Monday:
Cavin and King’s Open Mic
One of the longest-running open mic nights in the area is hosted by Cavin and King on Monday nights at Red Rock Coffee Company in Mountain View. Performers get 10 minutes, enough time for 2 songs, or 3-4 poems, or a stand-up routine. All forms of creative expression are permitted. Just be sure to get there before 6:30pm when the sign-up book goes out because it tends to fill up quickly.

Tuesday:
Saint Michael Trio
A medical doctor, a software engineer, and a CEO got together and formed… an alternative classical music trio? Of course. Silicon Valley’s Saint Michael Trio are known for their technique of mixing classical with pop, rock, and jazz, as well as their interactive performances that include conversations with the audience. Their program for Tuesday night at the Saratoga Foothill Clubhouse is titled “From Bach to Led Zeppelin” and includes live commentary from the Trio.

Wednesday:
Michelle Richmond
Silicon Valley Reads presents bestselling author Michelle Richmond in conversation with Mercury News columnist Mike Cassidy at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell. Richmond’s latest novel, “The Year of Fog,” is soon to be a movie by the same producer of “The Squid and the Whale.” Originally from Alabama, Richmond now lives in San Francisco where she runs her online literary journal, “Fiction Attic.”

Thursday:
Wallpaper
Wallpaper’s act is an over-the-top celebration of boozing, partying and prowling. But somehow, their music sounds better than most mainstream pop. Tracks like “I Got Soul, I’m So Wasted” are more than just ear candy; they’re dance floor anthems for the electropop generation. If Ricky Reed’s bombastic personality and stage antics weren’t enough, the band projects retro footage from the ‘80s and ‘90s that they’ve smartly edited to provide a tongue-in-cheek backdrop for each song.

Friday:
Pamela Z
“Final Fridays” is back. It’s a free, monthly program that highlights artists in the residency program at the Montalvo Arts Center. This Friday features Bay Area performance artist Pamela Z, a composer/performer and media artist who makes solo works combining a wide range of vocal techniques with electronic processing, samples, gesture activated MIDI controllers, and video. She will perform live excerpts from existing work and works-in-progress (including her new project “Memory Trace”) using her voice, live processing, sampled sounds, gesture control, and interactive projected video.