By Jerucifer, Arts & Events Editor

The weather is changing, and things are heating up in more ways than one! I’ll be playing some bingo, going to see a couple shows, and checking out rad art. If you catch me out and about, please say hello and let’s take a selfie! Here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 4/11..

Our Partners’ Events

Mill Valley Music Fest
5/13-14 | Mill Valley Community Center | 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley | 12-7 pm | $60+

Mill Valley Music Festival is returning this May 13 + 14! See music from Michael Franti & Spearhead, CAKE, Tank & The Bangas, Original Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison, and Adrian Belew, performing Remain in Light + many more! This festival features a diverse mix of local and national acts, coupled with world-class cuisine, local artists, and craft drinks. Don’t miss out on seeing your favorite band perform in your own backyard nestled below the Bay Area slopes of Mount Tamalpais. Single-day and 2-Day tickets are on sale now!

Amir K
4/12-4/15 | Punch Line | 444 Battery St, SF | 7:30, 8, & 9:45 pm | $22-32

Amir K has been entertaining audiences for over a decade, performing live across the U.S. and on TV. His fun, unique approach to storytelling brings audiences together through his improvisational talent, characters and charisma. Born in Iran and raised in Southern California, Amir offers a unique point of view shaped by his multi-cultural upbringing.

This Week’s Giveaway

We Wanna Send You to See Tennis at the Fox Theater on 4/26!

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, 4/11

BONG-O BINGO Strikes Again
4/11 | Moe Greens | 1276 Market St, SF | 6-9 pm | $15

Join your stoner hosts Brandelicious, Thee Pristine Condition, DJ Dank and Pup Pickles for a night of drag, bingo, smokables and cannabis prizes! Let’s get high and play bingo!

Circles Around The Sun
4/11 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 9 pm | $22

Circles Around the Sun is an instrumental band that recorded incidental music for the G. Dead’s Fare Thee Well tour, they began recording and touring together after.

Crywank
4/11 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 8 pm | $17+

Anti-folk project from Manchester, England misfit James Clayton, who writes acerbic, self-deprecating confessionals of acoustic folk-punk.

Talkies: Live Comedy and Short Films
4/11 | Punch Line | 444 Battery St, SF | 8 pm | $20

TALKIES is produced by Nick Stargu, Aviva Siegel, George Chen and Will Scovill. It is the best unconventional, experimental, and multimedia live comedy event. At Talkies, comedians, writers, improvisers, and performers work outside of their regular routines to push the boundaries of comedy; PowerPoint presentations, characters, and off-stage antics are the order of the day. Started in the basement of San Francisco’s Lost Weekend Video store, this monthly show has been an incubator for many unique comedy talents spreading their wings on weird flights of fancy.

Lolo Zouaï
4/11 | Bimbo’s 365 Club | 1025 Columbus Ave, SF | 8 pm | $75+

Singer/songwriter/producer who combines atmospheric electronics, smoky R&B, and elements of hip-hop on her stylish, intimate songs.

Wednesday, 4/12

ArtSpan’s Juried Benefit Art Auction: The Last Look Party
4/12 | 111 Minna Gallery | 111 Minna St, SF | 5-8 pm | free

Art lovers, collectors, and supporters, please join ArtSpan at 111 Minna Gallery for our Last Look party! This is your final opportunity to experience ArtSpan’s Juried Benefit Art Auction Collection in-person with the ArtSpan team present to answer questions and bring merriment. Get up close & personal with 136 donated artworks of various mediums, all created by local San Francisco Bay Area artists.

Bratty
4/12 | The New Parish | 1743 San Pablo Ave, Oakland | 8 pm | $20

BRATTY is the bedroom pop / garage / surf rock project of guitarist and singer-songwriter Jenny Juárez, a native of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. In 2017, at the age of 16, Jenny decided to go out of her comfort zone to play in restaurants and venues where musical events of the local culichi scene were held. What began as a hobby and love for music that same year turned into dedication – she produced her first album from her room. She is currently one of the first female and Mexican artists to make her way into the Mexican Independent genre.

Brad Barton, Reality Thief: A Fun Interactive Magic & Mind Reading Show 
4/12 | The Lost Church | 988 Columbus Ave, SF | 7 pm | $30

MAGIC * MENTALISM * MISCHIEF – Performing for over 30 years, Brad Barton, Reality Thief combines magic, psychology, comedy, mind reading, and audience participation to create an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Burn Down the Disco!
4/12 | Make-Out Room | 3225 22nd St, SF | 9:30 pm | free

GIRLS NIGHT OUT! ~ groove, wave, goth, synth-pop, hip-hop

National Empanada Day
4/12 |  Jaranita | 3340 Steiner St, SF | 4-6 pm | $2.50 per empanada

The artisan handmade empanadas include – Pollo: rotisserie chicken & aji panca topped with pollería sauce; Carne: flank steak beef & raisins topped with huacatay sauce; Veggie: sweet giant Peruvian corn & kale, and special: Apple Cinnamon Empanada.

Thursday, 4/13

Navigating climate change with grief, hope & humor w/ author Andrew Boyd 

4/13 | 518 Valencia | 518 Valencia St, SF | 7 pm | free

Come crush a cup and enjoy some delicious food while we read some passages, laugh some dark laughs, sign some books, gnash some teeth, explore some of our possible futures via oversized flowcharts….not necessarily in that order. The evening will NOT be a boring book reading. It will be interactive, participatory, fun; it’ll be a chance to come together and — aided by gallows humor and some unusual prompts — reflect on some of the big questions before us.

To tackle the climate emergency, we need each other; we need solidarity and laughter and all the rest. We hope to see you there.

Film Screening: Cousin Collective
4/13 | Museum of Art | 110 S Market St, SJ | 7 pm | $8-10 

Founded in 2018 by Sky Hopinka, Adam Khalil, Alexandra Lazarowich, and Adam Piron, COUSIN provides support for Indigenous artists, expanding traditional definitions and understandings of the moving image by experimenting with form and genre. In conjunction with Sky Hopinka: Seeing and Seen, co-organized with the Institute of the Arts and Sciences, at UC Santa Cruz as part of the series Visualizing Abolition.

Surl
4/13 | Cafe du Nord | 2170 Market St, SF | 8 pm | $30

SURL is a South Korean band recognized for their refreshing take on the British rock and blues genre, superb musicianship, and imaginative music videos. The band’s line-up is composed of vocalist/guitarist Seol Hoseung, bassist Lee Hanbin, drummer Oh Myeongsuk, and guitarist Kim Doyeon. They have captivated their fans with fantasy-like sound and artwork.

The Lost Weekend: A Love Story
4/13 | Roxie Theater | 3117 16th St, SF | 7 pm | $5-21

The Lost Weekend: A Love Story” explores the 18-month relationship (1973-1975) that John Lennon spent with May Pang, his Chinese American assistant turned lover (on Yoko Ono’s insistence). With May’s help, Lennon reunited with his son Julian and had his most artistically and commercially productive period post-Beatles – with the albums “Mind Games”, “Walls and Bridges” which included his only #1 Hit Single “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”, “Rock and Roll” and collaborated with Elton John, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Mick Jagger, and Ringo to name a few. Pang chronicles it all revisiting her younger self, a naïve 22-year old experiencing her first unforgettable love.

The Murder Capital
4/13 | The Chapel | 777 Valencia St, SF | 8:30 pm | $20

Dublin-based post-punk group the Murder Capital explore the darker side of society utilizing rumbling dread and the cathartic elements of post-punk as their tools.

Life Goes On
4/13 | Bimbo’s 365 Club | 1025 Columbus Ave, SF | 8 pm | $35+

VIP SEATING + MEET & GREET: includes 1 hour early entry, preferred seating, VIP Experience with Photo Opp + Meet & Greet with the Queen Latrice Royale herself! ULTIMATE VIP EXPERIENCE: includes FRONT ROW access, 1 hour early entry to the show, attend Soundcheck, first priority access to the Meet & Greet + photo opp for an All Access experience with the Queen Latrice Royale herself!

Amayo
4/13 | The New Parish | 1743 San Pablo Ave, Oakland | 9 pm | $20

Former front man of Antibalas for 23 years, Amayo was credited for bringing Afrobeat to a global audience, leading it to become a genre of itself. He composed the GRAMMY nominated “Fu Chronicles” album for “Best Global Music Album of the Year” 2020. It was the launchpad for Amayo’s solo career – where Kung Fu meets Afrobeat. His unique blend of styles creates a magical landscape for Chinese & African rhythms. Amayo sings traditional Yoruba & Edo lyrics and plays piano, electric keyboard, organ, and the Gbedu Spirit Drum. His band features chekere, guitar, bass, flute, violin, drums, percussion and horns.

Friday, 4/14

Fifth Annual Benefit Concert & Awards
4/14 | The Chapel | 777 Valencia St, SF | 7:30 pm | $45

The Arhoolie Foundation, the El Cerrito, CA-based non-profit organization dedicated to the documentation, preservation, and celebration of regional roots music, will hold its 5th Annual Arhoolie Awards and Benefit Concert at The Chapel in San Francisco on Friday, April 14, 2023. The Arhoolie Foundation will honor and award Tuba Skinny, Santiago Jimenez Jr, and Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton for the artistic contributions they have made to global music. The Arhoolie Foundation Awards honor musicians, organizations, and individuals who carry on and uplift tradition-based music and the recipients are nominated by experts in the field and selected because of the extraordinary work they do to keep diverse roots and regional music thriving.

A Star Is Born
4/14 | The Cut | 250 Main St, SF | 8 pm | $13.75+

A musician helps a young singer find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

Gabe Lee, King Margo
4/14 | Amado’s | 998 Valencia St, SF | 6:30 pm | $20+

Gabe Lee is equal parts classic songwriter and modern-day storyteller, he has built his own bridge between country, folk and rock over the course of three acclaimed albums.

King Margo is Lucciana Costa and Rachel Coats, who grew up 40 minutes apart but didn’t meet until many years later in the middle of a Kentucky field.

David Redd is an LA based singer-songwriter & band leader reinventing what rock & roll was supposed to be: a music made of mixing traditions, sounds, and everyday stories.

Save Ferris
4/14 | The New Parish | 1743 San Pablo Ave, Oakland | 9 pm | $25

Save Ferris is an American ska punk band formed circa 1995 in Orange County, California, where the band began to perform underground venues. The band is best remembered for their 1997 cover of “Come On Eileen”, originally by the British new wave band Dexys Midnight Runners.

Pillow Talk LIVE w/ Aaron F, DJ Playstation, Alvaro Z, Shane One
4/14 | Monarch | 101 6th St, SF | 9 pm | $10-20

PillowTalk’s music is as much a soundtrack to long nights as it is to lazy days —there is something about each of their records that covers the span of living: sun-splashed jams, peak-time party tunes and low-lit moments of intimacy. This is music to suit all times, and that is what PillowTalk is all about. These artists realize that some of your deepest secrets are revealed whilst pillow talking and feel lucky enough to listen in.

Sabrina Carpenter
4/14 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8 pm | $45-75

Born Sabrina Annlyne Carpenter in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, on May 11, 1999, she became interested in performing at a young age. By age ten, she was going to auditions. The actress and singer who first gained popularity as a star on the Disney Channel sitcom Girl Meets World.

Saturday, 4/15

Mel Novikoff Award: Firelight Media + “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution”
4/15 | SF Film | 39 Mesa St #110, SF | 3:15 pm | $20

Fed up with racial discrimination, poverty, and police brutality, Oakland’s urban Black youth were ready for radical change. For them, the BPP was the vehicle. Nelson’s film offers candid accounts by lesser known rank-and-file members—many of them women—who did the Black Panthers’ daily work. Packed with anecdotes and new revelations, the documentary captures the excitement of a time filled with idealism, internationalism, and impatience. Beyond explicating the party’s compelling political program, archival footage also reveals the members’ swaggering image and seductive style. With police brutality, the militarization of police departments, and government surveillance once again at the forefront of the American conversation, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution remains profoundly resonant.

Transviolet
4/15 | Brick & Mortar | 1710 Mission St, SF | 8 pm | $18-22

Sarah McTaggart and band serve up slick electronic pop falling somewhere in line with Sia and Lana Del Rey.

Colin Hay w/ special guest Lazlo Bane
4/15 | Palace of Fine Arts | 3301 Lyon St, SF | 8 pm | $49.50+

Most artists who have experienced the levels of success and adulation Colin Hay has would be content to sit back and earn a living walking to the mailbox and back. Yet Hay is restless, eager to move forward and continually hone his craft while continuing to challenge himself. Hay’s solo shows intersperse classic and new songs with hilarious, poignant, and downright surreal stories drawn from his often unbelievable experiences over the past three decades. “I’ve been doing these solo tours for a number of years,” he explains, “going back to the same places and building audiences by doing the best shows I can.”  Themes of redemption and renewal come naturally to Colin Hay, as he is in the midst of a remarkable renaissance.

415 Night with EMPIRE
4/15 | Audio SF | 316 11th St, SF | 9 pm | $15

EMPIRE presents a Dirtybird Records release party celebrating the remix for Penguin Hit Squad! It’s a Bay party on 415 Day, yadadamean? See you on the dance floor!

ARTISTS – A very SPECIAL GUEST – Mike Kerrigan – n808 – Venus

415 Day Pub Crawl
4/15 | Mayes Oyster House | 1233 Polk St, SF | 4 pm | $5-35

Celebrate the city of San Francisco and enjoy cheap drinks, DJs and more at the San Francisco 415 Day Pub Crawl. The crawl starts at Mayes Oyster House, where you can check-in, put on your event wristband and pick up your pub crawl map.

The Bars: McTeagues, Mayes, Lush Lounge, Barley, Route 101, DecoDance, California Jacks, Amsterdam Cafe, Wreck Room, El Lopo, R Bar and more!

Bacchus Rocchus Spring Dance
4/15 | Verdi Club | 2424 Mariposa St, SF | 8 pm | $45

We’ve decided to bring San Francisco’s retro-leaning adult prom out again for this very special “BACCHUS ROCCHUS” spring formal. Look your best (dress to impress) and dance to the beat of live classic soul with us this April. Join us and you’ll spend quality time dancing to the talented crooners of the Gold Star Soul Revue Band, who’ll be playing the best classic ’60s soul, pop and R&B right along with those deep cuts. The band’s performance will be bookended by sweet soul tracks from our Soul DJs.

Sunday, 4/16

Oasis at The Phoenix – Drag Brunch!
4/16 | Phoenix Hotel | 601 Eddy St, SF | 12 pm | $10

Fierce drag brunch with Oasis superstars at the fabulous Phoenix Hotel! Join us for delicious brunch, yummy cocktails, and fabulous drag!

Fight and Flight: Crafting a Bay Area Life
4/16 | Museum of Craft & Design | 2569 3rd St, SF | 10 am | free w/ general admission

Fight and Flight: Crafting a Bay Area Life is a timely examination of the Bay Area arts ecosystem. The exhibition features 23 local artists who, despite the many crises of our times, continue to call the Bay Area a creative home. Their works reveal a narrative of the struggle of living and working in an untenable city–from the joy of finding chosen communities and families, to the loss of affordable housing and studio space.

Mae Powell, Daytime Lover
4/16 | Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 7:30 pm | $10-12

DAYTIME LOVER / MAE POWELL / GROOBLEN

Baloney Comes Together

4/16 | Oasis | 298 11th St, SF | 7 pm | $30-75

Blow your tax return with the Boys of Baloney, San Francisco’s Gay All-Male Revue! The infamous Baloney Boys have been saving up a load of new numbers and surprises just for you.

Grab a VIP ‘Splash Zone’ seat up front for the best experience and your chance to win a fabulous prize in our infamous Baloney Game Show! Part theater, part dance, part peep show, and all male, BALONEY is sure to satisfy your cravings!

Monday, 4/17

The Residents
4/17 | Great American Music Hall | 859 O’Farrell St, SF | 8 pm | $38+

Constantly defying classification, THE RESIDENTS have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music for almost fifty years. In addition to their groundbreaking work in the areas of trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group has also been credited with being among the originators of performance art and music video, with their videos included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Gaslit: A Solo Drag Parody
4/17 | Amado’s | 998 Valencia St, SF | 6:30 pm | $25+

Gaslit, a Trans Drag Parody, is an intentionally queer, trans, and feminist takedown of an accidentally impactful theatre classic: ‘Angel Street’ or ‘Gaslight’. This full-length solo performance was developed at Berkeley Rep Underground, and features drag lip sync, storytelling parlour games, murderous intrigue, and edible soap.

Tenci
4/17 | Rickshaw Stop | 155 Fell St, SF | 8 pm | $12-15

While the themes of Tenci shuffle around a serious pool of thought and trying to understand life’s wrongings, their live set often interludes with goofy light-heartedness. Anyone who knows the band members of Tenci knows they are the funniest people on earth. And their playful coordination and dynamics of loose drums and bass, huffing sax, and vocal waterfalls leaves us warmer than before.

Yuri Herrera with Román Luján
4/17 | Green Apple Books | 1231 9th Ave, SF | 7 pm | free

Join us when Yuri Herrera is joined by Román Luján to celebrate his latest work, Ten Planets!

Presented in partnership with the Center for the Art of Translation.

Rad Upcoming Events 

Don’t forget to check out our Big Bad List of Rad Ongoing Events right here!