Freebie of the week: There are several reasons to head to downtown San Francisco for the inaugural 2026 edition of Free First Thursdays. The event runs from 5 to 10 p.m. on Second Street between Howard and Market streets. Those who RSVP on the websites of Downtown First Thursday San Francisco or SFFunCheap will find that pretty much everything is free, except drinks and food at nearby bars, restaurants or food trucks. Festivities include a performance by kick-butt Bay Area band the Jazz Mafia, appearing from 7 to 9 p.m. at Howard and Second streets, or beloved Bay Area crooner Lavay Smith and her band the Skillet Lickers from 5 to 8 p.m. at Natoma and Second, with swing dance lessons offered between sets. That’s not all: Zones are set aside for disco dancing, arts and crafts, a doggie fashion show and pet psychic, and more. Find all details at www.dftsf.com and sfuncheap.com/free-events/.
Diamond mining: These are good times for Neil Diamond fans in the Bay Area. The iconic singer-songwriter’s tunes are everywhere. The hit film “Song Sung Blue,” about a real-life husband-wife Neil Diamond tribute act, starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman, is playing in about a dozen Bay Area theaters through the weekend and beyond. It has received generally positive reviews, with Jackman reminding fans how his voice is so good, and Hudson reigniting the singing prowess she already has displayed during her career. Meanwhile, the touring production “A Beautiful Noise-The Neil Diamond Musical,” is playing through Sunday at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. The two-act, 2¼-hour musical, created in collaboration with Diamond himself, follows the pop star’s life story and rise to fame, much as previous jukebox musicals about such pop music giants as Carole King and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have done. Of course, the real star and focus of the show is Diamond’s catalog of classic hits, including “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Sweet Caroline,” “I Am … I Said,” and more. The show plays 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $54-$146 (subject to change) at broadwaysanjose.com.
Back to Botti: He possesses a contemporary matinee idol’s looks— dreamy, yet piercingly inquisitive—and is equally blessed with an extraordinary talent. We are talking about Chris Botti, the 63-year-old trumpet star who’s back in the Bay Area for his standard winter run at SFJazz. Botti doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional jazz trumpeter, full of explosive runs and a piercing range. His calling card is the rich, luxurious tone he coaxes from his instrument, which is why his talents have appealed to such collaborators as Sting, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. Perhaps his best-known album is 2009’s “Live in Boston,” which found him jamming with everyone from Boston Pops Orchestra to Yo-Yo Ma and Steven Tyler. Botti goes for a slightly less lush/pop sound with his latest recording, 2023’s “Vol. 1,” his first in more than a decade. His first release under the famed Blue Note label, “Vol. 1” features a smaller cast of backing musicians – violinist Joshua Bell, pianist Taylor Eigsti, guitarist Gilad Hekselman, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta among them – tackling standards “Blue in Green,” “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” “Someday My Prince Will Come,” and more. Botti will spotlight the album with his nine-concert run at SFJazz from Jan. 5-11. Tickets are $64.50-$94.50 at www.sfjazz.org.
A whole lotta Latin goin’ on: Get ready to shake your booty as the Bay Area’s Grammy-winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra, 19 to 20 members strong at last count, convenes onstage at Yoshi’s this weekend for four infectious, energetic concerts of special blend of south-of-the-border and modern music. Founded 14 years ago by pianist Christian Tumalan and trumpeter Steffen Kuehn, the orchestra is driven by a sensational percussion section and a powerhouse brass contingent. The band puts its distinctive imprint on everything from straight-up salsa to Stevie Wonder to Dizzy Gillespie to, believe it or not, Sergei Rachmaninoff. Showtimes at the club on the Embarcadero in Oakland are 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Find tickets, $43-$82, at yoshis.com.
A fair fairy tale: There’s still time to catch San Francisco Playhouse’s production of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.” The musical’s creators explore the darker side of happily ever after in the show, which cleverly weaves together new adventures of beloved storybook characters: the Baker and his wife, Cinderella, Jack of beanstalk fame, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and more. Playhouse stalwarts at the helm include director Susi Damilano, music director Dave Dobrusky and choreographer Nicole Helfer. The show runs most days through Jan. 17 at 450 Post St. in San Francisco. Tickets are $52-$145 at sfplayhouse.org.