Where the Noise Is

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Get dressed up. Make a reservation. This is that kind of night. Steppin’ Out is a celebration of the elegance and sophistication that defined the golden era of American music — an evening where the Great American Songbook gets the full treatment, the room feels alive with possibility, and the music makes you want to stay until the very last note. Tony Bennett always said you had to look good to feel good. Tonight The GrandView gives you every reason to do both.

The evening brings together three musicians whose chemistry is immediately apparent the moment they begin to play. Ed Johnson anchors the trio on guitar, his lush, rhythmic Brazilian playing giving the arrangements a warmth and swing that is completely his own — and when the song calls for it, his voice joins Michael’s with the kind of natural harmony that only comes from years of playing together. Franz J. Díaz brings his signature lyrical sophistication to the piano, his expressive playing shaping every arrangement with color and elegance. And Michael Carter leads on vocals, his rich baritone carrying the Tony Bennett repertoire with the kind of effortless authority that makes every song feel like a showstopper. When Ed is in the room, Michael sings differently — looser, more confident, and completely at home.

The GrandView’s hilltop perch above San Jose has always been one of the South Bay’s most stunning settings — but on a warm June Saturday, with the valley glowing below and the music swinging above, it becomes something genuinely extraordinary. This is the night you’ve been saving your best outfit for. Reservations are strongly recommended.

He never played The Backroom. But tonight it feels like he could have. In the Style of Sinatra brings the swagger, the sophistication, and the timeless cool of the Chairman of the Board to one of Berkeley's most intimate and celebrated live music venues — and Vintage Noise delivers it with the kind of authenticity and musicality that only comes from musicians who truly love this repertoire. This is not an imitation. This is a celebration.

The full Vintage Noise ensemble takes the stage — Michael Carter on vocals, Ed Johnson on guitar, Franz J. Díaz on piano, and Mike Hallesy on bass. This is the complete picture — four musicians who between them cover every dimension of the Sinatra sound, from the swinging big band energy of the early years to the quiet introspection of the later ballads. Michael's rich baritone carries the weight of the repertoire with natural ease, Ed's guitar adds warmth and rhythmic drive, Franz shapes each arrangement with lyrical sophistication, and Mike's bass lines hold it all together with effortless swing. Together they are as close to the real thing as you're going to get.

The Backroom in Berkeley is exactly the kind of room Sinatra would have approved of — intimate, unpretentious, and built for music. With great acoustics, a welcoming atmosphere, and an audience that knows how to listen, it is the perfect setting for an evening like this. Come early, find your spot, and get ready for a night that swings from the first note to the last. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Tickets Available Here

June has arrived and summer is in full swing. A Summer Night at The GrandView is an evening that leans into everything the season has to offer — warm air drifting up from the valley, the city lights beginning to glow as the sun disappears behind the hills, and live music that feels perfectly calibrated for a long, unhurried Saturday night. This is the kind of evening you arrive early for and leave late from. No apologies necessary.

Three of Vintage Noise's four core members take the stage — Franz J. Díaz on piano, Mike Hallesy on bass, and Michael Carter on vocals. This is a trio that has played together long enough that the music moves with the kind of natural ease that can't be rehearsed — intuitive, connected, and completely alive. Franz's lyrical piano playing sets the harmonic tone for the evening, his international sophistication and expressive touch giving every arrangement color and depth. Mike's bass lines anchor the groove with quiet authority, swinging without effort and always serving the song. And Michael's rich baritone carries it all home, moving through the Great American Songbook with the warmth and confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime inside this music.

The GrandView on a warm June evening is as good as it gets in the South Bay. Panoramic views stretching across Silicon Valley, exceptional cuisine, and an atmosphere that invites you to slow down and take it all in. Summer has a home tonight. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Some nights the title says it all. Live at The GrandView is exactly what it promises — Vintage Noise, live, in one of the most spectacular settings in Silicon Valley, doing what they do best. No concept, no theme, no gimmick — just great songs, great players, and a room that knows how to make an evening feel like an event. This is the kind of night that reminds you why live music exists in the first place.

The evening features Michael Carter on vocals, Caroline Chung on bass, and Franz J. Díaz on piano — a trio that brings both technical brilliance and genuine warmth to everything they play. Caroline Chung is one of the Bay Area's most dynamic and celebrated bassists, her fearless, fluid upright playing giving the ensemble a pulse that is alive, swinging, and completely captivating. Franz J. Díaz brings his signature lyrical sophistication to the piano, his expressive playing shaping every arrangement with color and elegance. And Michael Carter leads with the kind of effortless baritone authority that has made him one of the most compelling vocalists in the Bay Area jazz scene. Together they close out June in the finest possible style.

The GrandView has always been more than a restaurant. With its sweeping panoramic views, exceptional cuisine, and atmosphere that invites you to linger, it is one of the South Bay's most genuinely special places. On a warm June Saturday with the valley spread out below and the music filling the room, there is nowhere else you need to be. Reservations are strongly recommended.