
This week: Filter brings the noise, a carnival takes over Candlestick Park, a theater ensemble plays with
Macbeth, the symphony teams up with Pixar, and Japanese pop-culture icons pay the bay a visit. And if that’s not enough for you, check Groupon for more fun
things to do in San Francisco.
Filter, Helmet, and Local H
NoPa | Tuesday, July 15
Filter frontman Richard Patrick got his first big gig playing guitar for Nine Inch Nails on tour. Now, six Filter albums later, his band is on their own “anti-folk” tour alongside metal gurus Helmet and the two Chicago-based rockers of Local H.
(The Independent, 628 Divisadero St.; $25; buy tickets here)
Tech Carnival at Candlestick Park
Bayview-Hunters Point | Wednesday, July 16
The Silicon Valley Sports League has organized a fitting sendoff for Candlestick Park, filling it with carnival attractions for all ages. Jousting battles, wrestling matches with sumo suits, and old-fashioned fairground games will all compete with food trucks and musical acts for attention. Meanwhile, the league will host its playoff games to see who will win the title of champion.
(Candlestick Park, 490 Jamestown Ave.; $10; buy tickets here)
Makbet
Mission | Wednesday, July 16; Friday, July 18; Saturday, July 19
Part of the
Fury Factory Festival of Ensemble Theater,
Makbet is a loose interpretation of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth that relies on each of its actors to know every single line of the play. Members of the ensemble
Dzieci switch spontaneously from role to role during the performance, which also incorporates rituals and chants from Eastern Europe.
(Z Below, 470 Florida St.; $16; buy tickets here)
Pixar in Concert
Civic Center | Thursday, July 17–Sunday, July 20
Accompanied by movie clips, the San Francisco Symphony will play music from all 14 of Pixar’s films, from
Toy Story to
Monsters University. Each performance is hosted by a Pixar filmmaker—director Lee Unkrich, writer-director Brad Bird, or chief creative officer John Lasseter—who will talk about the making of their whimsical works.
(Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave.; $35–$150; buy tickets here)
J-Pop Summit Festival
Japantown | Saturday, July 19–Sunday, July 20
The J-Pop Summit Festival contains even smaller festivals inside of itself, including the
Japan Film Festival and the delicious premiere of
Ramen Street. This celebration of Japanese pop culture also hosts fashion events, a pocky-eating contest, and musical guests such as legendary beatboxer Daichi.
(Post Street between Webster and Laguna Streets; free admission)
Image credits: Filter and Macbeth images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Tech Carnival photo courtesy of Silicon Valley Sports League, J-Pop Summit Festival photo by Vincent Samaco.