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Tad Malone on October 31, 2018
Comedy writer and standup comic Gareth Reynolds is best known for his podcast with fellow comedian Dave Anthony, The Dollop—a hilarious walk through the more absurd aspects of American History. The Milwaukee-bred Reynolds most recently wrote for the Netflix resurrection of Arrested Development, and has had a hand in a many of other TV shows, including an appearance on IFC’s Maron, Comedy Central’s Idiotsitter, as well writing for the Netflix Original FLAKED. Armed with witty quips, a well-developed impersonation toolbox, and a cynical but boundless enthusiasm, Reynolds shines everywhere he is featured. He performs through Nov. 4. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on October 31, 2018
Just a few years ago, Kennedy Ashlyn was one half of the up-and-coming goth pop act Them Are Us Too, a group formed when both members were students at UCSC. The duo began touring on summer vacations, and before long had signed with influential goth and experimental label Dais Records. For such a young band, they were poised for success.
And then, tragedy. Continue reading »
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Tad Malone on October 31, 2018
This week’s Thursday Night Football is a Bay Area battle royale, as the Raiders go head-to-head with the Niners at Levi’s Stadium. It hasn’t been a great year for either organization. Both teams have only one win each and are coming off yet another loss. Still, the 49er Faithful and the Raider Nation can take solace in knowing that their respective clubs have little to lose and plenty of bragging rights to gain. When it comes to water cooler banter, few things more precious than a win over one’s regional rivals. Continue reading »
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Bill Kopp on October 31, 2018
High-concept cover bands succeed when they breathe new life into something old and familiar. Dread Zeppelin started doing it in the 1990s, with its Elvis impersonator meets reggae band take on Led Zeppelin’s catalog. Today Mac Sabbath takes the form to its most bizarre extreme: exploring the proto-doom and heavy metal of Black Sabbath while dressed as mutant (and unauthorized) characters from the marketing world of McDonald’s. The result is, in a word, sacrilegious. It’s also hysterically funny. But what’s most important is that it works. The band’s fast food-themed parody lyrics somehow fit well onto the classic sludge of Ozzy and his pals. Continue reading »
To the teenagers in the back row of the theater at a certain 20-screen movie establishment in Sunnyvale: We know what you were up to, and you’re lucky we didn’t get you kicked out of the ‘Venom’ showing. The clink of metal on the floor mystified my date and me at first until one of the objects you two were repeatedly dropping fell into our row. Whipped cream canisters! Ya’ll were huffing Whip-Its! (Which explains the heavy gasps between the clinks.) Once I realized what all the racket was about, I was less annoyed by the muffled giggles and dropping canisters than depressed by the fact that I was in proximity to the least glamorous bacchanal in the history of bacchanalia. That’s no laughing matter.
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.
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Estefany Gonzalez on October 25, 2018
Picture the product of a torrid affair between the Top 40 charts and a best of Broadway playlist and you’re likely imagining something close to the poptastic power of Glee co-stars Darren Criss and Lea Michele. While watching Criss make villainous DC comic cameos on CW’s The Flash or Michele murder sassy sorority girls on FOX’s Scream Queens is great, there’s nothing like hearing the pair break out into song. Experience the pair reunite to perform solos, duets and Glee favorites in person at the Center for the Performing Arts. Continue reading »
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Wallace Baine on October 25, 2018
German-born pianist Axel Schmitt, a faculty member at Mountain View’s Community School of Music and Arts, has at least one heavy lift on his bucket list: He’s attempting to perform every one of Beethoven’s piano sonatas—that’s 32 total—before the 250th anniversary of the great composer’s birth in 2020. On Sunday, Schmitt presents his third concert of Beethoven sonatas, this one checking five more off the list. If you’re keeping score, that’s Opus Nos. 49-1, 49-2, 14-1, 14-2 and 22. It’s free, but seating is limited. Arrive early. Continue reading »
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Nick Veronin on October 25, 2018
As part of a string of local celebrations of El Dia de los Muertos, the School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza presents a walking tour of beautifully arranged altars and other art installations at various locations on the three blocks surrounding the MHP. After taking in the altars and art, visitors can stick around for a cumbia dance party with live music. The following day, La Ultima Parada kicks off at noon, featuring food, drinks and a wide array of merchants and artisans selling Dia de los Muertos-themed items and other works. Continue reading »
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Nick Veronin on October 25, 2018
Traditionally, mariachi as a musical form comes from a specific place. It is played on specific instruments, and its practitioners often limit performances to specific spaces within a specific region. New York-based Mariachi Flor de Toloache maintain a rotating ensemble of all women performers—all from highly diverse backgrounds—and infuse their western Mexican arrangements with elements of rock, jazz and hip-hop. They are just as comfortable performing at a local cultural center as they are playing with Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach at the Bowery Ballroom. As such, they are connecting with audiences in a manner that straightforward mariachi acts couldn’t hope to match. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on October 25, 2018
Billed as part of this weekend’s TwitchCon, Games Done Quick Express is the latest video game speedrunning event from Games Done Quick, the group that wrote the book on speedrunning. Since 2010, the event has raised many millions of dollars for worthy causes, including more than $2.3 million for Doctors Without Borders this past June, all while logging insanely fast run times of classic games. Highlights of this weekend’s event include death- (and time-) defying runs of Dark Souls III, Earthbound, and Silent Hill II, while money raised will go to important foundations like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Continue reading »
