Musician, writer, DJ, manager and producer Peter Asher is putting in a rare appearance in the South Bay, and fans of the British Invasion should take note.
The evening, titled “Peter Asher: Songs and Stories,” covers his career with Peter and Gordon, the music he has produced, his radio show on SiriusXM Beatles channel, firsthand Beatles stories and some discussion of his book The Beatles from A to Zed.
Asher will be on vocals, guitar and bajolele (banjo ukulele), joined by well-known local musician Robert Berry (Hush, Greg Kihn, and too many other bands to name) on vocals, piano and bass, and Robert Aubrey from Americana ensemble Mustangs of the West on vocals, mandolin and violin. $68–$172.57. Sept 12, 7pm. Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, 17090 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill. Tickets on Eventbrite.com.
Thu, Sept 11
National Theatre Live—Can’t make it to London for an evening at the National Theatre? A filmed production of Vanya, Simon Stephens’ new version of Chekhov’s play, screens Sept 11, followed by Present Laughter—Noël Coward’s comedy, featuring Andrew Scott—on Sept 12. $16-$23. Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. hammertheatre.com
Cabaret—Los Altos Stage Company enters the divinely decadent Kit Kat Klub, reprising Kander and Ebb’s indelible musical numbers while exploring the play’s darker side: the spectacle of a cosmopolitan society undone away by virulent demagoguery. $28-$51. Wed-Sun, through Sept 28. 97 Hillview Ave, Los Altos. losaltosstage.org
Little Shop of Horrors—Floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant in this musical adaptation of the Roger Corman horror flick. $47.08-$55.08. Fri-Sun, through Sept 28. Sunnyvale Community Theatre, 550 E Remington Dr, Sunnyvale. sunnyvaleplayers.org
Pushing Boundaries: Ceramic Artists and Identity—The new show presents work by contemporary California-based artists who engage with clay as a medium to explore themes of identity and materiality. Some artists work primarily with clay; others incorporate it as a symbolic reference. Free. Opens Sept 13. Opening reception Sept 19, 6-8pm, featuring art activities, a cash bar and performances from Mosaic America. Runs through Dec 7. Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd, Palo Alto. paloalto.gov
Fri, Sept 12
Middle Eastern & Greek Food Festival—Not only is there authentic cuisine; visitors will also encounter Arabic music by Rami Kaileh & Radwan Shakshir, Greek music by Kymata, and dance performances by St James Dabke youth groups. Free. Sept 12, 6-9pm; Sept 13, noon-9pm; Sept 14, noon-7pm. Saint James Orthodox Church, 195 N Main St, Milpitas. sjorthodox.org/festival
Live on Main—Bring a lawn chair or blanket, grab a meal from a local eatery and catch a concert by the Country Cougars. Free. Sept 12, 6:30-8:30pm. Town Square, 19419 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino. countrycougars.com
Extremely Close—Smuin Contemporary Ballet presents three company premieres by award-winning choreographers: Extremely Close, by Alejandro Cerrudo; Partita, by Justin Peck; and A Long Night, by Amy Seiwert. $28-$95. Sept 12, 7:30pm; Sept 13, 2 & 7:30pm; Sept 14, 2pm. MainStage, Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. mvcpa.com
Sat, Sept 13
Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival—Artists, crafts makers, food vendors and local nonprofit groups flock to Central Park for this community event, along with live entertainment from local bands. Bululú, The Peelers and Pride & Joy play on Saturday, followed by TBT Jazz Trio, East Side Funk, Aja Vu and Pop Rocks on Sunday. Free. Sept 13, 10am-6pm; Sept 14, 10am-5pm. Central Park, 909 Kiely Blvd, Santa Clara. santaclaraca.gov
Northern California Renaissance Faire—Set the wayback machine to the 1500s and head to this gathering of queens, knights, knaves and wenches. The Queen’s Royal Joust, Cy the Sword Swallower, The Mermaid Tavern Show, sea shanteys from the Sea Dogs and more—it’s all returning, plus a new act from Joweh Belly Dance. Opens Sept 13; running weekends, 10am-6pm, until Oct 19. $25-$35, plus parking. Casa De Fruta, 10031 Pacheco Pass Hwy, Hollister. norcalrenfaire.com
SALA 2025—The South Asian Literature and Art Festival, presented by Art Forum SF, brings together globally celebrated names from South Asia and the diaspora. For two days, these luminaries in the fields of literature, filmmaking, the arts, science and more will engage in conversations around this year’s theme: Thoughts without Borders. Prominent panelists will include Nobel Laureate and economist Abhijit Banerjee, modern mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik, Bollywood filmmakers Kiran Rao and Kabir Khan, and Michelin restaurateur Ajay Walia. Sept 13-14, 11am-7pm. Menlo College, 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton. salafestival.org
Oktoberfest Los Gatos—Presented by KCAT TV & Radio, this festival turns the Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn into a Bavarian village for the day. Food, dancing, family-friendly activities and live music by the Internationals (noon-4pm) and the Lucky Devils (5-8pm) provide reasons to say Prost! Free. Sept 13, noon–8pm. Civic Center Lawn, 110 E Main St, Los Gatos. kcat.org/oktoberfest2025
Baroque Concert—Palo Alto Philharmonic kicks off its nine-concert 2025-2026 season with an evening of select soloists and small ensembles performing an array of music from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. $25. Sept 13, 7:30pm. First Lutheran Church, 600 Homer Ave, Palo Alto. paphil.org
Jimmy O. Yang: Big and Tall Tour—This comedian and actor embarks on his third and largest tour yet, after selling out multiple shows at Carnegie Hall. He’s sold out the Civic too, though tickets can be gleaned from resellers. Sept 13, 8 & 10pm. San Jose Civic, 135 W San Carlos St, San Jose. sanjosetheaters.org
Sun, Sept 14
Engineering Imagination—In collaboration with The Tech Interactive’s Community Day, the co-founder of Rbhu—an engineering firm that specializes in monumental artwork—will reveal secrets behind the large-scale artworks in the Alebrijes exhibition, on view in DTSJ through Sept 28. $5. Sept 14, 1:30-2:30pm. The Tech Interactive, 201 S Market St, San Jose. ticketing.thetech.org
Gatsby Picnic—The Art Deco Society of California turns the clock back to the flapper era at this garden party filled with live music and dancing. For a true immersive experience, attendees embrace the 1920s and 1930 style, from summer suits with straw boaters to light linen garden dresses paired with wide-brimmed hats and parasols. Heidi Evelyn and her dance orchestra will supply the tunes; other entertainments include a Bathing Beauty Revue, a Charleston contest and a vintage car display. Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnics. $28.52-$74.41. Sept 14, 2-7pm. History Park, 635 Phelan Ave, San Jose. gatsbypicnic.com
Così Fan Tutte—Opera San José starts its season with a light touch: Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, which the company describes as an 18th-century reality show—Temptation Island meets powdered wigs—with two young couples entangled in a scheming philosopher’s loyalty test. $61.50-$221.50. Sun, Sept 14, 2pm. Runs through Sept 28. California Theatre, 345 S 1st St, San Jose. operasj.org
Mon, Sept 15
Linkin Park—The Southern California rock band’s From Zero World Tour hits the South Bay. $55.50-$180.50. Sept 15, 7:30pm. SAP Center, 525 W Santa Clara St, San Jose. sapcenter.com
Tue, Sept 16
38 Special—Southern rock specialists are still shooting straight after four decades. $54-$235. Sept 16, 7:30pm. Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Rd, Saratoga. mountainwinery.com
Wed, Sept 17
Shahzia Sikander: Collective Behavior—A career-spanning exhibition of New York-based artist Shahzia Sikander (born 1969, Lahore, Pakistan), who has been reframing South Asian visual histories through a contemporary feminist perspective for more than three decades. Also opening the same day: Edmonia Lewis: Indelible Impressions. Free. Sept 17, 11am-6pm. Runs through Jan 25, 2026. Cantor Arts Center. 328 Lomita Dr, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
Alebrijes en San José: Movies y Musica—Spend the night with the visiting alebrijes—outdoor sculptures drawn from Oaxacan folk art—listening to live music by DJ Too Tall and Conjunto Trujillo, followed by an outdoor screening of the movie Encanto. Bring a chair, and enjoy bites from local vendors. Presented by San Jose Jazz in collaboration with Culture Night Market. Sept 17, 6-10pm. Circle of Palms, 124 S Market St, San Jose. alebrijes.sanjosejazz.org
Anthony Cullins—The next-gen guitarist, named Best Blues Artist in the 2023 San Diego Music Awards, calls his eclectic improvisational style “psychedelic soul music.” Catch him at the Club Fox Blues Jam. $13.38. Sept 17, 6pm. Club Fox, 2209 Broadway St, Redwood City. 831.334.1153. clubfoxrwc.com
