Nightbeats: M. Ward brings his solo act to Lagunitas

SHE & HIM - Matthew Stephen Ward has worked with countless artists. You probably also recognize him as half of the powerhouse duo She & Him with actress Zooey Deschanel, who plays Jess on the popular Fox sitcom “New Girl.” The two met in 2006 while working on a duet for the film “The Go-Getter” and have been penning songs together ever since.

Throughout the years, Ward has appeared on recordings with Norah Jones, Cat Power, Neko Case and has built a reputation as a notable producer by working with the likes of Jenny Lewis. Somehow, between his work with so many creative artists, he also was part of Monsters Of Folk, a supergroup which included members of My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes and Centro-Matic.

Though the list of collaborations Ward has done could go on for paragraphs upon paragraphs, here’s what you need to know: His solo project M. Ward is playing at Lagunitas later this month.

With 10 solo albums and catchy songs like “Chinese Translation” that’s received more than 11 million plays on Spotify, M. Ward’s upcoming show in Petaluma shouldn’t be glossed over on the Live At Lagunitas concert series calendar.

The singer-songwriter crafts some of the best thought-provoking lyrics of our time, and his unique fingerpicking guitar style is a treat to behold, too.

Best of all, the show is free as long as you can snag tickets at the Lagunitas website before it sells out.

A portion of all beer proceeds this season will go toward Sonoma County fire relief.

Tip: Make sure to get there early to catch Liz Cooper and The Stampede as well, a folky rock-trio from Nashville. Bring your ID because the show is 21 and older only.

Details: 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, Lagunitas Brewing Company, 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. Free; Lagunitas.com

YOU BE THE JUDGE - When watching “American Idol” or any live television there’s always a risk that you’ll end up yelling at the screen after the person you wanted to win loses.

Take Adam Lambert, who finished as the Season 8 American Idol runner-up, then went on to receive a Grammy nomination and perform with British rock band Queen.

Luckily, the “American Idol” tour features the top seven finalists from Season 16, so you can still catch your favorite contestant performing in person, even if they didn’t win.

The American Idol Live! 2018 tour offers more than 40 stops, including Napa. The list of performers include: Cade Foehner, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Catie Turner, Gabby Barrett, Jurnee, Maddie Poppe and Michael J. Woodard.

Oh, and if you were rooting for Season 8 winner Kris Allen, he’ll be there, too.

Tip: If you didn’t watch the competition this year but want to check out a good performance from this season, look up the Cade Foehner and Bishop Briggs’ cover of INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart.”

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 13, Uptown Theatre, 1350 Third St., Napa. $60-$357; uptowntheatrenapa.com

PUT DOWN THE REMOTE - Speaking of sitcoms and television shows, Gavin DeGraw, the artist behind the theme song for the “One Tree Hill” television ?drama series will be making a stop by Robert Mondavi Winery for this year’s summer concert series. Stop watching old reruns and see the theme song come to life in person.

Aside from “I Don’t Want To Be,” other popular Gavin DeGraw songs include classics such as “Chariot” and stomp anthems like “Best I Ever Had.”

Though general admission tickets are sold out, you can still get “Reserve Patio” tickets, which include a special seating section, complimentary bottled water throughout the concert and bottle wine service.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Robert Mondavi Winery, 7801 St. Helena Highway, Oakville. $120; Robertmondaviwinery.com

Help us keep the beat. Write Estefany at nightbeats@pressdemocrat.com