Best Bay Area Events 11/28-12/4

Long Time Reader, First Time Writing InBy Vanessa Gil, Arts & Events Editor

Hi, I’m Vanessa… the new Arts & Events Editor, and here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 11/28…

Our Partners’ Events

The Lost Church SFDecember Calendar | 988 Columbus Ave., SF | See schedule for detailsNonprofit Theater Creating, Sustaining, and Defending Spaces for Live Performance. (Music, Comedy, Magic, Spoken Word, Community) in San Francisco!

The ‘Running Out of Steam’ Anchor Beer Bust!12/9 | SF Buzzworks | 365 11th St, SF | 12 p.m. | FreeCalling all Anchor Lovers! The last known Anchor Steam Beer, CA Lager, IPA, Hazy, & San Pancho kegs in the world are being cracked, drunk, and celebrated at Buzzworks in San Francisco! There’s an Anchor Christmas Ale Magnum raffle to raise money for the workers of Anchor Steam (Anchor SF Cooperative) to buy back the Brewery and keep it in SF too!

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, 11/28

Open Mic Night with Austin DeLone11/28 | Sweetwater Music Hall | 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley | No Cover

You have 2 songs & 10 minutes to perform. There’s a bass amp, a guitar amp, a set of drums, and a piano already set up for anyone to use. Sign up at: [email protected]

Katatonia11/28 | Cornerstone Berkeley | 2367 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley | Doors at 6:30 p.m. | $35-40

On their latest journey Sky Void of Stars, Swedish grand seigneurs of gloom, Katatonia, solemnly set the stage for a nocturne both crushing and exhilarating; for it is only in the absence of stars that we can truly shine.

Sexxy Red – Hood Hottest Princess Tour11/28 | The Masonic | 1111 California St., SF | 8 p.m. | $49.50+

St. Louis-born rapper, Sexyy Red, delivers her brazenly sexual lyrics in a humorous, carefree manner. Active since the 2010s, she broke through when her 2023 single “Pound Town” went viral, prompting a remix featuring Nicki Minaj and pushing her mixtape Hood Hottest Princess into the Billboard 200.

Wednesday, 11/29

Victory Hall Presents: Jazzish11/29 | Victory Hall & Parlor | 360 Ritch St, SF | 5-9 p.m. | Free

JAZZISH returns every Wednesday, with resident selectors Martin Perna, Mara Hruby, Adam Mansbach, and Weyland Southon spinning an all-vinyl session of jazz and all its offspring.

Wednesdays are a Drag11/29 | The Port Bar | 2023 Broadway, Oakland | 9-11 p.m. | Free

One woman show. Every Wednesday with Amoura Teese and Special Guests…

Grateful Dead Night with Scott Guberman & Friends11/29 | Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center | 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley | 8 p.m. | $15-$25

A tradition that started back in the 20th century, Ashkenaz’s Grateful Dead Night is always evolving, continuing on! Led by the best artists in the Bay Area, a revolving cast of incredibly talented musicians grace the stage each week, drawing from the Grateful Dead’s vast catalog to delight Deadheads and dancers of all generations.

Thursday, 11/30

THE RITZ-CARLTON SF’S ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY11/30 | The Ritz-Carlton | 600 Stockton St, SF | 5:30-7:30 p.m.| Free

The Ritz-Carlton’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, hosted by Betty Yu and Liam Mayclem of KPIX-TV CBS and a Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area child. The complimentary-to-the-public event will feature live entertainment with Dickens-era carolers and trumpeters, the legendary tree lighting at the hotel’s front drive, and photo opportunities with Santa Claus.

Praying, Foglamp, Trough, Jock w/ DJ Skinwalker

11/30 | Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 8 p.m. Doors | $10/advance $12/at the door

Come enjoy Praying, Foglamp, Trough, Jock, and DJ Skinwalker

The Nightmare Before Christmas with the SF Symphony11/30 & 12/1 | Davies Symphony Hall | 201 Van Ness Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $49+

Watch Jack Skellington plot to take over Christmas in Tim Burton’s fantastical tale The Nightmare Before Christmas. This beloved stop motion cult hit comes to life like never before as the SF Symphony performs Danny Elfman’s delightfully quirky score live with the film on the big screen. (PG)

KQED Live: That’s My Word: Hip-Hop Game Night11/30 | The Commons, KQED HQ | 2601 Mariposa St., SF | 7:30 p.m. | $15

From coining “player hater” to selling tapes out the trunk, the Bay Area is the birthplace of game. Celebrate that legacy with a hip-hop game night! Test your Mac Dre discography and E-40 vocabulary knowledge. Recall which artists had “baking soda in Minnesota” or went on a “fonky expedition”? Test your soil savvy for a chance to win prizes, followed by special guest performances that’ll have you feelin’ yourself. Co-hosted by Trackademicks.

Friday, 12/1

Misfit Cabaret: The Movie Premiere12/1 | Vogue Theater | 3290 Sacramento St, SF | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | $25-$50

Join the Darling Misfits for an unforgettable night of quirky, offbeat entertainment at the Premiere of Misfit Cabaret :The Movie! The movie is the essence of Misfit Cabaret, we are escapism at its finest. With a cast of talented performers Kat Robichaud weaves these Misfits together to create a unique interpretation of the music you have loved from Misfit Cabaret.This event promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience with a VIP photo booth, words from Kat, Jordan and some of the cast members, and a small mixer before the show for VIPS.

Hella Funny Presents: The Stoner Comedy Jam 12/1 | Moe Greens | 1276 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $7 Minimum Purchase, 21+

Come to San Francisco’s premiere cannabis club Moe Greens every Friday night for a night of laughter and, well, getting stoned. HellaFunny is taking over the cannabis lounge at Moe Greens for the Stoner Comedy Jam. You’ll see a killer comedy show with a handpicked lineup of 4-5 comics who normally perform at SF Sketchfest, Cobb’s Comedy Club, Punchline and Thrive City.

Quicksand – 30th Anniversary of Slip12/1 | Bimbo’s 365 | 1025 Columbus Ave, SF | 8 p.m. Doors | $25-$50

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Slip,” Quicksand is embarking on celebratory dates this Fall. Fans can expect an electrifying live experience as the band revisits the album’s influential tracks, including fan favorites like “Fazer,” “Dine Alone,” and the title track, “Slip.”

Another Planet Presents: Couch12/1 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero, SF | 9 p.m. | $20/advance, $25/DOS

Boston-based band Couch infuses pop with funk, rock, and R&B/soul. Their vibrant sound is further defined by the members’ backgrounds in jazz, a cappella, and musical theatre.

Trae Crowder12/1-12/2 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave., SF | 7:30 p.m. | $25.25-$40.25

Recently earning national attention (or notoriety, depending on your viewpoint) for his “Liberal Redneck” series of viral videos, Trae Crowder had been performing his particular brand of Southern-fried intellectual comedy in the Southeast for the past six years. Now he tours nationally as part of the wellRED comedy tour with his writing and drinking partners, Corey and Drew.

Really Funny Comedians (Who Happen to be Women) with Kaela McNeill12/1 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 10 p.m. | $25.25 – $35.25

English playwright William Congreve said in 1695, “…I have never made any observation of what I apprehend to be true humor in women…” Possibly the first person to say women aren’t funny, Congreve probably didn’t know any better because he was born too early to catch a Really Funny Comedians (Who Happen to Be Women) show. Come see the latest crop of up-and-coming funny ladies! William Congreve stands corrected.

Saturday, 12/2

ZUM’s 25th Anniversary with Growing12/2 | Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 5 p.m. Doors | $25

ZUM celebrates its 25th anniversary as a record label with a series of shows on the West Coast. On Saturday, Dec 2, Oakland California’s renovated Thee Stork Club will host the Bay Area return of GROWING after thirteen years away! They will be joined by synth-doom act My Heart, an Inverted Flame, New York’s Somnambulists (solo project of Warren Ng), and Marshall Trammell & Paul Costuros Duo). and DJ Melanie Marie.

Princess with Anetra12/2 | Oasis | 298 11th St, SF | 10 p.m. | $30-55

Come join Anetra, from RuPaul’s Drag Race, for a disco dance party and drag spectacular! Hosted by Kochina Rude & Lisa Frankenstein.

The Caribbean Allstars featuring Sweetfoot12/2 | Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center | 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley | 8:30 p.m. | $15/advance, $20/at the door

The Caribbean Allstars are pioneers in the Bay Area reggae scene and longtime regulars at Ashkenaz. They not only play Jamaican reggae with a traditional electric bass-drums-guitars-keyboards lineup, but also add steel drums to bring in South Caribbean calypso and soca styles of Trinidad and Tobago, producing rhythms that drive listeners to the dance floor.

Dante Elephante / Rudy de Anda12/2 | Rickshaw Stop | 155 Fell St., SF | 8 p.m. Doors | $18-20

Dante Elephante, Rudy de Anda, and BOLERO! Plus DJs Jose Trujillo, Elisse Locomotion, the Space Cowboi, and Bluesbreaker

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers with special guest Deanna Bogart12/2 | Sweetwater Music Hall | 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley | 8 p.m. Doors | $40

For Castro’s new album, a roots music odyssey entitled, Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town. Through its 13 songs, the album tells the tale of a young man working on his family farm who gets bitten by the blues bug. He masters the guitar and heads out on the road seeking fame and fortune, only to find what he’s left behind is the treasure he’s been looking for.

Sunday, 12/3

Carolyn The DJ’s Cool Yule Holiday Soirée12/3| Thee Stork Club | 2330 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley | 5-8 p.m. | Free

An evening of festive holiday tunes, cheerful cocktails, and irreverent merriment for every Scrooge in the Bay Area.

Leo Lins12/3 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7 p.m. | $35.35-$50.25

An entire comedy show in Portuguese!

The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at historic music venues across the country, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Performing songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse band offers its core audience of families with children age ten and under games, movement, stories and an opportunity to rock out in an effort to educate children and explore their creativity.

All About Eve & Sunset Boulevard 12/3 | The Castro Theatre | 429 Castro St., SF | 2:45 p.m. Doors | $19.50

Hosted by Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, this very special “Castro Classics” double bill showcases two of the greatest films ever made. Both produced in 1950, these two sarcastic, surreal and utterly subversive cinematic achievements not only showcase legendary Oscar nominated performances by Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter and Gloria Swanson, they audaciously exposed the underbelly of their respective industries: Broadway and Hollywood.

Depeche Mode12/3 | Chase Center | 300 South St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $59-$314

Pioneering English band, Depeche Mode, took the underground electronic club sounds of the early ’80s and expanded them to stadium-sized levels within a decade, becoming one of the best-selling international groups in the process. One of the first acts to establish a musical identity based completely around the use of synthesizers, they debuted with a bouncy electro-pop spirit which gradually developed into a darker, more dramatic synth-rock style that ultimately positioned them as one of the most quintessential alternative bands of their era.

Monday, 12/4

Bobby McFerrin: Circlesongs12/4 | Freight & Salvage | 2020 Addison St, Berkeley | 12 p.m. | $35

If you love to sing, you are welcome to join Circlesongs with Bobby McFerrin every Monday at noon for ninety minutes of joy-filled, improvised music-making welcoming singers of all levels of experience.

Death Guild is the oldest weekly goth/industrial dance night in the world! Every Monday, six DJs in two rooms play a mix of gothic, industrial, synthpop, noise, ambient, and weird stuff for those who love the darker side of things.