As with everything these days, be sure to double check websites for any last-minute health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 SEE & HEAR: Great concerts and shows are everywhere

From homecoming shows by killer comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to the return of “Living Paper Cartoon” entertainer Ennio Marchetto, there’s a ton of great shows out there this weekend.

2 SEE: Awesome views of 2 national parks

You know that when the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks hold a photo contest, the entries are going to be gorgeous beyond words. And they are. And you can see most of them right here (without going outside).

3 WATCH: One of the best new shows you’ll see in ’23

Post-apocalypse shows are a dime a dozen these days — but “The Last of Us” is extraordinary. It tops our roundup of new films and shows you should totally watch this weekend.

4 COOK & EAT: A super short ribs stew

Nothing adds warmth to a cold, damp weekend like a hearty, savory, stick to your ribs stew, like this one.

5 SEE & HEAR: SFJAZZ Center brings the stars

Legendary jazz bassist Stanley Clarke is headed to the SFJAZZ Center this weekend for a special concert, and he told us all about it. The show is part of a star-studded weekend full of performances celebrating the SFJAZZ Center’s big milestone.

6 DINE: A new eatery with ‘Pampered Chicken’

We all were sad when beloved Oakland institution Oliveto closed. But in its place is the promising new ACRE Kitchen & bar. We checked it out recently; here are our impressions.

7 LISTEN: Remembering a guitar god

The passing of Jeff Beck this week was a brutal loss of a unique and brilliant artist to the music world. Here are five tracks to remember him by.

Homecoming comedian

It’s always a big deal when star comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes plays San Jose.

After all, the talented stand-up star grew up in the heart of Silicon Valley, and she has said being surrounded by the South Bay’s diverse community is reflected in her storytelling-based comedy. She is known for creating hugely popular characters, like those in her famously viral 2007 routine “Nail Salon,” and her beloved “MadTV” character Bon Qui Qui.

“I grew up around a lot of cultures, ethnicities,” she told the Bay Area News Group in a 2021 interview. “I feel that I am able to relate to a lot of different people because of my upbringing in San Jose. I think that reflects in my comedy, when I am onstage and I am able to connect with a lot of people on a human level because San Jose is so diverse and celebrated in that way.”

Her character portrayals, by the way, are delivered with a wink, not a snarl. Nasty put-downs and expletives are not a big part of Johnson’s act. You can see for yourself when she brings her “Who Do I Think I Am” tour to San Jose Civic Auditorium, 135 West San Carlos St., for two shows. The tour’s name is taken from the title of Johnson’s new memoir, which features stories about everything from her fear of dying to her Mexican-American heritage.

Details: 7 and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 14; $40-$65; sanjosetheaters.org

— Randy McMullen, Staff

‘Living Paper’ back in S.F.

Imagine if origami creations could come to life and perform charmingly goofy routines on stage.

That is kind of like what a performance by Ennio Marchetto, aka “The Living Paper Cartoon,” is like. The famed Italian-born entertainer is back in the Bay Area with his quick-change theater/comedy show for the first time in 11 years for a 3½-week run at Club Fugazi in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.

Blending his longtime love for dance and theater and unique knack, developed in his childhood, for creating evocative paper cut-out costumes, Marchetto’s 70-minute, family-friendly show involves him humorously morphing into more than 60 famous characters. These include Marilyn Monroe, Adele, Freddie Mercury, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Diana Ross, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Justin Bieber, Dolly Parton and even the Mona Lisa.

Most impressively, he changes his characters and his paper costumes directly in front of the audience, without ducking behind a curtain. It’s all part of a high-energy show that Time Out London calls “a sustained hour of heaven from an entertainer touched by genius.”

Details: Through Feb. 5; performances are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:30pm Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays; 678 Green St., San Francisco; $35-$69;  clubfugazisf.com.

— Randy McMullen, Staff

It’s Tani time in the East Bay

Whether he’s delivering a finely crafted stanza that cuts like a lovingly sharpened shiv or cracking wise while introducing a bandmate, singer-songwriter Maurice Tani is an alt-country artist who possesses exquisite timing.

Returning to Oakland’s intimate Sound Room, he’s playing an aptly scheduled Friday the 13th gig celebrating the release of a new album of original songs he calls blues noir, featuring taut tales of ne’er-do-well slackers, dames on the make, and ambitious hustlers who are wise to themselves.

Tani has been a creative force on the Bay Area music scene for more than four decades, both as a solo artist and part of the alt-country outfit 77 El Deora. He’s also taken on a leading role in building Little Village Foundation label into a roots music powerhouse, and his wry, often hilarious songs fit neatly into the label’s stylistically expansive bailiwick.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday; The Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland; $22.50; www.soundroom.org.

— Andrew Gilbert, Correspondent

Beauty from horror

Fiber art is the medium of choice for East Bay artist Robin Bernstein. It’s a process that involves pressing thousands of strands of string in a mixture of resin, wax and vaseline and arranging them in a pattern that from a distance resembles a painting or a mosaic but which, on closer look, takes on a greater texture.

It is with this painstaking assemblage of delicate, colorful strands that Bernstein addresses one of the most horrifying chapters in history. “Beauty and Terror,” Berstein’s exhibit on display in Livermore Jan. 12 through Jan. 29, consists of 18 works reflecting on the Holocaust. Each work focuses on a different aspect of the Nazis’ systematic murder of Jews, disabled people, gay men and women, Romanis, activists, artists and others who ran afoul of the Germans’ quest for a perfect race.

One work, for example, is titled “T4,” a reference to the Nazis’ 1939-’45 practice of “involuntary euthanasia” of young prisoners (from infants to those aged 17) selected by German physicians as being too feeble to keep alive. The work shows a circle of colorful flowers ringed by lifeless, brittle branches. The works are not subtle and, as organizers put it, “Viewers of Bernstein’s pieces can expect to be provoked, awakened, moved, and propelled.”

Details: Jan. 14-29; UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery, Livermore Valley Arts complex, Livermore; hours are 1-5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays; a talk and demonstration by Bernstein is slated for 1 p.m. Jan. 14; exhibit and artist talk are free; livermorearts.org

— Bay Area News Foundation

Classical picks: final concerts for Gold Coast

Here are two weekend concerts classical music fans should know about.

Gold Coast bidding adieu: After 35 years of excellence in the Bay Area’s chamber music community, the Gold Coast Chamber Players, directed by Pamela Freund-Striplen, has announced its new season will be its last.

This weekend’s concert, the first of three, is titled “Connections in Time.” It features the New York-based Horszowski Trio, performing with Freund-Striplen on viola. The program includes Louise Farrenc’s Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 33, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Trio No. 1, Op. 8, and Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15.

The final Gold Coast programs are scheduled for March 11 (“Cello Extravaganza,” featuring the Sakura Cello Quintet) and April 15 (“Souvenir,” featuring Brendan Speltz and Connie Kupka, violin; Luke Fleming and Pamela Freund-Striplen, viola; and Brook Speltz and David Speltz, cello).

Details: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14; Don Tatzin Community Hall, Lafayette Library; $15-$45; ticket-buyers can also stream the performance any time during the season; gccpmusic.com.

Chan debuts at S.F. Symphony: Conductor Elim Chan, chief conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, comes to Davies Hall this weekend to lead the San Francisco Symphony in Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring James Ehnes as soloist. The program also includes Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, and the world premiere of Elizabeth Ogonek’s “Moondog,” an S.F. Symphony commission.

Details: 2 p.m. today, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $20-$145; www.sfsymphony.org.

— Georgia Rowe, Correspondent

Dinos bust a groove

Wawk! Who let the dinos out?! Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum et. al scurry around the greenery trying to dodge the rampaging T. rex and his ilk in Steven Spielberg’s award-winning “Jurassic Park,” an epic scarefest from 1993. Could it get more terrifying?  Well yes, if you’re watching it on a big screen overhead while a full-scale symphony orchestra plays John Williams’ harrowing score live. That’s exactly what will happen when Guest Conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos leads the San Francisco Symphony through performances in Davies Hall Jan. 13-14.

Details: 7:30 p.m. each concert; $175-$275; www.sfsymphony.org.

A “Never to Late” show

A new show by Bay Area comedian, writer and actor Don Reed is always a welcome addition to the Bay Area entertainment scene. Reed has in the past delighted viewers with his outlandish-but-true tales of his Oakland upbringing. In his new offering, “The Never Too Late Show,” which opens this weekend in Berkeley, Reed recounts his days in Los Angeles trying to break out as a national entertainer.

The multimedia show, written, performed and directed by Reed, includes tales (enhanced by video clips) of appearances on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” HBO specials, and other TV and film programs. Like those of countless talented other entertainers, Reed’s Hollywood resume is full of exhilarating successes and agonizing rejections, and he ventures into both ends of the spectrum with his trademark energy, humor, pathos and world-class storytelling talent. Reed has performed snippets of the show in the past and he workshopped it last fall, but it’s the final (for now) version that he will perform at The Marsh Berkeley Jan. 14-Feb. 19.

Details: Performances are 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and 7 p.m. Sundays; $25-$100;themarsh.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

4 world premieres from Sarah Cahill

Berkeley-based pianist Sarah Cahill, also a faculty member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the host of the weekly classical music radio show “Revolutions Per Minute,” is a well-known champion both of new music and especially, through her “The Future Is Female” project, music by women composers from around the globe and down through the ages. She brings both those passions to bear on her upcoming recital for Old First Concerts, which takes place Friday night in the Old First Church at 1751 Sacramento St. in San Francisco.

On her program are four world premieres, including “Humanitas,” which she commissioned from her frequent collaborator, the late Frederic Rzewski, before he died in 2021. The piece was composed in honor of his friend and fellow composer Terry Riley’s 85th birthday. The other world premieres are Carolyn Yarnell’s “Nocturne,” Arlene Sierra’s “Birds and Insects” Book 3 and excerpts from Robert Pollock’s “Enneagram.”  Cahill will also perform Rebecca Saunders’ “Shadow” and Peter Garland’s “Walk in Beauty.”

Details: 8 p.m.; $5-$25, also available for live-stream ($20 suggested donation); oldfirstconcerts.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

As with everything these days, be sure to double check websites for any last-minute health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 SEE & HEAR: Bop along with Botti

Trumpeter Chris Botti’s annual winter stint at the SFJAZZ Center is always a popular draw in the Bay Area. Now he’s back, and here’s how you can snag tickets.

2 HEAR: Take a musical trip down Memory Lane

Fifty years ago, an unbelievable mix of albums by some very different artists wound up No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Let’s remember those crazy days, eh?  and of course, you can listen along.

3 SEE & HEAR: Great shows to catch this weekend

From a stage show about literary love to the return of feminist folk legend Cris Williamson, there are some great shows and concerts to see this weekend.

4 WATCH: There’s a new killer doll in town

Step aside Chucky, there’s a new children’s toy out there with a taste for mayhem, and she’s wicked smart. Her name is M3GAN, and you’ll find her atop our list of new films and shows you should know about. Meanwhile, Sarah Polley’s powerful new film “Women Talking,” which hits Bay Area theaters this weekend, is drawing Oscar buzz. Here’s what she has to say about it.

5 PLAY: Games that dominated 2022

It’s supposed to rain A LOT this weekend, which means you should totally blow off your New Year’s resolution to exercise or clean out the garage and hunker down with the best video games of the year.

6 SIP & PLAY: Taverns with the ultimate ambiance

There’s nothing like enjoying a tasty aperitif in front of a roaring fire. And here are 6 pubs and bars where you can do just that.

7 COOK & EAT: Best. Broccoli. Soup. Ever.

Nothing warms up a cold, damp weekend like a bowl of homemade soup. And this one will have your taste buds dancing with joy.

Is it ‘Poetic Justice’?

It’s one thing to draw artistic inspiration from your own life, but when you co-opt someone else’s experiences … .

Nora Ephron’s famous adage — “Everything is copy” — might be worth considering as you enjoy the pair of one-act plays that make up “Poetic Justice,” a show at the Marsh San Francisco this month. Both plays by Lynne Kaufman look at what happens when famous writers use revealing, private moments and interactions with others to create transcendent literature.

In the first one-act, “You Must Change Your Life,” the Austrian poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke begins a correspondence with a young military school cadet, Franz Kappus, who’s struggling with whether to pursue a career in the army or dedicate his life to poetry. Those letters formed the basis of one of Rilke’s most acclaimed works, “Letters to a Young Poet,” offering inspiring advice on how a poet should feel, love and engage in art.

The literary world’s reaction wasn’t so glowing when Robert Lowell incorporated private letters from his ex-wife, Elizabeth Hardwick, into poems for his Pulitizer Prize-winning 1973 book, “The Dolphin.” Adrienne Rich publicly blasted Lowell for cruelty – he had left Hardwick for another woman – while his other poet pal, Elizabeth Bishop, privately wrote him, “One can use one’s life as material — one does anyway — but these letters — aren’t you violating a trust?” Kaufman’s “Divine Madness” dramatizes Lowell’s attempts to reconcile with Hardwick following this betrayal, as he also struggles with bipolar disorder.

Details: Jan. 7-29; The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia St.; $25-$35; themarsh.org.

— Martha Ross, Staff

Barefoot Chamber Concerts returns

Yes, it is perfectly OK if you wear shoes. In fact the whole idea behind the Barefoot Chamber Concerts series, which resumes Jan. 6 in El Cerrito, is to make audience members as comfortable as possible while delivering first-rate chamber music.

The concerts are meant to be as informal as possible, and concerts are on the shorter side — 75 minutes with no intermission.

This week ‘s installment brings the Barefoot Chamber Orchestra, with special guest Wendy Gillespie on treble viol, performing a consort concert by 16th- and 17th-century British composer John Jenkins, whose lengthy career included compositions before and after the restoration.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6; Swedenborgian Church, 1422 Navellier St., El Cerrito; $25; reserve a seat by emailing info@barefootchamberconcerts.com, or pay at door; more information at barefootchamberconcerts.com.

Art vs. free expression

It must be a cruel irony for an artist: Your career takes off as your work gains increasing notice and acclaim, but all of the attention and success seems to only take you further away from those you wanted to reach in the first place. That is kind of the predicament faced by painter and activist Titus Kaphar, who earned his BFA from San Jose State University in 2001. Kaphar, who is Black, is also a civil rights activist who often weaves racial issues into his works. His paintings are also known to have portions covered with strokes of white paint or have the canvass slashed or altered in some way. One of his best-known works, “Behind the Myth of Benevolence,” re-creates a famous 19th-century portrait of Thomas Jefferson, with the work peeled back to reveal Sally Hemings, a slave owned by Jefferson with whom he had several children.

In a new 24-minute documentary, “Shut Up and Paint,” Kaphar and filmmaker Alex Mallis explore Kaphar’s rise as a painter despite the fact that some in the arts world are uncomfortable with his outspoken views. The title of the film, comes from a phone message in which the caller, a European gallery owner, advises Kaphar to let up on the politicizing and “shut up and paint.” At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, “Shut Up and Paint,” which has been nominated for an Oscar, will be screened at the Museum of the African Diaspora, in San Francisco. Kaphar and Mallis will be on hand and engage in a Q&A with art historian Bridget R. Cooks after the screening.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5; Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St., San Francisco; free; www.moadsf.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

Feminist folk icon returns to Berkeley

Cris Williamson is a legend in the popular music world whose lasting impact extends  to, well, pretty much any female artist who records her own music and runs her own career. She was a founding member, in the early 1970s, of Olivia Records, considered the first label that was owned and operated by women and which represented women artists. It was on that label that Williamson in 1975 released the now-legendary album “The Changer and the Changed,” which remains one of the best-selling independent releases of all time and, with its focus on political, feminist and LGBTQ themes, helped usher in the “Women’s Music” genre. She later formed her own label, Wolf Moon Records. In all, she has released some 40 albums, including 2022’s “Harbor Street.” Williamson is considered an icon of the second-wave feminist movement and has been credited as an inspiration by artists ranging from Meliisa Etheridge to k.d. lang to bands in the Riot Grrrls movement. Bonnie Raitt calls her a hero and has said of her music, “The first time I heard Cris’s music, it was like honey dropped on a cello.” Williamson, who has sold out Carnegie Hall (for three shows in a row) and headlined folk festivals across the country, returns to Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage for concerts on Friday and Saturday, with a packed roster of guest artists that includes Barbara Higbie, Julie Wolf, Katie Cash, Kofy Brown, Shelley Doty, Vicki Randle and many more. Performances are 7 p.m. each night and masks must be worn in the venue.

Details: 7 p.m. Jan. 6-7; Freight & Salvage, Berkeley; $45-$65; thefreight.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

Curated with loving care

Berkeley-based pianist Sarah Cahill, also a faculty member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the host of the weekly classical music radio show “Revolutions Per Minute,” is a well-known champion both of new music and especially, through her “The Future Is Female” project, music by women composers from around the globe and down through the ages.

She brings both those passions to bear on her upcoming recital for Old First Concerts Jan. 6 in San Francisco. On her program are four world premieres, including “Humanitas,” which she commissioned from her frequent collaborator, the late Frederic Rzewski, before he died in 2021. The piece was composed in honor of his friend and fellow composer Terry Riley’s 85th birthday. The other world premieres are Carolyn Yarnell’s “Nocturne,” Arlene Sierra’s “Birds and Insects” Book 3 and excerpts from Robert Pollock’s “Enneagram.”  Cahill will also perform Rebecca Saunders’ “Shadow” and Peter Garland’s “Walk in Beauty.” 

Details: 8 p.m. Jan. 6; Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento St., San Francisco; $5-$25, $20 (suggested donation) for live-streamed version; oldfirstconcerts.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

Celebrating Aretha Franklin

The legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who passed away 4½ years ago, was one of those artists whose transcendent voice pops clearly in your head at the mention of her name. An amalgam of raw power, emotion, spirituality, vulnerability and savvy, Franklin’s singing remains a treasure that will never be duplicated or even approximated. But that doesn’t mean people can’t celebrate her in concert. That’s the idea behind the new touring show “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.: A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin,” which lands at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre, on Taylor and Market streets, for a short, two-show run.

Shouldering the Aretha Franklin role is young Brooklyn-based singer Trejah Bostic, who’ll be backed by vocalists Meghan Dawson, Nattalyee Randall and Ashton Weeks. The backing band features keyboardists Darnell White (also the music director) and Rocco Dellaneve, drummer TJ Griffin, guitarist Kenneth “Gypsy” Simpson and bassist Owen Williams. Stage direction is handled by Christina Sajous, best known as a talented actor who’s performed in such musicals as “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” and “American Idiot.” Performances are Jan. 6-7. The multimedia show will touch on Franklin’s epic life but most importantly will serve up spirited renditions of such classic tunes as “Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me,” “Chain of Fools,” “Respect,” and many more.

Details: 8 p.m. Jan. 6, 2 p.m. Jan. 7; Golden gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St.; $46-$96; www.broadwaysf.com.

— Bay Area News Foundation

A movie about a coked-out bear running rampage in Georgia, and another about the father of the atomic bomb.

The return of Blink-182 to the concert stage.

And a musical based on the classic comedy “Mean Girls.”

If 2022 marked a return to a full slate of live entertainment options and regular visits to movie theaters, 2023 beckons (knock on wood) as a chance to revel in entertainment on its own merits. And, as our writers can attest, there is much to look forward to.

Movie theaters will host such anticipated releases “Cocaine Bear,” “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” which has been on our radar since the early film posters featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (Barbie and Ken) started making the rounds.

Besides iconic SoCal band Blink-182, the concert season will offer the farewell tour of Dead & Company and the always-sensational SZA. And we can look forward to albums by the aforementioned Metallica and Kelela, as well as Lana Del Rey, Gorillaz, and others.

And besides “Mean Girls,” stages will boast such musicals as “Tina Turner” and “Six,” which is kind of what would happen if the wives of Henry VIII formed their own rock band.

It’s looking like a fun year — fingers crossed. Here’s a roundup of what’s headed our way. Keep in mind that release dates are subject to change. (Go here for a video game preview.)

Movies

Besides the onrush of sequels and superhero movies, movie houses will be serving up some intriguing and keenly anticipated releases in 2023. Here’s a look.

“Cocaine Bear”: From its kitschy title to its cheeky trailer, this bit of dark-humor ridiculousness claims to be rooted in a semblance of truth – the key word here being “semblance.” It’s about a black bear in Georgia that ingests a duffel bag full of cocaine and wreaks tabloid-ready murderous havoc. The talented Elizabeth Banks directs with tongue in cheek.

Details: Opens Feb. 24 in theaters only.

“Oppenheimer”: Christopher Nolan follows up his head-scratching “Tenet” with a film on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant scientist and UC Berkeley physics professor who played a pivotal role in the creation of the atomic bomb. Will it be a traditional biopic? We doubt it, given that it’s Nolan behind the camera. He’s assembled an A-list cast, including Cillian Murphy in the title role, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Donwey Jr. and Matt Damon.

Details: Opens July 21 in theaters only.

“Barbie”: From Bratz to Battleship to G.I. Joe, seems like Hollywood can’t stop turning dolls and toys into movies. But Greta Gerwig’s cinematic refashioning of statuesque Barbie, an American phenom that’s both revered as an iconic toy and piece of Americana and reviled as a symbol of women’s objectification, apparently puts a feminist spin on the proceedings. Certainly, it’s inspired casting to have Margot Robbie as the lead and Ryan Gosling flexing his washboard-ready abs as surfer boyfriend Ken. 

Details: July 21 in theaters only.

Sequels, sequels, sequels …: They have become synonymous for Hollywood’s utter lack of original thinking, but there are several in 2023 we’re psyched about, including Keanu Reeves’ return to action in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” in which there will be blood and a high body count, for sure. (March 24); forever-young Paul Rudd reprising his superhero role in Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (Feb. 17); Michael Jordan back in fighting shape and ready for a TKO in the director’s ring with “Creed III” (March 3); James Gunn returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to helm “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” (May 5); Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen book it to Italy for “Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter” (May 12); “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” hopes to weave more animated magic from the superhero character (June 2); Tom Cruise buckles up for another thrill ride with “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh installment in the film franchise (July 14, Part 2 is slated for June 2024); and Denis Villenevue hopefully won’t leave us stranded in the desert again at the end of  “Dune: Part Two” (Nov. 23).

— Randy Myers, Correspondent

Concert tours 

Top concert picks for 2023 include the return of SoCal pop-punk favorites, the farewell to Bay Area jam-band royalty and the debut arena tour from an awesome R&B talent.

Blink-182: To be honest, we didn’t even realize that we’d missed Blink until the Pride of Poway, California, announced it was coming back. Then the thought of bouncing around in our Vans sneaks and Dickies shorts to “What’s My Age Again?” started to sound mighty appealing. So, we’re definitely ready to welcome back the pop-punk band’s signature lineup – vocalist-bassist Mark Hoppus, vocalist-guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer/omnipresent celebrity Travis Barker, who will be performing in concert together for the first time in over eight years.

Details: June 16-17 at Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, ticketmaster.com; June 19-20 at Pechanga Arena, San Diego, axs.com; June 22 at SAP Center, San Jose, ticketmaster.com; June 23 at Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, ticketmaster.com.

Dead & Company: It’s time to say goodbye to this beloved jam band, which is embarking on one last giant summer tour before calling it quits. The Bay Area group is opening and closing its run in California, kicking things off with a pair of shows in L.A. before winding things up with three concerts back in San Francisco. So, get your miracle ticket and plan to spend one last night (or several nights) with Grateful Dead alums Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann and their pals John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.

Details: May 19 and 20 at Kia Forum in Los Angeles, July 14-16 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, ticketmaster.com.

SZA: The singer-songwriter’s 2017 debut, “Ctrl,” was a smash success that ended up being certified triple platinum and certifying the arrival of a new star in the R&B circuit. Rather than strike while the iron was hot, SZA made fans wait five long years for a follow-up before finally dropping the winning “SOS” in December. SZA, who delivered a terrific headlining set at San Francisco’s Outside Lands music festival in 2022, is supporting her sophomore release with her first-ever headlining arena tour.

Details: March 14 at Oakland Arena, March 22 at Kia Forum, Los Angeles, ticketmaster.com.

— Jim Harrington, Staff

Touring Broadway shows

Musicals adapted from movies and the music of iconic pop stars continue to drive the touring theatrical business. Here are three touring Broadway shows hitting California this year.

“Mean Girls”: It was only a matter of time until somebody made a Broadway musical out of the iconic 2004 high school movie “Mean Girls,” about the cruelest clique of high school girls since “Heathers” (or maybe since “Jawbreaker”). And who better to write the book of the musical than the movie’s screenwriter, Tina Fey? “Legally Blonde: The Musical” songwriter Nell Benjamin wrote the lyrics, and the music is by Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, who also composed the score of the film (as well as the music for Fey’s shows “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and film “Baby Mama”). After a hit 2018 Broadway run cut short in 2020 by the COVID shutdown, the devilishy witty musical comedy finally makes it out West on its US tour.

Details: Jan. 4-29 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; Jan. 31-Feb.  26 at Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; March 7-19 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa; www.scfta.org

“Six”: It often feels like original new musicals are few and far between these days. The British West End and Broadway hit “Six” certainly qualifies, revisioning six wives of Henry VIII as a pop supergroup in concert, competing to determine which queen suffered the most and gets to become lead singer. The show was co-written and co-composed by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss when they were still students at Cambridge and went from the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the West End in 2019 and Broadway in 2021, where Moss became the youngest ever director of a Broadway musical and both won a 2022 Tony Award for best original score. Still running in London and New York, it now hits California on its U.S. “Aragon” tour while a second US “Boleyn” tour makes a separate run across the country.

Details: Feb. 21-Apr.  9; Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; May 9-June 10 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; June 13-25 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa; www.scfta.org

 “Tina — The Tina Turner Musical”: Everybody knows by now that Tina Turner has quite a story to tell, and the only surprise about her life story being made into a jukebox musical is that it’s taken this long. The musical follows Turner from her childhood as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, through her rocky marriage and musical partnership with Ike Turner to solo superstardom. Helmed by British director Phyllida Lloyd, “Tina” premiered in 2018 on London’s West End (where it’s still running) and opened in 2019 Broadway. The book is by Katori Hall, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of “The Mountaintop” and “Hurt Village,” with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins. You can expect a heaping helping of familiar favorites from “River Deep Mountain High” to “Private Dancer” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It” when it comes around on tour.

Details: Aug. 1-27 at Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; Aug. 29-Sep. 3 at Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose; broadwaysanjose.com; June 13-July 9 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; July 11-23 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa;  www.scfta.org

‘Beetlejuice’

The musical by Eddie Perfect, Scott Brown and Anthony King, based on the 1980s movie, kicked off its national tour in San Francisco earlier this month. But after several stops in the East Coast, it will return to California this summer.

Details: July 11-30, Hollywood Pantages Theatre; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; Aug. 1-6 at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts; broadwaysanjose.com

— Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Albums

Last year was a great year for new albums – thanks to acclaimed offerings by Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Slipknot, Taylor Swift and many others. But now it’s time to flip the calendar and check out five of the album releases we’re looking forward to in 2023.

Metallica, “72 Seasons” (April 14): The biggest Bay Area band of all time – with worldwide album sales eclipsing the 125 million mark – returns with its 11th full-length studio outing. Expectations are mile high, especially given that the previous outing, 2016’s epic “Hardwired … to Self Destruct,” turned out to be the band’s best record since 1991’s legendary self-titled affair (aka “The Black Album”). Yet, we never bet against Metallica and fully expect that James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo will once again deliver the goods. (April 14)

Lana Del Rey, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”:  Nobody does the whole dreamy alt/baroque-pop thing better than Del Rey, who is following up not just one, but two magnetic offerings from 2021 – “Chemtrails over the Country Club” and “Blue Banisters.” The singer-songwriter’s 16-track ninth album should be another winner, and ]reportedly includes collaborations with Jon Batiste, Father John Misty, Bleachers and others. (March 10)

Kelela, “Raven”: The Washington, D.C.,-born alt/electro/R&B artist finally returns for her sophomore effort, which follows the critically championed 2017 debut “Take Me Apart.” Judging by what we’ve heard thus far – the singles “Happy Ending,” “Washed Away” and, best of the bunch, “On the Run” – “Raven” will likely help Kelela reach new artistic and commercial heights. (Feb. 10)

John Cale, “Mercy”: The Velvet Underground legend, who has also produced landmark records for Patti Smith, the Stooges, the Modern Lovers and others, is set to drop his 17th studio effort and first album of new original songs in more than a decade. “Mercy” finds the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer collaborating with Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Sylvan Esso and more. Also, we’re very happy to see longtime sideman and expert guitarist Dustin Boyer’s name once again listed in the credits. (Jan. 20)

Gorillaz, “Cracker Island”: The popular “virtual” band, powered by Blur’s Damon Albarn and other real-life talents, returns with a follow-up to 2020’s “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez.” The album, Gorillaz’s eighth to date, features such A-List guests as Tame Impala, Thundercat, Stevie Nicks, Adeleye Omotayo, Bad Bunny, Beck and the Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown, as well as production work by Grammy-winner Greg Kurstin. (Feb. 24)

— Jim Harrington, Staff

Music festivals

Here’s a rundown of several or California’s best music fests.

Rolling Loud Cali Festival: The nationally known hip-hop festival brand will make its mark in Southern California at its new home at Hollywood Park that sits perfectly adjacent to the SoFi Stadium. The West Coast edition will have performances by Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Future, Lil Wayne, Saweetie, City Girls, Ice Spice and many more.

Details: March 3-5 at Hollywood Park Grounds, 1001 Stadium Drive, Inglewood; tickets to come at rollingloud.com/cali2023 but merchandise is on sale now.

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: One of the biggest parties in the desert made its big return in 2022 with headlining sets from Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd. Though the 2023 lineup has yet to be announced, it’s sure to be an eclectic mix of artists and sounds with a global appeal.

Details: April 14-16 and 21-23; Empire Polo Club, Indio; 3-day general admission tickets $499-$599; VIP passes $1,069-$1,269; camping, shuttle, parking passes and other add-ons will also be available at coachella.com.

Stagecoach Country Music Festival: The annual three-day Coachella country music sister fest will be headlined by Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton. Other performances include Jon Pardi, Riley Green, ZZ Top, Old Dominion, Gabby Barrett, Brooks & Dunn, Tyler Childers, Parker McCollum and many more.

Details: April 28-30; Empire Polo Club, Indio; 3-day passes start at $389; general admission & shuttle combo packages start at $449; Saloon admission passes are $799; Corral reserved seats start at $829-$1,999; Corral standing pit access starts at $1,499; 3-day Desert Diamond VIP passes are $2,749; Gold Rush VIP passes are $1,749; Hi Ho Silver passes are $1,249. various VIP packages are sold out, but check stagecoach.com for more ticket information.

BottleRock Napa Valley: The three-day extravaganza blending terrific food and drink and A-List performers and celebrity chefs has become one of California’s hottest tickets. The lineup has not been announced yet.

Details: May 26-28, Napa Valley Expo, Napa; 3-day presale passes are sold out, check website for updates; BottleRockNapaValley.com.

Outside Lands: The massive three-day festival offering frontline and emerging rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B and other performers has yet to announce its 2023 lineup or tickets.

Details: Aug. 11-13; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, check for updates at www.sfoutsidelands.com.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Heck, the annual festival would craw thousands of folks just because it’s free and takes place in lovely Golden Gate Park. The fact that it draws an eclectic lineup featuring a mix of famed Americana performers and along with hip-hop, jazz and rock stars is just icing on the cake.

Details: Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; lineup TBA, check website for details; www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com.

— Staff reports

As with everything these days, be sure to double check websites for any last-minute restrictions. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 SEE & HEAR: Great live shows to kick off the new year

Yes, there’s still time to find a New Year’s Eve concert or comedy show, as well as some other great weekend entertainment. Here’s a rundown that runs the gamut from Fantastic Negrito to Greg Proops and John Mulaney. And if that’s not enough, there are more New Year’s Eve options here.

2 HIKE: Hit the trails

There’s nothing like a gorgeous hike to start the new year with fresh perspective. You can head for Muir Woods, where a secret back door trail lets you in without reservations, or the Santa Cruz Mountains, where San Vincente Redwoods recently opened seven miles of new trails. Of course, if it ends up raining alllll weekend, you might want to cozy up indoors instead and …

3 WATCH: Documentaries that will AMAZE you

From a love story to two Mars Rovers to a stunning portrait of jazz great Louis Armstrong, a lot of terrific nonfiction films came out in 2022. And the best part is you can watch most of them right now.

4 SIP: All the bubbles

A flurry of natural, Italian, bubbly — you name it — vino-centric bars are flourishing in the Bay Area, from Oakland’s new party-centric Slug to Los Gatos’ Tasting House. Come for the sips, stay for the sensational small plates.

5 HEAR: Some of the best music of the year

Some amazing albums from artists ranging from Beyonce to Slipknot were released in 2022. Take a peek at our votes for the best 10.

6 EAT: Explore the best Bay Area eats

Prefer to spend the pre-New Year’s resolutions weekend with one last gustatory blowout? We’ve got suggestions no matter where in the Bay Area you are, from oysters and delicious cheeses in West Marin to orange sauce and banh mi standouts in the South Bay and pumperthingels and pizza hot spots in the East Bay.

7 PLAY: Hang out in Uptown

Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood is a feast for the senses, from great food and drink to that awesome Art Deco architecture. It makes a perfect day trip, even for locals, so we’ve given you a tidy here’s-where-to-go itinerary.

Dance away 2022 with Monsieur Periné

Since emerging from the creatively charged Bogotá music scene about a decade ago and winning the best new artist Latin Grammy in 2015 the Colombian band Monsieur Periné has earned an international following fueled by charismatic lead vocalist Catalina García belting out lyrics in Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese.

Building on a foundation of surging Afro-Colombian grooves and a fervently tropical aesthetic, Monsieur Periné celebrates folkloric sources while embracing the multifarious sources feeding Latin American pop. With co-founder Santiago Prieto on charango and violin, Jairo Alfonso on saxophones and clarinet, trombonist Abstin Caviedes, bassist Eva Peroni, and drummer Darwin Páez, the group has been introducing new songs created during the tumultuous early period of the pandemic. For the four-night run at the SFJAZZ Center the dance floor will be open, a necessity given Monsieur Periné’s irresistible invitation to move.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29 and 30, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, 7 p.m. Jan. 1; SFJAZZ Center’s Miner Auditorium, San Francisco; $25-$85, $50-$115 New Year’s Eve late show; www.sfjazz.org.

— Andrew Gilbert, Correspondent

Just laugh it off

Stop us if you’ve heard this one, but if there was ever a year that needed to be sent off with a laugh it’s … .

Yeah, it does seem like we say that every year. But closing 2022 with a night of comedy is still a good idea, and here are four shows that can help you do just that.

John Mulaney: The stand-up comedian rose to prominence as a writer on “Saturday Night Live,” and is known for such specials as 2009’s “The Top Part,” 2012’s “New in Town,” 2015’s “The Comeback Kid,” 2018’s “Kid Gorgeous” and 2019’s “John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.” He’s at The Masonic in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve.

Details: 6:30 p.m.; tickets start at $59; livenation.com

Tony Roberts: The veteran actor, comedian and director has assembled a widely varied career, ranging from starring in the inspirational stage play “If these Hips Could Talk” with Billy Dee Williams to multiple appearances on “Def Comedy Jam.” He’ll be at Tommy T’s in Pleasanton through the weekend.

Details: 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday; 7 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday (New Year’s Eve) and 7 p.m. Sunday; $20-$70; tommyts.com.

Nick Mullen: The comedian, podcaster and comic writer is well known for his celebrity impressions, which range from Joe Biden to Jon Hamm. He’s a regular on the standup circuit and such fests as Laugh Detroit, and comes to San Jose Improv this weekend.

Details: 8 p.m. today, 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, and 7 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday (New Year’s Eve); San Jose Improv; $25-$85, improv.com/sanjose.

Greg Proops: One of the Bay Area’s favorite funnymen, who was raised in San Carlos and attended the College of San Mateo and San Francisco State University, is known for appearing on both the U.S. and U.K. versions of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” He’s back at the Punch Line in San Francisco this weekend, where he has become a New Year’s Eve tradition.

Details: 8 p.m. today; 7:30 and 9:45 Friday (New Year’s Eve), and 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday (New Year’s eve); tickets start at $25; punchlinecomedyclub.com.

— Jim Harrington, Staff

Catch local musicians on NYE

Here are thee great concerts featuring performers with Bay Area ties to help you close out the new year.

Fantastic Negrito: The Oakland soul-blues-R&B singer-songwriter has won three contemporary blues album Grammys in a five-year span. He’s that good. He’ll probably play several curs from his latest album, “White Jesus Black Problems,” when he performs a New Year’s Eve gig at the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park.

Details: 9 p.m.; $80-$120; guildtheatre.com

Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band: The acclaimed conguero, who forged a long partnership with Bay Area Latin jazz star Cal Tjader as well as with Concord Records, should have fans dancing to some delightful Latin Jazz grooves on the last two nights of 2022 at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday (New Year’s Eve); $40-$105, thefreight.org.

Meredith McHenry: It’s a huge hometown show for the Livermore native, who will croon through a diversely appealing set of music — ranging from Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald to Tool and the Weeknd — during her New Year’s Eve show at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore.

Details: 8 p.m.; $20-$50; livermorearts.org.

— Jim Harrington, Staff

Hamboning toward 2023

For parents looking for a fun event to share with their kids during this vacation week (if you are lucky enough to be on vacation) The Marsh Berkeley has just a show, starring one of the Bay Area’s most beloved entertainers — Lance McGee, aka Unique Derique.

The professional comedian and clown has performed with the Pickle Family Circus, Children’s Fairyland and the Prescott Circus Theatre, and with luminaries ranging from Sammy Davis Jr. to Bobby McFerrin to Jim Nabors. He has charmed audiences around the world, but during the holidays, you’ll find him in the Bay Area performing his holiday show “Fool La La,” an hour-long affair that incorporates his dizzying array of eye-popping skills: circus stunts, juggling, rapid-fire jokes, all-around silliness and incredible body percussion styles, including the African American art known as hamboning. Audience participation is gently encouraged. It’s a delightful show but its annual run closes this week.

Details: 2 p.m. today and Friday; The Marsh Berkeley; $10-$100 (the show can also be live-streamed for $20); themarsh.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

Karski’s ‘Lesson’ in final weekend

If there is such a thing as an opposite to the “boy who cried wolf” phenomenon, Jan Karski would be it. The Polish resistance fighter during World War II witnessed firsthand the Nazi atrocities against Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and the Belzec death camp, and reported his harrowing observations to a variety of Western leaders and officials, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His reports drew a variety of reactions – shock, concern, also doubt – but no concerted action.

After the war, when his warnings had been tragically verified, Karski ceased talking about what he witnessed, even as he was employed as a teacher at Georgetown University. It wasn’t until more than three decades later that Karski re-told his story, on filmmaker Claude Lanzmann’s documentary “Shoah.”

Berkeley Repertory Theatre is hosting the solo stage show “Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski,” which stars David Strathairn, a Bay Area native and Oscar-nominated actor well known locally for his performances at American Conservatory Theater and Berkeley Rep. It might seem an odd fit for a holiday run, but at a time when racism and antisemitism are on the rise is there any doubt that Karksi’s story is as relevant as ever? The show plays at Berkeley Rep through Sunday.

Details: $20-$94; www.berkeleyrep.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

If you’re headed to a live performance or public event, please check the venue or production’s website for the latest COVID safety precautions before you go.

(Psst, if you want to get this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.)

1 WATCH: The best movies of the year

It’s been a great year for movie fans, what with theaters with their glorious big screens being open again. The movies were pretty good, too. Here’s our picks for the 10 best, most of which you can watch now. Meanwhile, some pretty good new flicks are out, too, including Brenda Fraser giving an Oscar-worthy performance in “The Whale” and a wickedly entertaining new “Puss in Boots” movie. Here’s a rundown.

2 SIP & EAT: Happy hours with free food

Hey, we all work hard for the money — so it’s nice when bars and restaurants reward us with happy hours with free eats. Here are a few of our favorite deals.

3 BAKE & EAT: Festive cookies

The winter holidays cry out for cookies (well, OK, the whole year cries out for cookies, but bear with us here), and these ginger molasses gems are the perfect fit.

4 SEE  & HEAR: Great live shows abound

It might be Christmas weekend but there is still good stage shows to take in, including the legendary annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy. Here’s a rundown.

5 EAT: ‘Affordable’ Michelin-starred restaurants?

The annual Michelin Guide makes a point of a point of singling out what it calls mid-priced eateries — where you can get a meal and a drink for $49 or less. We visited some of these restaurants in the Bay Area to see if see if the tabs add up. Here’s what we found.

6 SIP: Holiday beers are here

The brewing business has changed, with buzzy new brews coming out all the time. But holiday releases remain a treat that quaffers can always look forward to. Here’s a look at some of the best.

7 SEE & HEAR: San Francisco’s new jazz joint

San Francisco’s North Beach is one of those neighborhoods that just needs to have live music places. It’s got a new jazz club, Keys Jazz Bistro, which this weekend is hosting a Bay Area favorite, saxophonist Craig Handy. Here’s what you need to know.

Holiday shows roll on

There’s still time to catch some fun seasonal performances in the Bay Area. Here are four you should know about.

Dave Koz and Friends: The contemporary jazz saxophonist brings his 25th annual holiday show to the Bay Area, featuring guest artists Rick Braun, Peter White, Keiko Matsui and Rebecca Jade.

Details: 8 p.m. Dec. 22; San Jose Civic, San Jose; $59-$99; www.davekoz.com.

“All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914”: A performance inspired by the unlikely and spontaneous holiday truce that broke out during World War I. Details: 7:30 pm. Dec. 22; Bankhead Theater, Livermore; $20-$110; livermorearts.org.

Unique Derique: The popular Bay Area entertainer and teacher brings his beloved, giggle-inducing, holiday show for kids and adults alike, “Fool La La: A Holiday Gift,” to the East Bay, full of gags, circus acts, juggling and hamboning. Details: Through Dec. 30; The Marsh Berkeley; $10-$100, also available to live-stream, $20; themarsh.org.

— Bay Area staff and correspondents

Kung Pao comedy is back

You might not know who Lisa Geduldig is but she is an indelible part of the Bay Area holiday entertainment fabric. In fact, she fills a role almost no one else does, because if you’re dying to get out of the house on Christman night – when most entertainment venues are dark – and laugh yourself silly at a live comedy show, well, she’s got your back. Geduldig is a longtime Bay Area comedian who’s best known as the founder, host and annual participant of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy, which since 1993 has served up live comedy (with an optional Chinese dinner) three nights a year, including on Christmas. This year’s shows are Friday through Sunday (Dec. 23-25), and although the dinner options are no longer available, you can still book a seat for the comedy shows (or watch them from home, if you’d rather). Among this year’s performers are standup veteran and writer Mark Schiff, who has toured frequently with Jerry Seinfeld and was a regular screenwriter for the sitcom “Mad About You”; Cathy Ladman, known for her appearances on “The Tonight Show,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Modern Family”; Orion Levine, a veteran of the standup circuit who’s based in Berkeley; Geduldig, and her 91-year-old mom, Arline, who became with a favorite with Geduldig’s audiences when Lisa was hosting regular “Lockdown Comedy” Zoom shows during the pandemic (Arline will appear via video). The laughs start at 6 p.m. each night, one hour after dinner. The New Asia Restaurant, which hosted the event for years, closed during the pandemic so this year’s show will take place at “The Kung Pao Room” at Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco.  If you can’t make the shows, you can catch the next episode of Geduldig’s “Lockdown Comedy” on Jan. 19.

Details: 5 p.m. dinner, 6 p.m. show; 2266 California St., San Francisco; 30-$100, for live show, $30-$75 for live-streamed; www.koshercomedy.com.

— Bay Area News Foundation

Vienna Teng back in Berkeley

Two decades after the release of her star-making debut album “Waking Hour,” Saratoga-raised singer, songwriter and pianist Vienna Teng has followed her muse to some fascinating places, including a parallel career working to mitigate climate change after earning a degree in environmental sustainability.

As a composer, she wrote the score for Tanya Shaffer’s musical “The Fourth Messenger,” a trenchant inquiry into the nature of enlightenment. Returning to the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley for her annual winter residency, Teng has been writing music inspired by her experience raising a baby during height of the pandemic.

The new body of work centers on twined songs “We’ve Got You,” a yin-yang meditation about representing a community’s highest ideals and depending upon community at moments of crisis. With Teng, philosophical musings, visceral pleas, and spiritual investigations all come wrapped in exquisite songcraft.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday and Dec. 29; Freight & Salvage, Berkeley; $40-$44; www.thefreight.org.

— Andrew Gilbert, Correspondent

Creature features on display

A woman as big and hairy as a gorilla. A bat-boy hanging under wings of his own flesh. A smiling girl playing with blobby, puppy-sized stem cells.

These are some of the freakish creations of Patricia Piccinini, an Australian artist who makes extremely realistic sculptures of beings that aren’t real… yet. Much of Piccinini’s work is informed by the possibilities of genetic engineering and our relationships to animals. While you might not want to see one of her critters under your bed at night, they are weirdly endearing, with a childish vulnerability and body enhancements like armored scales that suggest they’re here on a mission of protection.

Piccinini’s latest show, “A Tangled Path Sustains Us,” features multimedia works and an artificial forest inhabited by three-dimensional creatures evolved to survive humanity’s impact. Writes the gallery: “Made of silicone and real fur or hair, they leap right over any ‘uncanny valley.’ They are the immediately imaginable consequences of climate change, environmental degradation and theriocide.” If the show’s portent proves true, the future’s going to get weirder than we could ever imagine.

Details: Through Jan. 28; Hosfelt Gallery, 260 Utah St., San Francisco; hours 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-7p.m. Thursday; hosfeltgallery.com

— John Metcalfe, Staff

There’s something about Harry

Singer-songwriter, composer, actor and former “American Idol” judge Harry Connick Jr. loves the Christmas season. It’s not all about the fancy gifts, twinkling lights and the holiday rush for the Connick family, the 55-year-old performer insists. It’s more about the time spent together, lounging around the house with his wife, Jill, who he says is an “absolutely amazing cook,” and their three adult daughters.

Before that happens, Connick is closing out 2022 with his first holiday tour in a handful of years, which is in support of his fourth Christmas album, “Make It Merry,” that began streaming exclusively on Apple Music on Nov. 26. The tour stops at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on Saturday, where he’ll be backed by his own band; the concert does not include the San Francisco Symphony.

For his concerts, Connick will be playing selections from his latest album, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and newly-recorded versions of his original songs, “(It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus” and “When My Heart Finds Christmas.” He also has two new songs: “On This Christmas Morning” and the album title track, “Make It Merry.”

“There are different ways to write these songs,” he said of his holiday songwriting process. “You can write them autobiographically or you can just write like I did with ‘Make It Merry.’ That’s about a guy who’s alone and all he really wants is for this person to consider to come spend the holiday with him and that one’s not from personal experience. But definitely some of them go back to my own childhood.

Details: 2 p.m. Dec. 24; Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco; $45-$225; sfsymphony.org.

— Kelli Skye Fadroski, Southern California News Group

Frivolity with Ferrell

Sure, you can spin that TV remote all around the grid any day this month and probably land on a holiday-appropriate screening of a green-clad, pointy-hatted Will Ferrell going outlandishly over the top in New Line Cinema’s “Elf.” But why not watch Buddy, the gargantuan guy raised at the North Pole who didn’t know for most of his life that he is really a human, look for his real father on a huge screen while the San Francisco Symphony plays the 2003 film score live on the Davies Hall stage? The movie screens Dec. 21-22.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 2 p.m. Dec. 22; terrace seats are all snapped up, but there are great seats available; $110-$230; www.sfsymphony.org.

— Bay Area News Foundation

If you’re headed to a live performance or public event, please check the venue or production’s website for the latest COVID safety precautions before you go.

(Psst, if you want to get this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.)

1 WATCH: The New ‘Avatar’ is all wet …

… And that’s a good thing. James Cameron’s new movie goes underwater, and the effects are mind-blowing. It’s just one reason why the sequel tops our roundup of new movies and shows you should see this weekend.

2. PLAY: Get quiet with redwoods

Nothing brings peace and serenity in these hustle-bustle times like a stroll through a redwood grove — especially one that’s off the beaten path. Here are four gorgeous micro-groves that fit the bill.

3. COOK & EAT: Luscious latkes

Hanukkah kicks off Sunday, and one of the most delicious traditions associated with the holiday are those incredibly tasty and crispy potato pancakes. And there are sooo many ways to make and enjoy them.

4 PLAY: Space awaits you

The new “Space Explorers” VR experience in Richmond takes you on a virtual, and unforgettable, ride to the International Space Station.

5 SEE & HEAR: Exciting live shows run the gamut

6 EAT: A sumptuous, versatile salad

This smoked trout and frisée salad is not only dangerously delicious, it can serve as a family supper or holiday starter or side.

7 PLAY: Pokemon’s latest video games

“Scarlet” and “Violet” are drawing some fire from the Pokemon faithful. But we’re here to tell you they deserve a shot.