Summer really adds color to downtown, and this Friday is a chance to see just how colorful SoFA District can be. Under the blooming jacaranda, Anno Domini, KALEID, Works/San José, Art Ark Gallery, The Citadel, ICA and SJ Museum of Quilts and Textiles will be open and ready for your foot traffic. All that’s missing is a closed off South First Street and booths full of makers and shakers. All of that will be back this August, when Street MRKT returns with food and entertainment to boot. But for now, it’s the dawn of summer, and these galleries are providing one of the most essential services ever known.

South First Fridays #ArtwalkSJ
Fri, June 4, 5pm-9pm, Free
SoFA District, San Jose

It is time once again for the monthly South First Friday Art Walk in downtown San Jose’s SoFA District. This month features a reception by artist Mike Egan at Anno Domini; Egan’s third solo show, “Where Death Goes to Die,” is opening there. Also featured this time around at MACLA, an open mic youth showcase for aspiring rappers, spoken word artists, photographers, singers and other creatives. As usual Phantom Galleries will take over Pho 69—with “Out of the Darkness” by Whisper, while artist Monica Valdez will host a reception at The Pierce Apartments to showcase her new work, “Symbiosis.”

South First Friday
Fri, 7pm, Free
SoFA District, San Jose

The second night of C2SV 2016, which coincided with October’s South First Friday event, proved exactly what the SoFA District is capable of when all the cultural forces in the South First Street Area band together.

Featuring performances from top Bay Area jazz talent; the first South Bay solo performance by Eric Victorino; and DJ sets, street performance art and food vendors, the downtown arts and nightlife district was packed and buzzing with excitement.

Victorino, who first made a name for himself as the frontman for Strata and then as the singer for electropop duo The Limousines, opened was the first to take the stage at The Ritz. He proved that he is just as potent a performer all alone on stage as he has been in his other vehicles. Though some of the solo material he’s released thus far showed promise, it proved much more powerful live and loud on The Ritz stage.

Eric Victorino plays his first solo show in San Jose at The Ritz. Photo by Taylor Jones.

Over at Cafe Stritch, Howard Wiley and his band Extra Nappy demonstrated the perpetual cool of America’s original art form, blasting out soulful and hard-bopping takes on pop tunes, as well as some originals.

NoiseHause—the Mountain View-based experimental music party, hosted by Keith Teleki—took over Metro Silicon Valley’s SoFA office, as a number of bands, DJs and solo performers twiddled effects pedals and made joyous and terrifying skronks and squeals.

A NoiseHause performer at the Metro offices. Photo by Taylor Jones.

NoiseHause at the Metro offices. Photo by Taylor Jones.

A troupe of performance artists took to the intersection of San Salvador and South First streets with a wild, all-white display.

Bad Unkl Sista is a performance installation ensemble that combines stillpoint choreography, improvised music, couture costuming, and physical theater. Photo by Taylor Jones.

And most importantly, people had fun:

Photo by Taylor Jones.

Photo by Taylor Jones.

For the full photo gallery, click here. And be sure to come out to the final night of C2SV 2016.