Cue up 2023: There are some intriguing shows, movies, albums headed our way
New music from Metallica and breakout R&B star Kelela.
A movie about a coked-out bear running rampage in Georgia, and another about the father of the atomic bomb.
The return of Blink-182 to the concert stage.
And a musical based on the classic comedy “Mean Girls.”
If 2022 marked a return to a full slate of live entertainment options and regular visits to movie theaters, 2023 beckons (knock on wood) as a chance to revel in entertainment on its own merits. And, as our writers can attest, there is much to look forward to.
Movie theaters will host such anticipated releases “Cocaine Bear,” “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” which has been on our radar since the early film posters featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (Barbie and Ken) started making the rounds.
Besides iconic SoCal band Blink-182, the concert season will offer the farewell tour of Dead & Company and the always-sensational SZA. And we can look forward to albums by the aforementioned Metallica and Kelela, as well as Lana Del Rey, Gorillaz, and others.
And besides “Mean Girls,” stages will boast such musicals as “Tina Turner” and “Six,” which is kind of what would happen if the wives of Henry VIII formed their own rock band.
It’s looking like a fun year — fingers crossed. Here’s a roundup of what’s headed our way. Keep in mind that release dates are subject to change.
Movies
Besides the onrush of sequels and superhero movies, movie houses will be serving up some intriguing and keenly anticipated releases in 2023. Here’s a look.
“Cocaine Bear”: From its kitschy title to its cheeky trailer, this bit of dark-humor ridiculousness claims to be rooted in a semblance of truth – the key word here being “semblance.” It’s about a black bear in Georgia that ingests a duffel bag full of cocaine and wreaks tabloid-ready murderous havoc. The talented Elizabeth Banks directs with tongue in cheek.
Details: Opens Feb. 24 in theaters only.
“Oppenheimer”: Christopher Nolan follows up his head-scratching “Tenet” with a film on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant scientist and UC Berkeley physics professor who played a pivotal role in the creation of the atomic bomb. Will it be a traditional biopic? We doubt it, given that it’s Nolan behind the camera. He’s assembled an A-list cast, including Cillian Murphy in the title role, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Donwey Jr. and Matt Damon.
Details: Opens July 21 in theaters only.
“Barbie”: From Bratz to Battleship to G.I. Joe, seems like Hollywood can’t stop turning dolls and toys into movies. But Greta Gerwig’s cinematic refashioning of statuesque Barbie, an American phenom that’s both revered as an iconic toy and piece of Americana and reviled as a symbol of women’s objectification, apparently puts a feminist spin on the proceedings. Certainly, it’s inspired casting to have Margot Robbie as the lead and Ryan Gosling flexing his washboard-ready abs as surfer boyfriend Ken.
Details: July 21 in theaters only.
Sequels, sequels, sequels …: They have become synonymous for Hollywood’s utter lack of original thinking, but there are several in 2023 we’re psyched about, including Keanu Reeves’ return to action in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” in which there will be blood and a high body count, for sure. (March 24); forever-young Paul Rudd reprising his superhero role in Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (Feb. 17); Michael Jordan back in fighting shape and ready for a TKO in the director’s ring with “Creed III” (March 3); James Gunn returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to helm “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” (May 5); Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen book it to Italy for “Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter” (May 12); “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” hopes to weave more animated magic from the superhero character (June 2); Tom Cruise buckles up for another thrill ride with “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh installment in the film franchise (July 14, Part 2 is slated for June 2024); and Denis Villenevue hopefully won’t leave us stranded in the desert again at the end of “Dune: Part Two” (Nov. 23).
Concert tours
Top concert picks for 2023 include the return of SoCal pop-punk favorites, the farewell to Bay Area jam-band royalty and the debut arena tour from an awesome R&B talent.
Blink-182: To be honest, we didn’t even realize that we’d missed Blink until the Pride of Poway, California, announced it was coming back. Then the thought of bouncing around in our Vans sneaks and Dickies shorts to “What’s My Age Again?” started to sound mighty appealing. So, we’re definitely ready to welcome back the pop-punk band’s signature lineup – vocalist-bassist Mark Hoppus, vocalist-guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer/omnipresent celebrity Travis Barker, who will be performing in concert together for the first time in over eight years.
Details: June 16-17 at Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, ticketmaster.com; June 19-20 at Pechanga Arena, San Diego, axs.com; June 22 at SAP Center, San Jose, ticketmaster.com; June 23 at Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, ticketmaster.com.
Dead & Company: It’s time to say goodbye to this beloved jam band, which is embarking on one last giant summer tour before calling it quits. The Bay Area group is opening and closing its run in California, kicking things off with a pair of shows in L.A. before winding things up with three concerts back in San Francisco. So, get your miracle ticket and plan to spend one last night (or several nights) with Grateful Dead alums Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann and their pals John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.
Details: May 19 and 20 at Kia Forum in Los Angeles, July 14-16 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, ticketmaster.com.
SZA: The singer-songwriter’s 2017 debut, “Ctrl,” was a smash success that ended up being certified triple platinum and certifying the arrival of a new star in the R&B circuit. Rather than strike while the iron was hot, SZA made fans wait five long years for a follow-up before finally dropping the winning “SOS” in December. SZA, who delivered a terrific headlining set at San Francisco’s Outside Lands music festival in 2022, is supporting her sophomore release with her first-ever headlining arena tour.
Details: March 14 at Oakland Arena, March 22 at Kia Forum, Los Angeles, ticketmaster.com.
— Jim Harrington, Staff
Touring Broadway shows
Musicals adapted from movies and the music of iconic pop stars continue to drive the touring theatrical business. Here are three touring Broadway shows hitting California this year.
“Mean Girls”: It was only a matter of time until somebody made a Broadway musical out of the iconic 2004 high school movie “Mean Girls,” about the cruelest clique of high school girls since “Heathers” (or maybe since “Jawbreaker”). And who better to write the book of the musical than the movie’s screenwriter, Tina Fey? “Legally Blonde: The Musical” songwriter Nell Benjamin wrote the lyrics, and the music is by Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, who also composed the score of the film (as well as the music for Fey’s shows “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and film “Baby Mama”). After a hit 2018 Broadway run cut short in 2020 by the COVID shutdown, the devilishy witty musical comedy finally makes it out West on its US tour.
Details: Jan. 4-29 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; Jan. 31-Feb. 26 at Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; March 7-19 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa; www.scfta.org
“Six”: It often feels like original new musicals are few and far between these days. The British West End and Broadway hit “Six” certainly qualifies, revisioning six wives of Henry VIII as a pop supergroup in concert, competing to determine which queen suffered the most and gets to become lead singer. The show was co-written and co-composed by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss when they were still students at Cambridge and went from the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the West End in 2019 and Broadway in 2021, where Moss became the youngest ever director of a Broadway musical and both won a 2022 Tony Award for best original score. Still running in London and New York, it now hits California on its U.S. “Aragon” tour while a second US “Boleyn” tour makes a separate run across the country.
Details: Feb. 21-Apr. 9; Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; May 9-June 10 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; June 13-25 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa; www.scfta.org
“Tina — The Tina Turner Musical”: Everybody knows by now that Tina Turner has quite a story to tell, and the only surprise about her life story being made into a jukebox musical is that it’s taken this long. The musical follows Turner from her childhood as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, through her rocky marriage and musical partnership with Ike Turner to solo superstardom. Helmed by British director Phyllida Lloyd, “Tina” premiered in 2018 on London’s West End (where it’s still running) and opened in 2019 Broadway. The book is by Katori Hall, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of “The Mountaintop” and “Hurt Village,” with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins. You can expect a heaping helping of familiar favorites from “River Deep Mountain High” to “Private Dancer” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It” when it comes around on tour.
Details: Aug. 1-27 at Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco; www.broadwaysf.com; Aug. 29-Sep. 3 at Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose; broadwaysanjose.com; June 13-July 9 at Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; July 11-23 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa; www.scfta.org
‘Beetlejuice’
The musical by Eddie Perfect, Scott Brown and Anthony King, based on the 1980s movie, kicked off its national tour in San Francisco earlier this month. But after several stops in the East Coast, it will return to California this summer.
Details: July 11-30, Hollywood Pantages Theatre; www.broadwayinhollywood.com; Aug. 1-6 at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts; broadwaysanjose.com
— Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent
Albums
Last year was a great year for new albums – thanks to acclaimed offerings by Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Slipknot, Taylor Swift and many others. But now it’s time to flip the calendar and check out five of the album releases we’re looking forward to in 2023.
Metallica, “72 Seasons” (April 14): The biggest Bay Area band of all time – with worldwide album sales eclipsing the 125 million mark – returns with its 11th full-length studio outing. Expectations are mile high, especially given that the previous outing, 2016’s epic “Hardwired … to Self Destruct,” turned out to be the band’s best record since 1991’s legendary self-titled affair (aka “The Black Album”). Yet, we never bet against Metallica and fully expect that James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo will once again deliver the goods. (April 14)
Lana Del Rey, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”: Nobody does the whole dreamy alt/baroque-pop thing better than Del Rey, who is following up not just one, but two magnetic offerings from 2021 – “Chemtrails over the Country Club” and “Blue Banisters.” The singer-songwriter’s 16-track ninth album should be another winner, and ]reportedly includes collaborations with Jon Batiste, Father John Misty, Bleachers and others. (March 10)
Kelela, “Raven”: The Washington, D.C.,-born alt/electro/R&B artist finally returns for her sophomore effort, which follows the critically championed 2017 debut “Take Me Apart.” Judging by what we’ve heard thus far – the singles “Happy Ending,” “Washed Away” and, best of the bunch, “On the Run” – “Raven” will likely help Kelela reach new artistic and commercial heights. (Feb. 10)
John Cale, “Mercy”: The Velvet Underground legend, who has also produced landmark records for Patti Smith, the Stooges, the Modern Lovers and others, is set to drop his 17th studio effort and first album of new original songs in more than a decade. “Mercy” finds the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer collaborating with Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Sylvan Esso and more. Also, we’re very happy to see longtime sideman and expert guitarist Dustin Boyer’s name once again listed in the credits. (Jan. 20)
Gorillaz, “Cracker Island”: The popular “virtual” band, powered by Blur’s Damon Albarn and other real-life talents, returns with a follow-up to 2020’s “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez.” The album, Gorillaz’s eighth to date, features such A-List guests as Tame Impala, Thundercat, Stevie Nicks, Adeleye Omotayo, Bad Bunny, Beck and the Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown, as well as production work by Grammy-winner Greg Kurstin. (Feb. 24)
— Jim Harrington, Staff
Music festivals
Here’s a rundown of several or California’s best music fests.
Rolling Loud Cali Festival: The nationally known hip-hop festival brand will make its mark in Southern California at its new home at Hollywood Park that sits perfectly adjacent to the SoFi Stadium. The West Coast edition will have performances by Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Future, Lil Wayne, Saweetie, City Girls, Ice Spice and many more.
Details: March 3-5 at Hollywood Park Grounds, 1001 Stadium Drive, Inglewood; tickets to come at rollingloud.com/cali2023 but merchandise is on sale now.
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: One of the biggest parties in the desert made its big return in 2022 with headlining sets from Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd. Though the 2023 lineup has yet to be announced, it’s sure to be an eclectic mix of artists and sounds with a global appeal.
Details: April 14-16 and 21-23; Empire Polo Club, Indio; 3-day general admission tickets $499-$599; VIP passes $1,069-$1,269; camping, shuttle, parking passes and other add-ons will also be available at coachella.com.
Stagecoach Country Music Festival: The annual three-day Coachella country music sister fest will be headlined by Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton. Other performances include Jon Pardi, Riley Green, ZZ Top, Old Dominion, Gabby Barrett, Brooks & Dunn, Tyler Childers, Parker McCollum and many more.
Details: April 28-30; Empire Polo Club, Indio; 3-day passes start at $389; general admission & shuttle combo packages start at $449; Saloon admission passes are $799; Corral reserved seats start at $829-$1,999; Corral standing pit access starts at $1,499; 3-day Desert Diamond VIP passes are $2,749; Gold Rush VIP passes are $1,749; Hi Ho Silver passes are $1,249. various VIP packages are sold out, but check stagecoach.com for more ticket information.
BottleRock Napa Valley: The three-day extravaganza blending terrific food and drink and A-List performers and celebrity chefs has become one of California’s hottest tickets. The lineup has not been announced yet.
Details: May 26-28, Napa Valley Expo, Napa; 3-day presale passes are sold out, check website for updates; BottleRockNapaValley.com.
Outside Lands: The massive three-day festival offering frontline and emerging rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B and other performers has yet to announce its 2023 lineup or tickets.
Details: Aug. 11-13; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, check for updates at www.sfoutsidelands.com.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Heck, the annual festival would craw thousands of folks just because it’s free and takes place in lovely Golden Gate Park. The fact that it draws an eclectic lineup featuring a mix of famed Americana performers and along with hip-hop, jazz and rock stars is just icing on the cake.
Details: Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; lineup TBA, check website for details; www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com.
— Staff reports