For the tempestuous and the rosy alike, Hurricane Roses center the eye of the storm on the Willow Den this Saturday. Back in 2015, the moody San Jose/Santa Cruz americana group played what was supposed to be their final show—but this weekend they’re back and bursting with gently twanging tales of love and loss, warm acoustics and heartstring-tugging lap steel. Though 2014’s Home to Haunt You remains the band’s most recent release, the intervening years have lent that album’s alt country rollick a certain mellow vintage, particularly the bobbing, bruised title track.

Hurricane Roses
Sat, 9:30pm, $5
Willow Den Public House, San Jose

Ah, Willow Den, how we’ve missed your subtle charm this last year. Though dim and dark, you are warm and welcome, and always contain at least a few surprises within. Since rebranding as Willow Den Public House in 2019, the Den has been making a push towards music, though that was quickly interrupted by the pandemic. This Saturday, however, they promise “Live Music is Back,” with a show from Bay Area reggae groups Kruel Summer, and Lot49, both of whom like to mix a little R&B with their reggae. Summer’s just beginning, and these mellow grooves are just the kind you want to get stuck in.

Kruel Summer, Lot49, & Superbloom
Sat, 9pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose

Of all the punching bags available to snarky music critics, the suburban American reggae band is arguably the most battered. But to summarily slam Sublime and their ilk misses two critical points. First, these are all just passionate musicians inspired by the truly inspiring music of Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, Desmond Decker and so many others. Second, as is the case with San Jose-based Nessie the Great, it’s just fun. I mean, they’ve got a song dedicated to their 1992 Toyota Previa minivan, a vehicle that frontman and guitarist Carson Lewis praises for shuttling him and his crew to Santa Cruz.

Nessie the Great
Fri, 9pm, Free
Willow Den Public House, San Jose

Pale green clouds have swirled above the heads of Willow Den patrons for close to a decade. But now, as the local bar is planning a remodel and a rebranding—it will become the “Willow Den Public House”—all those Washingtons are coming down. The bills themselves will be donated to a charity, Free Wheelchair Mission, which helps give mobility to disabled people all over the world. Participating patrons may trade in wads of 50 singles for a free drink during the event, and whoever gets closest to guessing the exact number of bills currently stapled to the ceiling wins a $250 credit.

Den’s Dollars
Sat, 3pm, Free
The Willow Den, San Jose

A little bit of alt-country, a little bit of rock & roll, Justin Hambly & The Heavy Hand come to this Willow Glen watering hole from the misty Santa Cruz Mountains. Featuring twangy leads, a jangly, rhythmic swagger, and wide-open choruses, Hambly and his solid crew of players keep the frills to a minimum with their straightforward American rock sound. They are joined by the bluesy and boisterous August Sun. A bit heavier, but no less indebted to the FM classics, August Sun also hail from over the hill.

Justin Hambly & The Heavy Hand
Sat, 10:30pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose

Some people don’t need an excuse to wander into Willow Glen’s most infamous dive bar. But if the Willow Den isn’t already a part of your daily routine, you might want to stick your head in for this rowdy Saturday-night party, sponsored by the awesome Latina women’s social club, Las Bandidas. Live rockabilly bands include The Thirsty Three, Grease Hound and Rockin’ Rick & the Rhythm Wranglers, with MC Hawk Valentine, DJ Miss K and burlesque dancers as well. Proceeds go to the Epifany Project to fight hunger among the homeless. Donations taken at the door.

Rock the Den!
Sat, 8pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose

Grab your board and head to the Brew Tour: Cerveza Stallone. Frequenters of some of downtown San Jose’s finer drinking establishments may have seen this unofficial skateboarding bar crawl advertised on an absolutely radical flyer—featuring a hand-drawn Rambo (ahem… “Slambo”) clutching a tallboy and a skate deck. It’s set to kick at the Willow Den in the early afternoon, but a dude in the know says people are welcome to show up anywhere along the route, which will also stop into Mexico Lindo, The Caravan and end at The Cinebar. Wheels aren’t required, but the best trick of the day wins a board. (NV)

Brew Tour
Sat, 1pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose

Currently on a West Coast tour promoting her eighth album, Buried Treasure, this Nashville country singer and songwriter moseys on into the Willow Den’s weekly “Buck Night”—which features live country music and dollar beers from 8:30pm-10:30pm every Wednesday. Lee has earned a following with cheeky odes to living it up. Cases in point: “I’m a Pirate” celebrates sipping rum and making love on the high seas, while “Gimme Some of that Good Time” is an ode to getting tight on white lightning with good friends and the “taste of a kiss on a hot summer night.”

Erica Sunshine Lee
Wed, 8:30pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose

“You’ll never be a winner unless you lose for quite a while,” David Brookings sings on “The Optimist,” the third track on his band’s new self-titled album.

The song opens on a stompy, minor-key verse, and in just over 30 seconds bursts into its sunny, horn drenched chorus, like a flower blossoming in time lapse. It’s a cool move, which recalls The Turtles’ classic “Happy Together.”

The singer-songwriter’s seventh album, David Brookings & the Average Lookings is definitely an optimistic-sounding record. This 11-song set is packed with gleeful melodies, playful lyrics and some quite nimble chord changes—the riff in “The Basement Room” is a certified ripper—and Brookings proves himself a strong, confident songwriter and sculptor of melody.

There are times when it feels as if he is afraid to get his hands dirty, though this is likely by design. Over the course of the album, Brookings and his new backing band demonstrate a deep love for what might be most accurately described as “classic pop.”

“I think a lot of people love classic rock,” Brookings says, “but I go almost a little earlier than most people. You don’t hear anybody these days talking about Buddy Holly or the Everly Brothers.”

With only a few songs on the album stretching beyond the four-minute mark, Brookings demonstrates an intuitive understanding of the pop rock songwriting of yore—replete with guitar solos, playful shouts and a Derek & the Dominos namedrop.

“The old stuff is better,” the singer says. If you do agree with Brookings, then his latest effort may be exactly what you’ve been looking for: classic pop songwriting, fun melodies and a band that sounds as tight as an English Mod suit.

Brookings will be celebrating the completion of his new album with a record release party at Willow Den, on June 10.

David Brookings
Jun 10, 9pm, Free
Willow Den, San Jose