Thursday, May 1st
Mastodon, Gojira, Kvelertak at The Fox Theater – Oakland
Controversial statement: Metal is a stale genre. It has been for a number of years. Mastodon are an exception to the rule. They are one of the most inventive bands in any genre, and they are headlining a pretty spectacular three band gig at The Fox tonight.
The Alan Parsons Project at Yoshi’s – Jack London Square
Eric Hutchinson, Saints Of Valor at The Fillmore
Friday, May 2nd
The Pizza Underground, The Frail, Toby Goodshank, Bam! Bam! at The Uptown Nightclub
The Uptown Nightclub has a great series of shows happening the first Friday of every month, where local bands play for free at one of the best rooms in the Bay Area. This is a special show, where we get local garage punk duo Bam! Bam! and new wavers The Frail playing alongside two New York acts: former Moldy Peach Toby Goodshank and Maculay Culkin’s blissfully ridiculous Velvet Underground tribute band, The Pizza Underground. It’s going to be a solid good time!
Mono, Helen Money at Great American Music Hall
Saturday, May 3rd
Marsha Ambrosius at Yoshi’s – San Francisco
Marsha Ambrosius was one half of Floetry, the innovative hip hop/soul duo that put out several amazing records during their lifetime. Sure, this isn’t a Floetry show, but Ambrosius is picking up where Floetry left off. This is the winner for the best date show of the night.
Forrest Day, Angelo Moore, Keno Mapp / Heart Touch at The Chapel
Sunday, May 4th
Karaoke Underground, Turbo Lightning, Philistines, Victory & Associates, Bedrücken, The Loyalists, West By Swan, The Tunnel at Leo’s Pro Audio
Leo’s Pro Audio is a new venue on Broadway on Oakland that is being run by the folks behind The New Parish and Brick & Mortar Music Hall. Kicking things off is this pretty epic bill blistering rock & roll. And, capping it all off is Karaoke Underground, which is a monthly karaoke party in Austin, TX, with the best karaoke playlist I have ever seen!
The El Vez Punk Rock Revue, The Schitzophonics, Diana Death at The Independent
Monday, May 5th
Nile, Blasphemous Creation, Embryonic Devourment at Slim’s
The best vocal arrangements in death metal. Enough said.
Ingrid Michaelson, Storyman, The Alternate Routes at The Fox Theater – Oakland
Tuesday, May 6th
The Music Of William Onyeabor at The Warfield
David Byrne leads up a star studded cast of musicians to pay tribute to the music of William Onyeabor, a Russian man that grew up in Nigeria and used to play political and danceable afro funk before dropping out off the face of the Earth completely in the 80’s. So we get a show with a wide ranging crew of musicians, from Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke to smooth jazz legend Joshua Redman, with members of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem also putting their hands into the mix.
Childish Gambino at The Fox Theater – Oakland
Wednesday, May 7th
Morrissey, Kristeen Young at San Jose Civic Auditorium
What are the chances of him actually playing this show? Very slim…
