SF is Getting an Absurd Willy W*nka Immersive Experience

Take a whimsical, immersive journey INTO THE WONKYVERSE—inspired by the World of Willy W*nka & the epic failure in Glasgow.   On FRIDAY, MAY 3 Join a wildly diverse collection of creators for an evening of artful absurdity! Dress up and join hundreds of Sad Oompa Loompas, ‘The Unknowns’ and Wonkas! We’ve got amazing DJ’s, tasty performances & sweet surprises…all on a giant Candyland gameboard! Find out more right here.

 

Concert High

by Vanessa Gil, Arts & Events Editor

I saw K. Flay in concert a few weeks ago and I’m still buzzing off that high. She had been on my bucket list to see live for years and I’m just so happy I finally got to experience that show. So many more amazing concerts are coming up (I’m especially eyeing you, Violent Femmes!)… here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 4/16 and beyond…

 

Our Merch

2-for-1 beers at 27 SF Drinkeries!

Grab the SF Beer Passport where you get 27 two-for-1 beers at 27 of the best watering holes in San Francisco. Get yours right here.

 

Our Partner’s Events

 

 I Love the Tenderloin Week is Back!

 

 

Returning for its second year, ‘I Love Tenderloin Week’ from April 21-27, 2024, is a week-long festivity celebrating the enduring spirit and rich diversity of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. Participants are invited to explore the neighborhood’s vibrant life through over two dozen events spanning art, cuisine, and shared community efforts, This celebration marks another chapter in the Tenderloin’s story of resilience and unity, offering a deep dive into the heart of one of the city’s most dynamic communities. Find out more right here.

 

SF Moma Art Bash
4/24 | SFMOMA | 151 3rd St, SF | 5 p.m. | $95-$250

Calling all art lovers, makers, and visionaries: SFMOMA invites you to the museum’s biggest party of the year celebrating art and artists! Find out more right here.

 

Come Out to the Community Health Center Gala!
4/19 | Hyatt Regency | 5 Embarcadero Ctr, SF | 5:30 pm. | $350

This event honors the Community Health Center’s commitment to providing essential healthcare services to underserved communities. We love how queer it is, and ABC7 sponsors the event, so the morning crew that attends is always a hoot. Honorees this year include Dr. Anthony Fauci and Asia SF. Find out more right here.

 

 

 

Listen to this week’s playlist so you can sample upcoming bands and comedians listed in this newsletter.

 

This Week’s Events

 

Tuesday 4/16

late night drive home
4/16 | Cornerstone | 2367 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley | 8 p.m. | $21-$25

Acclaimed by Alternative Press as reinventing indie rock, late night drive home are bringing their roots of growing up in a small town outside of El Paso around the world.

 

Kenya Grace
4/16 | Great American Music Hall | 859 O’Farrell St, SF | 8 p.m. | $25-$30

Kenya Grace is a South African-born British singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is best known for her 2023 single “Strangers”, which reached number-one in the UK Singles Chart.

 

Brigitte Calls Me Baby
4/16 | Cafe du Nord | 2174 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $18, All ages

The Chicago-based band ingeniously spans genres and eras, merging the lavish romanticism of mid-century pop with the frenetic energy and spiky intensity of early millennium indie-rock. Centered on Leavins’ hypnotically crooning vocal work, the result is a rare convergence of sophistication and style and unabashed sincerity.

 

Keith Lowell Jensen
4/16 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $20.25-$28.25

Storytelling comedian Keith Lowell Jensen has performed around the world. His latest comedy special “What I Was Arrested For” is out now from 800 Pound Gorilla Media.

 

Wednesday 4/17

TWRP
4/17 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 p.m. | $29.50 /adv, $30/door, $89.50/VIP, 21+

The sound of the future as imagined in the 1980s. The nostalgic theme song to your favourite childhood cartoon that may have never existed. The hopefulness of someone from the future describing the utopia of tomorrow. Like a paradox of time travel, TWRP is all of these things and yet none of them.

 

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area
4/17 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $67.10-$95.75, 18+

Come join us at Cobb’s and enjoy food, drinks, and laughs with friends while helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses in the greater Bay Area.

 

Louis Katz
4/17-4/20 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 8 p.m. | $22.25-$32.25

Louis Katz’s comedy deftly combines the highbrow and the lowbrow, creating a truly unique style that has been described as “cerebral filth.”

 

Thursday 4/18

Berlin & Beyond Film Festival
4/18-4/20 | Roxie Theater | 3125 16th St. SF | 6 p.m. | $10-$140
4/21-4/22 | Rialto Cinemas Elmwood | Elmwood, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley | 11 a.m.

The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, will run April 18-20, 2024 at the historic Roxie Theater in San Francisco’s Mission District, and April 21-22, 2024 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley. North America’s leading festival of contemporary German cinema unveils the Official Selections of feature-length narrative and documentary films.

 

A Strange Loop
4/18-5/12 | A.C.T.’s Geary Theater | 415 Geary St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $29-$85

Meet Usher: a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer. This blisteringly funny work of art exposes the heart and soul of a young artist grappling with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes. Bold and heartfelt in its truth-telling, A Strange Loop is the big, Black, and queer-ass Great American Musical for all!

 

Big Bang: Party After Dark
4/18 | California Academy of Sciences |  55 Music Concourse Dr, SF | 8:30 p.m. | $125-$175

This museum-wide 21+ event celebrates California’s rich biodiversity with spectacular science, vibrant live music by DJ Umami, locally sourced bites, craft cocktails, and more!

 

Discovery Sessions 2024
4/18-4/19 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 9 a.m. | $102.90-$182.93, 18+

Join us and immerse yourself in breakthrough panels on ground-breaking science, therapeutics, culture, and business, a captivating psychedelic art gallery, and unique live performances.

 

Friday 4/19

GZA
4/19 | The New Parish | 1743 San Pablo Ave, Oakland | 8:30 p.m. | $39.50-$59.50

GZA was revered for his flawless technique and lyrical dexterity, and was considered by many to be the best pure rapper.

 

Aidan Bissett
4/19 | August Hall | 420 Mason St, SF | 8:30 p.m. | $20, All ages

At just 20-years old, Aidan Bissett has perfected the art of twisting heartbreak into exhilarating music. The Los Angeles- based artist has earned an adoring global fanbase irresistibly drawn to his guitar-driven alt-pop and confessional yet carefree songwriting.

 

 

Pussy Riot, Boyfriend & Pleeay
4/19-4/20 | Kilowatt Bar |  3160 16th St, SF | 8 p.m. | $51.50, 21+

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist protest and performance art group based in Moscow that became popular for its provocative punk rock music which later turned into a more accessible style.

 

Saturday 4/20

2024 Bay Area Brew Fest
4/20 | Presidio Lawn |  42 Moraga Ave, SF | 12 p.m. | $65-$80

Over 70 breweries, 200 beers, food trucks, lawn games and live music!

 

The Taylor Crawl
4/20 | Del Mar | 2125 Lombar St, SF | 4 p.m. | $5-$35

Ditch the couch and grab your most sparkly Taylor Swift gear because San Francisco’s Marina district is about to be taken over by the most epic Taylor Swift-themed pub crawl: The Taylor Crawl.

 

Steve Angello
4/20 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 9 p.m. | $60-$65

Steve Angello, is a Greek–Swedish DJ, record producer, remixer and record label owner. He is a member of Swedish House Mafia.

 

The New Mastersounds
4/20 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 8 p.m. | $25.50

The New Mastersounds are a four-piece band based in Leeds, England, whose modern take on vintage soul-jazz, funk and rock draws influences from Jimmies McGriff, Smith, and Hendrix, as well as their most closely-associated mentors, The Meters.

 

The Strumbellas
4/20 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 9 p.m. | $29.50/advance, $35/door

Now with Jimmy Chauveau on board as lead vocalist, The Strumbellas spent the last four years writing, recording, and whittling 50 songs down to 12 with their long-standing tradition of blending anthemic, brightly coloured compositions with yearning, contemplative lyrics.

 

 

Bill Maher: The WTF? Tour
4/20 | San Jose Center for the Performing Arts |  255 S Almaden Blvd, San Jose | 8 p.m. | $49.50-$69.50

For more than twenty-five years, Bill Maher has set the boundaries of where funny, political talk can go on American television.

 

White Denim
4/20 | Great American Music Hall | 859 O’Farrell St, SF | 9 p.m. | $24-$26

White Denim’s sound is influenced by dub, psychedelic rock, blues, punk rock, progressive rock, soul, jazz, experimental rock with home-based recording, jamming approach, intense looping work and unusual song structures.

 

Sunday 4/21

The Nikkei Matsuri Festival
4/21 | San Jose Japantown | 10 a.m. | Free

Shop goods created by local artisans, view cultural exhibits, view special performances, and enjoy Japanese food during this celebration of San Jose’s vibrant Japantown community.

 

Yoasobi
4/21 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $240-$775

Made up of composer Ayase and vocal ikura, they are the “Unit that turns novels into music.”

 

SESSANTA: Primus, Puscifer, A Perfect Circle
4/21 | Greek Theatre | 2001 Gayley Rd, Berkeley | 5:30 p.m. Doors | $49.50-$159.50

Sessanta is a special 2024 concert tour with Puscifer, Primus and A Perfect Circle in celebration of singer Maynard James Keenan’s 60th birthday.

 

Bayside
4/21 | UC Theatre | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 7 p.m. | $32.50

At their core, Bayside is a band that has constantly proved that music is not about gimmicks and ephemeral trends, but a timeless reflection of our lives and our times. It is through this timelessness and consistency that they continue to cultivate a cult-following that lives and breathes everything the band creates.

 

Monday 4/22

Earthwaves VIP Dinner Under the Bay
4/22 | Aquarium of the Bay |  PIER 39 The Embarcadero &, Beach St, SF | 5:30 p.m. | $270

Join us for an exclusive VIP dinner inside our aquarium tunnels. Our dinners will include, passed appetizers in our Discover the Bay exhibit, three-course sit down dinner in our aquarium tunnels. Guests will be able to tour the aquarium and take part in our EarthWaves event after the dinner which will last until 10:00PM.

 

The Staves
4/22 | Great American Music Hall | 859 O’Farrell St, SF | 8 p.m. | $25-$30

The Staves are an English indie folk duo of sisters Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor.

 

Week of 4/23-4/29

 

Tuesday 4/23

Rosie Tucker
4/23 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 8 p.m. | $15/advance, $18/door

Rosie Tucker is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Pitchfork has acclaimed Tucker’s “surging pop hooks and sharp lyricism.”

 

Joe Klocek
4/22 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $16.50-$24.50

Joe has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”. Joe has also told a story on NPR’s “Snap Judgement” and San Francisco’s own “Bawdy.”

 

Wednesday 4/24

We Own the Laughs
4/24 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave, SF | 7:30 p.m. | $20.25-$28.25

Set in an upscale environment, We Own The Laughs allows you to laugh and drink with friends while listening to amazing comedy from some of the biggest comedians in the country.

 

Laurie Kilmartin
4/24-4/27 | Punch Line SF | 444 Battery St, SF | 8 p.m. | $22.25-$32.25

Laurie Kilmartin has been doing stand-up since 1987 and has written two books, “Shitty Mom” and “Dead People Suck”. She is currently a writer for CONAN on TBS.

 

Thursday 4/25

San Francisco Art Fair 2024
4/25-4/28 | Fort Mason Center | 2 Marin Blvd, SF | 11 a.m. | $35-$65

The 2024 edition of the San Francisco Art Fair presents a significant selection of contemporary and modern artworks from returning exhibitors and exciting newcomers. The much-anticipated 12th edition celebrates the San Francisco art scene while featuring an array of compelling installations, events, talks, and performances.

 

Black Veil Brides
4/25 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 7 p.m. | $37.50

Black Veil Brides is an American rock band based in Hollywood, California. The group is currently composed of lead vocalist Andy Biersack, rhythm guitarist and violinist Jinxx, lead guitarist Jake Pitts, drummer Christian “CC” Coma and bassist Lonny Eagleton.

 

Hot Mulligan
4/25 | The UC Theatre | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 7 p.m. | $35

Hot Mulligan have a way of manifesting things into existence, whether it’s name-dropping Michelle Branch and Mark Hoppus in song titles and netting responses from both (only one got the joke) or, true to their word, becoming synonymous with the newest waves of pop-punk and emo–err,post-emo, the genre Hot Mully have claimed responsibility for inventing.

 

Friday 4/26

Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret Presents POP
4/26-4/27 | Alcazar Theatre | 650 Geary St, SF | 8 p.m. | $35-$250

Misfit Cabaret is escapism at its finest!  Jump into their marshmallow world, and shake off the blues with a sugar- fueled manic explosion of pop music, aerials, burlesque, and drag for a one-of-a-kind musical variety show!!! Use code “brokeass” for 20% off your tix right here.

 

The Garden Party
4/26 | Public Works | 161 Erie St, SF | 9:30 p.m. | $15-$20

Step inside a luminous, wondrous world of flora and fauna, where your body and mind can transport to an immersive universe of imagination, love, and primal groove.

 

Musiq Soulchild
4/26 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8 p.m. | $35-$85

Musiq Soulchild is a soulstar who has developed a sound uniquely his own, by fusing together the essence of ‘Soul Music’ with ‘Funk’ rules and ‘Hip Hop’ swagger.

 

Jerry Seinfeld
4/26 | Luther Burbank Center for the Arts| 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa | 7 p.m. | $84.50–$355

America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, has been hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere.

 

Saturday 4/27

Infectious Grooves
4/27 | The UC Theatre | 2036 University Ave, Berkeley | 8 p.m | $52.50

Infectious Grooves inject a potent mix of funk and groove into their sound which instantly captivated audiences with their cross-genre appeal. With a cheeky touch of goofy humour, they became a force to be reckoned with in the international scene.

 

Jared Freid
4/27 | Cobb’s Comedy Club | 915 Columbus Ave. SF | 7 p.m. | $35.25-$50.25

Jared’s comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a real adult and worried about their body.

 

Sunday 4/28

Adam Ant, w/ special guest The English Beat
4/28 | Fox Theater | 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 6:30 p.m. Doors | $49.50-$59.50

Adam Ant, one of the defining musicians of new wave, brings his ANTMUSIC tour to North America in 2024, extending a legacy that stretches back to the heady days of post-punk.

 

Monday 4/29

Iniko
4/29 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 8 p.m. | $27.50

A gifted songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Iniko is leading an alternative soul revolution. Drawing inspiration from trap music, rock, movie scores, dancehall and soul, Iniko finds inspiration in almost every situation.

 

AJR: The Maybe Man Tour
4/29 | Chase Center |  1 Warriors Way, SF | 8 p.m. | $49.50+

AJR is a New York City-based trio of brothers who make eclectic indie pop.

 

Week of  4/30-5/6

Tuesday, 4/30

Bombay Bicycle Club
4/30 | The Fillmore | 1805 Geary Blvd, SF | 8 p.m. | $50.75

Bombay Bicycle Club are an English indie rock band from Crouch End, London. They are guitar-fronted and have experimented with different genres, including folk, electronica, world music and indie rock.

 

Sevendust & Static-X
4/30 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 7 p.m. | $39.50-$129.50

In 1999, metal legends Sevendust, Static-X, & DOPE were each exploding onto the scene, while pairing up to create one of the most memorable tours of the year. Fast forward to 2024 and this incredible tour package is primed to deliver a super-charged evening of unforgettable music for newfound and lifelong fans of this resurging genre.

 

Wednesday, 5/1

San Francisco International Arts Festival
5/1 | Various SF Venues | 8 p.m. | Free-$100

The Festival will take place in at least a dozen Mission based venues in 2024. The Festival’s theme continues to be IN DIASPORA: I.D. for the New Majority. I.D. asks artists to contemplate the changing demographics of the United States of America and / or apply the ideas of social justice to reflect on the conditions of minority, migrant, disenfranchised and/or displaced peoples in other countries and continents.

 

An Evening With Violent Femmes
5/1 | The Warfield | 982 Market St, SF | 8:30 p.m. | $49.95-$ 135.65

Few (if any) have made an album as prescient, potent, and powerful from top-to-bottom as Violent Femmes. The master recordings may have been lost for over three decades, but the band will play it once again in its entirety on tour in 2023. If you haven’t seen them since high school or college, bring your kids and their friends, because Violent Femmes are just as daring, dangerous, and dynamic as ever.

 

Thursday, 5/2

POC Food & Wine Festival
5/2-5/5 | SF and Berkeley Area | 6 p.m. | $75-$245

POC Food & Wine is a festival celebrating the global majority in food, wine, music, and culture. More than just a food & wine festival, it is an event meant to build community, discover diverse talent, and enjoy a multi-sensory experience designed with exquisite detail and hospitality.

 

RAWdance 20th Anniversary Benefit & Celebration
5/2 | The Green Room | 401 Van Ness Ave, SF | 6 p.m. | $150

This year, RAWdance celebrates 20 years of dancing, performances, and pushing boundaries! We’ll be celebrating 20’s style, with a 1920s speakeasy theme (and a 2020s edge). Glam it up for a night two decades in the making, featuring live performance by the company, flowing drinks and hors d’oeuvres, prizes, a dance party, and new surprises.

 

Friday, 5/3

Visionquest
5/3 | The Midway | 900 Marin St, SF | 9 p.m. | $25-$75

Visionquest are… Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss, the most innovative and exciting new breed of DJ/producers to come out of the city of Detroit in a generation.

 

Saturday, 5/4

Prateek Kuhad
5/4 | The Masonic | 1111 California St, SF | 8 p.m. | $53-$146.30

Prateek Kuhad’s cold/mess EP has garnered a slew of international accolades and inspired a growing global fan base.

 

 

Sunday, 5/5

Yellow Days
5/5 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 p.m. | $30

Noted for throaty, yearning vocals that accompany his swimmy indie soul-pop, Yellow Days is the performance alias of British musician George van den Broek.

 

Monday, 5/6

Craig David
5/6 | The Masonic | 1111 California St, SF | 8 p.m. | $7-$195.90

Craig David is a British singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and record producer who rose to fame in 1999.

 

See other upcoming events here!

 

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

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