Pre-St. Patrick's Day Events

Boys of the Lough Performing a concert of traditional Celtic music from Ireland and Scotland. Tue, Mar 13, 6pm. Free. Community School of Music and Arts Concert Hall, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View. 650.917.6800x314. Also Wed, Mar 14, 8pm. $18-$40. Dinkelspiel Auditorium, 471 Lagunita Dr, Stanford University, Palo Alto. 650.725.ARTS.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner and Show An annual gathering with music by Four Shillings Short, a traditional Irish dinner and Irish step dancers. Sun, Mar 11, 4-8pm. St. Catherine's Church, 17400 Peak Ave, Morgan Hill. 408.779.6650.

San Jose-Dublin Sister City Irish Week The San Jose-Dublin Sister City organization hosts various events Mar 9-17, including a Spirit of Ireland Award Dinner, honoring actor Colm Meaney. Sat, Mar 10, 6:30pm. $150 and up. Fairmont Hotel, 170 S. Market St., San Jose. 408.998.1900; an Irish breakfast with the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland, takes place Fri, Mar 9, 8am; a traditional Irish mass is held Sun, Mar 11, 11:30am; and the Irish Social Club of Santa Clara County hosts its 48th annual St. Patrick's Day dinner dance Sat, Mar 17, 6:30pm. www.sanjosedublin.org.

St. Patrick's Day Events

The Black Brothers This Irish singing group of five siblings performs on guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. Sat, Mar 17, 8pm. $30-$35. Carriage House Theatre, Montalvo Arts Center, 15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga. 408.961.5858.

Britannia Arms Almaden An all-day party celebrating the Irish saint, with music from D-Fuze, Irish dancers and pipers, corned beef, Irish stew, Irish music and more. Sat, Mar 17, 9:45pm. 5027 Almaden Expwy, San Jose. 408.266.0550.

Britannia Arms Cupertino The pub hosts a St. Patrick's Day celebration. Sat, Mar 17, until close. 1087 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, Cupertino. 408.252.7262.

Britannia Arms San Jose Two days of Irish cheer, with corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, the Turco School of Irish Dance and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Pipes & Drums. Fri-Sat, Mar 16-17. 173 W. Santa Clara St, San Jose. 408.278.1400.

C. B. Hannegan's St. Patrick's Day takes an extended visit at C.B. Hannegan's, with events occurring all week, leading up to the greenest day of the year. Call for details. 208 Bachman Ave, Los Gatos. 408.395.1233.

Christopher Dean The Celtic "bard" and folk guitarist performs, telling Celtic tales through his songs. Sat, Mar 17, 4pm. Free. Milpitas Community Library, 40 N. Milpitas Blvd, Milpitas. 408.262.1171. Also Sun, Mar 18, 2pm. Free. Saratoga Public Library, 13650 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga. 408.867.6126.

Fibbar MaGees Magic Wanda and Floyd's Ordeal perform in the evening beginning at 4:30pm, plus bagpipers and Irish dancers during the day and a traditional Irish menu. Sat, Mar 17. 156 S. Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale. 408.749.8373.

First Billiards A St. Patrick's Day party. Sat, Mar 17. 420 S. First St., San Jose. 408.294.7800.

Golden Bough The Celtic trio performs a St. Patrick's Day concert of Irish music on traditional instruments. Sat, Mar 17, 8pm. $20-$25. Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale. 408.733.6611.

Johnny V's A St. Paddy's Day Blowout with the Pendletons, the Fucking Buckaroos and the Wiggle Wagons. Sat, Mar 17, 8pm. 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose. 408.947.8470.

King's Head Pub A "St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza," with corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips served all day, plus live music beginning at 8pm. Sat, Mar 17, opens at 8am. No cover. 201 Orchard City Dr, Campbell. 408.871.2499.

Little Fox Celebrate the day with Tainted Love. Sat, Mar 17, 9pm. $18/$20. 2209 Broadway, Redwood City. 650.369.4119.

Molly Magees The pub opens early and hosts Irish activities all weekend . 241 Castro St., Mountain View. 650.961.0108.

Number One Broadway A performance from Sage. Sat, Mar 17. 102 S. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos. 408.354.4303.

St. Stephen's Green Irish food, including corned beef and cabbage, and green beer served all day, plus a live DJ beginning at 9pm. Sat, Mar 17. 223 Castro St., Mountain View. 650.964.9151.

Teske's Germania For a German restaurant, Teske's goes all out on St. Paddy's with music from the Internationals, traditional Irish food, Irish dancers and more. Sat, Mar 17, 7-11:30pm. 255 N. First St., San Jose. 408.292.0291.

Triskela Celtic harpists Diana Stork, Shawna Spiteri and Portia Diwa perform music of the Emerald Isle. Sat, Mar 17, 8pm. $12/$17. East West Bookstore, 324 Castro St., Mountain View. 650.988.9800.

VBar Irish-themed party with specials on Irish beer and cocktails, party favors and a DJ. Call 866.842.0100 for hotel accomodations. Sat, Mar 17, 5pm-1am. Hotel Valencia, 355 Santana Row, San Jose. 408.551.0010.

Piping Up: Come for the pipe organ, stay for the free conversation, champagne, refreshments and children under 12. What?

Silicon Valley Symphony

MUSIC director Michael Paul Gibson leads the Silicon Valley Symphony in a family-oriented program called "Poulenc 'n' Pipes." Highlighting the evening is organist Margaret Martin Kvamme, who will perform Poulenc's Concerto in G Minor for organ, string orchestra and timpani. We are way beyond the Hammond for this piece—Kvamme will be making full use of the deep sonorities of the "Mrs. Möller" pipe organ at the Presbyterian Church. Rounding out the program will be the Vivace movement from Bach's Double Violin Concert, Debussy's dreamy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Suite. If the music by itself isn't draw enough, the concert price also includes champagne and refreshments afterward with the musicians. As a further bonus, children under 12 are free with an adult.

Al Roberts

Silicon Valley Symphony performs on Saturday (March 10) at 7:30pm at Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos, 16575 Shannon Road, Los Gatos. Tickets are $15-$20.

Onward and upward: So long, and thanks for all the jams.

Strata

EAGER TO DELIVER their alt-indie power licks to the hometown fans and showcase their awesome new material, Strata comes to the Blank for what is bound to be a sold-out show. Strata has been hard at work as of late on its forthcoming sophomore effort, Strata Presents: The End of the World, that sees this tight local four-piece evolving in both sound and scope. Strata still has a very strong and visceral edge, with the new material driving heavily toward a pop-infused, post-punk modernist bent. The vivid imagery of Eric Victorino's lyrics is as scathing and poetic as ever, while the apocalyptic and operatic sounds delivered by guitarist Ryan Hernandez, bassist Hrag Chanchanian and drummer Adrian Robison are as tight as they are brutally honest. This is a sort of a homecoming and farewell show for Strata, as these local boys are heading out on the road throughout March with two of rock's hottest names, 30 Seconds to Mars and Kill Hannah.

Ryan Osterbeck

Strata plays on Friday (March 9) at Blank Club, 44 S. Almaden Ave, San Jose. Tickets are $10. (408.292.5265)

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