This week Silicon Valley is popping off with a diverse set of musical events. Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro brings his unique skillset to the Oshman JCC, the American-born Bermudian reggae artist Collie Buddz celebrates the release of his new album “Good Life” at Los Gatos Bar and Grill and Super Soul Bros. help the FanimeCon crowd unwind with a set of jazzy video game tune covers.

The Death of Expertise
Wed, 7:30pm, Free
Kepler’s Books, Menlo Park
Tom Nichols is concerned about how much you think you know. To promote his new book The Death of Expertise, Nichols will be sitting down with journalist Angie Coiro for an evening edition of her literary talk program, In Deep. In Nichols’ new book, he argues that the openness of the internet and widespread availability of quickly accessible information has negatively affected all of us. The author says sites like WebMD and Wikipedia lead to people believing that they’re experts in fields they scarcely understand. The talk is sure to leave attendees with something to think about. (YK)

Jake Shimabukuro
Thu, 7:30pm, $80+
Oshman Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto
For the past 20 years, Jake Shimabukuro has been destroying people’s preconceived notions of the ukulele. He’s taken on The Beatles and Queen—with uke versions of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”—as well as traditional island music from his native Hawaii and much more. Shimabukuro is prolific. He’s averaged about an album a year since 1999. With a huge selection of original tracks and established covers of popular songs, his range demonstrates just how affecting four strings can be when tickled just right. (YK)

[title of show]
Thu, 8pm, $30
Bus Barn Theatre, Los Altos
Los Altos Stage Company is bringing a fresh take on the modern musical with their production of the Tony Award-winning [title of show]. The highly self-referential work tells the story of its own creation—as playwrights Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell struggle to craft the perfect piece to enter into the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Starring Derek DeMarco and Nick Rodrigues, the musical is a love letter to the creative process as it illustrates all of the trappings and pitfalls of creating any piece of art. The production runs until June 24. (YK)

Collie Buddz
Thu, 10pm, $25
Los Gatos Bar and Grill, Los Gatos
It’s been a minute since the American-born Bermudian reggae artist Collie Buddz dropped a full-length record. His self-titled debut and its lead single, “Come Around,” first hit airwaves a decade ago. It’s not because he’s been couch-locked. Buddz—a.k.a. Colin Harper—has been staying busy, releasing two EPs and collaborating with the likes of Snoop Dogg, RiFF RAFF and Kid Cudi. Local turntablists DJ Aspect and DJ Goldenchyld are providing support for this show celebrating his sophomore LP, Good Life. The first 100 advance-purchase ticket holders get a free copy of the new record. (YK)

Meringue
Fri, 8am, Free
CSMA, Mountain View
The stars: they’re just like us. Except everyone wants to take their picture. And emerging Bay Area artist Lindsay Evans Montgomery wants to create paintings of the aura readings she picks up from viewing those pictures. The show’s press release plays it straight—insisting that the works in “Meringue” are earnest attempts at distilling celebrity auras from paparazzi tabloid shots. But one suspects a deeper, winking message. What if the camera really does have the ability to steal a person’s soul? The Community School of Music and Arts hosts the exhibition, which runs through July 23 in the Mohr Gallery. (NV)

Will Durst
Fri, 7:30pm, $30+
Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Jose
A nationally syndicated columnist, author, actor and comedian, Will Durst has an impressive resume—one which includes co-hosting a talk-radio program with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and getting fired from The Examiner … twice. The Milwaukee-born and SF-based Durst has a new one-man show: Durst Case Scenario. The touring performance comes to San Jose this weekend. Ticket holders will find the cultural and political pundit exploring “a changing America during the time of Trump.” The show, which runs Friday and Saturday, promises plenty of cutting satire and up-to-the-minute revisions based upon our Commander in Chief’s latest early-morning Twitter-storm. (NV)

Super Soul Bros.
Fri, 8:30pm, Free
Cafe Stritch, San Jose
The tinny chiptune melodies from classic ’80s and ’90s console games are lodged deep in the hive mind of the Super Soul Bros. The local jazz-funk fusion band base most of their tunes on these looping riffs, taking them far beyond their crudely rendered original locales. Just in time for FanimeCon, keyboardist Robbie Benson and guitarist Brian Sheu lead their talented crew through boisterous instrumentals that will chew on a theme like “Chemical Plant Zone” from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for 10-plus minutes, giving space for warbly organ, peppy sax and blistering electric guitar. They play Friday and Saturday at Stritch. (JF)

The Color Run
Sat, 8am, $45
Guadalupe River Park, San Jose
For serious runners, the sport is enjoyable in and of itself. Organizers of The Color Run hope to make fitness fun for everyone of every ability level. The 5k—just 3 miles for those without a metric converter handy—will feature multiple checkpoints along its route where joggers will be blasted with bursts of colorful dust. Participants are encouraged to wear white to make the happy hues pop. The Color Run, a national organization, is partnering with Step Out San Jose for this event to raise money to support research and education for people living with Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. (YK)

HBK Skipper
Sat, 8:30pm, $20
Back Bar SoFa, San Jose
Bay Area hip-hop collective HBK is sending another of its ambassadors to San Jose (last week saw P-Lo slinging ice cream sandwiches at CREAM). Skipper will likely play songs from his 2015 album The Thrill, a collection of solid Bay Area slaps. The rapper has been relatively quiet about new music in the past couple months since the release of his last single “Posed To.” The song is a flurry of low-end synths, handclaps and yelped ad-libs, perhaps an indicator of the kind of music Skipper still has up his sleeve. (YK)

This week’s Hit List features an international man of comedy, a primer on heavy metal music, Three Bad Jacks and a brand new local production of one of the ballet’s best known stories.

The Laramie Project
Wed, 8pm, Free
Nitery Theater, Stanford
In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay college student from the University of Wyoming, was kidnapped, beaten and left for dead. The senseless hate crime served as the impetus for The Laramie Project—originally produced by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project. The play synthesizes more than 200 interviews conducted in the university’s surrounding college town of Laramie. The play explores how the local community reacted to the murder and paints a picture intolerance as well as understanding in rural America. The capstone project of two soon-to-be-graduating students, the production is free and open to the public. (NV)

Sugar Sammy
Thu, 8pm, $16+
Rooster T. Feathers, Sunnyvale
When it comes to taking his stand-up to the next level, Canadian-born Samir Khullar—b.k.a. Sugar Sammy—has a winning strategy. Fluent in English, French, Punjabi and Hindi, Sammy has found success deploying his multilinguistic comedy for crowds in North America, Europe and Asia. Speaking four languages not only helps Khullar spread his brand of comedy; it informs his jokes as well, with many of his bits revolving around the politics of language and what it means to be a Canadian-Indian living in the province of Quebec, where laws sometimes require French to be used instead of English. (NV)

Pear Slices
Thu, 8pm, $28+
The Pear Theatre, Mountain View
The Pear Theatre is hosting its annual showcase of original short plays by local playwrights. The Pear Slices festival runs Thursday through Sunday to the end of May—with all eight plays performed each evening. This year, there’s a hardboiled detective noir sendup, Deuce Cooper: The Bloomfield Case, by Pear veteran Paul Braverman; Elyce Melmon probes the divide between an artist mother and her captain of the tech industry son in For Art’s Sake; and two sisters must deal with the death of their brother while sorting through his belongings in Leah Halper’s Meantime In Between Time. (NV)

Three Bad Jacks
Fri, 10pm, $10
The Caravan, San Jose
Three Bad Jacks are bringing their greaser style back to San Jose. The rockabilly band recently caught some flak for their liberal use of pyrotechnics at a club in Phoenix, so The Caravan should be safe this time. Luckily the music is pretty great on its own. For the most part, Three Bad Jacks belt out a stock rockabilly sound that fans of the genre have come to expect. However, songs like “Noah and Jacob’s Song” prove the band can also deliver more folky music as well. The band will mostly play material from their most recent album Pictures and Memories from Home. (YK)

Elijah
Fri, 7:30pm, $7+
Hammer Theatre, San Jose
The recently reopened Hammer Theatre Center—now operated by San Jose State University’s College of Humanities and the Arts—will officially debut its brand new, state-of-the-art Meyer Constellation Sound System during this production of Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah. The oratorio follows the life of its titular character, the biblical prophet Elijah, from his dialogues with God to his glorious ascent to heaven. This multimedia operatic staging will feature contributions from the university’s Opera Theatre program, the SJSU School of Music & Dance, SJSU Choir, and the Department of Digital Media Art. The ensemble will be led by the nationally acclaimed baritone Eugene Brancoveanu. (NV)

Anjunabeats Presents
Fri, 9pm, $40
City National Civic, San Jose
British record label Anjunabeats has been curating its roster of trance and house DJs for going on 20 years. The label is currently promoting a handful of its artists with a North American tour, which stops in San Jose this Friday. Headlining the upcoming show: Andrew Bayer, Ilan Bluestone and Jason Ross. Fans of up-and-comer Ross will be waiting for him to drop his aggressive new original mix “Onyx.” Bayer and Bluestone are likely to play their collaborative trance effort “Destiny.” Followers of Bayer’s solo work will no doubt be listening for songs from of his 2015 EP Do Androids Dream. (YK)

The History of Metal
Sat, 8pm, $15
Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Jose
Get some music education with “The History of Metal.” The show will be put on by School of Rock, a music education program aimed at youth in San Jose. The show will feature aspiring musicians paying tribute to metal greats like Black Sabbath, Slayer and Metallica. This will be part of the school’s effort to give young musicians a platform to play songs they love for a crowd. The show will also feature tributes to a range of other metal-associated acts, such as nu metal bands Slipknot and Korn, as well as hard rock and proto-metal groups like Led Zeppelin and Motorhead. (YK) 

Swan Lake
Sat, 2pm, $15+
California Theatre, San Jose
The New Ballet School and the Palo Alto Philharmonic team up on this production of the classic Tchaikovsky ballet. A tragic and haunting tale about the transformative power of love and the pain of rejection, the New School will actually stage two productions—a full version and an abridged version. The latter, titled “My Very First Ballet: Swan Lake,” is intended for younger audiences and will begin at 11am. Both productions will be performed by studio company dancers Brennan Wall, Ryan Preciado, Jonah Corrall, Alexsandra Meijer, Mesa Burdick, Jonah Corrall and Christopher Lee. (NV)

Daisyhead
Sun, 6:30pm, $10+
The X-Bar, Cupertino
Nashville emo outfit Daisyhead blend infectious guitar work with highly introspective lyricism. Touring behind their sophomore full-length—last month’s In Case You Missed It—Daisyhead has a cache of fresh material to play. With songs like “Dark Circus,” the band toggles between biting self-reflection and explosive self-flagellation. The title track from their new album demonstrates lead singer Michael Roe’s highly expressive range, as well as the band’s classic dual-guitar assault, which washes easily from mathy verses of melodic tangles into punchy power chord choruses. Sunday Drive, Can’t Complain, Quigs, Humboldt and Paper Skins share the bill. (YK)

“This is ground zero,” says rising Vallejo rapper Nef The Pharaoh. He’s talking about the Bay Area. “We are the mecca. Hip-hop might have started in New York, but the Bay Area gave it its style. We gave it its slang.” And with The Chang Project and the soon-to-be-dropped The Big Chang Theory, Nef aims to underscore his assertion. “I’m bringing it back to the Bay,” Nef says. And that’s more than your typical hip-hop bluster. Nef has scored tons of mentions in prominent music publications—including SPIN, Pitchfork, Noisey, and The Fader. Neffie plays BackBar SoFa this Saturday.

Metro Podcast
Thu, 5pm, Free
iTunes & SoundCloud
Metro has long discussed starting a podcast, only to turn our attention to other pressing concerns (usually lunch). But in an effort to better reach readers and tell our story—that is, the story of life, art and news in Silicon Valley—we’ve decided to take the long-overdue plunge. Last week we launched the damn thing with a conversation between Josh Koehn, Metro’s managing editor, and Nick Veronin, A&E extraordinaire. We plan to publish our next installment of the ’cast this Thursday. Join our discussion of the cover story, news and upcoming nightlife at activate.metroactive.com. (NV)

Star Wars Trivia
Thu, 8pm, Free
7 Stars Bar & Grill, San Jose
Fans of puns, Star Wars and cold beers, rejoice! San Jose’s best Star Wars-themed cantina, 7 Stars Bar & Grill, has figured out a way to extend the fun of May 4—better known as “May the Fourth be with you” among Star Wars fans. Namely, with more puns. On Thursday, use the Force to best all opponents in a round of Star Wars trivia. Then come back for a little hair of the wampa on Friday, “Return of the (May) Fifth,” and Saturday, “Revenge of the (May) Sixth.” Watch out for Imperial traps and be sure to designate a pilot. (NV)

Always… Patsy Cline
Fri, 6:30pm, $50
Gordon Biersch, San Jose
San Jose Musical Theater is taking over one of downtown’s favorite brewpubs with a month of shows celebrating the life and music of country icon Patsy Cline. Opening this Friday and running through May 28, the musical play will feature 27 of Cline’s biggest hits—including “Crazy,” “Walking After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces” and “Sweet Dreams.” The performance also promises to give fans of Cline a nostalgic look back at her career, while also serving to inform those new to her legacy. Price of admission includes dinner and kids’ tickets are half price. (NV)

Dance Series 02
Fri, 8pm, $31+
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
Fifty years ago, in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, the “Summer of Love” marked the beginning of a cultural shift, as tens of thousands of young adults adopted hippiedom and its dream for a more peaceful and harmonious future. To honor the semi-centennial anniversary of the Summer of Love, Smuin Ballet is delivering two world-premier works. Acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre will debut a dance piece titled Be Here Now that pays homage to the seminal late-’60s movement, and The Poetry of Being by Nicole Haskins honors company founder Michael Smuin. Performances run from May 5-7. (BS)

Bach & Mahler
Sat, 8pm, $45+
California Theatre, San Jose
The penultimate performance of Symphony Silicon Valley’s season brings two of the greatest Germanic composers together under the same roof—bridging nearly 200 years of European orchestral tradition. Bach’s Chaconne was originally written for solo violin, but has since been rearranged for just about every instrument. Symphony SV plays an orchestral version of the work. Composed in 1905, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 is a sprawling opus known for its epic and triumphant horns, as well as its opening nod to fellow Austrian Ludwig van Beethoven. Director Tatsuya Shimono leads the ensemble. Saturday’s performance is follwed by a 2:30pm Sunday matinee. (NV)

A La Carte and Art
Sat, 10am, Free
Castro Street, Mountain View
For the 21st time, Mountain View’s Castro Street will close to traffic for two days of art, crafts, live music and handcrafted beer. The A La Carte and Art festival will feature more than 200 West Coast artists who will set up colorful tents to showcase their handcrafted work. This open-air festival is family-friendly with a Super Duper Funzone for children to play in while mom and dad check out the classic car show, “A La Car and Art,” and sip some wine. Also on display will be health and wellness booths, home and garden exhibits and a farmers market. Runs through Sunday. (BS)

Free Comic Book Day
Sat, All Day, Free
Various Locations, Silicon Valley
It’s a big day for fans of comic books. Major publishers, including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and IDW will be releasing free titles at independent comic book shops across the country. In the South Bay, comic collectors can get in on the action by visiting one of six locations: Spacecat and Hijinx Comics in San Jose, Illusive Comics & Games and Legends Comics and Games in Santa Clara, Heroes in Campbell, and Black Cat Comics in Milpitas. Be sure to look for Bongo Comics’ special Simpsons comic—written and illustrated by Matt Groening—as well as a Rick & Morty book and the first issue of the DC Universe Rebirth series on Wonder Woman. (NV)

Silicon Valley Open Studios
Sat-Sun, All Day, Free
Valleywide
Opening this Saturday and running for three consecutive weekends, Silicon Valley Open Studios returns for its 31st year of exposing the wide array of talented artists working in the region. Over the course of the event, painters, illustrators, sculptors and creatives of all stripes will open their studios in 28 Bay Area cities to art lovers and collectors alike. The opening weekend, May 6-7, will focus on the northern half of the Peninsula, from Los Altos to South San Francisco. The following weekends—May 13-14 and May 20-21—will descend through Palo Alto on down to Gilroy. More information at svos.org. (NV)

Made in 1977
Sun, 11am, Free
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
When it was founded in 1977, the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles was the first of its kind. Today, 40 years later, the museum continues to collect and display some of the best “fiber art” work from around the country and the world. This weekend, the museum celebrates making it over the hill with a number of great textile pieces, live music by Aki Kumar and Jon Lawton, interactive activities and the SJMQT’s artist in residence, Laurie Shapiro. New works will be on display alongside the museum’s permanent collection, which includes textiles dating back to the the 1800s. (BS)

Universal Grammar, the San Jose-based party promotion outfit behind The Continental’s weekly neo-soul soiree, The Changing Same, have a knack for pulling forward-thinking funk, R&B and electronic music to the South Bay. And this week’s TCS headliner, Gavin Turek, is no exception. For the past two years, Turek has been building a name for herself and gathering powerful allies within Los Angeles’ potent dance music scene. A regular collaborator with TOKiMONSTA—the only female producer on Flying Lotus’ left-field-focused Brainfeeder label—Turek just dropped Good Look For You, a five-song set of contemporary disco jams. She performs Thursday at The Continental at 9pm.

Okilly Dokilly
Thu, 8pm, $15
The Ritz, San Jose
Last summer, as the music blogosphere was taking a deep dive into Simpsonswave—penning think pieces on the YouTube-spawned micro-genre’s visual aesthetics, gauzy sonic textures and potential for conjuring bittersweet, spacey nostalgia—a group of Arizona metalheads were plotting a revolt. Phoenix-based Okilly Dokilly have a decidedly less chill take on The Simpsons, even if they draw their primary inspiration from one the show’s most tranquil characters. The quintet craft super-heavy, Ned Flanders-informed numbers which they call “Nedal.” Replete with biblical violence, odes to getting drunk on wine and a detailed rundown of “Donut Hell,” it’s as brutal as the Old Testament. (NV)

Jon Pardi
Thu, 7:30pm, $35
City National Civic, San Jose
This Central California-born singer, songwriter and producer has been making waves on the country music scene with his fun-loving stomper “Dirt on My Boots”—a tribute to putting in a hard day’s work in the field and clocking in some overtime with a big night out. “Might have a little dirt on my boots,” Pardi croons on the debut single from his sophomore LP, California Sunrise, released last summer. “But I’m takin’ you uptown tonight.” He’s been on the big-time country circuit for a few years, opening for the likes of Alan Jackson and Dierks Bentley before striking out on headlining tours of his own. (NV)

Lights Up!
Fri, 8pm, $7+
City Lights Theater, San Jose
Featuring food, drink, visual art and, of course, plays, City Lights Theater’s first festival of new works will showcase four full-length plays and a collection of shorts by local playwrights—including City Lights star Max Tachis as well as Leslie Martinson, associate artistic director of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Spanning a variety of genres, from romantic comedy to family drama, each production will be followed by an audience discussion with the cast and writer. It’s just the latest signal of growth from the SoFA District black box theater, which recently installed a cutting-edge projection mapping system for its production of Frankenstein. (NV)

Tea For Two
Fri, 8pm, $15+
Art Boutiki, San Jose
Comprising a burlesque performer from Hollywood and a master of illusion from London, the “Tea for Two Variety Revue” is an amalgam of titillation, circus sideshow, comedy and magic. The revue features the Los Angeles-based go-go Amy—producer of “The Pretty Things Peepshow”—and Tom Balmont, a comedian and magician from across the pond known for his own one-man show, “The Man with the Mechanical Heart.” Together, they specialize in sword swallowing, fire eating, a stunt known as the “blade box of doom,” and commanding a mind-reading dog. (NV)

The Weeknd
Fri, 7:30pm, $114+
SAP Center, San Jose
Starting in 2011, he took the underground hip-hop world by storm with his trio of mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence. In the process The Weeknd, a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye, helped usher a new, darker sound into the pop music lexicon. Then he rode that sound to the top of the charts. His last two proper LPs, Beauty Behind the Madness and Starboy, both went platinum. The Weeknd fulfills the promise he made to fans at the Shark Tank in December 2015: “I don’t think I’m gonna skip this city ever… ever…” He returns to San Jose this Friday a bonafide superstar. (VS)

Bach Trios
Sat, 7:30pm, Sold Out
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford
The times, they are a-changin’. While American folk songs were once considered the fare of coffee houses and open-air festivals, the genre’s stars are now performing in the rarefied air of the concert hall. Three virtuoso musicians—cellist Yo-Yo Ma, double bassist Edgar Meyer, and mandolinist Chris Thile (the newly minted host of A Prairie Home Companion—are combining their classical training and appreciation of bluegrass to take on Bach. The trio will perform various works by the German baroque master, all arranged for cello, upright bass and mandolin. The three released Bach Trios earlier this month on Nonesuch Records. (NV)

Cesar Millan
Sat, 8pm, $49+
City National Civic, San Jose
Internationally recognized for his charisma in relation to canines, dog behavioralist Cesar Millan is the star of the NatGeo Wild TV show Cesar 911 and the former host of Dog Whisperer—a program now broadcast all over the globe in syndication. He’s penned multiple how-to books, including Cesar’s Way, on dog training and human-hound relations. His philosophy centers around the role humans have in projecting confidence and assuming a leadership position over their dogs. He is currently on the road with his famous four-legged companions, Junior and Benson, touring the country to teach dog lovers how to get the best out of their furry friends, and themselves. (NV)

WWE Payback
Sun, 4:30pm, $175+
SAP Center, San Jose
Monday Night Raw’s pay-per-view show—WWE Payback—is set to feature championship belts and wrestlers from both Raw and Smackdown. After crossing over to the blue side in the wake of his Superstar Shake-up victory, Chris Owens looks to defend his U.S. Championship belt as he wrestles Chris Jericho. The winner will permanently become a Smackdown member. After originally being listed as a WWE Championship match, there has been no indication as to whether Bryan Wyatt will stick to his word and bring his belt to face Randy Orton after moving over from Raw to Smackdown. (BS)

When Steve Wozniak was working to launch the first Silicon Valley Comic Con, the Apple co-founder and his partners considered San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Ultimately, they decided against it. “No,” Wozniak says, recalling his final answer. “We want to hold it in San Jose, because San Jose is more representative—over the last 50-60 years—of Silicon Valley.” Born in San Jose, The Woz’ roots run deep in the South Bay and he is proud to see San Jose develop as a cultural destination with great restaurants, nightlife and a Stanley Cup contender. Wozniak’s second annual con swoops into town this weekend. Plus Andre Nickatina, Sweeney Todd and Record Store Day.

Andre Nickatina
Thu, 9pm, $28
Los Gatos Bar & Grill
Since his “Dre Dog” days in the early ’90s, this Fillmore District-groomed gangsta rapper has built a loyal cult following in the Bay Area. He’s made a name for himself by delivering immoderate and sometimes extreme bars in his unmistakable, staccato flow. A contemporary of other Bay Area emcees, including The Jacka and Mac Dre, he is as adept at weaving tales that are morose as he is at spinning a yarn about partying. The multitalented, blunt-blowin’ Dre has proven his prowess on the mic and behind the boards as a producer. He performs at LGBG on 4/20—natch. (BS)

Sweeney Todd
Fri, 7:30pm, $25+
Montgomery Theater, San Jose
Sweeney Todd has returned from exile and he’s out for blood. After a corrupt judge sends Sweeney to prison on trumped-up charges—and with the aim of seducing Todd’s young wife—the Demon Barber of Fleet Street returns seeking vengeance. Initially, he targets only those who destroyed his life. However, he quickly turns his wrath into a reprisal on the entire human race, opening a barbershop only to slit the throats of customers. He finds a kindred killer in Mrs. Lovett, who helps him dispose of the dead bodies by baking them into pies. This CMT production runs through April 30. (BS)

The Colorado
Fri, 6pm, $15+
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford
One the Southwest’s most defining natural forces, the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon and feeds the United States’ largest reservoir—Lake Mead— formed by the Hoover Dam. The Colorado River Basin, is explored in Murat Eyuboglu’s documentary, The Colorado. Part of Stanford’s ongoing series, Live Context: Art + Ideas, the film will be shown immediately after a public conversation with National Geographic photographer Pete McBride. A native Coloradan, McBride holds a special place in his heart for the American West and has spent a great deal of time documenting its rugged beauty. (NV)

THE COLORADO from Murat Eyuboglu on Vimeo.

Historic Homes Tour
Sat, 10am, $50+
New Museum Los Gatos
This bi-annual showcase will give people an inside look at the Almond Grove Historic District—one of Los Gatos’ oldest neighborhoods. Dating back to the mid-19th century, the neighborhood features Victorian, Craftsman, Spanish, English Cottage, Tudor and ranch style homes. The tour—NUMU’s largest fundraising event—will run from 10am-4pm on both Saturday and Sunday. All ticket proceeds will benefit the museum’s programs and exhibits. Saturday’s tour will also feature a bonus house. Attendees who purchase a VIP ticket for $75 will be invited to Los Gatos’ newly opened Modern Whitney for a private wine reception. (BS)

Record Store Day
Sat, 10am, Free
Streetlight Records, San Jose
It’s the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day and Streetlight is marking the occasion with as many of the special releases they can stock. The store will be opening an hour early for the event, and they’ll have goodie bags, snacks and coffee for those who line up early. Special RSD releases include titles by David Bowie, Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Andre Nickatina, The Cure and U2. Also, volunteers from Be The Match will be on hand in an effort to raise awareness about bone marrow and blood stem cell donors. They’ll be accepting donations and signing people up for their registry. (NV)

Oliver Ranch Private Tour
Sat, All Day, $125
Geyserville, Sonoma County
The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art is taking a field trip, and they want to take you along. This Saturday, the ICA will lead a group of modern-art lovers on a guided tour of the internationally recognized modern art installation destination Oliver Ranch. The trip includes transportation, a catered lunch, and a group tour of the ranch. The Olivers have been involved in the San Francisco high art scene for decades. Since 1985, the couple have commissioned 18 site-specific installations on their property, asking only that the world-class artists they work with “respond to the land.” (NV)

sjDANCEco Festival
Sun, 10am, Free
Santana Row, San Jose
Kicking off National Dance Week, sjDANCEco celebrates the sweeping diversity of Silicon Valley’s best dancers. The 15th annual festival—formerly known as Dancin’ Downtown—will feature rising stars and masters of their craft performing a wide variety of styles, from classical to modern, interpretive to hip-hop. Dance companies, choreographers and cultural groups from all over the South Bay will be strutting their stuff all day, from 10am-5pm in Santana Row Park, located on the main drag between El Jardin Restaurant & Tequila Bar and Vintage Wine Bar. (NV)

Magic Lantern
Tue, 8:30pm, Free
Downtown Redwood City
A new 3-D video-mapped light show, which debuted on April 18, will be shown in downtown Redwood City every Tuesday night through the end of the year. The “Magic Lantern 3-D show,” created by celebrated light show artist Bart Kresa, is projected onto the San Mateo County History Museum and is said to take viewers on “an abstract adventure through Redwood City history.” Sponsored by the Redwood City Improvement Association, it is the second public art project to debut in Redwood City in recent weeks. At the beginning of the month, San Francisco-based scientific illustrator Jane Kim completed her  ‘Flora from Fauna’ mural series downtown. (NV)

The Bodyguard
Tue, 7:30pm, $43+
SJ Center for the Performing Arts
The first national tour of this award-winning musical is loaded with talent. Playing the leading role of Rachel Marron is the Canadian R&B singer-songwriter and actress Deborah Cox. She stars alongside TV star Judson Mills, who plays the titular bodyguard—assigned to protect music superstar Rachel from a menacing stalker. As the two fall into an unexpected love, Rachel continues to dazzle fans, performing a number of classic hit songs including Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” (BS)

To mark the late Selena’s 46th birthday, Sonido Clash is throwing a party at BackBar SoFa, headlined by San Jose cumbia band Corazon Salvaje. The third annual Selena-themed bash Also this week: Vector Hold, a locally based synthwave duo who deploy heavy metal guitars and a Commodore Amiga 500 to craft the kind of blippy chiptune that might have soundtracked early-’90s Sega titles like “Road Rash” come to The Caravan.

Dinners @ Wax Wednesday
Wed, 8pm, Free
Cafe Stritch, San Jose
The guys in Dinners don’t like to make a fuss. Over the course of two excellent releases—their 2013 full-length debut, Black Rabbits, and the 2014 EP, Who is Lee B?—the San Jose indie rock quartet have kept it real by focusing on the music. Their Cafe Stritch shows are always a good time: just as much about booze and brotherhood as they are about the band’s fuzzy tangles of lo-fi riffs and slacker melodies. They take the Stritch stage for this week’s installment of Wax Wednesday. (NV)

Casey Donahew
Wed, 7pm, $10-$15
Rodeo Club, San Jose
Born in the Fort Worth suburb of Burleson, country singer and band-leader Casey Donahew is proud of his Lone Star State heritage—that much is clear in his ode to Texas, “One Star Flag.” The song’s accompanying video features scenes of bull riding, cattle wrangling and good-old country living. All that and one hell of a fiddle solo. Donahew got his start playing local bars in his hometown, building a following with his blend of roadhouse riffs and outlaw country swagger. His most recent record, 2016’s All Night Party, claimed the No. 3 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart when it debuted last fall. (BS)

BackWords
Fri, 7pm, Free
Cukui, San Jose
San Jose lettering artist Alissa Rosete is flipping her world around—or at least her art. The illustrator-turned-graphic designer is taking words of admiration and some of silliness, and inverting them so they read as if you were viewing them from the other side of the glass. She creates her bold and finely detailed type by hand with ink, though her calligraphy game is so on point, it could pass as computer-generated. You can find Rosete’s typography emblazoned on the menus, signs and even the tip jars at Iguana’s, where she works on the marketing team. (VS)

Erik Griffin
Fri, 7:30pm, $20
The Improv, San Jose
Eric Griffin—a.k.a. Montez, the gruff, fun-loving cubicle jockey in Comedy Central’s Workaholics—is currently on tour, headlining clubs and college campuses across the country in support of his multiple comedic endeavors. In addition to putting up with Adam, Anders and Blake’s tomfoolery, he has a full-length comedy album, Technical Foul: Volume One, and will play the character of Ralph on Showtime’s upcoming dramedy, I’m Dying Up Here. Griffin has also appeared in NBC’s Comics Without Borders, Showtime’s Comics Unleashed and TNT’s Franklin & Bash. (BS)

Out of Slumber Party
Fri, 6pm, Free
Seeing Things Gallery, San Jose
Hosted by Drew Roulette and Billy Barnes, this one-night benefit for local pediatric research will feature work by the organizing artists, as well as many more South Bay illustrators and painters. Metro contributors and masters of pen and ink Tad Malone and Jeremiah Harada will be showing—along with Carlos Agrillo, Sarah Collins, Megan Curry, Ben Henderson, Josh Bays, Myca Tran and more. Proceeds from sales of original art go to Stanford Children’s Health. The show will also feature live music and drinks. (NV)

Overwatch Tourney + Silent Disco
Sat, 12pm, $5+
AFK Gamer Lounge
Spend the day blasting your enemies with the squad, noshing on snacks and throwing back beers—then dance the night away as you revel in sweet, sweet victory. That could be you, if you and yours have what it takes to go all the way in AFK Gamer Lounge’s Overwatch tournament this Saturday. The day begins at noon, with check-in, and the tourney is slated to run until at least 8pm. That’s when the silent disco begins, with DJ Patrix, DJ Smoov and J.Slay all spinning all the jams. (NV)

Irina Kulikova
Sat, Apr 15, 7:30pm, $25+
Trianon Theater, San Jose
Consistently ranked as one of the best living classical guitarists in the world, Irina Kulikova comes to San Jose for the final concert of the South Bay Guitar Society’s 2016-17 concert season. She is known for her deft touch and ability to blend clarity with fluidity—striking out well-defined melodic and rhythmic lines without ever losing the flow of a composition. Over the course of her 22-year career, Kulikova has performed at some of the world’s most renowned concert halls, including Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow and the Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai. (BS)

Selena Tribute
Sat, 9pm, $15+
Back Bar SoFa, San Jose
“Baila! Baila esta cumbia!” Since her passing, Latin pop superstar Selena Quintanilla—better known by her given name alone—remains one of the biggest influences in Latino music. To mark the late Selena’s 46th birthday, Sonido Clash is throwing a party at Back Bar SoFa, headlined by San Jose cumbia band Corazón Salvaje. The group’s contemporary-yet-traditional sound echoes the vibe that Selena so expertly captured in the early ’90s. Hosted by Andrea Garcia, Mex Tape and a Selena impersonator, the third annual Selena birthday bash is fast becoming a can’t-miss fiesta. (VS)

Vector Hold
Sat, 9pm, Free
Caravan Lounge, San Jose
“I played a lot of old school side-scrollers and button mashers back in the day,” says Pete Rice, the man behind Vector Hold. Rice is still punching plastic buttons, but now, instead of gunning for first place in Road Rash, Rice is using his Commodore Amiga 500 to craft the kind of blippy chiptune that might have soundtracked the early-’90s Sega Genesis motorcycle racing game—in an alternate and much more badass, heavy metal universe. His crunchy, nostalgia-heavy tracks are catching on in a major way, as he rides at the vanguard of a major synthwave revival, led by the likes of Carpenter Brut and S U R V I V E. (NV)

Spring into First Friday. This week brings with it the first South First Friday art walk of the spring season. Be sure to get out there and check out the great galleries. There’s the 19th annual Latino Art Now! show at MACLA, Julie Barrett and David Mejia at KALEID Gallery and Immersion at SoPo. Also this week: The first Beerwalk in downtown San Jose, Chiefs at the Caravan and much more.

Latino Art Now
Wed, 12pm, Free
MACLA, San Jose
An explosion of contemporary Latino art comes to MACLA this week during the 19th annual Latino Art Now! art auction and exhibition. The gallery will feature some of the best Latino artists from the Bay Area and beyond. Keith Haring meets some sort of primordial Aztec circuit board in the looping, tangled lines of Aaron De La Cruz; Ester Hernandez, Linda Vallejo and Pilar Agüero-Esparza use their art to draw attention to political issues impacting Latin Americans in the U.S. and elsewhere. The exhibit runs through May 13 and culminates in an auction to benefit MACLA and its various community-oriented programs. (VS)

The Beerwalk
Wed, 6pm, $30+
Downtown San Jose
Lace up your walking shoes and prepare your palate. The Beerwalk, which has already trudged through downtown Campbell, Willow Glen, Santana Row, and Japantown, is coming to downtown San Jose for the first time. Founded in 2012, this Bay Area-based organization encourages locals to get to know their neighbors, meet local business owners and come to a better understanding of their community—all while sipping on suds and raising money for a good cause. This week’s walk will feature 20 locally brewed and imported beers. Proceeds will go to local nonprofits. (VS)

The Memory Stick
Wed, 7:30pm, $30+
San Jose Stage Company
Cultures simultaneously clash and find common ground in this new work by Irish playwright and actor Donal O’Kelly. The Stage produces the world premier of The Memory Stick, which examines the 1916 Easter Rising—which saw Irish republicans fighting for independence from the British—and contrasts the rebellion with similar insurgent efforts made by American Indians. The story is told through the eyes of two main characters: Bridget, a young Chicagoan of Irish heritage, and a fellow American of Sioux ancestry who meet on an Army base in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Tensions rise as they discover each others’ secrets and one is suspected of whistleblowing. (VS)

Julie Barrett + David Mejia
Fri, 7pm, Free
KALEID Gallery, San Jose
This group show features works by two local artists. First, David Mejia presents new compositions. Titled “Shamanism: Images of a Mythic Journey,” the paintings are intended to explore the world of shamen, who Mejia says occupy a space between the world we can see and that which is unknown. Julie Barrett’s “Dark Expressions” examines the brooding inner space of the mind. Her wildly scribbled black-and-white images conjure feelings of fear and anxiety as they recall a melding of Ralph Steadman and the horror captured within Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. An artist reception will be held during this week’s First Friday art walk. (DSJ)

Louie Anderson
Fri, 7pm, $48
Carriage House Theatre, Saratoga
Louie Anderson first broke out with a standup appearance on The Tonight Show. Following a few bit roles and a Showtime standup special, he found success with his mid-’90s Saturday-morning cartoon, Life With Louie. He’s remained busy ever since and recently landed a role that has resulted in some critical acclaim. Anderson won Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for his part as Christine Baskets in the Zach Galifianakis-starring tragicomedy Baskets, which recently concluded its second season on FX and was recently renewed for a third season. (NV)

Immersion
Fri, 7pm, Free
Social Policy, San Jose
A new group exhibition at Social Policy showcases the abstract paintings of local artists Giorgiani Mathey, Sophia Ronen and Nik Radford. “Immersion” Patrons are invited to get lost in a good cup of cold brew and Mathey’s ethereally beautiful splotches of amorphous color or ponder the sharp angles of Nik Radford’s colorful geometric designs over an espresso and house-baked pastry. Each piece is aimed at being a journey in and of itself. For those out exploring local art on the First Friday art walk (the first one of the spring season), SoPo will remain open beyond its normal business hours. (NV)

Andrew Rayel
Fri, 7pm, $45
City National Civic
Since debuting in 2009, Andrew Rayel has rapidly climbed the ranks of influential trance producers with his energizing beats, choppy vocal samples and choice synth patches. The 23-year-old Moldovan musician is signed to trance megastar Armin van Buuren’s label, Armada Music. He’s taken the main stages of massive festivals, including Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival, while getting a heavy rotation on the popular ‘A State of Trance’ radio station. On his upcoming mini-tour, Rayel plans to debut tunes from his new album, Moments, which is set for an early May release. The tour, which comes to town this Friday, is expected to feature a number of special guests. (BS)

LAST Festival
Sat, 10am, Free
Hammer Theatre, San Jose
Art, technology and science converge at the LAST Festival. The interdisciplinary event—“LAST” stands for “Life, Art, Science and Tech”—will feature interactive multimedia art installations, speakers discussing cutting-edge technologies and panels on how emerging science and technology will affect society. LAST returns to Silicon Valley for the fourth time in partnership with Paseo Public Prototyping Challenge and Festival. Robots will be the talk of the town as speakers explore the impact of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, synthetic biology and much more. An early exhibition of the festival’s art will be held Apr 7 at 6pm. (VS)

Chiefs
Sun, 9pm, Free
Caravan Lounge, San Jose
With a sludgy yet propulsive sound reminiscent of Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, Phoenix-based stoner rock outfit Chiefs bring their big Copper State riffs to San Jose. They come along with direct support from fellow Arizonans Dead Canyon. Chiefs received positive press from the likes of Noisey and Ghost Cult Magazine for their 2015 full length Tomorrow’s Over. The band are currently on a West Coast tour in support of Second Coming of Heavy: Chapter 5, their brand new split LP with San Diego heavy-psych-blues band Desert Suns. Raise a tall boy of PBR to these fuzzy freaks. (NV)

From the twangy, country-boy prosperity gospel of Chris Janson—whose “Buy Me A Boat” has more than 50 million views on YouTube—to the reserved and sobering Americana of Vikesh Kapoor, this week’s Metroactive newsletter is packed to the brim with promising young musicians. If hip-hop and soul are your thing, you’ll definitely want to check out Fool’s Day Function at Aura Lounge—hosted by Thatfool Al of Westacy Entertainment and E-40 collaborator DJ Sane, and featuring Nu Ethnic, a San Jose trio who blend modern rock sensibility with a neo-soul vibe, and the ascendant, BAMN-affiliated Andrew Bigs.

Chris Janson
Wed, 7pm, $15+
Club Rodeo, San Jose
Hip-hop isn’t the only genre that’s figured out just how fun a clever prosperity-gospel tune full of choice product placements can be. Chris Janson’s “Buy Me A Boat”—featuring a rip-roaring chorus about the power of cold hard cash—has racked up more than 50 million views on YouTube. “I ain’t rich, but I damn sure wanna be,” the Missouri-born songwriter sings on the track. The conclusion is clear: money might not be able to buy happiness, but it can sure as hell buy a boat, a truck to pull it, and a brand-name ice chest full of “silver bullets.” (NV)

The Naked Magicians
Wed, 7:30pm, $55+
California Theatre, San Jose
They say illusions are accomplished by distracting the audience. Some performers deploy misdirection, others rely on a stunning assistant. The Naked Magicians have a different approach. With the wave of a wand and an “abracadabra”—poof!—their clothes are gone. Australian performers Christopher Wayne and Mike Tyler conjure up cackles all over the globe with their revealing and decidedly R-rated routine, which mixes comedy, magic and plenty of skin. Already big Down Under (heh…) and in the U.K., Wayne and Tyler are bringing their bare-assed act to the States. (VS)

Whiskies of the World
Thu, 6pm, $80
Forager, San Jose
In this benefit for Casa Círculo Cultural—a nonprofit focused on fostering cultural spaces in the local Latin American community—participants will drink some of the world’s finest whiskeys for a good good cause. Whiskey makers and their brand ambassadors will be on hand to walk tipplers through the tasting process, explaining how their products are made and how to identify all the intricacies of world-class bourbon, scotch and whiskey. The event, originally slated to take place at GlassHouse, has been moved to the SoFA District’s newest sipping spot—Forager Tasting Room and Eatery. (NV)

Harry Potter + Symphony SV
Fri, 8pm, $111+
San Jose Center for Performing Arts
Featuring soaring cars, invisible cloaks, mysterious house elves and talking snakes, this is no place for muggles. Relive the mystical and wondrous tale of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets backed by a live orchestra. Watch as Harry, Ron and Hermione return for their second year at Hogwarts while the Symphony Silicon Valley recreates John Williams’ score below the big screen. Watch the symphony move through gentle themes into the climactic finale—the battle between Harry and the dreaded Basilisk, summoned by he who must not be named. (VS)

Fool’s Day Function
Fri, 8:30pm, $10
Aura Nightclub, San Jose
On the eve of the trickster’s holiday, a Fool’s Day Function brings together a diverse assortment of local artists—including a North Bay rapper and a South Bay alt-R&B group. In all, eight performers will take the stage, while hosts Thatfool Al of Westacy Entertainment and E-40 collaborator DJ Sane work to keep the crowd going dumb. Topping the bill is Nu Ethnic, a San Jose trio who blend modern rock sensibility with a neo-soul vibe. Also rocking the mic is the BAMN-affiliated Andrew Bigs, an East Side emcee who sneaks heft into his humorous flows, which he spits over jazzy beats. (DSJ)

An Office Space Odyssey
Fri, 8pm, $10
American Improv Theatre, San Jose
Enjoy the best night of the week—Friday—by laughing at yourself and all the rest of the poor cubicle jockeys who punch the clock at a soul-sucking job. The American Improv Theatre’s sketch group, Black Cat Comedy, presents “An Office Space Odyssey.” This comedic sojourn through the absurdity and banality of the modern white-collar wasteland, focuses on the young professionals’ perpetual struggle to gain a foothold on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder. Founded by performer and instructor Alan Kaatz in 2015, the Black Cat Comedy sketch group has made a name for itself producing original works by Bay Area. (NV)

Vikesh Kapoor
Sat, 10pm, $20
Bing Concert Hall Studio, Stanford
His decidedly Eastern name might not conjure images of the stereotypical American blue collar worker. Nevertheless, there is little doubt that folk balladeer Vikesh Kapoor is drawn to the stories of despair now rising like a black pall from the ruins of company towns all over the Rust Belt and throughout Appalachia. And though the very inhabitants of those dwindling industrial outposts—long undercut by outsourcing and automation—might blame someone like Kapoor for their plight, his acclaimed 2013 debut LP, The Ballad of Willy Robbins seems prescient in 2017. With haunting harmonica and a Dylan-esque cadence, Kapoor weaves spectral tales of love and loss in small-town America. (NV)

The Browning
Sun, 6:30pm, $12+
The District Theatre, Gilroy
Even before Skrillex began collaborating with the likes of Korn, music critics have observed the crossover appeal between his brand of maximalist EDM and heavy metal. The grinding, fax-machine-death and wuba-wub-wubs of his bass-heavy drops recall the alternating chuga-chuga-to-screeching-harmonic breakdowns of metalcore. Viewed from this vantage the pummeling “electronicore” of Kansas City-based The Browning makes perfect sense. It’s perfect for fueling the pit and raising a riotous chorus of fist pumps from the crowd. Like the industrial metal heavyweights Fear Factory before them, The Browning merge glitchy drum machines and haunting synth patches with punishing riffs and aggro blast beats. (NV)

Selfieman
Tue, 8pm, Free
The Caravan Lounge, San Jose
He’s big in Russia—like, opening up for Twenty One Pilots big. Nikolay Stravinsky was born in a small town by the Volga River, Ulyanovsk, the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin. After moving to Moscow and studying music, he played in Tarakany!, one of the first Russian punk bands to emerge from the newly formed Russian Federation in the early ’90s. These days he writes, records and performs as Selfieman. Literally a one-man band, Stravinsky is practiced at building songs live with the help of a looping station and a bevy of instruments, from keyboards to guitars to drums. He is now working to break out in the States with his new English-language album Relative Time. (NV)

A new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel comes to City Lights Theater.  ‘Frankenstein’  tells the tale of Victor Frankenstein and his monster with a modern-day twist and with the aid of cutting edge technology. Intent on examining what “it truly means to be human, and the plight of the outsider,” City Lights gives the story a fresh perspective and uses a lighting technique known as projection mapping, which produces realistic visual effects on a three-dimensional plane. The show runs through April 23.  Also this week: Maluma comes to San Jose on his first U.S. tour. The Columbian-born reggaeton artist is aiming to capture a whole new fanbase in the States.

Adapting History
Fri, 9:30am & 11:30am, $7
Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga
American history collides with the beats, spoken-word poetry and multiple personalities of musician, rapper and performance artist Dahlak. In collaboration with Montalvo Arts Center’s Educational Department, this one-man show presents a musical narrative aimed at challenging one-dimensional portrayals of the black experience in America. Weaving together the sounds of blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop, Dahlak explores adaptation in its many forms. Literally wearing multiple hats over the course of the show, the Def Poetry Jam alumnus demonstrates how code switching is not just a curious social phenomenon, but in fact a complex survival mechanism. (VS)

Adapting History – Dahlak – Montalvo Arts Center from Emily Lieu-Harris on Vimeo.

Liquid Sky
Sat, 9pm, $10
BackBar SoFa, San Jose
Like so many guitarists, Freddie Mabunga is an ardent admirer of Jimi Hendrix. However, instead of just aping the late, great Voodoo Child in his bedroom, Mabunga decided to get a band together with the aim of recreating the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Rounding out his power trio with drummer Kevin Nagel and bassist Mark Welker, Liquid Sky deliver faithful renditions of “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” and “Manic Depression,” all while dressing the part in bell bottoms, wide-lapeled frilly shirts and plenty of color. They share the stage with Oakland glam-rockers Death Valley Gypsies. (NV)

Ragazzi: Gloria!
Sat, 7:30pm, $17+
Mission Santa Clara
Featuring more than 200 singers from communities all over the Bay Area, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus has been training young singers and producing top-notch choral events for 30 years. Since 1987, Ragazzi has performed with the San Francisco Opera, Opera San Jose, West Bay Opera, Symphony Silicon Valley, Masterworks Chorale and the Stanford University Symphonic Chorus among others. Gloria! will feature Glorias—Christian songs of praise—by Haydn and Vivaldi, choral music by Bach, and a collection of Russian, Latvian, Estonian and German folk songs. The boys will be joined by Ragazzi Continuo, an 11-singer chorus, featuring alumni of the Ragazzi Boys Chorus. (DSJ)

Maluma
Sat, 8pm, $60+
City National Civic, San Jose
Juan Luis Londoño Arias, better known as Maluma, is a triple threat. Since his 2013 Latin Grammy nomination for best new artist, this singer, songwriter and producer has been taking the Spanish-speaking world by storm. Riding a wave of chart-topping hits like “Borro Cassette,” “Sin Contacto” and “El Perdedor,” this 23-year-old Colombian-born reggaeton artist has sold out concerts all over South America and worked with some of the biggest names in Latin pop, including Ricky Martin and Shakira. Maluma aims to expand his fan base when he comes to San Jose this week on his first U.S. tour. (DSJ)

Temirzhan Yerzhanov
Sat, 7:30pm, Free
CSMA, Mountain View
One of the world’s best pianists also happens to be a CSMA faculty member. Temirzhan Yerzhanov is an award-winning player with an extensive list of accomplishments—including a gold medal from the International Robert Schumann Piano Competition. Yerzhanov has toured the world and has been featured in orchestras from the Sacramento Philharmonic, to the Symphony Orchestra of India. Trained at the famous Central Music School in Moscow, this acclaimed conductor, director and soloist will perform Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. (DSJ)

Catapult The Dead
Sat, 9pm, Free
Caravan Lounge, San Jose
The ominous, long-held opening chord on All Is Sorrow recalls the opening strains of Bach’s famous “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”—minus the rapid-fire finger work. Oakland-based doom band Catapult The Dead prefer to take their time developing their songs. Case in point: they took a page out of Sleep’s playbook by eschewing track listings and presenting All Is Sorrow as a single 37-minute track. For more than half an hour, their album’s title track sprawls through eerie synth patches, haunting piano plunks and plenty of chugging, palm-muted guitar riffs and guttural growling—natch. (NV)

II Volo
Mon, Mar 27, 8pm, $60-100
City National Civic, San Jose
Much like The Three Tenors before them, II Volo have found massive commercial success by combining Latin pop sensibility with classical operatic training. Discovered in 2009 on an Italian TV singing competition, this “popera” trio eventually landed a deal with Geffen Records, making them the first Italian artists to directly sign with an American recording label. Their 2015 album L’Amore Si Muove was certified double platinum by FIMI, Italy’s version of the RIAA. On their current tour, Notte Magica, the group pays homage to their heroes—Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti. (BS)

Zeke
Tue, 7pm, $15+
The Ritz, San Jose
Big riffs and even bigger attitude are on the menu when Zeke and Nashville Pussy swing into town. Power shifting through hardcore straight into muscle-car blues metal, Seattle-based Zeke have been kicking out the jams since 1992—drawing comparisons to MC5, Motorhead and The Dwarves. They are celebrating 25 years of partying and playing fast. When it comes to fusing punk rock ethos with Southern metal charm, few are better than Nashville Pussy. Hailing from Atlanta, this fearsome foursome have been crafting hard-charging, harder-living rock & roll tunes since 1996. (NV)

Sheltering two illegal immigrants from postwar Italy comes with unexpected consequences for Eddie and Beatrice Carbone in Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge, opening this week at The Pear Theatre. Also this week: John 5, guitarist for Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie brings big, scary guitars to The Ritz Dash Berlin drop the bass at City National Civic and L.A.’s Sinicle shred at The Caravan.

Calligraphy
Wed, 8pm, $35-$59
Lucie Stern Theatre, Mountain View
Even the most impeccably drawn swatches of ink fade with time, but the beauty and grace of deft strokes are eternal. In appreciation of aging, Calligraphy tells the story of two estranged sisters and their two daughters—who must navigate the challenges of clashing cultures and their prideful mothers, as well as their own busy, modern lives. In an attempt to reunite their aging parents, who live on opposite sides of the Pacific, the two women confront tradition, prejudice and their tangled heritage. TheatreWorks stages this intimate and sensitive comic drama in Mountain View. (DSJ)

Sinicle
Thu, 10pm, Free
The Caravan, San Jose
Originally from Reno, but now based in L.A., the aptly named Sinicle clearly know a thing or two about debauchery and cynicism. After more than a decade on the grind—and a number of EPs and demos—the boys have finally released their first proper LP, Angels & Demons. Combining elements of ’90s thrash with bluesy, Southern metal riffage, Sinicle have attracted positive reviews and shared the stage with metal legends Exodus, Ghoul and Otep. One wonders how often the band visits the Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip, former haunt of Lemmy Kilmister. They’d make an ideal backing band for the late Motörhead frontman. (NV)

W&W
Thu, Mar 9, 10pm, $20-35
Pure Lounge, Sunnyvale
Willem van Hanegem and Ward van der Harst came together in 2007 to form a Dutch production and DJ duo, transcending the boundaries of electro and house music. W&W combines elements of trance with the high energy of progressive house to create a sound all their own. In 2014, they topped the Beatport charts with No. 1 hit “Bigfoot,” which generated a massive amount of international plays on radio stations and carried them to festivals all over the world. Championed by the likes of Hardwell, David Guetta and Armin van Buuren, W&W are a force to be reckoned with in the world of EDM. (BS)

Beau Roulette
Fri, 12pm, Free
Seeing Things Gallery, San Jose
Growing up in Los Gatos, in the shade of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the budding shutterbug Beau Roulette had plenty of picturesque views to train his camera lens on. But as a skater who came of age in the ’90s, he was less interested in shooting rolling hills and more into capturing heelflips. These days—in addition for shooting commercially for brands like Levi’s and Soylent—Roulette has rediscovered natural beauty, and merged it with what he learned documenting the urban jungle. In this new show, “Subtle Tease,” Roulette juxtaposes the harsh light of lasers on the female form and angular, synthetic structures against natural landscapes. (NV)

A View from the Bridge
Fri, 8pm, $35
The Pear Theatre, Mountain View
Sheltering two illegal immigrants from postwar Italy comes with unexpected consequences for Eddie and Beatrice Carbone. Set in 1950s America, A View from the Bridge is a story of forbidden love and its endless fallouts, though it has timely ties to today’s immigration debate. As Eddie’s obsession with his wife’s niece, Catherine, grows beyond appropriate paternal concern and affection, he challenges Rodolpho, the undocumented immigrant she has fallen in love with—accusing him of using her to gain citizenship. Eddie’s anger eventually ends up impacting his entire community in ways he never intended. (DSJ)

John 5
Fri, Mar 10, 8pm, $15+
The Ritz, San Jose
As a solo artist, John 5 has recorded seven heavy metal guitar albums, working with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy Osbourne and Slash. He was also the guitarist for Marilyn Manson before becoming the guitarist for Rob Zombie, a heavy metal band known for weaving horror and suspense elements over complicated beats and killer storylines. His music follows the simple formula of anger, death, sex, demons, drugs and satanic chaos. With his hair-raising guitar riffs, Wes Borland-style face paint and tattoos from head to toe, John 5’s stage presence invokes the fear that keeps metalheads throwing those devil horns in the air. (BS)

Dash Berlin
Sat, 9pm, $45+
City National Civic, San Jose
With thumping bass, entrancing beats and a kaleidoscopic light show, the electronic dance music of Dash Berlin is scientifically calibrated to keep the dance floor packed. Ealke Kalberg, Sebastiaan Molijn and Jeffrey Sutorius comprise this Dutch DJ trio, though Sutorius often rocks shows on his own. The outfit first emerged in 2007 with “Till the Sky Falls Down.” Their 2014 album We Are: Part 1 climbed to No. 6 on Billboard’s Top Electronic/Dance Albums. Dash Berlin’s use of guest melodic vocals, paired with their trance productions, earned them the No. 15 spot on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list in 2010 and No. 8 in 2011. (VS)

Boris Giltburg
Sat, 7:30pm, $30+
Trianon Theatre, San Jose
His technical mastery and artistic sentiment will leave the audience in awe. You can see, hear and feel his dedication as he tickles the piano keys. And yet, Boris Giltburg makes it all look easy. Born in Moscow and raised in Israel, Giltburg honed his craft with the legendary Israeli classical pianist Arie Vardi. His creativity and force earned him first place at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2013. He has played with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra, and now his classical tunes will soar in San Jose. (VS)

Meklit Hadero
Sat, Mar 11, 8pm, $20
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford
San Francisco-based Meklit Hadero is an Ethiopian-American singer and songwriter known for her soulful performing style and inspiring message of hope and self-empowerment. Her unique sound blends jazz, folk and East African influences. Outside of music, she has been a Senior TED Fellow since 2011, and a co-founder of the Nile Project with Egyptian ethnomusicologist Mina Girgis. Hadero has participated in two artist residencies with the Nile Project, uniting musicians from 11 countries all along the Nile Basin. Returning to Bing Concert Hall for the first time since 2015, her sensuous, gentle sound will make for a stunning night. (BS)