Man… We’re old. We totally bought “Dude Ranch” when it was brand new… on cassette tape. But we still got a little bit of moshing left in us, so you know we’ll be at Blink-182 tonight at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Unlike back when we were teenagers, though, we now have some expendable income and are old enough to buy beer. So we’ll also be attending as many of the local events listed on our Oktoberfest Guide as humanly possible. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of being old, here’s another benefit to growing up: appreciating the finer things in life, like the works of Philip Glass, who plays all 20 of his “Etudes” at Bing Concert hall this Thursday and Friday. All that, plus Anne & Mark’s Art Party continues.
Blink-182
Wed, 7pm, $45+
Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View
It’s been two decades since their first radio hit “Dammit”—and 17 years since Enema of the State debuted in 1999—but Blink 182 are still galloping along to Travis Barker’s breakneck drumming and Mark Hoppus’ lighthearted pop punk melodies. Though the band got its start penning songs about staying young, they’ve had their fair share of grown-up problems in recent years, such as founding guitarist Tom DeLonge’s bitter departure. Still, they’re likely to draw fans both young and young at heart to Shoreline to hear classics, like “What’s My Age Again,” as well as their powerful new songs, like “Rabbit Hole” and “Los Angeles.” (JT)
We Are Proud To Present
Wed, 7:30pm, $30-$35
San Jose Stage Company, San Jose
If artists are good at anything, it’s navel gazing. But when a long hard look in the mirror exposes latent racial biases, that can be a bit hard to accept. Jackie Sibblies Drury’s well-reviewed play takes in the rehearsal room as a group of black and white actors workshop a production set in Namibia, and shines a harsh—albeit comical—light on the world of theater, exposing its lack of diversity and demonstrating how even the most politically progressive whites can still fumble the ball when it comes to empathising with people of color. It runs through Oct. 23. (NV)
Geektoberfest
Thu, 7pm, $18-40
The Tech Museum, San Jose
Embracing the spirit of Oktoberfest, The Tech is hosting its very own “Geektoberfest.” Guests are invited to explore the biology of beer and taste unique beers from local and regional breweries. Continuing the success of the Creative Collisions program, The Tech has partnered with BioCurious of Sunnyvale to unleash the “science of suds.” Danny Haeg, director of Creative Collisions, says that the event will be more than just another beer festival. “It’s the ultimate exploration of the explosion of craft and home brewing, fueled by the surge of interest in biology and biohacking,” he says. We’ll drink to that. (YD)
Philip Glass Etudes
Thu-Fri, 7:30pm, Sold Out
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford
The celebrated composer comes to Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall to perform his complete set of 20 etudes. Joining Glass are four pianists widely celebrated in their own right: Anton Batagov, Aaron Diehl, Jenny Lin and Sarah Cahill (who many in the area know from KPFA). Written over a two-decade span, the etudes were only recently completed, meaning that this concert is a unique chance to see Glass perform relatively new material, as well as see how the concept evolved over his career. It appears tickets for this show are sold out, but where there’s a will there’s a way. (MH)
Cyndi Lauper
Fri, 7:30pm, $53-$93
The Mountain Winery, Saratoga
Before Lady Gaga, Pink, and Gwen Stefani there was Cyndi Lauper. With a career spanning over 30 years, Lauper paved the way for many of today’s young female artists. She catapulted to fame with her 1983 debut album She’s So Unusual, she landed hit after hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with songs like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “All Through The Night.” In 2013 she won a Tony Award for best original score for the Broadway Musical Kinky Boots, becoming the first woman to win without a partner. Lauper is also a strong LGBT advocate. (ST)
Aaron Diehl
Fri, 7:30pm, Free
CSMA, Mountain View
Hailed as one of the greatest contemporary Jazz pianists currently touring, Aaron Diehl is an expert in precision and technicality—a true master of his craft. This graduate of The Juilliard School, Diehl studied alongside Kenny Barron, Eric Reed and Oxana Yablonskaya. His debut album, The Bespoke Man’s Narrative hit No. 1 on JazzWeek’s Jazz Chart and in 2015 he served as music director for the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s New Orleans Songbook series. Diehl’s technique is polished and his renditions of classics like Fats Waller’s “Viper’s Drag” have been praised as “passionate and genuine.” (JT)
French Montana
Fri, 10pm, $25-$40
Pure Lounge, Sunnyvale
French Montana is coming down off a pretty massive summer, riding the waves of his feature on Fat Joe’s “All The Way Up” and his Drake-featuring megahit “No Shopping.” Although Montana’s sophomore album MC4 was pushed back to October due to sample clearances the album has steadily been making its rounds on the internet after retailer Target blundered releasing it on the original Aug. 13 street date. Despite all the petty drama and expectations that’s been following Montana, one thing is certain: this Bronx emcee has the streets talking. (JT)
The Skatalites
Sat, 8pm, $15-$20
The Ritz, San Jose
Make no mistake: The Skatalites are a band absolutely at the foundation of Jamaican music as we know it. If you like Bob Marley, you have The Skatalites to thank. The drum beat used in most of Marley’s most enduring songs—including “Get Up, Stand Up,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “I Shot the Sheriff”—was invented by Skatalites drummer Lloyd Knibb. Although Knibb died in 2011, the band has continued touring. Don’t miss this opportunity to see these pioneers of ska, rocksteady and reggae in the flesh. Local ska revivalists Monkey share the bill. (MH)
Symphony Silicon Valley
Sat, 8pm, $45-$90
California Theatre, San Jose
Kicking off their 15th season, Symphony Silicon Valley brings acclaimed cellist Lynn Harrell to town to perform as the soloist in three compositions—“Le Corsaire Overture” by Hector Berlioz, “Cell Concerto No. 1” by Dmitri Shostakovich, and “Symphony No. 4” by Johannes Brahms. This season will also include a series of performances paired with a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and a program titled “Grand Old Russia,” which will feature works by Rachmaninoff and Scriabin with the solo pianist and Chopin master Edvard Tchivzhel. (NV)
