As we bid farewell to 2025, let us not forget the South Bay’s resilient and diverse music scene, one of massive arena spectacles and festive local events, but not without bittersweet venue closures. 2025 was both a standout and transitional year for Silicon Valley’s musical landscape.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara hosted several blockbusters, drawing massive concert crowds in addition to the weekly Niner Gang. Metallica’s “M72 World Tour” swept through two nights in June, supported by Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies. The summer was active, from The Weeknd’s “After Hours Til Dawn” Tour in July (with Playboi Carti and Mike Dean), to Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem” Tour in August, with country legends Brooks & Dunn. This diverse run of juggernaut shows finally signified the South Bay as a premier locale for global superstars.
Closer to downtown, the reliable SAP Center kept momentum with standout acts like Linkin Park’s “From Zero World Tour” in September and Kali Uchis’ “The Sincerely, Tour” later that month, featuring opener 54 Ultra.
It could be argued, however, that the local downtown scene made bigger strides than any big mainstream concert ever did—especially when it came to festivals and smaller, carefully curated concert series.
The San Jose Jazz Summer Fest celebrated its 35th anniversary in August with headliner Common returning to DTSJ, joined by undisputed legend Mavis Staples, amongst many more.
Meanwhile, Music in the Park at Plaza de César Chávez embraced a changing tide, welcoming hip-hop in ways the city has seldom seen. Internet sensation and Bay Area champion LaRussell gave a historic San Jose debut alongside Filipina powerhouse Ruby Ibarra and Kung Fu Vampire, as well as Oakland heroes Souls of Mischief, signaling San Jose’s long-overdue embrace of hip-hop’s multi-generational appeal. Recent firebrand rapper Larry June, brought out by 15 Utah and San José Foos at Discovery Meadow, demonstrated that there aren’t just astute rap fans in the area, but also a diversity of interest in the culture.
We’d be remiss not to mention arguably the biggest block party SJ has ever witnessed, when the aforementioned 15 Utah/SJ Foos collab included an epic gathering near City Hall with Australian EDM headliner FISHER back in March that drew upwards of 12,000 on Santa Clara Street. Congrats to the promoters who actively tapped into a zeitgeist that many in the region have long tried and failed.
Farther afield, the Mountain Winery in Saratoga continued to host classy, notably eclectic nights they’re known for, with Gogol Bordello, Iron & Wine, Ziggy Marley, Band of Horses and many others.
2025, however, wasn’t without loss. The beloved Art Boutiki, a quirky comic-book-meets-music haven that nurtured indie acts for 16 years, will soon close its doors for good citing residual financial strains suffered during Covid. The loss of live venues in any city almost always proves detrimental to its respective music scene. Art Boutiki’s shuttering is a blow to SJ, despite spots like The Ritz and The Caravan still fighting the good fight for gritty venues with an authentic DIY feel. Other spots—Jade Cathay, The Break Room, and The Yard—also offer small stages for local creatives, though it’d be more encouraging if these venues weren’t in the vast minority.
Culturally, the year also saw global ripples touch the Bay. The Netflix animated hit KPop Demon Hunters exploded into a phenomenon, its soundtrack dominating charts and introducing K-pop’s fantastical side to new audiences.
Also, another year, another trite headline about a “vinyl resurgence,” but clearly, vinyl culture is deeply rooted in the area. Mainstays like Streetlight Records and Needle to the Groove report higher and higher annual Record Store Day sales. 2025 was no different with lines down the block at both shops.
The South Bay’s scene pressed forward amid farewells to towering figures like Brian Wilson, who played Bridge School Benefit shows in 1999, 2006 and 2014; Austin alt-country musician Joe Ely, who passed through our area in the 1990s to perform at One Step Beyond, Tower Records and the Guadalupe River Park; Ozzy Osbourne, whose farewell tour stopped at SAP Center in 2016; Sly Stone, who played the Fairgrounds in 1971 and 1973 and a brief show at Arena Green in 2007, and Brenton Wood, who drew a large crowd to Music in the Park in 2019.
Rest in peace to local artist Peter “Edgewize” Hammersly who cut his teeth here in San Jose and whose untimely passing just before Thanksgiving shocked those touched by his deeply thoughtful output. Further condolences to the family of John Cummings, the original drummer for acclaimed San Jose rock troupe The Odd Numbers, who passed back in August. He was 58.
Community-driven inclusive programming and further support of live venues were clear positive takeaways of 2025, which remain an absolute must as we head into the new year—and hopefully every year thereafter.
David Ma is a longtime music journalist whose work appears in Rolling Stone, NPR, Billboard, The Guardian, Wax Poetics and more. He’s also part-owner of Needle to the Groove’s boutique label arm focusing on cassette and vinyl releases.
