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Mike Huguenor on July 28, 2021
Elvin Bishop is true blue. Film fans will recognize him for his dusky mellow gold hit “Fooled Around And Fell In Love,” which appeared in Boogie Nights before getting dubbed onto Star-Lord’s “Awesome Mix Vol. 1” in Guardians of the Galaxy. But Mr. Bishop’s career is far more storied than one song. An inductee to both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of Chicago blues group Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and the Blues Hall of Fame, he’s sat in with the Grateful Dead, played guitar on a Bo Diddley record, and a whole lot more. True blue. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on July 28, 2021
Hype for SLC rapper Ceefoe’s debut full length has been steadily building since he dropped first single “Like Dat” on Soundcloud in 2017. Before long, fans had smashed play more than a million times, following Cee Foe on his string of online hits like 2020 trap anthems “Ride” and “Most Wanted” and the vibey 2000s throwback “Be Mine.” Though there’s still no full length yet, 2021 singles “The People’s Champ” and “Bloccboi” (ft. Phatboyy and RBO Stunna) both show why that hype is still growing. At Liquid, he’s joined by 408 legend Big Myke and SF MC Yung Lott. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on July 28, 2021
R&B felt a huge loss in 2010 with the tragic passing of Teena Marie, the Ivory Queen of Soul. Dubbed “Lady T” by longtime friend and collaborator Rick James, Marie was known for her huge soprano in funky, soul-influenced ‘80s club hits like “Square Biz” and “Ooh La La La,” and her eternal duet with James in “Fire and Desire.” At the Drying Shed, Tortilla Soup Music presents powerful Bay Area singer Carmen Jones’s loving tribute to Marie, packing in all the classics with a full band and backup singers in tow. Come get some “Portugeuse Love.” Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on July 28, 2021
Despite the 40 year(!) distance between then and now, ‘80s nostalgia remains stronger than ever. And aside from the endless IP revival in Hollywood and the return of animal prints in fashion, the thing people are most nostalgic for is the music. Those in the know remember that in the emerging club scene of the time, the best dance nights were latin freestyle, going from one synth-y funk beat to the next with Lisa Lisa, Angelina, Stevie B and the gang until the sun came up. Former KMEL legend Chuy Gomez brings the ultimate freestyle party to the Glasshouse. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on July 28, 2021
The Mountain Winery kicks off its 2021 Concert Series with a visit from Nashville country pop vocal group Little Big Town. Originally formed back in the mid-90s when singers Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman reunited after harmonizing together in college, since the mid-2000s, they’ve gone on to win the Grammy’s Best Duo/Group Country Performance no less than three times. With them in Saratoga is recent ANTI- signee Madi Diaz, a talented singer/songwriter with just enough twang to slip onto the bill without seeming out of place. Catch her before the release of History of a Feeling this August. Continue reading »
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Elliott Sky Case on July 28, 2021
Jazz-fusion band Nebula have been regular favorites on Red Rock Coffee’s live event calendar, and on Saturday they’ll fill the Mountain View atmosphere with out-of-this-world instrumentals in a triumphant post-pandemic return. The quintet’s original compositions, as showcased in their 2019 album The More Things Change, combine saxophone and piano melodies with homages to raga and prog, with a dash of contemporary indie rock peppered in. Nebula is sure to be a breath of fresh air for jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike, with sonic blends as rich and delicious as Red Rock’s roasts and pastries. Continue reading »
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Elliott Sky Case on July 28, 2021
It’s loud, it’s vibrant, it’s picking up speed—it’s CUMBIATRON, the finest cumbia dance party on the West Coast! DJs Don-D, Geronimo Selector, Jalinche and Dog Plasma tour their freaky, funky, untraditional Latin club mixes up and down California, and this night features ESSJ’s own Philthy Dronez. Mr. Philthy is a livewire on guitar, accordion, and vocals, and his recent single “Caiganle a la Fiesta” promises to get even the most self-conscious dancer’s hips shaking (caiganle equates roughly to “roll through”; fiesta needs no translation). The show is all-ages, so teens and seniors alike can become rhythm machines for the evening. Continue reading »
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Jay Edgar on July 28, 2021
Mark Haddon’s inventive and profound mystery novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” reached a whole new audience when it was adapted into a Tony-award winning play. Following an Aspergian teenager trying to solve the mystery of a neighbor dog’s death, the audience must see the world through the main character’s eyes, including both tremendous insights and infuriating limitations. This performance, run by the legendary National Theatre in London, will be broadcast for a limited run in San Jose State’s gorgeous Hammer Theatre Center. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on July 28, 2021
Few comedians have walked Felipe Esparza’s road to comedy. In a 12-minute video from Comedy Central stand-up series This is Not Happening, the magnetic and maned east-LA comic describes the “violent journey” that sucked him in and then spat him out of gang life, street fights and rehab—and ultimately led to him telling jokes on stage. Sometimes seen shirtless as Hannibal’s co- co-host on The Eric Andre Show, Esparza is hilarious, human and a quickly rising comic. He’s also likely to sell out, so get tickets fast. Continue reading »
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Mat Weir on July 21, 2021
Family. Respect. Self-Reflection. Re-birth. These are the themes pumping through the heart of Despierta, the new EP from San Jose hardcore act Maya (originally Maya Over Eyes). Released by Shark City Recordings on July 15, it’s the band’s first new music in nine years, shocking fans—and themselves—after their break-up in 2013. Continue reading »