Bay Area arts: 12 great shows and concerts to catch this weekend

Napa’s inaugural Festival La Onda

Thousands of Latin music lovers will head to Napa this weekend for the inaugural La Onda Festival.

The event, set for Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2, at the Napa Valley Expo downtown, features such popular acts as Grammy-winning pop-rock group Mana, corridos tumbados specialist Junior H, multimillion-selling vocalist Alejandro Fernandez and chart-topping San Bernardino band Fuerza Regida.

The party is being thrown by the same people behind the massively popular BottleRock Napa Valley, which finished up its 2024 run over Memorial Weekend with Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, Megan Thee Stallion and many others, including Mana — the Day 2 headliner at La Onda.

Other acts worth catching at this first-ever Festival La Onda include Mexico City’s Los Ángeles Azules, Guadalajara’s Ximena Sariñana, Stanislaus County act Eslabon Armado and Dallas DJ/music producer RayBurger.

In all, more than two dozen Latin music acts will perform across multiple stages during the two days. And, of course, there will be plenty to eat and drink over the weekend as well. We are, after all, talking about Napa.

Details: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. both days; Napa Valley Expo;tickets start at $179 per day and $309 for weekend passes; laondafest.com.

— Jim Harrington, Staff

A forest of photographs

Trees produce nearly a third of the world’s oxygen, are sacrificially harvested to build our homes and provide goods ranging from rubber to coconuts. But are they art? A new exhibit of massive-scaled photos at Berkeley’s David Brower Center argues that forests belong on museum walls, too.

For years, East Bay photographer Stefan Thuilot has pursued what he calls the California Forest Project, capturing tens of thousands of images from all 25 forest ecosystems in the state. Yes, there are that many, ranging from the mystical redwoods of the north to the rugged conifers of the high country to the gnarled oak groves of our own Henry Coe State Park.

The technology needed to print Thuilot’s high-resolution images, composited from hundreds of photos, at full size doesn’t exist yet – he hopes it will in the future. But the photographs on display are still jaw-droppingly massive, measuring tree-like up to 13 feet high. In these photos, he tells stories about not just the world’s tallest living organisms, but looming dangers such as inadequate forest management and ever-more-devastating wildfires.

“I believe that photography stands as a potent tool,” he says, “to portray the changing landscapes that threaten its legacy.”

Details: May 30-Aug. 22; David Brower Center’s Hazel Wolf Gallery, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley; hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays; browercenter.org.

— John Metcalfe, Staff

Three cool concerts

Here are three upcoming shows that should definitely be on your radar:

Sarah McLachlan

The Canadian singer-songwriter-pianist is out on the road celebrating the 30th anniversary of her international breakthrough effort, 1993’s “Fumbling Toward Ecstasy.” That recording went multiplatinum in several countries on the strength of such sensational songs as “Possession,” “Wait,” “Hold On” and “Ice Cream.” It should be a great night for earnest, hushed singalongs when McLachlan performs tonight at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre. Make sure to get there on time since the mighty Feist opens the gig. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $49.50-$149.50, apeconcerts.com.

Zach Bryan

The country music superstar is bringing his Quittin’ Time Tour ’24 to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Friday. Bryan — an entertainer who has sold more than 30 million albums since releasing his full-length major label debut, “DeAnn,” in 2019– will likely be performing such fan favorites as “Something in the Orange” and “I Remember Everything.” Mt. Joy and Levi Turner are also on the bill. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. and tickets start at $55, axs.com.

Super Diamond

Feel like singing along to “Sweet Caroline” with all your might? You’ll surely have the chance to partake in that singalong — as well as many others — when this fun Neil Diamond tribute act performs at the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park on Friday. Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets are $39, guildtheatre.com.

— Jim Harrington, Staff

Festival season is here

You know what we all need more of in our lives? Pizza-tossing, that’s what. And accordion symphonies. Fortunately, we can address both of these needs in one place this weekend at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club’s Festa Italiana, an old-fashion Italian street fair in the heart of San Francisco’s beloved North Beach district. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday along the 1600 block of Stockton Street, between Union and Filbert streets (abutting the famed Washington Square and Saints Peter and Paul Church). Since it’s an Italian fare, you can bet there will be lots of terrific things to eat and drink on hand.  But there is plenty more, including a full docket of entertainment, including tarantella dancing and live music from such artists as classic Italian pop singer Vanessa Racci, accordionist Cory Pesaturo, and Bay Area bands Nina Lane, Sonamo and Il Sole. And Sunday marks the return of the traditional “symphony of accordions” featuring Bella Ciao and other talented musicians. There’s also a Kid’s Corner with face-painting, a puppet show and other fun stuff; a wide variety of street vendors offering a wide variety of Italian arts, craft and goods; and the 103rd running of the Statuto Race at 9 a.m. Sunday, an event that celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the first Italian constitution (race sign-ups have closed, but you can still watch the event). As for the pizza-tossing, this is some serious pizza-tossing we’re talking about, featuring all-world tosser and pizza celebrity Tony Gemignani, whose famed Tony’s Pizza Napoletana restaurant is based nearby in North Beach.  Admission is free, and more information is at sfiacfoundation.org. Other free-admission festivals going on this weekend include the Union Street festival in San Francisco (11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 Sunday; unionstfestival.com) and the Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival (11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 Sunday; www.walnut-creek.com/art-wine-festival-2024).

— Bay City News Foundation

Free concerts in San Jose

The drive to bring a Levitt Pavilion to San Jose’s St. James Park has reportedly gotten no closer to securing a permanent pavilion but it continues to draw worthy free music to the area. The Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose Spring Concert Series is offering free Sunday concerts at the park through June 16. Performing this weekend is San Jose soul singer Noah Kibreab and his band The Arkiteks, with openers The Pearl Alley Band. On June 9, Tokyo-born, Northern California-based hip-hop star Lyrics Born brings his insane MC skills to the Park. Another talented rapper, Dox Black, will open the show with his band The Aquanauts. The series wraps June 16 with the Newark, N.J.-born duo The Jack Moves performing their soul/R&B-meets-punk sound (dubbed “punk-funk”). No opener has been named yet. The music runs 3:30 to 7 p.m. Sundays at the park, located at North 2nd Street and East Saint James Street in San Jose. Picnics and blankets are welcome, and a variety of food trucks and drinks concessions will be on hand. The purpose of the concert series is to demonstrate how live music on a permanent stage could enliven the park and surrounding neighborhood. More information on the concert series and Levitt Pavillion drive is at levittsanjose.org.

— Bay City News Foundation

Remembering Gail Dobson

The Bay Area lost a talented and beloved jazz singer and teacher with the recent passing of Gail Dobson, whose five-decade career made her an indelible fixture on the Bay Area music scene. She started erforming in San Francisco nightclubs before she was 20 years old, often in tandem with her first husband, George Muribus. She also gained a big following in the South Bay, performing with her second husband, Smith Dobson IV, in such clubs as Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz and The Garden City in San Jose. As a solo artist, she released several albums and collaborated with a wide array of artists, including the late great bassist John Shifflett, Bay Area multi-instrumentalist Masaru Koga and guitarist and producer Tim Volpicella. She is also remembered as a longtime vocal teacher and mentor to countless artists.

Revered for her talent and passion, and for embracing a wide range of music and musicians, Gail Dobson will be feted at a pair of concerts Sunday at the San Francisco nightclub Keys Jazz Bistro. The show is being organized by Gail Dobson’s daughter, Sasha, a New York-based jazz singer, and her son, a Bay Area saxophonist. The pair will perform and share memories of their mother, with help from a variety of Bay Area jazz luminaries.

Details; 5 and 7 p.m. June 2; Keys Jazz Bistro, 498 Broadway, San Francisco; $15; keysjazzbistro.com.