Enjoy Live Music Concerts in Orange County, CA

Lord of the Strings Concerts has been bringing the finest musicians to Southern California since 2002. The Orange County Register called President & Founder Tim Johnson the "Guitar Hero."

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A person playing an orange guitar with their hand on the string.

Upcoming Events

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Jim "Kimo" West

Kimo is regarded as one of the world’s foremost “ki ho’alu” or Hawaiian “slack key” guitar artists and his music has garnered over one hundred twenty five million spins on streaming services and more on Sirius XM. He is a 2021 Grammy® Winner for his CD, “More Guitar Stories” and a 2019 Grammy® nominee for “Moku Maluhia-Peaceful Island” and a current nominee for his work as producer and guitarist on “Sounds Of Kumbha”. He is also a 2008 winner of the Hawaii Music Awards and six-time Na Hoku Hanohano (the Hawaiian ‘Grammy’) nominee. He is also a two-time winner of the LA Treasures Award for his efforts in keeping this important acoustic guitar tradition alive. He is a veteran of Hawaii’s famed slack key festivals as well as the So Cal Slack Key Festival every year from 2008 through 2025.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Kimo West

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - November 7th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Band on stage under colorful lights.

The Carl Verheyen Band

In his 50-plus years of playing the instrument, Carl has created a wildly successful, multi-faceted career. He is a critically acclaimed musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and educator with sixteen albums and two live DVDs released worldwide. Carl is commonly regarded as a guitar virtuoso capable of playing any style of music with remarkable mastery and conviction. He has been one of LA’s elite “first call” session players for the past 40 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks and television shows. Verheyen has graced the pages of countless industry publications and been the subject of numerous articles chronicling his rise to the forefront of the modern-day guitar scene. Carl has won numerous polls and musical honors in the US, Germany, France, Italy and the UK.

A member of the smash hit British rock group Supertramp since 1985, Carl has played to millions of enthusiastic fans in sold out arenas worldwide. As the creative force behind the Carl Verheyen Band, he has released an impressive and eclectic discography that showcases his endless talents across a wide array of musical genres. The CVB tours all over the world and continues to draw fans on the festival circuit as well as theaters and clubs. Carl also works with Police drummer Stewart Copeland in his PDO project, playing the music of the Police with symphony orchestras around the USA.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Carl Verheyen

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - December 5th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Peppino & Mads - 1

peppino d'agostino & mads tolling

A native of Italy, D’Agostino has made his considerable international mark as a musical artist on the guitar since he arrived in America 35 years ago. In 2017 Guitar Player listed him as one of the 50 transcendent superheroes of the acoustic guitar. The CD, “Every Step of The Way,” was awarded by Acoustic Guitar’s People’s Choice Awards with a Bronze medal for Best Acoustic Album of All Time. His signature Seagull acoustic guitar has been voted among the ten best signature guitars by Guitar Player magazine. 

Mads Tolling is an internationally renowned violinist and composer originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, now living in San Francisco. As a former nine-year member of both bassist Stanley Clarke’s band and the celebrated Turtle Island Quartet, Mads won two Grammy Awards, and he was nominated for a third Grammy in 2015. He was the 2016 winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award. Mads has performed with Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, Leo Kottke and Sergio & Odair Assad. Mads is a current member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros & Wolf Pack Band.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Peppino D'Agostino & Mads Tolling

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - January 30th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Adam Rafferty

adam rafferty

Adam Rafferty was born and raised in New York City, and is currently spending most of his time on the road playing concerts and doing workshops.

As a 6 year old kid he started with Woody Mann as his teacher and learned little fingerpicking blues tabs from Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake and others.

Like many guitar players he went through the phases of rock, classical and then got deep into jazz.

He played jazz guitar for many years in NYC, and got to play with some jazz greats along the way like Mike Longo (pianist for Dizzy Gillespie and his mentor), Alvin Queen (Drums for Oscar Peterson & Horace Silver), Dr. Lonnie Smith (B3 organ with George Benson), Buster Williams, Bob Cranshaw, Tal Farlow….the list goes on!

In 2006 he got way deep into fingerstyle guitar after hearing the one and only Tommy Emmanuel.

Since then – life has changed. He has toured worldwide (Bangkok, USA, Germany, Italy, Austria, Scotland, Bermuda, Singapore, Malaysia, Czech Republic), released several fingerstyle instruction DVDS (teaching Stevie Wonder, Jackson Five and Jazz Guitar), and amassed over 10 million YouTube views.

Adam also loves teaching music to anyone who is dedicated, helping people achieve “aha” moments.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Adam Rafferty

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - February 27th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Man holding an acoustic guitar, wearing denim.

Laurence Juber

GRAMMY® WINNER - GUITARIST FOR PAUL McCARTNEY’S WINGS - FINGERSTYLE GUITARIST OF THE YEAR - STUDIO MUSICIAN & COMPOSER

GRAMMY® winning guitarist Laurence Juber is a solo performer, recording artist, composer and arranger. His playing fuses folk, jazz, blues, pop and classical styles, creating a multi-faceted performance that belies the use of only one instrument.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Laurence Juber

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - April 3rd
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Acoustic Eidolon

Acoustic Eidolon

Acoustic Eidolon, featuring Joe Scott on double neck guitjo and Hannah Alkire on cello are from Colorado and have graced stages throughout the US, Europe, Australia and Canada.  With thirteen CDs and two DVDs to their credit, these masterful artists continue to captivate audiences throughout the world with their signature “new acoustic” sound and boundless possibilities in blending Celtic, Americana, World & Flamenco musical influences, something that Dirty Linen Magazine praises as “a sumptuous musical feast.”   They are described by the Swallow Hill Music Association as “an evening of brilliant instrumentality,” and Georgia’s Good Life Magazine enthuses, “Acoustic Eidolon offers concert-goers a chance to absorb some of the most powerful and intriguing music on the scene today.”

See the Tickets Page for more information about Acoustic Eidolon

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - April 24th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Man playing guitar with a smile.

Alberto Lombardi

Italian virtuoso guitarist Alberto Lombardi is an internationally renowned acoustic solo fingerstyle and electric rock player, a singer songwriter and record producer.

See the Tickets Page for more information about Alberto Lombardi

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - May 8th
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm

Three musicians with guitars and double bass.

The Joscho Stephan Trio

The Joscho Stephan Trio is a gypsy swing band that combines gypsy swing with Latin, classical, and rock.  Joscho Stephan shapes modern gypsy swing with his playing like no other: With his authentic tone, his harmonic finesse and his sense of rhythm, but above all with his breathtaking solo technique, Stephan has earned himself an outstanding reputation on the international guitar scene. 

See the Tickets Page for more information about The Joscho Stephan Trio

Mission Viejo Civic Center
Saturday - May 22nd
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm