Social Eyes: Week of April 30-May 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

LATIN

NOVALIMA

The tragedy of African slaves brought to Peru in the 1500s gave the foundation for Novalima. The group’s music has the rhythms of Africa, melding the melodies and instruments of Europe and the Andes. The results are a rich cultural stew, especially as the four founders grew up investigating not just Afro-Peruvian music, but also rock, dub reggae, Latin and electronic music. The band’s visibility has been boosted by coverage from NPR,UK Guardian andWall Street Journal, along with a Latin Grammy nomination and strong reviews for their albums, Novalima, Coba Coba, Karimba and their newest release from San Francisco-based Six Degrees Records, La Danza. – LOU FANCHER

INFO: Thu, 8pm, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $39-$44. 510.644.2020.

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

JAZZZ

MAT MUNTZ RESIDENCY

Percussionist Sameer Gupta’s Rootstock Arts organization has presented monthly music series at Wyldflowr Arts in West Oakland for several years, focusing on raga-based music. Now he’s created a North Oakland arts center with an array of resources available for various creative pursuits, including a performance space that East Bay bassist Mat Muntz is inaugurating with a three-night residency. He kicks it off with Phantom Islands II – Bag of Winds, a body of original tunes featuring Muntz on Balkan bagpipes and bass, Ben Goldberg on clarinets, Kasey Knudsen on alto sax and Scott Amendola on drums. Friday features Muntz with his wife, Astrid Kuljanic. And Saturday’s program features an improvisation-powered trio. – ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: Thu, 7:30pm, RootStock Arts, 5741 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $20-$30.

FRIDAY, MAY 1

ACTIVIST

PARTY FOR THE WORKERS

“Workers of the world, unite!” might have been made famous by Marx—Karl, not Groucho—but International Workers Day actually commemorates the 1886 general strike that led to the eight-hour workday. Celebrate the people who keep the world moving with Oakland Sin Fronteras and their guests, Oakland rapper and community organizer Bambu, filmmaker Boots Riley and Riley’s legendary civil rights activist dad, Walter, who turns 82 on May 1. The party follows the International Workers’ Day March & Resource Fair, beginning at 2pm at Fruitvale BART Plaza. As union members say, “Unions—the folks who brought you the weekend.” – JANIS HASHE

INFO: Fri, 8pm, La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $10-$25. 510.849.2568.

FRIDAY, MAY 1 SATURDAY, MAY 2 & SUNDAY, MAY 3

BLUEGRASS

BERKELEY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Berkeley embraced bluegrass in 1959, when Mayne Smith and some Berkeley High buddies launched the Bay Area’s first bluegrass combo, the Redwood Canyon Ramblers. Their legacy manifests this weekend at The Freight with the two-day Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, which features workshops, jams and evening concerts. Friday’s triple bill features Kentucky fiddler Jason Carter, the Tennessee quartet Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, and Berkeley’s own Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands. Saturday’s program includes fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves Band with guitarist and vocalist Michael Davis, the new Portland combo Caleb & Reeb with the Cali Cutups, and the trio of string wizard Tony Furtado. – AG

INFO: Sat-Sun, May 2-3, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $44-$69. 510.644.2020.

SATURDAY, MAY 2

EMO

EVERYONE ASKED ABOUT YOU

Originally formed in 1996 in Little Rock, Arkansas, Everyone Asked About You was part of the second wave of emo music. However, they wouldn’t make a name for themselves until much later as their blend of emo and indie-pop was way ahead of its time in the late 1990s. They disbanded in 2000 and members went on to form other groups like American Princes and experimental metal favorites, the Body. However, in 2022, archival record label Numero Group announced they were reissuing the band’s discography. One thing led to another and Everyone Asked About You decided to do a reunion show, which led to another, which led to the release of new music. – MAT WEIR

INFO: Sat, 7pm, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $25. 510.524.8180.

SATURDAY, MAY 2

COMEDY

BERT KREISCHER

Bert Kreischer’s comedy runs on long-form stories that spiral into outrageous confession and oddly wholesome self-awareness. Kreischer has transformed a larger-than-life reputation into one of stand-up’s most commercially dominant careers, selling out arenas while maintaining the loose energy of a late-night hang. Podcasting and consistent touring—his “Permission To Party” Tour is rocketing through 12 states by June—have built Kreischer a sprawling entertainment brand fueled by big stories, big stages and a dedication to getting shirtless. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT

INFO: Sat, 7pm, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. $51-$127. 510.893.2300.

SUNDAY, MAY 3

PUNK

MANIC HISPANIC

iÓrale ese! Whatchoo know about the barrio? Manic Hispanic knows and will teach you all their pinche ways, like the higher the socks the downer the foo, how to make your own Tijuana belt buckle and how to dodge the chancla when tu madre hears you listening to la musica del diablo. Not only does Manic Hispanic cover punk-rock classics with a hilarious Chicano culture twist, but they do the songs a hell of a lot of justice. That’s because the band is more of a supergroup, comprised of former and current members of the Adolescents (RIP Soto!), Death By Stereo, Agent Orange and Final Conflict. – MW

INFO: Sun, 8pm, Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. $25. 510.526.5888.

SUNDAY, MAY 3

FESTIVAL

JEWISH ARTS & BOOKFEST

In one afternoon, attendees can: Listen to experts on punk culture talk about how it confronts antisemitism, discover “Torah in the Tarot,” experience live performances of the Parisian salons of the Steins or “the world’s only Indian Jewish stand-up comedian,” and find out how Jewish authors revolutionized children’s picture books. Then take a break at the Festival Shuk (Marketplace) with a pop-up shop from Berkeley’s Afikomen Judaica and over 20 local community groups, artists and authors. Oh, and nosh at the kosher Middle Eastern food truck. The Jewish Arts & Bookfest is back, and a person would have to be meshuggeneh not to check it out. – JH

INFO: Sun, 11am, UCB Magnes Collection, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. $5-$40. 510.643.2526.

TUESDAY, MAY 5

PUNK

TERROR

Los Angeles hardcore mainstay Terror has spent more than two decades proving that longevity and intensity don’t have to cancel each other out. The band snapped the hardcore genre back to basics: urgency and absolute physical commitment. Fronted by Scott Vogel’s unmistakable bark, Terror writes fast, confrontational songs about self-empowerment, survival and loyalty to the scene. Their brand-new, full-length album, Still Suffer, created with producer and former guitarist Todd Jones, sharpens into 10 relentless tracks, a living transmission of hardcore’s enduring core values. – SBB 

INFO: Tue, 6:30pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $30. 510.214.8600.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

INDIE

GOOD KID

With close to four million listeners on Spotify, there must be an appeal to Good Kid’s music—or just a ton of parents desperate for a positive spin on the word “kid.” Either way, the upbeat, bouncy J-rock, pop-punk energy and jivey lyrics of Good Kid’s songs charge up head-for-the-sky, gravity-defying vibes. At the risk of seeming cheeky, the show generates radiance without sacrificing creativity. Earning a recent JUNO Award nod for “Breakthrough Group” and flashing sold-out shows around the world, these musicians are clearly in command of their art form. After issuing four EPs, Good Kid brings out their debut full-length album, Can We Hang Out Sometime? – LF

INFO: Wed, 8pm, Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $56-79. 510.302.2250.