Whether for October 31 or Día de los Muertos, The American Riviera goes big for spooky season and this year is no different. Beyond the festivals, you can already secure your tickets to the annual Candlelight Halloween concert in Santa Barbara, recreating scary songs and eerie compositions in a new light.
Candlelight: Halloween Classics
Tim Burton’s gothic imagination has shaped Halloween aesthetics for generations, and Danny Elfman’s “Nightmare Before Christmas medley” captures that perfectly twisted sensibility. Combined with Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre” and Carpenter’s “Halloween theme”, this selection represents the evolution of horror from classical literature to modern cinema.
This captivating show will be performed by a talented string quartet who’ll bring intimacy to these larger-than-life compositions. Elfman’s orchestral complexity gets distilled through four instruments while Saint-Saëns’ violin-led death dance becomes even more personal. Carpenter’s minimalist terror builds through careful layering, each instrument adding tension until the amber illumination seems to pulse with the music itself.
Candlelight Halloween Santa Barbara at Music Academy of the West
Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara is renowned for its lush gardens, Mediterranean-style architecture, and serene courtyards. This spooky season, the popular venue get a mysterious glow-up as Candlelight fills the performance spaces with a golden glow. The spooky show lasts 60 minutes and doors open 30-45 minutes before the start so both music lovers and horror fans can absorb the venue’s refined, historic atmosphere.
As the string quartet performs “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Funeral March of a Marionette” by Charles Gounod, and “Stranger Things (Theme)” by S U R V I V E, the setting’s elegance is heightened by the music’s haunting tones. It’s a sensational experience for anyone looking for a great evening plan so we encourage you to secure your tickets early because they’re known to sell out quickly.