THURSDAY, JUNE 19
ROCK
ANUPRASTHA
It’s not every day, or even every summer, that a pioneering Nepali rock band comes to town. Anuprastha is just that, melding traditional Nepali modalities and folk tunes with the distorted guitars of rock ’n’ roll. They began in 2004 in Kathmandu’s underground scene and found breakthrough success with their hit, “Din,” in 2009. Seeing them live is absolutely necessary. Through high-energy performances, their songs ebb and flow in unpredictable and exciting ways. Though that bucket-list trip to the wondrous Himalayan mountains might not have yet happened, this band brings the Nepali spirit with it every place it goes. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Thu, 8pm, Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. $40. 510.526.5888.
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
THEATER
BLACKEST WRENCH
This one-night-only Juneteenth version of SF Neo-Futurists’ weekly show, The Infinite Wrench, has been trimmed to near perfection. An all-Black cast presents 30 plays in 60 minutes, racing to fling out stories from searing to silly to stunningly poignant. Identity, family, and chaotic and concrete concerns express the diversity of the Black experience in America. Think of it as the Olympics of Theater and dive into the world of these top athletes—they’ve been doing this fast, fun stuff since 2013. Shows are high-energy, sometimes participatory, and if a one-hour exposure leads to desire for more, check out the troupe’s weekly shows, classes and workshops and the annual “Infinite Pride” events later this month. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Thu, 7pm, Shotgun Players, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. $25-$50. 510.841.6500.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
JAZZ
MATTEO MANCUSO
Having learned the guitar at a young age, Matteo Mancuso made a name for himself in the Sicilian jazz scene at the ripe age of 11. By the time he was a teenager, he enrolled in a special high school for musicians to learn how to play classical guitar. Once he graduated, he formed the trio Snips, gaining fame through the internet and his many YouTube videos. He made such a name for himself internationally that the famous Berklee College of Music accepted him in 2017. Today he travels the world, astounding audiences with his lightning-fast fingers, covering an array of world music for fans of greats like Django Reinhardt. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Fri, 8pm, The UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. $41-$70. 510.356.4000.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
REGGAE
BARRINGTON LEVY
Before autotune and algorithm playlists, there was Barrington Levy: a teenager with a clear voice and a growing reputation in Kingston’s late-’70s sound-system scene. Then he blew up, with the lean pulse of “Collie Weed” and swaggery smash follow-up “Shine Eye Girl.” A quick series of singles and an instinct for melody combined with heavyweight riddims helped invent the DNA of modern dancehall. A mainstay of Reggae Sunsplash and a pioneer in global reggae fusion, Levy’s legacy spans decades, genres and generations. Still touring, still vital, his reggae crown is firmly in place. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $48. 510.214.8600.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
WORLD BEAT
GAMELAN SEKAR JAYA
Based in the Bay Area but rooted in artistic exchange with Bali, Gamelan Sekar Jaya builds on the centuries-old musical tradition of gamelan: interlocking rhythms, metallic shimmer and trance-inducing cycles played on bronze gongs, metallophones, drums and bamboo flutes by four to 20 musicians. There’s no conductor, just trust and timing as each player weaves their part into a collective precision. Paired with Balinese dance, the ensemble’s repertoire spans the fiery and the meditative, the sacred and the playful. – SBB
INFO: Sat, 1pm, PAL in the Parks, Svendsen Maritime Park, 2315 Stanford St., Alameda. Free. 510.865.5060.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
AMERICANA
RHIANNON GIDDENS & THE OLD-TIME REVUE
Since her start with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, vocalist, violist and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens has displayed restless curiosity about the deep threads connecting American roots music and the African diaspora. This show features a stellar cast of artists on a similar quest, including Justin Robinson, Dirk Powell, Amelia Powell, Jason Sypher and Demeanor—a.k.a. Justin Harrington. A cultural force who seems to be everywhere these days, Giddens is a master at building narratives out of disparate elements. The revue style of this tour gives every artist a chance to shine, bringing a kaleidoscopic perspective to roots that continue to bear succulent fruit. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. $55. 510.642.9988.
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
JAZZ
PAUL G. MCCURDY
A dedicated educator on the piano faculty at the University of San Francisco, Paul G. McCurdy can be found accompanying many of the finest choral ensembles and musical theater companies in the region, including Volti, Sacred & Profane, Sing for America, Songbird City Choir, Lamplighters Musical Theatre, SF Choral Society and Young Women’s Choral Projects. While steeped in the European classical tradition with several albums of Mozart sonatas, he’s focused on writing for his jazz quartet Pesh in recent years, and he’ll introduce new jazz works along with pieces that draw on classical forms. – AG
INFO: Sun, 5pm, Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $20. 510.547.8188.
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
SPOKEN WORD
AJA MONET
Channeling the best traditions of jazz and blues, Monet’s poetry rumbles and digs deep grooves. The narratives speak to Black resistance, revolution, revelation and rejuvenation. A masterful wordsmith with impeccable rhythmic sensitivity, Monet’s first full collection of poems, My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter, tells of the struggles experienced by mothers, women and girls, and was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for Poetry. A new collection of poems, Florida Water, is available from Haymarket Books. Monet has been called by Gen Z-ers “the poet of the people.” If the label rings true, it is due to the lived presence, honesty and clarity in the words. – LF
INFO: Sun, 7pm, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $39-44. 510.644.2020.
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
HIP-HOP
OLIVER FRANCIS
Trap beats and emo vibes meld splendidly in the creative universe of Oliver Francis. Since the mid-2010s, the Missouri-born rapper has crafted his unique sound, starting with a bedroom studio and building up to a robust cult following. His projects are known for their sleek production, catchy hooks and, most of all, heart-on-the-sleeve emotion. Those seeking a primer should head over to his SoundCloud, which is where his fans have gravitated for new releases and old favorites, including the songs “Aahhyeahh” and “100k.” Both are absolute bops. – AM
INFO: Sun, 7:30pm, Crybaby, 1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $28.
TUESDAY, JUNE 24
K-POP
BIBI
For technical purposes, Bibi can be filed under K-pop. However, her style goes beyond that, drawing influence from hip-hop and R&B. Born in South Korea, she is the older sister of Kim Na-Kyoung, from the girl group TripleS, and she released her debut, Lowlife Princess: Noir, in 2022. Her music contains a pop sensibility that carries a catchy sweetness to it, cute without being corny. More than just a singer and songwriter, Bibi also appeared in the Korean noir-thriller Hopeless, earning her the Best New Actress award at the Baeksang Arts Awards. This is her first world tour, but it won’t be her last. – MW
INFO: Tue, 8pm, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. $69-$269. 510.465.6400.
