Be His Valentine

J. Valentine is the closest San Francisco comes to a homegrown R&B superstar. The singer and songwriter has penned material for Tyrese, *NSYNC, and Mario, and appeared on two of Tupac’s posthumous releases. The mix of tenderness and edge he displays on his local hit, “She Worth the Trouble,” hasn’t dulled one bit since its release two years ago — it’s a shining example of Valentine’s gift for memorable vocal hooks. He’ll celebrate his birthday with a big performance blowout that includes opening act LeToya Luckett (an original member of Destiny’s Child) and footballer turned soul crooner Tank. KMEL’s drive-time DJ and program director Big Von spins the tunes on Saturday, July 11, at Mezzanine. 9 p.m., $25-$50; 625-8880, www.mezzaninesf.com. — Tamara Palmer
Sat., July 11, 9 p.m., 2009