For an artist who sings with vulnerability and introspection, Dani Bell offers scarce hints of a persona through her performance with Dani Bell and the Tarantist. On stage, the singer’s face is partly concealed by a feathered commedia dell'arte mask, which she procured in the Venice Republic. Her body reveals only a compulsive devotion to the music, the possessed dancing ecstasy of a tarantist. Dani Bell and the Tarantist return to the Carlsbad Music Festival with their psychedelic dream pop sound.

Los Angeles-based collective Salt Petal invigorates audiences and critics alike with a tropical surf-dance sound in a category all its own. A cross-border combination of Argentinian folk, Brazilian tropicalia, cumbia and up-tempo surf rock blurs ethnic and musical boundaries, bringing to mind Blondie, Os Mutantes, Autenticos Decadentes, and 60’s rock and roll. The band’s sound is one of the freshest to come out of Los Angeles, showcasing deep South American rhythms with vibrant indie-pop harmonies and textures.

Talking Strings is a duo of cellist Peter Jacobson and kora (West African harp-like instrument) player Keenan Webster.

Peter Jacobson is a cellist, producer, songwriter-singer, chamber musician, and teacher. In 2013 he won a Grammy as a member of East LA’s Chicano rock band Quetzal. Pete has recorded cello for Dr. Dre, and frequently plays in the cello section of the San Diego Symphony. His new album, “Dream Talk” is available under his moniker “Hellacello” on all major streaming platforms. Mr. Jacobson has been a soloist with Kamasi Washington and has toured the world with Rhye. Raised in Carlsbad, he resides in Los Angeles, where he records for movies, television and video games.

Keenan Webster began his music studies with Master Teachers from Africa and Cuba as a teenager in Los Angeles. Surrounded by a highly spiritual family, he has spent his life focused on studies of music, religion and history. The music traditions of Latin America, Sumatra and India also infiltrate his style. Keenan performs the 21 string kora (11 played by the left hand and 10 by the right) from West Africa. A harp-like instrument made from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin with a long, hardwood neck.

All original west-coast-surf-soul-jazz-rock sound out of San Diego, California...Surf meets jam…very often venturing South of the Border with sounds reminiscent of Latin and Afro Cuban music. The Red Fox Tails relays their motion picture soundtrack for the keen listener. Since the band’s inception in 2010, The Red Fox Tails have brought their unique-relaxed yet spirited sound to venues across Southern California and Baja.