THURSDAY, NOV. 5
Finish Ticket: The San Francisco band, mixing pop, rock and contemporary indie, plays a hometown show to promote its new EP “When Night Becomes Day.” [9 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St., S.F.]
Drew Barrymore: The actress appears in a Books Inc.-presented talk with Lydia Kiesling to promote her new “sort of” memoir “Wildflower.” [7 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.]
Degenerate Art Ensemble: The theater troupe and rock band’s “Predator Songstress” explores “the boiling tensions underneath our daily existence in search of truth” and was called “post punk vaudeville” by one critic. [8 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum, 701 Mission St., S.F.]
Japanese Tea Garden tour: Staff gardener Steven Pittsenberger presents botanical highlights of the popular attraction. [1 p.m., 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park, S.F.]
Nerd Nation: The series of solo comedy shows celebrating nerds kicks off with Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and former venture capitalist Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, who ditched business for standup and storytelling. [8 p.m., EXIT Studio, 156 Eddy St., S.F.]
Love’s Labour’s Lost: Douglas Morrisson Theatre’s production of the acclaimed Public Theatre musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, a clever mashup of the Bard and boy bands, begins a three-week run. [8 p.m., 22311 N. Third St., Hayward]
The Broken Knife: 13th Floor presents the world premiere, a darkly comic modern myth conceived by Jenny McAllister and inspired by graphic novels like Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” and Brian K. Vaughn’s “Saga.” [8 p.m., ODC Theater 3153 17th Street, S.F.]
Beat Connection: The headlining Seattle-based band continues to bridge the gap between pop and the avant-garde on its latest recording, “Product 3”; electronic duo Phantoms opens. [9 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero St., S.F.]
FRIDAY, NOV. 6
Bridge Project: Hope More Dance and CounterPulse present a three-day showcase exploring the intersection of language and movement; it opens with “Inging,” a solo performance by Jeanine Durning. [8 p.m., Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama St., S.F.]
American Indian Film Festival: The 40th anniversary week-long program begins with two documentaries: “My Legacy” directed by Helen Haig-Brown, and “We’re Still Here: Johnny Cash’s Bitter Tears Revisited” by Antonino D’ Ambrosia. [7 p.m., AMC Metreon, 135 Fourth St., S.F.]
Barb Jungr: With her musical director John McDaniel, the cabaret singer opens a two-night engagement of “Come Together,” an evening of eclectic interpretations of Beatles tunes. [8 p.m., Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason St., S.F.]
Little Ice Rink: The only seasonal ice rink in the East Bay opens for its third season. [Noon, South Shore Center. parking lot near PetCo, 523 South Shore Center, Alameda]
Working for the Mouse: Former Disneyland cast member Trevor Allen’s funny show explores what really goes at the happiest place on Earth. [7 p.m., Dragon Theatre, 2120 Broadway, Redwood City]
Matisyahu: The American reggae rapper-alternative rocker plays from “Live at Stubb’s Vol. III,” which offers stripped down, reworked takes on tunes from his extensive catalog. [8 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]
Rotunda Dance Series: Nimely Pan African Dance Company performs “Farming Ballet” featuring drummers and dancers in regional masks from Liberia. [Noon, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, S.F.]
