By Jerucifer, Arts & Events Editor

Just when you thought things might slow down, the Bay hits us with an awesome week like this one! We’ve got festivals and creep-tastic events kicking off Spooky Season! Here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 9/26…

Partners’ Events

Terror Vault: The Initiation
9/29-10/31 | The San Francisco Mint | 88 5th St, SF | 6-10 pm | $55-85

A combination of theater, 4D effects, and haunted mazes, The Initiation invites thrill seekers to attend a recruitment seminar for “INsight,” a spiritual cult whose sole purpose is to open their eyes to true consciousness and help see the horrors hiding within the darkness.

This year’s completely new Terror Vault show, The Initiation, is inspired by San Francisco’s rich history of being home to so many strange and bizarre cults,” said Joshua Grannell aka Peaches Christ. “From groups like the Manson Family and the Symbionese Liberation Army to people like Jim Jones and Anton Lavey, we’ve taken this inspiration and crafted a show where guests become members in the play and must make their way through becoming part of the cult while surviving its evil leadership.

Trumer Oktoberfest
10/7 | Trumer Pils Brewery | 1404 4th St, Berkeley | 12-6 pm | free

Join host Broke-Ass Stuart and the fine folks at Trumer Brewery for Oktoberfest! Get your lederhosen and dirndls ready for a family-friendly afternoon full of traditional Bavarian food, live music from Polkageist West, stein hoisting + costume contests, and of course, plenty of beer!

Get Your Bay Area Retro Neighborhood Gear!

We have the coolest retro looking shirts so you can look fly while repping your SF or Oakland neighborhood!

Grab a shirt, tank, tote, hoodie, or baby onesies right here.

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, 9/26

TRIVIA NIGHT
9/26 | The Hop Grenade Tap Room | 2151 Salvio St, Ste J, Concord | 7-9 pm | free

Our all new multimedia trivia experience is not your average Trivia Night. We feature video, music, beer trivia and more with Head Games Trivia. It’s free to play and you can earn prizes, gift cards, merchandise and more!

The Visit
9/26 | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | 2550 Mission St, SF | 9:30 pm | $10

A plucky teenage filmmaker and her obnoxious younger brother travel to meet their grandparents for the first time, bringing a camera along to turn their visit into a documentary about their family’s history. Things take a strange turn at night, however, as their grandmother’s case of sundowning reveals darker secrets than the kids could have ever expected.

9th Ave: Megan Fernandes + Edgar Kunz w/ Madeleine Cravens + Shelley Wong
9/26 | Green Apple Books | 1231 9th Ave, SF | 7 pm | free

Join us when Megan Fernandes and Edgar Kunz celebrate their collections, I DO EVERYTHING I’M TOLD and FIXER! Featuring poets Madeleine Cravens and Shelley Wong.

Intuitive Expression: Mindfulness + Color Theory
9/26 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 6:30 pm | $22

In this workshop, you’ll learn about color theory basics; how colors stand in relation to one another aesthetically to evoke different emotional responses from an audience. The science and psychology behind how color can be a powerful tool for mental health will serve as a background of understanding, as you are guided on a mindfulness exercise to create colorful compositions of your own. Materials provided. All levels are welcome. 6:30- 8pm on the patio.

Wednesday, 9/27

Maude Latour
9/27 | Bimbo’s 365 Club | 1025 Columbus Ave, SF | 8 pm | $30

Latour began writing songs at 15. Then, years later, at the beginning of the pandemic, “One More Weekend” went viral, and she signed with Warner Records the next year. The singer/songwriter is always on the hunt to challenge herself musically and philosophically. Her latest EP, 001, captures her at a turning point with the previously released tracks like the upbeat anthem “Cyclone,” nostalgic ballad “Probabilities,” and “Lola,” a resolute ode to intimacy, healing, and the solidarity you feel with the people closest to you. On 001, Latour is coming out of the sorrow that dominated 2021’s Strangers Forever and is looking within to realize that incredible things have surrounded her all along.

Leslie Jones
9/27 | Sydney Goldstein Theater | 275 Hayes St, SF | 7:30 pm | $49

Leslie Jones is a stand-up comedian, actress, writer, singer, and game show host. For her six years of work on Saturday Night Live, she is a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee as well as a Writer’s Guild Award and NAACP Award nominee.  Amongst her many film credits are starring roles in the films Coming 2 America and Ghostbusters. Jones co-hosts the podcast “The Fckry” with comedian Lenny Marcus, and in 2023, she kicked off a new era of The Daily Show as the program’s first guest host. In her new memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones, she opens up for the first time about how she faltered and triumphed on the road to success and, in doing so, encourages others to let go of the fear and self-doubt that holds them back. Tickets include a copy of Jones’ new memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones

Chai
9/27 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 pm | $25

When you think of all things Pink, a sound that fuses the likings of Basement Jaxx, Gorillaz, CSS, and Tom Tom Club, with lyrics focused on “women empowerment” and redefining the definition of “kawaii” or cute in Japanese, you think of CHAI.

Safe Words Comedy Showcase Folsom Decrompression
9/27 | SF Eagle | 398 12th St, SF | 7 pm | $0-25 donation

Join us for a special post-Folsom Street Fair decompression at the Safe Words Comedy Showcase!

After a day of embracing the vibrant and diverse atmosphere of Folsom, where the celebration of kink and fetish culture takes center stage, we invite you to continue the festivities with laughter. Our decompression event is the perfect opportunity to unwind, relax, and enjoy the performances of a curated lineup of queer & kinky comedians.

Thursday, 9/28

Blues Lawyer, Whitney’s Playland, Sob Stories
9/28 | Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 8 pm | $10-12

Founded in Oakland, California in 2017, Blues Lawyer launched as an outlet for friends Rob and Elyse to air their shared pop sensibility; originally the two had planned it as a comically brief experiment. Their music combines punk-like pace and concision with a measure of pop sentiment and wit.

Stanzi Potenza
9/28 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 | $25.25-40.25

Stanzi Potenza is a Boston Native now based in Los Angeles. She is a trained Actor, Comedian, and Digital Creator with a rabid fan base of over 5 million. Stanzi is known for her viral sketches, comedic commentary and as the host of the popular weekly podcast What Fresh Hell is This? She has worked with brands like Nikon, GoodRX, Spencer’s and many more.

Oracle Sisters
9/28 | Rickshaw Stop | 155 Fell St, SF | 7 pm | $18-20

Creators of artistic dream rock, Oracle Sisters make music that is at once sonically soothing and lyrically compelling. Intricate vocal harmonies over lilting arrangements make an otherworldly vehicle for poetic stories of human connection, home and longing.

Written across Europe and recorded in the south of France, the band’s forthcoming releases speak to the old Portuguese concept of ‘Saudade’: A nostalgia for the future.

Toward The FUN(ds): A Concert Benefitting Camp Winnarainbow
9/28 | Herbst Theatre | 401 Van Ness Ave, SF | 7:30 pm | $75-500

Steve Earle returns to the Herbst Theatre to host an intimate songwriters circle, inviting bluegrass legend Peter Rowan, singer-songwriter John Craigie, the incomparable Rickie Lee Jones, rising Bay Area rock stars Sour Widows, and a surprise musical guest, to gather in support of Camp Winnarainbow—a circus & performing arts haven for young people, founded in 1975 by Hippie icons Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney. Join us in celebrating the transformative role Camp Winnarainbow has played in the lives of generations of young people with this special night of music.

Friday, 9/29

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2023
9/29 | Golden Gate Park at Hellman Hollow, Lindley & Marx Meadows, SF | 12 pm | free

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB), originally Strictly Bluegrass, is an annual free and non-commercial music festival held the first weekend of October in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Conceived and subsidized by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman, the festival has been held every year since the first event in 2001.

Sundown Cinema Happy Hour
9/29 | Fort Point Beer Garden | 1 Ferry Bldg #45, SF | 4-6 pm | free 

Join us at Fort Point’s Ferry Building Beer Garden for happy hour before our free Sundown Cinema screening of Legally Blonde! Fort Point will be offering $5 KSA draft pours from 4-6pm alongside its SF inspired menu — Dungeness crab rolls, Green Goddess dip & chips, and Fort Point’s signature Fancy Hot Dog.

Ali Siddiq
9/29 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 9:45 pm | $38.25 

Ali Siddiq is stand-up comedian, public speaker, and writer out of Houston. Ali’s unique style of stand-up began behind the walls of incarceration, an incubator for interesting experiences and good stories. Most recently, Ali could be seen as a Top 5 finalist on NBC’s BRING THE FUNNY.

The Dare
9/29 | Rickshaw Stop | 155 Fell St, SF | 9 pm | $20

New York City is horny again. Blame The Dare.

Harrison Patrick Smith’s new project revels in the aesthetics of late 2000s bloghouse with a post- COVID air of abandonment. Equal parts anthemic and cheeky, The Dare’s quotable bangers make a compelling case for the electroclash revival.

Two Girls One Ghost
9/29 | Cafe Du Nord | 2170 Market St, SF | 8 pm | $25

For six years Corinne and Sabrina of Two Girls One Ghost Podcast have researched and discussed hundreds of haunted places they were too afraid to visit until today. Something has been calling them… A place so haunted that it inspired one of the most horrific horror movies of our generation. You’ve never experienced paranormal investigating like this before. Join Sabrina and Corinne for an exclusive, never before seen live show. Grounded in horror, their friendship will provide comedic relief and heartwarming connection But uncovering the truth comes with a price.

This is Two Girls One Ghost at The Conjuring House. Its going to be a wild, spooky ride and theyve saved you a seat.

The All-American Rejects, New Found Glory, Motion City
9/29 | Shoreline Ampitheater | 1 Ampitheater Pkwy, Mountain View | 7 pm | $39.50-89.50

The All-American Rejects is an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of lead guitarist and backing vocalist Nick Wheeler, lead vocalist and bassist Tyson Ritter, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor. Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter are the band’s songwriters; Wheeler is the primary composer and Ritter is the main lyricist.

Saturday, 9/30

Portola Music Festival 2023
9/30 | Pier 80 | 401 Cesar Chavez, SF | 12 pm | $229+

Portola is a 2-day music festival taking place on Saturday, September 30 and Sunday October 1, 2023 at Pier 80 in San Francisco, CA.

Mavericks Festival 2023
9/30 | Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay | 11 am-6 pm | $0-100

Join us for the opening of the Mavericks Awards big wave season! The Mavericks Festival is a 2-day fundraiser event that kicks off the Mavericks big wave surfing season in Half Moon Bay with music, Mavericks videos on the Jumbotron, delicious food, and amazing drinks. Proceeds from the festival go to funding the Mavericks Awards surfing contest as well as supporting our non-profit partners Sea Hugger, Cabrillo Education Foundation, and Save the Waves.

Chris Tucker
9/30 | Paramount Theater | 2025 Broadway, Oakland | 8 pm | $39.50-79.50

Chris Tucker is an internationally recognized actor and comedian best known for his energetic performances and unique voice. Chris is involved in various humanitarian efforts and is an avid supporter of charitable organizations. His vibrant personality and undeniable talent have made him one of Hollywood’s most sought-after entertainers.

Oxymorrons, RIVALS, Sorry Mom
9/30 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 7:30 pm | $18-20

The New York-based boundary-pushers have made a name for themselves in the spirit of change – building a movement from years of being told they were too rock for hip-hop, too hip-hop for rock. They boldly committed to creating music that defies arbitrary rules of classification, cementing the band as early pioneers of the modern genre-blending revolution. The band have channeled their experiences, eclectic influences, and personal insights into their craft, hitting the studio in late 2022 and curating tunes that are their most authentic yet. With their sights set on changing the game, audiences should expect big things to come from these New York rockers.

Rina Sawayama w/ Empress Of + Tom Rasmussen
9/30 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 10 pm | $45-85

Genre-defying Japanese-British singer who injects her avant-pop anthems with metallic edge and electronic sheen.

Sunday, 10/1

Copland—American Traditions
10/1 | Lesher Center For the Arts | 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek | 4 pm | $20-90

Jazz, blues, mariachi, and folk music converge in California Symphony’s season opener COPLAND—AMERICAN TRADITIONS. Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring celebrates the pioneer spirit and famously quotes the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts. Gospel, blues, and jazz combine in Wynton Marsalis’ genre-bending Violin Concert in D, featuring guest artist Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Mariachi, jazz, and rock fuse with classical traditions in Mexican American composer Juan Pablo Contreras’ fun, new danceable piece MeChicano.

Showtimes are September 30 at 7:30 pm and October 1 at 4 pm.

Castro Street Fair
10/1 | The Castro, SF | 11 am | free

The Castro Street Fair is a community street celebration that was founded by Harvey Milk in 1974. Each year, we continue his legacy on the 1st weekend in October, by gathering in the heart of the Castro at the intersection of Market & Castro Streets and the surrounding area to celebrate our diversity and support our community.

The Chats
10/1 | UC Theater | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 7 pm | $30

Hands down the world’s greatest post-millennial punk-rock group, The Chats have skipped past the unimaginable banana skin of COVID-19 to emerge tougher, faster, funnier, more riotous – even better for 2023!

The trio, originally formed in Australia’s self-explanatory resort Sunshine Coast, are a once-in-a-generation band who reconnect popular music with its roots in ultra-raw rock ‘n’ roll, inject their own fresh perspective, and have duly made an instantaneous connection with their youthful peers right across the globe.

Holly Near
10/1 | Freight & Salvage | 2020 Addison St, Berkeley | 2 pm | $30-45

One of the most powerful, consistent, and outspoken singers of our time, her concerts elevate spirits and inspire activism. A skilled performer, Holly is an outspoken ambassador for peace who brings to the stage a unique integration of world consciousness, spiritual discovery, and theatricality. Holly’s joy and and passion continue to inspire people to join in her celebration of the human spirit. Equally compelling at her shows and through recordings, Holly’s music fully engages listeners in the world around them —speaking to anyone who believes in peace, justice, and feminism; a wonderful spectrum of humanity.​

Monday, 10/2

KŌkua Maui Concert
10/2 | Yoshi’s | 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland | 7:30 pm | $30-59

Join us as Northern California’s top Hawaiian musicians gather in the spirit of kōkua (assistance) and aloha (love) to raise funds for those affected by the fires on Maui.

CounterPulse Festival
10/2-10/29 | CounterPulse | 80 Turk St, SF | times vary, check schedule | $0-35, ticket price varies w/ event

The 2023 biennial CounterPulse Festival is a month-long celebration of the kind of mind-bending performance you can only find in San Francisco. Join us this October for experimental dance, late night raves, surreal game shows, a multi-venue drag extravaganza, workshops, panels, and so much more!

Thundercat
10/2 | San Jose Civic | 135 W San Carlos St, SJ | 8 pm | $45-50

Grammy-winning, jazz-rooted bassist and sweet vocalist known for his session work and adventurous solo flights including It Is What It Is.

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
10/2 | The Mountain Winery | 14831 Pierce Rd, Saratoga | 7:30 pm | $59+

Their stunning achievements are a testament to their vision. Together, Benatar and Giraldo have created two multi-platinum, five platinum and three gold albums, as well as 19 Top 40 hits. They have sold over 36 million records worldwide and have won an unprecedented four consecutive GRAMMY® awards. They have also been feted with three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, a 2008 induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, and most recently have become Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Rad Upcoming Events 

10/8 | Blue Bear School of Music | Blue Bear Mission Bay Grand Opening Party
10/15 | DNA Lounge | Hubba Hubba Revue: Vampires

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