.Social Eyes: Week of May 30-June 5

THURSDAY

HIP-HOP

JAY WORTHY

Over laid-back, funk-influenced beats, Jay Worthy raps about the grit and grind of street life, a kind of mellow street reportage with timeless, California-inflected energy. His discography is sizable and full of inspired partnerships with what feels like nearly everyone in the underground, including work as one half of Lndn Drgs alongside Sean House and collabs with Harry Fraud, G Perico and the Alchemist. His latest album, Nothing Bigger Than the Program, is a joint project with Roc Marciano. — SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT

INFO: Thu, 8pm, Crybaby, 1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $22-$25.

FRIDAY

EXPERIMENTAL

GREX PRESENTS: AUNTIE + TEBS

The Oakland experimental duo Grex (Karl Evangelista and Rei Scampavia) has created a genre-defying piece exploring connections between Bay Area activism and struggles for justice in communities worldwide. Auntie + Tebs merges jazz, rap, electronic and spoken word to highlight two people dear to the creators’ hearts: Evangelista’s aunt Miriam, a Filipino public servant, and Louis Moholo-Moholo, a South African drummer and anti-apartheid activist. Mitski, John Coltrane and Death Grips fans will find much to love in Grex’s innovative sound. Meanwhile, anyone interested in fighting corruption will be energized by their themes. — ADDIE MAHMASSANI 

INFO: Fri, 8pm, Dresher Ensemble Studio, 2201 Poplar St., Oakland. $15. 510.558.9540.

FRIDAY

METAL

MUSEUM OF LIGHT

In the blurb-writing biz, sometimes the best bands jump out when least expected. And so it is with Museum of Light, an ethereal power-trio doom-metal band from Seattle. Their debut album, Horizon, came out two years ago on Spartan Records and is an epic instrumental exploration of aural metal ambiance. For fans of the Melvins, Ufomammut and Yob, Museum of Light sonically builds and crumbles songs like civilizations cycling through their lifespans. Joining them are the Bay Area’s pretty noise band, Oxide, along with the post-metal group Mountaineer and hardcore act Human Head. — MAT WEIR

INFO: 7pm, Golden Bull, 412 14th St., Oakland. $12. 510.224.5522.

FRIDAY

PUNK

COSMIC PSYCHOS

For 40 years, Australian punks Cosmic Psychos have spread chaos, shared good riffs and exerted major influence worldwide. Now, they celebrate with a full tour, and this Friday they’re hitting the Ivy Room with hardcore punks/metal crossovers, Zeke. Although they never gained commercial success, Cosmic Psychos left a considerable impression on the music world, impacting artists like Eddie Vedder as well as producers like the legendary Butch Vig and the U.K. electronic punk group, Prodigy. In 2013, the band enjoyed a second wind after the documentary Blokes You Can Trust was released to fans’ delight and critics’ acclaim. — MW

INFO: Fri, 8pm, Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. $25/adv, $28/door. 510.526.5888.

SATURDAY

ROCK

GRUMPSTER

Beloved local punks Grumpster are stoked to share their self-titled third album, which was produced by Brett Romnes (Hot Mulligan, the Front Bottoms). Since the band’s start in 2017 under the legendary wing of Asian Man Records founder Mike Park, they’ve mined indie-punk gold, winning comparisons to early Green Day and Operation Ivy upon the release of 2022’s Fever Dream. Bassist and vocalist Donnie Walsh recently told Antelope Valley Press, “I’d say this album is about general suffering. Being alive is suffering sometimes. Compared to Fever Dream, I wanted to be more transparent and honest in terms of the lyrics … I’m over songwriting that’s trying to be clever.” — AM

INFO: Sat, 7pm, Gilman, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $13/adv, $15/door. 510.524.8180.  

SATURDAY

THEATER

‘SEEING STARS’

Take a 31-year-old dude pining for the buddy-dad who never existed, give him sorta what he asks for, and wind up with a knotty story. Seeing Stars is a 60-minute solo show dramedy that unravels expectations. When writer and performer Steve Budd moves back into his parent’s dysfunctional family home, things get hairy when his formerly aloof father, who is like “a stranger coming out of the dark,” suffers a mental health crisis. Budd’s solo shows include What They Said About Love, created from interviews. His most recent show, What They Said About Sex, has been enjoyed by audiences nationwide. — LOU FANCHER 

INFO: Sat, 5pm, Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. $20-$100. 510.282.3055.

SUNDAY

BLACK MUSIC FESTIVAL

BLACK MUSIC MONTH FESTIVAL

If you didn’t know, former President Jimmy Carter declared June “Black Music Month” in 1979, and this festival will make you never forget it. Plus, you’ll thank the plucky Georgia peanut farmer for this gift to the community when the all-star roster hits the Parish for the most danceable event since … the last BMMfest. Along with the Dynamic Miss Faye Carol & Her Trio, there’s the Bangin’ Black String Quartet she created, plus Juan Escovedo, Andre Thierry, Big Gems Daughter, Bernard Anderson, Terry Blinks, B. DeVeaux and rising star Aye Brame. Black music is beautiful. Get some glow on the first Sunday in June and shine all month. — LF

INFO: Sun, 3pm, The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. Free. 510.227.8177.

SUNDAY

AFRO-CUBAN FESTIVAL

LA RUMBA ME LLAMA

Curated by Santiago de Cuba-born vocalist, percussionist and music director Einar Leliebre Nuñez—best known for his two-decade tenure as lead musician with the esteemed dance company Danza del Caribe—the all-day Festival de Música Afrocubana brings together Cubans, Caribbeans, Latinos, African diaspora denizens and lovers of the cultural expression emanating from these kindred peoples. The day starts with a free class for kids covering the basics of Afro-Cuban percussion, followed by a rumba class for adults. A rumba concert and presentation follow a brief break for dinner, and the evening culminates with a rumba jam and social hang. — ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: Sun, 3pm, La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Free-$25. 510.849.2568.


WEDNESDAY

JAZZ

MICHAEL LINGTON

Danish alto saxophonist Michael Lington started attracting attention in the early ’90s, touring and recording with Bobby Caldwell and Randy Crawford and honing a scorching, soul-steeped sound that captured the contemporary jazz/quiet storm zeitgeist. Lington became ubiquitous on R&B and soul albums and stages, collaborating with dozens of illustrious artists, including Booker T. Jones, Kenny Lattimore, Little Richard, the Dap-Kings, Ray Parker Jr. and Brian Culbertson. His most recent album, 2023’s Looking Ahead, finds Lington basking in family life and a move from L.A. to San Diego County. A connoisseur of the good life, he owns a winery in Paso Robles and a cigar company that sells handmade stogies rolled in Honduras. — AG 

INFO: Wed, 8pm, Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. $34-$74. 510.238.9200.

WEDNESDAY

CIRCUS

CIRCUS BELLA: CIRCUS IN THE PARKS

The art of the circus constantly evolves to reflect the world around it, and Circus Bella brings an unmistakable 21st-century San Francisco flavor to their 15th annual Circus in the Parks season. WOW! is a colorful blend of magic, music and mayhem with acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns performing to original music from the six-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. The preview performance commences in DeFremery Park in Oakland, followed by performances in Laguna Beach, San Francisco and Reno. All shows are free, but donations are appreciated. Runs through June and July. — SBB

INFO: Wed, 5:30pm, DeFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St., Oakland. Free. 510.480.4239.

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