WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 9-13
DANCE
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
The venerable dance company makes its annual visit to Berkeley, and this year’s shows pay tribute to artistic director emerita Judith Jamison, who died in November 2024. Notable Bay Area premieres and Ailey’s iconic Revelations are highlights. With four different programs on tap, the toughest decision is not which to see; it’s how many. The company rewards audiences with new dancers who bring unique qualities to the stage, established dancers heralding Ailey’s signature style and choreographic voices speaking to the future of dance in America. Great music, choreography and dancers—can it be that simple? Ailey proves it is. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Wed-Sun, various times, Cal Performances‘ Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. $40–$135. 510.642.9988.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
ROCK
SKELETON KREWE
Jerry Garcia once said, “the live show is still our thing,” which any Deadhead would say is true. There’s a reason why one band created an entire culture and movement behind their music and ideology for 60 years. Part of that culture is the thriving tribute and jam-band scene combining Dead cover bands with original music that keeps the spirit of ’60s San Francisco alive. Like Skeleton Krewe, a relatively new band composed of well-seasoned, old-soul veteran players: Rob Barraco, Barry Sless, Stephen Inglis, Peter Sears and Jay Lane, all members who have collectively played in Dark Star Orchestra, Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, Dead & Company, Phil Lesh and Friends, Bill Kreutzmann’s solo work and Primus. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Thu, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $33. 510.214.8600.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
HIP-HOP
MACARTHUR MAZE
Named for the bustling interchange in Oakland where four freeways braid together on their way to every corner of the Bay, hip-hop group MacArthur Maze is a collective of MCs and producers channeling Oakland’s energy into intricate flows and head-nodding production. Led by DJ D Sharp, the Golden State Warriors’ dynamic official DJ with a collection of NBA championship rings, five emcees and four producers will perform hard-hitting anthems and grooves at OMCA after a dance lesson and the museum’s Gallery Chats. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Fri, 5pm, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. Free. 510.318.8400.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
JAZZ
STEVE SMITH & VITAL INFORMATION
Steve Smith stands out for the array of musical idioms he’s made his own. The rising jazz star detoured into rock stardom in 1978 when he joined Journey for a seven-year run. From his work with the great fusion band Steps Ahead and his collaborations with tabla maestro Zakir Hussain to his tribute project Buddy’s Buddies, Smith has plunged into the deepest rhythmic waters. He’s also led Vital Information; the latest incarnation is dauntingly formidable with British electric-bassist Janek Gwizdala and Cuban keyboard virtuoso Manuel Valera. The power trio’s latest album, New Perspective, features thoroughly reimagined arrangements of tunes from different chapters of Smith’s career, including Journey hits. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $33–$69. 510.238.9200.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
ROCK
DOUBLE NAME NIGHT
When compiling epic show bills, Gilman knows a thing or two about how to do it. The storied venue has curated Double Name Night to kick off the weekend, featuring bands—who guessed it?—whose names involve repetition. Oakland-based dance-grunge group Tell Me Tell Me will be there to get everyone moving, as will garage-rockers Mommy Mommy and prog-rockers Doctor Doctor. Rounding out the bill are Extra Extra!, Scary Scare and Please Please, an East Bay emo extravaganza. Fans might be seeing double, but that sounds like a rock ’n’ roll dream dream. – AM
INFO: Fri, 7pm, 924 Gilman, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $15. 510.524.8180.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
SYNTH
QUEST MASTER
The word “carpenteresque” was first coined to describe music that captures the same ethereal feel that acclaimed horror director and musician John Carpenter writes for his films. But the broader genre conjures images of dark forests, long quests and the perfect soundtrack to play Zelda with. And with bands like Quest Master, how can one not get down and kill some dragons? Across their multiple albums and EPs, Quest Master has kept a mysterious mood flowing throughout their songs, casting a spell on all who listen. One can only imagine the evil enchantment that awaits this Saturday when they take the stage at Eli’s Mile High Club—which needs the community’s support right now—with Putrid Marsh, Fief and Magick Creature. – MW
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Eli’s Mile High Club, 3629 Martin Luther King Dr., Oakland. $20/adv, $25/door. 510.808.7565.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
AMERICANA
THE BROTHERS COMATOSE
The Brothers Comatose fuse bluegrass, folk, rock and a distinctly Bay Area sense of humor, crafting down-home and road-ready songs. Founded by brothers Ben and Alex Morrison in San Francisco, their sound is rich with harmonies, driving rhythms, inventive storytelling and good fun. Take the rousing anti-hop anthem “The IPA Song,” which denounces the bitter brew once and for all. The band can move gracefully from the bittersweet to the gritty and playful, and their live shows turn into full-on hootenannies where the audience becomes part of the band with singalongs, foot-stomping and chopstick percussion. – SBB
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $38. 510.214.8600.
SUNDAY, APRIL 13
CLASSICAL
OWLS
Does an owl’s calling sound a bit like cellos in the night? It’s not a common simile, but it may become one as the string quartet Owls continues its ascent into chamber music. The ensemble comprises some of the most innovative musicians and composers on the scene: violinist Alexi Kenney, violist Ayane Kozasa, and cellists Gabriel Cabezas and Paul Wiancko. One of the group’s distinguishing features is the presence of two cellos where there are traditionally two violins. The New York Times has described this as “the ensemble’s low-end theory of string quartet,” attesting that the unusual arrangements dazzle. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Sun, 3pm, Cal Performances‘ Hertz Hall, 101 Cross-Sproul Path, Berkeley. $74. 510.642.9988.
TUESDAY, APRIL 15
ROCK
ETRAN DE L’AÏR
Any 9-year-old kid starting a band with only one acoustic guitar and a “drum set” that’s a hard-shelled fruit hit by a sandal has intrigue—especially when the band of brothers and cousins goes on to develop their pan-African style of rock and become an entity of repute. These masters of Agadez guitar music have been in high demand as a top-tier wedding band in Niger for 25 years. Their technique is tight, the rhythms addictive and the homeland influences firmly established. It’s fluid music with propulsive energy, perfect for dancing. Opening is maya ongaku, a trio of musicians equally magnetic, with a gently synthesized sound comparable to nature humming while otherworldly beings softly croon lyrics. – LF
INFO: Tue, 8pm, The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $36. 510.227.8177.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
JAZZ
ABLAYE CISSOKO & CYRILLE BROTTO
Even worldly music fans might be forgiven for not knowing what a kora or a diatonic accordion are. Senegalese kora master Ablaye Cissoko will demonstrate the 800-year-old, 21-string instrument’s versatility alongside French virtuoso Cyrille Brotto on the diatonic accordion at Freight & Salvage on April 16. Mora about the kora: It’s like a cross between a lute and harp, and is used in West Africa by djeli families, historically storytellers and genealogists. The diatonic accordion, also called a melodeon, is a type of button accordion, with each row of melody-side buttons creating notes of a single diatonic scale. It’s a favorite instrument in many
folk cultures. The duo are touring in support of their second album, Dijyo, which means “water” in Senegalese. Their music is described as a “luminous conversation tinged with melancholy.” — JANIS HASHE
INFO: Wed, 8pm, Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $52. 510.644.2020.
