This Week in Le Rock: December 3-8

Kids, it's time to get rocking. (Especially before the "Private Party" dry spell that is coming on. Yikes.) This week, the San Francisco music gods are offering a vast array of newbies and veterans - something that we will graciously partake of any day of the week.

Now that the bets are in (okay, so no one really cast any bets - how boring is that?), you can go to Cafe du Nord, tonight, to check out San Francisco's unsigned best at Live 105's "Top 5 Local Bands Contest." Tuesday, venture over to Great American Music Hall to catch San Francisco's own, Scissors for Lefty. (You'll want to purchase your tickets soon to their off-the-hook New Year's Party at BotH.) Oh, you'll also get to see Juliette and the Licks headline. (It looks like they like to perform sans clothes. Woot!)

Back in July, we briefly mentioned a "band-of-the-moment" named Vampire Weekend. They are back and this time they are headlining at The Independent. We listened to Mansford Roof (listen here) and we couldn't get over how catchy and quirky they are. We love them; their infectious bite style is called: "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", "Upper West Side Soweto", "Campus", and "Oxford Comma Riddim". We feel it safe to assume that the inside joke is for Columbia University's alumni only. Look for a full length album late January.

Friday we'll be hanging out at Live 105's "Not So Silent Night." Our attentions will be focused on the local band (who won Monday night's competition), Jimmy Eat World and Modest Mouse (two of our favorites). Saturday, quirky sock-loving violinist, Andrew Bird, from Chicago is back in town. We saw him earlier this year and was overwhelmed by the incredible process that Bird goes through to create his minimalist folk electronic-art music.

Don't forget Tori Amos' three-night stint over in Oakland at Paramount Theatre, Friday through Sunday.

Take the jump to see the full listings...