THURSDAY
R&B
K. FOREST
Jamaican-Canadian R&B singer K. Forest is currently on his debut North American Forest Fire tour. From Brampton, Ontario, K. Forest started out in the dark-romantic Toronto R&B scene and introduced himself to a wider audience when his song, “Guidance,” was remixed by Travis Scott in Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight in 2016. K. Forest describes his 2023 album, Pray for a Beautiful Sky, as “ghetto gospel”—he is more self-reflective and transparent on confessional, poetic tracks about facing inner demons and finding peace. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: 8:30pm, Crybaby, 1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $18.
FRIDAY
HIP-HOP
CYPRESS HILL
Been feeling insane in the membrane? Good news: Cypress Hill is in town. Named after a street in South Gate, California, the band formed in 1988 when Senen Reyes (Sen Dog) joined forces with Lawrence Muggerud (DJ Muggs) and Louis Freese (B-Real). With the massive success of their self-titled debut album and their 1993 follow-up, Black Sunday, they became undeniable trailblazers of West Coast hip-hop. Their embrace of stoner aesthetics, Latino influences and B-Real’s unmistakable vocals changed the game. A few decades and line-up changes later, the band is going strong, reaching their 10th album, in 2022, with Back in Black. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: 8pm, Fox Theatre, 1807 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland. $49.50-$147. 510.302.2250
CUBAN
OMARA PORTUONDO
Omara Portuondo’s last performance in the Bay Area was at the Freight, in 2019, as part of what was billed as her Ultimo Beso (Last Kiss) Tour, but she’s gracing the world with one last run. At 92, the queen of boleros and filin, a Cuban jazz style she helped introduce in pre-revolution Havana, still has hard-won lessons to teach about love, loss and appreciating every precious moment. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 8pm, Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley. $45/adv, $50/door. 510.644.2020
ROCK
HALLORAGER X
This Halloween may be your last if you dare to enter Eli’s Mile High Club. Bad Acid Presents has corralled a spooky group of rockers for the 10th installment of the Bay Area’s infinitely spirited Hallorager. Taking inspiration from the holiday upon us, four bands perform the cover show of the year, transforming themselves into celebrated musicians of the past. Local favorites, Glitter Wizard, will be the English heavy metal group Deep Purple. The Atom Age will be the Cramps. Deathgrave will be the Spits. The only question left is: Who will you be? Tickets are $3 off with a costume! – AM
INFO: 8pm, Eli’s Mile High Club, 3629 Martin Luther King Junior Way, Oakland. $20. 510.808.7565
SATURDAY
LITERATURE
CURTIS CHIN
In ’80s Detroit, everyone went to Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, from the city’s first Black mayor to drag queens, seeking the homey comfort of its food and vinyl booths. But it was home to Curtis Chin on his journey to adulthood–confronting racism, coming out as gay, discovering activism and writing. His just-published memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, which is structured around the menus of his family restaurant, has already received accolades. Chin, a co-founder of the Asian American Writers Workshop, as well as a documentary filmmaker, will be present at the Bay Area launch of his book. An early reader review says: “Anyone who is looking for a life-lesson-filled memoir garnished with laughs and prepared with love should order their copy.” – JANIS HASHE
INFO: 2pm, Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St., #290, Oakland. Free. 510.637.0455
ROCK
PSYCHED! RADIO SF FEST
Independent community radio station Psyched! Radio is holding Psyched! Fest—nine shows across six historic Bay Area venues. Their Berkeley show at Gilman features shoegazey art-pop artists Pure Hex, Taleen Kali, Sunset Images, Rose Haze and Grooblen. The headliner is the Asteroid No.4, a staple of the modern psych scene known for hypnotic, layered sound and saturated harmonies, as well as their experiments with swerving into genres like folk and country-rock. The band came out of the “Psychedelphia” scene in the ’90s and relocated to the Bay Area in 2011. Their most recent album, Tones of the Sparrow, takes them back to their ’90s origins, growing up in the height of shoegaze. – SB
INFO: 6pm, Gilman, 924 Gilman St, Berkeley. $15.70. 510.524.8180
SUNDAY
JAZZ
RICHARD BONA
Describing Cameroon-born Richard Bona as an electric bassist is fair enough, as he’s one of the instrument’s most commanding players. But it hardly suffices, as Bona is also a gifted vocalist, composer and bandleader who’s collaborated with the likes of Chick Corea, Cesaria Evora, Sting, Mike Stern, Pat Metheny and Chucho Valdés, among many other luminaries. He’s touring with a power trio that delivers a heady brew of West African funk, fusion and Caribbean soul. – AG
INFO: 7pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $34-$79. 510.238.9200
HIP-HOP
TONITE SHOW FT. DJ FRESH
The weekend before Halloween is always packed with parties, which is probably why DJ Fresh decided to throw a record-release show on his birthday. Named one of XXL Magazine’s “30 Best Hip Hop Producers” in 2016, the Oakland based DJ began his long-running The Tonite Show way back in 2005. A true DJ, Fresh uses analog equipment and keyboards, and will even throw in live instruments on occasion to remind everyone it’s way more than just pushing a button. With as many artists as DJ Fresh has worked with, the mysterious “special guest” could be anyone’s guess but will definitely be straight fire. – MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $20/adv, $25/door. 510.214.8600
TUESDAY
HIP-HOP
TRAVIS SCOTT
Travis Scott has already accomplished more at 32 years old than many people twice his age. At 21 he signed to Epic Records, and since then he’s earned four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has over 80 charted songs. He’s been nominated for nine Grammy Awards, has won multiple BET awards and even started his own label, Cactus Jack Records, in 2017. Oh, and let’s not forget all the sponsorship and co-partnerships with companies like Playstation, video games such as Fortnite and fashion companies such as BAPE. Dude even had a special McDonald’s meal back in 2020, remember that? Scott is everywhere. And this Halloween he’ll be at the Oakland Arena for his Utopia tour with Teezo Touchdown. – MW
INFO: 8pm, Oakland Arena, 7000 S. Coliseum Way, Oakland. $51-$751. 510.569.2121
