How can a week go wrong with a Big Freedia show on the horizon? Knock on wood. Especially since this is a makeup show (she had to cancel her Noise Pop appearance due to an emergency surgery). The return alone would be cause for celebration. And yet, this week there’s also a night of gritty Canadian punk, an exotic R&B dream, and some club time with Brooklyn’s Day-Glo neo-gothsters.
You can only hope for such a fun and messy variety, perhaps in some sort of hand-picked exquisite corpse of a show: you draw the sexy rounded hips, vintage Fender, and luxurious shiny-pony hesh hair; I’ll add the shredded T-shirt revealing glittery star pasties and some Joan Crawford brows.
Enjoy these sublimely sunny afternoons sucking down ice cold beverages on outdoor decks (hey there Zeitgeist, Thee Parkside, Dr. Teeth, and the rest of you) and these naturally cooled down evenings inside venues with your favorite music-makers. Go, start prepping for the exquisite chaos soon to arrive.
Here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
White Lung
Vancouver, BC bred post-punk act White Lung boasts rapid, heart-pumping energy lead by driving guitars, smashing drums, and screaming melodic vocals casually reminiscent of Pretty Girls Make Graves. The band just dropped brutal sophomore LP Sorry (Deranged) last month. With hooky Oakland badass punks Wax Idols in the lineup as well, your ears should bleed by night’s end.
With Wax Idols, CCR Headcleaner
Mon/11, 10pm, $6
Knockout
3223 Mission, SF
(415) 550-6994
www.theknockoutsf.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PoQhaNiXvg&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrrg_XTVMdI
Buffalo Tooth
The local garage rockers, who described their sound as “Blue Cheer/Black Flag, basically bands with colors in their names,” this week finally celebrate the release of their psychedelic new seven-inch. The self-titled release was recorded by rock’n’roll renaissance man Matthew Melton (formerly of Bare Wires, currently of Warm Soda). They share this show with sister band Poor Sons, and party-punks Uzi Rash and Parmesans.
Wed/13, 9pm, $5
Elbo Room
647 Valencia, SF
(415) 552-7788
www.elbo.com
Big Freedia
Finally. New Orleans’ queen diva of sissy bounce is back in the Bay to make up for her unfortunately canceled Noise Pop show early this year. But let’s not dwell on the past, Ms. Azz Everyone is here now (presented by Noise Pop and Hard French with Future | Perfect DJs) and ready to shake it. Wear your best Crayola pastel short-shorts for the IRL booty battle.
With Hard French DJs Brown Amy and Carnita, and Future | Perfect DJs S4NtA Mu3rTE, Water Borders, Vin Sol, 5kinAndbone5, Richie Panic
Thu/14, 9pm, $16
Public Works
161 Erie, SF
(415) 932-0955
www.publicsf.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-cT6SwFIHA
RØSENKØPF
Brooklyn’s Day-Glo neo-gothster crew RØSENKØPF comes to our coast in support of its debut self-titled album, out this month on Wierd Records. Along the way the band has gathered comparisons to the following acts: Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, early Black Dice, Hawkwind (hmm), Birthday Party, and…Bats Day at Disneyland? Full disclosure: that last one was me.
Fri/15, 8pm, $6
Retox Lounge
628 20th St., SF
(415) 626-7386
www.retoxsf.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_J20Vmwzt4
How to Dress Well
“[Experimental pop producer How to Dress Well] is able to translate dreams into signature ethereal compositions full of dark emotions and R&B passions.” – Julia B. Chan
With Babe Rainbow, Finally Boys
Fri/15, 9pm, $14
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell, SF
(415) 861-2011
www.rickshawstop.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdeacVXbik
Japanther
So you missed out on purchasing tickets to the now-sold out Japandroids show at the Independent earlier in the week (check out our interview with that act in this week’s print issue); no mind, the similarly punny yet elder Japanther – kindred in name and vibe mostly – is here this week too, and it should be just as riotous, perhaps a bit scrappier. The early Aughts-formed art-punk band is know for its spazzy parties of live shows, screaming through a modified telephone, and the like.
With Pharmacy
Sun/17, 9:30pm, $7
Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk, SF
(415) 923-0923
www.hemlocktavern.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJmn59mizGQ