Music in the Park, San Jose’s premier outdoor concert series, is back with its first-ever triple-show weekend. The opening concert takes place Friday, July 25 and will be headlined by Stevie B, known for his freestyle hits “Spring Love,” “Party Your Body” and “Because I Love You (The Postman Song).” (For more, read Dan Pulcrano’s interview with Stevie B.)
Stevie B will be joined by Jaya, the “Queen of Soul” of the Philippines, and Shannon, a freestyle pioneer whose 1983 hit “Let the Music Play” continues to fire up dance floors today. Plus, a lineup of Bay Area DJs—Hugo & Chuy Gomez, DJ Looney Tunes & DJ Cris Campos, Brotha Reese and local legend Cutso, of The Bangerz— will keep things moving. The music runs from 5 to 10pm.
Headlining on Saturday, July 26 are the Psychedelic Furs, led by vocalist and songwriter Richard Butler and his bass-wielding brother, Tim. (For more on the Furs, read Bill Kopp’s interview with Tim Butler.) The post-punk progenitors—known for songs where rawness and romanticism meet, such as “Pretty in Pink” and “Heaven”—will play after opening act Rooney, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert Schwartzman. Doors open at 4pm.
The weekend closes out with the Island Party, a night of tropical sounds provided by soulful singer/songwriter FIA, emerging artist Acari (read more about her in this interview) and DJs BigBodyCisco and Westafa, also known as Western Conference. The music begins at 4pm.
All three shows are at Plaza de Cesar Chavez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. For more information, visit mitpsj.com. Purchase tickets at caltix.com.
Thu, July 24
Curator Talks: Dwelling—Kathryn Cua and Jorge Eduardo Sibaja, curatorial assistants at the Cantor Arts Center, present a highlights tour of Dwelling: New Acquisitions, which showcases recent acquisitions to the collection and explores how these works expand our understanding of home. Free. July 24, noon. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford. events.stanford.edu
Pobladores Night Market—Through July 31, this open-air market brings together local makers and business, artists, performers and food purveyors. Free. July 24, 5:30-9pm. Parque de los Pobladores, 501 S 1st St, San Jose. sjdowntown.com
Summer Concert Series—Neon Velvet plays danceable hits from the ’70s to today. Free. July 24, 6:30pm. Hillview Soccer Field, 97 Hillview Ave, Los Altos. losaltosca.gov
National Theatre Live: Fleabag—See a filmed production of the one-woman show that inspired the BBCs hit TV series Fleabag, written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and directed by Vicky Jones. $16-$23. July 24, 7pm & Aug 23, 2pm. Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. hammertheatre.com
Movies on the Square—Redwood City’s weekly double-feature movie night continues with a screening of the musical Wicked. Free. July 24, 8:30pm. Courtyard Square, Redwood City. redwoodcity.org
Fri, July 25
Morgan Hill Friday Night Music Series—The Cheeseballs play at the weekly event. Free. July 25, 5:30pm. Downtown Amphitheater, Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. morganhillchamber.org
Music on the Square—This week’s musical offerings come from the band Careless Whisper. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. Free. July 25, 6-8pm. Courtyard Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. redwoodcity.org
Music in the Square Summer Series—Latin Remix is the featured music at this weekly community concert. Free. July 25, 6-8pm. 4055 Evergreen Village Square, San Jose. instagram.com/evergreenvillagesquare
Campbell Summer Concert Series—San Benito County Line. There are several parking garages within walking distance of the Orchard City Green, including the 2nd Street Parking Garage. Free. July 24, 6:30-8pm. Orchard City Green, Civic Center Drive and N. Central Avenue, Campbell. campbellca.gov
National Theatre Live: A Streetcar Named Desire—Gillian Anderson, Vanessa Kirby and Ben Foster star in the Tennessee Williams drama, filmed live during a 2014 production at the Young Vic Theatre. $16-$23. July 25, 7pm; July 27, 2pm; Aug 2, 2pm & Aug 14, 7pm. Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. hammertheatre.com
Richard III—Framed with traditions of film noir and featuring an all-female and nonbinary cast, this production by Silicon Valley Shakespeare takes an innovative look at the Bard’s familiar tale of treachery. Running through Aug 29. $31-$61. Shows this week: July 25-27, 7pm. Sanborn Skyline County Park, Saratoga. svshakespeare.org
New Works Festival—Theater buffs can get an advance look at tomorrow’s hits at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s 22nd annual New Works Festival, running July 25-Aug 17. This week the offerings are Old Cock, a political satire by Robert Schenkkan presented in partnership with Portugal’s mala voadora theatre company and Peacedale Global Arts. There will also be a one-night-only presentation of Schenkkan’s Motion/Capture. Old Cock will be performed July 25-26 & 29 at 7:30pm and July 27 at 7pm. Motion/Capture will be performed July 28 at 7pm. Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto. 877.662.8978. theatreworks.org
Los Lonely Boys—Texican rock ’n’ rollers Los Lonely Boys show off their tight harmonies and guitar work, with two opening acts from Los Angeles: Thee Sinseers, an East Los outfit dedicated to reviving classic soul and R&B sounds, and The Altons, whose soul, rock, and Latin rhythms will fit right into the mix. July 25, 7:30pm. Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Rd, Saratoga. mountainwinery.com
Sat, July 26
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown—Taking the side of the Fab Four is Abbey Road, one of the country’s top Beatles tribute bands. They engage in a battle of the bands with premier Stones tribute band Jumping Jack Flash. $45-$65, plus fees. July 26, 7:30pm. Heritage Theatre, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell. 408.866.2700.
Smokey Robinson: Legacy Tour—The singer, songwriter, record producer and all-around Motown genius does his first tour in a decade, marking the 50th anniversary of his 1975 album, A Quiet Storm. Robinson will also perform other top hits from throughout the decades. $90-$371. July 26, 7:30pm. Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Rd, Saratoga. mountainwinery.com
Sun, July 27
Saratoga Classic & Cool Car Show—A week of activities for car fanatics culminates with a car show along Big Basin Way, live music, food trucks and a variety of vendors. Free. July 27, 10am-4pm. Saratoga Village & Big Basin Way, Saratoga. saratogachamber.org/saratogacarshow
Starlight Sundays—San Jose Downtown Association’s outdoor movie series, presented by UA Local Union 393, continues with A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black, plus opening act Character Select. Food trucks and a beer garden provide additional entertainment. Free. July 27, 5:30pm. St. James Park, 2nd St &, E St James St, San Jose. sjdowntown.com/starlight-cinema
Tue, July 29
MJ the Musical—Now touring North America, this new musical follows superstar Michael Jackson as he rises to fame. Now touring North America, with MJ’s crowd-pleasing hits. $91+. July 29-Aug 3. Center for Performing Arts, San Jose. san-jose-theater.com/shows
Wed, July 30
Santa Clara County Fair—The 81st Annual Santa Clara County Fair opens July 30, with this year’s theme being “Still Hare and Kicking.” Expect traditional fair-styel food and drink, carnival rides, livestock shows, exhibits, arts and crafts, and lots of live entertainment. $7.50-$12. Hours: July 30-Aug 1, 3-10pm; Aug 2, 1-11pm; August 3, 1-10pm. Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd, San Jose. 408.494.3100. thefair.org
Vines & Vibes—The Bent Band throws a rock ’n’ roll party at Guglielmo’s summer concert series. Bring a picnic or purchase food from a rotating lineup of local food trucks. Wine is available by the glass or bottle; no outside alcohol. Free. July 30, 3-4pm. Guglielmo Winery, 17575 Peak Ave, Morgan Hill. guglielmowinery.com
Iko Ya Ya—Bringing the spirit of New Orleans to the Mission College Summer Concert Series, Iko Ya Ya blends R&B, blues, zydeco, and Cajun music. Free. July 30, 6pm. Central Plaza, Mission College, Santa Clara. missioncollege.edu
Jazz on the Plazz—Heidi Evelyn Dance Orchestra plays. Free. July 30, 6:30pm. Town Plaza Park, West Main Street and Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos. jazzontheplazz.com
