When The Lights Go Down In The City
Our concert picks for the week of 8/4 - 8/10.
The Heavenly States is a band from Oakland that we should all be proud to call our own. In addition to playing truly infectious noise pop, they were the first and only US band to play Libya and they were name-checked by Chris Martin of Coldplay as one of his favorite bands. Ted's upside-down left-handed guitar playing kind of mesmerizes us and Genevieve is so chic when she plays keyboards and rock violin that, well, we kind of want to be her.
So yeah, we love us some 'States. In honor of their CD release party on Saturday at the Independent, we'll give one of you a copy of their new record Black Comet so you can love The Heavenly States too. (Contest ends 8/10.)
Last week we wondered how many times Tegan and Sara had played San Francisco this year. The answer is: not enough. Tonight they play their second sold out show in a row with Communique and Minipop. The Dead Hensons flash their gold teeth at Rickshaw Stop. Openers Night After Night play "'under the bleachers makeout metal' in the tradition of Schenker UFO and Appetite for Destruction," which sounds like good reason to get there early. Hank Williams III plays his hellbilly rock at the Independent. At Popscene, Morningwood dishes up rock con attitude. The Chronicle Pavilion's lineup including Erykah Badu and Queen Latifah just might warrant a road trip.
On Friday Teenage Fanclub is at Bimbo's. The Black Crowes check into the Fillmore and get comfortable. They'll be rocking for five nights straight so long as the brothers Robinson don't disown each other. Cafe Du Nord has Every Move A Picture and Death of a Party. Join us at Mezzanine to rub elbows at the SF Weekly Music Award Nominations Party.
Start Saturday night off right with a pint or three at The Hemlock with DJs Nick and Rose. Then we will take our seat next to SFist MattyMatt at the Herbst Theater to see the one, the only -- Charo! Can't. Wait. Later on, we're running to the Independent to see Playing in Fog's presentation of The Heavenly States' CD release party with a stellar lineup including David Dondero, Built Like Alaska and The Rum Diary. If you're in the mood for some Senegalese hip hop, you're in luck because 12 Galaxies has Daara J + Lateef The Truthspeaker
There was a time we were so obsessed with Soundgarden that bought the Hater album the day it came out just because it had Soundgarden's rhythm section on it. Their twisted cover of Cat Stevens' "Mona Bone Jakon" is still a favorite. Eleven years later, Hater's playing at Thee Parkside on Sunday night in support of their sophomore release appropriately titled The 2nd. We're guessing Ben Shepard and John McBain are in the lineup, but we don't know who else to expect.
On Monday This Is My Fist plays at Bottom of the Hill. We have no idea what they sound like, but SFist sure likes their name. 12 Galaxies has local indie rockers Thee More Shallows.
Grand Champeen is at Thee Parkside on Tuesday, and the Makeout Room has jazz guitar extraordinaire Leni Stern. On Wednesday, Koufax plays jaunty keyboard pop at Bottom of the Hill.
Image of Charo from www.tbpac.org.