Music festival, weeknight concerts top this week's entertainment picks
zIn an ideal world, all your entertainment options would line up for the weekend. But sometimes, the good stuff happens to land on a work night.
This week, it’s a bit of both.
You can start the weekend with a two-day long hip-hop festival. Then, next week take in one (or more) of three touring shows.
Rhymes with a reason
The event: Rhymes With Reason Fest is a two-night celebration of the area’s hip hop scene.
The draw: By sheer numbers, this is a strong representation of the spectrum of local hip-hop, from the punkier influenced Waterbox, Inc., to the darkly comic rhymes of Cockamamie Jamie, and the soulful beats of Brian Cade. It includes up-and-comers like Sagey, Kooleidoscope and anchors like Old Soul, Aseop. In all, 30 acts will perform, so be sure to check out the full lineup.
Details: 7 p.m. Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, at Fulton 55, 875 Divisadero St. $10-$15 per day, $15-$20 for two-day pass. 559-412-7400, www.fulton55.com
Uke shredder
The event: Ukelele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro is back at the Tower Theatre.
The draw: This is ukelele music for modern audiences. Meaning, the guy shreds. Shimabukuro made a name for himself by composing complex arrangements (versions of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”) on what many consider a “simple” instrument. Some will remember the his last show in Fresno in 2014.
Details: 8 p.m. Monday, April 11, at the Tower Theatre, 815 E. Olive Ave. $34.50-$44.50, 559-485-9050, www.towertheatrefresno.com
When it’s dark out
The event: G-Eazy, the so dubbed dapper rapper, brings his “When It’s Dark Out” tour to the Selland Arena.
The draw: The 26-year-old emcee/producer may get mentions for his aesthetic and business acumen (he dresses well and has been featured in The New York Times and Forbes). He’s no less the music star. Just this week, he played alongside Justin Bieber, Fetty Wap and Demi Lovato at the iHeartRadio Music Awards and his Fresno date will be followed by a second tier slot at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. His single “Me, Myself, and I” was No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B digital and streaming song charts and was No. 6 on the list of most Shazammed songs in the U.S.
Details: 8 p.m. Monday, April 11, at Selland Arena, 700 M St. $29.50-$40. 800-750-3000, www.ticketmaster.com
Pop-rock “orchestra”
The event: Another Coachella performer, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, stops through the Central Valley on the way to the festival. The band plays Wednesday, April 13, at Cellar Door in Visalia, with Vinyl Williams.
The draw: Over five-plus years, Unknown Mortal Orchestra earned praise (and no small amount of hype) for its spaced-out lo-fi garage pop. Pitchfork gave its self-titled debut an 8.1 and FUSE named the band one of 30 to see at SXSW when it played the festival in 2013. The band’s latest album, “Multi-Love,” hit No. 7 on Billboard’s independent albums charts when it was released in May. This Cellar Door show is one of just five non-Coachella dates in California until September (two have already sold out).
Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, at Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St., Visalia. $15-$17. (559) 625-8000, www.snvfoundation.org
Joshua Tehee: 559-441-6479, @joshuatehee
This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Music festival, weeknight concerts top this week's entertainment picks."