This Week's Picks

THURSDAY 23

“A Gathering of Angels: opening event for Beat Memories“

Let’s get it out of the way: A picture tells a thousand words. Though this doesn’t exactly apply to Allen Ginsberg, whose poetry portrayed imagery as vividly as any picture could, the many photos he took capture a different dimension. While his words express a Beat mythology that continues to resonate, his pictures freeze isolated moments that bring the figures surrounding Ginsberg alive in a profound and intimate way. We see Kerouac smoking coolly against a brick wall in 1953, then again in 1964, frowning and slumped in a chair; there’s Burroughs up close in a dark room, and Corso in an attic. The photos, beautiful works of art in themselves, show us the living people comprising the cultural history and because of that, they’re fascinating. This opening event includes a pop-up poetry salon, drop-in zine making with Rad Dad creators, and a “typewriter petting zoo.” (Laura Kerry)

Through September 8

6:30pm, $5

Contemporary Jewish Museum

736 Mission, SF

(415) 655-7800

www.thecjm.org

Philip Glass at 75

Philip Glass is no ordinary composer. Having collaborated with everyone from Ravi Shankar to David Bowie, while writing stacks of of symphonies, operas, and film scores in the process, Glass has shifted the direction of classical music as wildly, and influentially, as any living figure. In celebration of his 75th birthday, SF will be treated to screenings of two Glass-scored films, accompanied live by the Philip Glass Ensemble: Godfrey Reggio’s famously plotless multimedia extravaganza, Koyaanisqatsi (1982), and Jean Cocteau’s early film adaptation of The Beauty and the Beast, La Belle et la Bête (1946). Punctuating the weekend-long festival is a Q&A session with Glass himself, moderated by SF’s own Brad Rosenstein. (Taylor Kaplan)

Philip Glass Ensemble: La Belle et la Bête

Thu/23-Sat/25, 8pm, $40–$65 (Sat/25 includes Q&A)

Lam Research Theater at YBCA

700 Howard, SF

(415) 495-6360

Koyaanisqatsi

Sun/26, 7pm, $40-65

Davies Symphony Hall

201 Van Ness, SF

(415) 864-6000

Detroit Cobras

Some bands you’ll just never be able to judge by their album cover(s). Some bands just don’t have time for all that studio nonsense. They wanna rock — and they wanna rock with you. Up close and personal. In your face. Get it? That pretty much describes the rough-and-ready Detroit Cobras method, after releasing a scant handful of albums, they’ve continued to tour extensively, bringing the husky, tough-girl vocals of Rachel Nagy and the gritty, jangling guitar riffs of Mary Ramirez to the people. Their reinterpretations of vintage, B-side rock, soul, and Motown give songs that could have been contenders a brash new life, while their relentless stage show gives their adoring fans a good, old-fashioned, foot-stomping workout. (Nicole Gluckstern)

With Pangea, the Chaw

9pm, $16

Slims

333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

“Project Open Walls”

What’s a gallery when none of its art is for sale? Project One, the Potrero gallery and art bar is exploring the concept in 2013, for which it is asking its artists not to contribute paintings or sculpture to their exhibitions, but rather to paint the walls of the gallery itself. “Project Open Walls” enjoyed its first opening in February with numerous artists (street and not) contributing murals of busy vase tableaus, color-forward twirls of 3D tags, and luminous flower designs. Now, those walls will be gradually painted over. This month, the grizzly bear-focused muralist Chad Hasegawa gets up, in addition to one of last year’s Goldies award winners, dreamy minimalist painter Brett Armory. (Caitlin Donohue)

Opening reception: 7pm, free

Project One Gallery

251 Rhode Island, SF

www.p1sf.com

FRIDAY 24

Performance Research Experiment #2: Paradox of the Heart

Scientists frequently ask for volunteers on which to test the hypothesis their research suggests. Artists rarely get that kind of concrete response to what they are working on. In come Jess Curtis and Jörg Müller — and a bevy of artist and scientist collaborators — who will help them get scientifically measurable information that we the audience provide through our responses to what happens around us. The data will be translated into what Curtis calls an “interactive mash-up of dance/performance and physical science,” also called Performance Research Experiment #2: Paradox of the Heart. In case you care, the 2003 Experiment #1, also by the team of Curtis and Müller, drew on the duo’s background in circus arts and involved a lot of brooms and balls. (Rita Felciano)

8om, $20

CounterPULSE

1310 Mission, SF

www.eventbrite.com

Black Moth Super Rainbow

Black Moth Super Rainbow is nothing if not mysterious. The five enigmatic band members perform under whimsical stage names — Tobacco, the Seven Fields of Aphelion, Power Pill Fist, Iffernaut, and Father Hummingbird — that speak volumes about the fantastical and wonderfully absurd psychedelic pop they produce. The band, formed in Pittsburgh in 2002 originally gained attention from a run of buzz-building shows as SXSW. The band’s liberal use of analog electronics like a vocoder, Rhodes piano, and Novatron gives its music a sunny, retro sound. Underneath the barrage of strange instruments and layers of synth, Black Moth Super Rainbow sneaks in solid pop hooks and tight songwriting. Through its decade of existence, the band has continuously improved with each new release, and the sixth and most recent full-length Cobra Juicy certainly continues this evolution. (Haley Zaremba)

With the Hood Internet, Oscillator Bug

9pm, $19.50

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

TSOL

First gaining notoriety for songs such as “Code Blue,” an ode to the joys of necrophilia, along with the infamous riots that would break out at its early shows, T.S.O.L — or True Sounds of Liberty — was among the earliest and best of the Southern California punk bands to emerge in the late 1970s. While singer Jack Grisham has found other outlets for stirring up the social pot over time, including a 2003 gubernatorial run and as an author (his newest book, Untamed comes out next month) he and guitarist Ron Emory are still keeping the group going strong more than 30 years after their inception in Long Beach, Calif. (Sean McCourt)

With VKTMS, Rush and Attack

9pm, $13

Thee Parkside

1600 17th St., SF

(415) 252-1330

www.theeparkside.com

SATURDAY 25

“Sex Worker Sinema”

The cinema, er, sinema portion of the San Francisco Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival — focusing on “the lives, the art, and the struggle for workers’ and human rights of people employed in sex work industries” — is highlighted by several intriguing-sounding documentaries. Alexander Perlman’s Lot Lizard explores the lives of prostitutes who conduct business out of truck stops; James Johnson’s American Courtesans widens the scope, following 11 different sex workers in various situations; and a legendary NYC trans activist and Stonewall icon gets her due in Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson. Also on tap: a full slate of shorts, both doc and narrative. The $35 pass scores entry into all films in the fest. (Eddy)

2pm-midnight, $35

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St, SF

www.sexworkerfest.com

Mikal Cronin

Mikal Cronin has been bouncing around the San Francisco music scene for a couple of years as an unsung hometown hero, collaborating with Thee Oh Sees, recording with Ty Segall and performing in the Ty Segall Band, while quietly releasing his own solo records and singles. Finally, Cronin is no longer sidekicking. This year’s full-length MCII has received rave reviews from major music publications (SPIN and Pitchfork have labeled it among the best new music of the year) and Cronin is enjoying a headlining slot on a national tour. Tonight’s gig at the Rickshaw Stop is a much-deserved album release-party, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if Cronin pulls up some old friends to help him celebrate. (Zaremba)

With Audacity, Michael Stasis

9pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

TUESDAY 28

Radiation City

A quiet, practical friend of mine who nevers speaks in hyperbole just declared that Radiation City is his favorite band. It is a strong statement, but not surprising considering the band’s near-magical wooing ability. Comprised of two couples, even the band can’t resist its own magnetism. Maybe it’s a result of chemistry that extends offstage, but Radiation City has arrived at an enchanting formula the combines dreamy pop, some ’60s girl band flare, a shadow of psych-rock, and the occasional hint of bossa nova. After the May 21 release of its third album, Animals in the Median, Radiation will play new music to an enchanted crowd at Rickshaw Stop. My picky friend will be among those dancing, shouting, and bewitched. (Kerry)

With Cuckoo Chaos

8pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

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Selector: May 15-21, 2013

Andrew Lam

May 14, 2013

WEDNESDAY 15

Appleseed Cast

Change seems to be the only constant for Lawrence, Kansas’ meandering Appleseed Cast. Chris Crisci’s 14-year-old band has produced eight albums, dabbled in about as many different genres, and has a revolving-door lineup that would exhaust any frontperson. But Crisci shows no signs of tiring. In fact, the lyrics for the band’s most recent album, this year’s Illumination Ritual, were written over the course of three nights, between the hours of midnight and 4am. Though the band’s career has arced far from its oldschool emo beginnings, the vespertine Illumination Ritual gets back to its moody roots. With a fresh lineup and a nostalgic new sound, the Appleseed Cast’s tender instrumentals and Crisci’s earnest vocals have never sounded so good. (Haley Zaremba)

With Hospital Ships, the Dandelion War

8:30pm, $14

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St, SF

(415) 626-4455

THURSDAY 16

ArtPad

Here’s an idea for a surrealist film: enter one hotel room and find metal hands that respond to their viewers, enter another and find a strange light sculpture, then cut to a performance of a synchronized swimming team in a pool in the courtyard. This is no film plot, but a description of ArtPad, the arts fair that will take over the entire Phoenix Hotel for three days. With galleries from the Bay Area and beyond filling every room with experimental exhibitions, while food, drink, and performances contribute to the festive vibe, the event promises to be surreally epic. (Laura Kerry)

Through May 19

$15–$40

Phoenix Hotel

601 Eddy, SF

www.artpadsf.com

Liss Fain

It was almost exactly a year ago that Liss Fain Dance premiered her luminous The Water is Clear and Still at Z Space. It’s perhaps her must successful collaboration with her longtime designer Matthew Antaky, who created a translucent multi-level space that welcomed Fain’s choreography and her fine dancers. It was one of those wondrous installation pieces that you could walk around in, but most of us stayed glued to our spots in an attempt to catch everything. Water is steeped in Jamaica Kincaid’s lyrical memories of a Caribbean childhood, both painful and exotic. Fain now has added a prologue. Solid Ground, based on Kincaid’s latest book, in which she revisits those childhood memories from a mature woman’s perspective. The piece is also moving from Z Space to YBCA’s Forum, which has successfully hosted other Liss Fain Dance installations. (Rita Felciano)

Thu/16-Sat/18, 8pm; Sun/19, 5pm forum, $15–$30

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

700 Howard, SF

www.lissfaindance.org

Sandra Bernhard

It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when one learned that Sandra Bernhard was amazing. The stand-up comedian has been doing the damn thing for so long (since the ’70s), that she’s always just — been around, a fixture of the alternative culture firmament. A foulmouthed, straightforward, erudite queer back when they never made it network TV, she languidly lent cameos to Isaac Mizrahi’s Stripped and Madonna’s Truth or Dare, turned in seam-busting rants for her epic performance art-concert films like 1990’s Without You, I’m Nothing, and yes, was the first regular-appearing gay character on a network sitcom on Roseanne. To miss Bernhard’s first run in San Francisco in two years would be a revocation of your cool card, don’t do it. (Caitlin Donohue)

Also Fri/17

9pm, $45

Bimbo’s 365 Club

1025 Columbus, SF

(415) 474-0365

Big Boi

Any lingering notions of Big Boi as the “conventional” half of legendary Atlanta hip-hop duo Outkast should be dispelled by his two solo albums, including his most recent effort Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, released last November. Aided by cameos from Phantogram and Little Dragon in “Vicious,” Big Boi dives into rock guitars, female vocalists, and electronic bass to present a fearless, kaleidoscopic vision of rap. Track “Objectum Sexuality” sees Big Boi wax lyrical about women in between Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel’s floating vocals, a French interlude, and samples of atmospheric harp plucking. And just when you think he has slipped too far into moody, indie-fusion territory, Big Boi snaps you back with a devastating, horns-laden, proudly Atlantan club banger “In the A” with T.I. and Ludacris. (Kevin Lee)

With Killer Mike, Fishhawk, Goast

8:30pm, $35

Mezzanine

444 Jessie

(415) 625-8880

Janelle Monae at the SF Symphony

“Is it peculiar that she twerk in the mirror?” You can’t really blame her if you’ve caught R&B andro-angel Janelle Monae’s newest single with Erykah Badu “Q.U.E.E.N.” — the ode to iconoclasm, with its simple, catchy bass line is the perfect soundtrack to strutting and popping in front of reflective surfaces. Catch the singer’s turn with the SF Symphony tonight — the musicians have prepared original arrangements for her songs, and you’ll get tunes from her new album to boot. The ticket price is fairly astronomical, but the evening is a fundraiser for the Symphony’s educational programs, so there’s that. Plus attendees are granted access to a pre-show sparkling wine reception and after-party at City Hall. (Donohue)

7pm reception, 8pm concert, $90-$275

Davies Symphony Hall

201 Van Ness, SF

www.sfsymphony.org

FRIDAY 17

Midi Matilda

The first time I was confronted with local pop duo Midi Matilda, I was not-so-patiently waiting for Starfucker to take the stage at the Regency Lodge last September. Not expecting much from an electronic duo that was playing one of its very first shows, I was dumbstruck by the second song. Midi Matilda is the embodiment of everything that’s missing from contemporary twee-pop. It has a sense of intimacy, soul, and joy, embodied by great hooks and hilarious choreographed dances that are absolutely infectious. Operating backward from most bands, Midi Matilda wrote and recorded music before it ever established a live presence, gaining attention on the web with its “Day Dreams” music video. The duo’s catchy, dreamy pop songs make for a nice listen, but it is its goofy antics and blissful onstage presence that make a great new addition to the San Francisco music scene. (Zaremba)

With OONA, holychild

8:30pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

“You’re Supposed To Roll Your Hips In Time/ You’re Supposed To See Your Age Rewind” intones Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. on the bright electronic pop track “If You Didn’t See Me (Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor),” off its new Patterns EP. On its albums, the Detroit duo of Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein alternate between aw-shucks folksiness and the party-hearty synth-and-rock of MGMT and Phoenix. While firmly rooted in the here and now, DEJJ have shown respect to its musical inspirations with covers to classics by Madonna and the Beach Boys. The duo paid homage to Gil-Scott Heron with a shimmering, upbeat take on his funk classic “We Almost Lost Detroit,” resplendent with a video showcasing authentic locals and establishments from the Motor City. (Lee)

9pm, $16

Independent

628 Divisadero

(415) 771-1421

SATURDAY 18

Disappears

A 16-minute song has to do a lot of work to keep its listeners invested, but the strange thing about Disappears’ “Kone” off of the band’s April EP is that it is compelling because it doesn’t seem to make too much of an effort. An experiment in Kraut and psych-rock, the song harkens back to the very beginnings of proto-punk; though it involves less muddy intensity, it recalls those stretches in some Velvet Underground songs that don’t feel the need to arrive anywhere, but simply relish the ride. And isn’t that the aim of any good concert? It certainly will be at the Disappears’ Bottom of the Hill show. (Kerry)

With LENZ, the Tambo Rays

10pm, $12

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St., SF

(415) 626-4455

Exrays and Mwahaha

Going to the Lab is like a weekly, weekend celebration of “the other.” You might see any combination of drag, performance art interludes, or Sunday’s ritual Godwaffle Noise Pancakes, but should definitely count on some underground, experimental shit. Hidden among the crowded club corridor along 16th and Mission, at times it becomes a mini-rave cave. This Sat/18 should be no exception to those guidelines when Exrays (members of THEMAYS and Maus Haus) bring their old-school Atari-sounding glitchiness. The band hangs on to fun melodies while the frontperson delivers mopey vocals (it could just be that his voice is deep). Oakland’s Mwahaha headlines and goes for more of a sensory overload approach. It’s collaborated with tUnE-yArDs and will open for Sigur Ros in London this summer. (Andre Torrez)

With Seventeen Evergreen, Mohani

9pm, $7–$15 (sliding scale)

Lab

2948 16th St., SF

(415) 864-8855

www.thelab.org

Hunx and His Punx

It was a dark day here in the Bay when Seth Bogart, a.k.a Hunx, packed up his bags and moved to Los Angeles, leaving the city’s burgeoning garage rock scene a little less gay in every way. Despite this tragic loss, Bogart hasn’t slowed down at all since his relocation, with a variety web TV show (Hollywood Nailz), his own novelty record label (Wacky Wacko), a new solo album, and a brand new Hunx and His Punx record on the way. Despite the 2011 dissolution of the Punkettes, Hunx still rocks a deliciously genderqueer persona and is backed by some truly kickass ladies. This intimate show, featuring bandmate Shannon Shaw’s own group Shannon and the Clams as well as fellow SF ex-pat Ty Segall’s Fuzz is like a big, happy Bay Area reunion — and everyone’s invited! (Zaremba)

With Shannon and the Clams, Fuzz, Peach Kelli Pop, Twin Steps

8pm, $15

New Parish

579 18th St, Oakl.

(510) 444-7474

SUNDAY 19

Gothic Tropic

For a band that has released so little music — only the 2011 EP Awesome Problems — Gothic Tropic has a developed sense of itself. Part of it is in frontperson Cecilia Della Peruti’s tendency to perform shoeless so as not restrict her dance moves. Another aspect arises in her nickname for the trio, “the Sacred Three.” The primary feature, though, is the band’s sound. As its name suggests, Gothic Tropic plays sunny and exotic psych-pop tinted with some grit and darkness, and it plays it well. See the band in all of it’s fully-formed glory at Brick and Mortar. (Kerry)

With Seatraffic, Cruel Summer

9pm, $10

Brick and Mortar

1710 Mission, SF

(415) 800-8782

TUESDAY 21

“Eating Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement”

Let’s face it, Americans loves meat. But everyday consumers and informed connoisseurs are grappling with an increasing number of unanswered health and environmental questions with their meat, questions that an increasingly centralized food industry has left mostly unanswered. Unsatisfied with the growing gaps along the production chain, farmers, butchers, and chefs have banded together under the Whole Animal movement, which emphasizes using all of an animal for preparation and consumption. At this talk, four of the Bay Area’s meat authorities slice into how the movement stresses conservation and connects local producers, preparers, and eaters. After the talk, Dave the Butcher gives a whole animal butchery lesson while diners delve into delectables at the Ferry Building, with proceeds going to the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. (Lee)

With Chris Cosentino, Ryan Farr, John Fink and Tia Harrison

6:30pm program, $12–$20; 8pm butchering demo, $80–$100

Commonwealth Club

95 Market

(415) 597-6700

www.commonwealthclub.org

Selector: May 8-14, 2013

Andrew Lam

May 7, 2013

THURSDAY 9

Chrysta Bell

What kind of dreamlike, noir-ish persona does it take for David Lynch to call you his muse? Enter Chrysta Bell, a tall, modelesque redhead who could star as the doe-eyed femme fatale in the film director’s next trippy mystery. But Bell is more than a pretty face with a penchant for stilettos. The chanteuse shines with a series of moody numbers that range from brooding to fiery in her Lynch-produced 2011 solo album, This Train (Lynch also designed the visuals for her live performance). The LP’s title track evokes a Portishead-like sensibility, with Bell’s plaintive intonations sailing through electric guitar reverberations. (Kevin Lee)

With Emily Jane White

8pm, $20

Bimbo’s 365 Club

1025 Columbus, SF

FRIDAY 10

“The Rocky Horror Show 40th Anniversary Concert Tribute”

It’s astounding: The Rocky Horror Show — the original stage musical that spawned the 1975 lingerie-clad mother of all cult films, The Rocky Horror Picture Show — turns 40 this year. Who better to pay tribute than Peaches Christ and friends, who’re bringing Patricia “Magenta” Quinn to town for the occasion? The most-recognizable opening-credits lips ever will be performing as part of a “fully realized rock music concert” (with a cast of local musical luminaries), plus she’ll be taking questions from Peaches and fans in the audience. Also, there’ll be a Rocky character costume contest, a “Time Warp Warm-up” with perform-along veterans the Bawdy Caste, and much more. A toast to Rocky! (Cheryl Eddy)

Tonight and Sat/11, 8pm (also Sat/11, 3pm), $30-35

Victoria Theatre

2961 16th St., SF

www.peacheschrist.com

Kingdom of Not

Does Google Earth include Dan Carbone? He’s hard to pinpoint even if, with his lolloping overgrown baby frame, he’s equally hard to miss. If you go to the Garage tonight, you’ll almost certainly not miss this longtime absurdist master of the tweely macabre, nor Andrew Goldfarb, his sturdy collaborator, as the duo unpack a new trunk of treats in the gleefully unbalanced musical playroom known as Kingdom of Not (arch architects of the self-produced CD, Journey to the Far Side of the Room). This evening of fresh mutterings and mischievous ditties — entitled “i am a Lie that ALWAYS tells the TRUTH” — features special guests Richard J. Berman (bass), Gray (“demon goddess”), and pioneering Texas psychedelic autoharpist Billy Bill Miller (of Roky Erickson and the Aliens). (Robert Avila)

8pm, $10–$20

Garage

715 Bryant, SF

www.kingdomofnot.com

Eifman Ballet

If you think that ballet is about princesses, swans, and dancing flowers skittering across the stage in an superannuated vocabulary, Boris Eifman is the man for you. This Russian iconoclast makes works about art, passion, sex, betrayal, and power. Dance is but one element in these hugely conceived pieces that tell stories, big-time. His long-limbed, fabulously trained dancers can do anything. They are spectacular but so are the sets, costumes, acting and music, all conceived by Eifman. He collages his own scores, and he is ruthless in taking what he thinks he needs to make his super-dramatic statements. The current piece is called Rodin, but don’t be fooled by the title: it’s as much a work about Rodin’s lover and badly treated mistress, sculptor Camille Claudel. (Rita Felciano)

Tonight and Sat/11, 8pm; Sun/12, 3pm, $30–$92

Zellerbach Hall

Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley, Berk.

www.calperformances.org

Greyboy Allstars

Even the words associated with Greyboy Allstars have a certain groove to them: “boogaloo,” “funk,” “acid jazz.” First performing together in 1994 in San Diego, the group has managed to come together since then to create five albums amid solo projects, numerous outside collaborations, and work in other industries. Every time the Allstars reunite, it stitches together of the most danceable elements of many genres — not just jazz and funk, but ’80s pop, hip-hop, and even some psych-rock — and the results are intriguing. These two performances at the Independent present a rare opportunity to catch ’em in action, so jump (or more appropriately, dance) at the opportunity. (Laura Kerry)

With Alan Evans Trio

Tonight and Sat/11, 9pm, $25

Independent

628 Divisadero, SF

SATURDAY 11

Bob’s Burgers Live!

I don’t eat meat, but I do eat Bob’s Burgers. That’s because Bob’s Burgers are cartoons, just wholesome natural cartoons: not exactly good for you, but light on your buns. The cast of Fox’s hit animated series comes to town for an evening of juicy, charbroiled, wax-paper-wrapped comedy — including stand-up, table readings, audience Q&A, and sneak previews of new episodes — featuring the highly animated real people behind the scenes: H. Jon Benjamin (Bob Belcher), Kristen Schaal (Louise Belcher), Eugene Merman (Gene Belcher), Dan Mintz (Tina Belcher), John Roberts (Linda Belcher), and the show’s creator and executive producer, Loren Bouchard. (Avila)

8pm, $32.50

Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium

1111 California, SF

http://bit.ly/bobssanfrancisco

“Oakland Internet Cat Video Festival”

Imagine the motor skills, emojis, and investigative aptitudes that are expended towards the perusal and dissemination of internet cat videos. Now envision the United States’ gently slipping global profile, our general disdain of forward thinkers, and disappointing affinity for environmentally rape-y mineral extraction processes. Is it such a stretch to believe a cat lovers movement could save the world? We could take this day-long festival, with its locally made cat vendors, cat-themed aerial acrobatics, and of course, lineup of furry clips projected onto Oakland’s Great Wall that are oft-watched in the privacy of our homes — and turn it into a rallying moment. Cat lovers, turn your golden eyes upon the future! Click your way to Barack Obama’s website and meow your concern over fracking tactics that will leave the world a worse place for our tiny, furry babies! But first, one more video of Lil Bub breathing loudly. Okay, now go. (Caitlin Donohue)

3-10pm, $10-$75

Great Wall of Oakland

West Grand between Broadway and Valley, Oakl.

www.oaklandcatvidfest.com

Art Industry Open Studios

With 10,000 square feet of space, American Steel Studios resembles a museum more than a studio space. But in museums, the art has been completed; the walls are still and quiet. Within American Steel, on the other hand, sculptors, architects, and inventors buzz with creativity and work. During this weekend, the buzz will increase with studio tours, performances, and artist talks as the venue invites the public into a place that has played a significant role in Oakland’s recent arts boom. And as an added bonus, American Steel also contains a brewery that will participate in the event. Not many museums can claim that. (Kerry)

Through Sun/12

Noon, free

American Steel Studios

1960 Mandela, Oakl.

www.americansteelstudios.com

SUNDAY 12

Jim James

Jim James, sometimes billed as Yim Yames, has howled and hopped his way to folk-rock royalty with his bombastic performances and killer vocals as the frontperson for My Morning Jacket. Circuital, MMJ’s most recent full-length, bridged the gap between folk jams and radio-ready hits with its catchy hooks and sunny choruses. In his solo work, James is slightly more mellow, but still delightfully, uncompromisingly, eccentric. No matter what moniker he performs under, James will always be one hell of a performer. The Fillmore’s hallowed ground is the perfect match for his bizarre theatrics and unmatched charisma. (Haley Zaremba)

With Cold Specks

8pm, $31

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

www.theregencyballroom.com

Mothra

Celebrate Mother’s Day this year with the most massive maternal monster of them all — Mothra! Award-winning writer August Ragone, author of Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, which looked at the life of the Japanese special effects legend (among his many creations: the beloved winged kaiju), hosts a screening of Ishiro Honda’s 1961 Mothra as part of Will Viharo’s excellent “Thrillville” series. Prepare to settle on some comfy couches (pro-tip: the New Parkway serves pizza and beer), listen to Ragone share secrets and behind-the-scenes photos about the making of the movie, and sing along with the two tiny twin fairies as the glorious destruction begins! (Sean McCourt)

6pm, $6

New Parkway

474 24th St, Oakl.

www.thenewparkway.com

MONDAY 13

Yngwie Malmsteen

Coming to prominence in the early 1980s, guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen blew away listeners with his classically-inspired shredding and a flashy style that displayed his incredible technical prowess on the instrument. The virtuoso has released a slew of metal and rock records that show off his scorching solos, but he has also put out albums featuring classical and orchestral compositions and collaborations with groups such as the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Malmsteen, whose latest effort, Spellbound, came out last year, continues to hone his fancy fretwork — and occasionally makes headlines for his off-stage antics as well. Don’t miss out on your chance to see him “unleash the fury!” (McCourt)

With Burning Heat

8pm, $32

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

TUESDAY 14

“The Social Network Effect with Nicholas Carr”

“If Terrence Malick were given a lobotomy, forced to smoke seven joints in rapid succession, and ordered to make the worst TV advertisement the world has ever seen, this is the ad he would have produced.” Nicholas Carr was unkind on his blog to Facebook’s first television commercial, but he saves his most potent invective against Facebook, Google and other internet behemoths that have taken hold in society. The former Harvard Business Review executive editor argues such sites are hindering our ability to remember information, connect with others and consume media. His 2011 book, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, is a harrowing treatise on how the World Wide Web is shaping us more than we are shaping it. Tonight, he’s in conversation with former Wired editor Thomas Goetz. (Lee)

7:30pm, $22–$27

Nourse Theatre

275 Hayes, SF

www.cityarts.net

Our Weekly Picks

April 30, 2013

WEDNESDAY 1

Paul Taylor Dance Company

In July, Paul Taylor will be 83. He founded his company in 1954. He has danced with Balanchine, Graham, and Cunningham. With Trisha Brown out of the picture, he is the last of the giants of American Modern Dance left standing. He has long entered the classroom on American dance, and yet he keeps working as if there were no tomorrow. Maybe there isn’t. His dances are gorgeous to look at, yet many of them cut like a scalpel through what Taylor sees a hypocrisy in patriotism, the family structure, social justice, and gender roles. His musical world is huge, ranging from Bach to Piazzola, Stravinksy to the Andrew Sisters. During this engagement the company will present three programs with eight works, half of them new to SF. Who can compete with that? (Rita Felciano)

Wed/1-Sat/4, 8pm; Sun/5, 2pm, $35–$60

Lam Research Theater

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

700 Howard, SF

(415) 978-2787

Michael Lewis

Financial scribe Michael Lewis gained pop culture fame with his sports books-turned-movies. Even so, Moneyball and The Blind Side are, at their core, business stories that delve into the (often incorrect) assumptions of appraising the physical traits and skill sets of athletes. The Berkeley-based writer established himself with Liar’s Poker, in which he described his personal experiences working in the infantile culture of Wall Street and debunked how traders were making millions selling junk bonds and mortgage bonds — in 1989. Last year, Lewis penned an in-depth Vanity Fair profile of President Barack Obama after obtaining six months of access to the White House, the president and members of his inner circle. (Kevin Lee)

In conversation with Dacher Keltner

7:30pm, $27

Nourse Theatre

275 Hayes, SF

(415) 392-4400

www.cityarts.net

THURSDAY 2

Brad Howe

Alexander Calder’s mobiles were perfect for the mid-20th century. Colorful shapes that hung in an ordered disarray took up the aims of modernism to resist tradition, banish realism, and do something new. But nowadays, though they fit beautifully in the galleries of great museums, Calder’s art doesn’t engage the big bad world of rapid connectivity defined by Twitter, Google, and high-speed travel. Brad Howe’s does. Taking up the mobile and sculpture, the artist updates the legacy of colorful shapes by adding more chaos, color, and whimsy. At the Caldwell Snyder Gallery, you’ll see works that are perfect for the 21st century. (Laura Kerry)

Through May 31, free

Caldwell Snyder

341 Sutter, SF

(415) 392-2299

www.caldwellsnyder.com

Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies are influential in the genre of Americana music. They also happen to be Canadian. All irony aside, almost three decades after their formation, the Junkies continue to embody solid, humble songwriting and lo-fi acoustics, a welcome respite from the overproduced hip-hop and overwrought indie rock of contemporary music. Margo Timmins’ haunting alto voice remains as exquisite and heartbreaking as it was in 1985, while the band’s cohesion and form has only improved. It takes a special band to survive decades of music industry tumult, and a truly extraordinary band to do it with style and grace. (Haley Zaremba)

10pm, $32

Yoshi’s

1330 Fillmore, SF

(415) 665-5600

yoshis.com/sanfrancisco

FRIDAY 3

CounterPULSE May Day

If you live in a northern climate, you understand why May Day celebrations were important. Finally, the ground had warmed enough to plant tomatoes. Enough of a reason to pick up some ribbons and wind yourself around a pole. We are no long an agricultural people so May 1 has become an occasion to honor all kinds of labor by men and women around the globe. What better date — or dates — to bring together local arts workers who with their sweat (after all, most of them are dancers) “feed” us year round. And May 1 happens to be CounterPULSE’s eighth anniversary — not very old, but could we imagine the City without this place that is so wide open to experimentation and nourishes artists and audience alike? Over 20 of them have offered to perform in this combined festival-fundraiser. Check out the impressive line-up on the website. (Felciano)

Through May 5

8pm, $35 and up

CounterPULSE

1310 Mission, SF

(415) 626-2060

mayday2013.eventbrite.com

murmur in the inventory

Reason number 567 I love San Francisco: a publicist I’ve worked with for years — receiving her press releases regarding Cutting Ball Theater and other arts organizations — also happens to be a widely published, prizewinning poet. Erica Lewis’ third collection, murmur in the inventory, came out a few months ago on contemporary poetry imprint Shearsman Books. The author describes the work in murmur as being about “fragmentation, being haunted, and how sometimes you are your own ghost;” fellow SF poet Cedar Sigo calls it “gorgeous and arresting.” Get to know this multi-talented writer at two Oakland readings this week. (Cheryl Eddy)

Tonight, 7:30pm, free

Studio One Art Center

365 45th St, Oakl.

studioonereadingseries.blogspot.com

Sat/4, 5pm, free

Aggregate Space

801 West Grand, Oakl.

www.aggregatespace.com

Alice Russell

Before neo-soul Brits Adele and Amy Winehouse invaded our shores, there was Alice. The Suffolk, England native has been belting out full-bodied numbers in Aretha Franklin-style since the early 2000s. DJs ranging from DJ Scruff to Fatboy Slim have looked to Russell for upbeat collaborations, while the electronic jazz producer Quantic and Russell paired brilliantly for their warm and inviting Look Around the Corner released last year. Her most recent, To Dust, showcases Russell’s entire range, from the dance-pop of “Hard and Strong” to the Erykah Badu-like fusion of R&B and hip-hop in “Twin Peaks.” (Lee)

With the Shotgun Wedding Quintet, DJ Carnita

9pm, $20

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

SATURDAY 4

oOoOO

The latest developments surrounding oOoOO are shrouded in mystery. Here’s what we do know: oOoOO is San Francisco-based experimental chillwave producer Chris Dexter. Dexter launched a new record label in April called Nihjgt Feelings that is allegedly based in “the Turkish island of Bozcaada” according to the label’s Facebook page. Dexter’s debut album Without Your Love is set to be released on the new label this June. This show is supposed to be a full preview of said album, and if the online samples are anything to go by, it should be a spacey, haunting doozy. As opener, LA’s Groundislava brings his own mix of odd blips, video game effects, and old-school house sounds. (Lee)

10pm, $15

Public Works

161 Erie, SF

(415) 932-0955

“Cuatro de Xylo”

After taking a year off of building one of their massive art installations for Burning Man last year, the Flaming Lotus Girls are coming back strong this year with Xylophage, a massive tree stump sprouting mushrooms, light, sound, and evocative symbolism. Since embedding myself with the FLGs in 2005 for a Guardian cover story (“Angels of the Apocalypse,” 8/17/05), we’ve enjoyed watching this beloved local crew go on to international acclaim for work on and off the playa. The Flaming Lotus Girls got a big art grant from Black Rock City LLC this year to build Xylophage, but as usual, it only covers about half the cost of this ambitious installation. That’s where you come in. Come join the FLGs at their Hunters Point workspace, marvel at their many creations from over the years, enjoy some beer and BBQ, and chat up these gorgeous creatures as they poof some fire for you. Poof! (Steven T. Jones)

2-10pm, $5-$20

Box Shop

951 Hudson, SF

www.flaminglotus.com

SUNDAY 5

“Warna”

A lot of today’s electronic and indie music whiz-kids-of-the-moment could boost their creative staying power if they experienced more live performances of some of the music that inspired their forebears. The hypnotic, polychromatic bell-like sound of the traditional Balinese gamelan orchestra has influenced innovators from Sonic Youth to Derrick May. (Fun fact: the first recorded instance of a gamelan played at a rave was in 1997 in Santa Cruz.) The Bay’s spectacular, and spectacularly huge, Gamelan Sekar Jaya ensemble, in collaboration with “bronze orchestra” Gong Kebyar, draws together 40 of its musicians and dancers for “Warna” — a word meaning both “color” and “caste.” The program will explore “the playful melodies and dances of Balinese villages and delve into the arts nurtured by the powerful kings of Bali” in an explosion of sight and sound — which is exactly the kind of exploration we like. (Marke B.)

7:30pm, $10-$20

Julia Morgan Theater

2640 College, Berk.

www.gsj.org

MONDAY 6

SF Made Week

We love the work that SF Made has done bringing together and providing resources to people who use our shockingly lovely surrounds to make useful consumer items. This week, the trade association gives the public a passel of ways to get to know its members. Set to coincide with the city-wide Small Business Week, SF Made is sponsoring seven days of factory floor tours at local manufacturers DODOcase, Rickshaw Bags, sex toy creators Crave, McRoskey Mattress, Bi-Rite, and more. Plus educational panels for would-be entrepreneurs, and SF Made’s annual fundraiser evening, which takes over Heath Ceramics’ new Mission factory Mon/8. (Caitlin Donohue)

Through May 12

Various SF locations

www.sfmade.org

TUESDAY 7

“Untenable Dynamism”

Imagine looking at a city from the window of a plane. At first glance, the buildings and streets appear static and comforting. As you approach though, everything begins to move; lights flicker, cars travel, and people begin to take shape with the tiny movements of their remote lives. In the SF Art Institute’s show, “Untenable Dynamism,” the city comes alive. The prints, videos, and installations of artists Maya Smira and Monika Lukowska show that a city is not just solid buildings and a comprehensible population within, but complex and ungraspable dynamics between humans, technology, and industries. Not only will you see great art at the Diego Rivera Gallery, but like the view out the plane window, your perspective may change. (Kerry)

Through May 11

5pm, free

San Francisco Art Institute

800 Chestnut, SF

(415) 283-7754

www.sfai.edu

Wild Style

Relax all of your conventional methods of film criticism for a minute (or 82 of them). What makes Wild Style compelling isn’t the convincing acting or gripping love story plot. Exactly 30 years after its release, the movie’s portrayal of graffiti, break dancing, and the novel art of scratching and rapping provide a fascinating glimpse at the history of a musical movement. For high budget drama, go elsewhere, but for a rare look at Grandmaster Flash on obsolete turntables and a reminder of a time when rap lyrics included phrases such as “follow your dream until it’s fulfilled,” come to the Contemporary Jewish Museum’s screening of Wild Style. (Kerry)

2pm, free

Contemporary Jewish Museum

736 Mission, SF

(415) 655-7800

www.thecjm.org

Selector: April 24-30, 2013

Andrew Lam

April 23, 2013

FRIDAY 26

Robot Chicken

Marking the end of the special exhibit Between Frames: The Magic Behind Stop Motion Animation, the comedic geniuses behind the hit Adult Swim TV show Robot Chicken — Stoopid Buddy Stoodios — are coming to the city this weekend for several special events celebrating their craft. Join Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, John Harvatine IV, Eric Towner, and Alex Kamer on Friday night for an after-hours museum party featuring food, drinks, an audience Q&A, and screenings of behind-the-scenes footage. Then on Saturday there’s a special animation workshop followed by a panel discussion taking a closer look at the hilarious TV show. (Sean McCourt)

Fri/26, 7pm; Sat/27, 10am and 2pm, $8–$60

Walt Disney Family Museum

104 Montgomery, SF

(415) 345-6800

www.waltdisney.org

San Francisco Global Vietnamese Film Festival

A three-day celebration of films from Vietnam (as well as Cambodia, Canada, France, Japan, the Czech Republic, and the United States), the San Francisco Global Vietnamese Film Festival offers up both narratives and documentaries, as well as experimental works. Highlights include screenings of Oscar nominee Tran Angh Hung’s dreamy 2010 adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s novel Norwegian Wood — as well as Duc Nguyen’s brand-new doc about Vietnamese refugees, Stateless, and a shorts program comprised of Yxine Film Festival standouts. (Cheryl Eddy)

Opening gala tonight, 7:30pm, $10

Artists’ Television Access

992 Valencia, SF

Festival screenings Sat/27-Sun/28, 2:30pm-midnight, $10

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St., SF

sfgvff.wordpress.com

“SF Choral Society and Volti present battle hymns”

Making Love may be a more common theme for dance than Making War. This did not stop Philadelphia-based choreographer Leah Stein, whose small company dances big and not just on stage, and collaborating composer David Lang. Stein has created a reputation for site-specific, improv-inspired choreography combined with an uncommonly sophisticated musicality. Lang based his choral work, Battle Hymn, on texts from the Civil War. Together they have created a meditation on a topic that, unfortunately, is as timely a ever. Stein’s dancers and 150 singers — including SF music group Volti, San Francisco Choral Society vocalists, and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir — will perform along with the percussion score conducted by Robert Geary. (Rita Felciano)

Fri/26, 8pm; Sat/27, 3 and 8pm; Sun/28, 3pm, $30–$50

Kezar Pavilion

755 Stanyon, SF

(415) 392-4400

www.cityboxoffice.com

SATURDAY 27

“Fortuna Paper Moon”

In art, process can be everything. In the case of Jovi Schnell, the colorful and lively works that seem to borrow from folk art, celestial imagery, and mechanical ideas speak for themselves, but the story of their creation embeds them with particular meaning — or rather, an intriguing lack of meaning. In paintings such as Honeycomb Hideaway, repeated rolling of dice determined the order of colors and the pattern that comprises the piece (which is no pattern at all). Schnell has invented a language in paint, collage, and sculpture that is whimsical, energetic, and overall, fascinating. The “Fortuna Paper Moon” exhibition is on view at Gregory Lind Gallery until June 1. (Laura Kerry)

Through June 1

4pm, free

Gregory Lind Gallery

49 Geary, SF

(415) 296-9661

www.gregorylindgallery.com

Queen’s Day

You love excessive drinking in the street and the color orange, right? (Don’t lie SF, I’ve seen many a fake tan Bay to Breakdown.) A celebration for the Queen of the Netherlands’ birthday in SF goes down in the park this year and will feature Dutch cheese and DJs, a beer garden, and family activities, sponsored by the Consulate General of the Netherlands. Head up the road to the de Young afterward for even more Dutch madness: more DJs and a 7pm lecture on the country’s royal family that you won’t remember the next day if you’re celebrating in the traditional manner. (Caitlin Donohue)

Noon-5pm, free

Murphy Windmill

Lincoln Way and Great Highway, Golden Gate Park, SF

www.sfdutch.com

“Night Light: Multimedia Garden Party”

Disco dancing about diasporas, an opera in shadow, moving crystals, nude hula hooping, a slowed down wave, and a technological cocoon: these are not club names mentioned by Stefon in Saturday Night Live, but some of the art pieces that will be on display at SOMArts’ Multimedia Garden Party. With more than 50 artists displaying their music, dance, video installations, sculptures, and art in various other mediums, the night promises to be overwhelmingly spectacular. While art is often confined to the quiet and clean spaces of museums and galleries, tonight it participates in a party. SOMArts offers a chance to participate with it. (Kerry)

8pm, $12

SOMArts

934 Brannan, SF

(415) 863-1414

www.somarts.org

Men in Suits

Long before computer graphics became all the rage in Hollywood, a special breed of actors and special effects magicians worked together to bring a vast array of wild monsters, creatures, beasts and more to life on the big screen, entertaining (and scaring) generations of movie-goers. Take a look back at that golden age of film making tonight at a screening of Men In Suits, a new documentary about the people who played monsters in the movies, ranging from the Creature From The Black Lagoon to Predator. Writer-director Frank Woodward will be on hand for a discussion, along with special displays, prizes, and a second flick, 1955’s Revenge of the Creature. (McCourt)

7pm, $12–$15

Historic Bal Theater

14808 East 14th St., San Leandro

www.bayareafilmevents.com

SUNDAY 28

How Weird

Do we love New Orleans so because it reflects a more diverse, wilder, woolier, earlier version of our fair city? Play out your Nola dreams with lunch at the gorgeous SF Jazz Center’s Big Easy-inspired restaurant South, and then head to the 14th year of the How Weird street fair in your best freak flag. Per usual, a sizable portion of SoMa will be blocked off and filled with wacky vendors, art, and 10 stages of music — mainly EDM, but with this year’s “Weirdi Gras” theme, five marching bands will be strutting the streets to syncopate your Sunday. (Donohue)

Noon-8pm, $10 suggested donation

Howard and Second St., SF

www.howweird.org

SUNDAY 28

Cave Singers

At first listen, the Cave Singers’ music inhabits a place directly related to rotting porches on the edges of mountainous forests. They play folk. Spend a little more time with them, though, and it starts to make sense that their favorite bands are the Replacements, the Pixies, and Fleetwood Mac. Pete Quirk’s singing, a bit raspy and raw, recalls other genres that typically involve more yelping and distortion (he was previously a part of a Seattle post-punk band); the compositions have a little too much edge to be played from a porch in the mountains. Yes, it’s folk that they’ll play at Great American Music Hall, but it’s the Cave Singers’ version of it. (Kerry)

With Bleeding Rainbow

8pm, $16

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

Marnie Stern

On the cover of Marnie Stern’s new album, Chronicles of Marnia, the artist walks on the beach in a summer dress, silhouetted by a setting sun. This would suggest that inside, one would find some sweet, vulnerable melodies in a singer-songwriter style. And that is not completely wrong — her soul-bearing songwriting comes up in some very positive reviews of her four albums — but what Stern does particularly well, is shred on the electric guitar; her finger tapping post-punk experimental rock sound earned her a spot on many greatest guitarist lists. Stern is the real deal, and you can see her bear shred (and bear her soul) at the Rickshaw Stop tonight. (Kerry)

With SISU, E V Kain

8pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

MONDAY 29

La Mar Cebicheria pisco dinner

Sure, when Peru’s Gaston Acurio opened up his first US restaurant here on our waterfront we knew we weren’t going to be regulars — that sustainable seafood doesn’t come cheap, babe. That being said, there’s something about shellfooding out on a special occasion. So we wanted to let you know about this: a four-course dinner, each course paired with a dram of pisco, or a cocktail based off that Peruvian liquor that’s been beloved in SF since the days of the Gold Rush. Before the heavy plates come in, check out the 6pm pisco seminar taught by Manuel Ainzuain, Alfonso Rouillon, and La Mar bar manager Joselino Solis. (Donohue)

Reservations required

Open 5:30-9:30pm, $75/person

La Mar Cebichería Peruana

Pier 1½, SF

(415) 397-8880

www.lamarsf.com

Selector: April 17-23, 2013

Andrew Lam

April 16, 2013

WEDNESDAY 17

Night Beats

Seattle’s Night Beats has all of the fixings of a good psych-garage act; the lo-fi recordings, the raspy vocals with punctuated yelps, and the noisily manipulated guitar. But the band, which takes its name from Sam Cooke’s best record, has a direct link to the more soulful breeds of music the title suggests, such as R&B. “Dial 666” is simple, 12-bar blues, “High Noon Blues” borrows sentiment and structure from that genre, and “Puppet on a String” seems to call for some old-fashioned dance moves. With the combination of vigorous rock and sensuous roll, Night Beats’ show at Brick and Mortar promises to be satisfying. (Laura Kerry)

With Cool Ghouls, Primitive Hearts, Big Drag

9pm, $10

Brick and Mortar Music Hall

1710 Mission, SF

(415) 800-8782

Bad Religion

Mixing aggressive guitar riffs with politically-savvy lyrics and harmony-laden vocals — which the band refers to as “oozin’ aahs” in its liner notes — Southern California’s Bad Religion has been going strong for more than three decades. It just released latest album, True North on founding member Brett Gurewitz’ iconic independent label Epitaph Records last January. And the punk rock stalwarts continue to be driven by singer-author-professor Greg Graffin’s powerful songwriting, which touches on everything from global politics and religion to more personal experiences and emotions that just about anyone can relate to and share in a sense of powerful catharsis. (Sean McCourt)

With the Bronx, Polar Bear Club

8pm, $27.50–$30

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

The 2 Bears

I don’t need caffeine. My computer just starts playing “Work” by the 2 Bears at 7am, complete with rising organ, a pulsing groove, and motivational chorus: “We’ve got to work harder, for the future, my love we got to work.” It might not even be the best song on Be Strong from the 2 Bears (Hot Chips’s Joe Goddard and the Raf Daddy), as it faces stiff competition from hilarious, cuddly club anthem “Bear Hug” and the uplifting, romantic space dub on “Church.” But, it does the job of getting me moving, and by the time the disco queen vocals kick in I’m likely showered and downstairs having breakfast. (Ryan Prendiville)

With Sleazemore, Richie Panic (Lights Down Low)

10pm, $15 presale

1015 Folsom, SF

www.1015.com

THURSDAY 18

“Touching Art: Tribute to Judith Scott”

Skin, the largest organ, keeps our insides safe from the perils of the outside, but it is also the membrane through which we experience the world. In its tribute to Judith Scott, swissnex will explore this, looking at touch’s role in the creation of art. Scott, who could neither speak nor hear and therefore relied heavily on her sense of touch, made beautiful cocoon structures at Oakland’s Creative Growth Art Center for 20 years. Swissnex, in conjunction with Switzerland’s L’Art Brut, will screen a film about the artist, showcase some of her work, and host a talk by Dr. Sandra Weiss on the connection between touch and emotion. The night promises be a touching intersection of art and science. (Kerry)

6pm, $10

swissnex

730 Montgomery, SF

(415) 912-5901

www.swissnexsanfrancisco.org

FRIDAY 19

An evening with Manlio Argueta

While a hard punishment, exile can also be the place where great works of art are born. “I left with a closed fist and came back with an open hand,” said Rafael Alberti returning to Spain after 38 years of exile. Ostracized in Mexico, Pablo Neruda finished one of his masterpieces Canto General. Exiled in Costa Rica, acclaimed Salvadorean poet Manlio Argueta wrote his most celebrated novel, One Day of Life (Vintage Book, 1983). In line with his mentor, poet Roque Dalton, Argueta vividly writes about the 12-year civil war through a peasant family’s eyes. The book, available in 15 languages, was named one of the best 10 novels in Spanish of the 20th century by NY’s Modern Library. (Fernando Andres Torres)

7pm $10

ANSWER

2969 Mission, SF

(415) 902-4754

www.manlioargueta.com

“We Are Winning, Don’t Forget: Short works by Jean-Gabriel Périot”

Jean-Gabriel Périot developed a painstaking approach to making films. By carefully stitching together archival images, both still and moving, he creates political narratives that are poignant despite (or because of) their brevity. As a part of a US tour that begins at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the filmmaker comes to the Bay with nine short films, with subjects ranging from Hiroshima to “politics and tomatoes.” The evening at Artist’s Television Access presents a great opportunity to see these stunning films and the man behind the camera. (Kerry)

8pm, $10

Artist’s Television Access

992 Valenica, SF

(415) 824-3890

www.atasite.org

Sheetal Ghandi: Bahu Beti Biwis

Deconstructing cultural artifacts is just about today’s lingua franca. Sometimes you might wish that artists left well enough alone. Yet, at its best it shows creative minds at work that are willing to take the risks inherent in changing lenses. Sheetal Ghandi is one of them. Even though her performance practices are already exceptionally broad —Kathak, modern and West African dance, plus Broadway as well as Cirque du Soleil — she took a lot of imaginative leaps for her solo show Bahu Beti Biwis (Daughter-in-law, daughter, wife), a series of both humorous and poignant portraits of women and the roles traditionally assigned to them. It’s a piece that has been described as empathizing with “Indian women across time and space.” (Rita Felciano)

Fri/19-Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 7pm, $20–$25

ODC Theater

3153 17th St., SF

(415) 863-9834

odctheater.org/buytickets.php

SATURDAY 20

Mishap Psychic Fair

Nothing will make sense on 420 anyway (unless you snagged tickets for Snoop Lion at the Fillmore, in which case: jealous), so you may as well go to the goofiest damn event you can find. Surely the Mishap Psychic Fair is in the running for the honorific — the (is it?) satirical set-up will feature tongue-in-cheek booths where you can align your crystals via rock opera, attune to your inner “sexy anger,” and temper it all with cocktails if you’re not too bleary-eyed from the traditional mode of celebration on this international holiday. Buy tix to the fair in advance and you’ll snag a complimentary photo of your aura, a so-called magic elixir, or henna tattoo. Heal thyself, hippie. (Caitlin Donohue)

Sat/20, 8pm, $10

Geoffrey’s Inner Circle

410 14th St., Oakl.

www.mishapproductions.com

The Last Unicorn screening and birthday celebration

And now for something completely magical: Peter S. Beagle, author of beloved 1968 fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (among dozens of other works), turns 74 today, and he’ll journey from his home in Oakland for a pair of birthday- and unicorn-themed San Francisco events. (Hooves up if you ever had a unicorn-themed birthday party! I know I did … maybe more than once.) First is a screening of the 1982 animated film adapted from the book, with voices by Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, and Alan Arkin; Beagle will be on hand to answer questions and sign books. Diehards can continue the festivities at the Cartoon Art Museum, which hosts a reading and further signings by the author, plus an auction of some mighty nifty original artwork to benefit the museum and Beagle’s imminent multi-city tour. Costumes are encouraged, obvi. (Cheryl Eddy)

Screening, noon-3pm, $8.50

Castro Theatre

429 Castro, SF

VIP reception, 6-8pm, $25

Cartoon Art Museum

655 Mission, SF

www.cartoonart.org

“Bill Frisell presents Hunter S. Thompson’s The Kentucky Derby“

Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell has tackled many an avant-garde project in his 40-plus year career, and his latest foray beckons fans of music, stage, and literature. Bringing life to Hunter S. Thompson’s memorable “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved” this weekend, Frisell will be joined by narrator Tim Robbins in a multimedia production featuring set design by the iconic writer’s longtime collaborator Ralph Steadman. Considered the first of Thompson’s pieces to truly reflect his “Gonzo” style of journalism, the story and production will no doubt envelop audience members in an aural and visual way never before experienced. Buy the ticket, take the ride. (McCourt)

Sat/20, 7:30pm; Sun/21, 4 and 7:30pm, $35–$80

SF Jazz Center

201 Franklin, SF

www.sfjazz.org

Maria Minerva

Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom. That’s what I’ve found out on Wikipedia. What I’ve found out about Estonian lo-fi electronic chanteuse Maria Minerva is that she’s an art school graduate/critic/glossolalia expert/comedy student. But, all I really know is that her Bless EP on 100% Silk is excellent. “Soulsearchin’,” focuses on the anxiety of options, built around George Carlin’s “Modern Man,” but it’s the laid-back guitar, slightly off-kilter percussion, and circling vocals on “Symbol of My Pleasure” that stay with me. (Prendiville)

With Butterclock (live), Marco De La Vega, and more

9pm, $10 presale

Public Works

161 Erie, SF

(415) 932-0955

MONDAY 22

Oakland Veg Week

Perhaps you are deluged by the information regarding sustainable eating available today. This is completely understandable — at times, we feel as though we will surely perish under the mountainous weight of fair trade quinoa foisted upon us by Bay Area foodie culture. Luckily, Oakland Veg Week is going on, with its host of events meant to dispel myths about what to eat. Go on a farm field trip, take vegan cheese-making classes (both April 27), attend a talk by Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society on why eating animals is bad for the earth (April 25), snack your way through a delicious grand finale at the Lake Merritt Sailboat House (April 28), or check out the host of other, veg-friendly events this week. (Donohue)

Through April 28

Various Oakland locations

www.oaklandveg.com

Selector: April 10-16, 2013

Andrew Lam

April 9, 2013

WEDNESDAY 10

Vijay Iyer Trio Jazz fans recognize Vijay Iyer as one of the genre’s reigning superstar composer-pianists. Iyer lends a bold and dynamic style to both his original productions and live performances, an approach that stems from teaching himself to play the piano as a child and picking up works by legends like Thelonious Monk by ear. With bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore, Iyer’s trio earned critical acclaim for 2012’s Accelerando, which features clever reinterpretations of tracks by Michael Jackson, disco group Heatwave, and electronic DJ Flying Lotus. When not touring, the UC Berkeley alum writes about jazz theory and teaches jazz piano and composition at the Manhattan School of Music and New York University. (Kevin Lee)

6:30pm, $20 Hotel Rex 562 Sutter

(415) 413-4708

THURSDAY 11

“Ghostbusters: Live On Stage”

Why has a 1984 film about a group of misfits determined to cure New York City of its ectoplasm explosion endured for so many years? As Ray Parker Jr. once sang, “Bustin’ makes me feel good!” The intrepid local thesps of Rhiannastan Productions — picking up the grand San Francisco tradition of turning cult films into stage plays; anyone else fondly remember Evil Dead: Live? — take on Venkman, Spengler, Zuul, Slimer, the Keymaster, and the rest, mounting Ghostbusters: Live On Stage. There will be Proton packs, there will be puppets. Frankly, if you don’t already love Ghostbusters enough to be excited by the very notion of this, you might actually be a ghost. (Cheryl Eddy)

Through April 27

Thu-Sat, 8pm, $20

Dark Room Theater

2263 Mission, SF

www.darkroomsf.com

FRIDAY 12

“Chaos/Clarity”

A funny thing happened between here and Style Wars, and its name is tech-sponsored street art. The pleasantly grimy David Choe famously got share-rich after decorating Facebook’s original office walls with his smut in 2005, and Marin artist Ian Ross completed a one-year residency at the Social Network’s pristine campus down south. Recently, Ross opened a gallery in SoMa, SF’s techie hub, where he hypes artists who bridge art and web in a similar fashion. Fellow Mariner muralist and sometimes-app designer Zio Ziegler contributed to the striking 250-foot mural that blankets the Ross gallery exterior, and Ziegler’s solo show that opens today features vast works and smaller drawings that pull together the lands of Picasso’s cubism, literary allegory, and color-rich pattern that wouldn’t look amiss in a Kenyan textile bazaar. (Caitlin Donohue)

Opening reception: 7-10pm, free

Ian Ross Gallery

466 Brannan, SF

www.ianrossart.com

Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester

Steeped in the seductive and sumptuous sounds that grew out of Germany’s Weimar Republic era, Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester take the songs, styles, and instrumentation of the 1920s and ’30s and bring them into the 21st century. Performing with a clever, coolly detached demeanor, Raabe at times wows the listener with his vocal abilities, and then forces laughter at others with his deadpan riffing between songs. The elegant orchestra plays both traditional German pieces and classics such as “Singin’ In The Rain,” as well as tongue-in-cheek covers of more contemporary pop tunes, all making for a one of a kind show that’s not to be missed. (Sean McCourt)

7:30pm; Sat/13, 7:30 and 10pm, $35–$85

SF Jazz Center

201 Franklin St., SF

www.sfjazz.org

SATURDAY 13

“Small in a Big Way”

Mark Warren Jacques’ paintings capture large ideas in tiny spaces of graphically colorful canvases. A detailed picture of a tent under an arcing progression of moons encompasses his relationship with his son, the activities he loves, and, well, the universe. His exhibition at White Walls Gallery, made up mostly of pieces the size of a standard sheet of paper and smaller, explores how humans exist in the middle of a scale of extremes — the many miniscule atoms that comprise the giant world, the parts that comprise a machine, the memories that comprise a life. That may sound like an overwhelming load to take on, but Jacques’ meditative pieces are up to it. (Laura Kerry)

Through May 4

Opening reception: 7pm, free

White Walls

886 Geary, SF

(415) 931-1500

www.whitewallssf.com

Ewan Pearson

Pearson describes the art of remixing in this manner: “It’s like getting a massive Lego set for Christmas. You’ve got this stuff that somebody else has made and you get to re-create it.” The English-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer has been rejiggering tracks for two decades for the likes of Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, and Junior Boys. He’s also produced for Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn, the Rapture, Ladytron, and M83. Pearson pumps synth stabs and grizzled basslines into a number of his mixes and productions, a culmination of his old-school acid house, new-school electro and techno influences. Last year, he co-founded new record label, Machinists, which skirts away from the digital and dips back into analog. (Lee)

As You Like It with Iron Curtis, Conor, P-Play

9pm, $10 (before 10pm, $20 after)

Public Works

161 Erie, SF

(415) 932-0955

Poliça

In Poliça, the electronic pop-rock band with doses of R&B, Autotune manipulates Channy Leaneagh’s voice in every song, live and recorded — a far cry from her folk roots. You can take the girl out of folk but you can’t take the folk out of the girl. In “Lay Your Cards Out,” the refrain that ends, “Girl, get your head right,” begins, “By the waterside, summer wading in sunder,” a simple lyric that could come from just about any folk song The strange juxtaposition, which continues in variations throughout Poliça’s repertoire, makes for intriguing music that is both minimalist and complex, laid-back and upbeat, and overall, as we’ll see at Mezzanine, pretty epic. (Kerry)

With Night Moves

9pm, $22.50

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

SUNDAY 14

2 Chainz

Let’s pretend that this College Park, Georgia rapper’s hit single “I’m Different” is real-for-real his ode to doing the game in an innovative manner. How different is the player formally known as Tity Boi (he changed his handle to be more family-friendly, although you’ll notice he rarely keeps the neck bling to two pieces)? Well, the song goes on to explain, he makes tons of money, will totally fuck your bitch, and drives convertibles. So yeah, not different at all. That being said, the Fox Theater is gonna go collectively ham when “Birthday” comes on (of “all I want for my birthday is a big booty ho” fame) and it’s sure to be a bad bitch contest. Ya may as well be in first place. (Donohue)

8pm, $35

Fox Theater

1807 Telegraph, Oakl.

www.thefoxoakland.com

Beardyman

If you follow competitive beatboxing — who doesn’t? — you will be very familiar with the name Beardyman. London’s Darren Foreman, the man behind the beard, became the first person to win the UK’s beat boxing championships two years in a row in 2007, before being placed on the judging panel in ’08. If you weren’t able to attend, don’t fret: Beardyman has a vast body of bizarre and stunning material recorded for your listening pleasure — just check out his jam-packed YouTube channel. The music is made up almost completely of his own inhuman vocal chords, run through various effects. Foreman has built up an incredible and incredibly unique collection of DJ-effects units called the Beardytron, which he will unveil in all its glory on this six-stop tour. For his live shows, Beardyman builds his show up one sound at a time, using masterful looping to create entire, full-bodied songs one weird noise at a time. (Haley Zaremba)

With DJ Real

8pm, $20

Independent

628 Divisadero, SF

(415) 771-1421

Bat for Lashes

Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes often feels like a supernatural being; her music has a mystical quality that can’t be of this world. In “Two Planets” from her second album, Two Suns (2009), an echoey voice chants over bass-heavy percussion, “Show me moonlight on the sunrise / I’ve seen so many planets dancing / I’ve seen so many people hiding,” and we can feel a spell being cast. In The Haunted Man from October, though Khan loses some of the reverb and symbolic imagery, she maintains her otherworldliness. As she’ll demonstrate at Regency Ballroom, however, the real force from her stripped down, personal music comes from its intimate expression of her humanity. (Kerry)

With Nite Jewel

8pm, $25

Regency Ballroom

1290 Sutter, SF

(415) 673-5716

TUESDAY 16

Shantala Shivalingapa

In Western cultures, young dancers are often told to study ballet because “with ballet you can to anything.” It didn’t used to be that way, but today you rarely see a professional dancer — in whatever style — where you don’t recognize remnants of the classical language’s rigor and discipline deep inside the body. When Shantala Shivalingappa first performed in SF, we loved her as a superb exponent for Kuchipudi — one of India’s five classical dance forms. Perhaps, it was the Kuchipudi training that gave her the security and freedom to branch out. On her third visit to SF Performances, Shivalingappa brings four solos: Ibuki by Bhuto artist Ushio Amagatsu, Solo by Pina Bausch, Shift, her own choreography, and Smarana by Bharata Natyam dancer Savitry Nair, who also happens to be her mother. (Rita Felciano)

8pm, $25–$50

Herbst Theatre

401 Van Ness, SF

(415) 392-2545

Japandroids and Cloud Nothings

Anyone who was paying attention to the most lauded indie albums of 2012 will know that this lineup is a dream come true. Together these bands have demolished the myth of the sophomore slump, laughing in its face through crashing cymbals and killer riffs. Last summer, Japandroids released their second album Celebration Rock, a bombastic, over-the-top garage rock record that blew the minds of critics and fans alike. Cloud Nothings released their second studio album Attack on Memory, taking a delicious turn for the heavy and dark. Each of these bands could easily headline this show alone and make a lasting impression — Japandroids are especially notorious for their all-out performances and awesome energy. Together, the amount of killer musicianship and sweaty sincerity is nearly inconceivable — and that word means exactly what I think it means. (Zaremba)

9pm, $25

New Parish

579 18th St, Oakland

(510) 444-7474

Our Weekly Picks: April 3-9, 2013

Andrew Lam

April 2, 2013

WEDNESDAY 3

“Pacific Limn”

A Seoul-based collaboration between visual artist, Young-hae Chang, and American expat poet, Marc Vogue, the duo has been creating Web art since 1999. Though the genre’s title evokes something that mirrors the complexity of the Internet-age, Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries gains much of its power from its odd and affecting simplicity. Using Monaco typeface, flash animation, and text narratives often set against jazz music, the artists create pieces that seem to easily define that undefinable but often-employed thing called postmodernism. At the “Pacific Limn” exhibition, YHCHI presents three works from its residency at Kadist. (Laura Kerry)

Through April 28

5pm, free

Kadist Art Foundation

3295 20th St., SF

(415) 738-8668

www.kadist.org

Shark Week

Not heading to Cancun or Daytona Beach with the throngs of drunken college students for the school break? Why not head down to Aquarium of the Bay, where they are celebrating “Spring Break with our Sharks,” a fete featuring shark talks, feedings, and more. Top it off this evening with a hilarious “bad movie night” screening of Shark Week, an ultra-cheesy horror flick that follows a group of people trying to escape a madman’s island, pushed into navigating through the waterways and encountering a series of deadlier — and more outrageously poorly-rendered — CGI sharks. Ticket price includes a drink, popcorn, and admission to the aquarium. (Sean McCourt)

7:30pm film; 6pm doors for aquarium, $16

Aquarium of the Bay, Bay Theater

Pier 39, SF

(415) 623-5300

www.aquariumofthebay.com

Mac DeMarco

Mac DeMarco has written seven albums and EPs on a guitar that he bought for 30 Canadian dollars. He uses effects pedals that he claims no serious musician would be caught dead with. He’s self released four albums and coined a new genre — “jizz jazz.” Listening to DeMarco’s jangling, blissed-out pop tends to be a pleasant, laid-back experience, more reminiscent of surf pop than jazz. His calming baritone, soft and velvety, sounds like a less depressed Ian Curtis. Compared to his summery sound, DeMarco’s live shows, full of lewd humor, nudity, and scaling stage equipment with wild abandon, provide a sharp contrast. If you are easily shocked or offended, this may not be the show for you. But if you can appreciate a true performer and genuine entertainment, there’s no better place to be on a Wednesday night. (Haley Zaremba)

With Trails and Ways, Cocktails, Calvin Love

8pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

THURSDAY 4

“Assault on Vortex 13” The Vortex Room is back with another series of vintage genre obscurities, this time in a “B” action vein. Things kick off tonight with the 1972 Alistair Maclean-adapted thriller Fear Is the Key and the wildly stunt-driven 1989 Action U.S.A. Don’t miss next week’s pairing of chick/karate/blaxploitation chestnut TNT Jackson (1974) with the prior year’s wondrous The Doll Squad — whose avenging angels include Tura Satana from Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, and whose psychotronic auteur Ted V. Mikels was subsequently convinced he’d been ripped off by Charlie’s Angels. (Dennis Harvey)

Thursdays through April 25; 8pm, $13 donation

Vortex Room

1082 Howard, SF

Facebook.com/groups/VortexRoom

The Coo Coo Birds

In the 1947 cartoon short, The Coo Coo Bird, Woody the Woodpecker’s efforts to go to bed early are thwarted by a series of distractions, including a rhythmic cuckoo clock that causes his body to move against his will. One gets the sense that if Woody just lightened up, he’d get some sleep — and maybe even have some fun in the meantime. The San Francisco band with the same name teaches a similar lesson. Playing distorted psychedelic tunes that don’t take themselves too seriously, Coo Coo Birds create rock that asks its audience to lighten up. So if you find that their show at Slim’s is keeping you awake, it’s best to just let your body move. (Kerry)

With Galaxxy Chamber, David Frieberg

8pm, $12

Slim’s

333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

FRIDAY 5

“The Flow Show”

In Western dance, props for the most part are frowned upon. Not so in the myriad of culturally specific, often very old dance forms: ribbons in China, hoops among Native Americans, bamboo poles in the Philippines, and swords among belly dancers. There always is an element of daring and bravura involved in the use of instruments, but unlike circus acts, here the necessary skills are grounded in an expressive content. That’s the tradition that “The Flow Show” plugs into. Its 20 performers are offering a synthesis of dance theater, circus skills, and poetry. New this year is the diabolo, a.k.a. “Chinese YoYo”. What you’ll see is decidedly contemporary performance yet with roots that run deeper than just pure fun — though there is plenty of that as well. (Rita Felciano)

Fri/5-Sat/6, 8pm; Sun/7, 7pm, $20

Dance Mission Theater

3316 24th St., SF

brownpapertickets.com/event/32419

Rock/See: A Concert for the Roxie Theater

In the grand tradition of Live Aid, Farm Aid, and Kidney Now! (that last one might have been fictional), musicians in SF are stepping up to help something they care about: the Mission’s beloved Roxie Theater. The event is to support the Roxie’s campaign to renovate and upgrade its smaller theater, the Little Roxie. As the theater explains , “While many nonprofit arts organizations are joining forces with corporate entities…[we’re] partnering with members of San Francisco’s indie music community.” The Rock/See benefit boasts live performances by favored Bay Area lo-fi/garage rockers Thee Oh Sees, Sonny and the Sunsets, Future Twin, and Assateague. Being that this is for a movie hub, local filmmakers and artists are also getting in on the support: the event includes projections by Barry Jenkins, Jim Granato, and more.

(Emily Savage)

8:30pm, $25

Verdi Club

2424 Mariposa, SF

SATURDAY 6

Opening for José Ramón Lerma retrospective

José Ramón Lerma’s work contains a personal history. He’s been practicing art for more than 60 years, and in that time, has moved through styles and imagery from a darker abstract expressionistic painting to a more absurd and surrealist genre that includes sculpture and collage. And because the 60 years of his art have occurred in the Bay Area, his oeuvre reveals a history of his setting, too. Lerma began among the Beats and winds down his career in a culture that is, well, different. ArtZone 461 pays much deserved tribute to this Bay Area gem with a month-long retrospective that will put its multiple histories on display. (Kerry)

Through May 5

12-6pm, free

ArtZone 461

461 Valencia, SF

(415) 441-8680

www.artzone461.com

“Roman Polanski Live at the Roxie”

Although certain key details had yet to be finalized at press time, this event is too monumental not to get a plug: Oscar-winning filmmaker (and controversy magnet) Roman Polanski is gonna be appearing at the Roxie! OK, so it’s via Skype from Paris, but he’ll be conversing with Oscar-winning Chinatown (1974) scriptwriter Robert Towne, who will be there in person — and his presence alone should be reason enough to attend, quite frankly. The weekend also features screenings of classic Polanski flicks (including Chinatown, natch). Check the Roxie website for updated times and titles. (Cheryl Eddy)

Through Sun/7 (Skype conversation Sat/6, time TBD), $6.50–$11

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St, SF

Polkacide and Fuxedos

Crafting the perfect show lineup isn’t easy, and all too often at least one of the bands feels somewhat shoehorned in. But sometimes, sweet serendipity steps up to create a lineup so stunningly perfect you can’t believe it’s true. That pretty much sums up the upcoming Polkacide and Fuxedos co-headlining gig, with the imitable Borts Minorts along for the ride as opening act. Individually, each band is well-worth the price of admission alone. You’ve got your punk rock polka, your post-punk, big band, nihilistic freakout (plus props) — and your avant-garde alien lifeform wields his dangerous dance moves and a bass made from a ski. And the prospect of watching them collectively take over the stage at Bottom of the Hill like a three-headed Cerberus of gleefully psychotic fun? Priceless. (Nicole Gluckstern)

9:30pm, $12

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St, SF

(415) 861-1615

TUESDAY 9

Nick Cave

Where to start with this man? There is practically nothing that Nick Cave hasn’t tried, conquered, or revolutionized. He’s a musician, a screenwriter, an author, an actor, and a performer. He has fronted experimental gothic punk band the Birthday Party, the rockabilly-industrial Grinderman, and the savagely indefinable Bad Seeds. Cave’s haunting, growling baritone voice and slim spectral body, generally clad all in black, add a delicious wild mystery to everything he touches. Bad Seeds albums don’t come out that often, and North American tours are even rarer for the Australian artist. Hyperbole is impossible in this context — the man is a living legend. Don’t miss out on one of the best performances you’ll ever see. (Zaremba)

With Sharon Van Etten

8pm, $59.50

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

99 Grove, SF

www.apeconcerts.com

Our Weekly Picks: March 27-April 2, 2013

Andrew Lam

March 26, 2013

THURSDAY 28

“The Secret History of Love”

It’s only four guys, but the quartet manages to call up a whole period in the cultural history of the LGBT community which, until Sean Dorsey put his considerable intellectual and artistic resources into this project, was little known even to its members, not to speak of the community at large. Dorsey, who found his way in a round about manner to dance through theater, has developed a personal language in which words and movement are irrevocably fused, each drawing its energy and expressive power from the other. These performances are a send-off for “The Secret History of Love” which is about to embark on its second national tour. Good to see what these very different dancers bring to this project. They are Dorsey, Juan De La Rosa, Brian Fisher, and Nol Simonse. (Rita Felciano)

Through March 31

8pm, Sat/Sun, 4pm; $15–$25

Dance Mission Theater

3316 24th St., S.F.

SecretHistory.brownpapertickets.com

Anthrax

Fresh off celebrating its 30th anniversary, iconic metal titan Anthrax is back with a new covers EP, Anthems (released last week), paying tribute to some of the songs that influenced it when the band was first starting out. Searing versions of tunes by artists such as AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, and Rush help shed light on the formative recipe that would eventually lead Anthrax to being considered one of “The Big 4” of thrash metal. Scott Ian and company will perform their classic 1987 album Among The Living in its entirety during their headlining slot tonight on the brutal “Metal Alliance Tour,” which also features Exodus, High On Fire, Municipal Waste, and Holy Grail. (Sean McCourt)

8pm, $29.99–$32

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

FRIDAY 29

“Overturning the Artifice” closing reception

What do shoe shining and art have in common? Very much, according to Jack Leamy, curator of SOMArts’ show, “Overturning the Artifice,” which closes in style Friday evening with free shoe-shining by artist Rachel Leamy. When one shines another person’s shoes, the act is reflective and forms an intimate human connection that uplifts the soul. Art, the curator says, has the same uplifting effect; it raises consciousness “out of the doldrums.” That is an upbeat way to speak about a show that deals with the struggles of being human, but then again, art can act as a powerfully positive force. Come to the show while you still can, to be uplifted — or just to get shinier shoes. (Laura Kerry)

6pm, free

SOMArts Main Gallery

934 Brannan, SF

(415) 863-1414

www.somarts.org

“KUSF-In-Exile’s Blown-Out, Blowout Benefit II”

Benefit is an often overused term, but this one applies for the sake of preserving San Francisco Community Radio (SFCR). As the group Save KUSF transitions into SFCR (its nonprofit identity) the costly legal quest continues with an FCC-level appeal of 90.3 FM’s sale still waiting to be ruled on. So what’s a group of rogue DJs to do when their sojourn on the web waves appears as if it’s becoming permanent? They throw another springtime blowout of mind-melting music to raise cash for their cause. Carlton Melton delivers the psychedelic, stoner-drone, Disappearing People emerges out of Oakland with experimental punk, and from the same neck of the woods, the one and only Yogurt Brain rides in with some catchy jangle and an occasional monster riff thrown in. (Andre Torrez)

With Carlton Melton, Disappearing People, Yogurt Brain, and KUSF-in-Exile DJs

8pm, $5–$10

Lab

2948 16th St., SF

415-864-8855

www.thelab.org

Texas is the Reason

In 1994 Texas is the Reason released a three-song EP that would initially be heard by very few and go on to influence a great many. The band’s only full-length Do You Know Who You Are? remains a touchstone album in the post-hardcore canon and is considered to be one of the primary kick-starters of the ’90s emo movement. Just as the band was about to burst from underground notoriety to a mainstream record label, however, it collapsed due to internal tensions. After just three years of existence and one beloved album, Texas is the Reason was done. Other than a two-show reunion in 2006, this year marks the band’s first and only tour since its disintegration a decade and a half back. This spring, the band unveiled two new songs and a brief tour — its last ever. While it may be cruel to give us hope and a taste of what could have been before disappearing again, I’m not complaining. After nearly 15 years of waiting, I’ll take what I can get. (Haley Zaremba)

With the Jealous Sound

9pm, $20

Bimbo’s 365

1025 Columbus, SF

(415) 474-0365

Mano Le Tough

Having proved himself a more than capable in long form (popping up on this year’s Resident Advisor Top 100 poll and a recent Boiler Room set) and short (contributing remixes for Midnight Magic, Roisin Murphy, and Aloe Blacc) Ireland’s Mano Le Tough needed only to release a solid album to complete the producer trifecta. With Changing Days, he’s done just that, and it’s an assured, spaced out collection of deep house and future disco, organic, airy sounds alternating at times with ray-gun zaps. Throughout, Mano expands on the calmly emotive vocal style earlier heard on “In My Arms” and the glistening Stories EP. (Ryan Prendiville)

With Bells and Whistles, Joey Alaniz

9pm, $8–$15

Monarch

101 Sixth St., SF

(415) 284-9774

www.monarchsf.com

SATURDAY 30

Lynne Hershman Leeson’s “The Agent Ruby Files”

The story of the humanoid and the human goes way back — Pinocchio, that relationship between Skywalker and his robot companions. Now, we can add Lyne Hershman Leeson’s Agent Ruby, an online platform in the shape of Ruby, a character based on the artist’s 2002 film, Teknolust, that invites its visitors to converse with it. Over the past 12 years, Ruby has learned, improving her responses as the database has expanded. In a show on view from March 30 to June 2, SFMOMA will present a look at the growth of Ruby. Exhibiting collections of user conversations on topics such as dreams and sexuality, we can expect to see something very human reflected in the non-human. (Kerry)

Through June 2

$18

SFMOMA

151 Third St., SF

(415) 357-4170

www.sfmoma.org

Jonny Fritz

Nashville’s Jonny Fritz has been writing, recording, and touring for the better part of a decade, and looks to be breaking into his own this year after recent stints opening for the likes of Alabama Shakes, Shooter Jennings, and Wanda Jackson. Recently dropping his long-time moniker of “Jonny Corndawg” in favor of his real name, Fritz (who opens for Heartless Bastards tonight) is releasing his new album, Dad Country on ATO Records in April, a collection of slice-of-life tales, sweet vocals, and great lyrics that blend the sounds of his native city with California country and a wide swath of points in between. (McCourt)

9pm, $23

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

Colette and DJ Heather

Around 16 years ago, four young female DJs united to form the formidable quartet known as the SuperJane Collective. Feeding off Chicago’s potent house music scene, DJ Heather, Colette, Lady D, and Dayhota laid claim to being the first all-female electronic DJ group. The groundbreaking foursome have since separated, both musically and geographically, but they are scheduled for a Sweet Sixteen reunion in Chicago in June. In the meantime, Colette and DJ Heather are coming in hot off their appearance at Austin’s SXSW. Expect deep grooves, funkiness, and improvisational live vocals from Colette. (Kevin Lee)

With Pink Mammoth

10pm, $15–$20

Mighty

119 Utah, SF

(415) 762-0151

www.mighty119.com

SUNDAY 31

Dolores Park Easter Celebration with Hunky Jesus Contest

Once you’re done sleeping through the church hours, the best thing to wake up to would be the annual Easter celebration in Dolores Park. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are hosting their 34th birthday party once again at the park, and the “Under the Big Top” theme this year will be sure to charm the inner bunny out of you. The day will start out with family-friendly children’s Easter happenings at 11am, but just after noon the party really gets started. There will be circus tricks, an Easter Bonnet Contest, performances by the likes of our own Honey Mahogany (recently seen on RuPaul’s Drag Race), Sparkle Ponies, and Jane Wiedlin, along with the beloved Hunky Jesus Contest. The Sisters suggest you “bring a picnic blanket, some nosh and, of course, a little libation.” (Taylor Hynes)

11am-4pm, free

Dolores Park

18th and Dolores, SF

www.thesisters.org

Widowspeak

Eudora Welty once said, “Every story would be another story, and unrecognizable if it took up its characters and plot and happened somewhere else.” It is no surprise then that Widowspeak recorded its second album, Almanac, in a 100-year-old barn in the Hudson River Valley. Setting creeps in, the soft singing of frontperson Molly Hamilton ringing like a ghostly whisper from a rural past, which sits in beautiful tension with the sometimes jangly rock instrumentals that seem reflective of the band’s Brooklyn base. At the Chapel show, though, it might be more apt to say that the atmospheric folk-pop of the band creates a setting of its own. (Kerry)

With SISU

9pm, $12

Chapel

777 Valencia, SF

(415) 551-5157

Daedelus

“The Willy Wonka of music.” That’s how one clever Internet commentator labeled LA beats producer Alfred Darlington, a.k.a Daedelus. It’s a fitting moniker — the dapper Darlington (often sporting colorful, wide-lapel suit jackets) ushers unsuspecting listeners into his music factory, laden with delicious and dangerous drums. Lick a sample here, taste a vocal there, and suddenly you’re swimming in a bass-filled reimagining of a video game villain’s theme music or hip-hop hacked to pieces and sped up to 130 BPM. All the while, Darlington goes all mad scientist, mashing away at a 256-button device known as a monome from which he can summon all sorts of sweet and sinister sounds. Overindulge at your own peril. (Lee)

With Two Fresh, Ryan Hemsworth, Samo Sound

8pm, $18

Independent

628 Divisadero

(415) 771-1421

Our Weekly Picks: March 20-26, 2013

Andrew Lam

March 19, 2013

WEDNESDAY 20

Mr. Marina Competition

Why would you pay $50 for an hour of hosted Skyy vodka and Peronis? Why, when it’s preceding what may well be the most self-aware (we hope) SF bro moment of the year: the two-year-old Mr. Marina competition. The winner among 10 brah-ly contestants will become VIP at various Marina businesses for 2013 and will be proud that he slapped cancer, as goes the moniker for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society booster club through which this event’s proceeds are donated to fighting disease. Swimwear competition, talent portion, and impromptu question fielded in stereotypically “Marina” outfits will help judges pick a dude-gem. (Caitlin Donohue)

7pm-11pm, $50

Ruby Skye

420 Mason, SF

mrmarina-fb.eventbrite.com

www.slapcancer.org

Chelsea Light Moving

Kim Gordon’s new band, Body/Head, was just here for a Noise pop show, so….let’s just get this out of the way: yes, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore is the guitarist-vocalist-songwriter behind Chelsea Light Moving. And no, Sonic Youth does not have plans to reunite. Chelsea Light Moving is now on its first official tour, in support of its self-titled debut album, which came out March 5 on Matador Records, and has the bloggers buzzing. The post-rock foursome, named for an actual moving company run by Philip Glass and Steve Reich, maintains Moore’s jagged guitar work and tendency towards the fuzz, but some tracks hold a quieter calm, and lean more toward pop than Sonic Youth ever did, which is an interesting departure. San Francisco’s harmonious post-punk trio Grass Widow opens. (Emily Savage)

With Grass Widow

8pm, $21

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

THURSDAY 21

“Growing Pains: Business of Cannabis”

Where have the federal intervention of past years and the more recent steps forward in legalizing marijuana across the country left us in the fair city of San Francisco? At this talk, hear thoughts from long-haired news contributor to fellow SF Newspaper Company-owned publication SF Examiner, Chris Roberts, and ex-marijuana grower Heather Donahue who yes, also starred in the swervy shots of 1999’s Blair Witch Project. More relevant for the purpose of this blurb, Donahue wrote a book about her experience in small town NorCal weed country, and coupled with Roberts’ knowledge of Bay Area weed businesses, their thoughts should make interesting discussion. If you’ve already got a burning question for the duo, send it in advance of the event to growingpains@sfappeal.com. (Donohue)

6:30-7:30pm, free

RSVP recommended at info@ybcd.org

San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR)

645 Mission, SF

www.visityerbabuena.org

Shen Wei Dance Arts: “Undivided Divided”

The Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics presented stunning artistic spectacles (minus that whole unfortunate thing with the lip-syncing scandal), and Shen Wei, their choreographer, played a large role. The Ceremonies offers a good example of the artist’s work, which is known for its bridging of cultures and melding of the traditions of dance with innovative contemporary techniques. Shen Wei comes to YBCA with a long list of credentials — including a MacArthur Award and Guggenheim Fellowship — and a spectacular performance, “Undivided Divided,” that involves dancers moving in grids of different mediums such as sculpture and paint. (Laura Kerry)

Through March 24

8pm, $25

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

701 Mission, SF

(415) 978-2700

Mohani

“Chillwave” or “chill-vibe” music. Are those terms en vogue or just plain nauseating? Whatever your opinion, there’s no escaping the fact that this Mashi Mashi Presents show will be an evening of electronic, dream-pop, and synth. When Mohani (Oakland’s own Donghoon Han) unleashes his own brand of K-Pop meets Joe Meek’s version of outer space, the soundscape will in fact leave you mellowed out. (This is his album release show.) Deliciously, atmospheric synth blips will rule this night featuring some truly emerging artists, while a good hook for the sake of song structure will not be forgotten. Keep your ears tuned in between acts as the DJ interweaves some carefully selected tracks to keep things moody. (Andre Torrez)

With Li Xi, THEMAYS, DJ Mashi Mashi

9pm, $7 Knockout

3223 Mission, SF

(415) 550-6994

www.theknockoutsf.com

FRIDAY 22

Murs

This ubiquitous LA-based rapper has eight solo albums out, one in the mix, and a hand in half a dozen side projects and collectives, often featuring in three or four different albums per year. Whether he’s going solo, rapping with Atmosphere’s Slug in their duo Felt, or getting indie-licious with Living Legends, Murs’ smart and surefooted rhymes stand out. He recently stirred up some controversy in the hip-hop community for featuring a gay kiss in one of his videos to highlight his support of marriage equality, a bold move both atypical of rappers and extremely fitting of Murs. He seems to have taken his own advice to heart when he raps on “Everything”, “Be original/Be different/Be the one to stand up and shock this system.” (Haley Zaremba)

With Prof, Fashawn, Black Cloud

9pm, $21

Slim’s

333 11th St, SF

(415) 255-0333

Ducktails

Ducktails produces summery rock. The band’s third album, The Flower Lane, released this past January, could span a lazy day at the beach; the low-key but bright album opener, “Ivy Covered House,” provides the soundtrack to a short drive with windows down, while the breezy love song, “Letter of Intent,” underscores the last embers of nighttime bonfire. The side project of Real Estate’s Matt Mondanile, what started as a solo act has developed into a tight band that performs upbeat pop songs to full audiences. Ducktails brings to these, along with a bit of premature summer, to the Chapel tonight. (Kerry)

With Mark McGuire

9pm, $15

Chapel

777 Valencia, SF

(415) 551-5157

SATURDAY 23

The Specials

Let’s begin with pick-it-up, pick-it-up songs “A Message to You, Rudy,” and “Nite Klub,” and upbeat haunter “Ghost Town” — British two-tone legends the Specials released now-classic ska gems early in their career, beginning in ’79 with their self-titled debut. The band inched up through the early ’80s with followup, More Specials and more danceable two-tone tracks like anti-work anthem “Rat Race” and foggy “Stereotype/Stereotypes, Pt. 2.” Over the decades the band has broken up, gotten back together, gained and lost members, experience shiny revival popularity, and remained that of checkerboard legend. See the Specials live now, while you still have the joint strength to skank in the pit. (Savage)

With Little Hurricane, DJ Harry Duncan

Warfield

928 Market, SF

(415) 345-0900

www.thewarfieldtheatre.com

Christopher Owens

For most singer-songwriters who break big, life becomes a wild ride. For Christopher Owens, the critical and commercial success of his band Girls was just another event in a lifetime of crazy trips. He’s been, among other things, a cult member, a drug addict, a knife salesman, and a punk rocker. With such experiences, he has enough material for a lifetime of therapeutic songwriting. But Owens only seems to be able to write about one thing — love. While Girls tried their hardest to perfect the indie love song, Owens’ new solo album Lysandre tries harder. The record itself is one huge love story about a girl he met while on tour with Girls in France, and the duo’s subsequent rise and fall. The music and the lyrics are earnest, simple, and heart-achingly relatable. While the loss of Girls is a blow to the San Francisco music scene, one listen to Lysandre certainly eases the pain. (Zaremba)

8pm, $25

Palace of Fine Arts

3301 Lyon, SF

(415) 567-6642

www.apeconcerts.com

MONDAY 25

Half the Sky

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s best-selling book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide inspired many of its readers to become activists. Its message has been further shared thanks to a four-hour PBS documentary highlighting international women’s rights issues, with a little celebrity help from Diane Lane, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, and others. In honor of Women’s History Month, the Guardian’s own Caitlin Donohue hosts an abridged screening of this important film, followed by what’s sure to be a lively discussion about San Francisco’s role in advancing women’s rights worldwide. (Cheryl Eddy)

7pm, free

Artists’ Television Access

992 Valencia, SF

www.atasite.org

Iceage

This band of young ruffians out of Copenhagen has had a whirlwind adolescence. After two albums and international acclaim, the gents in Iceage are still teenagers at 19-years-old. 2011’s New Brigade and this year’s You’re Nothing add up to one searing hour of punk rock fueled by the sort of unbridled, unfiltered fury that only coming of age can produce. Their particular sound mashes in elements of post-punk, hardcore, and industrial to create a delicious sonic mess. The group recently came under fire after a blogger posted a conspiracy theory-esque article about Iceage’s “chic racism.” Though the claims were unfounded and the research woefully incomplete, the allegations just won’t disappear. But hey, the rage and confusion stemming from this sort of injustice and abuse of modern forms of communication seems like a recipe for a great follow-up album. (Zaremba)

With Merchandise, Wet Hair, DJ Omar

8pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

TUESDAY 26

Caveman

It’s not just that Caveman’s music is dreamy, but it also shares qualities with dreams. The band’s first album, CoCo Beware (2011) simultaneously sounds close and ambiently distant. Caveman’s self-titled second album, released April 2, will build on these effects, which have produced compelling performances and earned the band impressive recognition in the past couple of years. With beautifully pure vocals and beats that are funkier than expected, the band plays folk-pop with a vividness of a daydream or the last images before waking. Get swept up in the momentum of Caveman’s reverie at the Independent. (Kerry)

With Pure Bathing Culture

8pm, $15

Independent

628 Divisadero, SF

(617) 771-1421

Our Weekly Picks: March 13-19, 2013

Andrew Lam

March 12, 2013

WEDNESDAY 13

VOWS

The legend of San Francisco band VOWS includes heartbreak, cross-country travel, and a little gambling in Reno. All that occurred nearly six years and a couple of albums ago. Since then, it has more finely tuned its breed of psych-pop comprised of punchy guitar riffs, seamless transitions between raspy yelps and bright three-part harmonies, and depth couched in catchy lyrics that all fits perfectly into a distinctly West Coast tradition. In the midst of recording its third album, VOWS comes to Rickshaw Stop to show it all off. (Laura Kerry)

With Standard Poodle, the Goldenhearts

8pm, $10

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

“Hooch, Harlots, and History: Vice in San Francisco”

Those who’ve moved to San Francisco from other regions (admit it, most of you) are often endlessly curious about the city’s seedier past: the sailors, roadhouses, moonshine-makers, and generalized underground happenings that helped shape our weird little city by the bay. At this Flipside (an offshoot of the the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society) event inside the historic Old Mint building — a docent tour of which is worth the ticket price, alone — there will be historical presentations by Duggan McDonnell, Stuart “Broke-Ass” Schuffman, Woody LaBounty, and Laureano Faedi, along with live music and rare archival footage of old SF. Plus, there’ll be eats on hand for purchase, and entry includes one complimentary boozy beverage. Bring on the vices. (Emily Savage)

6:30-9:30pm, $5–$10

Old Mint

88 Fifth St., SF

flipsidesfvice.eventbrite.com

THURSDAY 14

“Ask A Scientist Pi Day Puzzle Party”

What is it about this particular entity? Throughout the ages, people have composed odes for its elegance, books about its ubiquity, and formulas to try to grasp its ineffability. We’re talking about Pi, of course, and Thursday’s the day to celebrate it (3.14). And whether or not you have memorized three or three-hundred digits (or zero) of the mathematical constant, Ask A Scientist has the perfect pi-worship for you. Come to SoMa StrEat Food Park, grab some nourishment, and settle down alone or with a team to get your blood pumping with a rowdy puzzle competition. You probably won’t pin down the mystery of that wonderfully irrational number, but you just might earn a bit of glory. (Kerry)

7pm, free

SoMa StreEat Food Park

428 11th St., SF

www.askascientistsf.com

Odesza

Somewhere between SF and the Mojave desert, between midnight and three in the morning, it started to get to me. Not the physical tiredness, but the boredom that comes with staring down a couple of yellow lines perpetually receding into the darkness. I needed stimulation, and found it in Summer’s Gone, a free LP from Pacific North West electronic duo Odesza. Headphones were one thing, but hearing it in the car gave new dimension to the production: swelling bass lines emerged and pulled back, light strings and chimes moved about the interior, and the melodic, frequently chopped vocals seemed like passengers along for the ride. (Ryan Prendiville)

With Emancipator, Little People

9pm, $20

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

FRIDAY 15

“Labayen Dance 18th Anniversary Season”

In a couple of years Labayen Dance/SF will celebrate its 20th anniversary. That would be a remarkable achievement for any company, particularly a smallish one working in a town where new companies pop up like crocuses. Enrico Labayen was an excellent dancer and now creates intimate work but also tackles big ambitious pieces around often-painful issues — imprisonment, environmental disasters. child abuse, violence against women. He has choreographed to original music but also well-known scores like Carmina Burana. In this concert he’ll present the American premiere of his Rite of Spring, first shown in his native Philippines. He clearly attracts very fine dancers rarely seen anywhere else. Labayen’s own pieces will be joined by works from his own dancers. (Rita Felciano)

Also Sat/16, 8pm; Sun/17, 7:30pm, $20

Dance Mission Theater

3316 24th St. S.F.

(415) 826-4441

brownpapertickets.com/event/319623

The Chop Tops

Santa Cruz rockers the Chop Tops have been tearing up stages for nearly two decades now, taking traditional rockabilly and chucking out the owner’s manual, boosting the power, streamlining the chassis, and hot rodding it into something that’s all their own. Perennial favorites at the Viva Las Vegas festival, the trio has toured across the country and performed as far away as Australia — but local fans can check out the action tonight at “Handsome Hawk Valentine’s Rock N’ Rumble,” where Sinner, Shelby and Brett are guaranteed to blow the roof off the joint with their always incendiary set of what they call “revved-up rockabilly.” (Sean McCourt)

With Slim Jenkins, Tony T. and the Pendletons, the Bastard Makers

8:30pm, $16

Slim’s

333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

A Wilhelm Scream

A Wilhelm Scream, named for the stock scream sound byte used in slasher films and classic horror movies, originally formed under the name Smackin’ Isaiah in New Bedford, Mass. The band emerged in a deluge of likeminded acts (Hot Water Music, Propaghandi) formed in the glorious heyday of oldschool emo, post-hardcore, and serious young adult angst — otherwise known as the mid-’90s. Through its decades of inventive melodic hardcore, name changes, shifting lineups, and five studio albums, A Wilhelm Scream never managed to attain that “big break.” Its lack of mainstream success, however, is irrelevant when compared to its incredible stamina and quietly influential presence in the punk scene. (Haley Zaremba)

With Heartsounds, Stickup Kid, I Don’t Wanna Hear It

9pm, $10

Thee Parkside

1600 17th St, SF

(415) 252-1330

www.theeparkside.com

Michael Mayer

“No hesitation, no obligation. Let’s just have a good time,” WhoMadeWho’s Jeppe Kjellberg intones on Michael Mayer’s “Good Times.” The lyrics could be creepy and pushy, but the immaculate underlying beat is strictly 4/4, familiar and reliable as a friend. An all-too-occasional producer in his own right, Mayer is a trusted name as co-owner of Germany’s Kompakt, one of the most dependable labels in the world. At one of techno’s hubs, Mayer should have a lot to pull from for his set, but make sure to arrive in time for the chill house live vocal duo Benoit and Sergio, to be assured an extra good time. (Prendiville)

9pm, $16.50

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

SATURDAY 16

“Lucidity: Fariba Bogzaran, A Retrospective” In our dreams we fly, we have intimate moments, and we travel. In our dreams we also sometimes see ourselves dreaming. Fariba Bogzaran, Ph.D. has studied lucid dreams for decades. And if that wasn’t cool enough, she has also created corresponding artwork for about the same amount of time. In Meridian Gallery’s three-story retrospective of the artist’s work, Bogzaran’s surrealist paintings will shed some light on the consciousness-expanding possibilities of dreams. Everyone dreams but no one can adequately express the images once they wake. Bogzaran presents an intriguing way to do so. (Kerry)

Through April 30

6pm, free

Meridian Gallery

535 Powell, SF

(415)398-7229

www.meridiangallery.org

MONDAY 18

“Math Films Mathathon”

Mathematicians in films are usually portrayed as wack jobs (Russell Crowe in 2001’s A Beautiful Mind; that dude in 1998’s Pi), though you could make a case for the “hunky-yet-emotionally-damaged” blackboard bandit in Good Will Hunting (1997). Bay Area filmmaker George Csicsery’s “Math Films Mathathon” docs sidestep the clichés, thankfully. Tonight brings the local premiere of Taking the Long View: The Life of Shiing-Shen Chern, about the co-founder of Berkeley’s Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, as well as Julia Robinson and Hilbert’s Tenth Problem, notable not just for its famous equation but also for focusing on a female numbers whiz. March 20’s docs spotlight both the legendary (N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdos) and the up-and-coming (Hard Problems: The Road to the World’s Toughest Math Contest). (Cheryl Eddy)

Also March 20

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St., SF

The Black Lips

Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley have been making deliciously dirty, cacophonous garage rock together since they were teenagers in Atlanta. In high school, their onstage antics and outlandish humor had already earned them a reputation extreme enough to get them expelled in the anti-outcast hysteria that swept the nation after the Columbine High School massacre. This abrupt turn led them to create the group that would become the Black Lips, one of the industry’s most respected, feared, and least predictable rock bands. Vomit, urine, nudity, etc. were more or less standard in the band’s early, awe-inspiring performances. Though they’ve mellowed a bit over the years, they still provide one of the most frenetic, energetic, and thoroughly worthwhile performances out there. (Zaremba)

With Night Beats

8pm, $16

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

Sound Tracks: Music Without Borders

After several years as the Guardian’s art director, Mirissa Neff (already a popular DJ in her spare time) left in 2012 to pursue other avenues for her talents — including co-hosting Sound Tracks: Music Without Borders, a PBS show focusing on world music. Tonight, the latest episode premieres, featuring performances by Youssou N’dour, Wynton Marsalis, Icelandic popsters Of Monsters and Men, and Scottish musician Julie Fowlis — whose crooning on the Brave soundtrack just might have helped the 2012 Pixar hit win an Oscar for Best Animated Film. (Eddy)

10pm, KQED

pbs.com/soundtracks

Our Weekly Picks: March 6-12

Andrew Lam

March 5, 2013

WEDNESDAY 6

Sixth Annual International Juried Plastic Camera Show

These days, every smartphone-toting amateur can create his or her own hazy vignette to remind us of those groovy days before digital photography. But Instagram and its peers always stop short in their quest for that special quality that only real lo-fi technology — cameras constructed of plastic and the occasional piece of tape — can achieve. In its sixth Plastic Camera Show, RayKo Photo center will exhibit the best 90 photos chosen from thousands of international submissions, with a special focus on Los Angeles-based Thomas Alleman’s black-and-white images that his plastic camera manages to render in a mood that is both cinematic and sordid. Instagram has nothing on these photos. (Laura Kerry) Through April 22 6-8pm opening, free RayKo Photo Center

428 Third St., SF

(415) 495-3773

www.raykophoto.com

THURSDAY 7

University Dance Theatre

Student recitals are just one of a number of campus spring rituals. The University Dance Theatre’s at SF State University is no exception. This year’s program, besides showing new works by alumni, faculty, and advanced students, is very much worth trip out into the fog belt. KT Nelson, Co-Artistic Director of ODC/Dance, with whom State has an ongoing relationship, is setting her Transit on student performers. Transit is witty, wistful, and wondrous; sort of a love letter to harried urban lives. Max Chen’s fantastical, multipurpose bikes also pay tribute to the City’s favorite mode of transportation. Nelson knows that spectacular props can steal a show; she didn’t let it happen. Transit focuses its lively energy on where it belongs — the dancing. (Rita Felciano)

Through Sat/9, 8pm, $8–$15

San Francisco State University

Creative Arts Building

1600 Holloway Ave.

(415) 338-2467

creativestate.sfsu.edu

San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival

To celebrate its 10th year, the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival is assembling the following: a Cousteau (Jean-Michel, son of Jacques, who will be a special guest at the opening-night gala); a documentary about the first lady of surfing (Brian Gillogly’s Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget); and a shark-themed program highlighted by Steve Dilaridan’s adorably-titled animated short I’m Going to Bite Someone. And that ain’t even taking into account the rest of the over 50 ocean-themed films from some 14 countries. Dive in! (Cheryl Eddy)

Through Sun/10, most films $8–$14 (opening gala, $150)

Bay Theater

Aquarium of the Bay

Pier 39, SF

www.oceanfilmfest.org

FRIDAY 8

The Hush Sound

Chicago’s the Hush Sound was “discovered” in 2005 by Pete Wentz via Panic! At the Disco’s Ryan Ross, but don’t hold that against it. The group’s simple boy-girl harmonies and catchy melodies are at once sincere and whimsical, creating a timeless, folk-tinged pop sound. When the band formed, core songwriters Greta Salpeter and Bob Morris were essentially still children, going to school and lifeguarding, respectively. In the years and three albums that followed, the band mercifully never lost its youthful nature. Now, after a five-year hiatus, the Hush Sound is finally back with a new album in the works — and its ready to relive its youth. (Haley Zaremba)

With the Last Royals, Sydney Wayser

8pm, $15

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell

(415) 885-0750

Pickwick

A Youtube comment on the song “Blackout” from Pickwick’s record, Myths Vol. 3, reads “these fucking albums are nowhere to be found.” Though one should usually ignore Youtube comments, in this case we say, Kamelbutiken, you have a point. For the past year, the band has sold out shows in its native Seattle and earned spots in notable festivals, gaining hype only through the release of a series of seven-inch vinyl records and online videos. It’s hard to believe that with all the recognition they’ve earned, March 12 marks the release of the band’s official debut album. While the soul-and-folk-infused rock the band makes is still nowhere to be found, find Pickwick live at the Independent. (Kerry)

With Radiation City, Sandy’s

9pm, $15

Independent

628 Divisadero, SF

(415) 771-1421

Melt! with Machinedrum

Futuristic beats producer Travis Stewart, a.k.a. Machinedrum, takes cues as much from hip-hop and jungle rhythms as from the current dubstep/wobble craze. The American-born Berlin resident has produced for rising Harlem star Azealia Banks and counts rhymesayer Theophilus London and UK-based dream-techno star Lone as collaborators. Machinedrum keeps his productions quick and tightly-woven, typically floating catchy melodies and some sonorous vocal samples alongside shuffling beats. The multi-faceted Stewart has also earned respect for his recent reinterpretations of giants in their respective genres, Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada and psychedelic jazzist Sun Ra. (Kevin Lee)

With French Fries, Dark Sky, and more

10pm, $17.50–$20

1015 Folsom, SF

(415) 431-1200

www.1015.com

SATURDAY 9

San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival

With directors like Cristi Puiu (2005’s The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) and Cristian Mungiu (whose latest, Beyond the Hills, opens March 15) leading the charge, the Romanian New Wave is a well-established phenomenon. So it stands to reason that next-door neighbor Bulgaria would also be eager to come into its own, cinematically speaking — and the inaugural San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival is here to share some of the country’s recent triumphs with local audiences. Included in the two-day fest are Bulgaria’s 2011 Oscar submission, Tilt, about friends who dream of opening a bar amid the country’s tumultuous early 1990s; and contemporary drama Love.Net, a hit at the 2011 Bulgarian National Film Festival. (Eddy)

Through Sun/10, $12

Brava Theater Center

2781 24th St, SF

sfbff.blogspot.com

Garry Winogrand retrospective

Legend has it that Garry Winogrand would shoot an entire roll of film in a single block, barely pausing or taking his eye away from his Leica camera’s viewfinder until he reached the end. As a result, his body of work presents barely mediated views of daily life in postwar America. And it presents a lot of them. Winogrand produced so many rolls of film that he never saw an estimated 250,000 images contained on them before his untimely death in 1984. In a retrospective that will travel the globe after leaving San Francisco, SFMOMA will display about 100 of these never-before-seen prints, adding to an already prolific and important collection. We’re lucky to get to see so many streets through Winogrand’s eyes. (Kerry)

Through June 2

$9–$18

SFMOMA

151 Third St., SF

(415) 357-4000

www.sfmoma.org

Flogging Molly

Don’t let Flogging Molly fool you: everything about the band may seem wonderfully drunk and Irish, but like any other illusion, it actually hails from Los Angeles. Vocalist Dave King, however, is a bona fide Irishman, and his thick brogue is the perfect addition to Flogging Molly’s Celtic-flavored punk madness. Whether or not you want to listen to songs about drunken pirates and whiskey in your free time, its live show is a spectacle that anyone could and should enjoy. Though the band has been together and touring since the ’90s, it hasn’t slowed down one iota. That x-factor that makes some live shows over-the-top fun simply can’t be spoken for. Grab a bottle of Jameson and go see for yourself. You can thank me later. (Zaremba)

With Mariach El Bronx, Donots

7:30pm, $32.50

Fox Theater

1807 Telegraph, Oakland

(510) 302-2250

www.thefoxoakland.com

MONDAY 11

Efterklang The Danish band Efterklang first gained international plaudits with its soaring 2007 LP Parades on the Leaf Label Ltd and such triumphant, symphonic battle cries as “Mirador” and “Caravan.” Since switching labels to 4AD Ltd., Efterklang has (somewhat regrettably) corralled that bright energy and fostered a more direct, intimate sound. Legend has it that the Danish trio wandered through an abandoned Norwegian coal mining settlement near the North Pole formerly operated by the Soviet Union. The band’s journey and field recordings became source material for last year’s Piramida, in which frontperson Clasper Clausen drops his voice an octave and embarks on mysterious stories of exploration and melancholy. (Lee)

With Nightlands

8pm, $15

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

San Francisco Moth StorySLAM: Secrets

The Moth: “True Stories Told Live.” Where else could we listen to strangers, alone on a stage with their words, telling fantastical-but-true personal stories of Jewish mobster uncles, family embezzlement, Montgomery Clift’s wishes from beyond the grave, the whiskey-soaked life of a rookie reporter, the cult of Radical Honesty, and sexual awakenings during midlife crises? The NY-born series — in which reading from notes is a major no-no — has been going strong since 1997, with monthly StorySLAMs (open mics) in LA, Chicago, Louisville, and Seattle, among other cities. The San Francisco Moth StorySLAM launches today at the Rickshaw Stop and will continue on the second Monday of every month. The first round’s theme is “secrets” so come prepared to divulge the dirt. And as podcast host Dan Kennedy always notes, “we hope you have a story-worthy week.” (Full of secrets you’re willing to share.) (Emily Savage)

7pm, $8

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

Our Weekly Picks: February 27- March 5, 2013

Andrew Lam

February 26, 2013

WEDNESDAY 27

Lisa Fagan and Alison Williams

At the Garage, you get to see a lot of choreography in progress, which is a pleasure in itself because you can imagine what the final product might be like. Not this time. Lisa Fagan and Alison Williams — friends and colleagues, who first met during that hotbed of incubation, ODC’s Pilot Programs — are offering finished work. The evening, about an hour of choreography, comes with a bonus. Fagan calls her trio, Full Grown Baby Lemon, “a dance work of fiction,” and it has a definitely odd set of characters. Williams’ Edit promises to be rollicking duet between pop and geology. That’s where the bonus comes in. Her music will be live and includes an after-performance dance party where you can dive into dubstep. (Rita Felciano)

8pm, $10–$20

Garage

715 Bryant, SF

Fresh and Onlys

Noise Pop borrows its name from a mid-1980s genre that merges contradictions. Noise is edgy and gritty; pop is sunny and easily digestible. The Fresh and Onlys, a San Francisco band that has taken off since its ’08 formation, represents a ’13 incarnation of these oppositions. In “20 Days and 20 Nights,” the opener of last fall’s Long Slow Dance, “I cry” repeats over and over against bright harmonies and an upbeat piano hook, leaving the listener to bop along to the singer’s misery. It is an intriguing sensation caused by the balanced mix of grit and sunshine that continues throughout the vibrant album. The band invites you to bop along to its Noise Pop contradictions at Bottom of the Hill. (Laura Kerry)

With R. Stevie Moore, Plateaus, Burnt Ones

8pm, $14

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St., SF

(415) 621-4455

Ceremony

Through the progression of its three studio albums, Rohnert Park’s Ceremony has evolved from unbridled, no-nonsense bursts of hardcore punk to a more slow-burning and equally devastating aggression. While it’s certainly not unusual for punk bands to shine on stage rather than on recordings, Ceremony’s live show takes the cake. Vocalist Ross Farrar is reminiscent of Ian Curtis as he lurches, jerks, and occasionally collapses across the stage, moaning, howling, and screeching as guitarist Anthony Anzaldo and bassist Andy Nelson leap and high-kick around him. The result is a cacophonous and tightly-coiled energy that is deliciously cathartic and at times transcendent in the pissed-off way only a punk band from the suburbs can produce. (Haley Zaremba)

With Terry Malts, Comadre, Perfect Ruin, Synthetic ID

8pm, $12

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF

(415) 861-2011

THURSDAY 28

Other Minds 18

Noise Pop isn’t the only contemporary music and art festival rolling into town this week. Other Minds, an annual event that invites composers and artists to share their avant-garde work, launches its 18th year on Thursday with performances of music from far-away places such as Denmark and India. Each of the three nights includes a panel discussion and a performance to fully engage the world of music outside the mainstream. Don’t come to Other Minds expecting the same finger-snapping tunes as the other festival in town; do come to hear some innovative music and to learn something along the way. (Kerry)

Through Sat/2, 7pm, $30-$115 (festival pass)

Jewish Community Center

3200 California, SF

(415) 292-1200

www.otherminds.org

Punk in Africa

How much do you know about origins of global underground punk scenes? Beyond the live shows, Noise Pop always shows a handful of creative takes on the usual music doc; Punk in Africa is no exception. It explores a too-infrequently examined continent’s aggressive punk roots, from “the underground rock music of early 1970s Johannesburg, the first multi-racial punk bands formed in the wake of the Soweto Uprising and the militant anti-apartheid hardcore and post-punk bands of the ’80s to the rise of celebratory African-inspired ska bands, which sprang up from Cape Town to Maputo in the democratic era of the ’90s.” It also spotlights current acts battling political bombs with explosive lyrics and pounding drumbeats in Zimbabwe and South Africa. (Emily Savage)

7pm, $10

Artists’ Television Access

992 Valencia, SF

(415) 824-3890

www.atasite.org

FRIDAY 1

Peter

Following last November’s potent For the Love of Emptiness (danced by Jorge De Hoyos), San Francisco-based choreographer Sara Shelton Mann presents the second solo in her fascinating “Eye of Leo Series.” Peter reteams the long esteemed, ever-searching Mann with video-light designer David Slaza, joined by composer Robbie Beahrs and performer Jesse Hewit. In these highly dynamic collaborations, Mann is wont to hover on the fringes, interacting variously with the performance space. “I open the ground and track it as a guide and follow the progress of the terrain chosen by the individual,” explains Mann. “Some chose the difficult path, some chose the surreal dream of extinction, some the practice of perfection. . . . I have chosen and I do not choose. People find me. I have become a hermit in a cage and those who find me have to find the key to the door.” (Robert Avila)

Through Sat/2, 8pm, $15

Joe Goode Annex

499 Alabama, SF

www.sarasheltonmann.org

Shih Chieh Huang: Synthetic Seduction

If a work of art had a spirit soundtrack, what would it be? Considering the use of industrial materials such as plastic bags, electrical sensors, and colored lights, one would expect Shih Chieh Huang’s installations to play to the the robotic pop of Daft Punk. Past pieces, though, including one at the National Museum of Natural History, achieve an organic quality that recalls the sound of being submerged in water. Continuing to explore the creation of technological landscapes while engaging in the theme of psychedelia, the artist’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts installation conjures the image of a Jimi Hendrix solo played backwards over a heart monitor. Huang’s art certainly dances to the beat of its own drummer. (Kerry)

Through June 30 Noon, $10

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

(415) 978-2700

SATURDAY 2

“Voices of Afghanistan”

Ustad Farida Mahwash and Homayoun Sakhi — both legends in their own right — will return to Cal Performances tonight (for the first time in two years) for a pleasant and educational evening of live traditional and contemporary Afghan music. Mahwash, a popular vocalist in her home country known as “the voice of Afghanistan,” will sing over rubâb virtuoso Sakhi and his ensemble in Wheeler Auditorium. The Sakhi Ensemble is a quartet employing instruments such as the harmonium, tula, doyra, tabla, and Sakhi’s rubâb — a lute-like instrument played with a bow that’s one of Afghanistan’s national instruments; it’s likely the sound you imagine when you think of mesmerizing Middle Eastern music. (Savage)

8pm, $36

Wheeler Auditorium, UC Berkeley Campus

Bancroft Way at Telegraph, Berk.

(510) 642-9988

www.calperformances.org

Sonny and the Sunsets

San Francisco’s Sonny Smith has already done more in the past few years than most of us will accomplish in our lifetime. The singer-songwriter-illustrator-playwright has more side projects than Jack White and a seemingly bottomless reserve of creative energy. In 2010, Smith released 200 songs at once that he had recorded for his 100 Records exhibition, and instead of swearing off music for a period like an exhausted person might, he soon began writing the next Sunsets album, worked on 100 Records: Vol. 3 (released this January) and began planning another exhibition, basing songs off protest signs. This project, tentatively titled “Protest Factory,” is still gestating, but last year saw the release of the Sunsets’ third full-length album, which carried on Smith’s tradition of engaging narrative lyrics, though with a surprisingly fantastic country twist. (Zaremba)

With Magic Trick, Cool Ghouls, Dune Rats

Bottom of the Hill

9pm, $12

1233 17th St., SF

(415) 626-4455

SUNDAY 3

“Balboa Birthday Bash”

San Francisco is all about celebrating the newest, hottest place — that pizza restaurant where you wait a full hour for a gourmet pie; that bar where each drink is hand-crafted using 11 exotic ingredients. So why not tip your top hat to an 87-year-old veteran: the Balboa Theatre, keeping the avenues cinematically rockin’ since Feb. 7, 1926? The party gets started at 4pm today with a 35mm screening of the 1924 silent version of Peter Pan, featuring live accompaniment by Frederick Hodges; come to the evening show for a repeat screening, plus a live vaudeville show, birthday prizes, and treats. Roaring Twenties attire encouraged! (Cheryl Eddy)

4 and 7pm, $10

Balboa Theatre

3630 Balboa, SF

www.cinemasf.com

“Tom Fest” Benefit for Tom Mallon

While he may not be a household name, Tom Mallon had a huge influence and impact on the San Francisco music scene, beginning the mid-1970s. As a musician, Mallon has performed with American Music Club and Toiling Midgets among others, and as a producer and engineer, he provided acts with low-cost studio time and guidance that helped document the work of countless artists. A host of musicians he has worked with over the years are performing tonight at “TomFest,” a special tribute and benefit concert for Mallon and his family (along with the SF Brain Tumor Support Group at UCSF), including Chuck Prophet, Toiling Midgets, Fright Wig, Penelope Houston, Ugly Stick, Peter Case, members of American Music Club, and many more. (Sean McCourt)

7:30pm, $25

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

Our Weekly Picks: February 20-26, 2013

Andrew Lam

February 19, 2013

WEDNESDAY 20

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

Head on down to the waterfront tonight for a hilarious night of bad B-movie fun! Where could be better to watch the schlocky sci-fi flick Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (featuring over-the-top cheesy performances from Deborah Gibson and Lorenzo Lamas) than an actual aquarium on the San Francisco Bay? Part of Aquarium of the Bay’s “Octopalooza,” a week-long fete celebrating cephalopods, the price of admission to this “Bad Movie Night” will include two drinks, popcorn, admission to the aquarium, and live satiric commentary about the film from Dark Room Theater. (Sean McCourt)

6pm, $16

Aquarium of the Bay, Bay Theater

Pier 39, SF

(415) 623-5300

www.aquariumofthebay.com

Patricia Schultz

Travel writer Patricia Schultz explained how she selected entries for her New York Times-bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die in the book’s introduction: “In the final analysis, the common denominator I chose was a simple one: that each place impress upon the visitor — and, I hope, upon the reader — some sense of the earth’s magic, integrity, wonder, and legacy.” Lately, Schultz seems like she is looking for the next 1,000 places to pass on to readers. She has made stops in Connecticut, Boston, and California this month, and has a 10-day jaunt through Ethiopia in April ($5,400 to join her) followed by a 19-day cruise ship voyage near the Antarctic coast in November ($9,500). Interested (and perhaps more frugal) travelers can listen in tonight on her latest adventures. (Kevin Lee)

7pm, $12–$20

Oshman Family Jewish Community Center

3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto

(415) 597-6700

www.commonwealthclub.org

THURSDAY 21

“Migration Now!”

The creators of the fabulous People’s History poster series, Justseeds, and Culturestr/ke have assembled a poster show to heal the psychic wounds you’ve done to yourself listening to the Right rage on against immigrants ruining our country. Seriously, this is the antidote: undocumented queer activist Julio Salgado’s peaceful odes to cross-border gay marriage, the flock of monarch butterflies that Portland, Ore.’s Roger Peet has conjured, alighting on a human skull in protest of the War on Drugs. King of the subversive poster Emory Douglas will also show work, along with many others. The opening reception features hip-hop performance, panel discussion, an appearance by the Filipino Caregiver Theater Ensemble, and more. (Caitlin Donohue)

Through Feb. 28

Opening reception: 6-10pm, free

Eric Quesada Center for Culture and Politics

518 Valencia, SF

www.justseeds.org

www.migrationnow.com

“Fabulous Artistic Guys Get Overtly Traumatized Sometimes: the Musical!”

After a sold-out weekend premiere in October, DavEnd’s sharp-witted, madcap, acronym-inviting musical comes back for another raucous binge of self-obsession and doubt before the bedroom mirror. Fabulous Artistic Guys Get Overtly Traumatized Sometimes features writer, composer, performer, chanteuse, accordionist, and costume designer extraordinaire DavEnd as, who else, queer artist DavEnd and her active — very active — imagination. Upon reflection (her own that is, courtesy of a full-length looking-glass (Maryam Farnaz Rostami)), solipsism turns to schism as DavEnd confronts a fractured fashion show of ideal or not-so-ideal types, MC’d by her Fairy Drag Mother (luminous burlesque star World Famous *BOB*). Discerning direction by D’Arcy Drollinger and musical director Chris Winslow support a pitch-perfect combo of the effervescent and deadpan, in a comedy that actually asks stark present-day questions about difference, acceptance, and validation of the self. (Robert Avila)

Through Sun/24, 8pm; (also Sun/24, 3pm), $20–$25

Counterpulse

1310 Mission, SF

(415) 626-2060

www.counterpulse.org

CHERYL at the Asian Art Museum

In the third century BCE, a Chinese emperor wanted to defeat death by commissioning a life-size terracotta army of over 7,000 warriors. In 2013, New York-based art collective CHERYL wants to defeat convention by throwing a party in honor of 10 of these warriors. At the opening of the Asian Art Museum’s “China’s Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor’s Legacy,” the collective, joined by DJ Hakobo and the Extra Action Marching Band, will set up a video installation, an excellent set of tunes, and a bar, and they invite you to join them (preferably in a costume of your choosing). Probably not what the emperor had in mind, but it just might work. (Laura Kerry)

7pm, $18

Asian Art Museum

200 Larkin, SF

(415) 581-3500

www.asianart.org

FRIDAY 22

“Sexual Politics”

The full title of the Roxie’s first post-SF Indiefest event is “Sexual Politics: The Occasionally Autobiographical and Always Personal Films of Joe Swanberg,” a mouthful befitting a prolific filmmaker who is only 31 and yet has already made nearly 20 films. His debut, 2005’s Kissing on the Mouth, isn’t included here, but his second and third films are — LOL (2006) and Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007), both of which rushed him to the forefront of the lo-fi, low-budget, mostly-improv’d genre known (for better and worse) as “mumblecore.” (Both also star Hollywood’s next big thing, Greta Gerwig.) Among the 12 Swanberg selections is IndieFest closer All the Light in the Sky, a 2012 release that isn’t even his most recent (that’s be Drinking Buddies, which just screened at Sundance). Never sleep, Joe. (Cheryl Eddy)

Fri/22-Mon/25, $6.50–$10

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St, SF

Dave Alvin and Marshall Crenshaw

Fans of Americana, rockabilly, and roots music — or just plain old fashioned rock’n’roll — are in for a special treat tonight as two of the greatest singer-songwriters-guitarists of the past 30 years come to town on tour together — Dave Alvin and Marshall Crenshaw. First displaying his formidable chops as a member of the Blasters, Alvin has gone on to a distinguished solo career, as has Crenshaw, who gained mainstream exposure with his 1981 hit “Someday, Someway,” and portrayed Buddy Holly in the 1987 film La Bamba. Get ready for a night of shredding Stratocasters as these two tunesmith titans, who just keep getting better with age, play live backed by the Guilty Ones. (McCourt)

8pm, $22

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

Chrome Canyon

At this rate, I’ll never make it to the future. But when I do, I know exactly what would make the perfect soundtrack. Giorgio Moroder’s Metropolis, Wendy Carlos’s Tron, John Carpenter’s Escape From New York, Michael Jarre’s Dreamscape, and Hirokazu Tanaka’s Metroid. Of course, that’s too much for one Walkman, but since I’ll be going that direction anyway, I’ll make a point to procure a copy of Elemental Themes, the recent analog synth saturated non-soundtrack from Brooklyn’s Chrome Canyon. It captures the mood. First order of business: find a place that sells cassettes. Second: restore causality. (Ryan Prendiville)

Voltaire Records and Stones Throw Present, with Peanut Butter Wolf (DJ set), Jonas Reinhardt, Shock, Chautauqua (DJ set)

9pm, $13-15

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

SATURDAY 23

FaltyDL

Producer Drew Lustman may hail from New York, but his newest release Hardcourage impressively fuses the pace and smoothness of Chicago house with the synths and bleeps found in Detroit techno. The result is a multilayered work that leans more toward spacey introspection than frenetic movement, a somewhat surprising departure from vintage FaltyDL productions of two-step and UK-influenced garage. Consistent throughout Lustman’s discography is an emphasis on melody and texture that is quite fitting, given Lustman played upright bass and piano in jazz groups and counts Miles Davis as a big influence. How Lustman mixes groovier works like the luscious “She Sleeps” with harder-stepping garage in the tighter confines of Public Works’ loft space will bear watching. (Lee)

9:30pm, $10–$20

Public Works

161 Erie, SF

(415) 932-0955

SUNDAY 24

Morrissey

It’s difficult to describe the voice — a tinge of a yowl but always fluid and warm. Then there’s the songwriting — mysteriously transcendent. And the incredible style that is both quirky and catchy. OK, this might be gushing, but come on, it’s Morrissey, and he’s coming to Davies Symphony Hall (and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that he actually makes it to the Bay this time). The influential artist, who established his reputation with the Smiths in the ’80s, will release a “very best of” album in April. Even though he’s looking back on career classics, he wants to show us he can still rock out. Morrissey, we wouldn’t doubt you for a second. (Kerry)

With Kristeen Young

8pm, $50-$90

Davies Symphony Hall

201 Van Ness, SF

(415) 864-6000

www.daviessymphonyhall.org

Matmos

Relax. Try to concentrate. I’m going to play some sounds. Tell me what you see. A triangle? No. Try again. A velvet blivet? No. Focus, please. What? I assure you, no one has had sex on this table. One more. A damn deacon? Please, there’s no call for that sort of language. Fail, a complete fail. Correct answer was A Marriage of True Minds, an auditory experiment into ESP by former SF — now Baltimore — residing duo Matmos. Yes, extra-sensory perception. Telepathy for the layperson like you. Here, give it a listen the next time you’re in the flotation tank. (Prendiville)

With Horse Lords, C.L.A.W.S. (DJ set), Kit Clayton, and visuals by Golden Suicide

8pm, $10

Public Works

161 Erie St., SF

(415) 932-0955

MONDAY 25

Surfer Blood

Surfer Blood has discovered a magical formula. When the band came together in ’09, it united with the simple goal to produce an album and go on tour, but with the album and EP it has released since that time, the quartet has earned impressive recognition for its unceasingly gratifying pop-rock. Surfer Blood’s four-year-old goal continues with the launch of another tour leading up to the June release of Pythons. In the single, “Weird Shapes,” the magic continues in a catchy tune that somehow recalls both the Strokes and the Beach Boys. Come see what other tricks it has up its sleeve. (Kerry)

With Grand Rapids, Aaron Axelsen

8pm, $11

Brick and Mortar Music Hall

1710 Mission, SF

(415) 800-8782

Our Weekly Picks: February 13-19, 2013

Andrew Lam

February 12, 2013

WEDNESDAY 13

Dirty Looks Road Show

How Do I Look? asks a seminal weighty tome addressing queer film and video theory from 1991. “Dirty!” I always wanted to shout back to my dusty bookshelf when it caught my eye. Well, hey — 22 years later along comes NYC’s Dirty Looks collective, which showcases queer experimental film and video with startling freshness. The edgy gems on offer in its two-night visit to SF may have slipped through your Youtube crack. Thu/14’s “Yesterday Once More” at SFMOMA, www.sfmoma.org, gives you contemporary coolness from Matt Wolf, Zachary Drucker, Mariah Garnett, and Chris E. Vargas. Then check out Fri/15’s “Pickle Surprise! The Eyes of Tom Rubnitz” at Artists Television Access, www.atasite.org, which has me jumping for joy — this ’80s underground clubkid, filmmaker, and musician caught the spirit of one of our civilizations most vividly glorious times before he died of AIDS. Legendary drag queens and trashy foodstuffs galore! (Marke B.)

“Yesterday Once More”: Thu/14, 7-9pm, $10

Phyllis Watts Theater, SF MOMA

151 Third St., SF

“Pickle Surprise”: Fri/15, 8pm, $6

992 Valencia, SF

www.dirtylooksnyc.org

Comedy! Comedy!

As the name subtlety implies, this event will showcase humor. Hosted by the sardonic upstart comic Cameron Vannini, this event, billed as a standup show for comics and by comics, will be the first ever comedic event at the nascent Chapel, signaling more standup shows in its future. Going up to bat tonight will be an all-local slate featuring Kevin O’Shea, Clare O’Kane, Jules Posner, Sean Keane, Brendan Lynch, and Kevin Camia. O’Shea, O’Kane, Posner, Keane, and Vannini will all be coming fresh off recent gigs at Sketchfest. The blunt and jabbing Camia, whose record Kindness was voted among the top 10 best comedy albums on iTunes in 2010, is a stalwart of the local scene and recently has been rumored to be making “the move” down to LA. A night like this should be the perfect respite for those still pining for Sketchfest. (George McIntire)

9pm, $15

Chapel

777 Valencia, SF

(415) 551-5157

Stone Foxes

Remember rock’n’roll? You know, that dynamic and gritty music before the age of synthesizers? The Stone Foxes show at the New Parish might jog your memory. Launching into experimentation from strong roots in blues, the band plays a range from the catchy interpretation of Edgar Allen Poe’s gothic, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” (“Everybody Knows”) to the elegy in minor, “Battles, Blades and Bones,” which repeats, “We need someone to sing/’Cause we’ve turned everything/To battles, blades, and bones.” In their third album, Little Fires (which came out Feb. 12), collaboration with Girls’ producer Doug Boehm proves that polish doesn’t mean sterility, that good production doesn’t mean overproduction, and that good old rock’n’roll lives on. (Laura Kerry)

With Mahgeetah, Black Cobra Vipers

9pm, free

New Parish

579 18th St., Oakl.

(510) 444-7474

THURSDAY 14

“The Algorithm of Love”

Sam Yagan might be as qualified as anyone to decipher the formula for love. Yagan and his three Harvard classmates founded the online dating site OKCupid as a spin off from the Spark Notes study guides they created at the turn of the millennium. Since then, Internet matchmaking has become a booming business, and Yagan and Co. capitalized in 2011 by selling OKCupid to rival Match.com. Yagan, now Match.com’s CEO, uses data from 8 million users to quantify the unquantifiable, to dissect what exactly goes into fuzzy feelings and unexplainable attractions. Bay Area matchmaker Joy Nordenstrom and SFGate blogger Beth Spotswood will be on hand to help translate the love equation. (Kevin Lee)

6:30pm, $7–$20

Commonwealth Club

595 Market, SF

www.commonwealthclub.org

The Wooster Group/New York City Players: Early Plays

However it pans out as a performance, this has to be one of the theatrical events of the year: A rare Bay Area appearance by the famed Wooster Group in collaboration with another NY-based contemporary experimental theater company of renown, Richard Maxwell’s New York City Players. Maxwell directs members of both companies in a trio of “Early Plays” by Eugene O’Neill —three one-acts also known as the Glencairn plays, after the ship on which work the men of Moon of the Caribbees, Bound East for Cardiff, and The Long Voyage Home. Each unfolds in the director’s emblematic affectless style, which seeks out the unfamiliar beneath layers of received theatricality and, in the case of these young yet also experimental plays, lingering melodrama. (Robert Avila)

Through Sat/16, 8pm, $20–$30 ($10 Thu/14)

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

750 Folsom, SF

(415) 978-2787

Feed Me with Teeth

Britain’s Jon Gooch has many alter egos. He’s a producer and a DJ, he’s Spor and he’s Feed Me. No matter what the role or the moniker, however, Gooch remains constant and consistent in his creation of unrelentingly catchy electro and yes, dubstep. Teeth, Gooch’s newest creation, is the element that pushes Feed Me’s act over the line from just another EDM act and into the realm of a truly spectacular performance that’s going to keep you talking about it for quite a while. The Teeth are comprised of 20 jagged LED screens that create a huge, crooked grin that flashes and pulses in sync with Feed Me’s expert mixing. Dancing shoes required, party provided. (Haley Zaremba)

With Mord Fustang

9pm, $38

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

Body Cartography: Symptom

Last time Olive Bieringa and Otto Ramstad’s Body Cartography Project performed locally downtown, it was difficult to tell the dancers apart from the mingling pedestrians. Shortly after that the company left its home turf of SF for greener pastures, Minneapolis, as it turned out. From there Body Cartography has taken its expanded investigations of physicality — both geographically and the mediums within which it works — around the globe. For its return engagement as part of CounterPULSE’s Queer Series (running through March), Body Cartography is bringing a relatively small group, Ramstad with sibling Emmett. One is a dancer, the other a visual artist. They look very much alike; they are even dressed alike. They have called what they do Symptom, a work they say is “sculpture, drawing, movement and text.” (Rita Felciano)

8pm, $20-30

Also Feb. 15-17

CounterPULSE

1310 Mission, SF

(877) 297-6805

www.counterpulse.org

FRIDAY 15

“Engulfing the Elusory”

Here are some of the themes that the sculptures of Rachel Mica Weiss undertake: human vulnerability, large-scale disasters, self-inflicted limitations. Does an image come to mind? I’m guessing that it does not resemble Weiss’s black net installations. But when you see the twisted rope, the rough stones, and the tarnished wood that comprise Weiss’s previous work, idea and object click. The artist condenses so much conceptual work into physical pieces of inexplicable poignancy. Let’s throw a few more themes in: boundaries, environmental change, cultural constructs. All of it will be on view in the windows of the Arts Commission Gallery. (Kerry)

Through April 27

6pm, free

SF Arts Commission Gallery

401 Van Ness, SF

(415) 554-6080

sfartscommission.org/gallery

Every Time I Die

The metal life isn’t for everyone. Constant touring, an over-crowded industry, and headbang whiplash causes many bands to give up their brutal dream early into their career. Buffalo, NY’s Every Time I Die isn’t one of those bands. ETID has been churning out its distinctive Southern-tinged hardcore since 1998. Six studio albums, a billion bassists, and a tour with Steve-O later, the Buckley brothers are still going strong. Incredibly, their high-energy live show has shown no signs of fatigue in well over a decade, and their reputation for intensity continues to be well-earned. Come for the snarky lyrics and clever songwriting, stay for the circle pit. (Zaremba)

With the Acacia Strain, Vanna, Hundreth, No Bragging Rights

8pm, $17

Oakland Metro Operahouse

630 Third St, Oakl.

(510) 763-1146

www.oaklandmetro.org

“Hip-Hop Beyond Gender”

My first compact disc was Salt ‘N Pepa’s masterful ode to minding one’s business, safe sex, and superlative/godawful male companions, 1993’s Very Necessary. Imagine my confusion, then, upon my discovery that the rest of the hip-hop world was hardly as empowering for females as that power-sass had led me to believe. But hip-hop has always been a site of subversion, where societal rules are flipped, and so it makes perfect since that some day, its lovers would take back the form from the silly misogynists on the Billboard charts. So, yay: tonight, nu-world griots Aya De Leon, Raquel Gutierrez, Chinaka Hodge, Carrie Leilam Love, Dawn Robinson, and Kity Yan examine hip-hop’s queer-feminist revolutionary potential through spoken word. It’s the first of five La Peña events in 2013 focused on breaking down hip-hop’s gender barriers. (Caitlin Donohue)

8pm, $15–$18

La Peña Cultural Center

3105 Shattuck, Berk.

www.lapena.org

Ott and the All-Seeing I

If you’re into dub, electronic, Middle Eastern, and psychedelic sounds, you must meet Ott. Ott — a veteran electronic British musician-producer who has worked with big names like Sinéad O’Connor, Brian Eno, and Simon Posford (Shpongle) — makes rich, ambient, trancey electronic dub jams under the moniker Ott and the All-Seeing I. “Owl Stretching Time,” one of the band’s signature tracks, could just as easily be the anthem to a Jamaican surf trip as the soundtrack to a night out in Berlin. Ott handles electronics alongside Naked Nick (guitars, synths, percussion), bassist Chris Barker, and drummer Matt White. (Mia Sullivan)

With KiloWatts, Desert Dwellers, Outersect

10pm, $15

1015 Folsom, SF

(415) 264-1015

www.1015folsom.com

MONDAY 18

Buke and Gase

Before we begin, let’s establish a few definitions. Buke: an altered six-string baritone banjo. Gase: a blend of a guitar and bass. Surely, a band that carries its own invented glossary approaches music differently. Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez, the duo that with its homemade instruments manages to sound more like an offbeat orchestra, alters language, genre, and the overall assumptions of the listener. The driving cacophony in the recently released General Dome shouldn’t make sense. Somehow, though, with Dyer’s expressive singing, the building repetition of sounds, and the band’s confidence in its own inventiveness, it all comes together. See Dyer and Sanchez create their own rules at Café Du Nord. (Kerry)

With Aleuchatistas, Yassou Benedict

9pm, $10

Cafe Du Nord

2170 Market, SF

(415) 861-5016

Our Weekly Picks: February 6-12, 2013

Andrew Lam

February 5, 2013

Stage listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Performance times may change; call venues to confirm. Reviewers are Robert Avila, Rita Felciano, and Nicole Gluckstern. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For further information on how to submit items for the listings, see Picks.

THEATER

OPENING

God of Carnage Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter, SF; www.sheltontheatre.org. $38. Opens Fri/8, 8pm. Runs Thu-Sat, 8pm. Through March 30. Shelton Theater presents Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning comedy about upper-middle-class parents clashing over an act of playground violence between their children.

BAY AREA

The Fourth Messenger Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby, Berk; www.thefourthmessenger.com. $23-40. Opens Wed/6, 8pm. Runs Wed-Thu, 7pm (Thu/7 and Feb 14, show at 8pm; no show Feb 13 or 20); Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through March 10. 100 Shades of Green presents the world premiere of Tanya Shaffer and Vienna Teng’s musical that imagines a contemporary, female Buddha.

ONGOING

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Buriel Clay Theater at the African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton, SF; www.african-americanshakes.org. $10-15. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Feb 17. African-American Shakespeare Company performs Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer-winning classic.

Dear Harvey New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness, SF; www.nctcsf.org. $25-45. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Feb 24. New Conservatory Theatre Center performs Patricia Loughrey’s play about Harvey Milk, drawn from over 30 interviews.

Foodies! The Musical Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter, SF; www.foodiesthemusical.com. $30-34. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. AWAT Productions presents Morris Bobrow’s musical comedy revue all about food.

4000 Miles Geary Theater, 415 Geary, SF; www.act-sf.org. $20-150. Wed/6-Sat/9, 8pm (also Sat/9, 2pm); Sun/10, 2 and 8pm. The Bay Area premiere at American Conservatory Theater of playwright Amy Herzog’s Obie-winner proves a solid production of a much-heralded but rather tepid, sentimental American drama. It’s about a grief-stricken young man (Reggie Gowland) who travels cross-country on his bicycle and, aimless in sorrow at the loss of his best friend, stalls out in the cramped New York City apartment of his maternal grandmother (Susan Blommaert), a slightly frail widow but spirited former Communist who proves grudgingly grateful for the company. Their odd-couple relationship unfurls over predictable bumps, laughs, and growing appreciation and acceptance, while the young man negotiates a touchy situation with an offstage adopted sister back home and weathers a breakup with his onstage girlfriend (Julia Lawler). Director Mark Rucker’s cast (rounded out by Camille Mana as a bubbly art student and botched one-night stand) is generally engaging, and Rucker ensures the production is fun, a little weepy, ultimately a pleasant, inoffensive night out. But — though much has been made of the biographical inspiration for Herzog’s play in her own grandmother and a difficult period spent as her roommate — the play itself seems thousands of miles from lived experience. Form and content are instead bounded by a mawkish naturalism. Scenes rise and fall in discrete arcs that seem to invite commercials, while the play’s preference for the easy humor built on generalized differences or the soft landing of happy endings (over, say, a serious engagement with the values and overlapping crises represented by the generational confrontation) enforces a dismayingly complaisant and superficial worldview. (Avila)

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Boxcar Playhouse, 505 Natoma, SF; www.boxcartheatre.org. $25-40. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 5pm). Through March 2. Hold onto your hairpiece, Boxcar Theatre is reprising their all-too short summer run of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and just in case you think you saw it already, be forewarned — you ain’t seen nothing yet. Recast, redesigned, and re-vamped, this outcast-rock musical familiarly follows the misadventures of one Hedwig Robinson (né Hansel Schmidt) with glam, guts, and glitter. But unlike the movie version penned by and starring John Cameron Mitchell as the titular chanteuse, or other staged versions, director Nick A. Olivero splits the larger-than-life, would-be rock sensation into eight different characters, who are each given a solo turn as well as plenty of ensemble harmonizing during the course of the two hour-plus performance. The effect is often electric, and just as frequently hilarious, as when the four female actors playing the role stomp across the stage swinging imaginary dicks in the air to the lyric "six inches forward and five inches back, I got a, I got an angry inch!" Supported by a tight quartet of rock musicians led by Rachel Robinson, and the phenomenal Amy Lizardo as Hedwig’s beleaguered "man Friday" Yitzhak, Hedwig keeps on extending for what appears to be an indefinite run, employing the time-honored Thrillpeddlers’ tradition of rotating cast members and comeback performances, which means you could theoretically go multiple times and never see quite the same show twice. I certainly plan to. (Gluckstern)

The Little Foxes Tides Theatre, 533 Sutter, SF; www.tidestheatre.org. $20-38. Wed-Sat, 8pm. Through Feb 23. Tides Theatre Company performs a modern take on the Lillian Hellman classic.

Se Llama Cristina Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, SF; www.magictheatre.org. $22-60. Tue, 7pm; Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Feb 13, 2:30pm); Sun, 2:30pm. Through Feb 17. Magic Theatre performs the world premiere of Octavio Solis’ multi-layered drama.

Manic Pixie Dream Girl ACT Costume Shop Theater, 1117 Market, SF; www.manicpixiedreamgirl.org. $25-35. Thu/7-Sun/10, 8pm. Billed as a "graphic-novel" play, first-time playwright Katie May’s Manic Pixie Dream Girl reaches out to a demographic frequently left out of the theatrical conversation — the geek chic, 20-something set. Marrying projected panels of black-and-white graphic novel-style drawings with dialogue and action provided by the actors onstage, this PlayGround co-production attempts to combine two very different mediums into a smooth narrative, a rocky but valiant effort. Much of the live action appears cartoonish rather than nuanced, and the two central protagonists — struggling painter and wannabe graphic novel artist Tallman (Joshua Roberts) and his new muse Lilly (Lyndsy Kail), a waifish mute with pockets full of candy wrappers chance-met in his neighborhood dive bar — are awkwardly incomplete ciphers. If you’re looking for the depth of detail and the visual impact of a Transmetropolitan or a Berlin, you won’t find it in MPDG, but what you will get is a glad eyeful of Rob Dario’s striking graphics, and some impeccable support acting courtesy of Lucas Hatton (who plays several welcome roles including a buttinsky, bro of a bartender and a "evil" real estate agent with all the charm and smarm of an overgrown frat boy), Liz Anderson’s bitch-queen supernova ex-girlfriend, and Michal Barrett Austin’s winsome cynicism as Tallman’s best buddy. (Gluckstern)

Not a Genuine Black Man Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. $25-50. Fri, 8pm; Sat, 5pm. Through Feb 23. What, the unapologetically middle-class Brian Copeland asks, is the real meaning behind the phrase "a genuine black man"? By way of an answer, the stand-up comic and KGO radio host offers up a simultaneously funny and disarmingly frank story about growing up African American in the racist suburb that was San Leandro in the early 1970s. Letting his narrative bounce back and forth between his boyhood memories and a period of depression that overtook him as a parent in 1999 — and interlacing the autobiography with verbatim utterances from both sides of the fight his family joined to desegregate the city — Copeland brings admirable chops as a comedian to bear on some difficult and disturbing, if ultimately hopeful, material. Note: review from an earlier run of the same show. (Avila)

Princess Ivona Performance Art Institute, 75 Boardman, SF; www.thecollectedworks.org. $20-30. Thu/7-Sat/9, 8pm. The first play by the great Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz (1904-1969) receives its first professional Northern California production in this admittedly uneven, sometimes sluggish but always intelligent and frequently inspired staging by newcomers the Collected Works. Set in the foyer and back room of co-presenter Performing Art Institute’s spacious SOMA warehouse, the action — peppered throughout by old-time American ballads enchantingly rendered by musician-singer Meredith Axelrod — initially unfolds amid an audience milling around a pond. There a haughty prince (the sharp, charismatic Ryan Tacata) and his aristo pals make sport of the plebs until the Prince takes things too far by impetuously proposing marriage to a slow, anemic, deeply dull and disheveled young woman, the anti-heroine of the title (played with a moody lethargy and savage intelligence by Tonyanna Borkovi). As the audience and the characters, including the worried King (Barry Kendall) and Queen (Florentina Mocanu-Schendel), all retire to the court, the presence of Ivona becomes a catalyst for the unsettling of ill-feelings, bad memories, and ugly impulses formerly buried beneath a surface of the luxury, grandeur, and privilege of the beautiful people. The absurdity of their lives revealed, how will harmony be restored? Astutely staged by director and company-cofounder Michael Hunter, with excellent design support — including from costumer Latifa Medjdoub — this captivating play makes for a worthwhile outing and a very promising company debut. (Avila)

"Risk Is This…The Cutting Ball New Experimental Plays Festival" Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor, SF; www.cuttingball.com. Free ($20 for reserved seating; $50 for five-play reserved seating festival pass). Through Sat/9. Three new works (by Sean San José, Dipika Guha, and Basil Kreimendahl) and two new "Risk Translations."

Sex and the City: LIVE! Rebel, 1760 Market, SF; trannyshack.com/sexandthecity. $25. Wed, 7 and 9pm. Open-ended. Lady Bear, Trixie Carr, Heklina, and D’Arcy Drollinger star in this drag tribute to the long-running HBO show.

SF Sketchfest: The San Francisco Comedy Festival Various venues, SF; www.sfsketchfest.com. Ticket prices vary according to event. Through Sun/10. The popular fest returns for its 12th year, featuring an array of comedy programs including tributes to Portlandia, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and Bruce Campbell; a series of Reggie Watts performances; film screenings; sketch and improv shows; and more.

The World’s Funniest Bubble Show Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. $8-50. Sun, 11am. Extended through March 17. The Amazing Bubble Man (a.k.a. Louis Pearl) continues his family-friendly bubble extravaganza.

You Know When the Men Are Gone Z Space, 450 Florida, SF; www.zspace.org. $30-55. Wed-Thu, 7pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Feb 24. Word for Word performs two short stories by Siobhan Fallon (the author, not the film actor): "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star."

BAY AREA

Acid Test: The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston, Berk; www.themarsh.org. $15-50. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Extended through Feb 17. Lynne Kaufman’s new play stars Warren David Keith as the noted spiritual figure.

Hippy Icon, Flower Geezer and Temple of Accumulated Error Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston, Berk; www.themarsh.org. $15-50. Fri/8, 8pm; Sat/9, 5pm; Sun/10, 2pm. Wavy Gravy holds forth on his legendary life and times.

Our Practical Heaven Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison, Berk; www.auroratheatre.org. $32-60. Tue and Sun, 7pm (also Sun, 2pm); Wed-Sat, 8pm. Through March 3. Anthony Clarvoe’s new play receives its world premiere as a 2011 prizewinner in Aurora’s Global Age Project (GAP), which cultivates new work addressing life in the 21st century. In the case of this labored and dull effort, the young century and its anxious outlook come refracted through three generations of women who gather for holidays at a seaside home whose own future is threatened by, first, financial and, ultimately, climatic conditions. Neurotic, self-absorbed Sasha (Anne Darragh) and capable businesswoman Willa (Julia Brothers) are middle-aged best friends forever who grew up in the home of Sasha’s mother (Joy Carlin) and late father. Joining Sasha’s two daughters by separate husbands, Suze (Blythe Foster) and Leez (Adrienne Walters), is Willa’s daughter, Magz (Lauren Spencer), who suffers from a debilitating disease. Despite many personal and generational differences — and a rising conflict over the house — all six women share in a traditional bout of bird watching in this fragile nature "refuge" for bird and human alike. While bird watching supplies the play’s operative metaphors, however, it does little to actually bring these characters together in any compelling or convincing way. In fact, respective backstories are pretty sketchy in general, dialogue strained and broadcasting, and performances correspondingly patchy. The three stage veterans in director Allen McKelvey’s cast — Brothers, Carlin, and Darragh — go furthest toward making Clarvoe’s leaden exposition somewhat buoyant, but the momentary pleasure they provide can’t stem the overall tide. (Avila)

Somewhere Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro, Mtn View; www.theatreworks.org. $23-73. Wed/6, 7:30pm; Thu/7-Sat/9, 8pm (also Sat/9, 2pm); Sun/10, 2 and 7pm. TheatreWorks performs Matthew Lopez’s play about a 1960s Puerto Rican family caught up in the filming of West Side Story.

Waiting for Godot Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller, Mill Valley; www.marintheatre.org. $36-52. Tue and Thu-Sat, 8pm (also Thu/7, 1pm; Feb 16, 2pm); Wed, 7:30pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Feb 17. Marin Theatre Company performs Samuel Beckett’s modern classic.

The Wild Bride Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison, Berk; www.berkeleyrep.org. $35-89. Tue and Thu-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Wed and Sun, 7pm (also Sun, 2pm). Through Feb 17. Berkeley Rep performs a return engagement of Emma Rice’s grown-up fairy tale.

PERFORMANCE/DANCE

BATS Improv Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, SF; www.improv.org. $20. "The Harold," Fri, 8pm. Through Feb. 22. "Warp Speed: An Improvised Trek!," Sat, 8pm. Through Feb 23.

Caroline Lugo and Carolé Acuña’s Ballet Flamenco Peña Pachamama, 1630 Powell, SF; www.carolinalugo.com. Sat/9, 6:15pm. $15-19. Flamenco performance by the mother-daughter dance company, featuring live musicians.

Company C Contemporary Ballet Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard, SF; www.ybca.org. Thu/7-Fri/8, 8pm; Sun/10, 3pm. $25-45. The company presents its winter program, including three premieres. Also: a gala performance with dinner and fundraising auction to follow, Sat/9, 6pm, $45-175.

"Cynic Cave" Cinecave (beneath Lost Weekend Video), 1034 Valencia, SF; facebook.com/cyniccave. Sat/9, 8pm. $10. Comedy with Toby Muresianu, Barbara Gray, Scott Boxenbaum, and more.

"A Doll’s House" and "Tartuffe" ACT’s Hastings Studio Theater, 77 Geary, SF; www.act-sf.org. $20. The ACT Master of Fine Arts Program performs two classics: Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (Wed/6-Sat/9, Feb 13, and 15, 7:30pm); and Molière’s Tartuffe (Tue/12, Feb 14, and 16, 7:30pm; also feb 16, 2pm).

"In and Out of Shadow" Marsh, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. Fri/8-Sat/9, 8pm (also Sat/9, 2pm); Sun/10 and Feb 17, 3pm; Feb 16, 2pm. $12-35. Marsh Youth Theater’s teen troupe performs Gary Soto’s musical play, based on oral histories gathered by the young actors themselves.

"Lewis Black: The Rant is Due" Masonic Auditorium, 1111 California, SF; www.livenation.com. Sat/9, 8pm. $39.50-55.50. The comedian performs his latest stand-up show.

"Mischief" Skylark, 3089 16th St, SF; www.hunnybunnyburlesque.com. Fri/8, 8pm. Free. Burlesque with Hunny Bunny and her Hot Toddies.

"Playwrights Foundation 2013 Winter Rough Readings Series" NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa, SF; ACT Costume Shop, 1119 Market, SF; Stanford University, Roble Hall, Stanford; www.playwrightsfoundation.org. Free ($20 for reserved seat). This week, Mon/11, 7:30pm, Stanford; and Tue/12, 7pm, ACT Costume Shop: Jonathan Spector’s In From the Cold.

"San Francisco Magic Parlor" Chancellor Hotel Union Square, 433 Powell, SF; www.sfmagicparlor.com. Thu-Sat, 8pm. Ongoing. $40. Magic vignettes with conjurer and storyteller Walt Anthony.

"The Saroyan O-Neill Project" Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 DeHaro, SF; www.wehavemet.org. Fri/8-Sat/9, 8pm; Sun/10, 7pm. $5-20. Postage Stamp Theater performs its inaugural show, classic one-acts by William Saroyan (Hello Out There) and Eugene O’Neill (The Long Vogage Home).

"Twisted Love: An Opera Night at the Mojo Theatre" Mojo Theatre, 2940 16th St, #217, SF; www.mojotheatre.com. Thu/7, 8pm. $8-15. Twisted, Valentine’s Day-inspired takes on classic opera by 12 up-and-coming Bay Area vocalists.

BAY AREA

"Dimensions Dance Theater’s 40th Anniversary Kick-Off" Laney College Theater, 900 Fallon, Oakl; www.brownpapertickets.com. Sat/9, 8pm. $18-30. The company celebrates a landmark anniversary with a retrospective of traditional and contemporary works from artistic director Deborah Vaughan and others.

"The Shout: Life’s True Stories" Grand Lake Coffee House, 440 Grand, Oakl; www.theshoutstorytelling.com. Mon/11, 7:30pm. $5-20. Live storytelling event featuring amazing-yet-true tales.

"Temporality" Mills College Art Museum, 5000 MacArthur, Oakl; www.thingamajigs.org. Sat/9, 8am-10pm. Free. Poet Stephen Ratcliffe and Thingamajigs Performance Group present a 14-hour work that draws from over 1,000 poems and combines spoken word, projected images, and other multimedia elements.

Our Weekly Picks: January 30-February 5

Andrew Lam

January 29, 2013

WEDNESDAY 30

Testament

Bay Area thrash metal legend Testament has been unleashing its sonic assault, and inspiring untold legions of fans, for nearly 30 years now. Propelled by the powerful lead single “Native Blood,” which draws from singer Chuck Billy’s Native American roots and experiences, the band’s newest album, Dark Roots of Earth (Nuclear Blast) was released last summer, and features the band’s signature frenzied formula for pit-inducing anthems. With longtime members Eric Peterson, Greg Christian, and Alex Skolnick joined by former Death drummer Gene Hoglan, don’t miss the band as it kicks off a new titanic tour right here in the city. (Sean McCourt)

With Overkill, 4Arm, the Butlers

6:45pm, $32.50

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

Local Natives

Local Natives stole our collective hearts in 2009 with their self-funded debut Gorilla Manor, an irresistible slice of unearthly folk rock, before cruelly fading into the background. Finally, four years later, they’ve resurfaced with a sophomore effort, Hummingbird. Though the Orange Country-bred group recorded the album in Brooklyn, the California sunshine still shines through its meandering, ethereal soundscapes. The band’s songs draw heavily from indie peers Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes, but manage to add a refreshing, summery glow to the reverb-heavy pop murk. The album, which was produced by Aaron Dessner of the National, promises to translate well to a live format, keeping the band’s trademarked harmonies in place while also allowing vocalist Kelcey Ayer’s dreamy falsetto to soar. (Haley Zaremba)

With Superhumanoids

8pm, $25

Fox Theater

1807 Telegraph, Oakland

(510) 302-2250

www.thefoxoakland.com

THURSDAY 31

“The Eyes: San Francisco Beat Film” If you’ve already read Dharma Bums, had a drink at Vesuvio’s, or paid homage to Beat culture in the number of other ways available in San Francisco, here’s something different. Beat artists such as Bruce Conner, Wallace Berman, and ruth weiss made movies that captured the living, breathing world of their generation. Complementing the Jay DeFeo retrospective (on view until February 2), the five short films that SFMOMA will screen tonight are intriguing not only as historical documents, but also as an expansion of the artistic vocabulary of dislocation and spontaneity that contribute to the Beat Generation’s continuing allure. (Laura Kerry)

7pm, $10

SFMOMA, Phyllis Wattis Theater

151 Third St., SF

(415) 357-4000

www.sfmoma.org

Geographer

As a fiercely dedicated San Franciscan, I often feel obligated to rep local acts and tout their worth over artists from, say, Los Angeles. Out of all our hometown heroes, however, few deserve my praise as much as the wonderfully spaced-out indie outfit Geographer. The trio combines digital, analog, and a bit of experimentation to create gorgeous, lush pop songs that break the mold while still managing to stick in your head. Though Geographer has racked up a fair amount of buzz both locally and nationally over five years, it somehow continues to be one of the Bay Area’s best-kept secrets. So throw on your Niners jersey, pedal your fixie to the Fillmore, and show your SF pride by shoegazing your heart out. (Zaremba)

With Midi Matilda, ON AN ON

8pm, $20

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

FRIDAY 1

“Ice Cream Girl”

It’ll be like a Lisa Frank trapper-keeper, come to life. Paint Pens in Purses, an all-female urban art collective, will present its newest collection this weekend: “Ice Cream Girl” — a blend of “urban, contemporary, and low-brow artwork” created by lady-artists from across the country. There will be Lauren Max’s photography, works by Tofusquirrel, who brings vibrant, cartoonish ice cream critters (with cheeky names like Mr. Pattymint Cone, and Sherby Sprinkles); and colorful drawings by curator Shayna Yasuhara, among works by other artists. Oh, and Paint Pens in Purses will raffle off four of Dayna Gilbert and Yasuhara’s two-foot-tall ice cream buddies. Plush! Plus, this thing has free drinks. (Emily Savage)

8pm, free

D-Structure

520 Haight, SF

www.paintpensinpurses.com

Killers

Don’t go to see Killers if you want a smoothly polished performance. Do go to observe two deeply-thinking artists, Jesse Hewit and Laura Arrington, work on finding a vehicle to tackle questions as fundamental as living and dying. The performance is likely to be rough, messy, and fierce. Don’t be surprised if some of it also looks fragile, that’s the nature of living — and performing. Hewit and Arrington —calling themselves Jarry for this project — have worked alongside one another, but separately for several years. Now their energies are flowing together for what at this point is a two-act creation: first a funeral, than a killing. Originally, they had called the project Adult — perhaps not very sexy, but accurately describing the two of them and what they do. (Rita Felciano)

Through Sun/3, 8pm

CounterPULSE

1310 Mission St., SF

$10-30

www.counterpulse.org

Life and Death Label Showcase

I spent a couple weeks of the new year coveting Mexico’s BPM festival; not just the beaches of Playa del Carmen, but some talent-packed, label-centric showcases. Particularly the one from Italy’s Life and Death, an upstart label that’s forging a deep-dug sound somewhere between the soulful, well-paced grooves of NYC’s Wolf+Lamb collective, and the smart, deep tech of Germany’s Kompakt. Luckily, label founder DJ Tennis is taking a scenic trip back to Rome, stopping in town for a stacked lineup that includes ever-playful Thugfucker, Berlin’s rising duo Tale of Us, and SF’s own PillowTalk. With each act individually known for putting its own spin on the party, expectations here are high. (Ryan Prendiville)

With Jimmy Edgar, Adnan Sharif

9pm, $15

Mezzanine

444 Jessie, SF

(415) 625-8880

w00tstock

Geeks were picked on for generations. With the advent of the 21st century computer age and mainstream successes of all manner of tech-related products, and even the acceptance of watching sci-fi and reading comic books, we can now proudly come together for a celebration of our collective nerdiness! Join Adam Savage from Mythbusters, Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation, and singers Paul and Storm for a night of comedy, music, readings, and much more — all embracing geek pride. Be sure to think of clever cover band names and prepare for double-entendre sing-alongs about sailors, because when it comes to being one of the funniest groups of geeks around, they sure ARRGHH! (McCourt)

7pm, $35.

Marines Memorial Theatre

609 Sutter, Second Floor, SF

www.sfsketchfest.com

SATURDAY 2

Driss Ouadah

In Fences IV, Algerian artist Driss Ouadahi depicts a hazy sky with pink-tinted clouds behind the delicate geometry of a fence. Sounds picturesque, right? But the chain-links expand to the borders of the canvas, trapping and disorienting the viewer. In “Trans-Location,” the artist’s latest show largely comprised of cityscape paintings, Ouadahi builds on this tension between promise and enclosure. The gridded and abstracted architectural spaces invite the viewer in but ultimately fail to allow them passage or clarity. Viewable from the comparatively accessible architectural space of Hosfelt Gallery, the works enacts an elegant commentary on modernity’s failure to deliver its political and social promises. And the paintings look cool too. (Kerry)

Through Mar. 23

Reception 4-6pm, free

Hosfelt Gallery

260 Utah, SF

(415) 495-5454

www.hosfeltgallery.com

Adam Green and Binki Shapiro

Opposites do attract. Adam Green is a so-called “anti-folk” Manhattanite with an extensive catalog of foul-mouthed, tongue-in-cheek ballads and admirably humble beginnings as Kimya Dawson’s counterpart in the Moldy Peaches. Binki Shapiro hails from LA, is a retro fashion icon and former member of Brazilian-American supergroup Little Joy, along with her ex-boyfriend and Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti. The duo’s vastly different backgrounds and musical leanings don’t seem compatible at first glance, but in practice they blend beautifully. During the writing of the record, both Green and Shapiro were going through romantic rough patches, which ultimately pushed the musicians to help write each other’s breakup albums, creating a finished product rife with earnestness and vulnerability. (Zaremba)

With the Range of Light Wilderness

9pm, $18

The Chapel

777 Valencia, SF

(415) 551-5157

SUNDAY 3

Vieux Farka Toure

It should be enough to say that Vieux Farka Touré follows the footsteps of his father, the late, Grammy-winning Ali, or that he’s known as “the Hendrix of the Sahara.” But not quite. In “Gido (featuring John Scofield)” — yes, of jazz-rock fame — an acoustic guitar expertly noodles in a Malian scale, a bend on an electric cues bass and drums, then the two guitars continue to converse. It’s tempting to fashion this into some metaphor about the melding of African music and Western rock, and though this wouldn’t be misplaced, the main takeaway from “Gido” and the whole album, The Secret (2011), is that it sounds great. As Yoshi’s will prove, Touré creates his own breed of music, and he does it well. (Kerry)

With Markus James

7pm, $25

Yoshi’s

1330 Fillmore, SF

(415) 655-5600

www.yoshis.com

Our Weekly Picks: January 23-29

Andrew Lam

January 22, 2013

WEDNESDAY 23

The Tambo Rays

If you’re looking for a San Francisco-based band to adore in the new year, keep your eye on the Tambo Rays. The punkish young chillwave foursome released Kaleidoscope, its debut EP, last summer and has speedily garnered an enthusiastic audience. The group — a collaboration between brother and sister Brian and Sara DaMert along with friends Greg Sellin and Bob Jakubs — makes catchy, introspective pop music characterized by B. DaMerts’ crooning vocals and a hazy wall of dissonance. The Tambo Rays played Café du Nord, Rickshaw Stop, and the Hemlock last year, but they still might be down to play your house party. (Mia Sullivan)

With Evil Eyes, Moonbell, Jesus Sons

9pm, $6

Brick and Mortar

1710 Mission, SF

(415) 371-1631

The Mallard and LENZ

Last year treated The Mallard well. Aside from winning recognition in the Guardian’s 2012 GOLDIES, the band’s dynamic garage-psych-rock also earned it a spot on MTV Hive’s list of “Five Indie-Rock Records to Look Forward to in 2013.” Evidently, this year promises more. LENZ, another Bay Area favorite, is also preparing for a fruitful 2013, with the release of its first full-length LP, Ways to End a Day, which it will celebrate at the New Parish. Containing punk influences, ’80s synth, and the self-identification “ice-pop,” the band promises intriguing music and a good time. And with both bands poised for greatness in 2013 (and $3 Trumer Pils), there’s no better time to see them then at this free show. (Laura Kerry)

With Casey and Brian, Dragontime

8pm, free New Parish

579 18th St., Oakl.

(510) 444-7474

THURSDAY 24

“How to Move A Mountain”

Consider this fact: many kids love to play with ants. The insect evokes some innate fascination that leads to prolonged observation (and frequently an unfortunate end by magnifying glass or the filling in of an ant hole). At Southern Exposure’s “How to Move a Mountain,” Dr. Deborah Gordon, a celebrated Stanford biologist, will elevate this fascination as she presents her studies on collaboration in the colonies of harvester ants, in this first installment of a three-part series. Thursday’s ends with a discussion led by conceptual artist Brad Borovitz and a responding art piece, the education-meets-art event will approach larger notions of societal organization and collectivism. It seems that those kids are on to something. (Kerry)

7-9pm, free Southern Exposure 3030 20th St., SF

(415) 863-2141

www.soex.org

“Dan Dion: The Musical Image” closing party

Fantastically prolific soul-snapper Dan Dion has been the house photographer for the Fillmore for 20 years and the Warfield for 15 — which gives him the kind of access to famous and intriguing subjects many would claw their own lenses out to get. For the past couple months he’s had a show of his eye-popping portraits of musical fascinators — from Johnny Cash, John Lee Hooker, Tony Bennett, James Brown, even Katy Perry — up at the hoppin’ Madrone on Divisadero. This closing party brings down on the curtain on the punchy exhibition, but there’s no rest for Dion, of course: along with his continued musician pics (check out www.dandion.com for an index of legends), he’s hard at work on a new project: 365 days of Comedian Portraits. (Marke B.)

6-9pm, free

Madrone Art Bar

500 Divisadero, SF

www.madroneartbar.com

FRIDAY 25

Noir City 11

Here’s a sweet early Valentine’s Day gift for your favorite dude or dame: a “passport” ticket good for admission to all of Noir City’s 27 films (many of which will sell out in advance), plus a chance to hang with opening-night special guest Peggy Cummins before a screening of her 1950 breakout Gun Crazy. Way cooler than a box of chocolates, and at $120, way cheaper than diamond jewelry. Billed as “the most popular film noir festival in the world,” Eddie Muller’s annual event flies the flag of 35mm projection proudly as it spotlights a host of classics and not-available-on-DVD rareties. Look for themed double-features like “Showbiz Noir” (can’t go wrong with 1950’s Sunset Boulevard on the big screen), “San Francisco Noir,” “African American Noir,” and — a Noir City first — “3D Noir.” (Cheryl Eddy)

Through Feb. 3, most shows $10–$15

Castro Theatre

429 Castro, SF

www.noircity.com

The Bay: Creators of Style

San Francisco fashion encompasses more than just glamor, style, and grit; it is an art of ideas and principles, creativity, and personality. Photographer Liz Caruana captures these many dimensions in her new book, The Bay: Creators of Style, a collection of black-and-white portraits of many of the Bay Area’s most distinguished designers. With an opening reception, an artist talk, and an exhibit of selected images from the book on view for three weeks, Carte Blanche has supplied an excellent opportunity to see prints that testify both to the skill of Liz Caruana and the originality and range of the Bay Area’s fashion community. (Kerry)

Through Feb. 13

Opening reception, 7-9:30pm, free

Artist talk Sat/26, 7:30pm

Carte Blanche

973 Valencia, SF

(415) 821-1055

www.gallerycarteblanche.com

SATURDAY 26

Joffrey Ballet

“Longtime no see” used to be a common greeting among friends. It has such an old-fashioned, convivial quality about it, yet sounds out of tune for our modern 24/7 being-connectedness. So why not say, “great to see you, what are you up to?” to the Joffrey Ballet, which used to regularly make the trip from New York, having made its reputation with showing ballet as a distinctly contemporary art. Now located in Chicago and under the artistic directorship of former SFB Principal Ashley Wheater, the Joffrey is bringing Kurt Jooss’ superb The Green Table, a seminal work of modern dance that thematically, unfortunately, is as up-to-date as it was in 1932. Edwaard Liang’s 2008 Age of Innocence and Christopher Weeldon’s After the Rain — two of today’s hottest choreographers complete this intriguing program. (Rita Felciano)

8pm, $30–$92

Also Sun/27, 3 p.m.

Zellerbach Hall

101 Zellerbach Hall, Berk.

(510) 642-9889

www.calperformances.org

“An Evening of Silent Films at Grace Cathedral”

Grace Cathedral is a non-traditional movie theater — obviously, you wouldn’t head to the Nob Hill landmark to see the latest superhero epic. But what it lacks in Dolby surround sound, it more than makes up for with its major league pipe organ, which provides the perfect accompaniment when the cathedral (which hosts concerts and events between services) screens silent films. Tonight, renowned musician Dorothy Papadakos provides the soundscape for two silent-era classics: Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 propaganda film Battleship Potemkin (7pm), which elevated film editing with scenes like its tense “Odessa Staircase” sequence; and F.W. Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu (9pm), the long-fingernailed granddaddy of all vampire films. (Eddy)

7 and 9pm, $10–$20 (both films, $17–$24)

Grace Cathedral

1100 California, SF

www.gracecathedral.org/concerts

Stellar Corpses

Santa Cruz rockers Stellar Corpses have been around for the part of a decade, mixing psychobilly, punk, rockabilly, surf guitar and much more into their sound. Having toured across the US and Europe as an independent act, the band released its third record last year, Dead Stars Drive-In (Santa Carla Records), which showcases an uncanny talent for meshing horror film imagery and addictive sing-along anthems into a monstrous creation that even Dr. Frankenstein would be proud of. With MTV recently featuring the group’s video for “Vampire Kiss,” things are looking up more than ever — these children of the night, what music they make! (Sean McCourt)

With The Rocketz, Memphis Murder Men, Limnus.

8:30pm, $13–$15

Slim’s, 333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

Blond:ish

In a section of the music industry where club promoters and marketers all too frequently rely on glamor headshots layered over photoshopped neon clouds, London based, Montreal bred Anstascia D’elene and Vivie Ann Bakos have smartly chosen a name that immediately undercuts appearances. (Plus the tag-line: “not all dumbs are blonde.”) With that out of the way, this posh, Kompakt-approved duo has spent the last couple of years making a real name for itself, releasing credible 4×4 house sets and EPs with callbacks to ’60s psychedelia and ’80s new wave, while providing remixes for Todd Terje, Pete Tong, and Tomas Barfod. (Ryan Prendiville)

With DJ M3, Anthony Mansfield

9pm, $10-20

Monarch

101 Sixth St., SF

(415) 284-9774

www.monarchsf.com

SUNDAY 27

Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky will always be an honorary member of the “that guy” character actor club, (you’ve seen him in the margins of Groundhog Day, Memento, and HBO’s Deadwood) but lately, his podcast The Tobolowsky Files has become his signature project, revealing his depths as a storyteller. Whether he’s recounting a collaboration with David Byrne, his constant effort to balance Hollywood with family life, or the time he was held hostage at the supermarket, Tobolowsky’s tales of life, love, and showbiz engage the listener effortlessly. Presented by SF Sketchfest, Sunday’s event will feature new stories, as well as selections from his newly released book, The Dangerous Animals Club. (Taylor Kaplan)

8pm, $25

Yoshi’s

1330 Fillmore, SF

(415) 655-5600

www.yoshis.com

MONDAY 28

Steve Reich

Yes, Steve Reich is probably the most influential composer alive. And yes, his legendary mid-’70s output irreversibly mechanized the dynamics of Western music. Still, his greatest gift to the music world remains his ability to breathe life into minimalist structures, making room for dynamic, grooving rhythms, rich, warm tonal colors, and catchy, arpeggiated melodies that sound almost club-friendly in 2012. On Monday, the SF Contemporary Music Players will treat our fair city to a rare performance of Reich’s flagship composition, Music for 18 Musicians (1976), bookended by Clapping Music (1972) and Electric Counterpoint (1987). Essential, for devotees and newcomers, alike. (Kaplan)

8pm, $20

SF Conservatory of Music

50 Oak, SF

(415) 503-6275

www.sfcm.edu

TUESDAY 29

Vintage Trouble

When I started listening to The Bomb Shelter Sessions — Vintage Trouble’s 2012 release — I was pretty certain its authors could not be of this century. (And looking at photos of this old-timey quartet, might I add, only reinforced my initial contention.) Well, I was wrong. This blues rock group, comprised of vocalist Ty Taylor, guitarist Nalle Colt, drummer Richard Danielson, and bassist Rich Barrio Dill, formed in Los Angeles in 2010 and has achieved success and international renown not least for Taylor’s deep, rambling vocals that bring to mind mid-century legends like Otis Redding and Ray Charles. (Sullivan)

8:30 p.m., $15

Café du Nord

2170 Market, SF

(415) 861-5016

Our Weekly Picks: January 16-22

Andrew Lam

January 15, 2013

WEDNESDAY 16

Michael Hurley

Musicians often look to roots for inspiration, but I don’t think any have interacted as deeply with their musical ancestors as those in the freak-folk genre. Animal Collective recorded a companion piece to Sung Tongs with Vashti Bunyan, inspiring her cult revival, and, in similar fashion, Devendra Banhart’s label has been releasing Michael Hurley’s wonderfully weird folk, endorsed by Julian Lynch, Cat Power and more. His simple guitar plucking and vocals feel different from his contemporaries; he’s more intent on creating imaginative, often nonsensical, stories than being a folk artist. The show will connect past and present, he says, as a new experience for the nightlife crowd rather than for those anthropologically interested in “the sociological impact of Doc Snock” (his ’70s pseudonym). (Molly Champlin)

With Cass McCombs and Jessica Pratt

8pm, $15

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF

(415) 885-0750

THURSDAY 17

Trampled By Turtles

Steadily building a following since forming 10 years back in Duluth, Minn., bluegrass rockers Trampled By Turtles kicked off a banner year in 2012 by releasing their newest album, Stars and Satellites (BanjoDad Records) last April, and making their first national television appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. In August, they were one of the standout acts at Outside Lands, packing in the Sutro side stage with their infectious brand of Americana and folk-tinged tunes. Newly minted fans from that gig are in for a special treat at tonight’s headlining show at the Fillmore: a chance to see them up close and personal, and with a much-deserved longer set time. (Sean McCourt)

8pm, $25

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

FRIDAY 18

Taraneh Hemami Resistance

From the blue vinyl and neon-lit window piece you might have seen at the Yerba Buena Center, to the most-wanted terrorists poster recreated with beads at Intersection for the Arts, it’s clear that Taraneh Hemami’s output chooses its own medium. Originally from Iran, her work looks at the relationship between Persian and American cultures, particularly in terms of personal freedom. Her work is humble and precise, yet manages to convey a deep message — creating much needed space for conversations on international relations and race. Her latest show, “Resistance,” (opening at the Mission School hot spot, the Luggage Store Gallery) features banned and censored print matter belonging to the Iranian Students Association of Northern California and should be a rich, informative experience. (Champlin)

Through Feb. 16

Opening tonight, 6pm, free

Luggage Store Gallery

1007 Market, SF

(415) 255-5971

www.luggagestoregallery.org

Bianca Mendoza and Project Thrust

Even if you know the artists, when you catch them at one of the Garage’s RAW (resident artist workshops) performances, they will surprise you, because what you see is “in progress”, i.e. an unfinished product. The choreographers want feedback; the audience can enter into the process. It’s fun and a good deal for both. This week two very different dance makers are pairing up. What they have in common is a fascination with the power of the female body. Bianca Mendoza, sensually theatrical in her athleticism, has spent a major part of her career in Los Angeles. Malinda LaVelle — with a ballet background — started her Project Thrust at the SF Conservatory of Dance, but the company has been ready for a while to step into the wider Bay Area limelight. (Rita Felciano)

Also Sat/19, 8pm, $10–$20

Garage

715 Bryant, SF

(415) 518-1517

FIDLAR

“Coke! Meth! And Cheap Beer!” are the cries of the Los Angeles-based garage rock band that manages to stay catchy and offensive at the same time. The band’s skater phrase name stands for, “Fuck it Dog; Life’s a Risk” and sums up their deep life philosophy of not giving a fuck. Yes, theses musicians like drugs, girls, and Mexican food; and what, everyone in the band has a hip-hop side project? Between its personality, experimentation, and serious talent, it’s clear why the band has gotten the attention and love it has — and not just in its Southern California home. Its sweaty, drunk, and high-speed traveling punk show should feel right at home in San Francisco, where the band will be stopping Friday, touring on its new and (and hotly anticipated) self-titled EP. (Champlin)

With Pangea, Meat Market

9pm, $10

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St., SF

(415) 626-4455

SATURDAY 19

Moon Eater

Springing to life just down the coast in Santa Cruz, Moon Eater has quickly made a name for itself with hard-charging, incendiary garage and punk-fueled rock’n’roll. Formed in 2011 by longtime veterans of the South Bay rock scene — members have played in bands including Riff Raff, Yaphet Kotto, and Time Spent Driving — the frenetic four-piece self-released its excellent self-titled debut album last November, which was produced by John Reis of Rocket From The Crypt and Hot Snakes fame. Moon Eater comes to the city tonight to play a benefit for the American Red Cross and the Equilibrium Institute, alongside Edge City Ruins, Leviathan, and more. (McCourt)

7pm, $10–$15

Sub-Mission Art Space

2183 Mission, SF

www.sf-submission.com

Pinback

Some things never go out of style. Blue jeans, hamburgers, a good, thoughtful ballad — you know, the stuff America’s made of. San Diego’s Pinback has made itself into an indie rock staple by consistently and quietly churning out solid, un-tarnishable pop songs for several decades now, and managing to remain charmingly under the radar all the while. Seemingly impervious to cultural peaks and valleys as well as a revolving-door lineup, Rob Crow and Zach Smith have been tightening their songwriting and musicianship since the late ’90s. Their fifth studio album, Information Retrieved, is the worthwhile result, an ode to the fundamentals: earnest lyrics, consistent flow, and a good hook. (Haley Zaremba)

With Judgment Day

9pm, $25

Bimbo’s 365

1025 Columbus, SF

(415) 474-0365

Kowloon Walled City

Despite being named for an enclave in Hong Kong, Kowloon Walled City is San Francisco through and through. The local inspiration behind albums such as Turk Street and Gambling On The Richter Scale is obvious. With new offering Container Ships, the allusion is more oblique, but if you listen to the band’s inimitable down-tuned guitars, they evoke the album’s title, groaning and churning like a 40,000-ton behemoth on its way into the Port of Oakland. This week, the noisy, sludgy outfit disembarks for a record release show. (Ben Richardson)

With Golden Void, Minot

10pm, $8

Hemlock Tavern

1131 Polk, SF

(415) 923-0923

www.hemlocktavern.com

Midnight Movies at the Clay Theatre

Do any two words go together better than “midnight” and “movie”? Once the strict territory of cult horror, the phrase now encompasses any great film that’s made even better by late-night viewing — and made even even better by sharing the experience with a theater full of like-minded, similarly-caffeinated fans. The Clay kicked off another round of midnight screenings a few weeks back, but there are still plenty of gems on the schedule. Tonight is The Princess Bride (1989); future dates include multiple showings of 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (with live performance by the Bawdy Caste) and 2003’s The Room (bring spoons!); 1968’s Night of the Living Dead; 1971’s Harold and Maude; and 2007’s Black Devil Doll. No sleep for you! (Cheryl Eddy)

Fri.-Sat. (some films Fri. or Sat. only), midnight, $9–$10

Clay Theatre

2261 Fillmore, SF

www.landmarktheatres.com

SUNDAY 20

Brothers of Brutality Tour feat. Whitechapel and Emmure

Death metalheads’ wildest wet dreams are about to come true as hardcore heavyweights Whitechapel and Emmure team up to melt faces in this extreme tour de brutality. Whitechapel’s Knoxville-flavored, highly focused intensity (the band’s Facebook page lists their only interest as “being heavy”) will be matched up against the hardened ruthlessness of Queens-bred Emmure’s unrelenting sonic assault to create a metal experience that is certain to give you whiplash. Both bands have extremely dedicated fan bases that promise to make this the hardcore event of the year. Even if you have to drag out your old hockey pads to face the pit, you won’t want to miss it. (Zaremba)

With Unearth, Obey the Brave, The Plot in You

6pm, $20

Oakland Metro Opera House

630 Third St., Oakl.

(510) 763-1146

www.oaklandmetro.org

MONDAY 21

Quicksand

As a much-beloved rock crusader of the ’90s post-hardcore movement, Quicksand was sorely missed when internal tensions caused the tragically short-lived band to dissolve in 1999. When the group reunited for a one-off show in 2012, it re-ignited a post-hardcore spark in a very arid musical landscape. In a world saturated with dubstep breakdowns, Bieber-related headlines, and certain reprehensible, abusive R&B stars that just won’t go away no matter how baffling their cultural stronghold becomes, the people cried out for something — anything! — harder, better, faster, and stronger. Quicksand, despite its age and lengthy hiatus, delivered. Its awesome, razor-edged sound (think Fugazi meets Jane’s Addiction) provided a much needed honesty, angst, and edge in an EDM world. (Zaremba)

With Title Fight

8pm, $28

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

(415) 673-5716

TUESDAY 22

“Doc Night at the New Parkway”

Every Tuesday, the New Parkway Theater is serving up true stories alongside its regular menu of pizza, burgers, and beer. Tonight’s pick, last year’s Chasing Ice, investigates climate change via the stunning, grimly revealing work of glacier photographer James Balog. Upcoming notables from 2012 also include Brooklyn Castle, about a junior high school chess team, and Ken Burns’ The Central Park Five, a sobering look at a famous New York City rape case and the men who were wrongfully convicted of the crime. Titles are still being added to this promising series, so check out the New Parkway’s website for updates. (Eddy)

New Parkway Theater

474 24th St, Oakl.

(510) 658-7900

www.thenewparkway.com

Our Weekly Picks: January 9-15

Andrew Lam

January 8, 2013

WEDNESDAY 9

RADAR Reading Series

Like a literary-focused Parisian salon, but with vibrant SF genderfucking and homemade desserts, this monthly showcase of emerging, underground writers and artists is routinely the most enticing potpourri of need-to-know talent. The RADAR Reading Series is part of local treasure/Sister Spit(ter) Michelle Tea’s nonprofit, RADAR Productions. This time, there’s visual artist D-L Alvarez, Gaga Feminism author Jack Halberstam (who writes often of gender queerness, pop culture, and bad TV), transnational interdisciplinary artist and cultural organizer Favianna Rodriguez, and author Grace Krilanovich — whose 2010 debut novel, The Orange Eats Creep,was named one of Amazon’s top science fiction/fantasy books that year. With Tea hosting the follow-up Q&A, you know there will be cookies on hand. (Emily Savage)

6pm, free

San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch

Latino Reading Room

100 Larkin, SF

www.radarproductions.org

THURSDAY 10

“Unknown but Knowable States”

Dorothea Tanning’s surreal paintings provide a window into the female subconscious with as much style and punch as her male contemporaries. There will be a few of these crisp, symbolic painting in the upcoming exhibit, Known but Unknowable States, but it will also show a different side of her work — one that could easily fit in with ethereal figure painting seen in contemporary art. The most striking works are what she called “prism” paintings, which twist the female form into abstract visions with soft brushwork and unique color combinations. To go along with these will be some of her soft sculptures of strange creatures made of fabric, fur, and a sewing machine. (Molly Champlin)

Through March 2

Opening reception, 5pm, free

Gallery Wendi Norris

161 Jessie, SF

(415) 346-7812

www.gallerywendinorris.com

The Art and Legacy of Crime Photographer Weegee

It should come as no surprise that Eddie Muller took a shining to the work of 1930s and ’40s press photographer Arthur Fellig, a.k.a. Weegee. Muller’s the founder of the SF Noir Film Festival, whose hardboiled flicks go perfectly with Weegee’s steely-gazed shots of crime scenes. The photographer is widely credited with bringing aesthetic concern to crime scene photography. Today, Muller explains why the man’s work still matters now, in the era of Instagram and meme mania, with this talk, punctuated by video interludes. (Caitlin Donohue)

6:30-8pm, $5

Contemporary Jewish Museum

736 Mission, SF

(415) 655-7800

www.thecjm.org

FRIDAY 11

“Risk is This…”

If you want to see what Cutting Ball Theatre’s next season might look like, you’d do well to check out this season’s new experimental plays festival, “Risk is This….” Past festivals have foreshadowed full productions of some of Cutting Ball’s most memorable pieces including Marcus Gardley’s “…and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi” and Eugenie Chan’s “Tontlawald”, and this year’s lineup looks to be just as full of future potential, with new plays written by Sean San José, Dipika Guha, and Basil Kreimendahl, plus exciting new translations of Alfred Jarry’s “Ubu Roi” and the Capek brothers’ “Insect Play.” Presented over five weekends of staged readings, the five plays range topically from transgenderism to crack-cocaine to the corrupting influence of power — which certainly sounds like the very definition of risk to us. (Nicole Gluckstern)

Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 9

8pm, free–$20 donation

EXIT on Taylor

177 Taylor, SF

(415) 525-1205

www.cuttingball.com

“Alfred Hitchcock: The Shape of Suspense”

Alfred Hitchcock is just coming off his best year in decades, with a biopic starring Anthony Hopkins and the news that his 1958 psychological drama Vertigo leapfrogged past the almighty Citizen Kane (1941) in at least one “best films of all time…ever…full stop” poll of influential film critics. Not bad for a guy who died in 1980. The Pacific Film Archive shines a well-timed spotlight on the prolific Master of Suspense with an extensive retrospective of works well-known (1954’s Rear Window, 1959’s North by Northwest, 1960’s Psycho, and — of course — Vertigo) and more obscure (1931’s Rich and Strange, 1937’s Young and Innocent, 1947’s The Paradine Case) — not to mention often-overshadowed underdogs like the series kick-off film, made by Hitch in his pre-Hollywood days: 1935’s The 39 Steps. (Cheryl Eddy)

Through April 24, 7pm, $5.50–$9.50

Pacific Film Archive

2575 Bancroft, Berk.

bampfa.berkeley.edu

Mister Lies

Nick Zanca played in several punk bands in high school until he was introduced to electronic music and production in college. This happened about a year ago. Since then he’s caused quite the stir, catching a record deal and tour as Mister Lies. The deep, almost spiritual electronica, or “experimental avant-garde pop” as he prefers, draws inspiration from diverse artists — spanning Steve Reich to Missy Elliot. His generally downtempo vibe might be better scheduled at four in the morning. But hey, there’s no right time to unwind your mind a bit, particularly when it’s Mister Lies’ gospel-infused sound paired with the smooth dream pop of San Francisco local, Giraffage. (Champlin)

With Some Ember

9:30pm, $12

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St., SF

(415) 621-4455

SATURDAY 12

“Rituals of Water”

The most recent work of local artist, Rodney Ewing, manages to distil a lot of history and ideas into a coherent show about water. This theme is embedded even in the creation of the art: the large scale paintings are made of ink, salt, and mostly, water. Through figures and words that seem to be dissolving on paper, he looks at four moments in the history of African American people, the transatlantic slave trade, baptism, civil rights, and Hurricane Katrina. Though his works are heavily political, they don’t seek to make a statement. Instead they perform a sort of ritual in which the viewer and artist strengthen African history by reclaiming memories and stories once lost through diaspora. (Champlin)

Through March 1

Opening reception, 6pm, free

IcTus Gallery

1769 15th St., SF

(510) 912-0792

www.ictusgallery.com

Mary Armentrout

Old Will wasn’t exactly thinking about installation pieces when he proclaimed, “all the world’s a stage.” Still there is something about the connection between “living” and “performing” that today many dance artists explore by stretching that fragile tie between the two. One way is by abandoning the proscenium theater for more flexible environments. Few, however, go as far as the ever adventuresome Mary Armentrout who is traveling her “reveries and elegies,” essentially a solo piece for herself, from two Oakland locations first to CounterPULSE this weekend, then (Feb. 23-24) to Bakers’ Beach. Each time she shows these “reveries,” she will do the same, of course, not at all. Ideally one would see the whole cycle but since Armentrout has assembled the piece from fragments, fragments is what we’ll get. And that’s OK. (Rita Felciano)

Also Sun/13, 4:15pm, $20

CounterPULSE

1310 Mission, SF

(510) 845-8604

www.eventbrite.com

Kicker

Newish Bay Area band Kicker features members of Neurosis, Filth, and Dystopia, and sounds like late ’70s anarcho-punk à la Subhumans. Which makes perfect sense, really, as lead vocalist Pete the Roadie grew up in England, went to the same school as Subhumans and Organized Chaos, and has been a part of the worldwide punk scene since that formative year of ’77. Really need another reason to go to this $5 Bender’s show? OK: Bad Cop/Bad Cop — the LA rock’n’roll band with members of Cocksparrer tribute act Cunt Sparrer — opens the whole thing up. (Savage)

With Pang!

10pm, $5

Bender’s

800 S. Van Ness, SF

(415) 824-1800

www.bendersbar.com

MONDAY 14

The Great American Pop-Up

The Great American Pop-Up is back. Because who wants to make dinner on a Monday night? At the first installment, patrons scarfed chocolate raspberry cookies, sustainable sushi, and salty spiced sausages. At this second round — again inside the iconic Tenderloin site, recently named one California’s most beautiful music venues — a few of those patron-pleasing vendors will return: sustainable sushi via Rice Cracker Sushi, Asian fusion dishes via Harro-Arigato and Ronin, along with Dora’s Donuts and Donna’s Tamales. The house Chef James Whitmore will be whipping up dishes, and there will be some crafty vendors including a Yes & Yes Designs booth, should you be in the market for one-of-a-kind jewelry made from recycled books as a delicious side dish to your sushi. DJs Children of the Funk will provide the background beats to your fine (club) dining experience. (Savage)

Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell, SF (415) 885-0750

TUESDAY 15

Shabazz Palaces

The retro-future of space hip-hop is here, in disparate senses among headliner Shabazz Palaces and opener Ensemble Mik Nawooj. Led by Palaceer Lazaro — formerly of jazz-rap group Digable Planets — and multi-instrumentalist Tendai “Baba” Maraire, Seattle’s Shabazz Palaces are part of a cosmic collective of forward-thinking artists, including Sub Pop labelmates, THEESatisfaction. Their latest release, 2011’s Black Up, was a vortex of jazz, soul, and rap with African percussion keeping the beat. And then there’s Ensemble Mik Nawooj, the East Bay crew behind that alternate universe chamber hip-hop opera, Great Integration, a similarly genre-busting production that follows five malevolent lords who control the physical world, and the assassin who slays them. Prepare to elevate your mind. Countdown to launch. (Savage)

With Ensemble Mik Nawooj, Duckwrth, DJ Orfeu

9pm, $15

New Parish

579 18th St., Oakl.

(415) 371-1631

Our Weekly Picks: January 2-8, 2013

Andrew Lam

January 2, 2013

WEDNESDAY 2

Exploratorium’s Final Day at the Palace of Fine Arts

After today, San Francisco’s exemplary “science, art, and human perception” museum will go dark — that is, until it shapeshifts into “Exploratorium On the Move” pop-ups around the city, and eventually winds up in a new home at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero (April 17). Before all that happens, take one last spin around the iconic Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts, and do it all for free. Interact with those child-and-adult-friendly exhibits, touch the displays, play music, learn about animals, freak out your perceptions, drink from a water fountain toilet. Then traipse around the grounds and soak up the architecture — and chattering ducks in the pond — one last time. To find the pop-ups, follow the museum on Twitter: twitter.com/theexplainers. It’ll be tweeting its location multiple times a week. (Emily Savage)

10am-5pm, free

3601 Lyon, SF

(415) 563-7337

www.exploratorium.edu

FRIDAY 4

“Speak Your Peace”

SOMArts has curated an exhibit of local artists that focuses on one thing we can never seem to stop talking about: peace. The show focuses specifically on the iconographies of peace and intercultural communication. Artists from a smattering of cultures will cover issues equally as diverse as identity, the prison-industrial complex in the United States, and Salvadorian military history, to name a few. The exhibit should be a multidimensional one, beginning with billboards advertising peace outside the building, and continuing in the gallery with minimalist drawings by Palestinian artist John Halaka, a graffiti-style installation by Persian artist CK1, and much more. To add to a show that already brings content off the walls and into creative forms of installation, the opening night will feature Nathera Mawla’s poetry on sexuality and identity, as well as non-violence themed music by Brotha Chaz Walker and the Peaceful Vibes. (Molly Champlin)

6pm, free

SOMArts Cultural Center

934 Brannan, SF

(415) 863-1414

www.somarts.org

Kreayshawn and Chippy Nonstop

No question, pint-sized pop rapper Kreayshawn had a rough year. But this free-with-RSVP, trill team-hyped night might be the right way to start fresh after that whole Somethin ‘Bout Kreay debacle, and remind the Bay of her youthful indiscretions and early “Gucci Gucci” oeuvre. The buzzy, bouncy 1015 Folsom lineup is filled out with local twerk champ Chippy Nonstop (“Kicked Out Da Club”), Oakland rap duo RnB Millionaires, 120 Minutes’ reliable DJ Marco De La Vega, and Swerve DJs Neto vs Sowhat. There’ll be additional ass in the air thanks to Trill Team 6’s Pony Loco, Willie Maz, and Starter Kit, along with Sick Sad World’s Spaceghost, Bobby Peru, and Gummybear. Bring it, Kreay and Co. (Savage)

10pm, free with RSVP

1015 Folsom, SF

RSVP at www.1015.com

SATURDAY 5

“The Listener: Short Stories on Stage”

Beloved local theater veteran Charlie Varon (2012’s Fwd: Life Gone Viral; 2009’s Rabbi Sam; and 1994/2004’s Rush Limbaugh in Night School) returns to the Marsh with a new cycle of five comic stories, presented in staged-reading form in two parts (with a couple of chances to hear all of ’em at once; check web site for schedule). Written and performed by solo specialist Varon (with development help and direction by David Ford), the stories revolve around characters dwelling in a San Francisco retirement community, hailing from a generation that grew up during World War II — and now exists amid a culture obsessed with texting, reality TV, and YouTube. As you might expect given the material, the tales are described as “comic, poignant, and brimming with ideas.” (Cheryl Eddy)

Through Jan. 27

Opens Sat/5, 8pm

Runs Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm (Jan 27, shows at 3 and 7pm), $15–$50

Marsh San Francisco

1062 Valencia, SF

www.themarsh.org

The Meat Sluts

Start 2013 off right with San Francisco’s own carnivorous rock’n’rollers, the Meat Sluts. The Sluts shake shit up with fuzzy, distorted surf rock guitar, junkyard pounded drums, and spooky howls à la the Gories, the Trashwomen, more recent local acts such as Shannon and the Clams, and all their trashy-fun ilk. But this quartet puts a fleshy spin on it all with tracks such as “Johnny Con Carne” and “Meat Sauce.” This time, the Sluts open for legendary ’70s SF punk band, VKTMS. Finger lickin’ good. (Savage)

With Scrapers

9:30pm, $7

Hemlock Tavern

1131 Polk, SF

(415) 923-0923

www.hemlocktavern.com

French Cassettes

French Cassettes — a local indie-pop four-piece — formed in the flat expanses of Central California. The group has grown into a stronger groove since its relocation to San Francisco though, making the best of the tools and influences available. In the past this has included horns and a lo-fi sound but now explores more pop leanings with tightly knit guitar riffs and sweet crooning vocals. I’m not sure if there is a sad song in the band’s repertoire, which isn’t surprising, considering band leader, Scott Huerta’s constant big smile and brightly colored ensembles. Though I should note, the only thing really French about the French Cassettes’ music is a silly song about tongue kissing. Nevertheless, their live shows are upbeat and unconventional — it could just turn into a danceable jam session on stage. (Champlin)

With Coast Jumper, A Yawn Worth Yelling, Mr. Kind

8pm, $8

Brick and Mortar Music Hall

1710 Mission, SF

(415) 800-8782

“Bowie and Elvis Birthday Bash”

The King of Rock and Roll, the Thin White Duke, Pelvis, Ziggy Stardust. Both Elvis and David Bowie have risen so beyond their humbled human forms, they need(ed) multiple nicknames just to justify the scope and magnitude of their rapturous appeal. Along with visionary musical prowess, rock’n’roll-ability, and sexy, slinky moves, the two icons share a birthday (Jan. 8). Naturally, those who love both stars equally have found a way to combine it all for one big sexy, slinky birthday party. This will be the Castle’s third annual Bowie and Elvis Birthday Bash, and like previous fetes, there will be DJs playing copious Bowie and Elvis cuts. Plus, there’ll be an appearance by the First Church of the Sacred Silversexual. Dress up in black leather for Elvis, a white jumpsuit for Bowie. (Savage)

9pm, $5

Edinburgh Castle

950 Geary, SF

(415) 885-4074

www.castlenews.com

SUNDAY 6

Sad Boys

With rallying cries of “Eat Shit” and “Frolic!,” Brooklyn’s Sad Boys are headed our way for a dynamic daytime spectacle at the Knockout with Drapetomania, Neon Piss, Kommplex. The rapid-fire, female-fronted punk band — which double dips members in acts such as Nomad, Putrida, Long Pigs, and Zatuson — has gained favorable comparisons to Injections, Recess Records faves the Grumpies, and…insert-your-own high-pitched late ’80s pogo punk band. They’re just gaining steam in this particular unit, releasing a hyper debut demo in 2012 with the aforementioned track titles, but something tells me we’ll be hearing more from those (gender-neutral) Boys in 2013. (Savage)

3:30-8pm, $5

Knockout

3223 Mission, SF

(415) 550-6994

www.theknockoutsf.com

Viva La Vegas

Holy loose slots, there are a zillion movies set in Las Vegas — but one of the earliest to capture the desert oasis’ anything-goes energy is 1964’s Viva Las Vegas. The kitschy classic stars Elvis (as a singing, dancing race-car driver) and Ann-Margret (as a singing, dancing lifeguard) — they were a couple off screen, too, and the chemistry between them is as brilliant as a neon sign. Viva Las Vegas screens just before the King’s birthday (Jan. 8) as part of “Thrillville Theater,” a weekly event programmed by local author, cult-film connoisseur, and Elvis fanatic Will Viharo at Oakland’s freshly opened New Parkway Theater — which brings back the old Parkway’s model of offering beer, pizza, and other goodies on its snack-bar menu. Edited to add: due to a print switcheroo, Blue Hawaii (1961) will be screening instead of Viva Las Vegas. Fear not, King fans: not only does the replacement flick contain Angela Lansbury (playing Elvis’ mother, though she was just 10 years older than him in real life), it also featuries the original performance of slow-jam staple “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Aloha! (Eddy)

6pm, $6

New Parkway Theater

474 24th St, Oakl.

(510) 658-7900

www.thenewparkway.com

TUESDAY 8

ABADÁ free capoeira class

Smack dab in the center of a busy holiday party season, we attended a recent graduation ceremony for the SF chapter of the ABADÁ capoeira school, which started in Brazil and now has an international presence. Of course, our city’s group is special. At the graduation, a smilingly diverse group play-sparred and tumbled with each other — all ages, ethnicities, able-bodied and developmentally disabled alike. Márcia Treidler, a.k.a. Mestranda Cigarra, came from Brazil to become one of the few women in the organization to rise to her elevated teaching rank. And don’t be fooled by ABADÁ’s inclusivity, it still hosts a fierce workout. Check it for yourself at today’s edition of the no-cost monthly fundamentals class. (Caitlin Donohue)

6-7:30pm, free

3221 22nd St., SF

(415) 206-0650

www.abada.org

“Breaking News: A Radical One-Night-Only Collaboration”

Just shy of its one-year anniversary, creator Kolmel WithLove’s new–queer performance series The News explodes its own formula with a one-night-only “Breaking News” edition, instigated by choreographer and guest host Laura Arrington, recognized expert on spontaneous queer performance (aka SQUART!). Inspired by Arrington’s recent collaborative participation in Keith Hennessy’s outstanding performance venture, Turbulence (a dance about the economy), “Breaking News” forgoes the usual proscenium approach, opening up the site of presenter SOMArts Cultural Center to more than 30 prominent and under-the-radar interdisciplinary artists whose performances, experiments, and in-process projects unfold around an audience invited to watch, perform, move around, or plop down and inertly absorb a one-of-a-kind happening in free-for-all formation. (Robert Avila)

7:30pm, $5

SOMArts Cultural Center

934 Brannan, SF

(415) 863-1414

thenewsperformance.eventbrite.com

www.somarts.org/thenews

Our Weekly Picks

December 26, 2012

WEDNESDAY 26

San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration

The celebration of Nguzo Saba (“The Seven Principles”) was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a way for the African American community to reaffirm its values. Accordingly, concepts that we all should live by are the focus of each day’s worth of Kwanzaa events at City Hall this year. Today’s candle-lighting, feast, and live entertainment pay homage to unity — in the days following, self determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith will be the program’s focus. (Caitlin Donohue)

Events through Jan. 1

Unity celebration: noon, free

City Hall

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, SF

www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com

THURSDAY 27

Sepalcure

In 2011, producers Machinedrum (a.k.a. Travis Stewart) and Braille (a.k.a. Praveen Sharma) teamed up for the self-titled Sepalcure, a genre cross-stepping album that brought together past and present sounds of house, garage, and dubstep. Take standout track “Pencil Pimp,” where solemn keys progress with gospel moans that share space against hyped “heys” and light, energizing percussive beats. It’s an evocative emotional balance that puts them in league with contemporaries Tomas Barfod and Shlohmo — the latter providing support for this show, which will feature live visuals created by designer Sougwen Chung (a.k.a. Sharma’s girlfriend) for the 2011 MUTEK festival in Mexico City. (Ryan Prendiville)

9pm, $25 Independent 628 Divisadero, SF (415) 771-1421 www.theindependentsf.com

FRIDAY 28

We are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists

When Israel threatened to shut down all Internet communication into and out of Gaza, Anonymous responded by taking down Israeli sites and providing instructional “care packages” for the case of outages. When Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to protest Connecticut’s legalization of gay marriage at vigils for the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims, Anonymous responded by shutting down the church’s site, godhatesfags.com, and the releasing names and information of church leaders. The group is relatively new but has had a huge impact with over a hundred raids in the last few years. This is the Story of the Hacktivists. The film’s director, Brian Knappenberger, interviews members of the online community in order to spark conversations about tactics, motives, and whether these illegal activities are the work of vigilantes, power-trippers, or just what we needed. (Molly Champlin)

7pm, $10

Roxie

3117 16th St., SF

(415) 863-1087

Cherub

Do we need another electro-pop, falsetto-laden act to follow the likes of Passion Pit and MGMT? Listening to Cherub, the answer is a resounding, “absolutely.” For one thing, this band is a bit sexier than the others (aspiring towards that pan-sexual prowess of Prince.) The duo — made up of Jason Huber and Jordan Kelley — is from Nashville, Tenn., but a respect for mac’n’cheese as a vegetable is about as far as their Southern roots extend. There’s no twang found here. Huber and Kelley’s layered, upbeat guitar, vocals, and synth meld in an energetic show that will demand you dance. (Champlin)

With Battlehooch and Rappers

9:30pm, $12

Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St., SF (415) 626-4455

X

Legendary Los Angeles punk act X has always distinguished itself from other bands of its time and genre, with the rock solid drumming of DJ Bonebrake, the guitar virtuosity of Billy Zoom, and the poetic lyrics and intimate vocal interplay of John Doe and Exene Cervenka. Currently celebrating its 35th anniversary — which is hard to believe, considering X’s material sounds as fresh as ever, and it sounds better than ever live — the iconic group is traveling up the West Coast on a mini “X-mas 2012” tour where fans are sure to hear all of their favorite tunes, as well as a couple of revved-up holiday favorites thrown in for good measure. (Sean McCourt)

Also Sat/29, 9pm, $32

Slim’s

333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

Wintersalt 2012

It took us a few head-scratching minutes to get the pun on sommersault (I think we get it?), but the two-night Wintersalt festival is sure to bring a little tumble of sunshine into our nightlives. Headliners include that tropical beat-appropriating genius, Diplo; our own atmospheric vinyl cut-up legend DJ Shadow, fresh from infamously getting booted off the decks at Miami douche palace the Mansion for being “too future”; a wee hip-hop rainbow of local adored MCs — Lyrics Born and Lateef, K.Flay, and Goldenchyld. Oh yes, there will also be EDM of the pop monster kind from Zedd and Dillon Francis — ensuring that at least the first night of this 18+ event will be flooded with fun-loving, neon-Raybanned, un-shirted younger brothers and sisters. Travis Barker and Mixmaster Mike will also be there, pumping the retro-’90s live drum-turntable alchemy they’re experts at. (Marke B.)

Also Sat/29

7pm-2am, $50-$160

Fort Mason Festival Pavillion

Marina Blvd, SF

www.wintersaltsf.com

SATURDAY 29

Lee Burridge

On “Lost in a Moment,” the 2012 track by Matthew Dekay and Lee Burridge, a snake-charming synth befitting of Vangelis winds around a hazy, beguiling vocalist who seems thoroughly entranced by the beat. The result is hypnotically effective and typical of Burridge, a much loved globe-trotting DJ who has created a dedicated following by transforming sets into moments to remember. Just Youtube his rapturous sunrise performances atop Robot Heart, or ask anyone who caught the last time he came through Public Works, and reportedly kept things going until 5am. (Prendiville)

With Rooz, Bo, Ben Seagren, Atish, and Brian Bejarano

9:30pm, $18–$25

Public Works

161 Erie, SF

(415) 932-0955

SUNDAY 30

PRIMUS

Got plans for New Year’s Eve? Want to go Sailing The Seas Of Cheese? Do you plan on serving up some Frizzle Fry? Imbibing some Pork Soda? Any way you look at it, the two club shows this week by musical boundary-busting Bay Area rock favorites Primus are a rare treat for local fans to see the band up close and personal. You can party with Les Claypool and company on Sunday night, or ring in the New Year with them on Monday, either way, you’re guaranteed quite a night as these special “Frankenstein’s Masquerade” shows are part of Primus’ new 3D Tour, complete with stereoscopic visuals and quad surround sound. (McCourt)

Also Mon/31, 9pm, $47.50–$75

Warfield

982 Market St., SF

www.thewarfieldtheater.com

MONDAY 31

Sea of Dreams NYE 2013: LunaSea

The biggest pain about NYE is coordinating all your friends, not to mention their inseparable dates. The annual SOD event is a big tent experience, with wide-ranging musical choices and live, body-warping spectacles to please just about everyone. (Okay, maybe not your roommate’s boyfriend — he should just stay home.) Best of all, it’s broken up into distinct areas to prevent the oppressing, cramped feel of a “massive.” Check out the headliners, with the added bonus of having both Opulent Temple and Dirtybird DJs under one roof. (Prendiville)

With Gogol Bordello, Shpongle’s Quixotic Masquerade, The Glitch Mob (DJ set), Trentemoller (DJ Set), Diego’s Umbrella, Pumpkin, Robert Delong, and more 8pm-4am, $79–$145 SF Concourse Exhibition Center 635 8th St., SF www.seaofdreamsnye.com

Remones

Dec. 31 generally cost a lot of money. It’s just this weird, ingrained fact of the day that with the slow, chilly shifting of years comes the jacking up of prices. Hey, here’s an additional $20–$40 tacked on for a glass of bubbly! Sure, some of those crazy pricey shows are probably worth it — the big-name bands, the packed lineups with sparklers, dancers, and holiday accoutrement. But if you’re just in it for the basic, primal fun of fun, here’s a show that’s totally free: the Remones, a Ramones cover band (duh) playing the Riptide. Because really, all you want to do on NYE is gather with friends in a warm, Bay Area environment, drink copious amounts of liquor, and watch live, sing-along punk songs. Hey ho, let’s go. (Emily Savage)

9:30pm, free

Riptide

3639 Taraval, SF (415) 681-8433

www.riptidesf.com

The New Parish: The People NYE Ball

The People Party was started in 2007 by a group of artists who thought that the East Bay was being overlooked by Bay Area taste-makers (wow, how time flies). Though Oakland has been saturated in attention in the last few years, the event still stands out in the area’s nightlife scene. The multidimensional dance party attracts a creative group of people. It’s a chance for local artists to show their work in a fun environment, and from samples of organic tea to dripping, bright acrylic paint, there is plenty to see. Headlining to celebrate the end of the year will be poet, DJ, and producer, Rich Medina, livening up the evening with his unique connections between spoken word, hip-hop, afrobeat, and jazz. (Champlin)

New Parish

9pm, $20

579 18th St., Oakl.

(510) 444-7474

TUESDAY 1

No Way Back New Year‘s Day Disco

There’s a few places to head if you went all night long and want to keep going all day strong. But to start the year off with a certain fresh feeling (and avoid an entire crowd of socket-eyed, gurning zombies), head over to Monarch. With No Ways Back’s reputation of infallible parties and quality music — in this case including Brooklyn’s Justin Vandervolgen (responsible for a double set on Beats in Space earlier this year) and local disco veteran James Glass — there are likely to be a fair number of people skipping the night altogether, and setting their clocks and krups for this one. (Prendiville) With Justin Vandervolgen, Sunny Side Up, Solar, Conor, 40 Thieves, and James Glass 6am, $15–$20 Monarch 101 Sixth St., SF (415) 284-9774 www.monarchsf.com

Our Weekly Picks: December 19-25

Andrew Lam

December 18, 2012

WEDNESDAY 19

“Voluspa: A Ghost Celebration for 2012”

Established belief systems may have lost their credence, but somehow we still feel the desire for connection to some kind of cosmic order, which, particularly this time of the year, invites a desire for healing the planet and those who walk, crawl, and dance on it. There is no better place to partake in this kind of experience than Dance Brigade’s “Voluspa: A Ghost Dance for 2012,” particularly if you stay the second night to celebrate the onset of Winter Solstice and the survival of the Mayan calendar prophecy. In the world premiere of “Voluspa,” Krissy Keefer digs deep into mythologies from around the globe. The evenings will also include, among others, performances by Danca Xitlalli, NAKA Dance Theater, and the Grrrl Brigade, in a contemporary Native American Ghost Dance. (Rita Felciano)

Also Thu/20; 7:30pm, $12–$20

Dance Mission Theater

3316, 24th St., SF

(415) 826-4441

“Noir City Xmas”

Are you dreaming of a hard-boiled holiday? Join other like-minded dudes and dames at “Noir City Xmas,” a double-feature of 1947’s The Lady in the Lake (a Raymond Chandler adaptation famously shot entirely from the POV of detective Phillip Marlowe) and 1949’s Holiday Affair, an offbeat romance between noir greats Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh. Best of all, Eddie Muller and Ms. Noir City will be on hand to reveal the programming for Noir City 11, coming up Jan. 25-Feb. 3. Good to get the early line on what’s playing, since Noir City — which screens everything on 35mm, and always busts out a handful of rareties and new restorations — tends to sell out like gangbusters. (Cheryl Eddy)

Holiday Affair, 7:30pm; The Lady in the Lake, 9:30pm, $10

Castro Theatre

429 Castro, SF

www.noircity.com

The Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola Duo

Likely the only musician ever to collaborate with both William S. Burroughs and Frank Ocean, Berkeley-based guitarist Charlie Hunter has built a reputation over the past 20 years as an in-demand session player, as well as a vital bandleader on his own terms. Hunter’s incredible dynamic and stylistic range (shifting effortlessly between poised, tasteful jazz licks and incendiary blues/rock freakouts) is demonstrated in full force on his latest project: a collaborative effort with esteemed Bay Area drummer Scott Amendola, entitled Not Getting Behind is the New Getting Ahead. Comprised solely of guitar and drums, yet remarkably dense and elaborate, the LP exposes the depth of both musicians’ talent like nothing else in their respective catalogs. Expect an evening of dizzying virtuosity when the duo hits the Independent tonight. (Taylor Kaplan)

With DJ Harry Duncan

8pm, $20

Independent

628 Divisadero, SF

(415) 771-1421

THURSDAY 20

GIBBSMO’s Annual Holiday Craptacular

Finding decent entertainment during the holiday season isn’t easy. Your mates aren’t the only people who have left to visit their families — a lot of your favorite performers have bailed as well, leaving behind an empty shell of a city to drink itself alone to sleep until the New Year. Just kidding! San Francisco is chock full of performers who actually live here, and there are bound to be a few bands who wanna rock the last days of 2012 out the door. One local showcase worth looking forward to is GIBBSMO’s Annual Holiday Craptacular, a benefit for the SF Food Bank, and a boon to all the music-loving, family-eschewing misanthropes who still need some way to get infused with the holiday spirit (or spirits). This year’s don’t miss lineup includes the Parker Brothers, Kelley Stoltz, Mark Eitzel, and X’s John Doe. Also, the Makeout Room sells whiskey, so you’re set. (Nicole Gluckstern)

8pm, $20 with a non-perishable food item

Makeout Room

3225 22nd St., SF

(415) 647-2888

www.makeoutroom.com

“Any Last Words?”

It’s a proven fact of science, mythology, astrology, and New Age reckoning that the world is ending Friday, Dec. 21, so you might as well spend your last night on Earth busting a gut. Stand-up comedian Trevor Hill asked 40 (!) fellow jokesters to converge on Sub-Mission Gallery, armed with “the last joke of their lives.” Participants include Casey Ley, Caitlin Gill, Kevin Camia, Mike Drucker, Ben Feldman, Shanti Charan, Kaseem Bentley, and many more. Why not laugh your way into doomsday? Beats cowering in a closet clutching a shotgun and your last package of Twinkies. (Eddy)

9pm, $10

Sub-Mission Gallery

2183 Mission, SF

anylastwords2012.tumblr.com

FRIDAY 21

“A Very Bowie Glamapocalypse”

The end of the world is approaching and you haven’t ensured your eternal salvation yet? No worries, you’re still welcome to get on your knees with the First Church of the Sacred Silversexual and put your soul in the hands of the Starman for a sparkling sermon on the eve of the Glamapocalypse. It’s a musical spectacle dedicated to the mystery, magic, and music of David Bowie. Bringing you tunes from his early career will be a cast impersonating Major Tom, the Thin White Duke, the kids from Velvet Goldmine, and any other persona you can dream up. So get out the glitter, forget the Hail Marys, and learn your new chant: they say, “Wham! Bam!” and you reply, “thank you M’am!” (Molly Champlin)

With Coo Coo Birds, Straight-Ups

9pm, $15

Cafe Du Nord

2170 Market, SF

(415) 861-5016

NGUZUNGUZU

120 Minutes has established itself as one of SF’s most reliably compelling and exploratory club nights, shining a light on the dark, gothic recesses of electronic music that have exploded over the past few years. This Friday, the 120 crew will reign in the apocalypse with their End of the World Party, headlined by LA’s NGUZUNGUZU: a Hippos In Tanks-signed laptop duo, bent on fusing the worlds of R&B, hypnagogic pop, and minimal house into a futuristic stew of beat music, as psychedelic as it is bleak and unsettling. SF’s own oOoOO will open, showcasing his equally ominous take on witch house: the subgenre most often associated with dance music’s plunge into the darkness. If the Mayans were right, this ought to be one helluva last night on earth. (Kaplan)

With Boychild, DJ S4NtA MU3rTE, DJ Chauncey CC

10pm, $10

Elbo Room

647 Valencia, SF

(415) 552-7788

www.elbo.com

SATURDAY 22

The Snowman

This silent film about a boy whose snowman comes to life and takes him on a fantastic flying journey has been a wintertime favorite in my family since as long as I can remember. The Snowman, based on the children’s book by Raymond Briggs, is full of moments as detailed and expressive as aMiyazaki’s movie. I’ve kept with me many images from it, like the headlight of the snowman’s motorcycle lighting up a dark forest, or the freezerbox with green peas the boy uses to keep the snowman cold. Traditional animation done with crayon and pastel lends the sweeping landscapes a jittering, lifelike quality. With the Pacific Boychoir and San Francisco Symphony performing Howard Blake’s heartening, and beautiful score, this should be a truly magical experience. (Champlin)

11am, $27–$57

Davies Symphony Hall

201 Van Ness, SF

(415) 864-6000

www.sfsymphony.org

“20th Anniversary of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy”

Judy Gold gets around — she’s guest-hosted The View; appeared on multiple sitcoms, dramas, and late-night talk shows; had comedy specials on LOGO, HBO, and Comedy Central; and has one of the funnier Twitter accounts out there (handle: @JewdyGold; sample tweet: “I need to go work out, but my hair looks really good. What should I do?”) This Christmas, she’ll be headlining the 20th annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy, a milestone event that’s a testament to the talents of Kung Pao founder Lisa Geduldig — promoter, programmer, and host extraordinare. Also on the bill: Scott Blakeman and Mike Capozzola, not to mention the pleasure of spending the holidays in a Chinese restaurant with like-minded celebrants. Partial proceeds benefit the Brown Twins/Jewish Family and Children’s Services Emergency Assistance Fund, and the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center drop-in services and food pantry. (Eddy)

Tonight and Mon/24, 6pm (dinner show) and 9:30pm (cocktail show); Sun/23 and Tue/25, 5pm (early bird dinner show) and 9:30pm (cocktail show), $44-64

New Asia Restaurant

772 Pacific, SF

www.koshercomedy.com

“‘Twas the Night Before Sketchfest”

Can you think of better way to get into the holiday spirit than by spending an entire day laughing out loud, and celebrating some of your favorite Christmas movies? “‘Twas The Night Before Sketchfest” will present just such an opportunity! Kicking off with a 10th anniversary screening of Elf, the afternoon continues with legendary Muppet puppeteer Dave Goelz appearing in person to speak about Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas, a 1977 gem that features a cast of furry and felt-covered magical creations of the Jim Henson Company. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait will then host a screening of Scrooged, the 1988 comedy that re-told the classic “Christmas Carol” story with Bill Murray as a raving TV exec who regains the Christmas spirit; and finally, for the naughty ones, director Terry Zwigoff will be on hand for Bad Santa. Ho ho ho indeed! (Sean McCourt)

12:30pm, $10–$20; $40 for an all-day pass

Castro Theatre

429 Castro, SF

www.sfsketchfest.com

“Night Wakes Dawn”

As the year ends, join the women of Brava and children of Loco Bloco for a musical theater performance inspired by Mayan myths surrounding the events of December 21st, 2012. The original show traces the life of a brother and sister living in the Mission and plays out how their stories intersect with spirit and tradition. The performance features three parts spanning three different styles of music and dance: bachata/reggaeton, R&B experimental, and samba-house. Come for an exciting show that will bring the energy and vibrancy of Loco Bloco’s Carnival performance to the stage for a more structured and symbolic performance, and a chance for spiritual reflection as we awake into a new era. (Champlin)

7pm; also Sun/23, 2pm, $10–$20

Brava Theater Center

2781 24th St., SF

(415) 641-7657

www.brava.org

Nostalgia Fest

So hey, how did “Giving Tuesday” go for you? Yeah, me neither. And you know why? It’s because in this carrot-stick society we’ve come to expect a better incentive than just “everyone else is doing it.” That’s the beauty of benefit shows. Firstly, they benefit people we feel good about benefiting, and secondly because we get to go to a show. And Nostalgia Fest looks like it’s going to be a good one. Eight old-skool, Sonoma County bands including Coffee and Donuts, Punch the Clown, and Victim’s Family, reuniting for a good cause and a good time, rallying hope with hardcore, and goodwill with great jams. This year’s beneficiaries are the venerable Phoenix Theater, and the vulnerable Maverick Tucker-Evjenth, whose father, local skate legend Tony Evjenth, passed away in 2011. (Gluckstern)

5pm, $10–$25

Phoenix Theater

501 Washington, Petaluma

www.thephoenixtheatre.com

SUNDAY 23

“An Evening with the Mermen: A Very Mermen Christmas”

A few months ago, on a podcast, comedian-author Julie Klausner offhandedly said something like, “God spare me from a twist on things.” Meaning, why can’t we just celebrate the holidays in a classic way? Why must there be something funky added in? That’s why this Mermen event, based on the recent album, is so appealing. While yes, the Mermen are a legendary late ’80s-born surf/don’t-call-me-surf band (they prefer “psychedelic instrumental ocean music”), their 2012 holiday album — Do You Hear What I Hear — A Very MERMEN Christmas — is actually pretty traditional. They play the songs we know, “The Little Drum Boy,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Silent Night,” and the like, and they play them well, granted with plenty of reverb-laden surf guitar. It’s not the grating cheerfulness of pop renditions, or the sentimental hooey of yore. No real funky twist here, just instrumental yuletide bliss by a trio of SF music scene vets. (Emily Savage)

8pm, $15

Slim’s

333 11th St., SF

(415) 255-0333

Our Weekly Picks: December 12-18

Andrew Lam

December 11, 2012

WEDNESDAY 12/12

"The Lion and the Lamb"

Sam Flores, a graffiti-inspired artist whose work often deals with religious themes, now turns his attention to the conflicting symbols of violence and innocence. His recent paintings, which show a more classical style than previous works, depict the lion and the lamb amongst other figures in chaotic, urban settings. These bold and deeply hued paintings convey the convoluted relationship between good and evil. As a prominent artist in the crossover between urban and fine arts, you may have found his work alongside painter-designer, Jeremy Fish or tagger-tattoo artist, Mike Giant. Like many others, Flores got his start designing for skateboard and clothing companies, but with more and more solo exhibits, his painting has begun to flourish. This show should be a great example of the strong voice he has found. (Molly Champlin)

Through Feb. 12

Opening reception tonight, 6:30pm, free

Fifty24SF

218 Fillmore, SF

(415) 861-1960

www.fifty24sf.com

WEDNESDAY 12/12

Charles Phoenix Holiday Show

Oddball Americana guru Charles Phoenix has explored and celebrated the best in kitschy, cool, and kooky artifacts and history for many years now, having written several books on mid-20th century, deep-fried pop culture, fashion, lifestyle and more. The author of tomes such as Southern California In The 50s, and Americana The Beautiful brings his hilarious holiday show and talk to the city, set to roast not just Christmas, but all of the holidays with his ever-growing collection of slides and tales of his off-beat and always colorful road trip adventures. (Sean McCourt)

8pm, $25

Empress of China Ballroom

838 Grant, SF

www.charlesphoenix.com

WEDNESDAY 12/12

"How The Grouch Stole Christmas"

The Grouch is continuing his annual holiday hip-hop tour through 18 cities across the West Coast. This year the merry night in San Francisco will include performances by Bay Area native Mistah F.A.B., Minneapolis-based artist Prof, DJ Fresh, and of course, the Grouch and Eligh. Apart from the live show, Mistah F.A.B. will host a Battle of the Bands/MCs Showcase where participants will have the platform to show their own talent. The freestyle champion will win a Grouch Merchandise pack and a pair of Able Planet studio headphones. (Soojin Chang)

8pm, $20

Regency Ballroom

1300 Van Ness, SF

THURSDAY 12/13

Subterranean Arthouse’s Third Annual Chanukah Party

Yiddish supergroups, klezmer dance parties, and tzedakah, all wrapped into one shiny gold coin of an evening. The Subterranean Arthouse’s Chanukah Party is part of Heather Klein’s "Hungry for Yiddish: A Mitzvah Project" concert series, which donates proceeds from events to the Berkeley Food Pantry and similar organizations; and the event is co-presented by KlezCalifornia and the Jewish Music Festival. Acts include Klein’s Inextinguishable Trio, Anthony Mordechai-Tzvi Russell, noted Yiddish dance instructor Bruce Bierman, and Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band. With instructions from Bierman, the lovely Yiddish songs of both Klein and Russell, and Goodman’s brassy klezmer, this should make for a fun, frenzied mid-point party during the festival of lights — and yes, they’ll light the menorah. Chag Sameach, Berkeley. (Emily Savage)

9pm, $10–$20 donation

Subterranean Arthouse

2169 Bancroft, Berk.

Klezmer.brownpapertickets.com

FRIDAY 12/14

Dylan Moran

Perhaps best known to American audiences for his appearances in Shaun of the Dead and Run, Fatboy, Run, Irish comedian Dylan Moran is a huge hit in his native UK, notably for his brilliant role as a cantankerous and drunk, yet lovable book shop owner in the tragically short-lived BBC series "Black Books." His live stand-up is where he’s really making his name now though; his current "Yeah, Yeah" tour is only stopping in New York, Los Angele, and here in San Francisco — consider yourself lucky and don’t miss your chance to see one of funniest comics on either side of the pond. (McCourt)

Also Sat/15, 8pm, $35

Marines Memorial Theatre

609 Sutter, SF

(415) 771-6900

www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com

FRIDAY 12/14

The Mountain Goats

I’d like to sit on some front porch (any porch, really) with John Darnielle and just listen to him tell stories — maybe over a glass of whiskey and several puffs of something. Sometimes telling the truth, but mostly relying on a wild imagination, the Mountain Goat’s dynamic leader has been writing songs about addiction, infidelity, and more sensitive subjects for the last 20 years. The group’s new album, Transcendental Youth, has been an excuse for Darnielle to branch out, inviting avant-symphonic rocker, Matthew E. White, to write horns for the album and working with Owen Pallett to arrange the songs for a collaboration with the a cappella quartet, Anonymous 4. This should be a well-worn show — mixing old and new in a chaotic journey through the picaresque scenes of Darnielle’s mind. (Champlin)

With Matthew E. White

9pm, $28

Fillmore

1805 Geary, SF

(415) 346-6000

FRIDAY 12/14

"Diez Por Arriba"

The glorious annual flamenco season is in full swing — so much emotion, so much drama, so much invigorating live sound and movement, olé! It’s all a perfect rehearsal for your upcoming family holiday gatherings. Next up, fantastic choreographer Yaelisa and her Caminos Flamencos company, an enthralling troupe that stomps, whirls, hypnotizes, and enraptures like a force of nature, all under the expert musical direction of Jason McGuire "El Rubio." I would say the distinguishing feature of Yaelisa’s work is its generous spirit and breadth of technique. As evidenced by Caminos’ show last year, she favors longer solos and duos, giving each featured performer enough time to weave a spell of exquisite technique and subtle variations. Gorgeous costumes (hello, tight-pantsed toreadors!) and music from an international ensemble helps turn up the magic past 10. (Marke B.)

Also Sat/15, 8pm; Sun/16, 3pm, $20–$40

ODC Theater

3153 17th St., SF

www.caminosflamenco.com

SATURDAY 12/15

"In One Hand A Ghost, The Other An Atom"

As urban art has become more popular, many taggers are making a profit from their work in the gallery world. New2, who has been writing in Australia since the movement began in the early ’80s, is one of these. He’s worked in a variety of spray paint alternatives when bringing his work indoors, including paint, sculpture, and paper. His most recent project, "In One Hand A Ghost, The Other an Atom," uses intricate, paper cut-outs to merge his long tradition of writing (the ghost) with his futuristic take on letters (the atom). In the show, care and thoughtfulness form the same bright colors, geometric currents, and space themes that he has developed in years of experimentation on trains and empty walls. (Champlin)

Through Jan. 5

7pm, free

White Walls Gallery

835 Larkin, SF

(415) 931-1500

www.whitewallssf.com

SATURDAY 12/15

Pilot 61

Making dances — we all know — is a lonely and precarious enterprise. You can’t just sit down on your keyboard and write your poems. You need bodies and a bigger area than your kitchen. That’s why ODC’s Pilot program is such a gift to young choreographers. They get 11 weeks, a studio, a tiny budget, and a lot of feedback. In return, they have to commit to two public performances — of which we are the beneficiary. Seeing what gifted but not-yet-established choreographers come up with is a thrill like few others. In its 61st incarnation, Pilot will introduce Jenni Bregman, David Schleiffers, Katharine Hawthorne, Erin Malley, and Phoebe Osborne. They are calling the program Nightcap. (Rita Felciano)

Also Sun/16, 8pm, $12

ODC Dance Commons

351 Shotwell, SF

(415) 863-9833

www.odctheater.org

SATURDAY 12/15

Found Footage Festival

You’ve seen ’em: those piles of mysterious VHS tapes, often unmarked, gathering dust at Community Thrift. Found Footage Festival curator-hosts Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett live for the thrill that comes from finding bizarre, hilarious cast-off videos — and they’re on the road, sharing their fascination with audiences across the country. The 2012 program of repurposed entertainment looks to be stuffed with gems, gut-busters, and things that make you go "WTF?": ferret-care tips, freaky craft-sponging, and something called "The Sexy Treadmill Workout." Head to the FFF website to whet your appetite with the "VHS Find of the Day" feature. Two words: cat massage. (Cheryl Eddy)

Also Sun/16, 8pm, $13

Roxie Theater

3117 16th St., SF

www.foundfootagefest.com

MONDAY 12/17

Dee Dee and Brandon

Dee Dee from the Dum Dum Girls and Brandon from the Crocodiles are in love — married, in fact, and make a rather swoon-worthy couple. She with her thick-lined lids and vertical striped tights, he with his dark sunglasses. Listen to Dee Dee’s crooning on "Bedroom Eyes" off 2011’s Only In Dreams, in which she repeats "fear I’ll never sleep again" and you start to get a sense of their connection, and the pain they feel apart on separate tours. To view said connection live, in all its gushy splendor, be the voyeur at their joint Rickshaw Stop show tonight; a very special showcase, indeed, where both will perform songs from their respective catalogs and — as I can only imagine — harmonize like old lovers do. Like Johnny and June, Exene and John Doe, all those passionate, oft-heartsick music mates that have come before them, the duo is sugar and spice with a splash of whiskey. (Savage)

With Gio and Stef (Young Prisms)

8pm, $15

Rickshaw Stop

155 Fell, SF (415) 861-2011

TUESDAY 12/18

Kinky Friedman

Although he has garnered a considerable amount of national mainstream success in the last 25 years as the author of a series of popular mystery novels and non-fiction books touching on politics, writer and all-around raconteur Kinky Friedman first made a name for himself as a singer and songwriter. In the early 1970s, along with his band the Texas Jewboys (he was raised by Jewish parents in the Lone Star State), he penned a slew of country and twang-tinged tunes such as the rollicking and humorous "They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore." He hits the city tonight as part of his "Bipolar" tour. This is your chance to meet the man, as he promises to "sign anything but bad legislation!" (McCourt)

With Brian Molnar

8pm, $25

Cafe Du Nord

2170 Market, SF