Nightbeats: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early with a 5K run in Santa Rosa

AYO! PETALUMA! Andre Nickatina has released more studio albums, mixtapes, compilations and collaborations than you can list without writing the titles down to keep track. Trust me, a friend and I tried, and we lost track after 12.

Kicking off his career as Dre Dog in 1993, the Bay Area artist also founded Fillmoe Coleman Records. And he did it all without much press; Nickatina generally dislikes interviews.

Born and raised in the Fillmore District of San Francisco, Nickatina writes memorable lyrics that pushed new boundaries in the same way Mac Dre’s and The Jacka’s lyrics did before they died.

His writing style is bold and blunt, yet catchy in a way that makes you do a double-take once you process the lyrics.

He’s best known for the radio hit single “Ayo for Yayo,” a song you’ve probably bobbed your head to on road trips, before you realized it’s about a 14-year-old girl spiraling into drug addiction.

In 2013, during one of his rare interviews, Nickatina told SF Gate, “I can walk into a liquor store, and the way it looks, I can get inspired off that. A can of Spam on the ground - I can get inspired off that.”

It’s his inspiration from everyday occurrences and his raw insight that make the upcoming local shows a prime chance to catch a hip hop legend.

Details: 8:30 p.m. March 16, Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma. Admission: $25-$28; mystictheatre.com

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A RECORD TO REMEMBER: Oct. 8 marked a day Sonoma County would forever remember. The North Bay wildfires left holes to be filled in both our towns and our hearts. In the column shortly after the fire, I found myself asking if local music could survive the ash, smoke and destruction left by the flames.

Overnight, countless fire benefits rose from the ashes and gave hope to a community ready to rebuild. There were benefits lined up for weeks to come.

It wasn’t just local bands coming together; recovery efforts also included North Bay stops by big-ticket artists like Leann Rimes, The All-American Rejects, ZZ Ward and, most recently, Ty Segall, who raised $6,000 at a pop-up benefit concert last month.

While it’s been more than five months since the fires broke out, there is still much to be rebuilt and many people still affected by the chaos the disaster brought to the North Bay.

“After The Fire, Vol. 1” brings together recordings from 15 Bay Area artists to be showcased at two benefit shows, a good way to remember local bands are still committed to aiding our towns.

Produced by Grammy-nominated artist Scott Mickelson, the compilation features music by Mickelson, David Luning, The Crux, Travis Hayes, Kelly McFarling, M. Lockwood Porter, Sam Chase, Jeremy Lyon, Avi Vinocur, The Family Crest, Bobby Jo Valentine, T Sisters, Lauren O’Connell, Felsen and John Elliott.

All proceeds from the record, as well as both a local concert at HopMonk Sebastopol and a concert at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco, will go toward those affected by the fires.

The North Bay show will feature live performances from more than half the bands on the compilation. It’s sure to be a night to remember, and you’ll have a chance to pick up the record in person.

Details: 8 p.m. March 29; HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Admission: $15; hopmonk.com/sebastopol/

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RUN, RUN, RUN: Want to run off some of the celebratory St. Patrick’s Day beer early?

Good news. You can at this year’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K on Sunday at Santa Rosa’s Finley Community Park. You can gear up for the holiday a week early with a healthy run, a costume contest and a postrun party including some live outdoor music.

At the end, Wine Country Radio will announce costume contest winners for the most convincing leprechaun, best wearin’ o’ the green, the best-dressed group of three or more and the most spirited child younger than 12.

All runners get a race mug full of tasty HenHouse Brewing Co. beer as soon as they finish the race (or root beer for the young athletes).

Best of all, proceeds from the 5K benefit Santa Rosa Parks and Recreation scholarship fund, which provides recreation for families in need such as swim lessons for children.

Details: 3 p.m. Sunday, Finley Community Park, 2060 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa. $30-$40; srcity.org/2175/St-Patricks-Day-5K

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