WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27
Jill Abramson: The former New York Times editor discusses her book “Merchants of Truth,” a “story of the precarious state of the news business” that examines tensions between print media and online reporting. [Noon at Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, S.F.; and 7:30 p.m. at Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
Bill Griffith, Paula Williams Madison: The CNBC co-anchor and author share personal stories and “shocking” discoveries they made as they learned about their family histories in a Silicon Valley Commonwealth Club presentation. [7:30 p.m., De Anza Visual and Performing Arts Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino]
Jenifer K Wofford: The artist speaks about “Limning the Liminal,” an exhibition combining her “iconic studies of nurses and Filipina comfort women” and recent paintings “examining the aftermath of seismic disruptions.” [5 to 6 p.m., Fromm Hall, Maraschi Room, University of San Francisco, 2497 Golden Gate Ave., S.F.]
Key Lewis: The Sacramento-born comic — billed as “ 1/2 Black, 1/2 White, Looks Mexican!” and a self-described “improvisational, storytelling, multiple-personality nutcase!” appears with special guests. [8 p.m., Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., S.F.]
Kevin Killian, Patrick Mellor: To celebrate poet Lew Ellingham’s birthday, the writers discuss their work; Killian reads from “Fascination,”a memoir of gay life in 1970s Long Island, and Mellor launches his poetry volume “Alkali Shores.” [7 p.m.. Green Arcade, 1680 Market St., S.F.]
COIN: The Nashville alterna-pop trio — Chase Lawrence on vocals/keys, Joe Memmel on guitar/vocals and Ryan Winnen on drums — headlines a bill with up-and-coming Nashville pop artist Tessa Violet, with the new single “Bad Ideas.” [8 p.m., Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd., S.F.]
Anemone: Noise Pop presents the alternative psychedelic rock band from Montreal led by Chloé Soldevila; Bay Area acts Sugar Candy Mountain and Li Xi open. [8 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F.]
Redstone Labor Temple Sanctuary Community: The free event, with live music, artists, poets and performances, celebrates 104 years of social and economic justice organizing. [6 to 8 p.m., 2940 16th St., S.F.]
Albert Hammond Jr: The solo artist, formerly The Strokes’ guitarist, plays from his 2018 album “Francis Trouble” in a Noise Pop festival show. [8 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero St., S.F.]
Field Medic: The act of Kevin Patrick, who calls his sound “freak folk/post country with an emphasis on finger style guitar and lyrics,” appears on a Noise Pop bill with Haley Heynderickx and KERA. [8 p.m., Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market St., S.F.]
Adreinne Waheed: The photographer speaks about her book “Black Joy & Resistance,” which “documents the spirit of black people when they tap into their authentic selves,” with curator-activist Anyka Barber. [6:30 p.m., Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St., S.F.]
Rebecca Solnit: City Arts & Lectures presents the columnist and writer — whose most recent volume is “Call Them By Their True Names: American Crises (and Essays),” in conversation with Astra Taylor. [7:30 p.m., Sydney Goldstein Theater, 275 Hayes St., S.F.]
Juan Alvarado Valdivia: The author celebrates the release of “Ballad of a Slopsucker: Stories,” a compilation in which he “brings to high relief contemporary lives of Latinos searching for meaning in California’s cities, towns and barrios.” [7:30 p.m., Pegasus, 2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley]
Arthur Jafa: The artist-filmmaker appears at a screening of “Dreams Are Colder Than Death,” an experimental film/essay that asks: “What is the concept of blackness? What does it mean for people of color living in America today?” [7 p.m., Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, 2155 Center St., Berkeley]
Pikelny and Duncan: Banjoist Noam Pikelny and fiddler Stuart Duncan, “modern masters of American roots music,” perform an evening of originals and classics in a duo format. [8 p.m., Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley]
Martin Barre: The rock veteran is best known for his work as the guitarist in Jethro Tull; Bay Area rocker Matt Jaffe, whose latest album is “The Spirit Catches You,” opens. [8 p.m., Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley]
THURSDAY, FEB. 28
Jessica Lang Dance: In what’s being billed as its final season, the acclaimed “genre-bending” New York troupe opens a three-day run of a versatile program with pieces set to music by Tony Bennett, Grieg and Beethoven. [7:30 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St., S.F.]
Steve Tyrell: The Grammy Award winner opens a four-performance run of his cabaret act with selections from his newly expanded “Back to Bacharach” album, his 2018 album “A Song for You” and Great American Songbook favorites. [8 p.m., Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason St., S.F.]
Reach Out and Touch: The documentary about Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church screens, followed by discussion about how the pastor’s philosophy of radical inclusion and love informs Glide’s programs today. [7 p.m., Tenderloin Museum, 398 Eddy St., S.F.]
