Silicon Valley Fall Arts Preview

Silicon Valley Fall Arts Preview

The season in music, stage, film & visual arts

Intro | Music | Stage | Visual | Film | Classical | 'Proof' | APE Expo | Flash Fiction

Illustration by Dylan Vermeul

Perpetually tardy bursts of Indian Summer heat enable our region to forget that August's end means the sunny season's demise is nigh—at least technically speaking. And as the weather cools down, and the El Nino rains pick up (fingers crossed), opportunities arise to consider just how to spend the darker, drearier days.

The next few months will be big for local galleries. The newly opened New Museum Los Gatos, or NUMU, is hosting an exhibit on the numerous amusement parks that once dotted the South Bay. And comic book lovers will have plenty to take in with the return of the Alternative Press Expo.

The Silicon Valley music scene has improved a great deal in just the last year, and this fall, two of the area's newest venues are looking to prove themselves. The Ritz is bringing Sir Mix-A-Lot to town, and RockBar Theater is hosting Misfits and Mudhoney.

Fans of the stage will have plenty of options to choose from, as usual—from classics, like The Lion King and Rigoletto, to cutting-edge productions, like Dead Man's Cell Phone and Proof. Silicon Valley's classical community will also be active, producing symphonies and dance recitals.

For movie buffs, the fall is a welcomed with big bowls of popcorn and jumbo sodas. It's Oscar season, as the major studios and independent production houses ready their heavy-hitting films for the Academy. Both a biopic and a documentary of Steve Jobs will be released in the coming months. There's plenty of brooding action to go around, with the final installment of The Hunger Games and a new James Bond, and Halloween will bring its share of horror flicks—from the campy to the genuinely terrifying.

The shorter days and longer nights are ideal for curling up with a good book, and there will be a number of literary-themed events this fall. But just because the weather is turning, doesn't mean the outdoors are no longer enjoyable. This is the Bay Area, after all, and there are numerous outdoor arts, wine and seasonal festivals coming up through November.

Consider this Fall Arts issue a guide to the season—a roadmap to some of the fun and inspiring events Silicon Valley will offer for waning days of 2015.

Intro | Music | Stage | Visual | Film | Classical | 'Proof' | APE Expo | Flash Fiction