When The Lights Go Down In The City
Our concert picks for the week of 7/28-8/3.
This week offers you chances to see spanking new UK rockers, hiphop's underground acts and chart-toppers, and yet another show by Tegan and Sara. We love those cute lil' Canadians, but how many times have they played San Francisco this year?
Tonight starts early with a free performance by Nine Black Alps at Amoeba. The young lads of the UK's band-of-the-moment will rock you later at Popscene as well. At the Rickshaw Stop, the Indie Music Video Festival presents a sneak peek program including videos for The Locust and The Album Leaf, and live performances by 31 Knots, Boyskout, Hawnay Troof and more. On Friday, Minus Story brings their grand melodic experiment to Bottom of the Hill, in support of their new Heaven and Hell EP. The Lovemakers get fresh at Cafe Du Nord with openers Film School. Oakland's Hieroglyphics (Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual, the Souls of Mischief, Extra Prolific, Pep Love) take over The Fillmore. Elbo Room hosts the First Annual Afrofunk Music Festival all weekend, to benefit the children of Darfur, Sudan. Performers include Sila & The Afrofunk Experience, Henri-Pierre Koubaka, and Afro Beat Down, as well as a screening of Femi Kuti's Film Live at The Shrine. At 1015 Folsom catch beat driven world music by Dhamaal’s Janaka Selekta, Autobots and more.
On Saturday, assault your senses as The Mutaytor does its thing with drums, pyrotechnics, aerial performers, laser projections, and lots more drums. If you're in the mood for something kinder and gentler, head to Great American to see the Pernice Brothers and Jim White, who narrated the very excellent film Searching For The Wrong-Eyed Jesus (which plays this week only at the Balboa Theatre so go see it!) We'll claim Richard Buckner as a local artist, even though he's got strong ties to Texas. Catch him with Anders Parker of Varnaline at Cafe Du Nord.
Mighty is taking it to the streets on Sunday for an all day outdoor festival with Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Redman, Zion I, and hosted by Jean Grae. Bottom of the Hill has cheap BBQ capped off by an emo-rrific show by Circa Survive. Our favorite family act Eisley plays between World Leader Pretend and Hot Hot Heat at the Fillmore. Cafe Du Nord has UK act Hard-Fi, whose album Stars of CCTV is well worth the listen.
Turin Brakes and West Indian Girl lift your spirits at Great American on Monday. Cinema Drafthouse at the Independent presents a screening of DIG!, a documentary that just begs to be played in a rock club. On Tuesday, The Independent answers the question "whatever happened to Nikka Costa?" Jonathan Richman starts the first of three nights at Makeout Room. On Wednesday Birdmonster and Serene Lakes play at Elbo Room while Mary Timony plays Bottom of the Hill. Our favorite pop-rock twins Tegan and Sara play their eleventy-hundredth San Francisco show this year at Great American with Communique.
Image of Nine Black Alps from Filter's website. Image of an oooold Nikka Costa album from this site.