THURSDAY, APRIL 17
POP
MELT
Melt is sowing the seeds of soul-pop across North America this spring on their Plant the Garden tour. The band formed in 2017 when high school friends Veronica Stewart-Frommer, Marlo Shankweiler and Lucas Saur found incredible synergy performing together and winning a local Battle of the Bands. From there, Stewart-Frommer’s powerhouse vocals on the single “Sour Candy” led the band to the Billboard Viral 50 chart. Several college degrees and one pandemic later, Melt’s 2024 debut album, If There’s a Heaven, was recorded live and secured their place on the indie scene. NPR calls them “one groovy super-organism.” – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Thu, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $33. 510.214.8600.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17
PUNK
BOB FEST #29
Who’s heard of a punk festival across three countries simultaneously? That’s exactly what BOB Fest is, a festival occurring across Bremen, Germany; Oakland; and Bath, England. Since 1996, this DIY fest has brought punks from all three cities together in a unique and unlikely way. While the fest lasts from April 16-20, one of this year’s Oakland line-ups consists of Black Wülf, Altar De Fey and Cross Stitched Eyes. To attend Thursday’s show, one must purchase a BOB Fest pass, but individual tickets will be sold for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With bands like the Subhumans, George Crustanza and Jewdriver performing throughout Oakland and Berkeley, the price will be well worth it. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Thu, 8pm, Eli’s Mile High Club, 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. $20–$90. 510.808.7565.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18
INDIE
LAURA JANE GRACE AND THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICALS
Laura Jane Grace’s new album, Adventure Club, debuts on July 18, and it’s a blistering, myth-soaked punk odyssey written and recorded during a transformative month in Greece. The album reimagines the hero’s journey with a sharp tongue and a smirk, channeling the high drama of Greek mythology—love, war, betrayal, virtue and vice—into loud, joyful chaos. She’ll be backed by her band the Mississippi Medicals, featuring Matt Patton of Drive-By Truckers (bass), Mikey Erg of the Ergs (drums) and Paris Campbell Grace (vocals, percussion). – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $41. 510.214.8600.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18
ELECTRONIC
KRAFTWERK
Before Skrillex, before Trent Reznor—even before David Bowie discovered the synthesizer—there was Kraftwerk. Formed in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1970, Kraftwerk was one of the very first acts to successfully popularize the electronic music scene, despite early forms of the genre dating back to the early 20th century. One of Kraftwerk’s first video performances is to a bewildered, long-haired hippie audience with no idea what they are experiencing. Most stare blankly, partly mesmerized and partly confused, while one or two try to move to the beat. Fast forward to 2025, and EDM is arguably the largest genre in the world. Last year Kraftwerk celebrated 50 years of Autobahn, and they are now on tour playing it in its entirety. – MW
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Rd., Berkeley. $78–$240. 510.871.9225.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
ART
OUR EARTH
Based on the collage paintings of Salma Arastu and the poetry of Maw Shein Win, youth participating in the Alameda Education Foundation “Art Changes” program break out with urgent messages about the planet’s future with themes such as the interdependence of humans and nature, and connecting to ancestral roots. The social-emotional learning and health benefits of artistic expression and activities appear in countless studies; this exhibit reveals young minds free to declare personal and universal messages through visual mediums. By tapping into cultural and ancestral histories, an astonishing array of works proves the next generation has rich lessons to share with their peers and the adults with whom they interact. The exhibit is on display through May 30. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Sat, 2pm, Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave., Alameda. Free. 510.865.5060.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
JAZZ
RAHSAAN PATTERSON
In the mid-’90s, as vocalist Rahsaan Patterson made the transition from starring role as the “Kid” in the TV show Kids Incorporated to a solo act, the vocalist made a trek to the East Bay to work with D’Wayne Wiggins. The connection didn’t bear immediate fruit but offered a window into an artist who has always sought out the best collaborators. At 51, he’s a consummate performer with a luscious book of torchy soul ballads, affirming R&B anthems, and jazz-tinged tales of love and heartbreak. His last release, 2019’s Heroes & Gods, covered a lot of stylistic ground, which threw some listeners, but Patterson contains multitudes and he’s at his best when letting all his different facets shine. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: Sat, 7:30pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $45–$89. 510.238.9200.
SUNDAY, APRIL 20
JAZZ
YAGODY
The Bay Area’s appetite for traditional Ukrainian vocals seems insatiable. The all-women experimental quartet Yagody brings the sounds of the steppe and the songs of wild tribes to the stage. Founded by Zoriana Dybovska, an actor teaching stage speech at Ivan Franko National University, the group took shape as she recruited her music students. They forged a new repertoire via extensive fieldwork, combining traditional Ukrainian melodies, Balkan motifs and a global menagerie of instruments. Featuring Dybovska on percussion, Sofia Leshyshak on djembe, Nadiia Parashchuk on accordion, Tetiana Voitiv on Tibetan bowl and Ukrainian jaw-harp drymba, and all the women on vocals, Yagody creates elemental avant-garde music that summons ancient spirits. – AG
INFO: Sun, 7pm, Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $34/adv, $39/door. 510.644.2020.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
PUNK
GAG
GAG is the soundtrack to a fever dream of a fistfight to the death: nasty, primitive and weirdly satisfying. Hailing from Olympia, Washington, the underground hardcore punk band piles on the screechy feedback, distortion, dissonance and clawing-out-of-the-basement vocals. Their latest EP, WANT WAR, is another all-out assault, five songs that foam at the mouth. But beneath the freakshow grime is a twisted wit, a theatrical smirk that adds mocking humor to the madness. – SBB
INFO: Tue, 7pm, 924 Gilman, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $20. 510.524.8180.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
THEATER
STEVE BUDD
Is anyone unbuttoned, twisted or paranoid about stringy stitchery when it comes to love? Line up at the door and enter solo performer Steve Budd’s theatrical therapy room. The 60-minute “session” has Budd unspooling conversations he held with various couples riding the make-up/break-up spectrum. Playing dozens of characters and embroidering a quest for a partner, Budd’s glimmering insights might offer hope for the lovelorn—or at least, laughter. The show is directed by Mark Kenward and Kenny Yun, who have not volunteered to serve as Budd’s matchmakers, should the idea pop into anyone’s mind. – LF
INFO: Tue, 7:30pm, Marsh, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. $15–$100. 510.282.3055.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
INDIE
ICHIKO AOBA
An artist like Ichiko Aoba comes around like a comet, blessing crowds with ethereal beauty and leaving them wondering if she is real. The Japanese singer-songwriter is known for her delicate acoustic guitar stylings, but she also plays piano, clarinet, accordion and flute. Add her flair for dream-inspired lyrics and visuals, and a soothing recipe is borne. Aoba is prolific; she released her ninth studio album, Luminescent Creatures, earlier this year to acclaim. Flaunt said, “Luminescent Creatures delves into minutiae of her densely lush meanderings, where the littlest of hum can carry the heaviest of weight.” – AM
INFO: Wed, 8pm, Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $56. 510.302.2250.
