WEDNESDAY 19
Sister Spit at the Elbo Room
From slam poetry exploring race and class to literary prose weaving together stories of immigration, blackness, and femaleness, to hilarious cringe-worthy anecdotes about sexuality and body image, the Sister Spit traveling roadshow has been bringing together emerging and established writers and artists, with a particular focus on the queer community, since 1997. The show’s assortment of performances embody the many facets of 21st century feminism, with co-founder, longtime host, and quintessential San Francisco writer Michelle Tea selecting “intellectual provocateurs” to inspire and empower women all over the country; the shows are known for being pretty good parties, too. Guests at this performance include Oakland poet and educator Chinaka Hodge, novelist Rhiannon Argo, fat activist Virgie Tovar, writer-filmmaker Dia Felix, and more.
7pm, $10
Elbo Room
647 Valencia, SF
(415) 552-7788
www.radarproductions.org/sister-spit-2014
THURSDAY 20
Disposable Film Festival
When the Disposable Film Festival began seven years ago, the notion of making films on “non-professional devices” (iPhones, webcams, etc.) was a novel one. Now, it’s an art form. The fest begins with its ever-popular Castro Theatre screening of shorts in competition — a professional panel of judges picks most of the winners, but you can weigh in on the Audience Choice Award.
Other events (check out the DFF’s website for sign-up specifics) include a creative workshop intriguingly titled “Set Your Inner David O. Russell Free”; a dinner and screening event focused on urban farming; and panel discussions that tie the DIY film movement to social action and sustainability. (Cheryl Eddy)
Through Sun/23
Screening tonight, 8pm, $15
Castro Theatre
429 Castro, SF
Disappearing People
If you haven’t come across Oakland’s Disappearing People, then you probably aren’t going out to enough bar shows. This duo gigs constantly, bringing plenty of pedal effects, oscillating wah-wah sound, tight drum beats, and dark psychedelia everywhere they go. If experimental is your thing, then you may have hit the jackpot. Smart booking combined the band with the soul-ripping, wall-of-doom, electronic sounds of Sacramento’s Wreck And Reference, which should fall on appreciative ears. Screaming vocals on tracks like “Abhorrence” explore total isolation. Despite a room full of people sharing this experience, somehow I think most will relate to an overriding theme of despair. (Andre Torrez)
With Wreck And Reference, Hollow Sunshine and So Stressed
9pm, $8
Thee Parkside
1600 17th St, SF
(415) 252-1330
FRIDAY 21
Bart Davenport Record Release Party
Near the nexus of similarly soulful, timeless pop singers Nick Lowe and Jens Lekman, there’s Bart Davenport. The confidence in his voice is effortlessly reassuring. And that’s a good thing, since his latest album Physical World sounds like a challenging place to be, at times isolated (“On Your Own Planet”), exhausting (“Wearing the Changes”), or just generally impossible. Sung from the margins of an increasingly shitty industry, a song titled “Fuck Fame” should be intolerably bitter, but Davenport faces reality with an coolly upbeat, learned optimism. “I can live without it,” he sings, before wryly adding “but we can talk about money.” (Then he rips a solo to seal the deal.) (Ryan Prendiville)
With Danny James, Anna Hillburg, DJ Robert Spector
9pm, $12-15
The Chapel
777 Valencia, SF
(415) 551-5157
SATURDAY 22
Yoni Ki Baat 10th Anniversary Performance
“Talks of the Vagina” is the rough translation of the Hindi words Yoni Ki Baat. Inspired by The Vagina Monologues, Yoni Ki Baat is a series of provocative, thrilling and empowering monologues written and performed by women of South Asian origin. The South Asian Sisters collective is celebrating the show’s 10th year this weekend at the historic Women’s Building in the Mission. The Sunday matinee viewing will be for women only — a special performance for those who self-identify as female. Over the past decade, Yoni Ki Baat has grown from a small performance to a national movement. Whether you’re a Yoni virgin or not, this is a chance to explore sexuality, body image, and identity through the eyes of South Asian women. Proceeds will benefit local organizations aiding survivors of domestic violence. (Childs)
March 22, 6:30pm
March 23, 12:30 (female only) and 5pm, $15
Women’s Building
3543 18th St, SF
(415) 431-1180
“The Wrath of Film Cult”
It’s aliiiive! And it’s celebrating the king. Of. Dramatic. Pauses. The Vortex Room, currently tussling with its SOMA landlord over its own cinematic HQ, moves operations to the Roxie for this co-presentation (hopefully, the first in an ongoing series). It’s a triple feature, hosted by “Klingon Vanna White,” that raises a can of Molson to intergalactic Canadian hero William Shatner, who turns 83 years young on March 22, with Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973); Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) — via a 35mm collectors print; and Impulse (1974). Shat yeah! (Cheryl Eddy)
7pm, $9 per film (all three films, $20)
Roxie Theater
3125 16th St, SF
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
If you haven’t seen Pilobolus, that wild and woolly mix of goofy dancers and super-skilled performers with an imagination and wit that is always theatrical, and often non-definable, a trip to Marin this weekend is highly recommended — there’s just no one else like them. Why would anybody who wants people to pay good money to see them name themselves after a fast-growing, phototropic fungus that thrives on cow dung? Go figure. In the beginning, eons ago, Pilobolus came up with their own material. They still choreograph a lot of their own stuff, but they have also enlisted collaborators, like Belgian/Moroccon Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, who has been burning stages in Europe but has yet to be seen in California, and old-time illusionists/comedians Penn & Teller. (Rita Felciano)
March 22-23, 8 pm, $25-35
Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium
10 Ave of the Flags at Civic Center, San Rafael
(415) 473-6800
SUNDAY 23
Death
Last year the city of Detroit both declared bankruptcy and elected its first white mayor since 1974. It’s been 40 years since the last one, which is about the same time that sibling (proto) punks David, Dannis, and Bobby Hackney were in a Motor City band called Death. Predating The Ramones and Sex Pistols with their own straightforward, garage-rock sound was statement enough, but the fact that they were black and frayed from stereotypical R&B constraints made them downright pioneers. David has since passed, but the current lineup, consisting of two original members, carries on the tradition, as Drag City Records has helped renew interest in the band. The label’s recent series of re-issues, in addition to a popular film documentary, has introduced Death to a whole new generation. Give “North Street” a listen and you’ll see that this is more than just hype. (Andre Torrez)
With Audacity
8pm, $25
777 Valencia, SF
(415) 551-5157
MONDAY 24
Japan Nite
If you didn’t make it to SXSW this year, fear not — The Independent is bringing you a taste of the Austin festival with Japan Nite 2014. The annual showcase will feature the coolest indie rock, punk, and culture from Japan, with five Japanese bands: Vampillia, an alternative band from Osaka with dark vocals and dueling drummers; Jungles, a new group with three of the four ladies from Red Bacteria Vacuum; ZARIGANI$, a powerful and loud female duo; HAPPY, a five-piece indie group that opened for The Flaming Lips this year; and Starmarie, a girl group with pop vocals and an uber-girly stage presence. Expect the best in Southeast Asian culture, from its eclectic fashion, to high-tech gadgets, and certainly the diverse sounds from the Land of the Rising Sun. (Childs)
7:30pm, $15
The Independent
628 Divisadero, SF
(415) 771-1421
Tech Panel: All Together Now — Technology and Social Responsibility
“With great power comes great responsibility,” right? Take Uncle Ben’s advice to heart when it comes to the World Wide Web. New technology popping up every day has created a massive new industry and digital society, with countless opportunities for innovation and connectivity — yet, as the Internet turns 25, there are few rules and norms to regulate it. That’s where you come in. The Bold Italic and General Assembly are hosting a panel about social responsibility in the digital age. Join the discussion with your own questions for the Q&A portion of the night, and then enjoy drinks, mingling, and food from Powered by Pork. *Insert computer, cocktail and pig emojis* (Childs)
6pm, $10
Public Works
161 Erie, SF
(415) 779-6757
TUESDAY 25
The Used and Taking Back Sunday
If you’re under a certain age, those band names alone should cue memories of teen angst, sexual confusion, and pop-punk lyrics scribbled into notebook margins during science class. In a nostalgia-induced collaboration, two bands that reached insane popularity during the golden years of the 1990s emo wave are co-headlining a US tour this spring, landing at the Warfield tonight. Their collaboration comes from the release of their new albums under the same record label, Hopeless Records — Happiness Is, by Taking Back Sunday, is the Long Island band’s sixth studio album (released last week), and Imaginary Enemy, by The Used, will drop April 1. Though Taking Back Sunday and The Used maintain contrasting voices, they both bring emotion-drenched lyrics, loud instrumentals, and a much rawer energy than today’s dominant emo-pop. (Childs)
7pm, $32
The Warfield
982 Market, SF
(415) 345-0900
Hella Gay Comedy presents the Sausage Fest Comedy Show
“In the comedy world, straight men comedians rule the stages,” explains the Hella Gay Comedy Facebook page. “For whatever reason, more straight men are drawn to public speaking and making asses of themselves more than anybody else.” Out of that, Sausage Fest Comedy Show was born. Hella Gay Comedy — normally a monthly comedy show featuring LGBT comedians —will switch things up by having some of SF’s hunkiest straight comedians performing at a gay club. But the plot thickens! These humorous heartthrobs will be performing with their shirts off. Prepare yourself for a night filled with cheesy jokes and yummy eye candy. Whether you’re gay or straight, you’re guaranteed a good time: Even if the jokes aren’t great, the abs may be worth an ogling. (Childs)
8pm, $10
Club OMG
43 6th St, SF
(415) 896-6374
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