Is it mundane to still be talking about the weather? What if we’re reminiscing about fickle San Francisco, and a rejuvenating weekend full of beaming hot sun, melted sundaes, and stretches of eternity park lounging with thousands of your closest compatriots?
What if that much-needed industrial shot of Vitamin D super charged our brains for the week ahead? Why can’t we believe in the goodness of the occasional bright weekend to dismiss week in, week out monotony?
What else drags our tired souls from the pits of a dull routine? Why, the ebb and flow of musical intake, of course. That jolt of bass, the kick of drums, the oom-pah of brass, the buzzing expanse of synth: it kick-starts our brains with a correspondingly industrial shot of adrenaline, rolling fog or shine.
Here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
The She’s
The melodic teenage rock’n’roll group seems to be living the garage pop dream right about now. The local quartet has a sparkly newish album making serious waves, has opened for dream-show Girls, and recently played Noise Pop before Surfer Blood to a sold-out crowd. While yes, a tad bit jealous, we must admit, it’s deserved: the She’s talent – bassist Samantha Perez has been playing since she was 7, and the others started around then too – and, their surfy fun vibes keep us coming back for more.
With Bilinda Butchers, Trails and Ways
Wed/25, 8pm, $10.
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell, SF
(415) 861-2011
www.rickshawstop.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KhxRuEf5ho&feature=relmfu
The Touré-Raichel Collective
Both wildly popular in their home states, Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré and Israeli pianist Idan Raichel came together for the languid, subtly gorgeous joint album The Tel Aviv Session – mixing in respective cultures of music through gentle plucking and steady drum beats – and bring that magic tonight to the Herbst.
Thu/26, 8pm, $25-$85
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness, SF
(415) 621-6600
www.sfwmpac.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmfHid85XoM
Opeth and Mastodon
A doomy double bill of Swedish heavy metal and Southern-fried sludge. Both acts are epic in their own special way.
Fri/27, 8pm, $32.50
Fox Theater
1807 Telegraph, Oakl.
(510) 302-2250
www.thefoxoakland.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VUm1jzqth4
Public Access: Hype Williams
Hype is indeed the word. The Xanax-slow atmospheric pop duo from London, named after the filmmaker, is making a name — and sound — all its own. Once shrouded in wobbly synth mystery, as these things usually are at the start, Hype Williams keeps the buzz a-growing. With openers Gatekeeper, Teengirl Fantasy, and Zebra Katz, it’s going to be a trippy goth pop carnival of a night.
Fri/27, 9pm, $15.
Public Works
161 Eerie, SF
(415) 932-0955
www.publicsf.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZsad3s3hk
Tragedy
The crust punk band, born of the early Aughts, is three parts His Hero Is Gone (depths-of-hell growling vocalist- guitarist Todd Burdette, guitarist Yannick Lorrain, and drummer Paul Burdette) and three parts Death Threat (overlapping others, plus bassist Billy Davis), and all parts blistering, head-banging, good times. Playing twice in the Bay Area this weekend.
With Talk is Poison, Hunting Party, Replica, Negative Standards
Fri/27, 7pm, $10
Oakland Metro
630 Third St., Oakl.
www.oaklandmetro.org
With Needles, Sete Star Sept, Permanent Ruin, Stressors
Sat/28, 9pm, $10
Thee Parkside
1660 17th St., SF
(415) 252-1330
www.theeparkside.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgtXLWxDlvg
Sonya Cotton
Sonya Cotton is a folk force, an endearing vocalist and musician (known to swing a delicate uke) with church of nature-like calm; it’s not difficult to picture Cotton tearfully cradling a fallen deer in a lush forest, singing with woeful empathy of its journey. See below. Note that it’s difficult to watch, but her tone brings significance to the sadness.
As part of the Power of Song Series
With Conspiracy of Venus
Sun/29, 9-11pm
Brava Theater Center
2781 24th St, SF
www.songbirdfestival.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udDyGA1vInE