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Metro Staff on December 18, 2019
The New Ballet returns with its fourth installment of The San Jose Nutcracker, which puts a South Bay spin on the traditional tale of sugar plum fairies and animated toy soldiers. The upstart ballet company has found success by giving local audiences a heaping helping of San Jose history with their Tchaikovsky. For example, instead of a Christmas tree, a replica of San Jose’s iconic Light Tower grows out of the stage. This season, the show will feature a collaborative dance with Los Lupeños Juvenil, the youth division of the Los Lupeños folklorico group. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on December 18, 2019
Reggae fans have it good in the South Bay. Between San Jose and Santa Cruz, some true legends of the Jamaican music scene have been flowing in and out of our little slab of Babylon for years. This week, Tiki Pete continues the tradition by hosting legendary Jamaican vocal group The Itals. Throughout the ’70s this trio released a number of reggae hits (including rocksteady classic “In a Dis Ya Time”), and received a Grammy nod in ’87 for Rasta Philosophy. These days, the Itals are a family band, consisting of singer Alvin “Keith” Porter, his wife and son. Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on December 18, 2019
Russia has long been recognized as a leader in the world of dance, and the Moscow Ballet’s touring production of the Great Russian Nutcracker aims to uphold the country’s reputation—with a little help from the international community. Featuring a group of world-renowned Russian dancers, massive flying puppets from South Africa and hand-painted sets from Wes Anderson collaborator Carl Sprague, this production is sure to dazzle, with Arabian, French and Chinese variations on the holiday classic. In addition to the dextrous troupe of performers, the Moscow Ballet also lends a treasure trove of period-perfect costumes to the pageantry. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on December 18, 2019
San Jose could use a Zorro. The timeless tale of rich-man-turned-masked-swashbuckler entertains because of Zorro’s passion for social justice, and his fight for the poor and downtrodden. Around here, where rich men are a dime a dozen, the have-nots are seen as little more than data points and TaskRabbits. Perhaps that’s why celebrated composer Hector Armienta picked this moment to turn Zorro’s story into a new musical. Incorporating both mariachi and corrido songwriting, Armienta breathes new life into the story of this caped crusader, and restokes the flame of justice for a new generation. Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on December 18, 2019
Bay Area O.G. Andre Nickatina returns to San Jose with more tales from the Fillmore. Dre Dog first burst onto the Bay Area’s underground rap scene in the early ’90s, spinning dark and lurching tales about San Francisco street life over off-kilter and woozy beats. In other words, the guy has been doing what your favorite SoundCloud rapper does for longer than they’ve even been alive. But don’t get it twisted. Nicky may have a few gray hairs on his chin, but age has not rusted his wit or his knack for infectious hooks. He dropped his 13th studio album, Pisces, last spring. Ayo! Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on December 18, 2019
If you know just one thing about Curtis Salgado, let it be this: He was the inspiration for The Blues Brothers. If you know two things about Curtis Salgado, let the second one be this: he was not the inspiration for Blues Brothers 2000. In contemporary blues, artists don’t get much more towering than Salgado. Recognized for his powerful voice and commanding stage performance, the Oregonian singer has won multiple Blues Music Awards, including Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and BB King Entertainer of the Year. He also briefly fronted Santana in the ’90s—and, again, did not inspire Blues Brothers 2000. Continue reading »
Nothing worse than that feeling of missing the last BART home. But my being a little bit tipsy and zoned out on my cell phone got me into this mess. So, I ascend from the station to let the cold wind sober me up enough to snap out of it. I hail a Lyft and lean against a sidewalk billboard to bide the eight minutes until my driver arrives. That’s when you show up. You’re in a black sedan of some make I can’t remember, and you pull alongside the curb in front of me to offer me a ride. It’s late. The street’s eerily empty. I can see you don’t have the Uber or Lyft insignia on your car—and you’re very pushy. “Come on, baby,” you keep saying, insisting you’re harmless and just want to get to know me. I wave you off and start getting a little panicky, counting down the minutes as my real Lyft driver’s avatar moves toward me on the map. Then, just in the nick of time, I’m whisked away.
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.
by
Metro Staff on December 11, 2019
Would you look at that! In between all the margarita pitchers, bottles of Corona and shots of Patron, we somehow lost track of the time. Tres Gringos Cabo Cantina, one of downtown San Jose’s most reliably turnt bars, is hanging up its sombrero after 16 years on South Second Street. ¡Que lastima! Come Jan. 1, the longtime college watering hole is closing for good. They’ll be throwing a few more fiestas before last call—including one last “Tres Tuesday” (free for those with a school ID), one final “Beer Pong Wednesday” and, of course, a totally lit New Year’s Eve party. Continue reading »
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Wallace Baine on December 11, 2019
Singer and songwriter Sara Bareilles is the musical talent behind this winning theatrical production that is still running both on Broadway and in London’s West End theater district. It tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and supernaturally talented pie-maker who is also pregnant and stuck in a bad marriage. Her salvation comes by way of a pie contest. Bareilles wrote the score of the musical and released her own version of the songs, which became a big hit back in 2015. The show runs for eight performances in six days through Dec. 22 at the Center for the Performing Arts. Continue reading »
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Conor Agnew on December 11, 2019
When the Cactus Club closed its doors in 2002, the youth of San Jose lost a vital access point to live music. In the intervening 17 years, numerous churches, community centers and private residences have nobly attempted to reopen that portal. The 3F Gallery is one such venue. Grace Preschool is another; they’ll be hosting one hell of a punk show this Monday. Female-fronted headliners Heavy Stench specialize in powerviolence, a brutal blend of hardcore and thrash characterized by breakneck speed and ultra-short songs. They are joined by Pittsburgh punks Möwer, and three California bands: Lockheed, Combat Shock and Nani SS. Continue reading »
