Social Eyes: Week of May 29 – June 4

Arts & Culture

Express Editorial Staff

May 27, 2025

THURSDAY, MAY 29

FOLK

MICHELA MUSOLINO

Never learned to dance the tarantella? Haven’t traveled to Sicily? Missed a chance to witness Sicilian residents in small villages form circles and engage in spontaneous, joyful blizzards of rhythm of movement, or professional dancers perform slow ritualistic steps and gestures dating back centuries? There’s good news! When Sicilian-American songstress Michela Musolino picks up her tamburo—a frame drum—and lifts her voice in song, attendees will be transported. Leading an all-ages, beginner-friendly Sicilian dance workshop prior to the concert she presents with accordionist Steve Albini, folks hoping to learn, listen to and love all things Sicilian have a golden opportunity to do just that. – LOU FANCHER

INFO: Thu, 8pm, Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. $20/adv, $25/door. 510.525.5099.

THURSDAY, MAY 29

PUNK

THE GO FOR BROKE TOUR

This spring, Montreal’s caustic new-age punk powerhouse, Nobro, joins forces with the art-punk energy of Bad Waitress and the chaotic swagger of Gen and the Degenerates for the raucous, defiant Go For Broke U.S. tour. Fresh off their Juno win for Set Your Pussy Free, Nobro’s middle-finger-up anthems howl for liberation. Add in Bad Waitress’ fun, pissed-off riffs and Gen and the Degenerates’ mischievous, anthemic chaos, and you’ve got a lineup that promises sweat, shouts and sonic catharsis. The Vaxxines will join them at Gilman for some Oakland punk ’n’ roll singalong anthems. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT

INFO: Thu, 7pm, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $20. 510.524.8180.

FRIDAY, MAY 30

METAL

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT

U.K. extreme-metal outfit Dragged Into Sunlight is known for their evil edge and intense live shows—think smoke-choked stages, strobes, inverted crosses and balaclava-wearing band members facing away from the crowd. They blend black metal, doom and grindcore into a sonic onslaught; their 2009 debut, Hatred for Mankind, is a blast furnace of nightmarish noise. Their latest single, 2020’s 29-minute “Terminal Aggressor II,” continues their descent into sonic horror, delivering a punishing buildup of blackened sludge and industrial. Carved from the darkest corners of death metal, Dragged Into Sunlight is not for the faint of heart. – SBB

INFO: Fri, 8pm, The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $35. 510.227.8177.

FRIDAY, MAY 30

PUNK

THE DAMNED

When the Damned released their first single, “New Rose,” in 1977, which also happened to be the very first punk single released by a British band, they probably didn’t think they would still be performing it 48 years later. Yet here we are, and this seminal, heavily influential punk act not only still kicks—it thrives. Add to that the fact that original drummer Rat Scabies is back again, with original members Captain Sensible and Dave Vanian along with longtime bassist Paul Gray and keyboardist Monty Oxymoron, and it’s safe to say this is the purest version of the band we’ve had in years. – MAT WEIR

INFO: Fri, 8pm, The UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. $40. 510.356.4000.

FRIDAY, MAY 30

R&B

THE WHOADEES

This funky five collective blends hip-hop, soul, the blues and elements of jazz for a sound as rich and diverse as the area they come from, the Bay Area. It’s no wonder this show takes place at the Oakland Museum of California. Joining them is Cocoa Crescendo with her mix of bass, house and baile beats to keep the multicultural party going. Make sure to bring some extra cash for one of the eight local food trucks that will be cooking up the Bay Area’s best mobile cuisines. – MW

INFO: Fri, 5pm, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. Free. 510.318.8400.

SATURDAY, MAY 31

ROCK

THE DETROIT COBRAS

Punk-fueled retro rock ’n’ roll flowered in the Motor City in the mid-1990s, and the Detroit Cobras led the way. Lead singer Rachel Nagy embodied the tough-and-tender sound from that era, bringing her unmistakable smoky vocals to each show. Tragically, Nagy passed away in 2022. Later that year, the band performed a tribute show for the beloved singer, enlisting the help of Zen Guerilla’s Marcus Durant. This month, they reunite to take the celebration of one of garage rock’s greats on the road; they also released a split single called “Stay Down” just weeks before Nagy’s death. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI

INFO: Sat, 8:30pm, Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. $23. 510.526.5888.

SATURDAY, MAY 31

DANCE

BATEY TAMBÓ

Alameda’s waterfront will vibe to the sounds of Afro-Indigenous bomba when Oakland- and San Francisco-based dance ensemble Batey Tambó gives a free performance on the Seaplane Lagoon Promenade. Enslaved West Africans and their descendants, with roots among the Ashanti people of Ghana, created bomba, which is as much about resistance as it is about joy. The family-friendly event will also feature interactive choreography with KT Nelson and dancers, as well as a visit from the “Climate Detective from the Future.” This is the first Rhythmic Rising Seas event, a series that melds global music, dance and theater to raise climate awareness through art. – JANIS HASHE

INFO: Sat, 1pm, Seaplane Lagoon Promenade, 1801 Ferry Point, Alameda. Free. 510.747.7529.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1

JAZZ

MONTY ALEXANDER

While Caribbean DNA existed in jazz at its early 20th century conception, the West Indian contribution was often identified in a buoyant rhythmic bounce more than a full-fledged lilt. But the arrival of Kingston-born pianist Monty Alexander on the New York scene in the 1960s made manifest what was previously hidden. An irrepressibly swinging improviser who infused every line with a Jamaican feel, Alexander was quickly recognized as a jazz original. He returns to Yoshi’s a few days before his 81stbirthday and judging by his most recent Bay Area appearance at the SFJAZZ Center last year, father time has yet to catch up with the joyful player. Joined by bassist Luke Sellick and drummer Jason Brown, this stylish, old-school jazz cat pours his heart into every gig. – ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: Sun, 7pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $44-$79. 510.238.9200.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4

ELECTRONIC

3BALLMTY

What better way to get into summer mode than with some Latin EDM? Winners of the 2012 Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist, the band 3BallMTY—pronounced “Tribal Monterrey”—is by now a well-oiled “Latino electronica” machine. Their name is a reference to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, the city they harken from, and guaracha tribal music, a fusion of electronic and cumbia popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. From their surprise breakout hit “Intentalo” in 2012 to their 2020 single “Ferrari,” these DJs never fail to get crowds going. In 2022, electronic producer Debit told Remezcla, “Tribal will never go away.” – AM

INFO: Wed, 10pm, Crybaby, 1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $40-$50.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4

CIRCUS

HOOPLA

Circus Bella’s 60-minute show features skilled acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond. Cavorting, careening, cartooning and performing other things circus-ish, the troupe performs to music courtesy of Rob Reich and the 6-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. Grab the kids—or adults who never lost appreciation for spectacular feats of creativity and good humor. Bring folding chairs, blankets, hula hoops and picnic fare, claim a spot outdoors and enjoy a one-ring circus of delight. Those who can’t make this show can check their calendars for upcoming dates at other locations in the East Bay. – LF

INFO: Wed, 5:30pm, DeFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St., West Oakland. Free. 415.480.4239.