Suzie and David’s Picks: The Sound of 'Stranger Things,' 50 Years of the Black Panthers and Celebrating the Literary

KQED’s Suzie Racho and David Wiegand share their picks for great events around the Bay Area this week.

Oct. 7-9:  Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen is a busy, busy man. In addition to serving as the Principal Conductor to London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, he’s Conductor Laureate for the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where he was music director for 17 years), while continuing to write and compose his own work. Salonen brings the Philharmonia Orchestra to Zellerbach this weekend for three performances, but Sunday’s program recreates the very first concert presented in the hall in 1968.

Continuing through Feb. 17: All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50

Fifty years ago this month, the Black Panther Party was founded in Oakland. The group’s members and their politics were complex and controversial, and still influence social movements today.  The Oakland Museum of California marks the movement’s 50th anniversary with a new exhibit, All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50, which features art and photos from the era, but also shows the connection to artists working in the Bay Area now. 

 Oct. 6-15: Litquake

Litquake is back for another round of readings, talks, workshops and conversations. And honestly, there’s something for everyone: kids, teens, fiction fans,  music lovers (check out John Doe and Thomas Dolby), plus the free three-hour Lit Crawl closes it out.

Oct. 7, 8, 14 : S U R V I V E

If you’ve been obsessed with the Netflix series Stranger Things, Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein might have something to do with it. The duo provide the synthy score to the series, managing to evoke the ’80s while still sounding modern. The show is between seasons, perfect timing for the duo’s band, S U R V I V E,  to release a new album (RR7349) and go on tour. They play shows in San Francisco, Sacramento and Santa Cruz in the upcoming week.

Oct. 8: Helado Negro

Good luck trying to classify the music of Helado Negro. There are synth beats, layers of keyboards, lyrics in Spanish and English — but for Florida-born musician and artist Roberto Carlos Lange,  it’s all part of an evolving musical path, one that embraces his Latino heritage. He’s at the Rickshaw Stop next week, as he tours his new album, Private Energy.

Oct. 8: Ocean Beach Art & Music Festival

Hardly Strictly took over the neighborhoods of Western SF last weekend, but now it’s time for the locals to take it back by celebrating the Outer Avenues at the 3rd Annual Ocean Beach Music and Art Festival. In addition to food, art and stuff for the kids, 20 different bands and musicians will play on three stages, including French Cassettes and Travis Hayes.