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Bill Kopp on October 20, 2021
Guitarist, singer and songwriter Graham Parker first came to the attention of American audiences during the punk and new wave era of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. As a result, he was sometimes mentioned in the same breath as acts like the Sex Pistols. But musically, he had little in common with punk bands. Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on October 20, 2021
Seven years out from Salad Days, and we’re still living in Mac DeMarco’s world. The Canadian normcore icon’s lazy, stoney guitar and fat, cloudy synths on record captivated a generation of hipsters, stoners and dirtbags, and this weekend he’s heading to Stanford to put the next generation of hipsters, stoners and dirtbags—er, leaders—under his spell, too. The dude’s an impish delight on stage, he’s still got the chops on guitar, and still smells like cigarettes almost a decade later—there’s not really any more you can ask from a canon indie rocker. Continue reading »
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Alec Adams on October 20, 2021
Few live theater groups can claim to grind as hard as the Sunnyvale Community Players. They’ve been indefatigable since 1969 and even a global pandemic couldn’t shut them out. Hot off the heels of their West Side Story run, they’re back with the musical adaptation of Daniel Wallace’s novel Big Fish. The story of an Alabama father relating his life’s fantastical and outlandish stories to his skeptical son, actor John Mannion describes the tale as “uplifting, colorful, fun”—an energy that’s been in short supply these days. Available to view both in person and to stream online. Continue reading »
Legendary Bay Area DJs Chuy Gomez and Kilo are throwing a wild Halloween party on Saturday at The GlassHouse. The music of choice for the night will be top 40s, hip-hop, Latin and more, with the vibes spinning late into Sunday morning across the GlassHouse’s two party rooms. A $1,000 prize goes to the winner of the night’s costume contest, and there’s tables and bottle service for the high rollers. The honorable MC Gomez will be hosting the festivities, harkening back to his time as a beloved radio show host in the Bay. Continue reading »
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Alec Adams on October 20, 2021
RL Grime has long enjoyed the best of both worlds—whether he’s collaborating with A-Listers from the world of hip-hop, EDM or traditional pop, genre has never been able to limit the LA producer’s magic touch. He can bring in millions of streams and still maintain the DIY ethos of his soundcloud roots. Having built his early reputation on the strength of his annual Halloween mixes and animated visuals, there is no artist better equipped to kill a late October set at San Jose Civic this Saturday. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the Grime! Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on October 20, 2021
San Jose and video games go together like HP and MP. At LVL Up this Saturday, all manner of games and gaming paraphernalia will be on sale for the massive Game Swap Night Market. Here, gamers can pick up classic carts like Ninja Gaiden and Altered Beast, peruse some recent gaming phenoms like Persona, Catherine and Hades or grab some tabletop options for the whole family like 7 Wonders or Codename. There’s even the option to tear the family apart by bringing a copy of Settlers of Catan into the household. A perfectly nerdy night out for gaming neophytes and masters of unlocking alike. Continue reading »
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Grace Stetson on October 20, 2021
Beloved country crooner and activist Willie Nelson couldn’t have said it better than in his 1981 hit song: “Just can’t wait to get on the road again / The life I love is making music with my friends.” This Saturday, that dream becomes a reality once again, with 88-year-old Nelson returning to Shoreline Amphitheatre for the Outlaw Music Festival, a celebration of all things country. There, the Redheaded Stranger will be joined by other genre legends like North Carolina folk-rock group the Avett Brothers and Grammy Award-winning singer Lucinda Williams for a day of fun in the sun full of dancing and joy. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on October 20, 2021
Originally formed by Dan Kuramoto in 1974, Hiroshima has remained a singular figure in contemporary jazz for almost forty years. Taking inspiration from the musicality and pop sensibilities of groups like Earth, Wind and Fire, the band combines American jazz and R&B with traditional Japanese instrumentation like the koto and the shakuhachi (wood flute) to unique effect. The transportative 1980 hit “Winds of Change” received a Grammy nom for Best R&B Instrumental, and five years later the band went gold with the pop-fusion opus Another Place. This year, the band released 2020, their 19th album. Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on October 20, 2021
No cutting around it: quarantine has collectively destroyed our attention spans. Sometimes it’s just impossible to sit through a feature-length film without one’s mind wandering to the next thing, looking for the next quick fix of stimulation. The attention-deficit aesthete can start restoring their cinephile muscles at the San Jose International Short Film Festival. For four days, Santana Row will host a series of terrific showcases of quick-hit filmmaking genius from across the globe. Highlights include the fan-favorite “Make Em Laugh” comedy block, the animated “Ink and Paint Club,” and trippy sci-fi “World Beyond.” Continue reading »
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Grace Stetson on October 20, 2021
If the pandemic has taught society anything, it’s the importance of being straightforward. Comedian, former talk-show host and all-around jokester Chelsea Handler took that lesson to the bank, branding her latest tour: “Vaccinated and Horny.” The comedian—perhaps best known for her quick quips on late night show Chelsea Lately, her Netflix documentary series Chelsea Does or her podcast Dear Chelsea—will bring all that sharp wit and more to the stage at San Jose Civic this Thursday. In a recent visit to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Handler said about the tour: “There’s nothing that replaces a live audience.” Continue reading »
