We walk around with the entire internet in our pockets, calling up ride-sharing services from our mobile devices and perusing menus online whilst en route to our favorite restaurants. The world is at our fingertips and waiting… well, that is so 20th century.

The organizers of the annual SoFa Street Fair certainly have gotten the memo—or email… or, uh… status update? Fans of local art and music won’t have to wait until fall for the return of the SoFA Street Fair, as an abridged installment of the annual festival is slated for this weekend.

The one-day SoFA Street Fair SPRING 16 will feature speakers, bands, DJs, opera, art exhibitions and even a few pile-drivers. And all of it is taking place on South First Street, Sunday, April 24.

With performances at Aura, BackBar SoFa, Café Stritch, The Continental, Haberdasher, Miami Beach Club, The Ritz, SoFA Market and more, there is a whole lot going on in a short amount of time. It’s all free, so the only thing you have to sweat is deciding who to check out. This cheat sheet ought to help with that.

Periscope: progressive, experimental; Heroes Stage, 2pm

Dave Miller & Friends: punk rock; SoFA Market, 2:30pm

No Water After Midnight: R&B, soul covers; San Carlos Stage, 3pm

Andre Hart: local visual artist; Aura Stage, 3:30pm

Julius Papp: house DJ; San Salvador DJ Stage, 4pm

Infinite Sleep: melodic metal, post-hardcore; BackBar Stage, 4:30pm

Jean Jackets: garage rock, indie; Café Stritch, 5pm

Rabbit Quinn: piano-driven, atmospheric indie; SoFA Market Stage, 5:30pm

DJ Dan: breakbeat, funky house; San Salvador DJ Stage, 6pm

Talkie: indie-pop, rock & roll; Aura Stage, 6:30pm

Citabria: progressive, alternative; The Ritz Stage, 7pm

Socorra: mellow indie rock; SoFA Market Stage, 7:30pm

ONOFF: rock & roll; Balanced Breakfast Stage, 8pm

Kwesi Young: alternative hip-hop, trap; Aura Stage, 8:30pm

SoFA Street Fair SPRING 16
Apr 24, 2pm-9pm, Free
SoFA District, San Jose

Cutting against the grain has pretty much always been Rich Quitevis’ thing. The San Francisco-born Quitevis, better known as DJ Qbert, just prefers zagging where others zig. “You ever see schools of fish at the aquarium?” he asks. “They’re all swimming in the same direction but there’s one that’s swimming backwards the other way? That’s kind of who I am.”

It would seem his contrarian strategy has paid off. Over the course of his decades-long career, Q has collected a legion of loyal fans, been praised by fellow DJs, from A-Track to Z-Trip, and proven himself again and again in competitions: he was named the United States’ top DJ at the 1991 DMC World DJ Championship and was voted No. 1 in the America’s Best DJ competition in 2010.

Since he began working the decks in the mid-1980s, Quitevis has sought to push the boundaries of his artform. With his crew, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, he pioneered the art of the turntable ensemble. Working in unison, the Piklz trio painstakingly mixed up drums, bass, guitars and other sounds from a variety of different records to create an entirely new song.

It’s an impressive feat, which clearly required both patience and dedication to the craft of turntablism to perfect. And yet, while one might presume an old-school DJ hero like Qbert to be a staunch traditionalist, Quitevis says he isn’t married to the analog techniques he worked so hard to master. In fact, he seems to welcome the computer-assisted DJ-ing revolution and is currently working with Intel to help DJs shrink their rigs even further by creating a mixer with a built-in computer.

“When we were DJing before, we had to bring a bunch of records and equipment along,” he says, explaining his appreciation of technologically assisted spinning. “Laptops replaced lugging around heavy vinyl.”

The new product Qbert is working on with Intel would allow DJs to ditch their laptops for a microcomputer-powered mixer.

“Some people like to bring a gang of equipment,” he laughs. “I just need a mixer and computer and I’m happy. Now, everything is literally on one screen on top of your mixer. It helps me keep a sort of Zen mentality.”

In addition to the Intel project, Quitevis is also preparing a new release with his avant-garde collective, Invisibl Skratch Piklz. The current incarnation of the crew features the San Francisco-based DJ Shortkut and one-time San Jose resident, D-Styles. The new record, 13th Floor, is due out this year.

“It was an experience,” he says of the album, recorded during a marathon session at the Red Bull Music Academy’s studios in Tokyo. “Those guys choose the illest sounds and that’s why we all vibe as a crew.” Specifically, Q notes, the process of tracking 13th Floor was a learning experience, which is something he is always happy to encounter.

“I learned a lot while making the new album,” he says. “I’m learning as I’m speaking to you right now. Learning is never ending. There’s all this knowledge from music theory that all these geniuses came up with hundreds of years ago that we’re just starting to apply to what we’re doing. … There’s so much more we can do.”

Qbert says he looks forward to showing San Jose what he’s learned how to do recently at The Ritz this weekend. Presented by Needle to the Groove as part of their “Cosmic Slap” series, the show will also feature live performances by San Francisco future-funk producer and turntablist, Teeko, as well as producer Diamond Ortiz. Local rap hero Rey Resurreccion will host the evening—adding a special live set with Squareweezy from San Jose-based DJ and production crew, The Bangerz.

“I can tell you that I’ll be playing heavy, abstract tracks,” he says. “It’ll be interesting. I practice all kinds of scratches and have lots of new tricks. I love performing, especially when I catch a vibe; it feels like meditation.”

Nick Veronin contributed to this story.

DJ Qbert plays on Mar 26, 8pm, $25-$30 at The Ritz, San Jose.

When Kid Koala began work on what would ultimately become Nufonia Must Fall—a “silent graphic novel” about a robot attempting to write a love song for the human woman of his dreams—the most advanced hipsters were still wielding flip phones, calling was more common than texting and WiFi wasn’t yet commonplace.

Fast-forward to 2016: flip phones are for grandparents, folks under 30 are notoriously averse to talking on their handsets and WiFi is expected in most public places—at least in major cities. Also, Kid Koala is currently preparing to embark on a nationwide tour of his live stage adaptation of Nufonia, which he made with K.K. Barrett, a film production designer who has worked on a number of cult hits about the intersection of technology and the human condition, including Being John Malkovich and, most recently, Her—about a human man who falls in love and sings songs to his computer’s operating system.

“It’s funny,” says Eric San, the Canadian scratch DJ and producer who goes by Kid Koala on stage. Looking back, San says he never would have guessed that the ideas in his book would so closely resemble the world he now inhabits, barely 15 years since he first put pen to paper. “Robots being at this level is actually a reality,” he continues. “I’m not sure they are writing love songs yet.”

Bay Area hip-hop fans will know San from his work with producer Dan the Automator and emcee Del the Funky Homosapien on projects such as Deltron 3030 and Handsome Boy Modeling School.

The DJ met Barrett in Los Angeles a few years back and they got to talking about turning Nufonia into a live show. They came up with the idea to shoot a film with actors performing on stage in front of an audience before downscaling a bit and changing the actors to puppeteers manipulating a variety of figures across numerous sets on a single stage. All the while San mans the keyboards and turntables as Kid Koala, a string section plays and the movements of the puppets through miniature sets are filmed, edited and broadcast live on a big screen above the stage.

The idea was to give the audience access to the creative process—to invite them to look “under the hood,” San says. But it also had to do with challenging himself to do something bigger than spinning records in a club for a few hours, returning to his hotel room and moving on to the next city the following day. As a performer, San says he gets bored if he doesn’t run into surprises on stage.

“All of us have to actually keep an eye and an ear on everyone else on stage,” he says, explaining the excitement and uncertainty that is generated during the show. “We have to get it right the first take. We couldn’t do two nights exactly the same even if we tried.”

San also wants his work to be emotionally moving. While amping up a crowd is certainly an invigorating experience, he hopes that the new production will raise the ante—that people will laugh and cry, preferably at the same time.

While the story definitely has sci-fi elements—the robot-human connection and the robot’s newer and more advanced rival, Hexabot—San says that his story is very much about the human condition. It deals with the very human fear of being inadequate and becoming obsolete. More than that, the fact that he and the other musicians, the actors and the film production crew are creating everything live, means that the show “can fall apart at any moment.”

“I think underneath it all there is that human element,” he says. “That’s what gets the audience out of the house and into the theater.”

Nufonia Must Fall
Feb 4, 7:30pm
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford

A well-dressed yet casual crowd of varied age sips craft cocktails as they’re serenaded by the timeless voice of Marvin Gaye. While the legendary crooner’s delivery remains untouched, he’s supported by a hip-hop backdrop, complete with booming 808 kick. It seemed like the day’s rain may scare some away, but it’s 10:30pm on a Monday and 55 South is full.

Though just five weeks old, San Jose’s edition of the nationwide weekly dance party Motown On Mondays (MOM) has been a runaway success.

MOM has become a Monday institution in cities as varied as Austin, Oakland and Honolulu since first launching at Madrone Art Bar in San Francisco in 2009. Using the celebrated Motown label and its signature sound as a launch pad, the party re-examines a key period of American popular music by presenting originals alongside more contemporary remixes and close relatives of the sound.

“That’s the great thing about us: With all the MOMs, you have people from different walks of life giving their interpretation and their experience of what they think the music is,” says local DJ the CME, one of MOM SJ’s resident DJs.

San Jose’s eclectic roster of DJ covers all approaches, with some focusing on classics and others providing a more contemporary approach based around remixes.

Though Paolo “Cutso” Bello was the major force behind MOM’s expansion into San Jose, which he admits hit hyper-drive a month before its March 10 debut, the idea to pursue a Motown-related event had been bouncing around for close to two years.

Previously, Bello and fellow MOM SJ resident Tommy Aguilar (DJ Chatos1013) paired to present a string of successful one-off tribute parties at Pagoda Lounge. After nights dedicated to Prince, Michael Jackson and the Native Tongues crew, Motown was next on the list.

When Bello became a resident with MOM’s LA chapter, he was asked about the possibility of bringing the party to San Jose. At the time, the problem was finding the right venue.

Enter 55 South. When co-owner Paul Chun attended a MOM SF event two and a half months back, he was immediately inspired. He knew the party would fit the aesthetic of his spot.

“When I walked in, it just struck a chord,” he recalls. “I’ve been doing this for so long that you know when somebody’s doing something that’s unique and really catches people.”

Bello pitched him the MOM SJ idea shortly thereafter, and Chun was more than eager to make it happen. While 55 South wasn’t the only space Bello pitched, they were definitely the most enthusiastic.

“He was really putting everything on the table,” Bello says, remembering Chun’s enthusiasm for the idea. When MOM’s founders provide their blessing for the space, Bello rushed to finalize plans. Two weeks later, the party made its debut.

While Bello expected the night to be a “sure shot,” he didn’t expect its rise to be so meteoric. “What place in San Jose has a line going outside on a Monday night?” he says. “Not since Cactus Club have you seen something like that.”

Lowrider Oldies

San Jose’s connection to soul music may seem curious to some, but both Bello and Aguilar trace it back to the city’s ties to lowrider culture.

“Chicanos and that whole culture embraced soul music,” notes Bello. “Also, if you have a relationship with hip-hop, you have a relationship with Motown, whether you like it or not.”

Aguilar elaborates: “Mariachis and Motown—that sums it up right there. It was the main part of the soundtrack for that community. We embrace it as our own.”

Thanks to the fame of the MOM brand—and what all parties involved describe as a need for a format outside the typical club top 40—MOM SJ has found instant success.

“It’s a 50/50 thing: There’s definitely people that want to go out and hear this music, and there’s definitely DJs that want to play this music,” says MOM SJ resident SheaButter. “That’s where it’s a team effort.”

Resident DJs:

Cutso (The Bangerz)
DJ Dstrukt (BVMO)
Shea Butter (BVMO)
SmoovGroovs (BVMO)
DJ Quantum (Headhunters)
The C.M.E. (Slapnasties)
Chatos 1013 (Ungramr)

Hosted by Dandiggity (PLSTK)

Mowtown on Mondays is every Monday at 55 South. More info.

Johnny V’s celebrates 10 years of business with five straight nights of packed programming. Come Saturday, one of the most beloved parties at the club returns for a 10-year anniversary of its own. Clandestine, the still-revered former drum ‘n’ bass and hip-hop party, will bring back many of its regulars for a stacked reunion.

San Jose’s drum ‘n’ bass scene began in the late ’90s when Thad Jones and Noah Ruiz, more commonly known as DJs Hak and Siphon, created a Sunday-night party called Ghetto Junglism at the now-defunct 301 Stockton. A Wednesday-night party at Cactus Club by the Killa Subz crew followed in the early 2000s but fell when the venue closed its doors in 2002.

Around this time, Ben Daniels, known as DJ / emcee Ax!om, started the San Jose Drum ‘n’ Bass Collective, which later became Clandestine. The night began at Kleidon’s (now Myth Taverna) until its closing forced them to relocate. Luckily, someone in the collective linked Daniels with Johnny V’s owner Johnny Van Wyk, and in early 2003, Clandestine had a new home. The party soon brought international acts through the South Bay, among them New Zealand duo Concord Dawn, British producer dBridge and London-based Breakage.

Though the free night offered something unique downtown, Daniels believes Clandestine’s success really came down to its patrons. “Were weren’t the best DJs in the world,” Daniels says. “I just think it was fun. People wanted to come. … The hot bartenders didn’t hurt. … The fact that it was free didn’t hurt.”

The party hit its stride in the summer of 2004, when it started playing hip-hop upstairs. Local heroes the Bangerz were frequent collaborators. Bridging the gap, Daniels notes that Clandestine was the only local drum ‘n’ bass crew to embrace emcees, a trait that stemmed from their collective musical upbringing.

Though there are no plans to resurrect the night, Daniels does says, “This will be the litmus test to judge whether or not the people I’ve never seen will continue to support the music.” The lineup for the 10-year anniversary shows:

Feb. 20: DJ Troma, Chief Blesn, Saint Tellah and Jeff Turner; no cover before 10:30pm.
Feb. 21: Slap! featuring Jeno, Justin Hale and DJ Jaz; no cover before 10:30pm.
Feb. 22: South Bay Dub Massive featuring Rastatronics, Mercedes Jaya, Audio Dru and AZ Redsmoke; no cover before 9pm.
Feb. 23: Clandestine Reunion: Killa Subz, Method One and Treatment. Also, Yeshua and the Hightones, the Rivals and DJ Cutso at Paddy’s Pub Side; no cover, 9pm.
Feb. 24: Matinee Show with Whiskey Sunday, Talky Tina, Utter Failure and The Bucking Buckaroos, no cover, 5pm. More info.

This Friday, July 27, some of San Jose’s finest DJs/producers bring Treatment Sound System back to The Pagoda with off-kilter, booming digital compositions unique to the South Bay Area.

This installment offers a new venue held down by residents DJs and producers Squareweezy, (who has an insane upcoming EP due out), Sheabutter and R-Cade. In addition, the night also includes San Francisco’s own Mophono, along with debuting sets from longtime South Bay producers DSTRUKT (of the BevMo Crew) and WISHONE (of Sub-Ren).

In addition to the whirlwind of button-pushing and sample-triggers, the event also marks a new release by B. Lewis who’ll also be performing in celebration of his newest effort, A Lion’s Aperture.

“Treatment Sound System’s main objective for the last year and a half is to bring the progressive sounds of digital music to downtown San Jose,” says event host Dandiggity. “It is a hub for South Bay creatives and audio enthusiasts to come together to exchange ideas and experience the performance aspect of live, electronic music. This week we have San Francisco’s DJ Centipede (Mophono) performing his unique blend of turntablism and instrumentation, as well as debut sets by DJ Dstrukt and Wish One. To top off the night we also having a live performance by B.Lewis for his new album A Lion’s Aperture releasing the same day.”

Limited edition “Treatment Pins” will also be handed to all attendees.

Info below, as follows:

Treatment Sound System at The Pagoda Lounge
21+ $3 before 11pm $5 after
MOPHONO : http://www.facebook.co/djcentipede.mophono
DSTRUKT: http://www.dj-dstrukt.com/
WISHONE: http://www.w1shone.com/
B.LEWIS: http://blewis.bandcamp.com/

RESIDENTS:
SQUAREWEEZY / SHEABUTTER / R-CADE
Hosted by: DANDIGGITY

The debut of Night Market in San Jose was a success with thousands attendees visiting booths with local vendors and food trucks.

The Asian-style open-air market was held Saturday in Berryessa across for the San Jose Flea Market. Inspired by the night markets of Taiwan, Ryan Sebastian, owner of Treatbot ice cream and karaoke truck, helped organize the event with Moveable Feast and San Jose Made participants. Night Market returns every Saturday until September 29.

Photos by Metro photographer Jessica Shirley-Donnelly.