Radio Show: Nerd, Dork, Diamond, Legend. And Burt Bacharach.

Burt Bacharach

Note: The Burt Bacharach show at Davies Symphony Hall has been canceled.

From Dionne Warwick to Austin Powers, the appeal of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s collaborations is an enduring one. In this special concert, Bacharach appears at the piano backed by the San Francisco Symphony to play hits like “I Say A Little Prayer,” “What the World Needs Now” and “Walk on By” with a handful of guest vocalists. One of the last living “composer’s songwriters,” Bacharach is a national treasure; any opportunity to see him perform live is to be seized. Details and ticket information here.

Chris Hardwick

He’s been an alt-rock radio DJ, a self-help author, a TV and movie actor, a video game contributor, a writer for Wired and, with The Nerdist, a podcast founder and host. Who could have predicted the zany host of MTV’s trashy 1990s dating show Singled Out would go on to such a dynamic career? And yet Chris Hardwick has done all this and more. Running through all Hardwick’s work is a comedic streak, and when he’s on stage with a mic in his hand, he’s hard to beat in the stand-up world. In December, he plays three nights at Cobb’s to what should surely be an attentive, nerd-proud audience.
Details and ticket information here.

‘A Love Supreme’ 50th Anniversary

John Coltrane’s landmark album turns 50 this month, and to celebrate its longstanding status, SFJAZZ brings in the second-best thing to Coltrane himself: his son. Over five days, Ravi Coltrane hosts a revolving door of guests to recreate the music and spirit of A Love Supreme, including Nicholas Payton, Ishmael Reed, Joe Lovano, the Turtle Island Quartet and more. Now well-established outside his father’s shadow, Ravi Coltrane is a formidable talent in his own right—but indeed, every once in a while, there’s an unmistakably familiar tone in his playing that could only come from the royal bloodline. Details and ticket information here.

Frank Portman

Frank Portman from the East Bay punk band Mr. T Experience releases his third novel, King Dork Approximately, with a star-studded free show of rock ‘n’ roll, reading, and trombones. Musical guests include Chuck Prophet, the Bye Bye Blackbirds, Victor Krummenacher, the Devil-ettes, John Denery and Dina Graves; readings by Jack Boulware, Bucky Sinister, Karen Finlay and Paige O’Donaghue. Details and ticket information here.

My Brightest Diamond

Shara Worden is a clasically trained opera singer with a decidedly modernist outlook; her four albums under the name My Brightest Diamond employ fresh production and rich textures. Her latest full-length, This Is My Hand, even features the Detroit Party Marching Band on the lead single “Pressure.” Live, Worden and her band combine live instrumentation with triggered effects and other electronics, making for an engaging experience. Details and ticket information here.