Island Reggae Fest is back for its sixth year and by the grace of Jah it is bigger and stronger than ever. With its move to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds last year, the fest was able to expand beyond the scope of island music. The event now incorporates Pacific Islander culture…
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California garage rock outfit Superbrat are bringing their fuzzed-out guitars and driving bass lines to The Caravan. Despite continuing the punk rock narrative alongside other riot grrrl bands like Sleater-Kinney and Bratmobile, the group has a softer side. Many of the lyrics found in their debut EP, Dawn on the Coast, are…
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Yousif Kassab on July 5, 2017
One way or another, it’s clear that Blondie still aren’t done reinventing themselves. They return to Mountain Winery for the first time since the release of their forward-thinking 11th studio album, Pollinator. Among the new songs in their collection are collaborations with contemporary pop artists like Sia and Charli XCX, along with…
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Payje Redmond on July 3, 2017
South Bay drag is on the expansion tip. There were no fishy drag queens Friday night at Local Color. Polly Vinyl, host of the Kweenzofharts event, says her troupe is performing and recruiting, and they’ll take anyone with talent—as long they can sell it.
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Although he is classically trained, virtuosic violinist and expert whistler Andrew Bird has never had much use for musical notation. “I just always saw the written note as an unnecessary middleman between me and the song,” says Bird.
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Yousif Kassab on June 26, 2017
Feminist, author and college professor Roxane Gay is coming to Kepler’s to discuss her new book, Hunger. Despite a body of work that has set its sights on society as a whole—discussing pop culture, feminism and identity—her new work sees her turning that focus inward. Through her personal story she explores the…
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Camille Miller on June 24, 2017
For 15 years, Michael Light has documented American culture from above, pursuing themes of mapping, vertigo and human intervention from the cockpit of a 600 pound aircraft. When the San Francisco-based photographer is not thousands of feet in the air, he’s a couple of fathoms below, capturing the aftermath of atomic tests…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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