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Conor Agnew on November 13, 2019
It’s been more than a decade since Doug Benson’s explosive documentary Super High Me first revealed the connection between marijuana and comedy, paving the way for sweeping criminal justice reform and more enlightened drug policy at the national level. Or maybe that’s not what happened; the edibles just kicked in. Anyway, Doug’s a cinephile and a talented facilitator of group discussion, two traits expertly deployed in his role as host of the popular podcast Doug Loves Movies, where Benson plays film-focused trivia games with guest comedians, and improvisational hilarity ensues. Showtime is 4:20, and audience participation is highly encouraged. Continue reading »
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C.J. Prusi on November 13, 2019
The Last Gang, Sharp/Shock, GET DEAD, Good Riddance. No, this isn’t a collection of morbid short stories. It’s a punk show. After forming in the ’90s, breaking up in 2007 and getting back together in 2012, Santa Cruz’s Good Riddance ends their Thoughts and Prayers tour in San Jose this week. The band brings a rowdy bunch of punks with them, including San Francisco fivesome GET DEAD, LA dudes Sharp/Shock, and OC trio The Last Gang. So break out those bowling shirts, spike that bleached hair and be sure to stretch out before you hit the pit. Continue reading »
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Kenny Ngo on November 13, 2019
A household name on the global dubstep circuit, American DJ and producer Slushii is known for combining cheery vocal hooks, pulsating synths, rapid-fire trap beats and powerful bass drops into a sugary electronic slurry. The Los Angeles-based Mad Decent affiliate has kept quite busy since dropping his debut EP, Brain Freeze, in 2016. He has two additional EPs and is about to release his third LP, Dream II, later this week. Back in April, he headlined the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, so catching him in the intimate Pure Nightclub should be a sweet treat for fans. Continue reading »
I loves me some Cirque du Soleil and was looking forward to seeing a show in San Francisco for a change. It was media night, and I was using my trusty camera phone to take photos to run with my write-up. Then you, the guy in the seat next to me, yanked my phone out of my hand and screamed, “Stop taking photos and watch the show!” No warning, no escalation—just zero to rageball in an instant. When I explained that this was my job and kept taking photos, you took my phone again and almost didn’t give it back. I left at intermission; what I should have done was have you thrown out for attempted strong-arm robbery. My friend stayed for the second half and said you apologized. Too little, too late doesn’t begin to cover it.
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.
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Jeffrey Edalatpour on November 6, 2019
Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil—the duo behind Les Misérables—take on Puccini with their musical theater adaptation of Madama Butterfly. Set to the backdrop of the Vietnam War, Miss Saigon unfolds to the staccato sound of helicopters and the brutalities of armed conflict. Will the American soldier do right by the woman he meets or will their wartime love affair end in tragedy? Odds are the whole thing will end in tears. This Broadway San Jose production, featuring well-known numbers like, “The Heat is On in Saigon” and “The Movie in My Mind,” runs through Nov. 17. Continue reading »
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Mike Huguenor on November 6, 2019
For the past month, two floors of the MLK library have been home to overflowing ofrendas complete with candles, sugar skulls and marigold pedal pathways, all assembled as part of the library’s “Art of Remembrance” Dia de Muertos exhibit. The altars might come down this weekend, but the experience will live on in a surprising new space: virtual reality. Embracing the changing role of libraries in the 21st century, the SJPL will release an interactive virtual tour of the exhibit this weekend, a first for the library system and a striking example of Dia de Muertos’ position at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. Visit library.sjsu.edu/exhibits for info. Continue reading »
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Wallace Baine on November 6, 2019
North of the Rio Grande, even after three decades together, Caifanes is still only well known to a cult-like rock-en-Español audience. But in their native Mexico, the band ranks among alt-rock’s greatest acts, combining ambitious themes of progressive rock and grand U2-style melodies with Latin rhythms and Spanish lyrics. Formed in Mexico City in 1987, the band reached its height back in the early ’90s. But the boys of Caifanes play on. Still fronted by the charismatic vocalist Saul Hernandez, they are back with Heridos, their first new recording in 25 years. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on November 6, 2019
Born and raised in San Jose, jazz pianist Dahveed Behroozi channels an expressive sense of mystery through his performance. With a driving rhythmic edge and a provocative use of compelling harmonic colors, Behroozi is one of the most creative voices in the Bay Area jazz community. Alongside other acclaimed pianists like Brad Mehldau and Sullivan Fortner, he was mentored by jazz piano wizard Fred Hersch during his college days in New York City. Behroozi leads his trio in a tribute concert to the great Bill Evans, one of the most important innovators in the history of jazz piano. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on November 6, 2019
Since its inception in the 1970s, NJPW has dominated the professional wrestling scene in Japan, achieving a level of popularity comparable to America’s favorite Spandex-and-glitter slugfest, the WWE. NJWP’s accompanying trading card game, Kings of Pro Wrestling, has helped transport the franchise to international audiences. New Japan makes its debut in the South Bay this Saturday with Showdown, the first of a two-night West Coast wrestling event featuring martial art sensations like Kota Ibushi, Jay White and Tetsuo Naito. Continue reading »
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Matei Predescu on November 6, 2019
Hip-hop producers Ali Shaheed Muhammed (of A Tribe Called Quest) and Adrian Younge are the dynamic duo behind The Midnight Hour, a retro-futuristic project fusing black music across genres and contexts. Drawing upon jazz, rap, funk and R&B, Muhammed and Younge use a live rhythm section and orchestra to create music that serves as a conduit linking the continuum of African American creative expression into a singular artistic vision. The Midnight Hour evokes an artistic sensibility not too different from the Harlem Renaissance-inspired soundtrack to the Marvel TV series Luke Cage, which they wrote, produced and masterminded. Continue reading »
