The Week Ahead: Bay Area Concerts 11/23 - 11/29

This week's concert preview is being brought to you by Kevin Meenan of Epicsauce, providing detailed concert listings for the Bay Area every week. Follow them on Twitter.

While things slow down a bit with the holiday there are still a number of solid choices this week with Friendly Fires/The xx at The Independent tonight (sadly sold out), Ghostly International's Deastro with Max Tundra at Bottom of the Hill Wednesday and electro heavyweights Simian Mobile Disco at Mezzanine Friday. There is even an option for all you Morrissey lovers looking to ditch the family -- and turkey -- with Popscene's 10th annual Meat Is Murder tribute to The Smiths/The Mozzer at 330 Ritch Thursday night.

We are particularly excited to finally catch Vancouver newcomers Japandroids at the Rickshaw Stop this Sunday. The duo has not made things easy on Bay Area fans thus far -- their first scheduled trip to San Francisco last spring was canceled due to a medical emergency, and their August makeup date landed on the same night as both Sonic Youth at The Fox Theater and Deerhoof/Abe Vigoda/Zach Hill at the Great American Music Hall. While their stripped down guitar-and-drum setup and general punk aesthetics have resulted in numerous comparisons to the previously profiled duo No Age and their kin, the music and songwriting here is really a different beast. Sure, the signature lo-fi distortion is there, but underneath the fuzz-drenched surface their 2009 full length debut Post-Nothing proves to be an unusually accessible and unpretentious affair, complete with danceable anthemic buildups, pop-punk hooks and endless sing-along moments. This one is a guaranteed good time.

Monday, November 23rd
Friendly Fires, The xx, Holly Miranda @ Independent (Sold Out)
Wolfmother, Heartless Bastards, thenewno2 @ Fox Theater $29.50
Mr. Gnome, Songs For Snakes, Disastroid @ Elbo Room $6