10th Annual Mission Creek Music & Arts Festival

Sunday kicked off the 10th annual Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival featuring over 170 music acts, most of them local but some of them national (Vincent Gallo) and international (Ane Brun). The MCMAF offers a fantastic opportunity to get out into your neighborhood bars and clubs and see some bands on the rise. You can also get an earful of the uniquely adventurous and creative music coming out of the bay area. The film offerings range from panel discussions to music video screenings, including a premiere of the newest video for The Strokes, so be sure to check out the film schedule.

The music schedule is underway, but there's plenty of great stuff to see this week. Tonight we recommend showing up at the Makeout Room to see Hijack the Disco, Ebb and Flow and Cloud Cult. Gothamist Jen C. has been working with Cloud Cult as of late, and you know you can trust her musical recommendations. Listen to Cloud Cult's "Living on the Outside of Your Skin" from their album Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus.

Image of Cloud Cult from their site

Tomorrow Half-Handed Cloud, labelmates of Sir Sufjan, get cozy at The Argus and the Elbo Room presents an ominous lineup of Dead Science, Holy Kiss and Rykarda Parasol. The Dead Science last came through SF when they performed with Craig Wedren during Noise Pop. Sam from the band was game enough to take some random photo booth photos with us, so we're fans. You can start the evening early at the Queen's Nails Annex Gallery for a comic book art show featuring 26 artists. Local crooners Kelley Stoltz and Matt Lutz of the Herms are at Rickshaw Stop.

On Thursday, Extra Action Marching Band blows the doors off the Eagle Tavern. Friday boasts several great lineups, including Gris Gris and Von Iva at 12 Galaxies and the Tigerbeat 6 Showcase at Elbo Room with Eats Tapes and Kid 606. Or you could quench your cravings for experimental music and celeb-sightings all in one evening when Vincent Gallo, Sean Lennon & Carla Azar of Autolux perform at Bimbo's. Friday night also brings The Mission Creek Music Video Awards Show, featuring celebrity judges including Maria Shriver ("Mrs. Governator"). Could there be some forthcoming SFist political snark on Shriver's involvement with this?

The concerts last throughout the weekend, and we're really excited for the show at 12 Galaxies on Sunday with Dieselhed. We've seen Virgil Shaw solo many times, but have only heard glowing recollections of the Dieselhed glory days. Here's hoping they'll recapture some of the good times. Monday night brings a special edition of Beth Lisick's Porchlight Storytelling series at Cafe Du Nord themed Rock Bottom: Tales of Bad Gigs, Gnarly Excess, Dumb Bands, and Deli Trays. That's gotta be good.