When The Lights Go Down In The City
We headed to Cafe Du Nord last Friday to catch the sold-out early show by Emily Haines and The Soft Skeleton. By the 9pm showtime, the band was still soundchecking behind closed curtains and didn't start playing to the crowd until an hour later, but it was worth the wait. Haines crouched behind the keys, bird-skinny and soft-voiced, embodying the delicate yin to her animated Metric persona's yang. Eerie old black and white film clips played in the background while she drenched the crowd with slow, forlorn song movements. This introverted version of Haines was just as intense as you'd expect her to be. Between songs she debated whether or not she should talk to the audience more, and when a woman in the crowd encouraged her to, Haines thought and then replied, "I don't feel like it." Then she let the songs speak for her.
This week's top show picks:
On Friday, the local boys in Birdmonster headline Slim's with Two Seconds and Division Day. Two lucky readers will be able to welcome them back from their national tour. Read about their tour antics on their blog and listen to radio shows they did for Minnesota Public Radio and KEXP. Enter to win a pair of tickets to the show. (Contest ends Friday at 1pm; winner will be notified via email.)
Also on Friday, the lovely chanteuse Cibelle will charm you, Astrud Gilberto-style, at Cafe Du Nord. Watch Cibelle's duet with Devendra Banhart.
Rogue Wave drummer Pat Spurgeon has some good friends who are helping to raise funds for a kidney transplant. Show your support on Saturday night by buying a ticket to a special show at The Independent, where you'll benefit from an incredible lineup of Rogue Wave & friends, Ben Gibbard (DCFC), John Vanderslice, Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Ryan Miller (Guster), The Moore Brothers, The Winechuggers, Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket). Read more details and make a donation on Rogue Wave's website.
The rest of this week's show recommendations, after the jump.
Tonight the Frank Black Band are at Cafe Du Nord and Mojave 3 and Brightblack Morning Light get moody at Slim's. SFist favorites Silversun Pickups have already sold out the Rickshaw Stop with Viva Voce, who have a new record out on Barsuk called get yr blood sucked out. You have another chance to take our advice and see Honeycut at the Quannum Records showcase with Tommy Guerrero at Mezzanine. Popscene presents the locals in Darker My Love at 330 Ritch.
Alejandro Escovedo returns to 12 Galaxies on Friday with Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express. M Ward gently croons with Mike Watt at The Fillmore. Don't forget Birdmonster headlines Slim's.
On Saturday, Jason Collett (Broken Social Scene) and Rykarda Parasol are at Cafe Du Nord. Lambchop with the Tosca String Quartet plus Rosie Thomas are at Great American and The Gossip play their first of two nights at Bottom of the Hill. We've found Supersystem's eclectic new CD A Million Microphones sort of mindless yet strangely addictive. See what Supersystem's all about when they play with Black Fiction at Rickshaw Stop.
Watch Supersystem's video for "White Light / White Light"
On Sunday night, as part of the Hemlock Tavern's 5th anniversary week, Deerhoof play a special benefit show and will donate the entire proceeds towards one of their close friend's medical expenses. The $15 advanced tickets are on sale at the Hemlock and Casanova Lounge on Friday, 9/29. Sonic Youth are back with Erase Errata at The Fillmore and Jonathan Richman moves in to The Make-Out Room for four nights.
On Monday, get current at The Fillmore with We Are Scientists, Art Brut and The Spinto Band. The gentle troubador Teitur is at 12 Galaxies. On Wednesday, SFist hopes to finally get to see Chad VanGaalen live when he opens for Band of Horses at The Fillmore. VanGaalen has captured us with his otherworldly indie rock and mesmerizing animated videos. Both of his albums, Skelliconnection and Infiniheart, are among our favorites of the past few years. Also that night, The Hemlock Tavern celebrates their 5th anniversary with very special round robin live performances by Saviours, Night After Night, Genghis Khan, The Mantles, Jolie Holland, Sean Hayes, Andy Cabic, Bart Davenport, Willow Willow. SFist raises our collective glasses to The Hemlock, where there's almost always an unofficial rock n roll afterparty going on. We've rolled over the The Hemlock from the Great American for many a great and late night with our friends in Grandaddy, X, Cursive, and more. Cheers to five great years!
Listen to Chad VanGaalen
Birdmonster photo by Julie Schuchard.
