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Saturday, August 15, 2026

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Arts + Culture

Born-and-bred musical geniuses, The Womack Sisters—but their success didn’t come easy

'We got it out the mud,' they say, as debut album soars.

From Telegraph tapes to Hip Hop Fairyland, Sunspot Jonz builds his own world

Living Legends co-founder turns handmade cassettes, Xeroxed pages, and East Oakland parties into durable art philosophy.

Sheila E. grew a career that the Bay—not the music industry—taught her was possible

On the eve of her gig at Blue Note Napa, the Norcal icon talks Berkeley drum circles.

Under the Stars: The Womack Sisters’ debut album heralds arrival of a new soul generation

Plus: megiapa finds voice in Chicago's beat scene, golden hip-hop happening at Shoreline, Valerie June, more.

Screen Grabs: Is ‘Camp Miasma’ too meta—or is it a generational thing?

Plus: BAMPFA series highlights Bay Area lovers-auteurs, rural addiction in 'Union County', Matthew McConaughey, more.

BIG WEEK: Cat Video Fest, Deaf Dance Fest, DJ Dan Tribute, Oakland Pride…

Matmos, masc heroes, 'Otra Onda/Otra Vez,' Pizza, Bagel, and Beer Fest, 'Little Shop of Horrors,' more to do!

Drama Masks: A play every Silicon Valley acolyte should be forced to watch

La Lengua's shockingly current latest. Plus: Tennessee Williams' 'Orpheus Descending' gets a curious switch-up.

What we saw at Outside Lands: Live shots of wild times, sunshine excluded

Who needs light when you've got the heat of Baby Keem, The Strokes, Boys Noize, Silvana Estrada, and bazillions of cute fans.

What we ate at Outside Lands: Hot takes on Bay Area tastes

Crab pastries, jollof plates, caviar corndogs, and super sundaes—the fest’s sexiest food hit all the high notes.

What we heard at Outside Lands: Automatic for the people

Acts on the come-up, faves on the curve, bison in the weeds, and a festival porta potty epiphany. Listen in.

12 years of SF Cocteaufest—now with a real Cocteau Twin in it

Classic ethereal outfit receives two-day tribute with dancing, live bands, and a DJ set and meet-up with bassist Simon Raymonde.

Director Jane Schoenbrun: ‘I’m trying to queer the rules of horror’

'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' puts Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder through a bloody libidinal portal.

Cannabis cafes are coming to SF—and it’s about damn time

A bill finally passed by the city last month allows cannabis retailers to serve food and beverages. Will SF become a new Amsterdam?

Subversive spirit matches Victorian romantic intrigue in Ayelet Waldman’s latest

Berkeley author knocked off from award-winning TV work to finish 'a failed novel I tried to write a decade ago.'

Under the Stars: Midsummer music notables, from gallant rock to Jilly from Philly

Plus: Black Marble plucks college radio strings, Twin Bloom bronzes out, The Koreatown Oddity raps it all up, more great listens

Live Shots: Valkyries flew high in return to Ballhalla

WNBA home team filled Chase Center with wild community spirit and plenty of winning shots.

Screen Grabs: ‘The Piano’ plays again

Sam Neill (RIP) in major key. Plus: Futile love in 'White Nights,' Hector Babenco tribute, whimsical 'Drunken Noodles,' sour "Ice Cream Man'

As wider layoffs hit, videogame workers’ union launches hardship fund

UVW-CWA aid initiative and innovative Necrosoft bundle aim to support affected workers from indie orgs and big corps.

Charli XCX is the future of rock, in fact

The genre will be saved by outsiders—even highbrow-nodding hyperpop ones who know how to slay big festivals like Outside Lands.

Drama Masks: Forget AI, you’re in ‘Urinetown’ now

Ray of Light's latest triumph is awash with talent. Plus: 'In a Memory Palace' at Z Space used Noh to haunting effect.

Experimental sounds ring out from Adobe Books, for an eager community in the know

Promoter Tonko's unassuming series platforms local musicians with a genre-blurring bent.

Best of the Bay 52 voting starts in September!

Vote for what you love and celebrate the Bay Area! We're going back to our roots for the 52nd edition.

Aerial Arts Fest flies high on a shoestring and a dream

Losing NEA funding and artists' reluctance to visit the US can't keep Zaccho's vertical dance celebration down.

‘The Last Human Bear’ came to Jack Kerouac Alley

Author and Native American tribal chairman Greg Sarris discussed his first novel in 30 years, immersed in 1930s Pomo history.

An uncommon Warrior: Yaxel Lendeborg comes to the Bay

An ode to the Puerto Rico-born Dominican American player who bounced up from community college.

Enjoy your trip inside M. Mark Bauer’s labyrinthine paintings

His works are eye-popping, but contain deep 'flow of consciousness' messages about the environment and society.

Under the Stars: SF supergroup The Odyssey Cult lets it rip

Plus: Hardly Strictly lineup, Womack Sisters and Dark Star Orchestra at the Greek, summer stoner flick 'The Wrong Girls,' more.

Good Taste: Pouring out love for Hojicha

Move over, matcha. Can it, coffee. We’re all-in on roasted green tea drinks and treats this summer.

Screen Grabs: From farmworker to ‘the Shakespeare of Chicano theater’

Luis Valdez gets his due. Plus: Robert Townsend tribute, 'Glitter' revival, 'Sheep in a Box,' and Fantasy Studios fest.

Drama Masks: Olivia Bratko is here to let you know that you’re not crazy

Performer's latest solo show at the Rhino throws everything you can imagine into a wild and funny hour of catharsis.

Moving through a nine-year dream in Iris Company’s ‘The Still Point’

Choreographer Sophia Stoller inventively immersed watchers in liminal moods and dramatic gestures at SOMArts.

See a free show at The Lost Church in August

Folk, Flamenco, Latin, Balkan, indie and more are going down in North Beach. Act fast to claim a pair of tickets!

A ‘sensual labyrinth’ blooms at Blush erotic film fest

Long-running celebration of local adult film has a new name, but all the explicit expression. We talk to two exciting featured directors.

Devouring the indomitable spirit of Bambi Lake

Posthumous poetry collection from often abrasive, endlessly creative trans punk icon celebrates a life led 'too soon.'

To the bipper go the spoils? Cannabis impresario Berner on his debut crime thriller

'Splash City' filmmaker and rapper aims to bring a side of San Francisco the world rarely sees to life.

E pluribus ants: At Cabrillo Music Fest, Sarah Hennies’ work buzzes with communal activity

Under expansive theme of US's 250th, composer's 'Grain House' considers the lowly but mighty insect.

Gregg Araki: ‘Why doesn’t Gen Z have sex anymore?’

Iconoclastic queer director's hot new 'I Want Your Sex' was transformed by #MeToo, and wants to spark spicy conversations.

ODC Summer Sampler’s ‘Notes of Disquiet’ fueled by invisible burdens, Armenian poetry

Mia J. Chong's latest work explores 'that feeling of having to hold in your response to someone else's insensitivity.'

‘Jerry farts and burps’: Grateful Dead live on in spirited retrospectives

Haight Street Art Center puts on two huge shows that keep the band's colorful legacy and community ticking.

Good Taste: Mark your calendar for ‘pay what you can’ restaurant day

Mexico City-rooted initiative gets local participation from Al Pastor Papi, Reem's, Merkado, Understory, more

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