When The Lights Go Down In The City
This week we're giving away an EP by promising up-and-coming local band Finest Dearest. We're excited to watch where this comely and talented co-ed group's bright future takes them. Fans of female-fronted indie rock should preview a few tracks here or here and pick up your own copy of their EP when they play the Hemlock this Friday night. (Contest ends Wednesday 10/12.)
Hipsters unite at the Bill Graham Civic Center tonight for Franz Ferdinand's show featuring stellar openers Cut Copy and TV On The Radio. If you have tickets to this show, get there when it opens because you don't want to miss the first two sets. You can catch Cut Copy again late night at Popscene, where Franz Ferdinand will be hanging out and spinning at the party. Austin popsters Fastball are at Red Devil Lounge and Slim's has sirens Jaguar Wright and Latoya London of "American Idol" semi-fame. Head to the Rickshaw Stop to see Fruit Bats, Irving and Willow Willow.
On Friday, Gillian Welch performs the first of two nights at the Fillmore. We saw her perform twice at the incredible Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival last weekend, and no one does soft, fragile and gorgeous quite like she does. Bottom of the Hill made a curious choice to put locals Von Iva (boisterous, dancey) and the Papercuts (quiet, atmospheric) as back to back openers for Foreign Born. Blackalicious plays a free early evening show at Amoeba and a later, longer set at the Independent. The Hemlock has a strong lineup of locals with The Decoration, Vervein and Finest Dearest.
On Saturday, local songstress Paula Frazer plays a 2pm set at Amoeba. Hear songs from her brand new album entitled Leave the Sad Things Behind coming out October 4th on Birdman Records. That night, The English Beat and Persephone's Bees have already sold out the first of two nights at the Red Devil Lounge, and Devo and Bow Wow Wow will make you shake your shoulders at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Catch rock's it-bands at the Download Festival featuring The Killers, Modest Mouse, The Arcade Fire and more. 12 Galaxies has Hopewell, Goldrush and Calling All Monsters and Bottom of the Hill has Two Gallants with Holy Ghost Revival.
Catch another 2pm in-store performance at Amoeba on Sunday when Dengue Fever plays their surf, rock, psychedelic, international amalgam of sounds. They play later that night at Makeout Room. The Ivy Room in Oakland presents a late afternoon show called “Jukebox Heroes,” a benefit show for the Wolf Family who were victims of Hurricane Katrina. Red Meat, Plain High Drifters, Dave Gleason's Wasted Days, Drunk Horse, and more will all be playing cover songs at the benefit. Two Gallants plays their second show of the weekend at the Independent. Martha Wainwright sings her honest, gritty anthems at Cafe Du Nord. Go listen to her song "BMFA" and thank us later.
On Monday, we'll be at Great American Music Hall for the 2005 Hotel Cafe Tour to see Imogen Heap. You might not think you've heard of her, but you probably have, whether it was on "The O.C.", the "Garden State" soundtrack, the "Shrek 2" soundtrack, or in her band Frou Frou. The lineup also includes Butch Walker, Cary Brothers, Gary Jules and Jim Bianco, but we've been counting down the days until we could see Imogen sing live. Head to the Elbo Room for another Hurricane Katrina benefit featuring the Marginal Prophets, Kofy Brown, Psychokinetics, Four Year Bender and more. All proceeds of the $10 cover go to the People’s Hurricane Fund and the New Orleans Musicians Clinic Emergency Fund, and people with a Louisiana, Alabama, or Mississippi I.D. are admitted free.
On Tuesday the Dirty Three play the first of two nights at Great American, and on Wednesday the Rickshaw Stop throws a Fall Pumpkin Party with pumpkin carving and a showing of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" That rocks.