Alternative rock superstars Coldplay perform this week at Levi’s Stadium behind their newly released full-length record “A Head Full of Dreams.” Also, Rey Res, Ozomatli and Iamsu! rock the inaugural Cukui Music Festival at Great America. Finally, Sonido Clash continues to expand its influence in the South Bay music scene with its Music & Mezcal Fest.
Frankie Valli
Thu, 7:30pm, $50-$130
Mountain Winery, Saratoga
While the musical Jersey Boys has been a smash hit around the world, there’s still no substitute for the genuine article. Frankie Valli—the iconic 82-year-old singer from New Jersey—is still going strong, more than five decades after he first hit the charts with his group, The Four Seasons, whose story inspired the acclaimed Broadway show. Fans should have no problem remembering the words and singing along with favorites such as “Walk Like A Man,” “Sherry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What A Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” (SM)
The Martian
Thu, 7:45pm, Free
Courthouse Square, Redwood City
A surprise dust storm forces a team of astronauts to evacuate the red planet in a hurry. In the ensuing chaos, one man is left behind and presumed dead. Luckily, that man is Matt Damon—or, more precisely, Mark Watney—an innovative and quick-witted biologist who must use his smarts to let NASA know he’s OK, grow potatoes, distil water from hydrazine candles and hack together all sorts of other solutions in order to stay alive long enough to be rescued. Even if you know the outcome, the film will still be fun to watch under the stars in Redwood City’s Courthouse Square. (MH)
Easy Zine Fest and Art Show
Fri, 7pm, Free
Social Policy, San Jose
Ever since the advent of cheap, at-home printing and consumer photo-copying, zine making has been a popular and powerful form of self-expression. And even in a world where Tumblr and WordPress make blogging easy, zines retain a kind of cachet the web can’t match.. Just about anything can be written or drawn up for a zine—from silly little cartoons to seething political screeds. The Easy Zine Fest provides an outlet for zine enthusiasts to buy or trade their DIY publications. Comics by Saoirse Alesandro and collages by Rick Oseguera will also be on display as part of this South First Friday event. (ST)
Blasterjaxx
Fri, 10pm, $20-$25
Pure Lounge, Sunnyvale
Long before Skrillex and Diplo blew up in the U.S., the Northern Europeans were cranking out electronic bangers. Dutch electronic duo Blasterjaxx are known for their many collaborations with EDM producers like David Guetta, Hardwell and Afrojack, to name a few. Their remix of Tiesto’s “United” became the official anthem of the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and their single “Faith” was a huge hit in the Netherlands and Sweden. In 2015, they cracked the top 20 in DJ Magazine’s top 100 DJ list. (ST)
5 Seconds of Summer
Fri, 7:30pm, $25-$79.95
Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View
The boys of 5 Seconds of Summer came up fast—moving from YouTube stars to providing direct support for One Direction and even landing on the cover of Rolling Stone. Their 2014 self-titled album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and peaked at No. 1 in 13 countries. Unlike other contemporary boy bands, such as The Jonas Brothers, 5 Seconds have cultivated a bad-boy image—posing naked on the cover of Rolling Stone and boasting about casually hooking up with fans on the road. The band is on tour once again in support of their second LP, Sounds Live Feels Live. (ST)
The Guys/Veils
Fri, 8pm, $28-$32
Pear Theatre, Mountain View.
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 had an immense impact on America, and repercussions of that fateful day can still be felt throughout the country. In 2010, a wave of demonstrations known as “The Arab Spring swept through the Middle East. Two plays focus on these pivotal moments in history—giving audiences a glimpse into the lives of ordinary citizens impacted by the revolutionary forces surrounding them. In The Guys, the relationship between a journalist and a New York City Fire Department captain is explored. Veils follows Intisar, an African American Muslim student and her roommate Samar as their political and cultural differences collide. (ST)
Starover Blue
Sat, 7:30pm, $10
Art Boutiki, San Jose
With the success of Netflix’s Stranger Things (itself an echo of 2010 experimental film Beyond the Black Rainbow), it’s clear: synthesizers are definitely back in style, and dream pop duo Starover Blue are here to give listeners a synth fix. Though they now hail from Portland, the band started out in San Jose. After posting an open letter about leaving home, they relocated to the Northwest, where the rain and mist have clearly crept into their sound. Opening the show is San Jose power-pop group The Albert Square, whose last record was released on New York-based, pay-what-you-want label Quote Unquote Records. (MH)
Spacegeist by Starover Blue
Coldplay
Sat, 7pm, $50+
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Heirs apparent to U2 and The Police, Coldplay are easily one of the biggest rock bands in the world. And they’re coming to one of the biggest, most technologically advanced stadiums in the U.S. on their current world tour. The British band’s seventh full-length album, A Head Full of Dreams, features collaborations with Beyoncé and Oasis co-founder Noel Gallagher, and is the first since the band’s lead singer Chris Martin engaged in a “conscious uncoupling” with his longtime former wife, movie star Gwyneth Paltrow. Despite A Head Full of Dreams’ tepid reviews from music critics, this is Coldplay we’re talking about here, and the show is sure to be packed with hit after megahit. (NV)
Mini Maker Faire
Sun, 10am-6pm, $3-$15
History San Jose
Nowadays just about anything you need can be easily obtained—whether you go to a store or purchase it online. Yet there exists a community of tinkers who prefer create their own goods from scratch. Members of the maker movement—from computer hackers to traditional artisans—rely on their knowledge and hands to produce new things or turn obsolete items into useful objects. In the past, makers worked alone on their inventions and modifications, but today there are fairs that celebrate their innovations, which allow them to unite and share. (ST)
