A quartet formed in Kyiv in 2004 that blends Ukrainian folk singing with rhythms from India, Africa, and the Arabic world takes the stage Thursday, July 23, at Siesta Valley Bowl in Orinda.
DakhaBrakha calls its sound "ethno-chaos." The four musicians accompany their uncompromising vocal harmonies with Indian, Arabic, African, and Ukrainian instruments, and their performances incorporate strong visual and theatrical elements rooted in the group's origins at the DAKH theater, Kyiv's Center of Contemporary Art. Avant-garde theater director Vladyslav Troitskyi founded the ensemble there, giving it a name that means "give/take" in old Ukrainian. The Guardian has given the group a five-star live review, calling their set "emotional" and "exhilarating."
The show is part of Siesta Valley Bowl's inaugural 2026 season. The 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater sits in a eucalyptus and redwood grove on East Bay Municipal Utility District land, on the site of the former California Shakespeare Theater Bruns Amphitheater. Cal Shakes declared bankruptcy in 2025, and the Siesta Valley Foundation, an East Bay nonprofit led by founder and chairman Tom Romary, signed a 15-year lease with EBMUD in November 2025 to reopen the space.
The venue opened June 5 with a Jonathan Richman concert. Talent buyer David Lefkowitz of the Blue Note Entertainment Group books the acts and has called the amphitheater an intimate venue with festival-quality production in one of the Bay Area's most striking natural settings. Diablo Magazine described Siesta Valley Bowl in July as filling "an amphitheater-sized gap in Contra Costa County's cultural scene."
General Manager Suman Chatterjee has said the venue aims to deliver a broad range of musical styles and genres to the East Bay, with plans to expand into film, dance, and educational programming.
What to know before you go
Siesta Valley Bowl provides stadium seating. No outside food or drink is allowed. On-site parking costs $30, and a free shuttle runs every 10 minutes between Orinda BART and the venue. The venue advises bringing a jacket; temperatures in the East Bay Hills drop after dark.
Check SiestaValleyBowl.com or Ticketmaster for show time and ticket prices.
Coming up at Siesta Valley Bowl
- Stanley Clarke — Saturday, July 25
- Jake Shimabukuro — Friday, August 7
- Rebirth Brass Band and The Soul Rebels — Saturday, August 8
- Beats Antique — Saturday, September 12
- Cécile McLorin Salvant — Tuesday, September 22
- Steep Canyon Rangers — Friday, October 16
- Super Diamond — Saturday, October 24
Full schedule and tickets at SiestaValleyBowl.com.
