San Jose "Music in the Park" Free Summer Concert Series | June 3 to August 26

San Jose summers wouldn't be the same without Music in the Park, downtown's most anticipated concert series. For more than 20 years, people have come out to enjoy a variety of music by big stars at free Thursday night concerts. 5:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Plaza de Cesar Chavez (Market Street between San Fernando and San Carlos streets)

June 3 : Cold War Kids (Alternative Rock)

Fullerton's Cold War Kids make music with roots that go deep and wide, embracing influences as diverse as Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Jeff Buckley, and the Velvet Underground. Matt Aveiro, Matt Maust, Jonnie Russel, and Nathan Willett began crafting their soulful, blue-inflected take on indie rock as Cold War Kids in 2004,On "Behave Yourself," an EP that had a digital release in late 2009 and issued to CD in 2010, Cold War Kids emphasized their soulful ballads. Check out the band's current singles, "Audience" and "Sonething's Not Right With Me," and past hit, "Behave Yourself" at www.myspace.com/coldwarkids.

Opener: Jesse Malin & St. Marks Social (alternative rock): Malin, former front man for Heart Attack and D Generation, has spent seven years on the road as a solo artist, sharing stages with The White Stripes, The Hold Steady and Lucinda Williams.