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Mike Huguenor on August 18, 2021
As he famously declared in “93 Til Infinity:” “A-Plus is famous.” And though it’s Opio who kicks off that track, its Plus’ verse that knocks it into the stratosphere. The founding Souls of Mischief rapper and longtime Hieroglyphics member always finds a way to turn up the heat when he hops on the mic. Plus comes to LVL Up as headliner of “Revolutionary Sounds,” a stacked lineup of local rappers who, on top of entertaining audiences, will also act as soundtrack for two video game tournaments: Street Fighter V and Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Enjoy the show indoors or out. Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on August 18, 2021
After becoming the hit show in Pear Theatre’s 2019 “Pear Slices” showcase, playwright Meghan Maugeri expanded “Mothers of the Bride” into a full-length play. The comedy follows a bride-to-be as she navigates her close relationships with her mother and stepmother, and they in turn negotiate their own complicated relationship and common bonds, offering warm, keen insights on the complicated families people create as they navigate life. The debut show of the Pear’s 20th season, “Mothers of the Bride” will be shown in a hybrid format; patrons may choose to attend the play in person or virtually. Continue reading »
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Grace Stetson on August 18, 2021
The ‘90s really started over 30 years ago—now, take a chill pill and get ready to get jiggy with it. This Thursday, the guys behind the Emo Night Tour bring the best of the ‘90s back, and with jams from the Beastie Boys to TLC, Green Day and Fatboy Slim, people will be dancing their beepers and skate shoes right off. To get the slacker vibes really going, the club will also host beer pong and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater on stage, and play classic ‘90s cinema like Clueless and Can’t Hardly Wait on the bar’s TVs. This time around, there’s no need to bug a friend’s older brother to buy beer.
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Mike Huguenor on August 11, 2021
These days, Brandon Coleman has exactly one thing on his mind:
“Trying to influence the music industry to produce more original music instead of just the status quo,” says the keyboardist/vocalist/arranger. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on August 11, 2021
Last week, after more than a year and a half of delays, Bay Area screamo band Hawak released their debut full length nước. In Vietnamese, the word means “water.” Simultaneously, it also means “country”—a duality with particular significance for the band. Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on August 11, 2021
Get ready for an eclectic double bill. Vetiver, indie folk project of San Francisco’s Andy Cabic, plays lush, seventies-esque Americana that straddles the line between bright pop and introspective melancholy. Performing with several acoustic guitarists, Cabic’s songwriting makes the old school into a melodic beauty. Similarly, guitarist David James, alongside reed player Beth Custer and trombonist Alan Williams, have moved from their foundations in jazz to incorporate the influence of rock, soul, funk and a variety of African and Latin musical traditions, to create a musical tradition all their own—experimental yet totally accessible. Continue reading »
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Kyle Martin on August 11, 2021
Southeast Stockton’s Young Slo-Be will have the 408 streets turning up on Saturday for the release of his new album Slo-Be Bryant 3 at San Jose’s LvL Up Arcade. The third entry in Slo’s trap mixtape series, Bryant 3 is the latest exciting release to come out of Stockton’s poppin’ young hip hop scene—a stark, hard-edged counterpart to the Bay’s more famous (and playful) rap world. Guest artists for the night include other Stockton heavyweights like EBK Young Joc and EBK Hotboiz, as well as major players from the Sacramento scene like Freeway Donny, AO Bubb and more. Continue reading »
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Kyle Martin on August 11, 2021
Back from its hiatus in 2020, San Jose Jazz’s yearly live and local music extravaganza is headed to quite a few stages around San Jose this weekend. From Friday on, many incredible musicians will be performing in nooks and crannies all throughout downtown San Jose, including local artists like the 7th St. Big Band, Joy Hackett and the SJZ Collective, as well as marquee guests like Common, Kandace Springs, Shamarr Allen and the Underdogs, Morris Day and the Time, Quiana Lynell, Las Chikas and more. A San Jose tradition more than thirty years running. Continue reading »
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Elliott Sky Case on August 11, 2021
Midsummer couldn’t have a dreamier night than this: live theatre by queer artists beneath shooting stars. Local collective More Más Marami Arts presents a series of three short plays in celebration of the Perseids Meteor Shower, summertime’s loveliest cosmic event. Emerging playwrights Lea Kapur and Lauren Doyle showcase stories of reconciliation, desire and keeping long-distance love alive during a Mars mission. Bring masks, lawn chairs and an extra sweater for a theydy or gentlethem friend, and stay after the show for some cosmic late-night wishmaking. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on August 11, 2021
Us millennials have endured a lot in our lifetime: 9/11, Columbine, endless war, the financial collapse, Fred Durst. Long before the pandemic, we were already in need of some healthy nostalgia to set our hearts at ease. After 2020, let’s just say we need it more than ever. Luckily, the Emo Night Tour is here to get us back in the groove with hit after cathartic hit from bands like Saves the Day, My Chemical Romance and Dashboard Confessional, all spun together into an immersive party/show atmosphere that feels like marching in “The Black Parade.” Continue reading »
