When The Lights Go Down In The City
Our live music picks for the week of 2/24-3/2.
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We might have mentioned that the big music news this week is the 13th annual installment of Noise Pop, the Bay Area's very own indie music festival. In fact, this here link to the festival schedule could practically write this column for us. Many Noise Pop shows are already sold out, but don't fret, SFist's Noise Pop coverage is as good as being there, and we guarantee reading our words won't cause tinnitus.
Tonight you can start the weekend early at Thee Parkside's free Noise Pop Happy Hour, happening every night at 5pm through Saturday. At 9pm, walk or stumble the short few blocks to Bottom of the Hill to see local bands The Papercuts, who released their gorgeous lo-fi record Mockingbird last fall, and The Heavenly States, fresh off their headline-grabbing tour through Libya. Built Like Alaska and Portastatic are also on this Noise Pop bill. The Hot Hot Heat show is already sold out, but you can still try to get in to Popscene's HHH Afterparty with guest DJs and band-of-the-moment Louis XIV. If you'd like an alternative to alternative rock, the 11th Other Minds Music Festival is for you. Get new, fresh and experimental with Other Minds at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater. David Byrne continues his stay in SF at the Fillmore with the Extra Action Marching Band tonight and tomorrow. The Quannum MCs Showcase presents the creme de la creme of Bay Area hip hop with Gift of Gab, Latryx, Lyrics Born and more down at DNA Lounge.
Take an early lunch break on Friday to head down to the Virgin Megastore, where vaudevillian singing duo The Ditty Bops will be partying like it's 1929. Catch them at this free in-store performance because their Noise Pop show is sold out. SFist Shane will be at Bimbo's that night to see Tussle open for Amon Tobin, and this SFist will be at Cafe du Nord to see Von Iva and Spoon-soundalikes Robbers on High Street for an early matinee show. SFist Cheshire says you should go see Oranger at the Castro, performing a live score for Man with a Movie Camera, which their website says is "Dziga Vertov's classic, vibrant experimental film -- one of the greatest Russian films of all time." The band says their live soundtrack will be psychedelic, including "non-stop visuals and a textured, noisy and gorgeous score -- highlighted by plenty of theremin, guitar sonics and loops." Over at Slim's, The Flying Other Brothers celebrate the release of their new CD San Francisco Sounds plus declare that "Barbara Boxer Rocks!" The grizzled all-star lineup includes Boz Scaggs, Bob Weir, G.E. Smith, T-Bone Burnett and more, who will be honoring "Barbara Boxer and her courage to stand up to Condoleezza Rice in the recent confirmation hearings." (No word on how Boxer feels about the Flying Other Brothers.) After you put the old folks to bed, stay up with ASCAP at their Noise Pop Late Night with locals The Lovemakers at Mezzanine.
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Saturday's Noise Pop matinee show with it-girl Joanna Newsom is sold out, so you won't be able to catch local chanteuse Nedelle's opening set, but you can check out her new record From The Lion's Mouth, out now on Kill Rock Stars. SFist Emily advises seeing local boys Rogue Wave headline at Slim's, or head to the Independent to see local troubadour David Dondero open for Bob Mould. Sunday marks the close of Noise Pop 2005, then things get real quiet around the city, so give yourself a rest. Kick back at the Independent's Cinema Drafthouse on Monday night when they screen Napoleon Dynamite. Be sure to take this quiz to determine which Napoleon Dynamite character you are.