Christmas comes early to San Jose this year with a string of aweseome concerts. The Mumlers reunite on Thursday, bringing together the original lineup for a one-off performance at The Ritz. Pick up a copy of this week’s Metro to read our interview with frontman Will Sprott. Then, on Friday, The Limousines return with their seventh annual XXX-Mas Fckfest at The Ritz. Also on Friday, Lil Debbie and Husalah rock both stages of the BackBar SoFa across the street. Saturday brings a Christmas Eve Dance Party to Charley’s in Los Gatos, and Christmas night surely won’t be silent at The Continental, which hosts the fifth annual James Brown Tribute Party.
The Veyebe
Wed, 9pm, Free
Aura, San Jose
Vibe out on art, music and live performance at The Veyebe. Presented by artist collective A Royal Masterpiece, this multidisciplinary showcase aims to be a multisensory experience. Featuring painters, singers, dancers, DJs, poets and other creators, this “Celebration of Life” edition of The Veyebe brings 11 up-and-coming artists into one space. Performers include Jeff Turner, DJ A Midas, Wooshay and Flammy Marciano, with live art from Moz_Art, Cayla Davis and Tyrice Hicks. Attendees are invited to take part in the artistic process by offering their bodies up as canvases. (JT)
Avery Nightclub Opens
Wed, 10pm, Free
Avery, San Jose
Avery opened last weekend in the building that long housed Agenda, the new bar and dance music spot had a big opening night and looks poised to make waves in downtown San Jose’s club scene. Folding the exposed brick walls of Agenda into its design aesthetic, the new owners have introduced some sleek new decor, giving the room a decidedly modern appeal. Last weekend, both the top floor (formerly Agenda) and the bottom floor (now Tac-Oh! during the day) were both open—giving patrons access to two bars, a large upstairs dance floor and a posh lounge on the ground floor. (NV)
Whiskey Avengers
Thu, 9pm, $10
BackBar SoFa, San Jose
One of the few bands to actually release an anti-Christmas album, Whiskey Avengers have always thrived on blending reggae, ska, punk and hip-hop with their hard-partying and self-deprecating sense of humor. The group first started making music in 2006 in San Jose. Today, they are based mostly out of San Diego, though they still enjoy making the occasional run up to their South Bay home. Back in 2014 they dropped an all-dub album and released their fourth full-length album—the reflective, feel-good 4th Round—earlier this year. (JT)
Dave Koz
Thu, 8pm, $55-$95
City National Civic, San Jose
For many devoted fans, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without the merry, magical music of Dave Koz. The nine-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist returns to the Bay Area with a few friends—Jonathan Butler, Kenny Lattimore and Valerie Simpson—for the 19th edition of the Koz Holiday tour. Known for his smooth, energetic style, Koz has landed nine No. 1 albums on the Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart. He has also released five holiday-themed albums. Catch Koz doing what he does best when he comes to town this week. (JT)
The Limousines
Fri, 8pm, $15-$20
The Ritz, San Jose
Anyone who knows anything about The Limousines knows that their XXX-Mas Fckfest is an absolute blast. For six years, the local electropop duo have been packing The Blank Club and The Ritz with their annual holiday dance party. This year marks the seventh installment of the boozy Yuletide bash. And with support from Panic is Perfect, Love District, David Knight, DJ K-Von and longtime Limos supporter DJ Aaron Axelsen of Live 105, it’s bound to be lit like a Christmas tree. Make sure those elf shoes are laced up real tight. It’s gonna get weird. (NV)
Lil Debbie
Fri, 9pm, $20
BackBar SoFa, San Jose
Make no mistake: Lil Debbie packs a whole lot of attitude into her tight little frame. The East Bay emcee first burst onto the scene as a part of the now-defunct White Girl Mob—along with Kreayshawn and V-Nasty—making a cameo in the video for Kreay’s big hit “Gucci Gucci.” She rose in prominence after turning in a number of off-the-wall collaborations with fellow white-rapper-weirdo RiFF RAFF (“BRAiN FREEZE” and “MiCHELLE OBAMA”). Though often dismissed as a gimmick, she’s showing no signs heeding the haters. She dropped her debut full-length, Debbie, earlier this year. (NV)
Husalah
Fri, 9pm, $20
BackBar SoFa, San Jose
Hard bars and no nonsense. That’s what makes Husalah a respected Bay Area hip-hop veteran. He’s been spitting rhymes for more than 15 years, and his biggest hit—“Murda On My Mind”—boasts a YouTube view count of 2.6 million. Many of his other top tracks have garnered clicks in the six figures. Over the course of his career, Husalah has collaborated with a number of hyphy legends, including Keak Da Sneak, The Jacka and Too Short. The video for Husalah’s latest feature collaboration with The Mechanix, “Cruisin & Mobbin,” premiered last month. (JT)
Christmas Eve Dance Party
Sat, 10pm, Free
Charley’s, Los Gatos
Forget about egg nog and singing songs about chestnuts roasting over open fires. Change the way you celebrate the holidays this year by hitting the dance floor and working up a sweat. Voted the best place to dance in Silicon Valley four years in a row, the Los Gatos club will have two DJs—Alireza and Nima—keeping the dance floor lit up on Christmas Eve—and not with tacky Christmas music. Guests arriving early will get a special holiday party favor, as the first 50 people through the door will receive free Santa hats. (JT)
James Brown Tribute
Sun, 9pm, Free
The Continental Bar, San Jose
While devout Christians are busy celebrating the birth of their God made flesh, a group of local DJs will be celebrating the Godfather of Soul at the fifth annual James Brown Tribute. Known for his amazing voice, explosive energy and raw talent, Brown helped pave the way for funk and hip-hop. A Bay Area legend, DJ Sake 1, will headline this holiday homage, while DJ Chale Brown & The CME put in supporting sets. DJ Sake 1 has toured the country on the merits of his turntable skills and is more than qualified to put a new spin on some of Brown’s most memorable hits. (JT)
