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Powerhouse guitarist and singer songwriter Samantha Fish brings her “Paper Doll” tour to the Guild, with an opening set from blues-rock trio the Zac Schulze Gang. Fish has opened for The Rolling Stones and earned Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy nominations in 2024 for “Death Wish Blues” (with Jesse Dayton) and 2026 for “Paper Doll.” “Paper Doll” was recorded with her touring band. “Paper Doll Live,” her first live album, was recorded in concert at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn. The Zac Shulze Gang hail from the United Kingdom and were named Best Emerging Blues Band at the 2024 UK Blues Awards.
Sept. 27, 8 p.m., The Guild Theatre, Menlo Park; $45-$75 plus fees; guildtheatre.com.
Photo courtesy Aries Photography Nola
Summer’s almost gone, but there’s a great reward for the cooler weather, shorter days and packed schedules that arrive with fall: A season full of fun, thought-provoking and inspiring things to do, courtesy of the Peninsula arts community.
Because most everyone’s calendars are jammed these days, we’ve changed up the format of our annual Fall Arts Preview, and are now listing events by date.
We’ve organized listings with weekends in mind, so each section covers Fridays-Thursdays. Events that take place over multiple days or weeks, such as art shows or plays, appear once, listed under the week that the event opens.
Bundle up and prepare to make some fun fall plans. Here’s what’s coming up this season, from now through Thanksgiving.
Click the links below to jump to each week:
Sept. 11-17 | Sept. 18-24 | Sept. 25-Oct. 1
Oct. 2-8 | Oct. 9-15 | Oct. 16-22 | Oct. 23-29 | Oct. 30-Nov. 5
Nov. 6-12 | Nov. 13-19 | Nov. 20-25
Sept. 11-17
Books
Kepler’s Books: Casey Gerald discusses his book, “The Great Refusal: A New Vision of Resistance,” Sept. 17.
Linden Tree Books: Book Launch with Raina Telgemeier and Gale Galligan, “The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special: Baby-Sitters On Board,” Sept. 13 at Spangenberg Theater in Palo Alto.
Dance
Mountain View Performing Arts Center: Smuin Ballet “French Kiss” with a world premiere by choreographer My’Kal Stromile, Sept. 11-13.
Award-winning comedian, director, writer and producer W. Kamau Bell, who was born in Palo Alto, is known for work including the docuseries “United Shades of America” and “We Need to Talk About Cosby.” Bell comes to Stanford as part of his “Who’s With Me?” stand-up tour (“Who’s With Me?” is also the name of his podcast and Substack newsletter). “In these hectic times, he returns to the stand-up stage full of questions, thoughts, and a heavy dollop of silliness,” Stanford Live’s website states.
Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m., Memorial Auditorium, Stanford; $41.04-$99.36; live.stanford.edu.
Photo courtesy Aundre Larrow
Galleries and museums
Anderson Collection: “Patty Chang: surfacing” works in a variety of media by contemporary artist Patty Chang exploring the ocean as “a physical, geopolitical, and symbolic space,” Sept. 17-Feb. 8; “Spotlights,” installations focusing on works by painter Susan Rothenberg, ongoing.
Bryant Street Gallery: “Rhythm & Hues,” group show, through Oct. 7.
Cantor Arts Center: “Solid Pictures: Photosculpture and the Making of Modern Likeness,” Sept 17-Jan. 18; “Modern and Contemporary American Abstraction,” recent significant acquisitions by well-known abstract expressionists, through Oct. 26; “Jane! An intimate exploration of Gilded Age excess and the enigmatic life and death of Jane Stanford,” through May 18; “Carolyn Lazard: Long Take,” a multimedia exhibition, through Dec. 13.
Center for Creativity: “Recovery Happens,” group show with works by members of substance abuse and mental health recovery communities, through Sept. 27; “Golden Hours: Peninsula Women’s Caucus for Art,” a group show celebrating autumn in a variety of media, through Nov. 1; “Decked Out: Modern Iconography on Wood,” a group show of art using skateboard decks as canvases, through Nov. 1; “Growing in the Silence,” a collection of masks curated by Stacey Ardelean and Fuse Theatre, through Nov. 1; “Unseen Realities/The Hidden Realm,” an exhibit of works by Alyssa Levitan exploring endangered species, through Nov. 1; “Community Canvas: Students in the Heart of Redwood City,” works by Cañada College students representing three programs, through Nov. 1.
Gallery 9: Pastel and oil paintings by Judi Keyani, through Sept. 27.
Gallery House: Paintings and digital prints by Sydell Lewis and ceramics by Asia Morgenthaler, through Oct. 4, reception Sept. 12.
Los Altos History Museum: “The Spirit of ’76: Reflecting on America’s 250th,” an exhibit highlighting important texts in the U.S.’ founding, as well as local histories of community building, through Nov. 8.
The Main Gallery: “Innovation,” works by mixed-media artist Edna Acri, through Nov. 8, with reception Sept. 25.
Pacific Art League: “Memory Lane,” a group show exploring memory and art, through Sept. 22.
Pamela Walsh Gallery: “Art of Making” group show of contemporary artists whose practices are driven by experimentation, through Oct. 10.
Portola Art Gallery: “To Ground and to Flow,” paintings by Christina Lim, through Sept. 30, reception Sept. 12.
Qualia Contemporary Art: “Not Yet Defined,” ink painting and calligraphy by Wayne Tiande, through Sept. 19; “Color and Ten Thousand Things,” new and recent abstract works by Xu Hongming.
Viewpoints Gallery: “Endless Summer,” oil paintings by Kaaren Marquez, through Sept. 27.
Set in the era of robber barons, HBO’s “The Gilded Age” has plenty of high drama, but even grande dame Mrs. Astor herself — or ruthless social-climber Bertha Russell — couldn’t surpass the artistic drama on display in Fleurs de Villes’ “The Gilded Age,” currently featured at Filoli through Sept. 18. California floral designers took inspiration from the show’s elaborate Victorian period costumes and created garments entirely of flowers and other plant materials. Though the Filoli mansion, constructed between 1915 and 1917, would actually be a little new-fangled for these characters, their floral frocks certainly fit right in at an estate famed for its beautiful gardens. Pictured here is a gown inspired by the character of Peggy Scott, seen at a previous Fleurs de Villes exhibition.
Through Sept. 18 at Filoli, 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. Tickets are $50-$75 and free for children 0-3; filoli.org.
Photo courtesy byveronica.com
Music
Club Fox: Eric Barnett’s Tribute to Jeff Beck with Stu Hamm and current and former members of Testament, Machine Head, Jefferson Starship and more, Sept. 11; You Should Be Dancing Bee Gees Tribute, Sept. 12; Flamenco Entre Amigos, flamenco music and dance with singer Cristo Cortes and Pirouz de Caspio, Sept. 13; Mark Karan’s Budz featuring Grateful Dead-inspired music and originals with the former lead guitarist for Bob Weir & Ratdog, Sept. 17.
Earthwise Productions: Jazz pianist Myra Melford and Splash Trio, Sept. 18 at Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto.
The Guild Theatre: Progressive jam band Marcus Rezak’s Shred is Dead, Sept. 11; Corduroy: Pearl Jam Experience and Pumpkin Heads Smashing Pumpkins tribute band, Sept. 12; Bluegrass with The Infamous Stringdusters, Sept. 16; Indie pop with Phantom Planet, Arkells, Sept. 17.
Meyhouse Palo Alto: Bossas, Ballads and Blues with jazz vocalist Jackie Ryan, Sept. 11; Grammy-winning jazz pianist Alan Broadbent with Harvie S and Akira Tana, Sept. 12; “The Language of Longing,” works by Brahms, Schumann, Amy Beach and others with San Francisco Symphony cellist Sarah Chong and pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi, Sept. 13.
Redwood Symphony: Happy Rootin’ Tootin’ Birthday, America! family concert, Sept. 12 at Cañada College Theater, Redwood City.
Theater
Bay Area Theatre Week: A variety of activities and discounted performances, through Sept. 20 at various theaters around the region, including Peninsula and South Bay companies.
Hillbarn Theatre: Actor and playwright Jeff Daniels’ tribute to America’s fastest-growing sport, “Pickleball,” through Sept. 13.
Los Altos Stage Company: “The Revolutionists,” through Sept. 27 at Bus Barn Theater, Los Altos.
Palo Alto Players: Dark comedy “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” Sept. 11-27 at Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto.
Sunnyvale Community Players: Fairytale-inspired Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods,” with guest star Carson Kressley, through Sept. 27 at Sunnyvale Theatre.
Special events
Filoli: Fleurs de Villes’ “The Gilded Age,” an exhibition by California floral designers featuring interpretations of the period costumes from the HBO show “The Gilded Age.”
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra: 60th anniversary celebration, Sept. 13 at Los Altos Community Center.
Curated by Martina Koppel-Yang, “Beyond the Endgame” at Qualia Contemporary Art is a group show of works by nine Paris-based artists of Chinese descent from different generations that explores alternative futures. “In a region dominated by technological acceleration, artificial intelligence, and automated futures, this exhibition presents an optimistic refusal of predetermined outcomes,” according to Qualia’s description of the exhibition. Pictured above is “Superheroes” by multidisciplinary artist An Xiaotong, whose work includes re-creating images found online into other media, such as Lego sculptures. The exhibition also features pieces by Armando Milano, Felicitas Yang, Yang Jiechang, Ru Xiaofan, Wang Du, Chen Zhen, Du Zhenjun and Céline Shen.
Sept. 27-Nov. 7 at Qualia Contemporary Art, Palo Alto. qualiagallery.com.
Courtesy Qualia Contemporary Art
Sept. 18-24
Books
Books Inc. Mountain View: Local author Jude Berman shares her new tech thriller “The Lie,” Sept. 19.
Books Inc. Palo Alto: Travel editor Thomas Swick shares his memoir, “Falling Into Place: A Story of Love, Poland, and the Making of a Travel Writer,” Sept. 22.
Kepler’s Books: Books and Bunnies program for families with children’s authors Alan Barillaro and Dashka Slater, Sept. 19; Poet and naturalist Charles Hood shares his book “Acorns in a Nutshell,” Sept. 20; Dr. Francis Fukuyama, author of “The End of History and the Last Man,” shares his new memoir, “In the Realm of the Last Man,” Sept. 21; Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan discusses his memoir, “Never Say Die,” Sept. 23.
Linden Tree Books: Author Melissa Koch shares her nonfiction picture book, “Stone by Stone: A Rock’s Journey Through Time,” Sept. 20.
Oshman Family JCC: U.S. diplomat Daniel Grossman shares stories from his new book, “Seeing Red: Spies, Lies and My So-Called Life as a Diplomat,” Sept. 24.
Dance
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights,” Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet with illuminated costumes, Sept. 24.
Galleries and museums
Djerassi Resident Artists Program: Fall Art Hikes, docent-led hikes highlighting installations created on the Djerassi property by resident artists, Sept. 23-Nov. 16.
Palo Alto Art Center: “Live the moment light,” a group show exploring the influence of artist and former nun Corita Kent, Sept. 19-Dec. 13.
Music
Club Fox: SONA, a tribute to favorite 1970s and ’80s rock covers, Sept. 18; The Great North Special Americana jam band, Sept. 19.
Community School of Music and Arts: “American Sketches: Tales of a Continent” with pianists Dr. Gabriela Calderón and Astrid Morales Torres, Sept. 18.
Fox Theatre: Spanish-language rock and ska with El Hargan y Cia, Inspector and El Gran Silencio, Sept. 25.
The Guild Theatre: Psychedelic and soul-tinged Americana with Moonalice, Sept. 18; Folk and rock with Shawn Mullins, Sept. 19; Blues rockers Texas Headhunters, Sept. 20; Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, Sept. 23.
Meyhouse Palo Alto: “Nat King Cole Reimagined” with Grammy-winning pianist Bill Cunliffe and the Acid Cole Trio, Sept. 18-19.
Music@Menlo: “Encountering Beethoven” lecture with pianist Gilles Vonsattel, Sept. 18; The Beethoven Sonatas with pianist Gilles Vonsattel, Sept. 19. Both events at Menlo School, Atherton.
Palo Alto Philharmonic: Baroque Concert, including works by Vivaldi, Bach, Albinoni, Janitsch and others, Sept. 19 at First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto.
Shoreline Amphitheatre: Godsmack, with Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy, Sept. 19; Mötley Crüe 20th anniversary of Carnival of Sins, Sept. 24.
Stanford Live: Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, Sept. 19 at Frost Amphitheater.
Woodside Village Band: Film favorites and concert band classics, Sept. 19, Woodside High School Performing Arts Center, Woodside .
Theater
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “The Liver” (The New Byeoljubu Tale),” an original Korean-language musical inspired by the classic Korean folktale presented by Bay Area K-Group and ESKAPE, Sept. 20.
Special events
Feldman’s Books: Whirling meditation led by Sufi master Dr. Farima Berenji, Sept. 18.
Bagwell & Troy is a band made up of guitarist, singer and Community School of Music and Arts faculty member Anna Troy and vocalist Kyle Bagwell. At their upcoming CSMA concert, they’ll be joined by violinist Tim Lessler for a performance of American roots music, including country and blues songs by the likes of Elmore James and Johnny Cash, and original compositions. Bagwell & Troy has released two albums and an EP, according to CSMA.
Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., Tateuchi Hall, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View; free; arts4all.org/concerts/bagwell-troy-backroads-and-crossroads.
Photo courtesy Bagwell & Troy
Sept. 25-Oct. 1
Books
Books Inc. Palo Alto: Local author Nina Schuyler discusses her new novel “Open the Floodgates,” Sept. 29.
Kepler’s Books: SIlicon Valley tech investor Michael Moritz discusses his book “Ausländer,” Sept. 28; Tech leader Kamini Ramani discusses her book “Lotus Leadership,” Sept. 30; Robert Harris, author of “Conclave,” discusses his new book, “Agrippa,” Oct. 1.
Linden Tree Books: Author Lisa Moore Ramée celebrates the launch of her middle-grade novel, “More Trouble Than It’s Worth,” Sept. 26; Illustrator Isabella Kung shares her new picture book, “Jia Has a Dog Problem,” Sept. 27.
Comedy
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: Young Moon stand-up comedy special (performance in Chinese), Sept. 25.
Stanford Live: W. Kamau Bell, Oct. 1 at Memorial Auditorium, Stanford.
Dance
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: Flamenco de Jerez, a troupe of flamenco musicians and dancers from Spain, presented by the Flamenco Society, Sept. 26.
Galleries and museums
Djerassi Resident Artists Program: Artful Harvest, a benefit gala supporting Djerassi’s mission, Sept. 27.
Gallery 9: Paintings and monotypes by Naomi Mindelzun, Sept. 28-Nov. 1, with reception Oct. 2.
Portola Art Gallery: Ceramics by Misako Kambe, Oct. 1-31.
Qualia Contemporary Art: “Beyond the Endgame” group show, Sept. 27-Nov. 7, opening reception Sept. 26.
Music
Club Fox: The Ol’Man Brothers Band playing the music of the Allman Brothers, Sept. 25; Favorites from the ’60s through the ’90s with The Collective with Monkees tribute band The Trouble With Monkeys, Sept. 26; Blues-rock guitarist Dennis Jones, Oct. 1.
Coast Live Music: Grammy-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion, Sept. 26, at Portola Valley Town Hall.
The Guild Theatre: Home by 10 Dance Party with DJ Tripp spinning iconic dance tracks, Sept. 26; Singer-songwriter and rock guitarist Samantha Fish, Sept. 27; Alternative rockers Candlebox, Sept. 29; Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter, a solo project from Queensryche singer-songwriter Geoff Tate, Oct. 1.
Meyhouse Palo Alto: “Bridging Generations” swing, blues, Latin and Brazilian grooves.with drummer Sylvia Cuenca, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Essiet Essiet, trumpeter Wallace Roney Jr. and saxophonist Rico Jones, Sept. 25; “Live From Havana,” Afro-Cuban rhythms, modern jazz, Cuban tradition and improvisation with pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco and his trio, Sept. 26.
Shoreline Amphitheatre: Country artist Riley Green, Sept. 26; Hip-hop duo $uicideboy$, Oct. 1.
Silicon Valley Chapter of American Harp Society: Classical masterworks, contemporary favorites, and original arrangements with harpist Alexander Boldachev, Sept. 27 at New Community Church, Menlo Park.
Stanford Live: An Intimate Evening with Molly Tuttle, Sept. 28 at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.
Theater
Los Altos Stage Company: Follies 2026 political comedy sketch show and theater company fundraiser, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, at Bus Barn Theater, Los Altos.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “El viaje de los cantores/The Journey of the Singers,” Spanish-language play presented by Teatro Nahual about the stories of migrants and their families, Sept. 26-Oct. 4.
The Pear Theatre: “Private Lives,” Noel Coward’s witty comedy about two former lovers who end up honeymooning with new spouses in adjoining hotel rooms, Sept. 25-Oct. 11.
Special events
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch: Hand-blown glass pumpkins and other glass items, glass-blowing demonstrations and more, Sept. 26-27 at the Palo Alto Art Center.
The long-awaited Palo Alto location of Hauser & Wirth opens its doors with a show highlighting the works of two art giants. “Calder | O’Keeffe” celebrates the long friendship of artists Alexander Calder and Georgia O’Keeffe, featuring works by both artists and archival materials. The downtown Palo Alto gallery, which was announced last year, will join international art gallery group Hauser & Wirth’s roster of 18 locations in Europe, Asia and North America. The group is known for its publications, including monographs, catalogs and artists’ books, and the Palo Alto gallery will also feature a bookshop. “Calder | O’Keeffe” opens Oct. 3 with a special “festival of public activities.”
“Calder | O’Keeffe,” Oct. 3, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Hauser & Wirth, Palo Alto; hauserwirth.com/locations/hauser-wirth-palo-alto.
Photo by Heather Zimmerman
Oct. 2-8
Books
Books Inc. Mountain View: Author Sabaa Tahir shares “Empire,” the second and final book in her romantic fantasy duology, Oct. 3.
Books Inc. Palo Alto: Congressman Jared Huffman discusses and signs his new book, “No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism,” Oct. 4; Author Helene Wecker shares “The Gates of Midnight,” the final volume of her fantasy-historical fiction trilogy, Oct. 6.
Fireside Books: Author Steve Hawk shares his newest novel, “Nearshore,” set in Northern California and exploring clashes both personal and wide-ranging, Oct. 2.
Kepler’s Books: Hard Fork podcast co-host Kevin Roose shares his new book, “The AGI Chronicles,” Oct. 4; Natalie Baszile discusses her new novel “Friends and Family,” Oct. 6; Journalist Robert Kolker shares his nonfiction book “The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate and the Quest to End Dementia,” Oct. 8 at Kepler’s Books.
Galleries and museums
Djerassi Resident Artists Program: “Navigation IV: glitch,” a day of art, performance and music, featuring an installation in the forest by Alex H. Nichols, Oct. 3.
Pacific Art League: “Water The Gift of Life,” photography by Judy Kramer,Oct. 2-27; “Postcard Exhibition,” a group show of small works, Oct. 2-27.
Hauser & Wirth: “Calder | O’Keeffe” inaugural exhibition, Oct. 3-Jan. 24.
Music
California Bach Society: “The Beautiful Goodness,” Oct. 2 at First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto.
Club Fox: The music of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band with Shred Is Dead, Oct. 2; Soucano and Key Elements Latin jazz ensemble, Oct. 3.
Earthwise Productions: Jazz with Hannah Marks Quartet, Oct. 2-3 at Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto.
The Guild Theatre: Rock, soul and R&B with John Oates, formerly of Hall & Oates, Oct. 2; Killer Queen, a tribute to glam rockers Queen, Oct. 3; Hardly Strictly Out of the Park with singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, Oct. 4; Alt rockers Toadies’ Charmer Tour, Oct. 5.
Meyhouse Palo Alto: “Celebrating the Bill Evans Trio,” with pianist Tamir Henderson and trio, Oct 3.
Stanford Live: “Sounds of California” with violinists Simone Porter and Blake Pouliot, Oct. 4 at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.
Shoreline Amphitheatre: Pop-punk and rock with The Hayley Williams Show, Oct. 2; R&B singer-songwriter Kehlani, Oct. 3-4; Folk rockers Mumford & Sons, Oct. 8.
Theater
Hillbarn Theatre: “Gutenberg! The Musical!” about a duo who pull out all the stops in their attempts to find backers for their musical about printing press inventor Johannes Gutenberg Oct. 8-Nov. 1.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: “Dracula,” Steven Dietz’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel, Oct. 7-Nov. 1 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
Special Events
FabMo Artisans Market: Gifts, accessories and other items handcrafted from repurposed or recycled materials saved from the landfill by FabMo, Oct. 4 at Los Altos Community Center.
Upscale Pub Crawl: Fundraiser for Redwood City Library, Oct. 7, presented by Redwood City Library Foundation at the Redwood City Library.
Ke Huy Quan is an Oscar-winning actor (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) who started his Hollywood career as a child in the 1980s with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies” before largely disappearing from the acting world until his notable, Academy Award-earning comeback. In his memoir “Never Say Die,” he tells his life story, from his early years as a Vietnamese refugee to his show business adventures. The book, according to Kepler’s website, is “a love letter to the movies and people that shaped him, and a powerful testament to never giving up on your dreams.” Kepler’s hosts him in conversation with author Gene Luen Yang at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
Sept. 23, 7 p.m., presented by Kepler’s Books at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara; $58.74-$79.74; tinyurl.com/KeHuyQuanKeplers.
Photo courtesy Hachette Publishing
Oct. 9-15
Books
Kepler’s Books: Stanford nutrition scientist Christopher Gardner discusses his new book, “What to Eat and Why,” Oct. 13.
Film
United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF): A festival of documentaries on a variety of subjects related to human rights, Oct. 15-25, at venues in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Stanford and in San Francisco.
Music
Club Fox: Rock and jam music with Cool Water Canyon, Oct. 9; Van Halen tribute Unchained with Ozzy Dio, Oct. 10; Masters of Hawaiian Music matinee with Hawaiian slack-key masters George Kahumoku, Led Kaapana and Jeff Peterson, Oct. 11; “Imagine All the Wishes” Make-a-Wish Foundation benefit concert with Drew Harrison and Tommy Cosentino playing the music of John Lennon, Oct. 11.
Community School of Music and Arts: Country and Americana with Bagwell & Troy: Backroads and Crossroads, Oct. 9.
Fox Theatre: Romantic Mexican grupera music with BXS Bryndis and Los Caminantes, Oct. 9.
The Guild Theatre: Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish tribute with Pink Talking Fish, Oct. 9; Super Diamond: The Neil Diamond Tribute, Oct. 10; Singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin, Oct. 14.
Redwood Symphony: “The American Spirit” season opener, Oct. 10 at Cañada College Theater, Redwood City.
Stanford Live: Slightly Stoopid with The Elovaters, The Hip Abduction and Denm, Oct. 9 at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford; Taking Back Sunday with Thrice and Saves the Day, Oct. 10 at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford; “Placeless,” Kronos Quartet with singers Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, Oct. 11, at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.
Theater
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “Creepy Carrots,” a show for families based on a spooky children’s book presented by Peninsula Youth Theatre, Oct. 10.
West Bay Opera: Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio,” Oct. 9-18, in Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto.
Promising plenty of laughs, Palo Alto Players presents a production of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak and based on the novel “Israel Rank” by Roy Horniman. The farcical, darkly comedic show, directed by Lee Ann Payne with music and vocal direction by Tony Gaitan, follows the conniving Monty Navarro, eighth in line to inherit an earldom and determined to eliminate the competition. Expect mistaken identities, melodies and mayhem.
Sept. 11-27, Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto; paplayers.org.
Courtesy Scott Lasky
Oct. 16-22
Books
Kepler’s Books: “Home is a Door We Carry” storytime, Oct. 17; National Book Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Nathaniel Philbrick shares his new book, “The Rush: California Gold, the Civil War and the Making of the Modern World,” Oct. 18; Historian Douglas Smith discusses his book “The City Without Jews: Life and Death in Nazi Vienna,” Oct. 20; Local author and psychologist Kelly McGonigal discusses her book “Joy Is a Risk Worth Taking,” Oct. 21; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Barbara Kingsolver reads from her new novel, “Partita,” and receives San Jose State University’s John Steinbeck Award, Oct. 22.
Galleries and museums
Atherton Train Station Museum: Train station museum opening and ribbon-cutting, Oct. 18.
Music
Club Fox: Ultrasound with Dada original lead singer and guitarist Michael Gurley, Oct. 16; British arena rock tribute band Roxann, Oct. 17.
Fox Theatre: Filipino pop rock and funk with IV of Spades, Oct. 17; Hong Kong and Canadian singer Jade Kwan, Oct. 18.
The Guild Theatre: Folk and country rock with Shovels & Rope, Oct. 16; Alt rockers fastball and power pop band The Click Five, Oct. 17; Platinum-selling rock singer-songwriter Chris Isaak, Oct. 18; ’90s indie rockers Dinosaur Jr., Oct. 19; Bluegrass and Americana with The Jerry Douglas Band, Oct. 20; Steely Dead: A Sonic Fusion of the Grateful Dead and Steely Dan Oct. 22.
Music at Kohl Mansion: Escher String Quartet, playing works by Haydn, Shostakovich and Brahms, Oct. 18.
Schola Cantorum: “Broadway Sings: The Stories We Share,” Oct. 17, at Los Altos United Methodist Church, Los Altos.
Stanford Live: Indie pop trio MUNA with hemlocke springs, Oct. 18 at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford; Jazz with Julian Lage Quartet, Oct. 21, at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.
Theater
Stanford Live: A staged reading of Chinaka Hodges’ “All Greg’s Kids Come Home,” Oct. 17, Bing Studio, Stanford.
What if Mother Nature had the ability to sue humanity for wrecking her place? With her new novel, “Open the Floodgates,” Bay Area author Nina Schuyler imagines a similar reckoning in which rivers the world over have been granted personhood. Through magic, the rivers can now communicate, and one river in California isn’t shy about pursuing its legal rights to stop pollution and protect themselves, but there are powerful forces allied against it that eventually create a crisis for both the river and humanity. Schuyler will be at Books Inc. Palo Alto to celebrate the recent publication of the book. A Stanford alum, she is the author of four other fiction books and teaches creative writing at Stanford Continuing Studies.
Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Books Inc. Palo Alto, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto; free; .booksinc.com/pages/events#calendar
Courtesy Peter Seeger
Oct. 23-29
Books
Fireside Books: Historical novelist Lindsay Marie Morris discusses her books “The Last Letter from Sicily” and “Beneath the Sicilian Stars” in conversation with former Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale, Oct. 23.
Kepler’s Books: Illustrator Shawn Harris leads an interactive collage workshop inspired by “Her Right Foot,” illustrated by Harris and written by Dave Eggers, about the meaning and character of the United States, Oct. 24; Author Andrew Miller discusses his novel, “The Land in Winter,” Oct. 28; author Douglas Stuart discusses his novel “John of John,” Oct. 29.
Oshman Family JCC: Graphic novelist Julian Voloj discusses the American comics industry and his new anthology “Hyphen: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words,” with Oshman JCC CEO Zack Bodner, Oct. 28.
Comedy
The Guild Theatre: French standup comedian Jérémy Charbonnel (show in French), Oct. 28.
Galleries and museums
Cantor Arts Center: “California Current: Art and Histories from the Bay Area,” Oct. 29 through Oct. 23, 2028.
Pamela Walsh Gallery: “Bay and Borough,” a group show of contemporary artists who explore the urban landscape, Oct. 24-Dec. 5.
Music
Club Fox: Turkish rock with Bay Area band Mechanical Turk, Oct. 23; House of Floyd tribute to Pink Floyd, Oct. 24; Halloween Blues Bash with Lara Price, Oct. 28.
Community School of Music and Arts: Pianist Naoko Kasai presents “Colors of Sound,” Oct. 24.
Earthwise Productions: Jazz trumpeter Adam O’Farrill’s Elephant, Oct. 25 at Lucie Stern Community Center, Palo Alto.
Feldman’s Books: An evening of fingerstyle guitar with Teja Gerken and Doug Young, Oct. 24.
Fox Theatre: Salsa and ritmo Latino with Tony Succar and Mauricio Mesones, Oct. 24.
The Guild Theatre: Bay Area cover band Past Curfew‘s annual Playlist benefit concert for Boys & Girls Clubs, Oct. 23; Reggae meets Pink Floyd with Easy Star All Stars: Dub Side of the Moon, Oct. 24; Blues Traveler, Oct. 29-30.
Ives Collective: Fall Concert with works by Beethoven, Fauré and a world premiere by Mark Volkert, Oct. 23, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palo Alto.
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra: Leder Master Class with violist Elizabeth Oakes, Oct. 25, in Palo Alto.
Palo Alto Philharmonic: Darkness to Light,” featuring works by Beethoven, Mozart and Dvorak, with guest soloist Geoffrey Burr, clarinet, Oct. 24, at Cubberley Theatre, Palo Alto.
Shoreline Amphitheatre: Hip-hop with Logic & G-Eazy. Oct. 28.
Stanford Live: Blues with Jontavius Willis, Oct. 23 at Bing Studio, Stanford; Traditional music from Mexico with Los Vega Son Jarocho, Oct. 24 at Bing Studio, Stanford; Rob Kapilow’s “What Makes It Great: The Music of Lerner & Loewe,” Oct. 25 at Bing Concert Hall.
Theater
Sunnyvale Community Players: Anne Coulter Marten’s concise adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Oct. 24-Nov. 8, at Sunnyvale Theatre.
Percussion group Sandbox Percussion (Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, and Terry Sweeney), which champions living composers and contemporary chamber music, joins forces with violinist Kristin Lee for a program including the West Coast premiere of “Goddess // Insect” by Canadian composer Vivian Fung (a Music@Menlo co-commission), Gabriella Smith’s “FIVE” and Joan Tower’s “To Sing or Dance.”
Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Spieker Center for the Arts, Menlo School, Atherton; $35-$70; musicatmenlo.org.
Photo courtesy Alex Lee
Oct. 30-Nov. 5
Dance
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “Dracula: A Dance Between Love and Darkness,” a dance performance based on the story of Dracula, presented by HaoExpression Dance Company, Oct. 30-31.
Galleries and museums
Gallery 9: Paintings by Ragini Prasad, Nov. 2-29, with reception Nov. 6.
Portola Art Gallery: Paintings by Jared Sines, Nov. 1-30.
Music
Club Fox: Careless Whisper Halloween — ’80s favorites with the band Careless Whisper, Oct. 30.
Fox Theatre: Foreverland and Starman SF Michael Jackson and David Bowie tribute bands with visuals by Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Show, Oct. 31.
The Guild Theatre: Grateful Dead tribute with Stu Allen and Mars Hotel, Oct. 31; 1980s rock with The Psychedelic Furs, Nov. 1-2; 1980s new wave musician Thomas Dolby, Nov. 5.
Music@Menlo: Sandbox Percussion with violinist Kristin Lee, Oct. 30 at Menlo School, Atherton.
Stanford Live: “Let the Poets Speak,” a celebration of Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg with Timo Andres, Taylor Mac and the San Francisco Girls Chorus, Oct. 30 at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford; “Latin Passions” with classical guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre, Nov. 4 at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.
Theater
Palo Alto Players: “The Addams Family,” a musical that sees the grown-up Wednesday Addams bringing a “normal” date to meet the family, Oct. 30-Nov. 15 at Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto.
Special events
The Guild Theatre: Henry Diltz: Behind the Lens, an evening of photos and storytelling, Nov. 4.
Acclaimed trumpeter, bandleader and composer Brandon Woody has played at noteworthy venues and festivals and released his debut album, “For The Love Of It All,” on Blue Note Records in 2025, featuring his band Upendo (Troy Long on keys, Quincy Phillips on drums and Michael Saunders on bass). According to his website, Woody’s music “flows from the rich lineage of Black music, including jazz, gospel, improvisation, and beyond, to explore themes of love, resilience, and community.” He and the band come to Palo Alto for a matinee show presented by Earthwise Productions.
Nov. 8, 2 p.m., Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $20; tinyurl.com/UpendoEarthwise
Courtesy Jamie Sandel
Nov. 6-12
Comedy
Stanford Live: Comedian and actor Mary Lynn Rajskub Nov. 6 at Bing Studio, Stanford.
Dance
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: Nutcracker in China, New Century Dance/US Chinese Dance Association adapts the classic ballet through the lens of Chinese folk legends, art and literature, Nov. 7-8.
Galleries and museums
Pacific Art League: 105th anniversary exhibition and fundraiser, Nov. 6-Jan. 12.
Qualia Contemporary Art: “Nick Dong: Attention / Release,” the latest collection from Dong’s Auspicious 88 Project, with kinetic sculptures and immersive installations.
Music
Club Fox: “Jagged Little Thrill,’ an evening of ’90s rock with the Heady Vedders and Midnight Flannel, Nov. 6; Carnaval plays the music of Santana, with special guest artist Tony Lindsay (formerly of Santana), Nov. 7.
Earthwise Productions: Jazz trumpeter Brandon Woody and his band Upendo, Nov. 8 at Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto.
Fox Theatre: The music of Chicago and other 1970s favorites with Eastern European band Leonid & Friends, Nov. 8.
The Guild Theatre: Peter Antoniou Pretty Psychic Tour, Nov. 6; Indie-pop band Fitz and the Tantrums play their hits, Nov. 7, and play their album “Picking Up the Pieces,” Nov. 8; Rock and folk with Donavon Frankenreiter with Band of Heathens, Nov. 9.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: New Century Chamber Orchestra presents “GROOVE” with Marcus Roberts Trio, featuring the music of Gershwin and Ellington, Nov. 6.
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra: Senior orchestra concert, Nov. 7 at Cubberley Theatre, Palo Alto.
Palo Alto Philharmonic: Fall Chamber Concert featuring wind, string and brass ensembles of orchestra members and friends, Nov. 7 at First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto.
Shoreline Amphitheatre: Country duo Dan + Shay, Nov. 7.
Stanford Live: Fingerstyle acoustic guitarist Yasmin Williams, Nov. 7; Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, Nov. 8; Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale: Handel’s “The Power of Music,” Nov. 11.
Theater
Foothill Theatre Arts: “Almost, Maine,” a play featuring nine vignettes about love and life in a rural Maine community, Nov. 6-22 at Foothill College, Los Altos Hills.
The Pear Theatre: “Underdog: The Other Other Brontë” about Anne, the less-acknowledged member of the literary Bronté family, Nov. 6-22.
Stanford Live: “Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World,” featuring singer-songwriter Duane Forrest, Nov. 11-14 at Bing Studio, Stanford.
Nov. 13-19
Books
Books Inc. Palo Alto: University of California, Santa Cruz history professor Matt O’Hara reads from, discusses and signs his new nonfiction book,” The Flying Death: Poison, Plunder, and the Quest for a Miracle Medicine in the Amazon,” Nov. 17.
Galleries and museums
Los Altos History Museum: “The Road I Call Home,” documenting the stories of 32 people who are homeless, with portraits by photographer Randy Bacon, Nov. 19-Jan. 24.
Music
Club Fox: Funk, soul and rock favorites from the 1960s to the ’80s with The Cheeseballs, Nov. 13; The music of Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top with Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers and Sounds of Skynyrd, Nov. 14.
Community School of Music and Arts: Guitar and harp ensemble Davin-Levin Duo, Nov. 15.
The Guild Theatre: Robby Krieger (of The Doors), Nov. 13; Rockers Roger Clyne & PH Naffah, Nov. 14; Indie pop and funk with Bombargo, Nov. 15; ’90s alternative rockers Son Volt, Nov. 16.
Fox Theatre: Pop singers and “Arab Idol” winner Mohammed Assaf, Nov. 13; Favorites and holiday tunes with pianist Jim Brickman, Nov. 18.
Music at Kohl Mansion: Neave Trio, playing music by Brahms, Schumann and Dora Pejačević, Nov. 15.
Schola Cantorum: “El Mesias: Handel’s Messiah for a New World,” Handel’s Messiah sung in Spanish, Nov. 15 at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, San Jose.
Theater
Hillbarn Theatre: “School of Rock,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of the film about a musician who poses as a teacher at an elite prep school, Nov. 19-Dec. 20.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: “The Wizard of Oz,” musical based on the beloved children’s tale, presented by Peninsula Youth Theatre, Nov. 14-22.
Nov. 20-25
Music
Club Fox: Tribute to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with Petty Theft, Nov. 20; Soul and power pop favorites from the ’70s and ’80s with Haulin’ Oats and Cheaper Trick, Nov. 21.
Fox Theatre: Pakistani singer-songwriter Asim Azhar, Nov. 20.
The Guild Theatre: 1980s tribute band Tainted Love, Nov. 21.
Palo Alto School of Music: Chamber concert with string players and pianists of all ages Nov. 21 at Rinconada Library, Palo Alto.
Redwood Symphony: La Salsa!, Nov. 21 at Cañada College Theater, Redwood City.
