KCRW's Jason Bentley to Appear at...South Coast Plaza?

Jason Bentley (seen looking very sly in that picture over there) took over as host of Morning Becomes Eclectic--and KCRW music director--on December 1 of last year, but though the taste-making Santa Monica-based public radio station's signal covers Orange County comfortably, Bentley hasn't had the chance to make it out here recently.

That changes next Wednesday, June 24, with Bentley up in our area for the first time since taking over from the venerable Nic Harcourt. He'll be DJing the "STARS of Santa Barbara" benefit event at, of all places, Costa Mesa's memorial to our once-bustling economy known as South Coast Plaza (outdoors between Nordstrom and Macy's, specifically). Tickets are $65, and according KCRW's press release, "every dollar generated from ticket sales, sponsorships and silent auction will be donated directly to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County." You can buy in advance here. Your $65 also gets you food from local OC restaurants, a silent auction and, as the name implies, wine selections from more than 30 Santa Barbara wineries.