THURSDAY, JULY 10
R&B
SAMOHT
Whether he’s on YouTube teaching his fans how to make his special Christmas Mojito or belting out a song in his home state of North Carolina, Samoht is probably wearing a Stetson. The R&B singer got his start just outside Raleigh in the city of Wilson, where he merged country with gospel, hip-hop and soul to create a deeply emotional style. Fans can’t decide which they love more: Samoht’s endearing sense of humor or his show-stopping voice. His 2023 album Amor, the inspiration for his current Red Zone tour, is seductive and joyful, bringing introspection to the poolside just in time for summer. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Thu, 8pm, The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $32.55. 510.227.8177.
THURSDAY, JULY 10
AMERICANA
TRILLIAN WELCH: I DREAM A HIGHWAY
Singer/songwriter Gillian Welch’s passionate voice was a highlight of O Brother, Where Art Thou? Her own music has been described as a crossroads between Appalachian, folk, country and Americana. These roads will be traveled in three-part harmony by Bay Area singers Meredith Edgar, Jill Rogers and Margaret Belton in Trillian Welch: I Dream A Highway. The voices—Edgar’s smoky and melancholic, Rogers’ shimmering and gritty, and Belton’s warm and heartfelt—will blend to explore Welch’s songwriting catalog. They’ll be backed by the Trillianaires, featuring Jamie Duncan and Myles Boisen on guitars, Russell Kiel on bass and special guest Steve Pearson on drums. – JANIS HASHE
INFO: Thu, 8pm, The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Ave., Berkeley. $20. 510.654.3808.
FRIDAY, JULY 11
AMERICANA
VICKI PETERSON & JOHN COWSILL
Vicki Peterson is the famed lead guitarist for the illustrious 1980s hit-makers the Bangles, and John Cowsill is one of the founding members of the Cowsills and drummer for the legendary Beach Boys for over two decades. They join forces in a debut like no other. OK, technically they joined forces in 2003 when they got married, but this time they are premiering a set of songs written by the other two founding members of the Cowsills, John’s late brothers Barry and Bill. The brothers wrote this collection of songs during various parts of their lives, but this is the first time they will be played live. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Fri, 8pm, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $22-$34. 510.644.2020.
FRIDAY, JULY 11
PUNK
MATHCORE INDEX FEST
Originally evolving out of hardcore in the 1990s, mathcore uses technical playing, weird time signatures and plenty of tempo changes to create music that is as chaotically structured as a mosh pit. It looks random from the outside, but dive in and it’s easy to see the natural rhythm. The Mathcore Index Fest takes place over two days, Friday and Saturday, and features some of the favorites in mathcore today: Heavy Heavy Low Low, Missouri Executive Order 44, Black Sheep Wall, State Faults and the Arson Choir. Take plenty of ibuprofen and get those stretches in beforehand because it’s safe to say the entire room is going to explode in a fury. – MW
INFO: Fri, 7pm, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $20/adv, $25/door. 510.524.8180.
FRIDAY, JULY 11
THEATER
‘LES BLANCS’
Les Blancs tells the story of a young man’s experiences upon returning to his family home to bury his father. The original play included one Black woman who never spoke but was spoken of by other characters. Mercer takes that as a jumping-off point for eight women—or should they be called spirits—to express identity, ancestry and reclamation of Black history through movement and words. Untethered from oppression, liberated to be real, and claiming power and purpose: If it was prime time for these invaluable things during Hansberry’s lifetime, it’s certainly a similar moment now. Performances go until July 27. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Fri, 7pm, Oakland Theater Project, 1501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. $35. 510.646.1126.
SATURDAY, JULY 12
THEATER
‘THE MAGNOLIA BALLET’
The haunting fable about a queer Black boy, his father, and the apparitions living in the walls of their family home who speak in poetry, shouts and whispers. Living among white people in Georgia, generations of Black people carve out lives of resilience as if cutting indelible marks in the bark of the Magnolia trees under which their stories are told. Onstage seating invites interested audience members to witness Black relationships up close. The only “ask” is to look, listen and reflect long after the final bows. Performances go until Aug. 10. – LF
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Shotgun Players, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. $8-$40. 510.841.6500.
SATURDAY, JULY 12
FOLK
HELADO NEGRO
Balmy and indefinable as ever, Roberto Carlos Lange—a.k.a. Helado Negro—brings his experimental tunes to town this weekend. Born in South Florida to Ecuadorian immigrants, the multi-instrumentalist has a knack for merging elements to create a soft, nostalgic vibe: English and Spanish, synths and acoustic guitars, visuals and sounds, high theory and simple emotion. After many years on Sufjan Stevens’ Asthmatic Kitty label, he started releasing albums on British alt-rock/dream-pop powerhouse 4AD as of the 2020s. According to Pitchfork, his latest offering, Phasor, “has snuck a folk songwriter’s sensibility into twinkling electronic cut-ups and field recordings.” – AM
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $27. 510.214.8600.
SATURDAY, JULY 12
COUNTRY
CODY JINKS
Cody Jinks didn’t pivot to country; he circled back to it, dragging distortion pedals and dive-bar ghosts with him. Raised on steel guitar but forged in Fort Worth’s thrash-metal scene, Jinks channels both in a sound that’s slow-burning, unsentimental and stubborn. His lyrics are plainspoken, but rarely simple. Unconcerned with polish or genre gatekeeping, Jinks has built a loyal following on his own terms, charting without chasing hits. It’s not nostalgia, it’s something heavier: Outlaw country that grapples with doubt, damage and the grace of getting by. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Sat, 7pm, Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Rd., Berkeley. $60-$180. 510.871.9225.
SUNDAY, JULY 13
JAZZ
CHARLES CHEN
Pianist Charles Chen’s 2024 debut album, Charles, Play!, was named one of the best albums of 2024 by DownBeat magazine. His gig at Piedmont Piano Company will showcase his new album, Building Characters. The final cut on this one, a relaxed rendition of the classic “Stardust,” features a sexy tenor sax intro, brushed drums and Chen taking his time to interpret the beloved tune, literally tickling the ivories. Chen acknowledges his love of the “Blue Note” era of Art Blakey and Horace Silver in the album’s selections—he is the historian of the South Bay Traditional Jazz Society. Audience members will also be treated to a sneak preview of Chen’s next album. – JH
INFO: Sun, 5pm, Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $25/adv, $30/door. 510.547.8188.
TUESDAY, JULY 15
HIP-HOP
RAKIM
Before Rakim, most rappers hit the beat head-on. He slipped through it, restructured it and rewrote the blueprint. When “Eric B. Is President” dropped in 1986 it didn’t just signal a new voice, it changed the mechanics of the genre. His verses moved with the precision of jazz improvisation and the depth of scripture. Albums like Paid in Full and Follow the Leader established a new standard for lyricism, internal rhyme and control. Rakim’s influence is about architecture. His voice is part of how the form was built. Now, he’s doing three shows at Yoshi’s on the 15th and 16th. – SBB
INFO: Tue, 7:30pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $69 – $125. 510.238.9200.
