Forever associated with the hypothetical question “What if God was one of us?” from an unrepresentative song about seeing the divine on the bus, the eruptive singer Joan Osborne has, like the boy named Sue, overcompensated for her mawkish 1995 hit ever since. After stealing the show in Standing in the Shadows of Motown and guest-starring with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, Osborne has started to live down “One of Us” by vocally exploding on the stages of small clubs and theaters. Truly a wonder of nature, Osborne digs down into her soul this week with two openers—worthy headliners in their own right—the Holmes Brothers and Paul Thorn, on Monday, Oct. 19, at the Mystic Theatre. 23 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma. 8pm. $35. 707.765.2121.Gabe Meline

Bob Peterson may not be a household name, but you’ve certainly heard his voice. As a jack-of-all-trades animator at Pixar Studios, Peterson wrote the screenplay for Finding Nemo, wrote and co-directed Up, and has performed voices for multiple Pixar features, including Roz in Monsters, Inc. Peterson comes to town to share his knowledge and experience with digital animation in a panel discussion with fellow Pixar workers. Finally, all those questions about how to bring magic to life so effortlessly can be answered on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 2–4pm. Free with admission. 707.579.4452.Gabe Meline

Friends with Privileges has a double meaning for the dynamic singer Bernard Fowler. His new album’s title could refer humorously to people who don’t wanna say they’re dating but still hit the sack, but it also hints at his role for the last 20 years singing backup vocals on tour and in the studio with the Rolling Stones. Part soul, part funk, part rock ’n’ roll, Fowler can sing with just about anyone, from Yoko Ono to Philip Glass to Herbie Hancock. He brings to small clubs his experience with one of the biggest bands in the world, hoping to live as long. “I wanna be 62, and I still want to rock,” he said recently, “and I’m getting the best lesson I could ever get right now.” Fowler and his band tear it up on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Tradewinds. 8210 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 9pm. $10. 707.795.7878.Gabe Meline

Giovanni and June DiMorente blew into the Bay Area after the flood in New Orleans, but they brought with them all of the heavy haunt and intangible intrigue from the levees with their avant-cabaret ensemble El Radio Fantastique. Like a traveling Bertolt Brecht revue with Miklos Rosza and Charles Laughton as directors, the Inverness-based group captured, in 2008, the attention of Tom Waits, who brought their [TK] upright bass player on tour. Clarinet, Theremin and xylophone all factor in their occasionally and intentionally out-of-tune ramshackle serenades, which conjure a different world where clothes don’t fit and water is dirtier. Horns, strings and dancers evoke cinematic episodes when El Radio Fantastique play two nights, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16–17, at the Dance Palace. 8pm. $14–$16. 415.663.1075.Gabe Meline

Riding a resurgence in Eastern European brass music, from the young arrangements of Beirut to the reckless “Gypsy punk” of Gogol Bordello, the Hungarian nonet Parno Graszt has been on tour around the world from Los Angeles to India spreading awareness of the true roots of Romani. As Songlines magazine declared, “They do not use sources of Gypsy music, they are the source itself.” With spoons, a milk jug, guitars, accordion and double bass, the group aims for a tearing down of the fourth wall between performer and audience, where spectators become participants and concerts become parties. Be there when North Eastern Hungary comes to the Napa Valley on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $30–$35. 707.226.7372.Gabe Meline

When he was 15, Buju Banton recorded a song, “Boom Bye Bye,” which advocated killing gay men with an uzi and burning them. It has dogged him ever since, but perhaps never so much as in the year 2009, when a sudden uprising from gay rights groups over the song—and Banton’s involvement in a Kingston beating—has caused over 15 of his current tour dates to be canceled by promoters Live Nation and AEG and rescheduled elsewhere. There appears to be little to no local protest about his show in Santa Rosa, a last-minute rescheduling for a cancellation in Los Angeles, because maybe we don’t know about it or maybe we don’t care. Nonetheless, Banton performs on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Casbar. 3345 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 8pm. $25. 707.568.1011.Gabe Meline

Among the sad developments surrounding the closing of the New College of California and its Santa Rosa campus was the loss of its music venue, used for years as a home for touring folk artists, local Americana favorites and the occasional theatrical production. The lovely brick room in Railroad Square lives again, however, as the North Bay Film and Art Collective, an all-ages space supported by the Arlene Francis Foundation presenting music of all styles. This Monday welcomes Church, a touring band from Portland featuring “Triste Sin” Richard Laws, known around these parts as an amazing bassist. Locals Low-Five, Moggs and Not to Reason Why open the show on Monday, Oct. 12, at the North Bay Film and Art Collective. 99 Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 6pm. $7. www.myspace.com/fac.Gabe Meline

Calistoga gets its fill of old cars and cuffed jeans this weekend with the Rockabilly Roundup, featuring the music of the Buckshot Boys, Los High Tops, Miss Fire & the Detonations, the Revtones, the Royal Deuces and the Blue Note Cats. Contests abound, and for eight whole hours, there’s soda pop and the dancin’ is free on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Pioneer Park. 1308 Cedar St., Calistoga. 1–9pm. Free. 707.942.6333.Gabe Meline

When Jeffrey Kahane finished his final concert as conductor for the Santa Rosa Symphony, the ovation was so warm, loud and long that the maestro had to return to the stage for bows no less than four times. This weekend, he returns as the very talented guest pianist tackling Rachmaninoff’s famous Piano Concerto no. 3 under Bruno Ferrandis’ expert baton. Most know the “ Rach 3” from the film Shine, but seeing it performed live is something everyone should do before they die. See Kahane’s grand and dexterous return Saturday–Monday, Oct. 10–12, at the Wells Fargo Center. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; Sunday at 3pm, Monday at 8pm. $10–$55. 707.546.8742.Gabe Meline

While Santa Rosa recovers from Levi’s GranFondo, Marin hails its two-wheeled heroes this weekend with Biketoberfest 2009, a bike expo with beer, a vintage bike show, beer, frame builders, beer, pizza and paella, beer, live music from Honeydust, Sons of the Pacific and the Philip Der Stein Quintet, beer, and custom designers and bike riders galore. A morning ride with mountain bike pioneers Otis Guy and Charlie Kelly opens registration at 9:15am, and other rides and bike-related activities culminate in a five-year anniversary party of Iron Springs Brewery, right next door. It’s all happening on Saturday, Oct. 10, at the FairAnselm Plaza parking lot. 765 Center Blvd., Fairfax. 11am–6pm. $20–$25. 415.453.4333.Gabe Meline