SF Sketchfest, courtesy Bill Plympton. SF Sketchfest, which was canceled in 2021 and was postponed before it could be held earlier this year, will return in the new year. Additionally, producers announced new events for the 20th anniversary edition, which will take place from Jan. 20 to Feb. 5.…

Muse performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 9, 2022. Photos courtesy Steve Thrasher, Nathan Zucker and Aftershock Fest. SACRAMENTO — Aftershock’s final day was defined by a trio of bands tapped with replacing original headliner Foo Fighters, who were forced to drop out following the death of drummer…

Papa Roach performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 8, 2022. Photos courtesy Nathan Zucker and Steve Thrasher. SACRAMENTO — The third day of Aftershock Fest, on Saturday, was also a celebration of the artists who have been putting in the work for years, or in the case…

KISS performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 7, 2022. Photos courtesy Steve Thrasher, Lexie Alley and Nathan Zucker. SACRAMENTO — Discovery Park sizzled both literally and figuratively Friday on the second day of the rock and roll circus that is Aftershock Fest. The heat ruled the day,…

Slipknot performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 6, 2022. Photos by Steve Thrasher and Nathan Zucker. SACRAMENTO — Aftershock, Northern California’s heaviest rock and roll festival, returned in all its metal glory to Discovery Park Thursday for its 10th year. With a lineup led by Slipknot, the…

The Chemical Brothers perform at Portola Festival in San Francisco on Sep. 25, 2022. Chloe Catajan/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — The sunshine and chaos of Portola Festival’s drama-filled Saturday were smoothed down for Sunday, which brought mellower vibes, less crowd pandemonium and the chill of evening fog. That meant attendees…

Flume performs at Portola Festival in San Francisco on Sep. 24, 2022. Chloe Catajan/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — The inaugural Portola Festival brought dance vibes old and new to Pier 80, nestled amid old shipyards in a once mostly abandoned and now-burgeoning neighborhood just downwind of Chase Center. An industrial…

Post Malone performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2022. Onome Uyovbievbo and Matt Pang/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — At Outside Lands past, Sunday’s headlining slot has often been reserved for a legacy act. Producers went the other way this year with Post Malone. From the moment the…

Rina Sawayama performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 6, 2022. Onome Uyovbievbo and Matt Pang/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — Fresh off a stadium tour and with 30 years of experience, Green Day showed how to make Outside Lands bigger and better with a nonstop barrage of early classics,…

Sza performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 5, 2022. Onome Uyovbievbo and Matt Pang/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — SZA is an excellent musician and performer, and she showed how excellent as the Friday headliner, but first we have to talk about her stage production. Even by Outside Lands…