often rich in biodiversity. I propose we use these areas as metaphors for your power spots, Pisces. You tend to thrive in thresholds and boundaries, where edges meet and overlap. That will be especially true in the coming weeks. To court good fortune and sweet delight, you should hang out at the borders where diverse influences mingle.
Homework: Upon waking for the next seven mornings, sing a song that fills you with feisty hope. tinyurl.com/a5a5a5a
Transcendence Theatre Company closes out its 2026 “Broadway Under the Stars” series with the popular ABBA jukebox musical, Mamma Mia!
It’s the show’s first Sonoma County appearance after a couple of Marin County mountings including a 2018 production by The Mountain Play atop Mt. Tamalpais and a season-closing production just this past May by the Novato Theater Company. The Transcendence production, directed by Tony Gonzalez, runs outdoors on the Field of Dreams in Sonoma through Aug. 30.
One doesn’t have to like or even know the work of the Swedish pop music supergroup ABBA, but it sure helps as the audience is gonna hear about two dozen of their songs before the night is over. They’ve been worked, some more successfully than others, into a somewhat nonsensical plot about a bride-to-be’s wedding day plan to meet her heretofore unknown father.
After reading her mother’s diary, 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan (Karsten Lane Flake) has invited the three men her mother Donna (Allison Pierce) had a fling with 21 years ago to attend her Greek isle wedding: Sam (Blake Whyte), Harry (Matt Gibson) and Bill (Brian Ray Norris). In no time at all, she manages to invite all three to walk her down the aisle, deceive and alienate her fiance Sky (Elton J. Tanega) and tick off her mother. Fear not, all will be resolved by show’s end.
Folks don’t attend musicals like this for the plot, they attend for the music—and the cast gathered by director Gonzalez and the musicians gathered by music director Susan Draus and conducted by Kenji Harada deliver the goods.
Strong vocals are a hallmark of Transcendence productions, with Flake’s delivery of “I Have a Dream” and Pearce’s wrenching “The Winner Takes It All” good examples.
The ensemble pieces spotlighting choreography by Monica Kapoor, including “Money, Money, Money” and “Lay All Your Love on Me” featuring the famous flipper “ballet,” were highlights.
The cast is uniformly strong, but the fine comedic work by Lori Haley Fox as Donna’s friend Rosie really stood out. Fox has been affiliated with almost every iteration of the show including the original 1999 West End production, the Broadway run, the National Tour and the 2008 film. She’s a hoot.
Mamma Mia! is the theatrical equivalent of a popcorn movie in that it really serves no purpose other than to entertain and requires no great thought. The swinging and swaying opening-night audience was just fine with that.
Transcendence Theatre Company’s ‘Mamma Mia!’ runs Thu-Sun through Aug. 30 at the Field of Dreams, 151 First St. West, Sonoma. Venue opens at 5pm, show starts at 7pm. $44-$165. 877.424.1414. bestnightever.org
Thirty years ago, Third Eye Blind blasted onto the music scene with a self-titled album that went six-times platinum and included the enduring alternative-rock hits “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Graduate,” “How’s It Going To Be” and “Jumper.” A double-platinum second album, Blue, followed two years later.
Then the radio hits stopped coming, with 2000’s “Never Let You Go” marking the last top 10 single for the band. So it might seem surprising that Third Eye Blind still headlines outdoor amphitheaters and other large venues these days. In fact, on Aug. 28 the band performs at the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park.
But Third Eye Blind’s popularity endures. And Stephen Jenkins, Third Eye Blind’s founding member, songwriter and singer, noted that turnout for his band’s concerts is actually bigger than ever. So how does it feel to live in this kind of welcome reality so many years after the release of the blockbuster, self-titled debut album?
“Implausible would be the word, probably,” Jenkins said in a phone interview. “Really, it feels like I’m on this ride, and more than anything else it reminds me about the basics. It reminds me of the things that I value, which is being musical, being authentic, being in a genuine exchange with the audience. All of those things are the things that remain the most important to me.”
The barrage of top-10 radio hits that launched the band’s career may have dried up after “Never Let You Go” (from Blue), but in other ways Third Eye Blind has actually experienced a resurgence in popularity over the past decade.
That span saw Jenkins and drummer Brad Hargreaves—the remaining members of the early Third Eye Blind lineup—enjoying a period of stability, with guitarist Kryz Reid and bassist Alex LeCavalier each now in their second decade with the band and keyboardist/guitarist Colin CreeV, a member since 2019, rounding out the current lineup.
With this unit, the personalities and the priorities of the band members aligned in a way that didn’t always happen with the original band.
“This band … we love each other,” Jenkins said. “We like to be together, and we’re like a bunch of puppies. I think what makes this band jam is our sense of empathy, really, more than anything else. We like to make space for each other on stage, and that’s what makes it jam.”
The current band members not only have the right chemistry, with Jenkins leading the way as songwriter—they’ve also been quite prolific. After releasing only two albums over the 15 years following the release of Blue in 1999, Third Eye Blind began releasing music at a steady clip, including three full-length studio albums: 2015’s Dopamine, 2019’s Screamer and 2021’s Our Bande Apart. In addition the band released two EPs, 2016’s We Are Drugs and 2018’s Thanks for Everything, plus Unplugged, a 2022 album with acoustic versions of songs from across the group’s catalog joining the band’s catalog. The group also released a concert album, Live at Red Rocks, in 2024.
Jenkins feels that along the way his attitude toward songwriting and recording loosened up, and that accounts for Third Eye Blind’s increased musical output.
“I think it’s really just a lack of judgment,” he said. “I think I was always being hard on myself in the past and I probably still am, but something has improved there. Something has gotten better in some ways and I’m less critical of myself and more able to get into it, to make music. So I think that’s the reason.”
He’s also pleased with the quality of Third Eye Blind’s output. In fact, Jenkins considers Our Bande Apart to be his favorite album to date. Largely written during the pandemic, that album found Third Eye Blind going old school by recording the songs live as a band in the studio, rather than recording instrument by instrument. The organic approach to recording is a key reason Jenkins is so fond of Our Bande Apart.
“Again, it’s kind of that lack of being overthought and judged,” Jenkins said. “The tracking of that record; we all just went in the same room and played the song. If it felt right, we kept it. If it didn’t, we all went back in the room and played it again. We didn’t go around changing and overdubbing our songs.
“So we resisted the urge for perfection, and when I listen to a lot of music now, I don’t feel anything from it because I don’t feel the human urgency of it,” he added. “A lot of it is just pitch corrected and tempo corrected. It’s all made on MacBook Pro, and it just doesn’t do anything for me. And we managed to make a record that wasn’t living in those kinds of constraints.”
The live-in-the-studio approach of Our Bande Apart proved interesting in that it followed Screamer, an album very much crafted in the studio, with plenty of modern, synthetic sonics incorporated into a set of songs that blended rock with a variety of other styles, including hip-hop, trap and electronica.
“It was exactly the opposite [of Our Bande Apart],” Jenkins said of Screamer. “It was basically as slick as I could make it. The whole point of that record was to almost beat pop in its own game. That’s what I was thinking about that one.
“I really like that record,” he continued. “I think it’s exciting. But definitely, it’s just a different approach on it.”
Exactly what songs Third Eye Blind plays while on tour this summer is an open question, as Jenkins said the band has plenty of options.
“We have a lot of music, and there’s a lot of different stuff that fans want to hear. If you go on Reddit and ask, ‘What do you want to hear this summer?’ if you get 50 different responses, you’ll get 50 different songs,” he said. “So we try to do things like almost being DJs, and we try to mix ourselves as a live band and weave in different things back and forth. So that’s how I’m looking at making this set.”
Third Eye Blind performs at 7pm on Friday, Aug. 28, at Graton Resort & Casino, 288 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park. For tix and info, visit graton.com.
Most AI girlfriend reviews are written after ten minutes of testing. Ours wasn’t. We wanted to know what the best AI girlfriend apps are really like once the novelty wears off, so we spent a full month using the biggest platforms as part of our everyday routine, from quick chats before work to longer conversations late at night.
By the end, one thing was clear: almost every app makes a strong first impression, but the real differences show up after a few days. Some become repetitive fast. Others keep conversations feeling fresh week after week, and those were the ones we kept coming back to. That’s why this ranking looks very different from the dozens of generic “best AI girlfriend” lists you’ll find online.
If you’re looking for the top AI girlfriend apps in 2026, these are the ones that genuinely stood out after a month of daily use.
We used every app naturally throughout the day. Whenever possible, we upgraded to the paid plans to experience everything long-term users actually get. Some conversations lasted five minutes, others much longer. We returned after hours or days to see whether the experience still felt connected or if it started from scratch every time. That’s where the biggest differences appeared.
We judged every platform the same way, focusing on how enjoyable it was to use day after day rather than what it promised on its website. The rankings reflect the apps that consistently delivered the best overall experience throughout a full month of testing.
1. CamSoda AI
CamSoda AI was the platform we kept coming back to. It doesn’t overwhelm you with complicated menus or endless setup. Instead, it focuses on making conversations feel smooth from the very beginning. With more than 200 companions to choose from (or the option to create your own) there’s plenty of variety without making the experience feel confusing.
What impressed us most was its consistency. After several days of chatting, conversations continued naturally instead of feeling like they restarted every time we logged in. Small details resurfaced at the right moments, making each exchange feel connected rather than isolated. Combined with fast responses and seamless syncing between desktop and mobile, it quickly became the platform we used the most throughout the month.
The free version is generous enough to understand what makes the platform different before committing to a subscription. Premium unlocks voice conversations, image generation, and additional customization, but the free experience never felt artificially limited. For anyone looking for the best all-around AI girlfriend app in 2026, CamSoda AI offers the strongest balance of conversation quality, customization, and everyday usability.
We wanted to rank Nomi AI higher because our first few conversations were genuinely enjoyable. The replies felt natural, the interface was clean, and everything encouraged us to keep chatting. During the first couple of days, we could easily see why it has built such a loyal following.
The longer we used it, however, the more the experience began to lose momentum. We noticed that conversations didn’t always carry over as smoothly as we expected, and outside of text chat there wasn’t much left to explore. Compared with the highest-ranked platforms, the overall experience simply felt more limited by the end of the month.
We still think Nomi AI is a good option for people who mainly want casual conversations, but after thirty days of testing, we found ourselves returning to other platforms more often.
3. Replika
We understood Replika’s appeal almost immediately. Instead of pushing us toward dozens of different companions, it encourages you to build a relationship with just one. Throughout our testing, that approach made conversations feel more personal, and we appreciated how little time it took to get started. The interface stayed out of the way, while features like daily check-ins and journaling made it easy to turn the app into a habit rather than something you opened only occasionally.
As the weeks went on, though, we started noticing its limitations. We found ourselves wishing for more variety, and many of the features we’d come to expect from newer platforms required a Pro subscription. We still enjoyed using Replika, but it no longer felt as competitive once we compared it side by side with the other apps in this ranking.
If your priority is a familiar, low-pressure companion you can check in with every day, Replika remains one of the safest choices. We simply think several newer platforms now offer more for a similar price.
4. Nectar AI
Nectar AI impressed us almost immediately with its visuals. Creating companions was straightforward, and the images remained remarkably consistent throughout our testing, making characters feel recognizable from one generation to the next. If appearance is one of your biggest priorities, Nectar AI does an excellent job delivering polished results.
Where we found it less convincing was in everyday conversation. While chats were enjoyable, they didn’t develop the same sense of continuity as the highest-ranked platforms, and after longer breaks the experience often felt like it was starting over. By the end of the month, we saw Nectar AI as a platform that excels visually but doesn’t quite reach the same level conversationally.
For users who care most about creating realistic images alongside their conversations, Nectar AI remains one of the strongest options available. We simply think there are better all-around choices if conversation is your main priority.
5. Janitor AI
We quickly realized that Janitor AI isn’t trying to appeal to everyone. From the start, it focuses on people who enjoy detailed roleplay and creative storytelling, and in that area, it offers more freedom than almost any other platform we tested. The community library is enormous, giving users an almost endless selection of characters and scenarios to explore.
That same openness can also make the experience unpredictable. We spent quite a bit of time sorting through characters before finding the best ones, and the interface took longer to learn than most of its competitors. Beginners may find it overwhelming, but experienced users will likely appreciate the extra flexibility once they’re familiar with how everything works.
Janitor AI isn’t the most polished platform in this ranking, but it’s easily one of the most creative. If immersive roleplay matters more to you than simplicity, it’s well worth exploring.
6. Character.AI
Character.AI remains the easiest recommendation for anyone who wants to explore AI companions without spending money. We were impressed by the sheer variety available, with thousands of community-created characters covering almost every personality and genre imaginable. It never took long to find something new to try, and that variety kept the platform feeling fresh throughout our testing.
That freedom comes with trade-offs. Because anyone can create characters, we found that quality varied significantly from one conversation to the next. Some companions stayed engaging for hours. Others drifted out of character surprisingly quickly and became super boring. We also felt that users looking for deeper relationships would probably outgrow the platform after a while.
Still, if your goal is simply to discover what’s possible without paying for a subscription, Character.AI is a good option. It’s fun, easy to use, and offers enough variety to keep most new users entertained for quite some time.
7. Kindroid
Kindroid quickly stood out for one reason: consistency. Throughout our testing, it held onto ongoing conversations better than almost any other platform we tried. As we spent more time with it, chats felt less like isolated exchanges and more like part of a continuing story, which made coming back each day feel surprisingly natural.
We also liked how much control it gives you. Building a companion takes more effort than it does on most competing apps, but that extra time pays off if you’re looking for something that feels more personal. The downside is that the learning curve is noticeably steeper. We spent longer setting everything up than we did on other platforms, and the smaller companion library left us with fewer ready-made options to explore.
If you’re willing to invest a little time upfront, Kindroid delivers a rewarding long-term experience. We think it’s not the easiest app to get started with, but it’s easy to stick with.
Which AI Girlfriend App Should You Choose?
After 30 days of testing, we came to a simple conclusion: there isn’t one “best” AI girlfriend app for everyone. The right choice depends on what matters most to you. Some platforms are better suited for long conversations. Some stand out for roleplay, customization, or visual content.
If you’re not sure where to start, CamSoda AI remains our top recommendation because it delivers the most balanced experience overall. But the good news is that most of the platforms in this guide offer free access, so you can spend a few days with two or three of them before deciding which one feels the most natural. That’s ultimately the best way to find the right fit.
Questions We Kept Hearing
Do these conversations actually feel real?
Not in the way a conversation with another person does. You always know you’re talking to software. And yet, there were moments during our testing when that distinction became surprisingly easy to forget. The best platforms simply made conversations feel natural enough that we stopped thinking about how they worked.
How much should you expect to spend?
One thing we appreciated is that most of the platforms let us spend enough time with them before asking for money. The free versions are genuinely useful, and paid plans mainly unlock extras like voice conversations, image generation, and additional customization. Expect to spend somewhere between $15 and $30 per month if you decide to subscribe to one long-term.
Are these apps private?
We spent almost as much time reading privacy policies as we did testing some of the apps themselves. Most of the larger platforms clearly explain how conversations are stored and protected. A few smaller services leave important questions unanswered. If privacy matters to you, it’s worth spending five minutes reading a platform’s data policy before sharing anything personal.
Is it strange to use an AI girlfriend?
That question came up more than any other while we were working on this guide. Our answer is simple: not really. People already build emotional connections with books, films, podcasts, and video games. Spending time talking to a digital companion isn’t as unusual as it might have sounded a few years ago. The important thing is treating it as something that adds to your life. It will never replace the people already in it.
Final Verdict
A month of testing changed our perspective on AI girlfriend apps. When we started, we expected the differences between platforms to come down to features and pricing. Instead, what mattered most was how each app felt after weeks of regular use. The best ones were the ones we genuinely wanted to come back to.
For most people, CamSoda AI remains the easiest recommendation because it offers the best balance of conversation quality, customization, and overall value. But every platform in this guide has its own strengths, whether you’re looking for emotional conversations, creative roleplay, realistic images, or simply a free place to get started.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose blindly. Since most of these apps offer free access, you can spend a few days with each one before deciding which fits you best. After 30 days of testing, that’s the one lesson we came away with: the best AI girlfriend app is the one you’ll still enjoy talking to a month later.
The editorial staff of the Bohemian was not involved in the creation of this content. The content is for general information and does not constitute the financial, medical or professional advice of this publication. Readers should consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances. The Bohemian disclaims any liability for loss or damage resulting from reliance on this content.
By turning voting machines, classified intelligence and alleged foreign interference into political theater, the Trump administration is preparing voters to distrust an election that has not yet taken place.
Donald Trump has never treated elections simply as contests to be won or lost. He treats them as tests of legitimacy whose results are valid only when they confirm his political authority. His national address on the “integrity” of voting machines therefore should not be dismissed as another attempt to relitigate the 2020 election. It may represent something more consequential: an effort to establish, before the 2026 midterms, a rationale for challenging any result unfavorable to Republicans.
The issue is not whether election systems should be protected. They should. Foreign governments have sought to influence American voters, spread disinformation and deepen existing political divisions. But election security becomes election sabotage when the government uses the language and institutions of national security to manufacture suspicion without presenting credible evidence.
A White House task force has been reviewing classified intelligence and law-enforcement material concerning alleged election irregularities. At the same time, the federal government has increased pressure on state and local election authorities.
Taken together—and placed in the context of Trump’s continued refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of his 2020 defeat—they suggest a political strategy: Create an atmosphere in which a future Republican loss appears suspicious before a single ballot is counted.
That strategy depends on blurring a crucial distinction between foreign influence and the technical manipulation of votes. The National Intelligence Council’s 2021 assessment found no indication that a foreign actor attempted to alter “any technical aspect” of the voting process. Reviews by the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security reached similar conclusions.
Technical vulnerabilities can exist without proving a stolen election. A responsible administration would identify specific risks, provide evidence, work with state officials and propose practical remedies. It would not use a prime-time presidential address to place an entire electoral system under a cloud of generalized vulnerability.
The objective would not need to be proving fraud. It might be enough to keep allegations alive. Suspicion becomes the product, not an unfortunate side effect.
Protecting elections requires vigilance against foreign interference. It also requires vigilance against a government willing to turn that threat into a weapon against democracy at home.
Ervin Hoskins is a freelance writer and an anti-war activist focused on justice, equality and analysis of international affairs.
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Thirty years ago, Third Eye Blind blasted onto the music scene with a self-titled album that went six-times platinum and included the enduring alternative-rock hits “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Graduate,” “How’s It Going To Be” and “Jumper.” A double-platinum second album, Blue, followed two years later.
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This article was contributed by Instabang
Most AI girlfriend reviews are written after ten minutes of testing. Ours wasn't. We wanted to know what the best AI girlfriend apps are really like once the novelty wears off, so we spent a full month using the biggest platforms as part of our everyday routine, from quick chats before work to longer...
By turning voting machines, classified intelligence and alleged foreign interference into political theater, the Trump administration is preparing voters to distrust an election that has not yet taken place.
Donald Trump has never treated elections simply as contests to be won or lost. He treats them as tests of legitimacy whose results are valid only when they confirm his political...
