Yung Bae, courtesy. SAN FRANCISCO — There may be an alternate reality where producer and artist Yung Bae ends up, permanently, as a cart pusher at Costco or an engineer, but it’s not ours. Oregon native Dallas Cotton traded in an engineering education after one term at Oregon State.…

24kGoldn performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2021. Adam Pardee/STAFF. Las Vegas photos courtesy Mike Kirschbaum. SAN FRANCISCO — Hip-hop artist 24kGoldn has had numerous successes now, yet nothing looms as large as viral sensation “Mood” at the end of 2020 and the start of…

Einar Selvik of Wardruna wrote all of the songs on “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: The Weft of Spears.” Courtesy. One of the best aspect of video game “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla,” besides the realistic game playing experience, storylines and CGI, was the soundtrack. The game, released in 2020, featured original songs…

Joji performs at The Warfield in San Francisco on Nov. 20, 2021. Nathan McKinley/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — Joji made one of the best albums of 2020. Nectar showed tremendous growth for the Japan-born artist, showing that he was capable of getting beyond his start as, first, an Internet personality…

Sting, “The Bridge.” Sting has stayed busy in recent years, releasing three albums and staging a Broadway musical; yet his musical output has centered largely on reinterpretations of his songbook (2019’s My Songs), collaborations with other artists (44/876) or a combination of the two (March’s Duets). Did he have…

Ricky Martin performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Nov. 14, 2021. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. SAN JOSE — It’s tough to pull off a truly equal co-headlining arena show. You usually get one of two things: The final act hordes all the production tricks, or the first act is…

The Verve Pipe, courtesy Jamie Geysbeek. On the day this conversation was first supposed to happen, The Verve Pipe vocalist and bandleader Brian Vander Ark was driving to guitarist Lou Musa’s house in Western Michigan so that the two could both participate. Maybe it was fate, then, that Vander…

Attendees pose with Ranger Dave and Ranger Ruth at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2021. Adam Pardee/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — The last time San Francisco staged an outdoor music festival in October, torrential rain pummeled Treasure Island several years ago, stalling multiple sets and sending thousands…

“HAMILTON,” courtesy Joan Marcus/Broadway San Jose. Before regathering at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre in July to rehearse and re-kick-off their tour, the last time the cast of “Hamilton” had gathered in the same room was on March 11, 2020. “Hamilton” Running through Sunday, Oct. 31 Center for the Performing…

EarthGang, courtesy Ant Soulo. After recording their past recent albums and EPs either while on the road or in brief breaks between tours, inventive hip-hop duo EarthGang finally had a chance to reconnect with their hometown of Atlanta when the pandemic halted concerts almost everywhere. Outside Lands Lizzo, The…