When The Lights Go Down In The City
Our concert picks for the week of 6/30 - 7/6.
"Hey baby, it's the 4th of July!" What artist's "4th of July" song sticks in your head this time of year? Whether it's X, Soundgarden, Bruce, or some band we've never heard of, hum along while we tell you about this weeks' concert picks.
Tonight check out the California Homegrown Music Series at Mezzanine featuring headliners Communique, brought to you for free by the Guardian. Let the Rosin Coven Dance Revue move you down at Great American, featuring several troupes performing original choreography. Experiment at the Hemlock with Skygreen Leopards and Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice, or hear some new melodic rock at Popscene with Maximo Park and Troubled Hubble. If you'd like to support some locals, The Makeout Room has The Ebb & Flow and Bottom of the Hill has a record release for Veronica Lipgloss and The Evil Eyes with opener hey willpower. We're betting on 12 Galaxies' bill of The Apes and Gris Gris to blow our minds.
Friday's got something for everyone, but first we'll let SFist Jackson make his pick o' the week: "What better way to kick off your weekend than by celebrating the revolutionary sounds of our founding mothers and fathers -- and no, we don't mean George and Martha. Try Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Mele Mel and the Furious Five featuring Scorpio, Dana Dane and Big Daddy Kane. Marvel at the lyrical fireworks, march to the beat of the drum and sing the glory of hip-hop nation. Celebrate your independence with the Legendz of Hip-hop at Space 550 -- order your tickets online. Pimpin' ain't easy, people, and these motherf**kers have been doing it for thirty years." Thanks Jackson!
Also on Friday, Rogue Wave starts the first of two nights at the Independent with The Helio Sequence, and the Rum Diary and 20 Minute Loop are at 12 Galaxies. Popscene presents current sweetheart-of-the-blogosphere pop-tart Annie down at Mighty, with local openers Every Move A Picture and The Lovemakers. Drown your sorrows with indie rock princess Maria Taylor (of Azure Ray) with opener Statistics at Bottom of the Hill.
On Saturday afternoon, be at Amoeba at 2pm for a free instore by alt-country sulkers Last of the Blacksmiths. Preview some songs here. Also that afternoon the Fillmore Jazz Festival kicks off its 24 acts on three stages over two days. SFist contributor Carrie recommends Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet (punk jazz) and Babatunde Lea Jazz Quintet (master percussionist). Saturday night Digital Underground does their thing at Red Devil Lounge and The Plus Ones celebrate a record release at Bottom of the Hill. If you can handle it, get assaulted by the erratic hush-holler dynamics of Scout Niblett and Afrirampo at 12 Galaxies.
On Sunday, Amoeba presents another great afternoon instore with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Carrie recommends SF's own Realistic Orchestra (known for doing big band renditions of Bjork songs) at the Fillmore Jazz Fest. We'll be at Cafe Du Nord that night to get rocked by Diamond Nights (listen to them here). We'll try to get there early to hear Hijack the Disco, seeing that we just met Mike at the rocknroll bowl-a-thon last night. Hey, none other than Boy George is performing at 1015!
Spend your Monday barbecueing and celebrating our independence, and use Tuesday to recover. Straight outta Austin, The Black Angels deliver some doomy, fuzzed out psychedelia at Thee Parkside on Wednesday. Hear it here. Also that night, The Husbands are at the Elbo Room, Men At Work's Colin Hay is at the Red Devil and get schooled by the legendary Link Wray at Slim's.
Image of Rosin Coven from their website. Image of The Black Angels from their Myspace page.