Yes, it’s that time of the year again – when I make a faux-turkey. And, I suppose, when many of you eat the real thing. That’s cool. Either way, you’re going to want to relax, decompress, scream into the abyss after the stress of eating and chatting with the family, or over-indulging at multiple Friendsgivings. This Thanksgiving weekend, you can let your conflicted demons out into the night with Dick Dale, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Cass McCombs, Sébastien Giniaux, Kill Paris, and SISU.
An added bonus: because there are so many transplants to the Bay Area, holidays like this often suck the crowds out, meaning more space for you to shake a tail feather on the dancefloor, and shorter waits at the bar.
Here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
Sébastien Giniaux
All Django-ish and la pompe, Parisian musician Sébastien Giniaux is a gypsy jazz guitar virtuoso. He quickly maneuvers from darkly emotional gypsy -spirited compositions to plucky swinging hot jazz, much like genre originator Django Reinhardt. True to inspiration, Giniaux has played France’s Django Reinhardt Festival and Djangofest in the US.
Fri/23, 7:30pm, $10-$15
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom, SF
www.redpoppyarthouse.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ElEoy6h6Tg
Kill Paris
“The consistently solid Opulent Temple DJs at the bottom of this eclectic lineup will definitely put down some solid house sets, but also worth checking out is Kill Paris, an EDM up-and-comer with a near fetish for funky ’80s soul and ’90s R&B. Expect to hear Prince, Montell Jordan, and Blackstreet reworked with the sounds of French electro, dubstep, and the fringes of LA’s beat scene.” — Ryan Prendiville
With Big Chocolate, Jelo, Opulent Temple DJs (Tekfreaks, Dutch, Dex Stakker, and more)
Fri/23, 10pm, $15–<\d>$30
1015 Folsom, SF
(415) 431-1200
www.1015.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLhEjllbU3E
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
It’s the swinging, soul-funk group’s first headlining show in San Francisco in more than two years, and in the grand Davies Symphony Hall to boot. The Brooklyn nine-piece Dap-Kings, is of course led by the velvety, luminous Sharon Jones and will likely be belting tracks 2010’s I Learned the Hard Way LP.
Sat/24, 8pm, $15–$82
Davies Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness, SF
(415) 864-6000
www.sfsymphony.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSvRMiemEGc
Shine On with SISU
Shoe-gazy dreampop fronted by Sandra Vu, drummer of the Dum Dum Girls, creating moody meditations in line with 4AD bands and Broadcast. Hard to resist, no? If you missed it, here’s our chat from earlier this year.
With Sophie Gineau, DSTVV
Sat/24, 10pm, $5
Knockout
3223 Mission, SF
www.theknockoutsf.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNRz020IijQ
Dick Dale
Is there anything more exciting than reverb-heavy surf guitar? It warbles the veins. Last time the King of Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, popped up at the Uptown he roared through all the hits — yes, “Misirilou” was high on the setlist — and then some, rapidly fingering his custom guitar at a blistering speed, his long white hair whipping around him. Trust me, see the 75-year-old maven while you still can.
With Jonny Manek and the Depressives
Sat/24, 9pm, $20
Uptown
1928 Telegraph, Oakl.
(510) 451-8100
www.uptownnightclub.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8CnurLcxRY
Cass McCombs
I probably shouldn’t even be writing about this one; people will likely complain that that it’ll sell out quick if everyone knows about it. I mean, it’s talented singer-songwriter Cass McCombs (who is about to embark on tour with the one and only John Cale). At comparatively tiny Amnesia. For just $5. But then I wouldn’t be doing my journalistic duty, right? If I was suppressing – already widely available – show info? It’s done; I apologize. Now breathe, and buy tickets;or you know, throw that Cass McCombs money away on another Four Loko, or whatever the kids are buying these days.
Sun/25, 9pm, $5
Amnesia
853 Valencia, SF
www.amnesiathebar.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOcnITphyjk