While its shiftless younger cousins, rock and hip-hop, rely on the impulsive tendencies of youth, blues is a genre that rewards mastery. From B.B. to John Lee, the best bluesmen only improve with age. Case in point: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inductee Elvin Bishop. His 1976 single “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” recently found younger audiences on the first Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, and he proves he’s still got it on his 2014 LP Can’t Even Do Wrong Right, with its knee-slapping title track. Bishop headlines the Fountain Blues Festival. Continue reading »
by
Yousif Kassab on June 22, 2017
Judging by the heat wave we’re currently boiling through, it’s clear that summer has arrived—and that’s just fine with the guys from Katchafire. Hailing from Hamilton, New Zealand, the band has been pumping out sunny, roots-reggae anthems since their formation in 2000 as a Bob Marley tribute band. It’s been a minute since the band dropped a full-length (2010’s On The Road Again), but they released the laid-back single “Burn It Down” last September. Katchafire will be joined by Monterey Bay reggae group One A-Chord, Bay Area top-rankers Mango Kingz.
Continue reading »
by
Payje Redmond on June 21, 2017
As the host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah is one of the most recognizable faces on late night television. The South African-born comedian takes a break from the small screen and returns to the big stage in Saratoga this Friday. During his set, Noah will undoubtedly draw upon his long journey from Johannesburg to New York. The child of an African mother and European father, Noah has faced many hurdles on account of the color of his face. The show is also sure to cover current events, as Noah brings his multiethnic perspective and humor to the day’s headlines.
Continue reading »
This week, the beloved San Jose band Leer play their final show, not in San Jose, but six hours away in Pomona. Why? “A lot of people like us in the general Pomona-SoCal area, maybe more so than the Bay Area at times,” says Dan Vo, Leer’s guitarist and primary songwriter. Continue reading »
by
Camille Miller on June 21, 2017
Expert pianist and flutist Chin-Fei Chan has a doctorate degree in flute performance, over 10 years of teaching experience and actively performs worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician and piano accompanist. Her philosophy: to have fun and enjoy herself while she plays. Accompanied by pianist Meng-Hua Lin, Chan will play the flute in a summer evening concert whose only connection to the Shakespearean play lies in its ability to transport audiences to an enchanting realm of dreamlike sensation. The evening’s program will include Fantaisie, by French composer Philippe Gaubert and Fantasia, by Taiwanese composer Tyzen Hsiao.
Continue reading »
by
Camille Miller on June 21, 2017
In 2006, the Dukedom of Illyria became the elite boarding school setting of a contemporary teenage drama that catalyzed Channing Tatum’s evolution from male stripper to movie star. This year, playwright Max Gutmann reinvents the beloved Elizabethan era comedy by rearranging thousands of snippets from the original play and shifting savvy sea captain Antonio to center stage. Little does Sebastian’s friend (or lover?) know that in this rendition, his happy life is about to fall apart. Kidnapping, cross-dressing and flirtation convene in the world premiere of this madcap travesty production that runs until July 16. Continue reading »
I sit down to breakfast and ask, “You’re not a Trump supporter are you?” You’re an attractive, amiable man, so I was hoping we could clear that hurdle. Of course, you like Trump and defend him. Persistently. I tell you I expect there to be a civil war. You agree. Several days later, a politically motivated shooting occurs in D.C. From now on I’ll make a point of asking the deal-breaker question in advance. If Trump can be caught on tape bragging about grabbing women and still get more than half of all men’s vote, I have serious reservations about dating at all.
I Saw You is an anonymous “man on the street” column. Email your rants and raves about co-workers or any badly behaving citizens to [email protected], or send to 380 S. First St, San Jose, 95113. Submissions should stick to about 100 words.
It’s hard to think of another celebrity as uniquely positioned to pull together an event like this weekend’s ID10T Music Festival + Comic Conival as Chris Hardwick. Continue reading »
The last time Tool released a record was in 2006. Maybe that’s why the tickets for their upcoming show at the Shark Tank are going for less than $15? Hard to say. If you didn’t shell out for full price tickets but still want to get your “Stinkfist” on, check out StubHub now. Though they have explicitly stated they won’t be putting out any new music this year, there’s still been a good amount of activity from the legendary band. Even if there’s no new release immediately forthcoming, they’ll likely play new songs in San Jose, as the band has been including some new material in recent sets. And with their, uh, “highly” trippy live shows, the SAP Center is set to look like one massive third eye. Continue reading »
There’s nothing new under the sun. That’s what the preacher man said. What has been will be again. So it was at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Monterey International Pop Festival. Continue reading »
