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Choir! Choir! Choir!
Most of us have sung the lyrics to our favorite songs at a show, but with this duo, singing along is the whole point. Choir! Choir! Choir! puts audiences’ voices to work, with directors Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman, armed with a solitary guitar, leading group-sings of popular songs, with no pressure, no perfectionism — just an emphasis on singing together. They’ve worked with artists such as Patti Smith, David Byrne, Brandi Carlile, Rufus Wainwright, even getting a Muppet into the act by teaming up with Kermit the Frog. The group is coming to The Guild Theatre with their “Hallelujah! Epic Anthems” tour, which will enlist audiences in singing uplifting, soaring selections from a range of artists such as Whitney Houston and Shania Twain. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” gives this tour its name — and the sing-along version is likely to give goosebumps, too (at least to judge from videos of other Choir! Choir! Choir! performances).
June 3, 7 p.m., at The Guild Theatre, 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; $35-$81; guildtheatre.com.
Otilia Donaire Band
Otilia Donaire sings a version of the blues that has both grit and polish, and a little funk, too. The San Francisco-based artist has a voice that can, on a dime, command or sweetly cajole, and she’s backed by an ensemble of local rock and blues veterans. In 2024, she released “Bluesin’ It Up,” an album of originals that infuses a bluesy sensibility with plenty of old-school rock’n’roll, soul and funk. Otilia Donaire Band headlines the Wednesday Blues Jam at Club Fox, with a full set followed by a pro jam.
June 4, 6 p.m., at Club Fox, 2209 Broadway, Redwood City; $13.38; eventbrite.com.
Poets Brandel France de Bravo and Weijia Pan
Books Inc. Palo Alto hosts an evening with poets Brandel France de Bravo and Weijia Pan, who will read from and discuss their new collections. France de Bravo will share selections from “Locomotive Cathedral,” her collection published in March that explores themes of renewal and resilience. She previously authored the poetry collections “Provenance” and “Mother, Loose” and edited “Mexican Poetry Today: 20/20 Voices.” She is also a former Stanford fellow with an extensive background in public health. Chinese poet and translator Weijia Pan will present his debut poetry collection, “Motherlands,” which was selected by Louise Glück for the Max Rivto Poetry Prize. The collection, which was published in 2024, “interrogates history, identity, and the power of poetry to elucidate both,” according to an event description.
June 5, 7 p.m., Books Inc. Palo Alto, 855 El Camino Real #74, Town & Country Village, Palo Alto; booksinc.net.
Movies on the Square
Nothing says summer like outdoor movies and concerts, and visitors can find both at Redwood City’s Courthouse Square throughout the season. The city’s annual music series, Music on the Square, kicked off last week, and now films are back for the summer, too. This weekly outdoor movie series features newer movies, plus some short independent films from Redwood City-based Bravemaker Film Festival. Movies on the Square gets underway on June 5 with “Twisters,” preceded by a Bravemaker short.
Alternating weeks, audiences can catch a double feature, with a film geared for younger audiences screening first at 6 p.m., followed by a second film at 8:30 p.m. During the other weeks, the evening’s lineup begins with a short from Bravemaker, followed by a longer feature film. On June 12, catch a double bill of “Despicable Me 4” and the 2024 version of “Mean Girls.” Other films on the schedule include “Wicked” (July 24); “Moana 2” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (July 31) and “The Wild Robot” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” (Aug. 14).
Thursdays through Aug. 28 (6 p.m. kids’ films; 8 p.m. short films; 8:30 p.m. feature films) at Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City; free; redwoodcity.org.
