THURSDAY
INDIE
JONATHAN BREE Jonathan Bree, a multi-talented composer, instrumentalist and producer hailing from New Zealand, draws on classical music and chamber instruments to weave a dark, cinematic sound. He has gained a cult following thanks to his minimalistic, enigmatic visual style—Bree and his band always appear in white spandex morphsuits and wigs, obligately expressionless. In May of this year, Bree released his fifth solo album, Pre-Code Hollywood, blending ’80s nostalgia with his signature orchestral-electro sound to create a “dark disco album full of sad bangers.” – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: 8:30pm, New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $22. 510.227.8177
FRIDAY
PUNK
JEROMES DREAM Quick history lesson on screamo music: Just because a singer is screaming, doesn’t mean the music is screamo. That line certainly got blurred in the 2000s, as the subgenre gained a bit of mainstream traction. But in the ’90s, screamo was a very particular type of aggressive emo. And while screaming was definitely involved, so were dissonant musical elements, punk influences and, very often, a cathartic approach to vocals. In other words, it was never pop music. While newer bands might be confused if they are in fact screamo or not, original ’90s bands are still playing and showing how it’s done. One of the greats, Jeromes Dream, from Connecticut, comes to Oakland. It’ll be an evening full of emotional release. – AARON CARNES
INFO: 8pm, Eli’s Mile High Club, 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. $15-$18. 510.808.7565
JAZZ
TIFFANY AUSTIN QUARTET Jazz, blues and R&B are technically separate genres, but from San Francisco vocalist Tiffany Austin’s point of view, they’re not all that different. They’re different shades of soul music. This is why she named her debut 2015 album Nothing But Soul. She veers through these genres with ease and grace. She continued this quest on her follow-up record, Unbroken. As well as live shows, she’s performed all over the world. Her smooth, emotive voice is the feature, regardless of the individual song’s vibe. She idolizes Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and other classic singers, but her style is all her own. – AC
INFO: 7:30pm, Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland. $25-$35. 510.708.9691
HIP-HOP
JUVENILE Teruis “Juvenile” Gray is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his album, 400 Degreez, which was included in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2020. The album is full of rambunctious party songs that are still going strong over two decades later, including his hit single, “Back that Azz Up,” which introduced the world to calls-and-response, punchy snare and the infectious rhythm of New Orleans bounce music. In June, Juvenile delighted the internet with his joyful Tiny Desk Concert with fellow New Orleans artists and a horn section from the Louisiana Philharmonic. Juvie’s social media bio reads, “Over 1 Billion Azzes Backed since the 99’-2000.” – SB
INFO: 8pm, Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $69.50. 510.302.2250
SATURDAY
PUNK
SCOWL Hardcore is awesome right now. New bands like Soul Glo and Zulu are showing just how exciting and innovative the genre can be, decades after the first batch of teens started blasting away in their parents’ garages. We even have one of the best new hardcore bands right here in Northern California: Scowl, based out of Santa Cruz. The group finds a middle ground between hooky sensibility and brutal punk-rock madness that is as perfectly balanced as an esteemed $25 cocktail. The members grew up in the DIY punk scene and bring the diverse elements of their scenes to their music. Scowl are already one of the most talked about punk or hardcore bands. Give them another couple of years and they’ll be taking over the world. – AC
INFO: 7pm, Gilman, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $20. 510.524.8180
R&B
MUSIQ SOULCHILD Musiq Soulchild is considered one of the most influential R&B singers of his generation. His music, nurtured on the streets of Philadelphia, defies pigeonholing, melding elements of funk, blues, jazz, gospel, hip-hop and classic R&B. A pioneer of the “neo-soul” movement, he’s been featured on tracks with Carlos Santana, the Roots and Ice Cube, and earned 13 Grammy Award nominations along the way. He remains a potent influence, having just released a new album, Victims & Villains, with videos of tracks “your love is your life” and “is it love, is it lies” available. – JANIS HASHE
INFO: 7:30, 9:30pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland, $75-$110. 510.238.9200
FOLK
MIKAELA DAVIS A double-bill of a classical harpist-turned-R&B-folkie-and-psychedelic -jammer, paired with an artist who uses rhythm sections, glockenspiel, violins and “West Coast synths” to create their music, promises to be a unique sonic night out. Hudson Valley-based Mikaela Davis, a songwriter and bandleader, has played with Bob Weir, Bon Iver and Dances Around the Sun. Her latest album, And Southern Star, is sublime. Sarah Once Was is both artist and audio engineer on their tracks. A frequent collaborator is L.A.’s experimental recording project, Worthitpurchase. Always experimenting with sounds and textures. – JH
INFO: 8pm, The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Ave., Berkeley. $20-25. 510.654.3803
MONDAY
INDIE
MUSTARD SERVICE Mustard Service is stopping by Berkeley on their Variety Pack tour, celebrating their latest album release. The Florida-based group infuses elements of surf, funk and bossa nova into their music to create soft indie-rock ballads and bouncy, upbeat “zest pop.” Since 2019, their DIY music festival, Zest Fest, has celebrated the sonic diversity of Miami alternative music, which draws on the city’s rich hip-hop, R&B and Latin music scenes. With a cool energy and exuberant stage presence, Mustard Service is “just 5 boys looking for a good time,” and they want you to have a good time too. – SB
INFO: 7:30pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $19/adv, $23/door. 510.214.8600
TUESDAY
FOLK
THE GOTHARD SISTERS Riverdance was a huge deal in the Gothard household. When the Gothard Sisters—Greta, Willow, Solana—were children, their mom brought home a VHS tape of Riverdance, which inspired the sisters to take up Irish Dance. And they did … to the point of near-obsession. It also steered their classical violin studies in the direction of Celtic music. Needless to say, they danced and sang at many Farmers’ Markets, weddings and, eventually, festivals. Over time, they’ve refined their skill set into one of the best Celtic music sets going. They radiate a fondness for tradition, coupled with an excitement for the vibrancy of this music. – AC
INFO: 8pm, Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $22/adv, $26/door. 510.6442020
