Smash Mouth brings hits to Sonoma-Marin Fair

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF YOU SONOMA-MARIN FAIR: Headlining Saturday night, June 23, of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, Smash Mouth is one of the best reasons to head to Petaluma for a night of music and carnival adventures.

The San Jose band’s song “All Star” is an anthem for underdogs all over the world. Founding endless internet memes and becoming a feature song in a Kids Bop CD, (a soundtrack for young children to sing along to), it’s one of those songs you can’t get out of your head for hours.

You might also recognize notable Smash Mouth versions of tunes from the iconic animated movie “Shrek,” including “All Star” and “I’m A Believer” (later reprised in the film by Eddie Murphy.) Other songs, like “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and “Walkin’ On The Sun,” have made cameo appearances in countless TV shows and movies.

As someone who lives on a shoestring budget, I consider the Sonoma-Marin fair one of my favorite events of the year because a $15 ticket (or $18 if you buy at the door) provides endless activities. A daily “Pay-One-Price” ticket is not only your golden pass to unlimited carnival rides but also includes admission to the musical acts.

The fair runs June 20-24 and features a long list of performers. The Highway Poets, Miss Moonshine and Stax City are a few of the daytime acts scheduled to hit the Kiwanis Stage this year. Make sure to check out the Sonoma-Marin Fair website for a full list of performances and discounts.

Tip: Wednesday is “Kids’ Day,” when anyone qualifies for kids admission until 5 p.m. and features a performance from Grammy-nominated R&B trio En Vogue on June 20.

Details: Smash Mouth performs at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 23, Sonoma-Marin Fair, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma. $10-$18; Sonoma-marinfair.org

JAPANESE BREAKFAST, MUSIC WITH SUBSTANCE: After catching Japanese Breakfast perform at the 2018 Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival, I couldn’t wait to see another show.

Michelle Zauner, the creative genius behind the musical project, blew all the other acts of the night away with her energetic performance. From leaping mid-air in her colorful light-up shoes to singing on top of a sound monitor, her stage presence captivated a room full of festivalgoers from start to finish.

You’d think that with such energetic stage swagger, the music would be all dance and no substance, but its quite the opposite. Zauner’s lyrics are some of the most thought-provoking and deeply profound words you’ll find yourself dancing to.

A follow up to “Psychopomp,” an emotional record penned just months after the death of Zauner’s mother, her latest album, “Soft Sounds From Another Planet,” is a perfect title for an album that’s simply out of this world.

Though Zauner’s current touring schedule includes a stop at Oakland’s Fox Theater on June 25 with Belle and Sebastian, you can also catch Japanese Breakfast at Terrapin Crossroads for half the price and save yourself a trip to the East Bay.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, Terrapin Crossroads, 100 Yacht Club Drive, San Rafael. $25; Terrapincrossroads.net

DREAMY SOUNDS AT THE PHOENIX: Speaking of sounds that are out of this world, The Y Axes, aka the space-pop outfit behind the song “Meteorite,” and NRVS LVRS are stopping by The Phoenix Theatre for a night of dreamy synth tunes.

The Y Axes are a four-piece San Francisco-based band full of catchy indie-pop tunes including, “Monsters” and “Patch Me Up.” They play popular Bay Area venues like 924 Gilman, but it’s a rare treat to see the foursome stop by Petaluma.

Husband-and-wife duo NRVS LVRS (whose name is pronounced nervous lovers) is also a fun treat to catch at The Phoenix. The band’s tunes, including dreamy electric songs like “Golden West” and “City Lights,” fall somewhere between The Knife and Crystal Castles.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 30, The Phoenix Theatre, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. $10; Thephoenixtheater.com

Help us keep the beat. Write Estefany at nightbeats@pressdemocrat.com