It’s an understatement to say it’s disappointing that the Art Boutiki on Race Street is closing its doors after 16 years on New Year’s Eve.
Dan Vado’s comic book store/cafe/all-ages music hall always seemed like a place so cool and funky you were shocked to find it in San Jose. Where else could you grab a Frontier Village pint glass or a copy of Beachbum Berry’s tiki cocktail bible, Sippin’ Safari? People who went there, loved it — whether they were performing or sitting in the audience.
When Vado announced in August that the Art Boutiki would be shutting its doors at the end of the year, we were more surprised by our good fortune to have had it around as long as we did.
“Art Boutiki never fully got past Covid, however, and that with costs, in particular utilities, spiraling out of control I came to the realization that keeping this place open was not sustainable and we were not one or two good shows from turning things around,” Vado said in an Instagram post.
He kept the place going these past four months to keep obligations to bands, though he’s had to raise money just to pay the utility bills. More fundraising will be needed after closing to return the building to something close to its original state, removing all signs that the building at 44 Race Street once housed something cool.
But there are still two weeks before the end, and lots of good reasons to stop by before then. The last Drink and Draw, hosted by Carlos Velazquez, takes place Dec. 18, and that’s also serving as a book release party for “My Die-Cast Life,” a memoir of Vado’s young life inspired by his old toy cars he found in his family attic.
There are lots of bands scheduled to play over the following weekend and the weekend after Christmas, including a can’t-miss show on Dec. 29 when the Francis Experience Quartet, led by Jonathan Borca and Gabby Horlick, headlines an impressive lineup with Mighty Mike McGee, Ray Lin, MindFi and Bennett Roth.
“This will be the first and last time my annual birthday show is held at this beloved venue,” Borca said, adding that a portion of proceeds will go to help cover the Art Boutiki’s expenses.
“The Last Dance” on New Year’s Eve will feature the Art Boutiki’s house band, The Sick Ones, and Vado will also take the stage with his band, the Coerced, to close out the year. The party starts at 8 p.m. and goes into 2026. The full schedule and tickets to all the remaining shows are available at artboutiki.com/calendar2.
JAZZY WINTER AHEAD: San Jose Jazz has released its Winter Series schedule with 21 shows at the downtown SJZ Break Room, including the sixth annual New Works Fest, kicking off Jan. 16. The lineup includes nationally known artists such as Karl Perazzo as well as local favorites like the JC Smith Band and the Muscle Shoals Project with Nate Pruitt and Rick Vandivier.
The New Works Fest, which runs Feb. 20 to March 14, will feature six of the 20 artists who were recipients of this year’s Jazz Aid Fund grants. That lineup includes R&B crooner Luqman Frank, saxophonist Ashley Jemison, funk/game music composer Trevor Strohl, steelpan innovator Phil Hawkins, soul singer Ouida and jazz drummer Sylvia Cuenca. Shows are priced for exploration —come to multiple concerts and take the pulse of the Bay.
You can check out the lineup and buy tickets at www.sanjosejazz.org.
20 YEARS AND COUNTING: This month marked 20 years since I took over this column from Leigh Weimers, who spent 40 years keeping tabs on the comings and goings in the Santa Clara Valley.
It’s a cliche to say it’s gone by in a flash, but it really has. Somewhere along the way, I went from being a single guy in his 30s to a 50-something married father of two teenagers. They certainly keep me going, but so do all the people doing good and interesting things around the valley. And that’s too many people, fundraisers, ribbon-cuttings, restaurant openings
This month, I was also voted the Best Media Personality in Metro’s Best of Silicon Valley issue, so I’ll thank both Metro’s readers and all of you for that honor. And yes, I do feel a bit like Sally Field with her “you like me” Oscars speech.
Have a safe and happy holiday season. I’ll be back here in January to get started on year 2021, so I hope you’re here, too.