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Wallace Baine on February 4, 2020
Rhiannon Giddens casts quite a shadow in the realm of bluegrass and Southern folk these days. The singer-songwriter is a banjo and fiddle virtuoso who first garnered critical praise for her work in the North Carolina-based combo the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Recently named the Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts at Santa Clara University, her insights were featured on the luminous Ken Burns special, Country Music. Giddens comes to Stanford to share her explorations in a new collaboration with Italian-born jazz pianist and percussionist Francesco Turrisi. Continue reading »
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Wallace Baine on February 4, 2020
Not since Sherman Alexie’s heyday has there been a Native American novelist with as strong a literary tailwind as Oakland-born writer Tommy Orange. His heartfelt and hilarious 2018 novel There, There won a whole mantlepiece of awards, including the American Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award (and was a finalist for the Pulitzer). Orange made news recently as one of the writers signing a letter to Oprah Winfrey asking her to withdraw the controversial American Dirt from her book club. He comes to the Hammer to chat live with SJSU English Professor Nick Taylor. RSVP required at hammertheatre.com. Continue reading »
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Jeffrey Edalatpour on February 4, 2020
“Pop, six, squish, uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz.” Snap your fingers to the syncopated beat of “Cell Block Tango,” the opening number in Kander and Ebb’s now-immortal musical. The choreography was Bob Fosse’s. But after watching the FX TV series Fosse/Verdon last year, we’ve learned that dancer Gwen Verdon was at his side developing the moves along with him. Monique Hafen Adams will step into the Roxie Hart role, the one that Renée Zellweger played in the 2002 movie. The production runs through March 15. Continue reading »
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Metro Staff on January 30, 2020
On their first-ever US tour, this all-female Japanese math-rock trio make San Jose their one Bay Area stop, and with good reason. Math rock and J-pop have always had a sizable influence on the sound of San Jose’s underground. Reminiscent of the music of Yvette Young—the South Bay’s own female guitar hero—Paranoid Void’s highly melodic and atmospheric tunes are as catchy as they are tricky. Touring behind two mesmerizing singles from 2019, the Osaka band plays Japantown’s tiny 3F Gallery. The gallery asks $10 at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on January 30, 2020
Sacramento-born chillwave producer Scott Hansen, also known as Tycho, received a Grammy nomination for Epoch, his 2016 album of ambient electronic instrumentals that seamlessly blends live instrumentation with drum machines and DAW production. Backed by a live band for most of his performances, Tycho finds a middle ground between live instrumentalists, sampling and electronic synths. This Tuesday at The Catalyst, he’ll be joined by Australian electronica and lo-fi artist Mild Minds, who received acclaim for his 2018 debut single, “Swim.” Mild Minds draws from other electronica influences like Bonobo, ODESZA and Caribou. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on January 30, 2020
Experimental post-rock sextet Caspian, active since 2003, stacks multiple guitar and synth textures in billowing layers. At times, their songs take more than seven minutes to fully develop: Sprawling pieces like “Castles High, Marble Bright” from the eponymous 2016 EP build tension with guitar harmonies that weave in and out of dissonance before unraveling into a cathartic release. On Circles, Caspian’s latest album since their five-year hiatus, diverges from their epic, guitar-laden foundations, introducing new instrumentation and cyclical song forms while retaining their focus on visceral impact. Caspian will headline at Felton Music Hall this Tuesday. Continue reading »
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Metro Staff on January 30, 2020
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are headed to the Big Game, and Niners fans are liking their chances. It’s the first time the Red & Gold have gone to the Super Bowl since the devastating “Harbowl” of 2013, when then head-coach Jim Harbaugh’s squad narrowly lost to his brother’s team—John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens. If you don’t already have tickets and a plan to get out to Miami, you better prepare to shell out. Tickets, as usual, are quite pricey. Fortunately, the game will be broadcast on Fox and shown in bars and pubs all over Silicon Valley. Continue reading »
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Metro Staff on January 30, 2020
South Korea has always had a major footprint here. Kias and Hyundais are ubiquitous. Park Chan-wook’s Vengeance Trilogy and Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer—and his 2020 Academy Award Best Picture nominee Parasite—are popular and critically acclaimed. It’s unclear if bangs-sporting boy bands will ever be an American export again. But we’re happy to allow them through customs, especially when they have bangers like the mostly English-language “Jopping”—a portmanteau of “jumping” and “popping”—which boasts 58 million views on YouTube. They’ve still got a ways to go before catching “Gangnam Style” (3.5 billion streams), but who’s to say they won’t eclipse Psy someday? Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on January 30, 2020
Kooky, boozy, mad-scientist grandpa Rick Sanchez and mild-mannered Morty form one hell of a dysfunctional, dimension-hopping duo as they traverse the multiverse in the Adult Swim animated sitcom Rick and Morty. Now pushing its fourth season, the show boasts a loyal fanbase—so loyal, in fact, that a Rick and Morty-themed trivia pub crawl will be hosted by various venues throughout downtown San Jose this Saturday. Crawlers, encouraged to dress up, get access to exclusive themed drinks, souvenirs and a three-round trivia competition. The crawl starts off at The Brit and continues at venues within a short walking distance. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on January 30, 2020
Good Times Ahead (also known as GTA) is the project of house-DJ duo Julio Mejia and Matt Toth. They’ve racked up millions of plays on streaming platforms and toured with the likes of Tiesto, Calvin Harris and Rihanna, selling out shows across the world. Their self-titled 2016 album included features from rappers Vince Staples and Iamsu! Born and raised in Miami, the pair have been spinning since 2010, moving from party-rocking college ragers to achieving commercial success through collaborations with artists such as Martin Solvieg, Diplo and Rick Ross. Continue reading »
