*MUSIC: Kelley Stoltz, Grand Archives, the Morning Benders, and le Weather Underground sing some songs for you over at the Independent. (Part of Noise Pop 2008.) COMEDY: Get ready to hee yourself silly. Kenny Altman hosts Ron Vigh, Kelly McCarron, Maggie Newcomb, and Morgan Ryan Kasmier at "Gays and Dolls," a homosexually-charged night of stand-up hilarity. You can catch the queers killing it over at the Clubhouse. (BYOB, people. For reals.) CLUB: New York-based......

-- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: A typical night at the cabaret this is not. The last time we saw Connie Champagne perform (during her stint at the Plush Room), tweakers were passing out in the audience, drunks wept into their vodka rocks, and Connie busted out a dead-on tribute as Judy Garland. Performing Garland's classics (like "San Francisco") as well as songs she might have crooned ("Bohemian Rhapsody" and "A Case of You"), Champagne......

We've got two giveaways this week, and the first one is particularly near and dear to our heart. We're halfway through 2007 and already thinking about what might make our annual list of top 10 records. One album that's sure to make the cut is Menomena's Friend and Foe. The band is back to play live this Friday night at the Independent with opener All Smiles, a.k.a. Jim Fairchild. We've known Jim since way back......

SFist interviews Bart Davenport of Honeycut...

Happy New Year everyone! What We Did On Our Christmas Vacation After having our plans to fly to Denver thwarted by a sinister snowstorm, we headed straight to Texas. We spent most of the time in Houston with our family and managed to type out our top 10 albums of '06 while our nephews watched "Pirates of the Carribbean" for the nth time. One night was spent in Austin with one of our favorite people......

First, the swanky: The MoAD Vanguard presents Preview at the Clift Hotel, (495 Geary St. at Jones) an evening of art, music and dance for a cause - the cause being MoAD and the arts of the African Diaspora. From the PR: groove to the global sounds of DJ Cecil (Relevant Sound, Bembe) while taking in the artwork of Amanda Williams, April Banks, Rah Crawford, Rosalind McGary, Emmanuel Pratt and Sydney James. Preview is......

How's this for a normal pre-teen existence: school, soccer practice, homework, gig with Pearl Jam. It's all in a day's work for the sisters in Smoosh. At the ages when most teenage girls are locked in their rooms distraught over the politics of popularity or some unrequited crush, Chloe (12) and Asya (14) are out in the proverbial garage writing edgy pop songs on keyboard and drums. The best part? It's not a novely act.......

Earlier this week we told you about some of the great shows at the Mission Creek Music & Arts Festival, including a special performance by Dieselhed at 12 Galaxies on Sunday night. We're sending two of you to the show. Preview some songs off their 1999 album Elephant Rest Home and enter to win. (Contest ends Friday at 5pm. Winner will be notified via email.) Another great show is happening at 12 Galaxies next Wednesday......

SFist interviews Michael Taylor from the Court and Spark...

Once again the musical offerings in San Francisco are so plentiful and compelling that they force us into stressful choices. The upside is that no matter what you decide this week, you really can't go wrong. Let's get the first difficult choice out of the way by making you decide which giveaway to go after. Two amazing San Francisco acts are headlining shows on Friday night -- The Court and Spark celebrate the release of......

Last night we braved the blustery elements (man, do we miss that 70 degree weather!) to see our old friend from Austin Jeff Klein open for The Honorary Title, Koufax and Limbeck at Bottom of the Hill. Even though Jeff went on at 8pm sharp, which seemed awfully early to us, the venue was already packed with supportive kids decked out in their hoodies, bangs covering half their faces, Chuck Taylors planted firmly with the......

Last week's winner, Bay Guardian: Craigslist is destroying the fabric of America. We love this new news shorts column: Daly! Mocking Jordana Thigpen. Tim Goodman the TV critic was on Nancy Grace the other day? About the murder rate? Was this an interview about Nash Bridges? British grocery stores. Cover article: indie boy and Mission resident Kelley Stoltz. Rilo Kiley overhype begins. Hey Trimethldioxypurist, check out this article on the French-press Starbucks challenge! Indiefest! Color a Curious George to win a family four-pack to see the movie. And SFist Eve's horoscope: recognize your own inner strength and don't be distractible (hey! look over there!) The SF Weekly: Cover article: Rilo Kiley overhype! Matt Smith on the central subway plan. PUNI suggests a "Folsom St. Prison Fair." Ha! In what was clearly going to be the cover article until the Rilo Kiley overhype began, an SF group producing radio shows for Nepal. Hey, the guy who produces the Daily Show is coming to town. Ced on Meredith. ...and oh no! Music columnist OK Then is leaving the Weekly too! What in the Tom Walsh is going on over there? After the jump: the East Bay Express and the Metro. ...

ENTER TO WIN! "I've got a non-dairy creamer in my jeans, I'm happy to see ya if you know what I mean." Oh, do we ever. Those are the words of Jose Miguel Contreras, ringleader of By Divine Right, a power-pop quartet en route from their hometown of Toronto to rock the bay area next week. Sweet Confusion, the title of their latest release, is the perfect description of their sound -- they add a......