Dark Star Orchestra return to the Fox on Friday at 7:30 pm, doing what they do best: full-show recreations from across the Grateful Dead songbook. The band leans into era-specific tones and long-form improvisation, swapping between exact historical setlists and free-flowing nods to favorite tours. Veteran players anchor the two-set arc with crisp tempos, deep dynamics, and vocal blends that land more as lived-in homage than cosplay.

The Fox Theater in Uptown Oakland is a jewel box of Art Deco detail with a roomy GA floor, tiered orchestra, and a balcony that sounds better than most. Sightlines are generous, the PA is clean, and staff keep lines moving even on busier nights. BART at 19th St is a short walk, and the Telegraph Room upgrade adds a quieter bar and lounge if that fits the night.

Emo Vs. Pop-Punk turns Brick and Mortar into a Myspace-era time capsule Friday at 9 pm, with DJs running music videos on the big screen and cueing scream-alongs all night. It is wall-to-wall anthems from My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Blink-182, Fall Out Boy and the rest of the Top 8 canon, stitched together with quick cuts and crowd mics. Expect plenty of choruses, photo ops, and a room that knows every bridge.

Brick and Mortar Music Hall is a 300-cap Mission room with a low stage, tidy sightlines, and a sound system that punches above its size. It books rising indie, Bay rap, and club nights in equal measure, and it handles singalong parties well. Bars are quick, staff is seasoned, and the neighborhood keeps options open before and after the show.

Oakland First Friday rolls into Crybaby with LIFE OF THE PARTY, a late start at 10 pm and nothing but slaps. Cutso, Eddy, and 4Dhila run hip-hop, hyphy, and club heaters with fast, clean transitions, while special guest JWalt jumps in with live energy. It is a hometown lineup built for movement, the kind of night where call-and-response hooks and bass lines do the heavy lifting until lights-up.

Crybaby is Uptown Oakland’s neon-lit club, compact enough to feel electric when the floor fills. The room was built for DJ nights, with tight low end, a forgiving dance floor, and a bar that keeps pace when the rush hits. The crowd is mixed, stylish, and local, and staff keep the vibe easy while the booth pushes volume without distortion.

Dark Star Orchestra stick around for a second Fox Theater night on Saturday at 7:30 pm, digging into a different slice of Dead history. The players have the language down cold, from Garcia-style guitar filigree to locked-in drum breakdowns, and they pace the evening like the tapes. Expect deep cuts balanced with singalongs and the slow burn of a proper two-set show.

Uptown’s Fox Theater pairs big-room scale with warmth. The ornate interior frames a generous floor and a balcony that rarely sounds muddy, with plenty of rail spots for the long haul. Production here is sharp, the bass never boomy, and Telegraph Avenue outside hums with pre- and post-show energy.

La Doña hosts a Super Bowl watch party at Crybaby on Sunday starting 2 pm, folding music into the game with Bussdown Collective on deck between plays. The San Francisco bandleader’s blend of Latin pop, cumbia, and Bay bounce sets the tone, and the afternoon leans community forward with proceeds benefiting the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice. All ages, with food and plenty of sound.

By day, Crybaby turns into a comfortable screening room with club-grade audio and a big projection wall that puts the action up front. Seating rotates and space stays flexible, so it works for mingling without losing view. The bar program is thoughtful and quick, and the staff keeps the family-friendly pace without dulling the vibe.

Dave Chappelle brings arena-size standup to Chase Center on Saturday at 7 pm. Decades in, his timing is surgical and his crowd work still fearless, swinging from sharp social read to throwaway aside without losing the room. It is a phone-free show with Yondr pouches at the door, which suits his improvisational style and keeps the energy focused on the stage.

Chase Center in Mission Bay is the Bay Area’s newest big room, a polished bowl with clean sightlines, crisp PA, and production that makes comedy feel intimate for its size. Security moves quickly, but early arrivals and light bags make it smoother. The T line drops out front, and the concourse food options are a cut above standard arena fare.

Chris Stapleton heads to Bill Graham Civic on Saturday at 8 pm, bringing that gravel-warm baritone and slow-burn guitar work that pushed Traveler and beyond to the top of the charts. He plays it straight and soulful with a road-tested band, leaning bluesy when the solos stretch and tender when the harmonies stack. Country at arena scale without losing the smoke and sawdust.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium sits at Civic Center, a hulking, flexible hall that hosts everything from EDM blowouts to rock and country headliners. The GA floor is wide and forgiving, with raised sides and occasional balcony access. Sound has tightened up in recent years, and the room delivers best from center-left back to the mix.

Operating Systems corrals pinponpanpon, Eviemoon, BirdyBirdyBirdy, 1999Seiji, and Denpa for an upstairs bill at Neck of the Woods on Friday. It is a snapshot of the Bay’s DIY fringe, where sugar-rush hooks meet glitchy textures and club tempos, and sets tend to blur into each other in the best way. Doors at 8 pm, 21+.

Neck of the Woods anchors Clement Street in the Inner Richmond, with an intimate upstairs room, a compact stage, and a side rail that feels close to the action. The sound is clear and surprisingly full for the size, and the neighborhood vibe keeps the night relaxed. Two bars keep waits short, and late set times fit the room’s rhythm.

Martin Garrix brings festival-grade big room and progressive house to Bill Graham Civic on Friday at 8:30 pm, the kind of laser-lined set built on precision drops and melodic hooks. Special guest Lost Frequencies opens up the night with sleek, sunlit grooves. It is a tidy pairing that pushes from radio earworms to full-tilt rave.

Bill Graham Civic turns into a proper dance floor for EDM nights, with a huge GA pit, flown subs, and lighting rigs that reach the rafters. Entry lines move, water stations are easy to find, and Civic Center BART is a quick walk. Expect the room to hit hard without muddying the mids.

Electric Feels returns to The Independent on Friday at 9 pm, a traveling indie dance party that stitches together The Strokes, Tame Impala, Robyn, MGMT, and the rest of the alt-pop canon into a sweat-friendly set. The curation is fast and fun, with visuals popping and DJs leaning into singalong choruses and crunchy guitar hooks.

The Independent is the city’s most reliable 500-cap room, a black box on Divisadero with dialed-in sound, easy sightlines, and staff who keep nights running smooth. It handles dance parties as well as live bands, and the bar lines move even when the place is packed. Neighborhood eats line the block for pregame and late bites.