Live Acoustic Venue Association (LAVA) is a non-profit organization that connects musicians with appreciative audiences. We are a small group of volunteers dedicated to bringing high quality live music to comfortable, listening room settings. If you would like to receive our newsletter, click here. Your information will be used only to communicate information about our events and will not be sold or distributed in any way.

LAVA hosts concerts most Saturday nights at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, located at 2450 S. Kolb Road, just north of Golf Links on the west side of the street. This beautiful sanctuary seats 250 in a comfortable setting with cushioned seats and pristine acoustics.

We also host a spring concert series in the courtyard of the Civano Neighborhood Center located at 10501 E. Seven Generations Way, about 1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton on the southeast side of Tucson. These are relaxing "bring your lawn chair" concerts in a beautiful community courtyard. There is a $5 suggested donation for the Civano shows, and you are welcome to bring a picnic dinner, so it's a great way to enjoy a reasonably priced night out while listening to some of Tucson's best live music!

Check out our events calendar below.

Saturday, February 13 - LAVA Music proudly presents Dolan Ellis, Arizona's official State Balladeer, in a special program entitled "Arizona: The Valentine State" in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary.

As Arizona's Official State Balladeer since 1966, Dolan Ellis is uniquely qualified to present a special concert celebrating Arizona's 98th anniversary as a state. He has written more than 300 songs about Arizona, many of which he has orchestrated to his beautiful large-screen photography. A Dolan Ellis concert is indeed an exciting multimedia event as he uses his remarkably resonant baritone voice, his melodic 12-string guitar, his photography, and his innate ability as an entertainer to tell stories of the Arizona he loves.

Dolan will also celebrate Valentine's Day weekend with some romantic songs, including one in particular that fits both the Arizona Statehood Day and Valentine's Day themes. That song is "Spanish is the Loving Tongue" from a poem written by Charles Badger Clark in Cochise County, circa 1907.

Ellis was an original member of the New Christy Minstrels, one of the hottest groups of the early 1960's (and Grammy winners), and he is touring with them nationally again, along with four other original members.

Abounding Grace Sanctuary is located at 2450 S. Kolb, just north of Golf Links on the west side of the street. Doors open at 6:30, and Dolan Ellis will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00. Admission is $15, payable at the door. RSVP recommended via email to Bonnie.

Saturday, February 20 - Bryan Dean Trio will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb Rd., from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Bryan's larger-than-life guitar-playing forms the basis of his trio which also includes his wife Koko on bass and lovable, talented drummer, Ralph Gilmore. The trio combines blues, rock and roll, and roots music, and they are such masters at their art that every performance is unique and wonderful.

Admission to this great show is $10. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Please arrive early for best seating.

Saturday, February 27 - Duo Sonora, featuring Native American classical guitarist, Gabriel Ayala, and Grammy-nominated percussionist extraordinaire, Will Clipman, will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb Rd., from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

A member of the Yaqui people of Southern Arizona, Gabriel Ayala is at the forefront of a new generation of Native Americans making a career performing classical music. He began playing the guitar as a child and earned a Master's Degree in Music Performance from the University of Arizona in 1997. He performs regularly throughout the United States and has appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Arts and National Museum for the American Indian. He was recognized by the State of Arizona and Governor Janet Napolitano for his musical achievements and has won many other awards, including the 2009 Nammy (Native American Music Award) for Best Instrumental Recording.

A drummer since the age of three, Will Clipman has mastered a pan-global palette of percussion in addition to the traditional drumset. Will has recorded over 50 albums, including 21 for Canyon Records where he is regarded as the house percussionist. Will performs and records with R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton, Nawang Khechog, Gentle Thunder, Mary Redhouse, Ash Dargan, Robert Tree Cody, Randy Wood, Arvel Bird, and Amber Norgaard, among many other internationally-acclaimed artists. Will is a four-time GRAMMY nominee and a two-time Native American Music Award winner, and he has been inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum in honor of his long-standing contributions to the musical community in his hometown.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Please arrive early for best seating. Admission to the Duo Sonora Performance is $15, payable at the door. RSVP recommended via email to Bonnie.

Thursday, March 4 - Lost in Holland will perform the season premiere of our Civano Courtyard Concert Series. Michael G. Ronstadt who bridges the gap between classical and non-classical genres on cello, guitar, charango, and voice through songwriting and composition and passionate composer/guitarist, Josh Hisle, are Lost in Holland. As the sun broke into the sky and began to burn, Josh was returning from yet another sleepless night of fighting a faceless enemy. With his mind racing towards a breaking point, he needed an outlet to release all of the anger and pain. He dropped his gear, put down his rifle, and picked up an acoustic guitar. As a result, his songwriting background and combat experience bring forth passion and truth. Together they present a concert of acoustic folk, rock, and jazz that will amaze you with an awesome fusion of sound. "Josh's brilliant folk twinged guitar runs are complemented by Michael's wonderful, soaring cello" (Scott Sandie, Broken Arrow Magazine 2008). They have performed at concerts and festivals alongside the Santa Cruz River Band, Walt Michael, Neil Young, David Bromberg, Amber Norgaard, and Sandy Suskind.

Lost in Holland will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, March 6 - Amber Norgaard , 2007 TAMMIE Award Winner for Tucson's Up-and-Coming Artist of the Year, will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb, with 2007 TAMMIE winner, Doug "Hurricane" Floyd on electric guitar, and Michael G. Ronstadt who bridges the gap between classical and non-classical genres on cello, guitar, charango, and voice through songwriting and composition. Michael's duo, Lost in Holland, will open the show for Amber.

The Tucson Weekly did a Feature Article about Amber in their August 2007 issue. Amber who combines a unique mix of poignant lyrics, passionate vocals and raw, heartfelt music.

The Amber Norgaard Trio will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is $10, and doors open at 6:30 pm. Please arrive early for best seating.

Thursday, March 11 - The Larry Redhouse Trio will perform in the courtyard of the Civano Neighborhood Center. Larry Redhouse was influenced by many musical styles growing up in the Bay area ranging from: Tower of Power; Santana; Malo; Cold Blood; Miles Davis; Herbie Hancock; Keith Jarrett and Weather Report, to name a few. Larry, a self taught jazz pianist, has led and been in various jazz groups from the 70's until now. He began performing with his siblings the Redhouse Band at age 9. He composed 6 of the 9 titles on "Urban Indian" The Redhouse Family's debut cd. Larry also performs with The Larry Redhouse Trio, emphasizing, originals, improvisation and fresh interpretations of jazz standards. Larry has self produced two cds, "Live at Westwardlook" and" Spirit Progression". Some of the places Larry Redhouse has performed are: the Kennedy Center Jazz Club Washington DC, the Smithsonian Washington DC, and the Grenoble Jazz Festival, Grenoble France.

The Larry Redhouse Trio will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, March 13 - Hans Olson will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary. Hans has been a fixture on the Arizona music scene for over 40 years. Originally from San Bernardino, California, Hans began his musical career as a lead singer in rock and roll bands in the late 1960's. His first inspirations were Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Muddy Waters. He also began performing solo in coffee houses in the 60's, and up until the mid 90's, he did band and solo shows. These days, he only plays solo. Hans plays an amplified acoustic guitar and a harmonica in a neck rack. Hans is known as one of the best "harp in a rack" players in the world. He has released 13 albums, and he toured the world up until the late 90's when he retired from the road. Only performing in Arizona now, Hans performs many old classic blues and country songs along with his original compositions in a variety of styles.

Hans will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30, and admission is $10.

Thursday, March 18 - Headliners of the Tucson Folk Festival in 2002, Small Potatoes will perform in the courtyard of the Civano Neighborhood Center. The Chicago-based folk duo of Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso say it has taken them years of careful indecision to develop a repertoire they describe as "Celtic to Cowboy". Superb musicianship, award-winning songwriting, and a strong sense of tradition has made them, as Dirty Linen Magazine said, "one of the most polished, inventive, and entertaining shows on the circuit".

As an added treat, Anna Coogan from Seattle will open the show for Small Potatoes. Anna's bittersweet Americana has enchanted listeners since she began writing her own songs in early 2002. A trained opera singer and field biologist, Anna translates her love for desolate landscapes, dark alleyways, and neon valleys into simple, sweet melodies.

Small Potatoes and Anna Coogan will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, March 20 - The String Figures will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb.

The String Figures are Greg Morton, Mark Robertson-Tessi, and Jim Stanley. Mark recently performed with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen in the Vail Theatre of the Arts. The String Figures play some of the best acoustic music to be heard in the Southwest. You'll hear progressive bluegrass, hot swing, and "New Acoustic" music with a Southwestern flair. The trio performs in an open improvisational style. Every String Figures show is unique and memorable.

The String Figures will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is $10 cash at the door.

Thursday, March 25 - A house favorite at former Javalina's Coffee & Friends, Chris Gregory will perform in the courtyard of the Civano Neighborhood Center. His laid back and fun performance is full of original songs that will touch your heart and stir the mind. Chris has received several honors from the Music City Song Festival in Nashville, and he plays in select venues throughout the country.

Chris Cregory will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Thursday, April 1 - One of Tucson's best loved singer/songwriters, Stefan George will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center Courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Joining Stefan is his long time partner in music and in life, Lavinia White.

Stefan tours both nationally and internationally and has won numerous awards for his evocative songwriting and luminous guitar playing, including TAMMIES for Best Songwriter, Best Acoustic Guitar, Best Acoustic Ensemble, and Best Solo Acoustic. He has also been inducted into the Tucson Musicians Hall of Fame, the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, Tucson Musicians Museum, and he won Best Artist at Mettmann Blues Week in Germany. He has also been a finalist in the Telluride and Kerrville Songwriting contests, the Just Plain Folk Songwriting contest, and the Music City Song Festival contest. All of this for just a $5 suggested donation! Bring your lawn chair.

Thursday, April 8 - The Tangelos will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center Courtyard. Formerly known as Joshua Butcher and the Melancholy, The Tangelos' hard-hitting acoustic folksy rock mixed with their melancholy love songs secured them the winning spot in the 2007 Acoustic Battle of the Bands.

The Tangelos will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, April 10 - Award-winning Western Singer/Songwriter, Juni Fisher, will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb in Tucson, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Juni was the Western Music Association's 2008 Songwriter of the Year and 2009 Female Performer of the Year, and her album "Gone for Colorado" has been awarded the Western Heritage Wrangler Award for Outstanding Album by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City as well as Traditional Album of the Year 2009 by the Western Music Association. Click here to listen to some great songs off of her award-winning album, including the title track "Gone for Colorado". Admission to this great show is $15. RSVP recommended via email to Bonnie.

Thursday, April 15 - The Determined Luddites will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

The Determined Luddites are a four piece juggernaut playing original, high-energy, alternative, acoustic music, supplemented by fast fiddle tune medleys and jazz standards. You can listen to some of their music at The Determined Luddites myspace page. Winners of three TAMMIE awards, the Luddites are favorites on the Tucson acoustic music scene.

The Determined Luddites will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, April 17 - Ice-9, the band named after a fictional substance in Kurt Vonnegut's 1963 science fiction novel "Cat's Cradle", will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb, just north of Golf Links on the west side of Kolb. This band is as solid as the substance in the novel, having performed together for over 25 years.

Ice-9 is an acoustic trio featuring the eclectic mix of Richard M. on harmonica, Slim Rost on upright bass, and the guitar and vocals of songwriter Michael Tanzillo. Uniquely employing the harmonica as a second voice, Ice-9 combines country, folk, blues, and other styles to create infectious music all their own.

Ice-9 will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is $10 cash at the door.

Thursday, April 22 - Leila Lopez will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

Leila is an accomplished guitarist and singer/songwriter as well as a sweet, honest, and charming entertainer. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Leila grew up with influences from Joni Mitchell to The Gypsy Kings and Jimi Hendrix. Her style has been self-described as "Rhythmic Folk Fusion", often mixing folk with jazz and rhythmic finger-picking. She has been compared to Ani Difranco, Fiona Apple, and Sade. Listen for yourself at Leila's Myspace Page.

Leila Lopez will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, April 24 - Vail Theatre of the Arts presents The Wilde Boys featuring R Carlos Nakai, William Eaton, and Will Clipman.

The Wilde Boys trio is a summit meeting of master musicians. From its inception, this trio has been committed to improvisation - the fine art of crafting music directly from the heart or through composing. The ancient melodies of Nakai's Native American cedar flutes are enveloped in the sophisticated harmonic and chordal timbres of Eaton's uniquely handcrafted multi-stringed instruments. Both Nakai and Eaton are imbued with a fluid pulse arising out of Clipman's pan-global percussion.

The Wilde Boys will perform in the Vail Theatre of the Arts, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, 2 miles north of Houghton and I-10. Tickets are $20 in advance and will be available for purchase on the Vail Theatre of the Arts website beginning Februay 1. Or you can call Bonnie at 879-3925 to purchase in person via check.

Thursday, May 6 - Nobody, et al. will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

Ready for something different? Guitar + Sax + Cello + Drums + Killer Songwriting = Fresh, Independent, Rich, Original, and Incredible! Nobody, et al., featuring the original upbeat tunes of lead singer, Seth Phillips, and the unique cello accompaniment of Brian McClain, was well-received when they played at the former Javalina's Coffee & Friends and when they opened for the Nathan McEuen Band at last summer's Music on the Mountain series. Now you can hear them in Civano's friendly and comfortable courtyard.

Nobody, et al. will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Thursday, May 13 - This week's Civano Courtyard Series showcases three female Americana singer/songwriters who all have a country edge, MJ Bishop, Nancy Lynn Bright, and Claudia Nygaard.

MJ Bishop has been described as "a modern-day Patsy Cline whose voice has been seasoned to Americana perfection. Folk Americana with attitude, lyric-driven melancholy that's gutsy, introspective, organic, emotive, acoustic, and laced with twang". MJ was selected to perform just before the Saturday night featured act, Todd Snyder, at last year's Tucson Folk Festival, and she wowed the audience with her upbeat performance.

Nancy Lynn Bright was a crowd favorite at the former Javalina's Coffee & Friends, performing with house bands, Bright & Childers and None Too Soon. Her fun look at mature women is featured on this fun website The Wired Ones created by Hank Childers' wife, Margaret Coe.

Claudia Nygaard's long legs hang over both sides of that same fence between country and folk music that Guy Clark and John Prine have straddled. Her sound is acoustic, and while her songs find their roots and rhythms in the Americana storytelling tradition, the melodies are passionate and emotional. A former music row staff writer, and Kerrville “NewFolk” songwriting competition winner, Claudia crafts songs that range from heartfelt to humorous, and she does so with a quick wit, an articulate point of view, and vivid imagery. She is an engaging performer with a sensual alto voice.

MJ Bishop, Nancy Lynn Bright, and Claudia Nygaard will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Thursday, May 20 - Eb's Camp Cookin' will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

Americana/Roots/Folk musician and KXCI radio personality, Eb Eberlein has brought together a group of musicians that include some LAVA favorites. Featuring Eb on guitar, harmonica, vocals, and dobro, Phil Anderson on bass, Tim O'Connor on Fiddle and Mandolin, and sometimes Kevin Schramm on accordion and Tom Poley on banjo, this band puts on a fun show!

Eb's Camp Cookin' will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Saturday, May 22 - The Bill Ganz Western Band will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary.

Celebrate the music of our southwest heritage with this tribute to the golden age of the singing cowboy. Bring the whole family for this unique opportunity to explore our western heritage and culture. In addition to band leader, Bill Ganz, The Bill Ganz Western Band also features Ralph Gilmore on drums, Rich Brennion on pedal steel, and Bill Ronstadt on bass and vocals. They will also be doing a special performance with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra on March 26 through 28. Visit The Tucson Symphony Orchestra website for information and tickets to that show.

The Bill Ganz Western Band will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb in Tucson, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is $10.

Thursday, May 27 - Claude Bourbon from the U.K. will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

Claude's musical roots are blues, however, his music has and will continue to evolve over the years. Bourbon gets his musical inspiration from around the world including Spanish Middle Eastern, Russia and Europe. Claude Bourbon takes the different sounds heard from different regions and molds them into the songs and melodies you hear at his shows. His songs may be blues-sounding, ballads, rock, jazz or even unique and unclassifiable.

Claude Bourbon will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Thursday, June 3 - Kathleen Williamson will perform in our Civano Courtyard Concert Series.

Kathleen Williamson is a performing songwriter, provocateur, and impurist. She has won TAMMIES (Tucson Area Music Awards) for Best New CD (for both "Love is Best of All" and "The Sacred Spud"), Best Songwriter, Best Folk Music, and Runner-up for Best Vocalist.

Kathleen Williamson will perform in the Civano Neighborhood Center courtyard, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way (1/2 mile south of Irvington and one block east of Houghton) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please bring a lawn chair. You may also bring a picnic dinner, but no alcohol please.

Please contact Bonnie for more information.