Umphrey’s McGee, Cactus Blossoms, Tony Passarell memorial among Sacramento music’s must-see March

There’s no way can we parse the March music calendar without first marveling at the delightful happenstance that the region’s two most popular hard-rock exports are book-ending the month at Golden 1 Center. Deftones, with the mad wizardry of Mars Volta and Fleshwater are up on March 1 with Papa Roach flanked by the venerable Rise Against and Underoath getting after it on March 29.

Neither can we resist peeking at April (and beyond), since we’re careening off the walls with excitement over here after our newest pals at the soon-to-open Channel 24 announced the first slate of shows at the sparkling new venue. The venue debuts with country breakout Tucker Wetmore on April 24 before giving way to (as has been loudly clamored for) Sacramento electronic legend Tycho on April 25, with Americana maven and recent Grammy-gobbler Sierra Ferrell on April 27. Due to demand during the pre-sale, they’ve already added a second night with indie pop stars Wallows on May 1, after May 2 rapidly sold out. Country roots titan Charley Crockett (June 8), indie rock royalty Death Cab for Cutie (July 23), the lusty co-headline pairing of Shakey Graves and thrashgrassers Trampled by Turtles (Aug. 19) and tons more are all on deck (channel24sac.com).

An endlessly beloved figure of the local scene went to the stars in January, when the seemingly omnipresent Tony Passarell tragically passed away after a six-year bout with cancer. No words we could scribble out here could capture the waves of touching tributes on social media about a man who continued to gig throughout his health battles and touched so many in the Sacramento community. However, I will add with great humility that the spirit of these words from his obituary go a long way toward capturing why this “Sacramento Beat” column exists: “In lieu of flowers, please support the arts, go to a gallery, see a live show, and make your own art.” An all-come gathering in Tony’s honor is slated for 4 p.m. Sunday, March 23, at the Crest Theatre, where musicians are invited to bring their own instruments and participate in an improvised set (bit.ly/passarell-tower-tribute).

If you’re seeing Umphrey’s McGee for the first time, prepare for a wild ride. The Chicago-based sextet defies genre, leaping from prog rock to jazz, funk, trance, and beyond, often within the same song. Their intricate compositions and rapid time changes can disorient even seasoned jam band fans, but their technical prowess is undeniable. Love them or not, you’ll likely walk out in awe—or at least with your head spinning. Just ask the diehards who will tell you on the way in, and again on the way out: ‘Umphrey’s (expletive) rocks! (6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at Ace of Spades. $50.75. aceofspadessac.com).

2024’s “Every Time I Think About You” finds brotherly duo the Cactus Blossoms drifting a little further into the vintage rock ‘n’ roll realm than perhaps their previous throwback alt-country offerings. But the record still teems with the pair’s sterling indie folk balladry, invoking the likes of torchbearers like Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison. Sock-hopping crooners like “Stoplight Kisses” from their earlier days caught the eye of everyone from Dan Auerbach to David Lynch and set the stage for desert-drifters thereafter like “Hey Baby.” Think Milk Carton Kids leaning into the DeLorean’s accelerator and paying more mind to the Jimmie Rodgers tunes on the radio than to the fact that the Flux Capacitor is still on and the time circuits are going haywire. Missing the opening set from the delightful Erin Rae would haunt you for years; one spin of the mesmerizing “Can’t See Stars” should provide all necessary evidence to this point (8 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at Starlet Room. $26.40. harlows.com).

Much to get to at the Torch Club. Local indie psych-surf treasure Bad Barnacles is hosting an album release for their brand new record “Man in the Maze” along with North by North and Headphone Control (8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1. thebadbarnacles.bandcamp.com). The following day — Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. — Torch hosts a benefit for victims of the Los Angeles fires (their second such event since the devastating January blazes), hosted by jazz vocalist Vivian Lee. Sets come from Pinkie Rideau and Blioux Gumbo, Blue Skies Band with Carol Manson and Beth Duncan, Bill Mylar Band and Red’s Blues, joined by local all-stars Joe Ybarra on pedal steel and Marty Deradoorian on sax. Donations will be accepted at the door and donated to American Red Cross and MusicCares.

Torch Club also hosts its annual Fat Tuesday celebration at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 4. They provide the hurricanes and jambalaya (those aren’t free, but entry is), Big Chiefs and Hayez provide the funk and soul. Later in the month, the madcap mind of Mike Dillon’s Punkadelic rolls back to town after visiting the venue last January. This brain-bending trio features superstar co-conspirators Nikki Glaspie (Nth Power, Snarky Puppy) and Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey). The trio’s 2025 sophomore release, “Run White Boy Run,” somehow runs the experimental rock freak-flag even further up the center tent pole of this maniacal jazz circus (9 p.m. Saturday, March 15. $15. (torchclub.net).

A pair of combustive Sacramento Blues Society gigs are on deck this month at Harlow’s, with ax madman Ronnie Baker Brooks showing off bangers from his aptly titled latest album “Blues in My DNA” alongside Todd Morgan & the Emblems on Tuesday, March 4, while the 4th Annual Little Charlie Baty Celebration Concert lands on Thursday, March 27, with Rick Estrin & the Nightcats and Ansen Funderburgh with guests including Alabama Mike, Kyle Rowland and Marcel Smith.

Surf rock ruffians Sant Anna Bay Coconuts, hailing from Antwerp, Belgium, appear to enjoy playing at SacYard so much while touring stateside that they last month released “Live in Sacramento,” which we assume to be the first live album recorded there (vinyl and streaming at santannabaycoconuts.bandcamp.com). No word yet on their likely inevitable return date; however, another European act, Germany’s blues/rockabilly rebel rousing Booze Bombs, keeps its own budding touring tradition alive by holding a plank-spanking hootenanny at the ’Yard at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 2 (these often seem to jovially befall a “Sunday Funday”). SacYard is also slated to host Old Mule, an Americana collective of local fixtures Todd Gardner, Neil Campisano, Jeff Carter and Matt Fremont, on Thursday, March 13 (https://bit.ly/sacyard-oldmule-25).