Nothing warms the soul quite like the blistering riffs of heavy metal, and Uproar Brewing Co. promises to live up to its name when it ushers in the weekend with a full roster of rockers. Experimental metal outfit Gürschach (pronounced grr-shock) have been shredding across the Bay since 2015, and celebrate the release of their new album, Hypnotic Disasters, this Friday. East Bay Thrash band Frolic and SF’s In Spades open the evening, and psych-tinged weirdos White Fuzzy Bloodbath will get every headbanger in the room psyched for the headlining set of this all-ages show.

Gurschach
Fri, 8pm, $10
LVL Uproar, San Jose

While LVL Up undergoes construction, the newly minted LVL Uproar on First has been an excellent interim host for events like karaoke and live music. This Saturday, they cover it all in a layer of glitter as Drag Arcade takes over the brewery for a night of drag, dancing, performance and gaming that’s sure to jostle your joystick. Hosted by bewitching Bay Area drag queen Ava LaShay, and with booty-shaking beats provided by DJ Frank From Mars, Drag Arcade opens up a whole world of gaming-related drag puns and personae based around consoles like Killer Queen, Cruisin’ USA and, of course, Pole Position. Game on.

Drag Arcade
Sat, 7pm, $5
LVL Uproar, San Jose

East Bay virtuosos Wander have earned a reputation for their cosmic, epic instrumental post-rock, flowing from twinkly tranquility to distorted intensity and back with seamless precision. While fans are eagerly awaiting the release of their fourth LP, Home, the shredders will offer a preview at their first live show since 2020. They’re co-headlining with Bay Area screamo stalwarts Hawak, whose latest release, nước, has already been turning heads with its eclectic mix of heavy music with mathy atmospherics and lyrical exploration of Asian-American alienation. They’re joined by San Jose emos Superworld and power poppers Star 99 to boot.

Wander + Hawak
Fri, 7:30pm, $12
LVL Uproar, San Jose